Magazine - Fall 2022

Features 18

Transformative initiatives, major impact

Wheaton launches nursing, design and criminal justice programs

By Sandy Coleman

26

Keeping small fishing fleets afloat

Shelley Edmundson ’03 leads effort to support Martha’s Vineyard fishermen

By Laura Pedulli

Alumni recognized for contributions and commitment

By Laura Pedulli

Between the Lines 2

The President’s Page

Around the Dimple

Lyons Pride

Scene

Association Network

Memoriam

On this page

Symphony Under the Stars returned to the Presidents’ Garden in June with conductor Delvyn Case, associate professor of music.

Photo by Keith Nordstrom

On the cover

Graphic by designer David Laferriere

Read us online

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

Connect with us on social media

@WheatonCollege @Wheaton Email us: magazine@wheatoncollege.edu

WHEATON MAGAZINE

Vol. 112, No. 3

Director of communications and magazine editor

Sandy Coleman

Designer David Laferriere

Multimedia producer Keith Nordstrom

Associate director of communications Laura Pedulli

Administrative assistant Ellen Cataloni

Assistant vice president of marketing and communications Michael Graca

Familiar excitement

There has always been comfort in knowing what to expect, as well as excitement in the antici pation of what is new and uncharted.

This past academic year we’ve had the opportu nity to experience both at Wheaton.

COVID-19 changed so many routines that we haven’t had the accom panying comfort of the expected for a very long time. However, during the spring semester we got a little more of it as many pandemic protocols were slowly and safely lifted.

We got to return to some of the things we enjoy most in formats that are familiar rather than reimagined pivots. And we got to see smiles again, not just “smil ing eyes” above masked mouths and noses.

Holi was back on Chapel Field, thanks to the student-run club

South Asian Student Initiative.

The Head of the Peacock Regatta was taken out of its 2021 pool venue and returned to the pond.

Commencement was one big celebration again in its tradi tional space in the Dimple and Reunion was a parade and party of face-to-face connection.

In the realm of the uncharted, the spring semester brought an nouncements of newly launched initiatives and majors that will move Wheaton forward in ad dressing challenges that demand

fresh perspectives.

This issue of the magazine has plenty of evidence of the joy in the return to the known and stories of the new exciting adventures. Our cover story explores Wheaton’s new four-year nursing program, which aims to create compassionate leaders focused on health equity; a design major that is interdisciplinary; and a criminal justice major that considers the multiple perspec tives in fields of law, criminal justice and restorative justice. All of them leverage the power of the liberal arts.

May the fall season bring you comfort as well as exhilaration.

Vice president for marketing and communications

Gene Begin Wheaton, The Magazine of Wheaton College (ISSN 1068-1558), is published three times a year (winter, spring and fall) 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 © 2022

Students celebrate Holi to mark the end of classes; magazine editor Sandy Coleman, below, joins the fun on Chapel Field.

KEITH NORDSTROM

Celebrating abundance

During my first semester at Wheaton, I met with almost all faculty and staff—from hosting dozens of small group gatherings in the Presidents’ House and attending classes to participating in many, many Zoom meetings. My goal was to see the college through the eyes of faculty, staff and trustees. This year, I’ll be fo cused on meeting with students and alums to hear their perspectives in more depth.

With every group I asked the same open-ended questions: What do you love about Wheaton? What would you like to change? What are Wheaton’s opportuni ties for growth and innovation?

The Wheaton community identified two traits consistently as characteristics of the college that they appreciated:  “Wheaton traditions” and the “willingness to recreate, reinvent, change.” There were, of course, many ideas about what should change and how the college can grow to more fully realize its mission in the years ahead. But an appreciation for enduring values informing traditions and a spirit of experimentation were very widely shared.

Underlying those themes—and the many good suggestions for new initiatives—is confidence in Wheaton’s ability to grow while retaining its focus on an education that enriches students’ intellectual and personal lives, prepares them for profes sional success through multiple careers, and equips them for civic leadership—in short, to lead a life of abundance.

Wheaton’s long-standing commitment to providing a rigorous and practical education—an emphasis that is rooted in its founding—has inspired the faculty to innovate, again and again, both in pedagogy and curriculum.

Wheaton’s faculty has an impressive history of developing new approaches to teaching and learning inside and outside the classroom, and of creating overarching curricula like Compass and majors in new and emerging fields. The early response to Wheaton’s newest programs testify to this ability. In just a few months, the college’s new majors—criminal justice, restorative justice, and criminology; design; and

nursing—ranked among the top programs most often mentioned by high school juniors and seniors considering applying for admission.

While Wheaton implements these initia tives, the college needs to continue to look forward and identify other areas in which we can build on our strengths, enhance what we offer to students today, and intro duce opportunities to expand our reach.

Along with communication and market ing that have already been identified by faculty as potential majors, many good ideas emerged from my conversations with faculty in areas such as biotechnology, augmented and virtual reality, machine learning, and ecopreneurship, to name but a few. With such talented faculty, I have no doubt Wheaton will continue to develop new majors and branch into master’s degrees beginning with the four-plus-one model (five years to achieve both an under graduate and graduate degree).

Amid this innovation and in lieu of the traditional pomp and circumstance of a presidential inauguration, the college is

planning a series of events on campus and in cities and regions across the country to celebrate Wheaton today and imagine the Wheaton of tomorrow. Our goal is to con nect with as many students, faculty and staff on campus; and alumni and friends across the country as possible.

The college’s future strength, like its past and present, will be shaped by the keen intellectual inquiry, talent and generous support of the many people who are a part of this global community. As we embark on the college’s next chapter, I want to continue to engage in a broadbased discussion about our mission, vision and values; emerging strategic priorities; and our hopes for Wheaton’s future. I’m looking forward to meeting more mem bers of the community while celebrating the college’s long record of success and envisioning our future trajectory.

President Michaele Whelan

KEITH NORDSTROM

Michaele Whelan, president

Wheaton community responds to Ukraine crisis in various ways

The Russian-Ukraine conflict continues to stir much confusion, sadness and out rage—as well as intensify concerns about its long-lasting global impact.

During the spring semester, the Wheaton community found constructive ways to better understand, process and respond to the tragedy, including through a student-led radio program, a faculty panel discussion and a peace vigil.

Wheaton’s radio station WCCS 96.5FM, Model United Nations and the Wheaton Democrats hosted a radio broadcast on the conflict, which began in February when Russia invaded Ukraine.

Harrison Zeiberg ’22, Mae Flibotte ’22, Stevent Cleto Garcia ’22 and Elian Fabing ’22 presented research on the history of the region, the ongoing refugee crisis and more. The group also interviewed Kiran Pfitzner ’21, a University of Chicago master’s degree student who is studying European military history.

“We had a record number of listeners to the radio during this event, with many of

them staying tuned in for the entirety of the broadcast,” Zeiberg said.

Claire Brady ’23, a history major and member of Model United Nations who helped organize the broadcast, said she found it awe-inspiring that students came together so quickly to create this event.

“Educational events help provide important information that might have been missed due to the constant stream of information from the news. In addition, they help us become better-informed citizens of the world,” Brady said.

In early March, more than 200 mem bers of the campus community attended a faculty panel discussion in Hindle Auditorium at the Diana Davis Spencer Discovery Center Dedicated to Free Speech and Innovation.

“As educators, we felt that it was our responsibility to provide the Wheaton community with an opportunity to learn more about what is going on to contextu alize and understand what they are seeing on the news,” said Associate Professor of

Political Science Aubrey Westfall, who organized the event.

In addition to Westfall, faculty who provided their insight on the Ukraine crisis included Tom Dolack, Francoise Rosset and Jeanne Wilson (Russian stud ies); Anni Cecil (history); and Jonathan Chow (political science).

Students said they benefited from hear ing from professors.

“I learned there are multiple elements that must be considered and being able to hear from experts in all areas was very informative,” said Kate Brennan ’25, a double major in environmental science and political science.

Also in March, students, faculty and staff attended a vigil for peace at Cole Memorial Chapel and received informa tion on how to support Ukraine. The Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, Center for Social Justice and Community Impact and UWC Davis International House jointly sponsored this event.

—Laura Pedulli

The Wheaton community gathered in Hindle Auditorium on March 1 for the panel discussion “What is Happening in Ukraine?” featuring faculty from the departments of history, political science and Russian studies.

KEITH NORDSTROM

Pursuing passions abroad

Projects for Peace in Bhutan

Chogyal Norbu ’23 won a Projects for Peace award for his proposal to create a community center for children who live in a military camp in his native Bhutan. The plan aims to improve the experiences of children by providing a place for activities that will support their academic pursuits and enrich their social lives. “I want to focus on improving student reading, writ ing, listening and language skills so they will be able to express themselves more coherently and fluently,” said Norbu, who is double majoring in political science and international relations. “They will also get awareness programs on violence, mental health issues and the effects of drugs and alcohol. I believe when young people get opportunities to learn and express themselves, it gives peace a chance in the community.”

Fulbright to Mongolia

Leigh Brooks ’22 won a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant scholarship that will take her to Mongolia. A triple major in linguistics, Russian language and literature, and European history, she is poised to delve into a whole new linguistic experience and culture. “Language is un equivocally the passion of my life. There is a joy to be found in the comprehension of another person that is unlike anything else, and I want to share that feeling with the world,” Brooks said.

Fulbright to Germany

Chloe Van Dyne ’22 loves a classroom en vironment that lends itself to community building and personal growth. She will create a positive experience for student learners as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Germany. “Everyone deserves to have at least one teacher who cares, one class that they can be themselves in, and a safe learning environment where they

can feel comfortable making mistakes. I know for a fact that this is what made me stick with German. My desire to help other students feel this same way about

learning a language is what motivates me,” said Van Dyne, a double major in elementary education and German.

