Magazine - Spring 2023

WHEATON Learning behind prison walls

Capturing life and the

around

Laura Pedulli

Inside-Out course removes barriers

Students learn together in a class that was ‘exactly the same and entirely different, all at the same time’

By Sandy Coleman

Pressing for the truth

A renewed outlook

I told the magazine designer that if he sees me writing yet another editor’s column about the marvels of spring and the exciting sense of renewal and joy that it delivers, to just delete my words. As you can see, he did not do it.

The seasonal change in New England gets me every single time. Even though winter has been relatively mild, the first day of spring found me on the Dimple in my turquoise sunglasses soaking up the sun—despite the chill that still required me to wear a coat.

I make no apologies. In today’s world, we need fresh outlooks as well as reminders to appreciate life and to stand still to experience every fleeting moment —especially the good ones.

Speaking of being appreciative, I am grateful that I had the opportunity to write this issue’s cover story. As part of the reporting, I was invited to share a unique moment with our students and professors as they wrapped up a first-ever fall semester data course inside of a state prison as part of the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program.

While there I couldn’t help but reflect on the power that circumstances, systems, personal decisions and access to opportunities hold in landing us where we end up in life. And, a slight twist of fate can change everything—for the good as well as the bad.

The closing ceremony was one of the most moving things

I’ve ever witnessed. Wheaton students and people incarcerated at the Old Colony Correctional Center in Bridgewater, Mass., talked about the impact that learning together and interacting had on them. There was plenty of spring in that room—new outlooks, growth, hope.

In addition to the cover story, there are inspiring articles throughout the magazine, including features on two alums: Gabe Bornstein '14, a photographer and videographer, whose passions take him on adventures big and small; and longtime Associated Press reporter Susan Haigh ’89, whose keen focus on getting the story right is impressive.

Be sure to check out the story about New York Times bestselling author Sally Bedell Smith ’70, who has written another book about the British royal family. I had the pleasure of interviewing her via Zoom while she was home between her many speaking engagements.

May your spring bring you something new and exciting.

WHEATON MAGAZINE

Vol. 113, No. 2

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

Vice president for marketing and communications

Suzi Robinson

Have a comment about the magazine or a story? Email magazine@wheatoncollege.edu

Editor’s note: Our winter issue featured a photo of a laser-cut version of the college seal. We should have noted that Brandon Witter ’20, interim coordinator of innovation programs and spaces, designed and created the 10 pieces, including the one we pictured, in Wheaton’s Fab Lab to serve as centerpieces for the Tradition and Transformation events.

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 © 2023

Editor Sandy Coleman enjoys the first day of spring on campus.

ASHLEY MCCABE

An enduring education

I’ve heard some great stories about Wheaton campus life while visiting with alums and attending college events with them and with parents and friends across the country. Unfortunately, I can’t share the best of those tales of late night forays to places that were (and are) off-limits to students, wrong turns taken while driving over paths and perhaps a bridge on campus, and visitors being smuggled into the residence halls after curfew. I’ve greatly enjoyed hearing these joyful recollections among classmates and friends, and it’s deepened my appreciation for the sense of connection that exists among Wheaties across generations.

The enduring strength of relationships forged at Wheaton comes up in nearly every conversation I have with alums (as witnessed in the Class Notes section of this magazine). It doesn’t matter what class year, and it’s a consistent theme from very recent graduates to those in the classes of the 1950s. Across the years, graduates reminisce about living in specific residence halls, theme houses and even the former observatory, about study sessions in the library stacks or the Emerson porch, and different campus cultures created through leadership and participation in organizations, arts, athletics and events.

It’s not surprising that college friendships last. After all, the undergraduate years are a time of growth and self-discovery. Students are exposed to new ideas, people and cultures, and they form close bonds with peers who are going through similar experiences. This is true, to some extent, at every college. But in my experience, as a faculty member and an administrator at several other fine institutions, these connections are particularly strong and long-lasting at Wheaton, and this is something to cherish.

I believe the special bonds that exist among Wheaton alums are closely related to the gratitude that graduates have for the wonderful and transformative education that takes place on this campus. The second theme I hear is how outstanding faculty members came to know them, challenge them and open new life and career paths for them.

Often, these stories include examples of active learning. One example that comes up often were the daily trips into Wheaton Woods to study a quadrat (a small square of woodland habitat) and journal about it as part of an introductory biology course. Some alums were very imaginative—rather than scientific—in this assignment, much to the surprise of the professor!

This focus on hands-on, active learning—whether it be research, a service project, a performance or an internship— combined with rigorous liberal arts study and the connectivity of the community form the bedrock of the Wheaton experience. These concepts are expressed in the college’s mission statement, which was recently updated as part of our yearlong

strategic conversations:

Wheaton College provides a transformative liberal arts education, combining theory and practice, for intellectually curious students within a collaborative and vibrant extended community and network that values and strives to create an equitable and just world.

As it has in the past, Wheaton undoubtedly will continue to evolve to meet the needs of our current and future students and to address the challenges of a changing world. Always we will be guided by our vision of educating students for purposeful, abundant lives and evolving careers. The impact of this enduring vision is woven through the many inspiring stories that I hear from alums who are contributing in so many ways to their communities and to this college. It’s a tradition that deserves our continued commitment and support as we witness together the graceful transformations of our students’ lives over time.

Michaele Whelan, president

Wheaton events like this one at the Boston Public Library provide a chance to hear from alumni.

KEITH NORDSTROM

Nursery school marks decades

Each week, the animated squeals of preschoolers fill the playground at Elisabeth Amen Nursery School, providing lessons to those within earshot about the importance of joy and play. Wheaton students regularly observe youngsters to learn and to gain firsthand experience in early child development for their education and psychology courses.

The original nursery school was founded in 1931 and was one of the first collegeaffiliated laboratory nursery schools in the country, thanks to Elisabeth Amen, a professor of psychology and education at Wheaton. When the school received a new building in 1966, it was named in her honor.

For more than 90 years, the nursery school has offered opportunities for Wheaton students to work with children and observe their behavior; served as a source for student and faculty research; and provided local families a nurturing place for their children to learn and grow.

That long history was celebrated on Oct. 1, 2022, during a festive community event at the school, which is located on East Main Street, just steps from Wheaton’s main campus.

“I think it’s essential to highlight 90-plus years of operation and awareness of the importance of providing higher education opportunities for students to observe children in a natural school environment,” said Michelle Curran-Mason, who began as the nursery school interim director in 2018 and became director in 2019. (Marge Werner served as director for 25 years before retiring in 2018.)

“Students majoring in psychology and education get to observe and interact with children without traveling off campus. At the same time, the nursery school has offered high-quality, safe care for children in the community, including throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Curran-Mason, who began at the nursery school as lead teacher in 2001.

Anoushka Agrawal ’20, who double majored in psychology and economics, and worked as a teacher’s assistant at the

nursery school, said the experience was an integral part of her Wheaton journey.

“From day one, I was able to see the power of being an educator, interacting

with young children and being part of shaping their worldview at such a young age. Working at the nursery school was one of my most exciting times of the

Ari Harris ’24, who is majoring in psychology, takes notes while watching children from the observation room at the nursery school.

KEITH NORDSTROM

Eleanor “Ellie” Guerin ’23, a psychology major, interacts with children at Elisabeth Amen Nursery School as a teacher’s assistant and for her research capstone in “Child Development.”

KEITH NORDSTROM

of research and care

week,” said Agrawal, who is pursuing a master’s degree at Rice University studying human computer interaction. “I learned that I needed the sense of excitement that came with working with children in any job that I take on.”

Wheaton’s psychology and education departments use the nursery school extensively each semester as a lab for courses, said Associate Professor of Psychology Matthew Gingo and Assistant Professor of Education Sara Donaldson.

“Many of our early childhood education majors work part time at Amen throughout their time at Wheaton,” said Donaldson. “The school has opened its doors to students needing pre-practicum field placements, and students taking ‘Special Education PK–12’ also observe at Amen for their independent field study project, if they are interested in topics related to preschool-age students.”

During the fall semester, the students in Donaldson’s “Teaching Math and Science” class created Open Education Resource dialogic math read-aloud materials that encourage children and adults to have conversations about books. The materials will be shared with Amen families, the professor said.

Gingo, who has collaborated with Curran-Mason on his “Child Development” course for 10 years, said he greatly values the partnership with her and the nursery school staff.

“Time and again students note that the experience of observing children is a highlight of the course. By linking the readings and conversations we have in class to weekly observation assignments, the students get a richer and more robust understanding of the complexities of child development,” Gingo said.

Students who do a senior research capstone in “Child Development” also use the school as a resource as they design and conduct a semester-long original research project that involves interviews, experimental manipulations and interaction with the children. Their work in the nursery school has been

Celebrating 90-plus years

great for career preparation.

Eleanor “Ellie” Guerin ’23, a psychology major, has worked at the nursery school as a teacher’s assistant and observed children as part of her research capstone.

“Working with the children has not only deepened my understanding of child development, but it also helps with my own social-emotional learning. The

children teach us patience, resilience and courage, and I help them figure out which shoe goes on which foot,” Guerin said.

“I have been able to build strong bonds with the current preschoolers and I’m still connected to our now kindergarteners. This has been incredibly rewarding,” she said.

—Sandy Coleman

Community members of all ages came together in Clark Recreation Center to play and to celebrate the Elisabeth Amen Nursery School’s long history.

Nursery school staff members celebrate at the Oct. 1, 2022 community event held in Clark Recreation Center. Pictured from left are: Michelle Savas, Betty Saccocia, Christine LaFrancois, Michelle Curran-Mason, Nicole Richmond, Karin Brooks and Kathleen Mulligan.

ELIAS STEVENS ’25 PHOTOS

A minute with … Nicole Toppses ’23 AROUND THE DIMPLE

Nicole Toppses, a pre-med senior majoring in biochemistry, has a passion for clinical practice as well as research. Each step of her journey through Wheaton has led her closer to a professional career that will encompass both. That path—in addition to her coursework—includes working as a medical/practice assistant in orthopedics and physiatry at Brigham and Women’s/Mass General Health Care Center in Foxborough, Mass. She also has secured a full-time paid position that begins in July after she graduates as a research associate for the Cardiovascular Disease Initiative at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. A healthy dose of knowledge: “Many topics in my public health classes made me aware of ways health care can improve to provide equitable care to patients from various socioeconomic backgrounds. These classes also gave me a better appreciation of how Brigham and Women’s/Mass General approaches patient care and strives to create a safe, caring and inclusive environment. My biology and medical terminology classes provided background medical knowledge that helped me transition smoothly into this position.” Taking note of vital signs: “There is something so rewarding about working with patients in a clinical setting. Each person you come across has the potential to impact your life just as your interaction with them can impact their lives in ways you may not see.” A prescription for success: “The unique opportunity to simultaneously work as a medical/practice assistant while also conducting experiments for my honors thesis at Wheaton reinforced my career desire for research alongside working in patient care. Going down this career path allows me to continue in the best of both worlds. Both disciplines complement each other, and my career would not be as fulfilling without both.”

—Sandy Coleman

Aidan Westenberg ’23 fights wildland fires out West

The day his Wheaton classes ended last spring, wildland firefighter Aidan Westenberg ’23 hit the road.

At that moment, New Mexico’s largest wildfire in its history was wreaking havoc on residents. Westenberg, a biology major who has spent the past two summers as a wildland firefighter, was among the responders called in to help.

