Alumni Association Network

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 unlocking 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.”

KEITH NORDSTROM

NICKI PARDO NICKI PARDO

NICKI PARDO

NICKI PARDO

Cheers for Class of 2020—in person

KEITH NORDSTROM It was 2020 all over again in June 2022—but in a good way. The Wheaton Class of 2020 finally 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

Cheers for Class of 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 forgotten, 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 established 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

M. Judith McNamara Bland ’62

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 providing insight into the types of expenses

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.

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 honored 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

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 independent 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 conversations 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 successfully 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 relationship 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.

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.

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.

Did your contact information change?

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

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

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

Looking to volunteer?

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

For class secretaries: How to submit your Class Notes

By email: Submit Class Notes to classnotes@wheatoncollege.edu. Include your class year in the subject line (e.g., “Class Notes, 2001.”)

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 wheatoncollege.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 picture.

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.

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

KEITH NORDSTROM

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

Painting a legacy

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

In celebration of President Dennis M. Hanno’s legacy and impactful contributions during his tenure, the Wheaton College Board of Trustees commissioned his portrait, which was painted by New Hampshire artist Richard Whitney. This painting now hangs among the collection of portraits honoring past presidents displayed in Park Hall.

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

Bryan said Hanno immediately was drawn to the work of Richard Whitney, a talented figurative painter with a mastery of detailed drawing and composition. He has received numerous awards and his paintings 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 portrait of Mrs. Wheaton in the background. 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 Foulkes Gleason, 99, died on June 13. Nancy studied art at Wheaton. A lifelong resident 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 reading teacher at The Children’s Village, taught Sunday school, substitute taught at the elementary 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 longtime 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 librarian 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 geology firm. In 2007, they retired to Whidbey Island in Washington.

1955

Martha Woods Briggs, 88, died in Portland on June 14. She attended 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 purchasing for the Brockway-Smith Co. in Andover for 27 years before retiring. She was an active member of the Wilmington United Methodist Church.

1966

Deborah Trask Aufdenspring

died on Dec. 20, 2021. She attended Wheaton. 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, Teresewas 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 science 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, including The Carilloneurs of the First Congregational Church, the New England Ringers and the Hancock Church Handbell Choir. Elizabeth Rock, 66, died on May 15. She was the wife of Thomas LaFauci. After graduating from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology, she returned to Providence and joined the Rhode Island Energy Office before embarking on a career as an independent illustrator and editorial cartoonist. 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 primarily 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 exchange 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 several 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 racetrack. 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-related projects.

1982

Marion Horton, 94, died on April 14 in South Yarmouth, Mass. She majored in art history 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 community. 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 gardener. 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 career, 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

KEITH NORDSTROM

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

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.

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 Tomorrow.

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