Chloe Van Dyne ’22

Leigh Brooks ’22

Chogyal Norbu ’23

KEITH NORDSTROM PHOTOS

Social entrepreneurship

Friends and business partners earn recognition

Aidan Travis ’22 and Gabriel “Gabe” Childs Michael ’22 were selected among the winners of the #impaktWISE Ideation Awards 2022 sponsored by Copenhagen Business School in Denmark. Their social venture, Conifer Solar Solutions, aims to increase access to renewable energy through the sale of solar-powered ther moelectric cooling systems.

The #impaktWISE Awards are an international social business model competition. This year’s winners included teams from schools in Ecuador, Malaysia, Nigeria, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Travis, a business and management major, and Michael, an economics major, started Conifer Solar Solutions in January 2021 during the first part of Wheaton’s Social Entrepreneurship Launch (SE Launch) Program. The Global Center for Social Entrepreneurship Network has been leading this social venture bootcamp portion of SE Launch for several years.

“We had a desire to work on a project that would increase access to renewable energy. We have worked on all aspects of this project together over the past year,” Travis said. “We are honored to win the Copenhagen Business School’s Ideation Award.”

Michael added that he and Travis were excited to have the opportunity to compete and dive deeper into the project. “It was definitely a surprise to be one of the three Ideation Award winners. There were a lot of great business models submitted and we were just grateful to be a part of the competition,” he said.

Imran Chowdhury, Diana Davis Spencer chair of social entrepreneurship and associate professor of business and management, said when a Copenhagen

Business School faculty member asked him to nominate a team from Wheaton for the competition, he immediately thought of Travis and Michael.

“Conifer Solar Solutions was one of the most active participants in the 2021 version of SE Launch. I think Aidan was at every spring workshop. In the process,

they really honed the vision for their company, and thought hard about what they would want their post-Wheaton lives to look like—the kind of future visioning that we encourage across all of our social innovation and social entrepreneurship programs,” Chowdhury said.

—Sandy Coleman

Aidan Travis ’22 and Gabriel “Gabe” Childs Michael ’22 stand with a solar panel used as part of the thermoelectric cooling system they developed for their social business venture.

KEITH NORDSTROM

at work

Conference inspires ideas for a better world

Changing the world for the better requires new, compelling ideas and a plan to manifest them. Wheaton students helped provide those tools—and developed their own actionable ideas—as the key organizers and participants of the second annual Social Impact Conference held on April 28 and 29.

The event, which took place at the Diana Davis Spencer Discovery Center Dedicated to Free Speech and Innovation, offered students the opportunity to network with distinguished practitioners and scholars working on social impact issues while learning how to employ their own talents for social good.

Gabriel “Gabe” Fellows ’23, Ariel Ferreira ’24, Akib Marzuk ’22, Ervin “Erv” Williams ’24, Masa Mita ’22 and Erin Billinger ’25, with assistance from social entrepreneurs in residence Archana Shah and Pabel Delgado, planned a full slate of speakers, workshops and interactive activities.

The students selected Ross Franklin ’02, founder and CEO of Pure Green Franchise, as this year’s keynote speaker.

“The conference brought together many of the elements that help Wheaton students develop the expertise that they can use to strengthen their commitment to social change and to make the world a better place,” said Imran Chowdhury,

Guest lecture series launches

Experience brings some of life’s most valuable lessons, whether that is in pursu ing personal passions, a career focus or business goals that have social impact. Wheaton in March launched a Visiting Entrepreneur program lecture series that will bring a wide range of those lessons to campus.

Led by Pabel Delgado, one of Wheaton’s two social entrepreneurs in residence, the lecture series began with Kana Hattori and Kendra Malloy as the first visiting entrepreneurs to make in-person presentations on campus.

Hattori, a business owner and cultural guide from Kyoto, Japan, and Malloy, a Miami-based professional life coach and nutritionist, co-presented a cross-cul tural mindfulness seminar that explored Eastern-Western wellness practices, each within the context of the other.

Hattori also presented three other lectures, including “The Lived Experience of a Female Entrepreneur in Japan.”

To plan the series, Delgado reached out to student leaders to gather their

Diana Davis Spencer chair of social entrepreneurship and associate professor of business and management. “After a suc cessful virtual Social Impact Conference in 2021, the student organizing committee took the event to new heights with an in-person event this year.”

—Laura Pedulli

suggestions and invite student-run groups to co-sponsor events. The col laboration included the Asian Studies Department; M.A.D. House (Media Arts Discourses House); the Social Impact and Innovation Club; Art Haus; SAFE Haüs (Sexuality Affirmation and Freedom of Expression Haüs); the Queer and Trans People of Color club; the East Asian Students Association; and theater and film students.

Ariel Ferreira ’24, who is a business and management and political science double major, and president of the Social Impact and Innovation Club, said that she and members were happy to be able to support the lecture series.

“We are excited for future social entrepreneurship programming as well,” Ferreira said.

—Sandy Coleman

Keynote speaker Ross Franklin ’02, CEO of Pure Green Franchise, opens the 2022 Social Impact Conference, an annual student-run event.

Visiting entrepreneurs Kana Hattori, left, and Kendra Malloy co-presented a mindfulness seminar as part of a new lecture series.

KEITH NORDSTROM

MLK Jr. Legacy Awards honor role models

“Everybody can be great. … because any body can serve,” Martin Luther King Jr. is noted for saying. Wheaton has honored two great community members who are living up to those words: Justin Martinez ’22 and Professor of Anthropology M. Gabriela Torres.

Martinez and Torres have been awarded 2022 Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Awards, presented to a student and faculty or staff member whose actions and leadership help the campus com munity live in a manner that is equitable, inclusive and consistent with King’s values.

The two received the awards during the Annual Martin Luther King Legacy Celebration, which was held virtually in February.

The event was sponsored and cohosted by Diversity, Equity and Access Leadership’s (DEAL’s) Education and Programming Committee, the Office for Institutional Equity and Belonging, and the Office of the President. The DEAL team reviewed nominations for the awards and selected the winners.

Martinez, a double major in history and secondary education, has been involved in a long list of campus activities, including helping incoming students begin their Wheaton journey as a 2021 intercultural student early arrival assistant.

Professor Torres, associate provost, is a cultural anthropologist who specializes in the study of violence—particularly gender-based violence—and state forma tion. She regularly serves as a pro bono expert witness on gender-based violence and Guatemala country conditions.

The nomination for the award noted that Martinez, a Posse 19 Scholar, has been a campus leader since arriving at Wheaton and has made a significant impact on inclusion and belonging on campus. Martinez’s involvement includes serving as an intergroup dialogue facilita tor for almost four years and president of the Queer and Trans People of Color club.

“Winning this award is an absolute privilege. However, I want to make it crystal clear that this is not just a product of my own individual work; upholding Martin Luther King Jr.’s values, defined by intentional and meaningful diversity, equity and inclusion, is a community effort,” Martinez said.

Torres’s nomination highlighted her work researching and curating a web page that contributes to and helps guide

Wheaton’s commitment to social justice and engaged scholarship; her hand in helping to develop Wheaton’s Center for Collaborative Teaching and Learning, which fosters strong relationships and partnerships between staff and faculty; and her establishment of the course

“Creating a Just World.”

“My work on anti-racist education, advocating for a fair process for refugees and mitigating gender-based violence seeks, at its essence, to combat inequality. I do this work because I have been taught by my parents that it is my responsibility as a human to recognize and challenge inequalities,” she said. “Dr. King is the model for me of how to live a life that is centered on recognizing and challenging inequality.”

—Sandy Coleman

MLK Jr. Legacy Award winners Justin Martinez ’22 and M. Gabriela Torres, professor of anthropology and associate provost

KEITH NORDSTROM

Seniors on professional fast track

Long before they donned their robes for the trip across the stage in May, many Wheaton seniors already were on their way to the full-time positions they secured prior to graduation. Here, a few of them reflect on how their education set them up for success. Go online to read more about how they earned these opportunities.

“Wheaton’s curriculum and social culture give you the opportunity to explore the reality and breadth of the problems faced by the world and how different industries tackle them. It gives you an added sense of self-reflection and motivation to go beyond the norm, to think construc tively about the intersection of capitalism and society, and to take risks with your academic and career interests to explore what really drives you. That’s something that’s invaluable and infinite in nature—structuring the pathway to success.”

“Wheaton gave me so many opportunities to explore dif ferent aspects of education as a field of expertise—through internships, of course, but also through many conversa tions with different highly experienced professors, staff members and other students.

My professors’ passion for education inspired me end lessly and fed a lifelong pas sion for being the best teacher I can be.”

“Wheaton helped me discover my passion for research and gave me the courage and support to apply for scholar ships, internships and job opportunities that I never thought I would have. ... My summer at Vanderbilt University doing cardiovas cular metabolism research in Professor David Wasserman’s lab really helped me get this opportunity. All of the wet lab exposure I received directly translated to my role at the Hotamışlıgil Lab.”

“The Chemistry Department is full of extremely dedicated professors who create closeknit relationships with their students and really want them to succeed. I met so many pro fessors who have helped me on my journey in this department and have worked with me closely to make me more independent and confident. My professors—in particular, my amazing advisor Professor Jennifer Lanni, as well as Professors Thandi Buthelezi and Matthew Evans—have pushed me to further my interests in the biochemistry field and constantly sup ported my aspirations.”

Akib Marzuk ’22 Associate consultant Charles River Development, Boston Financial mathematics, independent major

Hana Memisevic ’22 Teacher Success Academy, New York City Hispanic studies major

Jillian Riveros ’22 Research assistant I in the Hotamışlıgil Lab Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston Biochemistry major

Elizabeth “Ellie” Williams ’22 Research associate II, Compound Management team Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Mass. Biochemistry major

KEITH NORDSTROM

KEITH NORDSTROM

Back in the spring of things

Head of the Peacock, Holi return

The beloved Head of the Peacock Regatta returned outdoors to much fanfare in April. The campus community came out in force to cheer on 23 teams that paddled across Peacock Pond in their handmade water vessels. The Outdoors House team came out on top as this year’s champions. Another

fun event also made a comeback in May. For the first time since 2019, students had the chance to celebrate Holi—Wheaton’s version of the traditional springtime Hindu festival in which participants joyfully douse each other with colored powder and water. Dozens of students flocked to Chapel Field

to celebrate the end of the semester. This year’s Holi was organized by the South Asian Student Initiative, a student-run club that aims to foster cultural awareness of the South Asian diaspora and the history of its constituents.