“This was probably the most insane and adrenaline-filled span of time in my life. We spent 14 days on a fire in 110-degree heat. When you are on a fire for more than one day, you better have brought extra socks and underwear because you have no access to beds, showers, toilets or real food. You only bring your essential fire gear,” recalled Westenberg, whose firefighter post is based in Montana.

Westenberg, who was born in New York City but raised in New Hampshire, said his love of nature and outdoor sports inspired his desire to work outside. He learned firsthand about firefighting when visiting a friend in Montana who had served on a crew since high school.

Following a long application process, a captain in Montana hired him for a season. After proving himself in the physically and mentally demanding work in the summer of 2021, he received the squad boss qualification, making him responsible for 10 to 20 people and overseeing operations.

In 2022, in addition to spending weeks fighting fires in New Mexico, he returned to his base in Montana, where he saw lots of action in July and August and spent an average of four to five days on each local fire.

“I would be lying if I said this job wasn’t scary. Every fire that goes big makes me nervous to the core. Seeing the columns of smoke that span the whole horizon and make you crane your neck all the way back is always humbling,” he said.

After graduation in May, Westenberg plans to continue to develop his firefighting qualifications. Eventually, he’d like to pivot to a different field, and this opportunity is

the ideal springboard, he said.

“Because of my job, I have been exposed to countless opportunities; and not all of them are directly related to fighting wildfires. I have been asked to become a wildlife biologist, a fuels scientist, helicopter crew member and other jobs more related to my major,” he said. “I have learned to take every single one of them, and I am thankful that I did.”

His Wheaton coursework has helped

him succeed at his firefighting work and the same is true in reverse, he noted.

“The experiences I have in the field help me have a better understanding of the concepts I learn in the classroom and help me visualize them. I learn so much from the locals and other firefighters about biology and ecology as well,” said Westenberg, who also is captain of Wheaton’s rugby team.

—Laura Pedulli

Aidan Westenberg ’23, pictured here in Wheaton Woods, said he majored in biology because of a passion for nature and how all of its components come together to create one integrated system.

KEITH NORDSTROM

A dream job in video production

Stefan Flores ’23 spent summer editing news segments for WMUR-TV

In summer 2022, black bears spread across New Hampshire—approaching houses, cooling off in ponds and eating food from bird feeders. A two-minute video segment on WMUR-TV, an affiliate of ABC News, showed footage of various bear sightings and interviews with impacted homeowners.

The video editor behind the clip is Stefan Flores ’23, a film and new media studies major at Wheaton. The bear segment was one of many he edited in a paid video editing position at WMUR-TV, which is based in Manchester, N.H.

The job was a natural step for Flores, whose interest in video production and editing began at a young age.

During his younger years, he spent his free time watching skits and animations on YouTube and recording and editing videos of friends in his backyard. With the help of a friend and an enthusiastic high school teacher, he developed skills in video production and professional editing software.

Flores continued honing his craft at Wheaton, both as a video editor for a work-study position with Associate Professor of Film and New Media Patrick Johnson and in the courses “Production I” and “Production II.” He continued creating video projects on his own during the summer of 2021 when COVID–19 left jobs few and far between.

His commitment to developing his expertise paid off. The job at WMUR-TV officially required years of professional experience, but Flores still was able to secure it due to his proven ability.

Each day at WMUR-TV provided a different news story to tell. As the video editor, Flores helped piece it all together.

He received a daily assignment with a script that either would be a voice-over (VO), sound on tape voice-over (SOTVO) or package.

Flores explains: “A VO is having a B-roll related to the story over the anchor speaking. A SOTVO is when there is VO, but then a prerecorded voice clip is inserted, usually at the beginning. A package is when multiple VO and SOTVO are strung together, making for a longer video generally lasting around two to six minutes. With packages, I get much more freedom to choose video clips.”

One of his major challenges was syncing the video and audio, he said. “The rule is that one line of speaking equals one second; therefore, I tried to match up the video relating to each line.”

Flores said he plans to pursue a career in video editing when he graduates in May.

“My long-term career goal is to work full time at WMUR-TV after my time at Wheaton is complete. I also would be interested in a video editing career within other parts of the TV or film industry,” Flores said.

—Laura Pedulli

Stefan Flores ’23 filming a short movie for the “Production II” course.

Carrying on a legacy of service

In all that he did, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. demonstrated the power of service to others.

In February at a ceremony in a packed Weber Theatre, Wheaton honored a faculty member and a student whose actions and leadership have helped the campus community live in a manner that is equitable, inclusive and consistent with King’s values.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Awards were presented to Srijana Shrestha, assistant professor of psychology, and Dalwin Corcino ’23, president of the Student Government Association.

Her contributions include her work on the Diversity, Equity and Access Leadership (DEAL) Senate, where she has collaborated with faculty in developing anti-racism plans. She was a small group dialogue facilitator during Wheaton’s Three Freedoms Teach-in and she launched The Faculty Collective to fill the need for an advocacy group among faculty.

Shrestha expressed appreciation for the recognition. “Diversity and equity work is emotionally taxing but essential because everyone deserves to live, work and exist in this world with dignity. I am honored to walk alongside students, staff and faculty colleagues who have illuminated the path to make Wheaton more inclusive. The path is long and progress is not linear nor guaranteed. Yet, I am emboldened every day by students who demand the institution [and faculty] do better, for them and for our entire community,” she said.

In cultivating respect and strengthening the campus community, Corcino helped facilitate the Public Health and Social Justice discussion series; served on the Sexuality, Gender and Inclusion Board; and founded the Community for Advancing Healthy Masculinities. He also secured an equity and inclusion grant for his Language Access Program that provided admission and financial aid materials in key languages other than English to prospective

students and families.

Following the ceremony, Corcino said he was in shock over the recognition. “It’s truly humbling to be seen as someone who’s demonstrative of dedication to anti-racism, cultural sustainability and social justice at Wheaton and beyond.

… Receiving an award doesn’t make me proud of my accomplishments; it’s seeing the impact that I’ve had at Wheaton that

makes me proud. With the support of many students, faculty, staff and alumni, the Wheaton community has stepped up to become an active advocate for racial justice and social change during my time here. The work that I and people like Srijana have taken on has elevated a movement that continues to inspire others to work toward a common goal; making sure everyone feels welcomed and heard at Wheaton and beyond.”

Wheaton’s Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Celebration was sponsored by DEAL’s education and programming committee; the Marshall Center for Intercultural Learning; the Office for Institutional Equity and Belonging; and the Office of the President.

—Laura Pedulli

Above, SGA President Dalwin Corcino ’23 accepts the Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award from Luis Paredes, associate vice president for institutional equity and belonging. Left, Assistant Professor of Psychology Srijana Shrestha receives the Legacy Award from Paredes.

KEITH NORDSTROM

Wheaton humanities institute explores ‘normal’ theme

Programming connects to questions around health, power, equity

What does it mean to have a “normally” functioning body and mind? The answer is far from simple, requiring a deep dive into understanding societal values while examining issues related to power, inequity and bodily autonomy. The complexity and wide scope of the question prompted the Wheaton Institute for the Interdisciplinary Humanities (WIIH) to choose this inquiry as the basis of its programming for 2022–23.

“It’s a really rich question for the humanities, and the role of WIIH is connecting humanities with other fields of study,” said Professor and Chair of History of Art Ellen McBreen, who serves as the current WIIH director.

“Our theme was chosen for potential synergy with Wheaton’s new nursing and design majors. Also, the recent pandemic has made us all appreciate our fragility and the impermanent nature of health and what we see as a healthy life,” McBreen said.

WIIH was established by Provost Touba Ghadessi and former professor Gen Liang in 2012 to offer students opportunities to explore the humanities as they apply in various intellectual and

professional contexts. The institute invites scholars, artists and other experts based on an annual theme and encourages thoughtful exchange in and beyond the Wheaton community.

On Sept. 29, 2022, the institute kicked off its new theme with an artistic performance by Dominic Quagliozzi called “Medical History [Part One].” In the live show, Quagliozzi shared his experience as a person with chronic illness and disability.

On March 2, WIIH launched the series “Designing for Difference,” which will invite designers, scholars and activists to campus to discuss their practice in public talks. All of these guests approach design as an agent of social change, imagining solutions for the realities of human diversity. This series complements McBreen’s spring semester “Design History and Theory” course that was created for the new design program.

The first keynote speaker was Sara

Hendren, who delivered the lecture “Cyborg Arms and Robot Caregivers: Design For an Interdependent Future” in Ellison Lecture Hall.

“With any kind of practical skill-based pursuit, like design, the ‘how’ is very important, but there is also the question of ‘why.’ The humanities get us to dig deeper into the ‘why’ of what we do and make,” McBreen said.

Student involvement, specifically through a student executive committee, also plays a part in shaping WIIH programming.

“Besides connecting humanities to other fields of study, WIIH gives students an opportunity to take learning that is happening in the classroom and apply it to real-world situations. I’m meeting with students to ask them what they want to see in the programming. I want to hear from them,” McBreen said.

—Laura Pedulli

WIIH’s “Designing for Difference” series welcomed keynote speaker Sara Hendren, who presented “Cyborg Arms and Robot Caregivers: Design For an Interdependent Future” on March 2.

KEITH NORDSTROM

Connecting students to success

Inside Higher Ed article includes insight on college’s responsive approach to internships

Each month, Inside Higher Ed’s Student Voice news hub surveys more than 2,000 undergraduates from 114 colleges and universities across the country to explore higher education from the student perspective and then seeks insights from college and university experts on the results and actions institutions should take.

A fall survey focused on internships and experiential learning and student views on how they find these opportunities and what results in successful outcomes. Wheaton Associate Provost Karen McCormack was asked for her perspective on the results. Her comments were included in the article “A Need to Succeed: What Students Want and Get

From Internships” published Sept. 23, 2022.

As part of the survey, 2,116 college students and spring 2022 graduates responded to questions about what they would like to see institutions do regarding helping them find and succeed in internships.

In the story, Melissa Ezarik, Inside Higher Ed contributing editor, wrote: “Students find internships in a variety of ways, as professors teaching classes in which such experiences are embedded know well. At Wheaton College in Massachusetts, for example, which touts its Compass curriculum and the Wheaton Edge program for connecting academic interests to career success, sophomores complete a real-world experience such as an experiential course, which can include completing an internship as part of the course, and all students are guaranteed access to internship funding.”

Describing her own course “How Organizations Work,” which has an internship component, McCormack told

the writer that, “Some students sign up for the course and may have already been in contact with an organization, and others reach out to career services staff or faculty, or family members, and start making connections.”

In her faculty role, McCormack, a professor of sociology, collaborated with campus partners to lead Wheaton through the development of the experiential-focused Compass curriculum. As associate provost for academic administration and faculty affairs, she works closely with Wheaton’s Filene Center for Academic Advising and Career Services.

Ezarik’s story noted: “In her [McCormack’s] administrator role, she sees herself as a connector, helping people in academic departments, alumni or those leading offices on campus, for example, to see possibilities for collaborating. It helps, she adds, when internships and experiential learning fit into the institution’s strategic plan, as it does at Wheaton.”

—Sandy Coleman

Wheaton students share their experiences during the Internship Showcase in the Balfour-Hood Campus Center atrium.

KEITH NORDSTROM

Psychology professor examines blame, behavior, politics

Professor of Psychology Gail Sahar’s research and teaching focus on social and political psychology, quantitative research methodology and statistics. Her scholarly work examines how perceptions of responsibility for social problems are related to culture and political ideology, and how they are linked with emotions and attitudes. In her book Blame and Political Attitudes: The Psychology of America's Culture War (Palgrave Macmillan, 2023), she examines how perception of blame informs political views and actions and fuels deep societal division. Wheaton magazine editor Sandy Coleman recently asked her a few questions.

Can you give us an overview?

“In this book, I suggest that blame plays an important role in our social and political lives. A great deal of research in social psychology has demonstrated that individuals want to understand the causes of events, especially negative ones. The causes we identify lead us to hold individuals or entities responsible, or to blame, which, in turn, influences our emotions, our actions and our attitudes. I also consider how worldviews, such as political ideology, as well as culture, nudge us to place blame for social problems in particular ways.

“This approach holds that there is not simply a direct path from ideology to attitude but rather that blame is the missing link between the two. So, for example, attitudes toward welfare are not only influenced by one’s political stance [liberal vs. conservative], but also by perceptions of who or what is to blame for poverty [the individual or the system]. Many different social issues and current controversies are analyzed using this model—from poverty to abortion to racial inequality. I also consider how politicians strategically place blame for societal problems to influence the electorate.”

What inspired you to write the book?

“Many of the issues I consider in the book are ones that I have investigated. I have conducted research on attitudes toward abortion, poverty and terrorism—three of the main topics of the book. So, I discuss my own research, but I also summarize the related work of other psychologists, as well as sociologists, political scientists and even some philosophers. I have been researching these issues for over 30 years, and I wanted to place my work and the work of others in a broader context—in the general public beyond academia, so that the power of perceptions of causality and blame become clear. I really enjoy discussing social issues with others from all walks of life and wanted an opportunity to do so. In

addition, I have been struck in recent years by the fact that blame perceptions underlie many current topics that have become lightning rods for debate: police violence against Black Americans, the teaching of critical race theory, ‘cancel culture,’ the #MeToo movement and others. I aimed to shed some light on the so-called ‘culture wars’ that political pundits talk so much about.”

How do you describe “culture war”?

“In general, the term ‘culture war’ refers to the idea that Americans are strongly divided by their values, traditional or conservative versus liberal or progressive. And indeed, the media tend to suggest that Americans’ attitudes toward an array of issues and policies diverge

Professor Gail Sahar in her office with her new book

KEITH NORDSTROM

Faculty

Andrew Davinack, assistant professor of biology, co-wrote the article “A new insight into genetic structure of Danube and Italian foci of fascioloidosis,” published in Veterinary Parasitology in February.

Kelly Goff, associate professor of visual art, in November 2022 created and installed a new public artwork in his Continuous Line series. The work is currently on loan to the City of Palm Desert, Calif.

Jessie Knowlton, assistant professor of biology, co-wrote the article “Effects of land use change on the functional diversity and composition of mixed species avian flocks in the high tropical Andes of southern Ecuador,” published in the Journal of Field Ornithology in January.

Lisa Lebduska, professor of English, wrote the short story “The Undertaker's Wife,” published in The Saturday Evening Post in January.

Ursula Moffitt , assistant professor of psychology, in January received an Early Career Research Contributions Award from the Society for Research in Child Development, given to those who have distinguished themselves as researchers and scholars.

sharply based on values. However, much current research indicates that most people do not actually take extreme positions on issues but rather are relatively moderate, thus undercutting the idea that we are in the midst of a culture war. One important way in which Americans are more polarized is in their feelings toward the other political party. Research has shown that hostility between political groups has absolutely increased, so we are more emotionally polarized than we are divergent in regard to policy attitudes.”

Will you be exploring the subject matter in coursework?

“Yes. I plan to use the book this fall in my course ‘Political Psychology.’ I have

Brenda Wyss, professor of economics, wrote the article “Does Child Support Stick to Children? Evidence from Jamaica,” published in Social and Economic Studies in January.

taught this course for a number of years. It is cross-listed between psychology and political science, and it attracts students from both majors, as well as others who are simply interested in the subject. I love teaching this advanced seminar, largely because the discussions we have are fascinating. We consider topics such as the psychology of political leaders, the nature of political ideology, intergroup and international conflict and genocide. This book will guide our discussions of how people think about political issues.”

What important lessons are here for students to learn?

“As a liberal arts professor, I have always focused on critical thinking.

Alumni

Derron Wallace ’07 wrote The Culture Trap: Ethnic Expectations and Unequal Schooling for Black Youth (Oxford University Press, 2023).

This book is, in a way, a long lesson in critical thinking about social problems. Politicians are adept at framing the problems we as a society face in a way that advances their own political agenda. If people do not think critically about their messages, we may end up endorsing policies that are harmful. The worst example of this is when entire groups of people are blamed for a problem, something often referred to as scapegoating. Such a simplistic framing of the situation is nearly guaranteed to be wrong, and the effects are nothing short of tragic for the group that is blamed. At the very least, I hope my students will examine the evidence before accepting politicians’ messages at face value. Our democracy depends on it.”

Professor Kelly Goff’s Continuous Line artwork has been installed in Palm Desert, Calif.

Net LYONS PRIDE

Basketball

score 1,000

The 1,000-point milestone in basketball is probably the most recognized mark in all of high school and collegiate sports. Banners are posted in arenas to note the achievement of past players. A team’s top scorer may carry the number in their head from the moment they play their first game for a school. It’s a number that represents consistency, but one that is rarely reached, let alone by two players in the same season.

Seniors Alex Carlisle and Aaron Williams both attained that magic number within 18 days of each other (Carlisle on January 7 and Williams on January 25). What is most impressive is that two teammates accomplished the goal in the same basketball season at Wheaton.

Carlisle wrapped up his studentathlete tenure with the Lyons with 1,245 points to stand ninth in school history. Williams completed the journey with 1,166 points to rank 11th. Both also were named to the New

En garde!

Wheaton adding fencing programs

Wheaton is adding NCAA varsity intercollegiate men’s and women’s fencing programs with the support of a grant from USA Fencing, which is

Alex Carlisle ’23

gains

teammates

-plus points

England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) First Team All-Conference and became the first duo to earn All-Region honors in school history with a Second Team nod from the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

The achievements capped off a sensational season that saw the Lyons post their highest win total since 2017–18 and earn the number four seed in the NEWMAC playoffs.

Only one set of Wheaton teammates had ever reached the 1,000point mark before in the same season. Chris Sullivan ’93 and Will Hawkins ’93 both netted their respective 1,000th point during their junior year in the 1991–92 basketball season. They are both etched in the school’s all-time record book for scoring, with Sullivan standing as the all-time leading scorer with 1,935 points and Hawkins ranking third with 1,776.

the Olympic governing body of the sport in the United States. This grant will allow for the purchase of all necessary equipment to start a program.

“Fencing has seen immense domestic growth over the past decade-plus, increasing from less than 20,000 to over 40,000 youth participants since 2012,” said Gavin Viano, associate vice president for athletics and strategic programs, in

announcing the new program.

“Wheaton is excited to partner with USA Fencing to bring this new program to our campus community. We have launched a national search for our inaugural head coach to recruit students and guide both of our new fencing teams,” Viano said.

Wheaton anticipates the first varsity season to begin during the 2024–25

academic year. The two new programs join men's and women's water polo, which were both added in August 2022.

“The college is honored for the opportunity to begin welcoming fencing studentathletes from across the nation and from around the globe to our Massachusetts campus in the months and years to come," Viano said.

—Athletics communications staff

—Athletics communications staff

Aaron Williams ’23

PHOTOS BY KEITH NORDSTROM

Talent and traditions

Dance Fest 2023: Beyond All Limits in February featured hip-hop, salsa, tap, K-pop, step and multicultural dance traditions performed by TRYBE, Paraíso Latino, Tap Out Loud, KAOS and S.O.L.E.

Opportunities galore

Students kicked off the spring semester by learning more about opportunities for engagement at the Spring Activities Fair on February 3, in the Balfour-Hood Campus Center and at Emerson Dining Hall. Many student-run groups were represented.

KEITH NORDSTROM

KEITH NORDSTROM

Music and conversation

Ronald Crutcher, Wheaton president emeritus, returned to campus March 9 to celebrate the release of his memoir I Had No Idea You Were Black: Navigating Race on the Road to Leadership and to share his talents on the cello. In Cole Memorial Chapel, he performed several musical selections before sitting down for an interview with President Michaele Whelan to discuss his life as a Black leader successfully bridging America’s cultural divides.

Play date

Holocaust remembrance

Students, faculty and staff lined up to read the names of Holocaust victims during a remembrance ceremony on January 27 in Cole Memorial Chapel. The Center for Religious and Spiritual Life organized the event, which featured a presentation by Professor of Religion Jonathan Brumberg-Kraus.

KEITH NORDSTROM

KEITH NORDSTROM

M ARK S TOCKWELL

The annual New Plays Festival showcased long-form plays written, directed and performed by Wheaton students in late February.

Capturing life and the stories around us

Gabe Bornstein’s creative production studio elevates messaging of major brands, nonprofits

By Laura Pedulli

You can find him in a wetsuit, wading in the frigid ocean waters of Maine, taking photos of fishing boats.

Or behind a lens, documenting the work and life of an artist, and their unconventional path to achieve a dream. Or sitting at his computer engaged in animation.

Gabe Bornstein ’14 is a photographer, cinematographer and filmmaker who thrives on authentic, impactful storytelling. He co-owns ROVE, a film production company specializing in commercial content, short-form documentaries and animation. His clients

range from major brands like Spotify, Toyota and Merrell to smaller nonprofits, businesses and publications.

His career is an extension of his favorite pastimes: immersing himself in the outdoors, especially the water, and photography and filmmaking.

A Maine native, Bornstein grew up on the water and was “always the kid filming friends doing silly things, board sports or just goofing around.”

His father, an avid photographer, gave him his collection of old cameras as a

teenager.

“I started ‘nerding’ out on film photography and how the medium works and all of the technical components,” he said.

A chance to experiment

Bornstein chose Wheaton for his undergraduate studies after touring the campus with a close friend. “I remember loving the vibe and the intimate feel of the college campus. It is similar to the high school I grew up in.”

At first, he planned to study economics,

Gabe Bornstein ’14 (right) captures footage for a project in Brooklyn, N.Y.

but soon felt drawn to pursuing a major in film and new media studies, which was new at the time, after taking a course in photography.

“Because it was a new major, the script hadn’t been written, which was beneficial to me. You could write your own story,” he said.

In production courses with Associate

Professor of Film and New Media Patrick Johnson, Bornstein had the flexibility to experiment with different approaches to filmmaking—such as trying out various camera supports and rigs to achieve different shots.

Courses with Associate Professor of English Talitha Espiritu and Professor and Chair of Film and New Media Josh

Stenger deepened his knowledge of film history, culture, current events and more.

“Collectively, they opened my mind to so many different facets of film from the historical context of genres and movements, to the social and racial implications, to the actual production and creative process of making a film. Those tools, along with my time studying filmmaking at the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, set me on this path,” he said.

Being in a tight-knit group of like-minded and diverse folks, and having invaluable hands-on learning opportunities really helped him build the foundation for what would become his career in the film industry, he said.

“I also had the unique ability to cater the curriculum and experience to my own personal interests,” he said.

GABE BORNSTEIN ’14

Above, an ocean wave awash in the pinkish hue of dusk; left, a snapshot from ROVE’s short-form documentary on Lewis Rossignol, a Maine-based visual artist

Professor Johnson recalls a creative work Bornstein developed for his “Documentary Storytelling” course.