—Laura Pedulli

Fun traditions, Holi and the Peacock Pond race, make a comeback to the delight of students.

KEITH NORDSTROM PHOTOS

The upside of scientific failure

Associate Professor of Biology Jennifer Lanni writes about perseverance

Science experiments don’t always go as planned. They can yield results that don’t neatly follow carefully crafted hy potheses, and that can lead to confusion, frustration and lost time.

But learning to persevere through inevitable failure is part of what it means to be a scientist, and something Associate Professor of Biology Jennifer Lanni makes sure to impart in her courses at Wheaton.

Her article “Why I teach my students about scientific failure” in the journal Science talks about why it’s important for students to perform experiments that have the potential to fail. In it, she describes one three-hour lab for students that yielded data that didn’t fit with their hypotheses and the learning experience that followed.

“After a solid hour of struggle and some leading questions on my part, one student finally spoke up. ‘It doesn’t make sense. The bands look the same size, but the proteins should be different sizes.’

Hallelujah! A student had stepped back from seeing what they expected to see and described what the data actually showed. Their breakthrough helped their classmates start to look at the results with more objective eyes. Within minutes, they were overflowing with questions and ideas about what could have gone wrong. … My students were thinking like scientists—a development no amount of advance planning could have created,” she wrote.

Professor Lanni said this lab led to many fruitful discussions about scientific failure. “I hope the handful of students who go on to graduate school will learn from the experience and bring an aware ness with them that success doesn’t always come easy.”

The Science article has resonated with many people since its publication, accord ing to Lanni.

When work underway in a lab fails, it can be the foundation for future success, says Associate Professor of Biology Jennifer Lanni.

“I have been amazed at the magnitude and warmth of the response to my article. Apparently, many other scientists, professors and students have lived through their own scientific failures. One of the most touching emails was from a graduate student in Chile, who wrote to ask me whether he should continue with his Ph.D. research despite a lack of data. I also heard from senior scientists in biology, chemistry, geology and physics, each of whom shared their own failure-persistence lessons and research philosophy,” Lanni said.

“Now more than ever, I am convinced that we need to talk openly about failure as a necessary foundation for future suc cess,” she said.

—Laura Pedulli

KEITH NORDSTROM PHOTOS

Seeking equity in biology

Professor Laura Ekstrom’s endowed chair award will help expand inclusion

During Honors Convocation in May, The Bojan Hamlin Jennings Chair in the Natural Sciences was presented to Associate Professor of Biology Laura Ekstrom. The endowed honorary chair was established in 1987 with gifts from the Mars Foundation and Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Smith, in honor of Bojan Hamlin Jennings, who was a chemistry profes sor at Wheaton from 1943 to 1985. It is awarded to distinguished tenured faculty in chemistry, biology, physics or geology for outstanding teaching and research that strengthens Wheaton’s traditional liberal arts curriculum and reinforces its commitment to scholarship and creative teaching. Wheaton magazine editor Sandy Coleman recently asked her about her plans for the award.

What is the current focus of your scholarship?

“My broad research area is biomechanics, in which we leverage engineering-based approaches to study animal form and function. My current research focus is on the charismatic ocean sunfish, which can weigh up to 2,000 kilograms. These fish possess an unusual set of teeth located in their pharynx. By studying the function, anatomy and mechanical properties of these teeth, we hope to gain insight into the feeding habits and behavior of the ocean sunfish, and possibly figure out a method for determining the age of sunfish. They are a great source of unan swered questions around strange shapes and structures.”

How do you feel about receiving this award?

“It truly is an honor to have been selected for this award. Professor Bojan Hamlin Jennings was a pioneer in academia and a tireless supporter of women in the sciences, both at Wheaton College and beyond. Although her tenure as a Wheaton professor predated my arrival on campus, her dedication was legendary. From the stories I have heard of Professor Jennings, I know that she cared deeply for her students and did everything in her power to ensure they could succeed in a field that was often unwelcoming to women. I am humbled to continue her legacy of service through this award.”

How do you plan to use the award?

“The Biology Department, with help from Wheaton’s Howard Hughes Medical Institute Inclusive STEM Excellence

grant, has been working diligently over the past two years to achieve greater equity and inclusion by significantly revising the biology major and much of the biology curriculum. I plan to continue moving us forward in our equity work through specific initiatives such as integrating inclusive material into our curriculum, increasing equitable access to research opportunities, and demystifying the hidden curriculum [a familiarity with how college works] that can otherwise derail our students, particularly those at the introductory level. I know my colleagues in the natural sciences share these goals and prioritize identifying and reducing barriers to success in science. With their help, I hope to create a collaborative effort that will span multiple departments. We all benefit when all of our students feel fully supported and welcomed in our division.”

Associate Professor of Biology Laura Ekstrom accepts her award at Honors Convocation.

KEITH NORDSTROM

AND CREATIVE WORKS

Faculty

Hope Bastian, assistant professor of anthropology, co-wrote the article “Moral Panics, Viral Subjects: Black Women’s Bodies on the Line during Cuba’s 2020 Pandemic Lockdowns” published in the May issue of The Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology.

Jonathan Brumberg-Kraus, professor of religion, in May co-presented virtually the paper “What Am I—Chopped Suey? Belonging and the Ambivalent Taste of American Exceptionalism” at the Dublin (Ireland) Gastronomy Symposium.

Leah Dyjak, assistant professor of photography, has been named a 2022 fellow in the field of photography for the project “As we play God” by The George A. and Eliza Gardner Howard Foundation, an indepen dent foundation administered at Brown University.

Nancy Kendrick, professor of philosophy, wrote the article “Berkeley on Political Obligation” published in March in The Oxford Handbook of Berkeley

Mary Beth Tierney-Tello, professor of Hispanic studies, wrote Reimaginar la niñez: memoria y sujeto nacional en las narrativas de infancia del Perú (Fonde Editorial de la Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, 2022), a translation into Spanish of Mining Memory: Reimagining Self and Nation Through Narratives of Childhood in Peru (Bucknell University Press, 2017).

Kathryn Tomasek, professor of history, co-edited the newly revived journal Scholarly Editing published in April. She also co-wrote the editor’s introduction.

A. Javier Trevino, professor of sociology, co-edited The Routledge International Handbook of Talcott Parsons Studies (Routledge, 2021).

Alumni

Catha Paquette ’74 , professor emerita of Latin American art history at Cal State Long Beach, co-edited In and Out of View—Art and the Dynamics of Circulation, Suppression and Censorship (Bloomsbury, 2021).

William Richards ’04, editorial direc tor at Team Three, LLC, wrote Bamboo Contemporary: Green Houses Around the Globe (Princeton Architectural Press, 2022) and Together by Design: The Art and Architecture of Communal Living (Princeton Architectural Press, 2022).

Susan Ryan ’76 wrote Father of Lies (Wipf and Stock, 2021).

Why is this focus important?

“Biology is for everyone. For many of us, our first passion for science comes from childhood experiences of observing the natural world or an interaction with health care professionals. It pains me to think of students who have held onto that passion for years, only to give up on their dream when they are confronted with seemingly insurmountable barriers to success. It is our obligation as educators to identify and dismantle those barriers so that all of our students can succeed in

their chosen paths of health care, scien tific research, environmental science, and so much more. Achieving a greater diversity of students and greater diversity of thought in our research labs and class rooms will lead to success for all of us. I hope that our students will recognize the importance of equitable practices, gain a deeper understanding of the history of biology and its current challenges, and finally, be moved to work toward equity and inclusion throughout their own career journeys beyond Wheaton.”

What is your greatest hope for the work you plan to do?

“My greatest hope is that this work will ensure that any student who wants to study biology will do so and that they will succeed. For too long we have had barri ers in place that we didn’t even recognize. My hope is that this work can help to level the playing field and benefit all students who want to pursue biology.”

Bravo, Lyons!

The Wheaton Department of Athletics held its annual awards ceremony in Emerson Gymnasium on the evening of May 9. Highlighting the event was the announcing of the winners of the department’s eight major awards.

The ceremony was held virtually in 2020, and in 2021 only a few awards were handed out due to the pandemic. This was the first fully in-person ceremony since 2019.

Track and field athlete Margaret Walker and lacrosse player Mia Murray were co-recipients of the Dean Sue Alexander Female Senior Student-Athlete Award, while tennis player Ian Tracy claimed the Dean Sue Alexander Male Senior Student-Athlete Award.

Senior swimmer Lydia DaCorte earned the Debi Field ’70 Outstanding Female

Athlete of the Year Award for the third time and senior baseball player Jake Studley received the Chad Yowell Outstanding Male Athlete Award. The Female Rookie of the Year Award went to Reese Hartmann of the swimming and diving team, while swim mer Sean Hill earned the Male

Honoring baseball team seniors

Wheaton held a separate Commencement ceremony in Cole Memorial Chapel on Monday, May 23, for the baseball team seniors. They were away during the regular ceremony competing in the NCAA Tournament regional final hosted by State University of New York in Brockport, N.Y. The Lyons, who were ranked No. 22, lost to No. 21-ranked Baldwin Wallace, 11–6, on May 22.

Rookie of the Year honor.

Wheaton also handed out the Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, which is given to two graduating seniors with the highest GPA. This year’s honorees were softball player Sarah Pritchard and men’s soccer player Alex Nickerson

Senior field hockey player

Nathalie Paquette received the Claudia Friese Special Recognition Award. Senior women’s tennis player Alexis Acosta and senior men’s cross country/track and field member Kevin Fischer were co-recipients of the Lynn Miller Inspiration Award.

—Wheaton athletics staff

KEITH NORDSTROM PHOTO

Gavin Viano, associate vice president for athletics and strategic programs, speaks during the annual awards ceremony in Emerson Gymnasium.