“Gabe co-produced a short film about an artist carving chopsticks from a felled tree log. The imagery was simply incredible; inventive angles, extreme close-ups with beautiful soft focus and precisely controlled camera movements. His talent as an image-maker jumped out in every frame of that film. I have made it a point to screen it for every documentary course that I teach,” he said.

Bornstein said that experience—as well as freelance cinematography work he did for Johnson in Boston—cultivated a deep love of filmmaking.

“I love the documentary filmmaking process, being a fly on the wall, capturing scenes. It aligns with my personality. I can be a quiet person. I generally like to observe other people and tell their story,” he said.

Johnson said Bornstein now inspires him as a professor and filmmaker. “The work that Gabe is making with ROVE is so impressive. I’ve made it a habit to check in on their portfolio a couple of times a year. Every time I do, I’m blown away and walk away inspired with new ideas for my own work.”

Journey to entrepreneurship

Bornstein launched ROVE in April 2017, following three busy years of building a reputation for excellence as a cinematographer, photographer and filmmaker.

For two years, he served as a camera operator for VICE Media, an AmericanCanadian digital media and broadcasting company based in Brooklyn, N.Y., working on shows, including “VICE On HBO,” “VICE News Tonight” and the VICELAND TV network.

He constantly sought out freelance opportunities, including as a camera operator for Comedy Central’s “The Opposition With Jordan Klepper.” He also has traveled as far as Australia and Hawaii making branded content that incorporates the sport of surfing. In 2016, Bornstein received a Vimeo Staff Pick for his short surf film, “Disorderly Conduct.”

After his time living in New York, he knew his heart belonged in Maine. He connected with Jay Brown, a freelance video director, at a co-working space in Portland, Maine. They both were at similar

Bornstein, above, surfs near Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Below, a still shot from ROVE’s video advertisement for Merrell, a well-known maker of hiking footwear and gear

STEVE DE NEEF

points in their careers. They had accrued experience in the field, attracted a steady stream of clientele and were ready to take the next step to entrepreneurship.

“We edited a reel of our collective work and knew we would make a great team, and decided to start our own production company. In batting around possible names, Jay mentioned ‘rove’ as a word he liked and was always saving for the right occasion. We thought on it for a bit and ended up loving how it alludes to how our own body of work is diverse and wide-ranging from a stylistic point of view. We sort of see ourselves as rovers,” Bornstein said.

ROVE’s portfolio is diverse and extends beyond Maine.

For example, the company worked with Toyota on a video that ended up on the company’s website landing page. The video shows the latest Toyota vehicles amid beautiful and authentic imagery across the Northeast U.S. and incorporates the carmaker’s library of footage and assets ranging from NASCAR to the Olympics.

ROVE also has partnered with Spotify on various projects, including “The Input,” which empowers podcast creators to get the most out of Spotify, and “The Game Plan,” an original 3D-animated video series designed to educate artists on how to use Spotify to manage and grow their careers.

They also helped Merrell, maker of hiking footwear and gear, spread the love for the outdoors with its “Do It Outdoors” campaign, which was played on Hulu as pre-roll advertisements. This work was recognized in the advertising trade press publication Adweek.

ROVE also partners with brands like Allagash Brewing Company, which is based in Portland. Its video ads introduced Hop Reach when the new citric brew hit the market last year.

Bornstein said they endeavor to balance client work with personal passion projects.

One of the pieces he is most proud of is a ROVE-funded short documentary on

Lewis Rossignol, an artist who specializes in surrealist and experimental contemporary drawing.

“His story is really amazing. He uses his art to navigate the symptoms of Tourette syndrome. It was a story we were passionate about and wanted to get out there,” he said.

Photography is one of Bornstein’s favorite creative pursuits. At least every two weeks—no matter the season—he goes surfing and brings his gear along. Often he captures images that eventually end up printed in local glossy magazines, which have included Yankee magazine and Maine magazine.

He ventures to the coast to rejuvenate, creatively. The focus it brings him also has taken him places and landed him exactly where he wants to be, engaged in his passion.

“The ocean is where my gaze goes. I love surfing, its abstract environment of waves. That’s the perspective I love and where I go to get away,” Bornstein said.

ROVE created video ads for Merrell’s spread the love for the outdoors campaign and was recognized in Adweek for the work.

Inside-Out course

learn

By Sandy Coleman

From the Wheaton campus, the Old Colony Correctional Center in Bridgewater, Mass., is only a 17.2-mile drive south on Interstate 495. But the short van ride each week during the fall semester transported students a world away.

There, eight Wheaton students took the shared sociology and psychology course “Inside Out: Making Sense of Data” alongside 10 people incarcerated at the prison. The class was part of the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program that is designed to facilitate dialogue across

differences, including social barriers. The Inside-Out program, which is based at Temple University in Philadelphia, was founded in 1977 as a way to bring together “outside” campus-based students with “inside” incarcerated students for a semester-long course held in a prison, jail or other correctional settings, according to the website. It has since grown into an international network of trained faculty, students, alumni, think tanks, higher education and correctional administrators and other stakeholders who are committed to social justice issues.

After intensive training from the

that

Inside-Out Center, Wheaton Professor of Sociology and Associate Provost Karen McCormack and Associate Professor of Psychology Christina Riggs Romaine worked in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Corrections and collaboratively taught the 10-week course in a classroom inside the medium-security facility.

“Inside-Out was entirely different from any course I've ever taught in the way you had to structure it within the constraints in the physical space. I've never had to go through a metal detector to go to class before,” Riggs Romaine said. “And, yet, it

Students

together in a class

was ‘exactly the same and entirely different, all at the same time’

removes barriers

The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program is an international network that brings together college students and people who are incarcerated to learn as equals. Here, Professors Karen McCormack and Christina Riggs Romaine chat with Wheaton students on campus before they drive the van to the Old Colony Correctional Center for class.

KEITH NORDSTROM

Photo taken in a correctional facility in Western Pennsylvania, courtesy of Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program website

Sharing their thoughts

Here is a selection of Old Colony Correctional Center student responses to reflection questions answered at the end of the course.

What is something that you have learned about yourself in this class?

(Each answer is by a different student.)

“I learned that I have what it takes to function at a college level as long as I apply myself. I found this out when I did my final presentation. I didn’t know if I would do well, but I got several compliments on it.”

“The outside students always impressed me with their universal poise and thoughtfulness. I wondered if I was like that at their age. I’m not so sure about that. I sometimes thought of them as the Wheaton ‘kids.’ They’d probably groan if they heard that. And I probably would have too at their age. Am I getting old? Hmmm…”

“I learned to be humble because I made assumptions about the levels of experience the outside students had and I was humbled by the wealth of experience they had at such young ages and the wisdom they brought to each class.”

“First and foremost I want to say that I appreciate you all and that I’m extremely grateful for having the opportunity to share a class setting with you all.”

If you could share a thought or message with your peers in the class, what would you like to tell them about your experience together?

“As someone who was on a path to college—at one point in time—I missed out on that opportunity because I ended up in prison as soon as I graduated from high school. These courses give me a taste of what that experience would have been like. And that, of course, is priceless.”

Please describe any skill(s) that you developed or strengthened in the process of the class (this could be about data, or about communicating, empathy or relating to other people, working groups, project management or something else altogether).

“I noticed that I often listen for what is not being said as well as what’s being said.”

was still a college class. It was still willing, curious people thinking together, reading interesting things, talking about them, having questions, laughing and goodnaturedly arguing about things. And, so, it was exactly the same and entirely different, all at the same time.”

Both groups of students said they gained valuable knowledge about how to understand, analyze and use data and described the experience of interacting with each other as eye-opening and life-changing.

“I loved the idea of learning about using data to tell stories and the ways in which data can be misconstrued, but I was especially interested in the class because it was being taught in a prison, with students from inside the prison. … It was a space for learning from one another as equals, for seeing each other as people,” said Alex Blue ’23, who is pursuing an independent major in human services. “One of the most valuable lessons I learned is that we are so much more than our so-called ‘defining moments.’”

Old Colony Correctional Center students shared their thoughts in answers to reflection questions at the end of the course:

“As someone who was on a path to college—at one point in time—I missed out on that opportunity because I ended up in prison as soon as I graduated from high school. These courses give me a taste of what that experience would have been like. And that, of course, is priceless,” one student wrote.

Another said: “I learned to be humble because I made assumptions about the levels of experience the outside students had and I was humbled by the wealth of experience they had at such young ages and the wisdom they brought to each class.”

McCormack summarized a common theme. “When we gave them the last round of reflection questions and we said to the inside and outside students, what would you most like to know? What questions would you most like to ask each other? One of the questions almost every inside student asked is, ‘Do you see us differently now? Are you less scared of us now? Do you see us as more human?’” she said. “Clearly,

I think our group of students didn't go in with negative baggage, but the experience still changed their way of thinking.”

Riggs Romaine and McCormack, who on April 5 presented the virtual faculty lunch talk “Learning Behind the Prison Walls” about the program, said they hope more Wheaton students get to experience an Inside-Out course in the future.

“We see how it could be so integral to learning experiences. … Bryan Stevenson is an attorney who works a lot with wrongful convictions and folks on death row. One of the big things he always talks about is if we're going to bring about justice and bring about effective change, we have to get ‘proximal,’” Riggs Romaine said. “This class puts students proximal to [the Old Colony students]. I think that matters from a social

justice lens. It gives our students a whole set of skills, knowledge, capacity and awareness to be involved in those systems. Whether it is because they believe and support them, want to change them or dismantle them, it's just going to give them this perspective that you can't have unless you've been there.”

Opening doors

Off of a quiet woodsy road, the Old Colony Correctional Center sprawls out with multiple buildings and fencing trimmed

in razor wire. A sign that greets visitors immediately starts spelling out restrictions: No photos allowed.

The protocols and procedures to get into the building where the Inside-Out course was held were even more stringent. Every single visit required a rapid COVID-19 test onsite. No cell phones, laptops or other electronics were allowed. Shoes were removed and placed in bins. Each person was asked to show the backs and palms of their hands and run them along their waistbands and open their mouths before walking through a metal detector.

The process was nerve-wracking the first few times, but eventually became routine.

“The one thing that never got less intimidating were the big, loud metal doors,” said Isabella

During a virtual faculty lunch talk, the professors shared a slide noting the similarities and differences between the Inside-Out class and traditional classes.

“This class puts students proximal to [the Old Colony students]. I think that matters from a social justice lens. It gives our students a whole set of skills, knowledge, capacity and awareness to be involved in those systems. Whether it is because they believe and support them, want to change them or dismantle them, it’s just going to give them this perspective that you can’t have unless you’ve been there.”

Christina Riggs Romaine, associate professor of psychology

Robishaw ’23, a psychology major who plans to earn a master's degree in social work. However, she and the other Wheaton students and the professors said it was well worth the effort.

McCormack and Riggs Romaine chose to teach this particular class because it provides useful skills for all students as they leave Wheaton or Old Colony and enter the workforce. In the course, students together explored social science data, learned how to make sense of patterns that emerge from quantitative and qualitative data, practiced interpreting them and then communicated their research findings in final collaborative projects.

“We prepared a packet of data prior to the start of the semester that focused on workforce participation, unemployment, areas of job growth, recruiting and networking [how people find jobs], and wages and salaries,” McCormack said. “We included data from the Census, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and from research studies. The data were all employment-related but did cover different topics because we wanted to give students some choice to form a question that was interesting to them.”