KEITH NORDSTROM PHOTOS

Mia Murray ’22 Ian Tracy ’22

Nathalie Paquette ’22

Lydia DaCorte ’22 Jake Studley ’22

Alex Nickerson ’22

Reese Hartmann ’25

Margaret Walker ’22

Sean Hill ’25 Kevin Fischer ’22 Alexis Acosta ’22

Sarah Pritchard ’22

Sole 2022 hall of fame inductee in a class by himself

Anson Beard Jr., life trustee and member of the Board of Trustees since 1971, was inducted into the Wheaton Athletics Yowell Hall of Fame on May 20 during a  ceremony in Beard Courtyard.

His selection recognizes decades of leadership support of the college’s athlet ics program, particularly at the beginning of the coeducational era at Wheaton.

In addition to his gift as a challenge to build the Beard Field House and efforts to raise the capital to construct the Haas Athletic Center, the impact of Beard’s philanthropy is evident throughout Wheaton’s campus, in living and learn ing spaces named in his honor. He also endowed the college’s first Trustee Scholarship and has supported Wheaton’s 20-year participation in the Posse Scholars program.

In her remarks, President Michaele Whelan described Beard as “perhaps, the greatest friend Wheaton College has ever known,” noting his “remarkable 50-plus years of leadership, service and support of this institution.”

Board Chair Janet Lindholm Lebovitz ’72 called Beard “a great motivator and the very model of an ideal board chair. You always lead by example, Anson, and you are, in my opinion, greatly responsible for both creating and nurturing the culture of philanthropy in the Wheaton community.”

Kim Spence ’04, head cross country and track and field coach, called Beard Field House a “home where Wheaton studentathletes make their first college friends and lifelong teammates. It’s not just where they train and compete; it’s where they feel supported and empowered.”

Spence, along with members of the track and field team, presented Beard with the Yowell Hall of Fame plaque, a framed Wheaton varsity letter and Lyons swag.

In accepting his induction, Beard said, “I was, at best, a mediocre athlete. Never had good footwork, and I was too small. But if raising money is a sport, then I guess I might have earned this award.”

The Yowell Hall of Fame honors indi viduals who, through their participation, support or interest, have made outstand ing contributions to Wheaton athletics. The purpose is to promote greater inter est in the Wheaton athletics program among alumni, students, parents and friends by honoring the legacy of those enshrined, who have contributed greatly to Wheaton’s success.

—William Walsh

Anson Beard Jr. gets inducted as the newest member of the Yowell Hall of Fame during a ceremony on Friday, May 20, held in Beard Courtyard.

NICKI PARDO

Our shared humanity is source

In the face of the most daunting chal lenges, the strength of community and our shared humanity are crucial to our survival and a bright future, Deogratias “Deo” Niyizonkiza, the founder and CEO of Village Health Works, told graduating seniors during Wheaton College’s 187th Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 21.

“As we gather today in celebration— particularly after the unusual years that have shaped your time here—I am sure that many of you are reflecting on the challenges, both expected and unex pected, that you have navigated to get to this point,” Niyizonkiza said.

“On your graduation day, my collective wish for us is that we each do our part to reduce what makes us strangers—and that we grant ourselves permission to be as ambitious as the problems in front of us demand that we are.”

“However you choose to use your own talents and interests, I wish you the joy and the struggle of doing hard things with friends,” Niyizonkiza said. “And I wish for you to know that a simple act of kindness, however small it seems in the moment, can ripple out over space and time in ways that are hard to guess.”

Wheaton’s ceremony was held in its pre-pandemic location in the Dimple.

Family, friends, faculty, staff members and about 400 alumni from as far away as India relished the opportunity to shower the 393 members of the Class of 2022 with joy, pride and plenty of applause.

Commencement keynote speaker Deogratias “Deo” Niyizonkiza; President Michaele Whelan (right, top); Barbara Kwong, daughter of honorary degree recipient the late Momo Nagano ’47; and honorary degree recipient Dennis Hanno, former Wheaton president

KEITH NORDSTROM PHOTOS

of hope, keynote tells graduates

In opening remarks, President Michaele Whelan noted the exceptional times through which we have all lived: “Commencement is always a memorable occasion, but this year, for the entire community to be gathered in person for

the first time since 2019, is truly special,” she said.

“Congratulations on your accomplish ments,” she told the class. “Each of you should be proud of what you have achieved as students, scholars, athletes,

activists, artists and members of this community, persisting, growing, becom ing who you were meant to be.”

—Sandy Coleman

Full story and more photos online

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Lots of smiles all around, including on the face of Dale Merriman ’22 (above), who earned her degree 47 years after her first enrollment

Transformative major

Wheaton launches nursing, design and criminal justice programs

By Sandy Coleman

Wheaton has approved several new programs that will provide students with fresh interdisciplinary approaches to preparing for careers in nursing, design and criminal justice. Grounded in the liberal arts, each mission-driven, marketinformed initiative contributes to strengthening the college’s future through targeted academic growth while helping to build a global community of innovators who care about the world in which we live.

initiatives, impact

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Bachelor of science in nursing focuses on health care equity

The college’s new four-year bachelor of science in nursing degree program aspires to fill the increasing demand for nurses and address widespread inequities in health care.

In keeping with Wheaton’s historical commitment to social justice and desire to better meet the needs of underserved populations locally and globally, the new program will provide students with a col laborative, interdisciplinary liberal arts education that emphasizes the strength of diversity, equity and inclusion in health care, and equips them to become problem-solving leaders.

“Wheaton’s program is dedicated to preparing future nurses to take on the modern-day challenges of patient-centered care across practices, cultures and different settings,” said Colette Dieujuste, Wheaton’s inaugural dean of nursing who led the development of the program, curriculum and learning spaces.

“Everyone deserves equal health care services; when we can provide health care in an equitable way, that is social justice,” she said.

The program, which will have its first class of students in fall 2023, includes nursing and non-nursing courses, and students will be able to pursue an elective concentration in global health, health justice or health care administration. The concentrations will introduce students to health care management, statistics and intervention issues to improve care and gain perspective on the most empathetic and effective nursing.

Students also will develop clinical skills through hands-on practice as well as critical thinking around the larger sociocultural issues of delivering medical care. The nursing program is being added to the more than 100 majors and minors at Wheaton.

“Wheaton’s nursing program draws upon our curricular strengths in the sciences, and on existing courses in

anthropology, economics, sociology, lan guages, and business and management,” said President Michaele Whelan.

“With a focus on global health and health equity, our program will train nurses to be skilled practitioners with a

Simulation center

ICU

Pediatrics

and delivery

Medical surgical Community room

Skills lab

Six beds

Four

deep understanding of social justice, and global health connections and threats.

Understanding race- and gender-based treatment disparities will enable Wheaton’s nurses to change health care and meet the needs of all patients and their families,” Whelan said.

Long before the COVID-19 pandemic overwhelmed health professionals trying to keep up with safely caring for patients, demand for nurses was high, with indica tions that it would grow even more.

Employment of registered nurses is projected to increase 15 percent by 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations, according to research by Jeff Cutting, Wheaton associate vice president for enrollment and strategic analyst.

Growth will occur for a number of reasons, including an aging population;

the need to not only care for patients but also educate and help people with chronic conditions; and demand for health care services to replace workers who will re tire during the coming decade, Cutting’s research shows.

Building upon Wheaton’s foundation

Since its founding, Wheaton has sought to provide a liberal arts education that gives students the opportunity and flexibility to create the most abundant life, noted Provost Touba Ghadessi.

“Wheaton’s nursing program not only upholds this core principle for our students, but it extends abundance to the diverse communities to whom our gradu ates will provide excellent and compas sionate health care,” Ghadessi said.

Solving big problems and acting on them also is key to Wheaton’s mission, so the program fits in perfectly with that vision, said Dieujuste.

At Wheaton, she has been involved since the start in overseeing the

philosophy and curriculum for the nurs ing program.

Dieujuste also has led the design of the new nursing suite that is located in the Diana Davis Spencer Discovery Center Dedicated to Free Speech and Innovation, where students will learn and receive clinical training in concert with

Dean of Nursing Colette Dieujuste (left) shows members of the Pre-Health Society equipment in the new nursing program suite in the Diana Davis Spencer Discovery Center Dedicated to Free Speech and Innovation. The suite has a skills lab, simulation rooms and high-tech mannequins for clinical training.

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Alumni nurses say their liberal arts education prepared

Thomas Bruemmer ’12

Majors: Political science and economics

Job: Nurse practitioner, emergency depart ment/surgical ICU, UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Mass.

“At Wheaton, I double majored in political science and economics. I was really inter ested in politics at the time, and wanted to learn more about the economy. After college, I worked in the Admission Office recruiting for Wheaton. I loved the dayto-day variety that job offered, and knew that I wanted to pursue a career outside the confinement of a cubicle.

“I became interested in the medical field after taking an EMT course at Wheaton.  At the time I was the only non-pre-med student in the course, but it sparked an interest in me that turned out to be the foundation of my future career. I became a paramedic, then a nurse, and then a nurse practitioner. Nursing was the natural intersection between my love for interpro fessional work as an admission counselor and my interest in medicine.

“The liberal arts are fundamental to the art of healing. You have to consider the full breadth of factors that contribute to health such as policy, socioeconomic factors and cultural factors, in addition

to evidence-based medicine. I think the diversity of the liberal arts experience is what builds a strong practitioner. For ex ample, experience with music helps train the ear to listen to the subtle differences in heart and lung sounds. Being comfort able learning about different cultures helps keep one open-minded and curious when working with diverse populations. We face major challenges in the health care field, and I don’t think they can be solved without the diversity and skills that a liberal arts education provides.”

Natalie Bycenski ’01

Major: Philosophy

Job: Nurse manager at Community Health Center, Inc., in Meriden, Conn.

“While at Wheaton I took all of the courses required for pre-med and initially planned to major in biology. However, I found that many of the courses that were relevant to medicine were actually part of the philosophy major. This led me to then declare philosophy as my major and this helped prepare me for the complexities involved in patient care.

“I have been with the center for nearly 18 years and started off as a staff nurse, moved into the nurse manager position and then senior nurse manager, and immunizations and infection control specialist.

“Philosophy has taught me the impor tance of looking at the big picture, not just the moving parts. I often have to remind staff that I am ‘playing devil’s advocate’ because we need to look at the issue from all angles and not just what we feel is the right thing to do. We can do more good for our patients and our staff when we have examined the issue from all sides.

“How can we possibly improve hypertension control with patients if our

off-campus experiential learning through community health partners.

The nursing program suite spans 8,800 square feet and includes seven offices, a workroom, a six-bed skills lab, several state-of-the-art simulation rooms, control rooms and debriefing rooms, where stu dents will be able to go through clinical practice scenarios, using high-tech man nequins, to simulate clinical experience.

Faculty will review with students after the experience and that will help them to better develop their critical thinking and clinical decision-making

skills, Dieujuste said.

Sitting at a table in one of the confer ence rooms during an interview, her face lit up as she recalled how she got interested in the nursing profession.

She first became enthralled with nursing while working as a volunteer in a Medford, Mass., hospital when she was in ninth grade. She enjoyed the interactions with patients but could hear her true calling when she was assigned to work in the nursery and got to hold babies.

“That was, like, wow. I felt like, ‘I belong here,’ and I just loved it. Since then I’ve been interested in the nursing field,” said Dieujuste.

Thomas Bruemmer ’12

Colette Dieujuste, dean of nursing

NURSING , continued from

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them for the complexity of the profession

Gay Packard Wilson ’80

Major: Psychology

Job: Registered nurse, Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, Mass.

Gay Packard Wilson ’80 sees the need for more professionals in her field first hand. She is a registered nurse at Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, Mass., where she has served for 17 years, and, for the past two years, has been working on the COVID-19 unit.

patients don’t even know or really under stand what high blood pressure means? What are the cultural beliefs that may, on certain levels, conflict with the medical doctrine? How can we assist our patients who celebrate Ramadan and are diabetic?

“And then on a more daily level, what is the ethical thing to do for the patient’s situation?”

“When I heard there might be a pro gram at Wheaton, it was just so exciting because we’re losing nurses. We need nurses. We need nurse practitioners. We can use nurse educators. It’s just an amazing profession to go into,” said Wilson.

“I am a nursing preceptor, training new grads and new hires to our floor.

… The liberal arts education I received at Wheaton was just outstanding for everything that life has thrown at me. The psych degree, especially in nursing, is so important,” she said. “There are many

different personalities that you deal with at the bedside.”

Wilson originally pursued a career in teaching after graduation and then later entered a two-year associate degree program to go into nursing.

She followed her passion into the area of labor and delivery, and developed clinical expertise in perinatal and obstetrical nursing. She has more than 30 years of experience as a registered nurse and more than 20 years as a nurse educator.

“I’m excited about Wheaton’s nurs ing program,” she said. “Our rigorous curriculum with supportive faculty will help students develop the foundational knowledge needed to succeed as nurses, to be skillful clinicians and successfully serve locally and abroad.”

During the 2022 spring semester, a few members of Wheaton’s Pre-Health Society

(Nicole Toppses ’23, Paige Tagg ’23, Abigail Gangl ’23, Tyler Thornton ’23 and Alexa Leary ’24) got a tour of the nursing pro gram suite from Dieujuste and shared in her excitement. The student organization, which has 120 members, is a resource for the academic, social and professional development of students pursuing careers in health care.

“As we walk through the nursing suite hallways in the Discovery Center, we see career opportunities,” said Toppses, a biochemistry major and Pre-Health Society social media manager. “We see this program as an opportunity to also improve the education of Wheaton’s other

pre-health students and connect students to resources off campus as well.”

Wheaton has been granted initial ap proval status through the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing for the operation of its baccalaureate degree in nursing program.

—Sandy Coleman

Gay Packard Wilson ’80

Natalie Bycenski ’01

Distinctive design major leverages college’s strengths

With the start of the fall 2022 semester, Wheaton students now have the opportu nity to major in design. This new major is distinctive as it is both interdisciplinary and grounded in the liberal arts. The new offering leverages the strengths of the college’s close-knit community and its dedication to prepare students holisti cally for careers in the world of design.

“The world of design increasingly cares about the things that Wheaton cares about like innovation, community, social and environmental responsibility and more. We are well-positioned to offer a curriculum that prepares students, in concrete ways, for futures in design,” said Associate Professor of Visual Art Kelly Goff, who serves as co-chair of the design major initiative team.

The new design major reflects Wheaton’s ongoing commitment to responding to the needs and interests of students through the targeted growth of

academic programs. With an emphasis on active learning, the program will balance theory and practice through coursework and experiences that will equip gradu ates with a broadly adaptable education and in-demand skills for postgraduate success. The new design major is one of a number of new academic programs at Wheaton in recent years, including business and management, digital humanities, film and new media studies, and public health.

Students who pursue this major will enroll in a foundational core of courses in visual studies, digital tools for art and design, design methodologies, and history and theory of design. The major will offer two areas of concentration: graphic and visual communication (e.g., graphic de sign, web design, illustration) and objects and spaces (architecture, physical and digital environments, industrial design).

In addition to Goff, the design major

initiative team includes: Associate Director of Arts Events and Publicity (co-chair) Jessica Kuszaj; Professor of Practice C.C. Chapman (business and management); Assistant Professor of Visual Art Leah Dyjak; Professor of Art Claudia Fieo; Associate Professor of Art History Leah Niederstadt; and Marketing and Communications Division Graphic Designer Errick Nunnally.

The team points out that a design major is a natural next step for Wheaton, which already has a robust, design-related curriculum in place. Courses in visual art, history of art, theater and dance, film and new media, computer science and the Innovation Spaces programs enhance a design pedagogy that is infused through out the Wheaton curriculum in numerous other departments and courses—from the study of aesthetics to designing electronic circuits.

—Laura Pedulli

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Criminal justice major will prepare students for holistic approach

Deepening its commitment to equity and social justice, Wheaton is launching the new academic program criminal justice, restorative justice, and criminology. The major aims to prepare students to tackle some of the most challenging ques tions in the field by applying knowledge and perspectives from many disciplines.

In early May 2022, the faculty approved the major, which builds on existing courses in sociology, psychol ogy and philosophy, to name a few. Students will be able to pursue it beginning in fall 2023.

The major, which focuses on critical thinking around criminalization, crime causation and prevention, will equip students to pursue many possible profes sional positions, including as judges, attorneys, victim advocates, educators, and parole and corrections officers.

“The criminal justice system is large and includes many different roles that have to work together effectively. I am thrilled that we were able to design this major in a way that provides meaningful education and experience for students interested in any of those diverse roles— from advocacy and policy to policing and assessment and treatment of individuals within the system,” said Associate Professor of Psychology Christina Riggs Romaine, who is a member of the team that developed the program.

As part of the new major and in keeping with the goals of the Compass curriculum, which encourages students to connect academics to career interests, experiential learning opportunities will be offered.

“I’m excited about the way that the criminal justice, restorative justice, and

criminology program brings together the scholarship and practice of these fields in one major,” said Associate Provost Karen McCormack, who is a member of the team that developed the major and also was co-chair of the Curriculum Design Team and the Curriculum Implementation Team for Compass.

“Students will gain an understanding of social systems and how they operate, how to evaluate their effectiveness and equity, and how to work in these systems and work to make them better and fairer,” McCormack said.

The name for the new major was deliberately chosen because it consolidates three knowledge areas that make the major unique, noted Professor of Sociology Javier Trevino, who also is a member of the program development team.

“First, the ‘criminal justice’ component informs students about the organization and workings of the police, the courts and the prisons,” Trevino said. “Once informed, the students can then discuss the potential reform of these institutions that comprise the criminal justice system. Second, the ‘criminology’ component

provides an interdisciplin ary orientation to explain ing the causes of crime and criminal behavior from biological, psychological and sociological perspec tives,” Trevino said.

“Finally, the ‘restorative justice’ component offers an alternative to the tra ditional, largely punitive and ineffective responses to crime. It deals with a reconciliatory attitude that involves the offender, victim and community,” he said.

“I’m most excited by the fact that the major will critically examine pressing problems that are of interest to many students, such as mass incar ceration, gun violence, police brutality, wrongful convictions, cybercrimes and hate crimes, among others,” said Trevino. “With the new major, my hope is that students will cultivate a critical awareness—informed by a social justice orientation—of the causes of crime and society’s responses to it.”

The other team members who researched, developed and brought forth the major include: philosophy professors John Partridge and M. Teresa Celada; as well as Jeff Cutting, associate vice president for enrollment and strategic analyst, Shaya Gregory Poku, former associate vice president of the Office for Institutional Equity and Belonging, and Anda Brown, a member of the Class of 2024.

—Sandy Coleman

Keeping small fishing fleets afloat

Shelley Edmundson ’03

leads effort to support Martha’s Vineyard fishermen

By Laura Pedulli

Shelley Edmundson ’03 is on a mission to preserve Martha’s Vineyard’s distinctive fishing heritage—and safeguard its future.

A variety of factors, including high prices of fishing permits and restrictive quotas, threaten the viability of smallboat fishing fleets on the island. In 2011, Edmundson helped establish the Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust to protect fishing as a way of life for generations to come.

“A group of us were concerned about losing our local commercial fishermen, working waterfronts, local seafood ac cess—the very culture that has defined our small, working harbors for centuries,” said Edmundson, who majored in biology at Wheaton.

In the beginning, the organiza tion researched ideas and solicited feedback from local fishermen. In 2016, Edmundson joined as executive director to act on these ideas, including leasing sea scallop quotas to fishermen at subsidized

Shelley Edmundson ’03 strives to preserve Martha’s Vineyard’s fishing heritage as executive director of the Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust.

rates, securing valuable fishing permits and selling them over time, and creating loan programs. More recently, as the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the econ omy and access to food, the organization piloted the Community Seafood Program to donate fresh sea scallops to local food insecurity organizations.