In addition to gaining skills in using data for storytelling and understanding issues, both groups of students made self-discoveries and connections as they experienced a new appreciation for the opportunity to learn.

“The willingness and desire to engage was so genuine and heartfelt, and that was really rewarding,” said McCormack. “I don't think our Wheaton students walk into every classroom on campus thinking that they're grateful to be there, but I think every student walked into the Old Colony classroom feeling like they were grateful to be there.”

Riggs Romaine agreed: “The one thing I really noticed for the Wheaton students was as we walked out that first day, one of them made a comment like, ‘I don't always think about it as a privilege to go to college, and I'm realizing it is.’ … The Old Colony students were very aware of the privilege of education, and so they were

Inside-Out mission statement

“Education in which we are able to encounter each other, especially across profound social barriers, is transformative and allows problems to be approached in new and different ways. Inside-Out’s mission is to create opportunities for people inside and outside of prison to have transformative learning experiences that emphasize collaboration and dialogue, inviting them to take leadership in addressing vital issues of social justice.”

Source: insideoutcenter.org

showing up and ready.”

Riggs Romaine had been thinking about the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program since she first learned of it from a colleague at a conference before she started teaching at Wheaton. She ran into McCormack in the hallway in Knapton shortly after joining the faculty and began chatting about the program. The two agreed that it would be great to pursue.

Riggs Romaine is a clinical psychologist whose scholarship focuses on juvenile competency and determining the best policies and practices for fair treatment within the juvenile justice system. Her clinical work and research have taken her in and out of many correctional facilities during her career.

“We know the power of education. So, the chance to bring a college liberal arts approach to education to the folks who are on the inside was a huge piece of what attracted me to the program from a social justice lens,” said Riggs Romaine.

McCormack’s work explores the

intersections of inequality, community and technology and she, along with Riggs Romaine, is a member of the team that developed Wheaton’s new major— criminal justice, restorative justice, and criminology.

“I teach a lot about inequality focused on the intersections of class, race and gender,” said McCormack. “This class offered the opportunity to explore some of those issues in relation to the data on employment and the workforce. Students’ life experiences shape their approach to these data and navigating discussions of these powerful social forces required all students to listen thoughtfully and learn from one another.”

In 2019, the professors went through a weeklong instructor training facilitated by the Inside-Out Exchange Prison Program at the Stateville Correctional Center, a maximum-security prison for men in Crest Hill, Ill.

They had planned to launch the InsideOut class at Wheaton in the fall of 2020, but COVID-19 derailed that until this academic year.

Teaching and learning were radically different under the Department of Corrections protocols and within the physical space (a long narrow room). The absence of any electronics in the space was challenging but also refreshing, the professors said.

“The level of attention and how you use your time is just very, very different. So, when we were in that space, we were all completely in that space together,” McCormack said. “It felt a little bit nervewracking as we were planning because you had to think, ‘OK, there are no slides.’ It turned out that we could move paper in and out more easily than we thought we would be able to. So, we did end up making worksheets.”

Riggs Romaine said she definitely appreciated the focus the lack of technology allowed.

“In a class on data, we would send students to find data and look on the internet or go into a database or use databases that the college has, right? All those tools were not available, but what we got were students who were 100 percent present,

in the moment and not distracted by technology,” Riggs Romaine said.

And both groups of students thrived.

“Some of our happiest moments occurred when we'd look at each other in the classroom and they were working on their projects and you'd hear them arguing about whose ideas should take precedence, and it was like, this is exactly what you want to hear in a college class,” McCormack said.

Acquired knowledge and trust

Jennifer Hodel ’23, a psychology major, said she developed new skills in working collaboratively on a project in which Wheaton students could not communicate with their inside classmates outside of the correctional facility.

“We had to be flexible and productive given the time we did have together,” said Hodel, who plans to attend graduate school to become a school counselor and a licensed professional clinical counselor. “I learned so much from each and every person in this class and feel that this experience helped me not only grow in terms of learning to interpret, analyze and communicate with data but also in general as a person.”

Patrick Kelley ’23, a sociology major, said the constraints of the collaborative group work provided lessons that will be valuable long after Wheaton. He hopes to work in probationary services to assist formerly incarcerated individuals with their transition back into society.

“In order to be the most effective in group work, it is essential to trust your peers. Because the provisions of this class did not allow us to work with our group members outside of class, we had to trust that our group mates would do their work,” Kelley said.

And all did.

“Every group managed to do an excellent job, and I think a large piece of that was because of the passion each of us had for the class,” said Blue, who hopes to go into social work or become a clinical psychologist. “With all of our dedication and hard work, we overcame the barriers to collaboration relatively easily [though there were still some hiccups].”

Invaluable affirmation and connection

Laureen Doolan, who directs education at the Old Colony Correctional Center and was Wheaton’s partner throughout the program, said that the course was as important for the Old Colony students as it was for the Wheaton students because it provided validation of their skills.

“Many of the inside students received a high school equivalency diploma while incarcerated because they failed out of traditional schools. They often lack confidence in their academic abilities. The concept of allowing them to participate in a college-level class demonstrates to them that they are not only capable, but that they can excel,” Doolan said.

“Participation in a class alongside outside students also allows them to see that there are commonalities in themselves and these students and that the traditional students may also share in their insecurities about the ability to do well in college,” she said. “This program is important for the traditional students as well because it provides them with the opportunity to see the incarcerated as people who have made mistakes in their lives and to not define them by their crimes.”

The closing ceremony

On a rainy Dec. 7, 2022, Wheaton students and professors took one last van ride to Old Colony for a closing ceremony and class wrap-up session. Invited guests Provost Touba Ghadessi, Vice President of Student Affairs Darnell Parker and the Wheaton magazine editor also were in attendance with Massachusetts Department of Corrections representatives.

In a cavernous visiting room, students and the professors (as well as guests) took turns expressing gratitude and mutual appreciation, acknowledging bravery and joking.

“You’re not looking down your noses at us. … You made us feel like we were in college with you and I want to thank you for that,” said one Old Colony student, reading from pages of his prepared remarks.

Anda Brown ’24, an independent major in quantitative criminology, told the group: “My time with all of you has been really impactful. This is a class I will talk about and remember for the rest of my life.”

And Provost Ghadessi offered: “Knowledge is something like love that stays with you forever the more you share it. This class has allowed us to grow that knowledge. Thank you to all of you.”

After the remarks, students walked to the front of the room one at a time to receive a certificate.

“I almost cried during the closing ceremony,” Blue said. “Everyone gave beautiful speeches, and it was very bittersweet because we were celebrating the time we spent together, and we were also melancholy because we could never see each other again.”

Robishaw expressed a similar sentiment. “Everyone seemed so proud of what they had accomplished during the class, but it was also clear that people, including me, were sad it was coming to an end,” she said. “The speeches given by some of the students did a great job summing up what we learned regarding data and statistics and how to apply that to real-world issues. The students’ speeches also demonstrated how meaningful and enjoyable this class was for both groups of students.”

“I learned so much from each and every person in this class and feel that this experience helped me not only grow in terms of learning to interpret, analyze and communicate with data but also in general as a person.”

Jennifer Hodel ’23, a psychology major

“My time with all of you has been really impactful. This is a class I will talk about and remember for the rest of my life.”

Anda Brown ’24, an independent major in quantitative criminology

Pressing for

Associated Press reporter Susan Haigh ’89 is a pillar of the fourth estate

By Laura Pedulli

While on her last day of vacation in Wellfleet, Mass., a quiet town on Cape Cod, the roar of sirens from a fleet of ambulances tipped off Susan Haigh ’89 that something was wrong. A longtime journalist for The Associated Press, Haigh is accustomed to serving as the eyes and ears of the community.

The ambulances led her to a tragic site: the first fatal shark attack in Massachusetts since 1936.

“I wasn’t working, but I interviewed people at the scene and began phoning in details to my editor in Boston. It was pretty traumatic,” she recalled.

In her September 2018 news story of the incident that claimed the life of a 26-yearold man, she wrote:

“Joe Booth, a local fisherman and surfer, said he was on shore when he saw the man and his friend boogie boarding when the attack happened.

He said he saw the man aggressively kick something behind him and a flicker of a tail from the water. He realized what was happening when the friend came ashore dragging his injured friend.

“I was that guy on the beach screaming, 'Shark, shark!’” Booth said. "It was like right out of that movie 'Jaws.' This has turned into Amity Island real quick out here."

Her story and photos ran in newspapers all over the world.

Haigh always endeavors to get the scoop. For the past 21 years as a Connecticut State Capitol and political reporter at The Associated Press, she

has established herself as a true-to-form journalist committed to imparting the facts to the public.

Her steadfast pursuit of the truth has enabled her to earn the trust of both her readers and sources. She recently was awarded a fellowship with the New England First Amendment Institute and her work has been recognized by internal Associated Press contests. Also, in 2020, The Washington Post's The Fix named Haigh on its list of outstanding reporters to follow in each state.

“In an age when journalism is under

fire for so much partisanship and criticism, reporters like Sue have so much integrity, bring so much knowledge and understanding and respect for the process,” said Daniela Altimari, a journalist who reports for Roll Call magazine. She previously worked alongside Haigh in the Connecticut State Capitol press room when she worked for the Hartford Courant.

“The citizens of Connecticut are extremely fortunate to have someone of Sue's caliber highlighting issues that matter to people,” Altimari said.

Wheaton Wire, baptism by fire

When reflecting on her student experience at Wheaton, Haigh jokes, “I majored in The Wheaton Wire.”

As a first-year student, she was exploring interests in nonfiction writing and political science and international relations when she joined the student-run newspaper. She settled on international relations as her major: “I thought I’d be a foreign correspondent.”

Each year, Haigh took on more responsibilities until landing the role of editorin-chief her senior year. She worked on all facets of the Wire’s operation, including reporting, writing, editing, production, sales and managing 20 students on its staff.

Advances in technology ushered in many changes for print journalism, and Haigh played a part in modernizing The Wheaton Wire. She applied for a college grant to secure Pagemaker, a desktop publishing program, to help lay out the paper. She also changed the frequency of the Wire from a

Susan Haigh ’89 on Wheaton campus in 2021

JAMES DAIGLE

the truth

monthly to a weekly publication.

“I’d drive my Volvo to Brockton [Mass.] to drop it off at the printers and then later pick up stacks of papers to bring to the dining halls. It was a great experience. I loved it,” she said.

At the time, Wheaton was making its own headlines when the college decided to transition to coeducation. Haigh attended board meetings, interviewed administrative leaders and honed her

ability to ask hard questions about an institutional change that had a major impact on students.

“It made me grow up and realize there are things going on that you care about,” Haigh said.

Patti Farquhar ’89, who worked on the paper as a business manager, recalled Haigh’s impact.

“The amount of hours, blood, sweat and tears she put into The Wheaton Wire

was remarkable. When she covered coeducation, she interviewed the president, members of the Board of Trustees and presented a variety of perspectives on that,” said Farquhar, who lives in the Hartford, Conn., region and takes great pride when she reads her classmate’s stories or sees her being interviewed on news shows.

“At The Wheaton Wire, she was inclusive and pulled people in who had all

In 2018, Haigh took photos capturing the scene at Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet, Mass., following the state’s first shark attack fatality in more than 80 years.

SUSAN HAIGH ’89

different backgrounds—including sportswriting and photography. I didn’t have a background, so she asked me to serve as business manager,” she said.