“The success of the pilot program allowed us to receive additional grants to purchase more seafood and process it into meals—including black sea bass and scup stew and chowder, lobster mac and cheese and other meals,” she said. To date, the trust has distributed more than 300,000 meals and plans to continue to provide high-quality protein meals.

The trust also established the Martha’s Vineyard Seafood Collaborative at the end of 2020, when a major local wholesale sea food market decided to permanently shut its doors. The organization launched a successful $500,000 capital investment fundraising campaign that allowed for the reopening of the wholesale service as a nonprofit.

Edmundson’s favorite part of the job is talking with members of the fishing community about concerns, ideas and what they are observing on the water. “I enjoy being a part of our projects that help keep valuable fishing permits in the com munity—in the hands of local fishermen, working on ways to fish more sustainably, and collecting data to understand species behavior or trends—and I love any chance to get out on the water,” she said.

John Keene, president of the board of the Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust, describes Edmundson as a kind and gracious professional who is highly respected in the community.

“She is the perfect person to do what she does. She is very empathetic but also can have a thick skin if she needs to,” he said.

Edmundson’s work on the Community Seafood Program was particularly note worthy, as she managed a complicated grant process while connecting with a

facility in Boston to process local seafood for healthy meals, Keene said.

She has an ability to talk about the fishing industry from multiple lenses— whether environmental, economic or sociological—and gain support from fishermen for her ideas, he noted.

The project ended up enabling fisher men to work later in the season, allowing them to earn more and gain a better price for their seafood, thanks to the grant. She also is key to the organization’s successful fundraising efforts, Keene said.

she enjoyed a well-rounded liberal arts education, she said.

Professor of Biology John Kricher’s ornithology course was her favorite. “I loved learning about bird behavior, identification and the skill of finding and correctly identifying birds in the field. On lab days we traveled to different habitats throughout the state to look for birds— Mount Auburn Cemetery, Plum Island, or even just to the Norton Reservoir. We always saw new species, had fun and learned a lot.”

After earning her master’s degree, she volunteered for a fishermen’s organization on Martha’s Vineyard and conducted research on the biology of channeled whelk. Her research resulted in a Martha’s Vineyard Vision Fellowship, which allowed her to continue her research and eventually earn her Ph.D. at the University of New Hampshire. As part of her dissertation, she tagged more than 14,000 whelks to better understand their growth rates, movements and behavior.

The Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust distributes fish stew and chowder through its Community Seafood Program. Edmundson says black sea bass in a stew or chowder is delicious and healthy, and often underappreciated.

“She is really good at articulating why fishing is a good, viable source of protein while also understanding the science and the importance of how to combat overfishing,” he said.

Edmundson, who originally is from Florida, said her interest in the natural world stems from her many opportunities to explore different habitats at a young age.

“From the wetlands and prairies to the mangroves and beaches, each place had its own unique world to understand. As a family, we would spend time hiking on trails, camping or visiting my grandpar ents on the Gulf Coast,” she said.

As a child, she visited her mother’s family on Martha’s Vineyard and felt a connection to its rich natural beauty.

Her interest in the environment spurred her to major in biology at Wheaton, where

Her expertise and local connec tions with the fishing industry not only led to her appointment as head of the Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust, but resulted in her October 2020 appointment to the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission, which represents recreational and commercial fishing interests from various parts of the Massachusetts coast. She is the first person from Martha’s Vineyard to serve on the nine-member commission in at least 40 years.

“The experience has been very informative on the extensive processes, councils in and out of state, committees, and staff needed to carefully manage our fisheries,” she said. “Lately, the commis sion has been forced to make difficult decisions that balance the need to reduce right whale risks and the need to keep fishermen fishing. It has been compli cated, but I hope that my involvement can be helpful to not only fishermen on Martha’s Vineyard, but to others across the state.”

PETER L AMBOS

Alumni recognized for contributions and commitment

By Laura Pedulli

The Wheaton Alumni Association honored several alumni for their contributions to society as well as their steadfast support of the college during Commencement Reunion Weekend in May. Khadim Niang ’15 received an Alumni Achievement Award for his positive impact on the world. Hope Gallagher Ogletree ’75 and Oneda Horne ’07 received the Sharon M. Howard ’87, P’09 Outstanding Wheaton Service Award and the Heather J. Corbett ’86 Fostering Wheaton Community Award, respectively, for their work as champions of the college.

Niang was recognized for his efforts to amplify the voices of others, particu larly immigrants and young people.

The alum, who moved to the U.S. from Senegal, West Africa, when he was 4 years old, had worked in numerous roles in support of others. In his current position as senior communities liaison for the Office of Comptroller in New York City, he connects African immigrants with vital services and advances gender equity work in local communities.

Niang also partnered with the organization African Communities Together to organize the City of Refuge campaign. He led its annual Refugee Day march and educated immigrants about U.S. policies impacting them. In other roles demonstrating his service mindset, Niang was a youth advocate and writing specialist at the Harlem Children’s Zone. In this capacity, he supported high school students and helped them with college preparation and career planning.

“The Awards and Recognition Committee was greatly impressed with not only Khadim’s professional achieve ments, but also his volunteerism. He went to Turkey to aid Syrian families facing extremely difficult situations,” said Chase Armstrong ’14, Wheaton alumni board of directors memberat-large and chair of the Awards and Recognition Committee.

Ogletree received the Sharon M. Howard

’87, P’09 Outstanding Wheaton Service Award for making a significant and sus tained contribution or service to Wheaton.

Ogletree has devoted her career to philanthropy and developing philan thropic leadership opportunities for women. She serves as the interim execu tive director of development at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business and senior director of Fordham’s Women’s Philanthropy Initiative.

At Wheaton, she has shared her insight and expertise in multiple volun teer roles, including 25 years as a class fund agent, five years as class president, three years as a member of the Alumni Board of Directors and 25th Reunion chair. She also served as her class’s 45th Reunion chair. That year, her class received an award for having the most participation among Reunion classes.

“Hope’s many contributions and ongoing service to Wheaton are more than worthy of recognition. Hope has volunteered for Wheaton too many times to list and her service is always extraordi nary and positive. Through her continued efforts, Hope has made significant and sustained contributions to Wheaton and this award is well-deserved,” said Armstrong.

Horne was recognized with the Heather J. Corbett ’86 Fostering Wheaton Community Award for her “unsung” contributions that have brought the Wheaton community together.

As an alumni leader, she served as the co-chair of Wheaton’s 2018 Alumni of Color conference, “Reflection and Renewal: Remembering Our Past, Shaping Our Future: A Celebration of Our Alumni of Color.” Her work on this event, along with the rest of the commit tee, set the groundwork and foundation for more meaningful events and discus sions around engaging current students,

faculty and alumni of color at Wheaton.

Through this endeavor, Horne brought her passion for helping students—particularly those first in their families to attend college—develop robust academic and social skills for postsecondary success. Her current role is executive director of the nonprofit Room to Grow, which provides compre hensive services for low-income families

in Boston and New York City.

“Oneda’s actions celebrated Wheaton alumni of color through the recognition of their accomplishments, facilitated mean ingful and sincere discussions and created greater inclusivity among members of the Wheaton community. Oneda’s efforts fostered deeper Wheaton-focused connec tions and have greatly improved Wheaton’s community,” Armstrong said.

Alumni Association President Kathryn “Katie” Leiby Schneider ‘06 addresses the crowd at the annual meeting of the alumni on Saturday, May 21, where awards were presented during Reunion Weekend.

NICKI PARDO

Hope Gallagher Ogletree ’75

Oneda Horne ’07Khadim Niang ’15

Reunited face to face

Alumni returned to campus for the first in-person Commencement Reunion Weekend since 2019—and there was much to celebrate. They enjoyed the traditional procession on the Dimple before the Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 21, as well as a busy schedule of activities that showcase campus life. Major highlights of the weekend were the open house tour of the Diana Davis Spencer Discovery Center Dedicated to Free Speech and Innovation and the annual meeting of the alumni.

Diana Davis Spencer ’60 and her daughter, Abby Moffat, president and chief executive officer of the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation, were unable to attend the dedication event. However, Spencer shared her thoughts on the significance of the newly renovated center:

“I’m truly honored to have my name on this beautiful building. But I’m even more delighted to have this building dedicated to free speech and innovation. This Discovery Center will inspire diversity of thought and provide new opportunities to embrace the entrepreneurial mindset,” Spencer said.

“George Washington Carver—an entrepreneur and inventor—noted that ‘Education is the key to un locking the golden door of freedom.’ He understood the interdependence between these two ideals. And entrepreneur Peter Drucker advised ‘the best way to predict the future is to create it.’

“With this dedication to free expression and the entrepreneurial spirit emblazoned on and radiating from this building, students will have the tools to lead the way.”

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NICKI PARDO

Cheers for Class of

It was 2020 all over again in June 2022—but in a good way. The Wheaton Class of 2020 fi nally got the moment onstage that they missed out on when the pandemic changed the plans for Commencement— and life worldwide. The class graduated virtually that year but the joyous celebration they should have had on campus didn’t happen—until June. From Friday, June 3, through Sunday, June 5, more than 240 alumni indulged in Senior Week traditions, including the white glove brunch, hoop roll on the Dimple and a Rosecliff ball in Emerson Dining Hall, which was elegantly decorated with chandeliers, twinkle lights and taupe drapery.

KEITH NORDSTROM

KEITH NORDSTROM

KEITH NORDSTROM

2020—in person

KEITH NORDSTROM PHOTOS

Alumna leaves legacy of kindness

As a student, M. Judith McNamara Bland ’62 experienced firsthand how far a little kindness can go—especially when you need it most.

When she had a financial crisis while at Wheaton, she sought help from then Dean of Students Leota Colpitts (1949–1968).

Without hesitation, the dean opened her desk drawer, gave Bland $700 and simply said, “Pay me back sometime.”

The dean’s generosity helped Bland continue on and graduate; she was the first in her family to do so.

Having never for gotten, the alumna (and her husband, Bob) paid forward the act of kindness, through establishing an emergency fund in 2015 for students facing unexpected expenses.

Sadly, she died Sept. 17, 2021. To celebrate her life, a decision was made to endow the original fund, and the Marjorie Judith McNamara Bland ’62 Emergency Discretionary Endowed Fund was estab lished by family friends of the Blands to honor Judith and her memory.

Administered by the Dean of Students Office, the newly endowed fund retains the alumna’s original wish to support all Wheaton students who have compelling financial needs. Because the fund is now endowed, it will continue in perpetuity in honor of her.

“Judy’s vision and compassion for the students of Wheaton College will live on through this generous gift,” said Darnell Parker, vice president for student affairs

and dean of students.

The fund acknowledges and helps address the unexpected expenses and costs associated with higher education. Students facing challenges covering the costs of a variety of expenses, including medical bills, transportation, courserelated books and materials, and/or graduate school application fees, are encouraged to apply for the funds.

Faculty, students and staff from several offices collaborated on this successful effort, including the Dean of Students Office, the Office for Institutional Equity and Belonging, the Office of the Provost, the Advancement Office and the FirstGeneration and Low-Income Task Force.

The student members of the FirstGeneration and Low-Income Task Force, Mae Flibotte ’22 and Ashley Valentine ’22, were especially helpful in provid ing insight into the types of expenses

students need covered.

“I am so grateful every day that I was able to witness this fund being created. It is going to make such a big difference for current and future students at Wheaton and I could not be more happy and hon ored to have been a part of that,” Flibotte said. “The addition of this fund also speaks to the Wheaton that I fell in love with as a senior in high school and also shows Wheaton’s continuous dedication and commitment to the ideals of inclusivity, diversity and student success.”

At Wheaton, Bland majored in psychology. Afterward, she spent many years of her career helping students overcome challenges, including as a reading specialist for children with dyslexia and learning differences at Dedham Country Day School.

—Sandy Coleman

The Hebe statue at Wheaton stands for the spirit of Wheaton: to be of service. The fund established by M. Judith McNamara Bland ’62 and her husband will serve students well in perpetuity.

SANDY COLEMAN

M. Judith McNamara Bland ’62

Vice president’s team selects Judith García ’13 for advisory group

For the past six years, Judith García ’13 has helped residents navigate challenges and solve problems as a city councilor in Chelsea, Mass. Now, her expertise as an elected official in a city that has one of the state’s largest Honduran immigrant populations is coming in handy on an international level.

García, who designed her own inde pendent major in urban studies while at Wheaton, was selected “to be among 10 other national Honduran-American leaders to share ideas and priorities in preparation for Vice President Kamala Harris’s visit to Honduras [in January 2022],” according to a February news article in the Chelsea Record newspaper.

Vice President Harris’s national security team selected García to help advise the agenda ahead of the trip for the inauguration of Honduran President Xiomara Castro.

The advisory meetings with Harris’s team have been virtual and the conversa tions are ongoing, said García, who in February 2022 launched her run for state representative in the newly created 11th Suffolk District.

She expressed her great appreciation for being selected. “I am honored to be a part of this important bilateral conversation by joining forces with the administration of Vice President Harris and other United States Honduran leaders. As a councilor in one of the states that is home to thousands of Hondurans, it is important to address the needs of the Hondurans who reside here,” she told the news writer.

García was born and raised in Chelsea, Mass., but her Honduran roots run deep and ground her in her work serving constituents.

“My mother arrived here 33 years ago from Honduras with next to nothing. She brought me up as a single mom, working shifts at a local factory to provide for us—a factory she still works in to this day, as an essential worker,” said Councilor García. “I am who I am today because of her and

because of the community that welcomed us and gave us a place to truly belong.”

García has recently worked with community leaders, activists and the local organization Hondureños Unidos de Massachusetts to advocate success fully for the establishment of the first Consulate of Honduras located in Chelsea.

“Through the collective voices of Hondureños Unidos de Massachusetts and the advocacy of our city manager

and myself, we managed to convince the government to approve funding for the creation of this new consulate,” García said. “We are proud to say that not only did we address a vital need for Hondurans of Massachusetts and New England but we also fostered a relation ship with the consulate to ensure they became invested in local cultural efforts and in humanitarian causes.”

—Sandy Coleman

For Cinco de Mayo, President Joe Biden invited Judith García ’13 and a small cohort of influential Latino politicians and activists, including the First Lady of Mexico, to a reception at the White House.

CLASS NOTES

Agnes “Ashie” Lavieri Santangelo ’58 and her late husband, Lou, made a leadership gift to fund the installation of an irrigation system as part of the Dimple Renewal Project. A stone-mounted plaque has been installed on the Dimple in appreciation of their generous gift.

Commencement Reunion Weekend: (from left) Kristin Ford Selesnick ’07, Elyse Hendrickson Seltzer ’07 and Laura Corkery ’07 are all smiles in the Dimple.

Robert Greene ’94 reads from his third novel Mercury Rising.

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 class notes@wheatoncollege.edu. Include your class year in the subject line (e.g., “Class Notes, 2001.”)

Deadlines

Winter: Sept. 27, 2022

Spring: Jan. 17, 2023

Fall: June 6, 2023

Photos

To submit digital photos, email them as an attachment to classnotes@wheatoncollege. edu. For full guidelines, visit wheatoncol lege.edu/wheaton-magazine/submittingdigital-images.

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

Please note: The photos you send in must be sharp and clear. Photos that are out of focus, or that have harsh shadows, over-exposed 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.

Wheaton friends gather at the home of the parents of Laura Blanchard Bitler ’08 (Bob and Deborah Burrow Blanchard ’77) on Chebacco Lake in Essex, Mass. Pictured, from top to bottom: Gretchen Boulos ’05 and daughter Addie, Lindsay Forsberg ’08, Megan Hertler Carrier ’08, Bowen Gillie ’08, Shannon O’Leary ’08, Laura and daughter Claire, and friend Kathryn Leinn and son Avery.

Commencement/Reunion is May 19–21, 2023

Invest Today. Inspire Tomorrow.

Erica Drufva ’23

Campolucci Family Wheaton Fund Scholar

“I’m double majoring in international relations and Hispanic studies, focusing on research and internship opportunities, and enjoying extracurricular experiences like dancing with Tap Out Loud. I am passionate about social justice for immigrants and undocumented people. After college, I plan to go into immigration policy analysis or study to become an immigration lawyer. I am extremely grateful for the Wheaton Fund scholarship because it supports my goals.”

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

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

Painting a legacy

artist Richard Whitney. This painting now hangs among the collection of portraits honoring past presidents displayed in Park Hall.

In celebration of President Dennis M. Hanno’s legacy and impactful contributions during his tenure, the Wheaton College Board of Trustees commis sioned his portrait, which was painted by New Hampshire

Nancy Luick Bryan ’76, who serves as a sales associate with Birmingham, Ala.-based Portraits, Inc., lent her exper tise in portraiture for the proj ect. The experience, she said, was “an honor.”

Bryan said Hanno immedi ately was drawn to the work of

Richard Whitney, a talented figurative painter with a mas tery of detailed drawing and composition. He has received numerous awards and his paint ings hang in over 750 public and private collections throughout the United States and abroad.

She described the experience: “Richard and President Hanno met for a day in the Presidents’ House getting to know one another and taking hundreds of photographs. Together they decided on an

incredibly unique composition standing in front of the home’s fireplace, linking the founder of the college and the most recent president by including the por trait of Mrs. Wheaton in the back ground. When the portrait was complete, the Hannos visited the artist’s studio in New Hampshire for a final sitting. Whitney says his constant goal is ‘to capture what is beautiful in each person and make it come alive.’”

Nancy Luick Bryan ’76 coordinates unique portrait for outgoing President Hanno

Nancy Luick Bryan ’76 with former President Dennis M. Hanno at the unveiling of the official presidential portrait.

KEITH NORDSTROM

1944

Nancy Foulkes Gleason , 99, died on June 13. Nancy studied art at Wheaton. A lifelong resi dent of Rochester, N.Y, she was a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. She loved all forms of art, the beauty of the natural world, poetry, gardening and a brisk walk. Gracious and warm, she had a keen, curious and practical mind, an enormous capacity for acceptance, a deep faith and a generous spirit. Her greatest love was her family. She was married to the late Charles Gleason.

1946

Patricia Peck Tiebout , 98, died on May 9. Patricia attended Wheaton and graduated from Cornell University. She worked at the Yale Child Study Center. While living in New Haven, Conn., she met John Tiebout. They married in 1949 and lived in Levittown, Long Island, and Dobbs Ferry, before they moved to Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y. Patricia was an active member of the Hastings Literature Club. She volunteered as a read ing teacher at The Children’s Village, taught Sunday school, substitute taught at the elemen tary school and worked as an office administrator for 10 years at the Church of St. Barnabas in Irvington, N.Y. In 1982, Patricia and John settled in Princeton.

1948

Patricia Pieper Wessel died on August 1. She majored in English at Wheaton. Patricia was a long time resident of Scarsdale, N.Y., where she raised three children, worked in a pediatrician’s office and served as a library aide at Scarsdale High School. She was a member of the Church of St. James the Less in Scarsdale. Patricia had a lifelong love of travel and particularly adored Cape Cod and the Caribbean. She was also a fan of the arts, including theater, dance, music, movies and Broadway musicals.

1950

Adelaide “Muffy” Short Gifford , 94, died on July 17 in Wheat Ridge, Colo. In 1954, she married Garret Gifford. They lived in New Canaan, Conn., where they raised three children. Muffy was a librar ian at the New Canaan Country School. She loved tennis and

golf in the summer and paddle tennis, skating and skiing in the winter. After retiring from the Country School, she spent a year volunteer teaching at a school in Jackson Hole, Wyo. She then moved to Weaverville, N.C., and later to Colorado.