For her work on the student newspaper, Haigh received the Eliza Baylies Chapin Award, which recognizes students who add a new dimension to campus life by founding, revitalizing or transforming a program, office or initiative at Wheaton.

Having the breadth of knowledge from her liberal arts education has helped her succeed in her career as a reporter, as she is always curious, Haigh said. She credits Professor Emeritus of English Sam Coale and the late Professor of Political Science Jay Goodman; Coale for inspiring a love of reading and Goodman for connecting her to Providence City Hall to better understand the government in action through shadowing a city council member.

During her time at Wheaton, she also developed her journalistic skills as a student intern at The Patriot Ledger and Norwich Bulletin—the latter of which hired her after graduation.

A remarkable career

Haigh began her professional career on the police and fire beat, and soon covered a diverse range of topics, including politics.

“I’ve covered state government in Connecticut since 1995, beginning with the Norwich Bulletin and for four years with The Day of New London. When I worked for The Day, they sent me on a couple of my coolest assignments. I got to cover the Democratic and Republican national conventions and got to sail with U.S. Coast Guard Academy cadets aboard the Barque Eagle when they went out for a

training mission for almost a week. It was an awesome experience,” Haigh said.

Her interest in government and policymaking led her to become a political writer at The Associated Press— a position she continues today. She often works long nights writing stories that help readers make sense of the U.S. Senate and governor races, legislative hearings, tax policies and more. She furthered her knowledge and expertise by earning a master’s degree in public policy at Trinity College in Hartford.

“There is always a different issue coming up. I’m covering gambling one day or writing about a former governor going through an impeachment trial. It’s a real learning experience,” she said.

At various points in her career, she produced as many as three stories per day, depending on the news cycle. Some

Haigh, far right, records a conversation with then-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for a news story.

AP PHOTO

assignments placed her in the heart of national tragedies; she has interviewed families on gun reform who lost loved ones in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., and covered the funeral of victims killed during last year’s mass shooting in Buffalo, N.Y.

“I’ve met so many interesting people. It’s not just the politicians or people who have had terrible tragedies, but people who have done amazing things in their life,” Haigh said.

Working at the world’s largest newsgathering organization means she collaborates in real-time with reporters throughout the country—and the world.

As the profession has evolved, Haigh notes an increased team approach in her role. “My job has kind of changed to a more nationally focused beat. But we're always on call, in case something big breaks.”

She collaborates with colleagues to uncover trends and national stories—and provide more context on issues impacting

readers. For example, her work highlighted the use of federal COVID-19 funds to erase medical debt; a trend happening across many states. She also wrote about the trend of state lawmakers, who typically earn about $30,000 per year, quitting their posts due to struggles making ends meet.

When major events occur—such as when Russia invaded Ukraine—she is tasked with updating feeds and monitoring accounts from reporters overseas.

What remains unchanged is her commitment to accuracy and fairness, values that drew her to The Associated Press.

“My job is to make sure people can see the various sides and know what the facts are. That is one of the reasons I love working for this company. It’s not about you. It’s about getting facts out to readers,” she said.

“I try to be decent and fair to everyone I interview. It doesn’t matter who they are. I’m very careful to make sure not to

accuse somebody of something and try very hard to make sure the wording is correct,” she said.

Evidence of Haigh’s ability to build trusting relationships comes across in the connections she has established in all levels of the Connecticut government, Altimari said.

“We're in a building covering the governor and legislators and there can be egos among reporters. It’s a little bit cutthroat and everyone wants to get the scoop. Sue, in a more quiet, non-aggressive way, routinely scoops all of us. She is well-connected, has great sources, and is a great person that people want to talk to,” Altimari said.

She also is a good person, Altimari added. “Sue is so generous with her knowledge and time. She is a sounding board who has always been so supportive and helpful. She is like that for everyone. She cares about good journalism, and she cares about helping people.”

Haigh interviewed former Major League Baseball manager and player Bobby Valentine in 2021 when he ran for mayor in his hometown of Stamford, Conn.

AP PHOTO/MARY ALTAFFER

Alumna provides insight on

Sally Bedell Smith ’70

delves into origin of royal family in book

Sitting in the library of her Washington, D.C., home, on a sunny morning in February, Sally Bedell Smith ’70 took a break from writing a piece for The Wall Street Journal to talk via Zoom about her latest book, George VI and Elizabeth: The Marriage That Saved the Monarchy.

She had just returned from the Rancho Mirage Writers Festival in Palm Springs, Calif., where she was a guest panelist for the event “The Art of Biography.” Soon she would be traveling again to 22 locations for more than 30 lectures, including one on March 22 in Palm Beach, Fla., which was arranged by her good friend Susan Schiffer Stautberg ’67, and one at the Nantucket Book Festival in June.

Smith is in high demand for speaking engagements and media commentary as the fascination with the royal family dramatically increases in light of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the upcoming coronation of King Charles III and, of course, the ever-present media attention on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. In fact, Smith is scheduled to be a royal commentator in England for CNN during the coronation ceremony on May 6.

The author and historian has written three New York Times bestsellers about the royal family—Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life (Random House, 2017); Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch (Random House, 2012); and Diana in Search of Herself: Portrait of a Troubled Princess (Signet, 1999).

For her new book, “I thought, well, why don’t I find out what’s at the root of all of this?” Smith said. So, she wrote about the origins of the family.

George VI and Elizabeth: The Marriage That Saved the Monarchy (Random House,

2023), is a 565-page endeavor (with an additional 94 pages of endnotes) that took four years to research and write. It chronicles the story of King George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the parents of Queen Elizabeth II, and how they raised their family while meeting the challenges of World War II.

“The appeal of this book to me is that it is fundamentally a wonderful love story that I am able to tell for the first time based on their diaries and letters from the early 1920s,” said Smith, who was given special access to original materials in the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle by Queen Elizabeth II.

Smith, who majored in history at Wheaton and was a 2020 honorary degree recipient, is accustomed to extensively interviewing many people for her books. But for this one she had to rely heavily on the archives in addition to original sources, unpublished materials and research that took her into the stacks at The London Library as well as collections in Britain and Canada.

“Those long nights that I would spend in the basement of Everett Hall [at Wheaton], with my little file cards, doing my history papers for [the late Wheaton history professor] Paul Helmreich I think really

helped,” she said. “Obviously, the whole way of doing things now is very different but it did sort of imprint me with the curiosity and the way of organizing things that would enable me to write something

Sally Bedell Smith ’70, seated right in red, was a guest panelist for the event “The Art of Biography” at the Rancho Mirage Writers Festival in Palm Springs, Calif.

George VI and Elizabeth: The Marriage That Saved the Monarchy (Random House, 2023) is Smith’s latest book about the royal family.

monarchy history

and show the way they were as people, as human beings,” she said.

Her longtime friend and literary agent Amanda Urban ’68 said that quest has led to the success of Smith’s books.

“Over many years, Sally has gained access to this British institution and has portrayed it in mesmerizing detail in several books. She never whitewashes their sometimes foolish or scandalous behavior, but she also spotlights how rigorous and demanding this ‘glamorous’ life is,” said Urban, who majored in English at Wheaton and works at Creative Artists Agency in New York City.

The author has dedicated the new book to Urban, who has represented her since the mid-1980s. “She has just been a fantastic agent, an advocate and believer,” Smith said.

The two met Smith’s freshman year via Urban’s roommate and had an instant bond. In the book acknowledgments, Smith noted that they have been friends for more than five decades: “She is as confident as she is supportive, and I always count on her to give me an honest reaction to my writing.”

that is coherent and meaningful.”

The inner world of the royals has long held the attention of the American public. Smith shared her thoughts on why that is during the interview.

“I think obviously it has a lot to do with the origins of our country. We were a British colony and George III was our last king, 250 years ago. Over the years, once we broke away and became independent, we have had a special relationship with Britain,” Smith said. “And I think people love the tradition and the ceremony and

everything that was embodied in the queen’s funeral—that sense of stability and continuity that stretches back 1,000 years.”

Smith’s fascination with the monarchy is strong because of her own insatiable curiosity as a historian and writer.

“The real events and the characters and the challenges that they faced are, to me, incredibly compelling. And my mission with each of the books has been to get behind the superficial impressions of these monarchs and heirs and just illuminate aspects of their jobs, their personalities,

Well before its official April 4 release, George VI and Elizabeth: The Marriage That Saved the Monarchy was generating praise from early reviews, including from The Wall Street Journal, whose columnist Peggy Noonan wrote: “Sally Bedell Smith’s reputation rests on her commitment to scholarship and access to previously undiscovered information. But it’s not enough to find it—you have to bring wisdom to it. This book is a deeply moving marvel.”

A Publisher’s Weekly review said that the biography “adds up to a stirring portrait of grace under pressure.” And Kirkus noted that Smith “leaves no jewel unturned as she recounts the lives of an improbable couple who would do so much to steer their country through the turbulent period of the abdication crisis and World War II. … [She] gracefully brings us into her subjects’ inner world.”

—Sandy Coleman

Sally Bedell Smith ’70

MAX HIRSHFELD

Mae Flibotte ’22 leads success efforts for first-gen students

Mae Flibotte ’22 knows what it’s like to navigate higher education as a firstgeneration low-income student.

The alum experienced firsthand the many challenges such students face in managing college with fewer resources and support structures. These issues were particularly amplified during COVID–19.

“I could see ways in which the situation could be better and that there were gaps in the services being offered to firstgeneration low-income students. I wanted to get involved to close those gaps so that fewer people fall through the cracks,” said Flibotte, who uses the pronoun they.

Now, as the First-Generation LowIncome Student Success AmeriCorps VISTA within Wheaton’s Center for Social Justice and Community Impact, Flibotte is getting that opportunity to meaningfully impact these students.

The AmeriCorps VISTA program, a national service initiative designed to alleviate poverty, provides a paid, one- to two-year position for individuals seeking to build capacity in organizations fostering change.

Flibotte serves as the primary engagement coordinator for first-generation low-income students. The role entails the coordination of institutional policies and initiatives and the creation of educational training, workshops, programs and supplemental materials on issues relating to educational access and socioeconomic inequalities.

Flibotte, who double majored in anthropology and international relations, brings a variety of campus experiences to the role. The alum’s previous positions include lead resident advisor for Residential Life and Safe Zone facilitator for the college’s LGBTQ+ Engagement program. Also, as a student, Flibotte served on the FirstGeneration and Low-Income Task Force.

“I have appreciated as a student, and now staff member, that all voices are heard and every opinion is taken into consideration,” said Flibotte, who added

that the experience helped set the stage for the VISTA role.

Since taking on the position in fall 2022, Flibotte has gotten off to a productive start. The AmeriCorps VISTA led First-Gen Week in November, an opportunity for first-generation and low-income students to access resources and build community together.

Flibotte also launched and now advises a first-gen student collaborative, which helped get the word out about the celebration and other programs geared toward them.

“We’ve been meeting all semester and it’s great,” Flibotte said. The collaborative is a forum for students to be able to tell each other what their clubs or theme houses are doing and connect with one

another. It’s also an opportunity for students to gain more leadership experience, like representing a group.”

Another recent initiative that Flibotte has led is the Swipe Out Hunger program, which allows students to donate their guest swipes (guest passes to the dining halls).

“It’s really designed to help low-income commuter students who would otherwise not be able to eat on campus because they can’t afford it,” Flibotte said.

This initiative complements other efforts to combat food insecurity like the food pantry in the basement of Cole Memorial Chapel.