Sally Albright Merrill died on March 26 in Oak Harbor, Wash. Sally graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. Following college, she moved to California to work in a lab at the University of California, Los Angeles. In 1958, she married her husband, John. They raised three children in Southern California. When the children were grown, she worked as a secretary at her husband’s geol ogy firm. In 2007, they retired to Whidbey Island in Washington.

1955

Martha Woods Briggs, 88, died in Portland on June 14. She at tended Wheaton.

1961

Sandra Agemian Borg , of Spring Lake and Englewood, N.J., died on August 8. She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

1964

Judith “Judy” Decato Rachdorf, 79, of Wilmington, Mass., died on May 20 in Stoneham, Mass. Judy studied music at Wheaton. She earned her master’s degree in education from Northeastern University. Judy worked at the New England Conservatory in Boston as a phonograph record librarian and met Robert Rachdorf. They were married in 1968 and moved to Wilmington, where they raised their two sons. Judy was a devoted mother who enjoyed spending time with her sons and supporting their scouting and school events. She was a talented flute player and taught music class. Judy worked in pur chasing for the Brockway-Smith Co. in Andover for 27 years before retiring. She was an ac tive member of the Wilmington United Methodist Church.

1966

Deborah Trask Aufdenspring died on Dec. 20, 2021. She at tended Wheaton.

1968

Terese Kreisman Wolch died on February 28 in Seattle. She majored in government at Wheaton and studied English literature at the University of Chicago. In her youth, she was committed to progressive causes, and loved adventure and travel. She married Larry Kreisman and they moved to Seattle. The couple divorced in 1983. As a young feminist, Terese was a pioneer in cocreating assertiveness training for women. She also enjoyed writing and was involved with several creative and spiritual communities.

1970

Carol Cornelius Romsloe, 73, died in Lafayette Hill, Pa., on March 30. Carol majored in government at Wheaton and later received an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She was married to the late Thorvald Romsloe.

Cynthia Howe Schad died on Oct. 15, 2021. Cynthia studied music at Wheaton. She loved her family more than anything and had celebrated 50 years of marriage to the love of her life, Tim. Cynthia was instrumental in supporting Nucraft Furniture Co., the family business, and volunteered as a singer with Mayflower Church, the Chamber Choir and the Grand Rapids Opera. She also adopted rescued greyhounds, took up horseback riding and loved her barn family.

1972

Asako Takagi Burr, 72, died on March 29. She was the wife of the late Charles Burr, who predeceased her in 2015 after 43 years of marriage. Asako majored in Asian studies at Wheaton and later earned a master’s degree in library sci ence from Simmons College. Most recently, she worked at Cary Library in Lexington, a position from which she retired in 2020. A talented musician, Asako performed for many years with several handbell choirs, in cluding The Carilloneurs of the First Congregational Church, the New England Ringers and the Hancock Church Handbell Choir.

1978

Elizabeth Rock , 66, died on May 15. She was the wife of Thomas LaFauci. After gradu ating from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in anthropol ogy, she returned to Providence and joined the Rhode Island Energy Office before embarking on a career as an independent il lustrator and editorial cartoon ist. She moved to the Edgewood neighborhood in Cranston, R.I., in 1994 and thereafter divided her time between Rhode Island and Washington. In addition to her prodigious visual talents, she was a brilliant writer and storyteller. For more than three decades, her editorial drawings appeared in publications around the country and the world pri marily in newspapers and news magazines such as The New York Times, The New York Times Book Review, The Boston Globe, The Providence Journal and The Christian Science Monitor, among many others. She also was a volunteer at Greenlock Therapeutic Riding Center in Rehoboth, Mass.

1981

Elisabeth “Lis” Mott DesCombes, 62, died on March 26. She studied art history at Wheaton. During her junior year she joined her brother Paul at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., on a one-year ex change program, where she met her future husband, Jeff. After graduation, she moved to New York. She worked as a library aide with the New York Public Library, as a paralegal for sev eral Wall Street law firms and as a benefits manager for Horn and Hardart. In 1987, she and Jeff married. In 1990, they moved to the West Coast, where she took a job as assistant paymaster at the L.A. County Fair’s race track. Later, she worked at the Claremont Courier and Stamp Your Heart Out. In 2008, she secured a position as librarian at Sycamore Elementary School. The library quickly became her life’s work and passion. She loved gardening, traveling and working on a variety of art-relat ed projects.

1982

Marion Horton , 94, died on April 14 in South Yarmouth, Mass. She majored in art his tory at Wheaton. She married

Richard Horton in 1948, and they raised five children in Mansfield, Mass., where she lived for 42 years. In 1992, she built a home in East Dennis, which she shared with her second husband, Gene Horton, whom she married in 1994. Marion loved to paint and used her creative talents to provide classes for her church, the local Girl Scouts and the commu nity. While raising a family in Mansfield, she volunteered as a Girl Scout leader and a Cub Scout den mother, and was active in her church and with local service organizations. Later she worked as a children’s librarian, at a day care center and preschool, and as a teacher’s aide for special needs children. While attending Wheaton, she was assistant to the curator of a campus gallery, and later was curator at an art museum in Brockton. Gardening was another of her joys; in 2000, she was certified as a master gar dener. She volunteered for many

years at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History in Brewster, Mass.

1988

Marion Heller, of West Newton, Mass., died on May 4. She was married to Barry Wong. Marion majored in creative writing and literature at Wheaton. She was an avid reader, a devoted Red Sox fan, loved animals and enjoyed traveling. She worked in publications for a number of companies throughout her ca reer, most recently Foundation Medicine Inc. Marion loved her experience at Wheaton and always encouraged any high school students that she knew who were looking at liberal arts colleges to seriously consider Wheaton.

1992

Alex Merims, 52, of Niskayuna, N.Y., died on March 24. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Wheaton. Alex was employed by Interstate

Bank and Wells Fargo in Portland, Ore., and Macy’s in Colonie, N.Y. He was a lifelong Yankees fan. In Portland, he was an active volunteer with the Creative Music Guild and at Wells Fargo-sponsored concerts at the Oregon Zoo.

Friends

Jane Ellison , wife of professor of chemistry emeritus Herbert Ellison, in July

Relatives

1948 Hillard Welch, husband of Joyce Tyler Welch, in March

1949 Eric Ash, husband of Clare Babb Ash, in August 2021

1957 Scott Corey, husband of Carolyn Doeller Corey, in March

1962 Robert Prosser, husband of Judith McKinlay Prosser, in May

1962 Robert Dluhy, husband of Debby Haigh Dluhy, in May

1962 Gerald Saks, husband of Janet Perlmuter Saks, in August 2021

1963 Aaron Latham, husband of Lesley Stahl, in July

1964 Richard Lincoln, husband of Margie Simonds Lincoln, in February

1964 Andrew Smith, husband of Sally Alice Unkles Smith, in June

1968 Charles Stampler, father of Susan Stampler Paresky, in July

1969 Thomas Clark, husband of Nancy Brewka Clark, in December 2021

1974 Patricia Peck Tiebout, mother of Janet Tiebout

Hanson, in May

1986 Jean Corbett, mother of Heather Corbett, in June

1986 Stanley Heath, husband of Amie Weinberg, in July

1986 James Manoli, husband of Jean Conley Manoli, in July

2017 Elizabeth Dubois, mother of Audrey Dubois, in August

2019 Elizabeth Dubois, mother of Evelyn Dubois, in August

2022 Kathryn Simkevich, mother of Sarah Simkevich, in June

Grief, love, passion connection provides meaningful insight

At Honors Convocation on May 5, Assistant Professor of Political Science Jonathan Chow delivered the keynote address “Finding Our Passion in a Time of Grief,” a deeply moving speech about how grief, love and passion are connected and shed meaningful light on our lives.

Chow noted in his speech: “If we recognize that the potential for suffering and grief is contained within love and passion, then the question, ‘What are you passionate about?’ becomes much more profound than a career choice. Instead, it asks: ‘For what joy will you willingly open your heart? For what

purpose will you willingly assume the burden of suffering and grief?’”

—Sandy Coleman

Go online to read his entire speech and the story about the event, and view a photo gallery.

Assistant Professor of Political Science Jonathan Chow delivers an inspiring keynote address during Honors Convocation in Cole Memorial Chapel.

KEITH NORDSTROM

Planning the future.

“Perhaps unusual for most alumni, I have ‘attended’ Wheaton several times—as a student, as a bride in Cole chapel, and as a staff member, a trustee and recipient of an alumni award and honorary degree. These experiences helped shape my thinking and approach to life’s complexities and gave me the tools to succeed and grow. My husband, Joe, and I want to see Wheaton prosper into the future. So, we established a charitable gift annuity a few years ago and another one just recently. We are able to reap the benefits, financially as well as emotionally, knowing that the funds provided now will help students and the college for many years to come. All of our philanthropic support is crucial to the college’s ability to provide excellence in an increasingly competitive environment.”

Susan Stampler Paresky ’68

Former senior vice president and chief philanthropy officer, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Former Wheaton College Trustee

Giving possibility.

For information, call the Office of Gift Planning at 508-286-3391 or visit giftplanning.wheatoncollege.edu.

Invest Today. Inspire

Wheaton Fund volunteer and donor

“Wheaton has greatly shaped and influenced my personal, business and community experience. I treasure my lifelong friendships— from the professor who taught me how to cook chicken tikka masala [Professor Hyun Kim] to the fellow alum who was the best man at my wedding. Wheaton provided an opportunity to explore and test ideas and solutions that could push humanity forward. Much of the media and agency work that I do at NextDayBetter, the company I co-founded to end invisibility in a migrant and multicultural world, starts with asking important questions. I developed and honed this skill at Wheaton. A Wheaton education is a gift that transforms lives. I feel a responsibility to pay it forward. Giving to Wheaton translates into opportunities and resources for individuals to reach their potential and contribute to humanity. All of us can fuel the power of that possibility.”

Ryan Letada ’08

NextDayBetter, CEO  Wheaton College Trustee, Posse 5 Scholar

Wheaton Fund

Your investment today inspires the dreams of tomorrow.