“With these programs, we’re trying to reach as many students as possible,” Flibotte said.

—Laura Pedulli

Mae Flibotte is the First-Generation Low-Income Student Success AmeriCorps VISTA.

KEITH NORDSTROM

Katie Palumbo ‘Jeopardy!’ champ

In the familiar parlance of the TV game show “Jeopardy!,” under the category Wheaton College graduates:

She is a Class of 2013 psychology major who outsmarted and outmaneuvered her competitors to win $23,100 and the label “champion.”

The correct response: Who is Katie Palumbo?

That’s right, Palumbo competed on “Jeopardy!” on January 16, and won first place and a chance to return the following day. She walked away a champion with a one-day total of $23,100.

Palumbo, a museum membership specialist at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut, defeated a blogger and podcaster who was the previous three-day champion, and a teacher.

Tapinto.net wrote about her appearance on the show, as did The Essex Daily Voice.

The Essex Daily Voice writer noted the fact that none of the players provided the correct response during Final Jeopardy,

but her strategy secured a win for her: “Her low wager on it kept her in a winning position and she ended the episode as champion.”

During Final Jeopardy, Palumbo kept a poker face as the camera zoomed in after the two other contestants and she missed getting the question right. Once her wager was revealed, a broad smile beamed across her face as she breathed sighs of relief.

“The small wager does it! You’re still the ‘Jeopardy!’ champion, Katie!” host Ken Jennings proclaimed. “You look as surprised as anyone.”

As champion, she returned a second day to compete, but ended up in second place.

After all of the excitement, we asked Palumbo a few questions about how she ended up on “Jeopardy!”

Palumbo is a longtime fan of the show.

“My family watches ‘Jeopardy!’ every night, and my mom suggested that I take the online test because I do tend to know a lot of the answers,” Palumbo said. “After passing that, there were another three rounds of auditions over Zoom before I got the call that I was selected. They get thousands of applicants and can only pick about 500 per season, so they do a lot of random selections of people who pass each stage.”

“The main ‘secret to success’ is watching old episodes of ‘Jeopardy!’ and getting used to the structure of the questions and how they phrase hints,” she said. “They also do repeat facts sometimes, so old games can be a good review. I also read sets of previous ‘Jeopardy!’ questions for the same reason.”

When the show aired, Palumbo watched the episode with her family while texting with friends and co-workers. Afterward a lot of people reached out to congratulate her.

—Sandy Coleman

A happy Palumbo after her ‘Jeopardy!’ win

Wheaton alumni, students and friends enjoyed a day on the slopes at the Wachusett Mountain ski resort in Princeton, Mass., in March.

Wheaton Visiting Instructor of English Ted Nesi ’07, who is a reporter with WPRI, interviewed Gabe Amo ’10 at the White House. Amo is a special assistant to President Joe Biden and deputy director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. Photo by Corey Welch/WPRI-TV

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

Fall: June 6, 2023

Winter: Sept. 26, 2023

Spring: Jan. 16, 2024

Photos

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

Kate Anzidei

’25

Jane Cumming ’67 Wheaton Fund Scholarship recipient

“I really enjoy being able to play a sport that I am passionate about, field hockey, and being a part of something bigger than myself while pursuing my academic interests as a history of art major. After Wheaton, I hope to attend graduate school and eventually pursue a career as a registrar or curator. I feel honored to have received this scholarship to support my goals.”

Andru Anderson ’19, Lucas Mayer ’11, Jillian Pfifferling ’11 and Lily Lu ’16 reconnect in San Francisco at a cocktail party in celebration of Wheaton’s present and future with President Michaele Whelan.

BECKY FERNANDES

Following in their footsteps

Izzi King ’22 among several

alumni choreographing performances for Wheaton College Dance Company

With Queen’s soulful “Somebody to Love” blasting from speakers in the Ellison Dance Studio in Balfour-Hood, eight members of Wheaton College Dance Company worked their way through an energetic contemporary fusion routine—a flow of everchanging configurations and synchronized moves.

At the front of the room that early Saturday morning in January was Izzi King ’22, who choreographed the number, demonstrated poses and provided ongoing encouragement.

“I’ve wanted to choreograph that song since the fall of my senior year at Wheaton. I love the swelling of the music, the dynamics of the vocals and the instrumentals, and the little things you pick up in the music when you listen to it over and over again,” said King, who majored in sociology and

pursued minors in psychology and dance.

“It has been really fun being back. I feel like I didn’t miss a beat. It’s nice to see the piece, which has been living creatively in my brain, come to life,” said King, who uses they/ them pronouns.

King is one of several alumni who returned to campus to teach original works for the Wheaton College Dance Company’s main stage production scheduled for April 20 through 22 in Weber Theatre. The event presents a mixed repertory of faculty, guest artists and student works, and include contemporary dance consisting of ballet, jazz, tap and hip-hop.

At Wheaton, King was a fouryear member and captain of the dance company; a member of TRYBE for four years; and a dancer with Tap Out Loud. In recent rehearsals, students have benefited from the alum’s expertise as a dancer—a passion first developed at age 2.

In September of 2022, after a successful audition, King joined Urbanity Dance of Boston. The nonprofit that seeks to inspire, engage and empower individuals and

communities through the art of dance and movement.

Among King’s many latest projects is a collaboration with Shura Baryshnikov, a dancer, choreographer, educator and actress. King will dance to Baryshnikov’s choreographed pieces for opera, which will be performed at Arts at the Armory this April in Somerville, Mass.

“It has been so great learning from such an amazing artist and teacher. She is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met,” King said.

Wheaton students said they’ve enjoyed learning from King, especially given their close ties to the dance company. The alum also has been chosen to choreograph the fall musical.

“Having Izzi return to campus to teach us one of their dances is an amazing experience and opportunity. Izzi is such a wonderful, unique dancer and choreographer,” said Jia Fitzgerald ’23, one of this year’s captains for the Wheaton College Dance Company.

—Laura Pedulli

Media expert Maricielo Solis ’14 featured in Forbes

Ranking high in search engines like Google is crucial for businesses looking to grow brand awareness and reach prospective customers. Forbes recently tapped Maricielo Solis ’14, an online media expert and storyteller, for tips on devising a strategic SEO plan to boost visibility in online searches.

Solis owns BLENDtw, a popular online community for Gen Z that covers college life, wellness and culture. By focusing on SEO strategy, she was able to achieve success in a short amount of time.

“We went from having 10,000 readers per month to having 10,000 readers per day. Once we knew how to use it, the website took off,” Solis said in the January 9 Forbes article “3 Key SEO Tips From This Founder Who Used Search Engine Optimization To Grow A 7-Figure Community.”

Solis, who majored in international relations at Wheaton, gained skills in journalism as a student through internships at both Univision and Bolivia Express magazine. She also served as a news reporter for the student-run Wheaton Wire.

The combination of experiences helped her land a spot in the highly selective NBCUniversal Page Program shortly after graduation. She worked in a variety of positions, including as a staff producer

Izzi King ’22, a dancer with Urbanity Dance in Boston, works with members of the Wheaton College Dance Company. King is one of several alumni returning to campus to set original works for the dance company during the spring 2023 semester.

KEITH NORDSTROM

Maricielo Solis ’14

Professor, alumna collaborate on public art in South Korea

Hyunmin “Min” Bae ’19 and faculty member Kelly Goff reunite to create bamboo sculpture

Associate Professor and Chair of Visual Art Kelly Goff’s proposal for an international art biennale in South Korea in summer 2022 was ambitious in scope: an infinite loop of bundled bamboo set amid thick flora on a park mountainside.

When the Korean Nature Artists’ Association invited Goff to participate in its program and exhibition, he knew the perfect collaborator to help him accomplish this feat: Hyunmin “Min” Bae ’19, who was a studio art major at Wheaton.

Bae, who had Goff as an advisor while a student, created memorable art for his course “Public Art.” Her artwork “The Trees of Life,” an installation of colorful PVC pipes emerging from a pond, was chosen for installation in the Town of Franklin Sculpture Park in 2018.

Professor Goff said he first contacted Min, who lives in South Korea, when developing his proposal for her help in researching local materials. “When I received the invitation to participate in the exhibition, I immediately contacted her to see if she would be available to help and was thrilled that she said yes.”

The reunited professor and alumna worked on a project titled “Continuous Line VI [bamboo]” for the Korean Nature Artists’ Association’s Geumgang Nature Art Biennale. The artwork fits the biennale’s theme “Again, Multiplicity of Rewilding,” which explores continuity. The large sculpture, nearly 14 feet high and 25 feet across, snaked in a continu-

ous loop amid trees and other floral growth in Yeonmisan Nature Art Park, which is just

outside of Gongju, South Korea.

“I really enjoyed the working process because it wasn’t the kind of structure that could be perfectly planned. It was like making a sketch in three dimensions. There was a lot of decision-making at the site,” said Bae, who works as a freelance illustrator and painter.

Bae also helped Goff with Korean translation with Korean Nature Artists’ Association staff, the artistic director of the biennale, and the many visitors who flowed through the park daily.

“At one point, Min’s parents visited from Seoul and brought us frozen watermelon juice on an especially scorching day. It was great to reconnect with them and to see the pride they have for their daughter,” he said.

Bae added that it was great getting to know Goff beyond their previous roles as student and professor.

“Back in college I had only seen Kelly teaching as a professor mostly, so it was interesting to actually see him doing his own art,” she said. “Seeing him outside of school—not as a student and professor—was a different experience. It felt like I got to know him better as a person, a friend and a fellow artist.”

—Laura Pedulli

for CNN for the shows “Early Start” and “New Day”; a page for both NBCUniversal and MSNBC; and a production assistant at NBC News for the “Today Show.”

“Wheaton opened my eyes to the world. It gave me the opportunity to travel while helping me gain real-life experience in the media industry,” Solis said.

She launched the platform BLENDtw in January 2017 to amplify stories impacting

young people, including on topics ranging from gun control and violence in the U.S. to immigration and LGBTQ issues. She now is leveraging her success through BLENDtw Media, a digital marketing agency focused on elevating brands and strategic messaging. Solis also is working on the launch of BLENDtw Studios, a multi-media production company that will focus on producing and distributing content that fosters human con-

nection.

“I truly believe that you manifest the life that you want. It’s a mindset; it’s saying, ‘I’m going to do this. It’s going to happen for me.’ But you need to put yourself out there for the opportunities; they’re not going to come to you,” Solis told Forbes.

—Laura Pedulli

“Continuous Line VI [bamboo]” for the Geumgang Nature Art Biennale

1947

Beverly Gardiner Shippee, 96, died on Dec. 27, 2022. She was the wife of the late Harold Shippee. Beverly majored in German at Wheaton and later earned her master’s degree in education from Fordham University. She was an English teacher for the White Plains, N.Y., school department. She enjoyed traveling and visiting fine art museums. Beverly was a devoted alumna who created the Elizabeth Wright Shippee ’37 Fund for Work and Learning Fellows to support Wheaton students.

1948

Muriel Beresford, 95, of Attleboro, Mass., formerly of Wrentham, died on June 18, 2022. She was the beloved wife of the late Gerard Beresford. Muriel worked as a bank teller at Wrentham Cooperative Bank for many years. She was an active member of the community and especially the Original Congregational Church of Wrentham.

Marilyn Mitchell Dickson, 96, died on Nov. 16, 2022, in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. She studied English at Wheaton, where she became class president. After graduation, she moved to New York City and taught at Staten Island Academy and Garden Country Day School. She met and married Douglas, taught English and earned her master’s degree from Columbia University. The family moved to Ann Arbor, Mich. Later in life, she taught English at Forsythe Middle School. She was an active Wheaton alumna who served as a class officer until 1968. She attended her 50th and 55th Reunions.

Pat Colvin Peters, 95, died on Sept. 12, 2022. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in art. Pat was an engaged Wheaton alumna who attended many Reunions.

1949

Jean Gray Edmundson, 95, died in August 2022. She majored in psychology at Wheaton.

Jane Hess Heidenreich, 95, of Exeter, N.H., died on Oct. 27, 2022. She attended Wheaton. She and her husband, Ted, raised their family in Scituate, Mass. Together, they founded Packaging Products Corp. of New Bedford, Mass. They had three children and were members of the First Trinitarian Congregational Church, the Scituate Harbor Yacht Club and the Satuit Boat Club. Jane also played tennis.

1950

Dorsha Kinzel Randmae, 92, died on Feb. 25, 2022. At Wheaton, she majored in music and was editor of the newspaper. After receiving her master’s degree in education from State University of New York, Dorsha taught fourth and fifth grades on Long Island. She married Richard Campbell and had three children. She earned her master’s degree in music at New York University. She was active in her Christian Science church, and helped found the Institute of Analytical Reading. She enjoyed sailing, tennis and piano. After Richard’s death, she married Sam Swedenborg. They spent many good years in Fort Lauderdale until his death. A few years later, she met and married Rein Randmae.

1954

Barbara Carnwath Gardner, 90, widow of William Gardner, died on Dec. 16, 2022. She majored in English literature at Wheaton and married William shortly after graduation. They moved to Simsbury, Conn. Barbara was a volunteer in the library at Tootin' Hills School, then moved to the Simsbury Public Library, where she was a volunteer for about 40 years. She was a member of Abigail Phelps Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was a member of the Simsbury Republican Women's Club.

1955

Dorothy Epstein Carver, 89, of Barnstable, Mass., died on February 8. She was married to the late Herb Carver. Dorothy majored in French at Wheaton. She worked as an early childhood preschool teacher and served as the special education coordinator for Head Start on Cape Cod. In her later years, she was a founding member and teacher in the early childhood special needs program at Cape Cod Community College. For decades, she was a dedicated supporter of Wheaton. She served as a counsel to the college president and she particularly enjoyed her role as mentor to many students.

Nina Peckham Young, 89, of Little Compton, R.I., died on Oct. 12, 2022. She was the beloved wife of the late Wesley Young. She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor's degree in sociology. Before settling in Little Compton, R.I., in 1998, she lived in Concord, Mass., for 37 years.

1956

Janet Morton Baird, 88, died in Wilmington, Del., on February 5.

Priscilla King Gray ’55

Priscilla King Gray ’55, a longtime supporter and advocate of Wheaton College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), died on February 8 in Concord, Mass. She was 89.

Priscilla was the wife of former MIT president Paul Gray until his death in 2017. She met him through a blind date arranged by a friend. The couple were married in June 1955—one month after she graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in English. She served as an elementary school teacher from 1955 to 1957.

Priscilla was a deeply committed and active alumna of Wheaton. She regularly supported the college, including through the Priscilla King Gray ’55 Scholarship, and was a frequent attendee of events.

She held numerous volunteer roles at Wheaton, including class officer-at-large, Alumni Association nominating committee member, class president, President’s Commision member and Alumni Parent Admission Committee member. In 1992, she received an Alumni Achievement Award for her contributions. Her husband, Paul—a Wheaton College life trustee—served on the college’s Board of Trustees

Janet majored in history at Wheaton and also attended Brooklyn Law School. She was married to the late Richard Baird. After living in Connecticut for several years, the couple moved to Wilmington, Del., where they raised their children. Janet was a lifelong member of the Episcopal Church. She worked as a museum guide at Hagley Museum and also worked as a guide at the Old Town Hall in Wilmington. She served as a Girl Scout Leader.

1957

Diane Brickman Shulman, 86, died on May 29, 2022, in Reno, Nev. She attended Wheaton.

1959

Iva Embry Gillet, 85, died on Nov.

for many years, including as chair. Among Priscilla’s many gifts to the college: Wheaton Humpty Dumpties that Paul purchased from the Wheaton campus bookstore for her as a Valentine’s Day present. After the felt toys followed her from college to married life, she donated them to the Wheaton archives.

At MIT, she contributed to a variety of endeavors. She taught crewel embroidery to a group of women, initiated senior dinners at her residence and was active in the MIT Women’s League. In 1990, she received the MIT Bronze Beaver Award for alumni leadership.

In 1988, Priscilla co-founded the MIT Public Service Center to encourage students to create change and build a better world. The center, which was renamed The Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center in 2015, focuses on racial and social justice through health equity, climate change and sustainability and using technology for social good. Priscilla was a devoted mother of four children. One daughter, Amy Gray Sluyter ’80, and three grandchildren (Hannah Wilson Army ’04, Catherine King Army ’12 and Paul Gray ’16) attended Wheaton.

30, 2022, in Lutherville, Md. She attended Wheaton.

Cherry Baldwin Smith, 85, of Potomac, Md., died on Dec. 10, 2022. She was married to the late Harry Smith. She received her bachelor’s degree in history from Wheaton, where she was the class president for two years and on the synchronized swimming team. Cherry enjoyed lifelong friendships with many of her classmates, culminating in an annual birthday luncheon in Baltimore. She was a member of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Potomac, Md. and the Bethesda Country Club, where she played tennis. She also was a member and president of the Potomac Chapter of The Questers.

Martha Heck Ulman, 85, of Greenport, N.Y., formerly of Oyster Bay, N.Y., died on Oct. 20, 2022. She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in history and in 2008 earned her master’s degree in history from Long Island University. Martha wrote A Power for Good: Clara B. Spence, a biography of her grandmother, which was released on Oct. 18, 2022. In addition to being a published author, Martha was a nurturing mother who loved gardening and took award-winning photos of both her flowers and children.

1960

Jane Carithers Pearsall, 84, died on Dec. 3, 2022. She majored in history at Wheaton. After college, Jane married and settled in Framingham, Mass., where she raised her two daughters. She was their Camp Fire Girl leader and ultimately became the head of Camp Fire in Framingham. In addition, she was a member of Plymouth Church. When her children attended high school, Jane earned her master in divinity degree from Andover Newton Theological School. She worked as a part-time Christian education director at Park Street Baptist Church; student pastor at the West Acton Baptist Church and as an assistant in ministry at Grace Church in Framingham. After Jane retired, she moved to Cape Cod.

1963

Adrienne Wheeler Rudge, 80, a resident of Easton, Md., died on Dec. 10, 2022. She majored in English at Wheaton. She received her master’s degree in education from New York University. After a year of teaching English at Dana Hall School in Wellesley, Mass., Adrienne married Kit Rudge, and they moved to New York City. She joined the faculty of Nightingale-Bamford School. They moved to Chappaqua, N.Y., where they raised two sons. Adrienne served as president of the board of Planned Parenthood of Westchester/ Rockland, and was a founder and board member of the Northern Westchester Shelter for Victims of Domestic Violence (now named Hope’s Door). Adrienne became director of publications and public relations at The Masters School in 1988. In 2001, she moved to Easton, where she built a home on her family’s farm. She enjoyed traveling.

1964

Sasiree Kambhu Cutter, 81, of Weston, Mass., died on Dec. 13, 2022. She was born in Bangkok, Thailand,

and moved to the U.S. at age 6. She majored in history at Wheaton. After college, she moved to Wayland, Mass., and then to Weston, where she raised her children and lived for the rest of her life. Sasiree had a successful career as a real estate broker and won many accolades. She was a patron of both performing and fine arts. She played tennis and golf, but most of all enjoyed walking her dogs. Following fashion was a favorite pastime; she was always chic and in style. She traveled extensively, including annual trips to Thailand to see family.

1968

Elizabeth Robbins, 76, died on January 7 in East Hampton, N.Y. She was married to Doug Johnson. Elizabeth studied philosophy at Wheaton. In 1977, she opened the country’s first woman-owned lobbying firm. She was best known for her work on behalf of children’s health care and poverty reduction, and nonprofits like the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Authors Guild. She helped establish SeriousFun, a network of summer camps for children with serious illnesses. She helped raise funding for the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University.

1969

Dianne Munson, 74, a longtime Cambridge, Mass., resident, died in June 2022. After graduating from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in biology, Dianne worked in a lab in Medellín, Colombia, an experience that powerfully shaped her desire to go into medicine. She attended Tufts Medical School and specialized in hematology oncology. She then shifted her practice to primary care at Mount Auburn with a special interest in eating disorders and a passion for teaching medical residents. She retired in 2020. Those who knew Dianne remember her kindness, sense of humor, compassion and devotion to her family and friends.

1974

Lynn Beckwith Polite, 70, of Evanston, Ill., died on Dec. 16, 2022. She studied mathematics at Wheaton.

1975

Deborah Lamberti, 69, of Stamford, Conn., died on Aug. 15, 2022, in Branford, Conn. She majored in psychology at Wheaton and received her master’s degree in social work from New York University. Deborah was a licensed psychotherapist and direc-

tor of the Fifth Avenue Center For Counseling And Psychotherapy and later opened her own private practice in New York and Connecticut. Deborah was nationally recognized for her grief counseling acumen and was sought out by the Columbine community for her guidance and support. She also provided support to those affected by the Sept. 11, 2001, tragedies. Deborah loved animals and was a patron of the arts.

Judy Gifford Preston, 70, of Cranston, R.I., died on Dec. 22, 2022. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, Judy pursued several careers in the insurance industry and education before becoming a pharmacy technician for CVS for more than 20 years. An avid Disney and NASCAR fan, she enjoyed many family trips to Orlando and traveling to races in Las Vegas. During July, Judy could always be found on Sand Hill Cove beach with her children and grandchildren.

1978

Maura Fleishman, 66, of Sudbury, Mass., died on Nov. 11, 2022. She studied psychology at Wheaton and served as an elementary schoolteacher in the Newton Public Schools.

1981

Julie McTigue Trant, 63, and resident of Concord, Mass., died on Nov. 21, 2022. She was the devoted and loving wife of 39 years to James Trant. She earned her bachelor’s degree in economics from Wheaton and later her M.B.A. from Simmons College. Julie was known for her beautiful soprano singing voice and, in college, was a member of the Wheaton Whims a cappella group. She had the role of pitch pipe for a time, of which she was quite proud. After marrying James in 1983, they settled in Concord. Julie had a successful and respected career in human resources, from which she retired in 2019. Julie enjoyed spending time with family, friends and her beloved dogs.

1986

Kimberly Davis Crear, 58, of Charlton, Mass., died on Jan. 13. She was the beloved wife of Robert Crear. She received her bachelor’s degree in political science from Wheaton. She received her J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law. Kimberly began her career in law at the firm of Robinson, Donovan, Madden and Barry in Springfield, Mass., and later became one of the founding members of the law firm of Crear,

Chadwell, Dos Santos and Devlin, P.C., also in Springfield, Mass. She focused her practice on worker’s compensation law, disability law and insurance defense. Kimberly loved spending time with her husband, family and friends, and traveling.

Friends

Patricia Tessitore, former building services manager for Wheaton, in December 2022

Relatives

1958 Louis Santangelo, husband of Ashie Lavieri Santangelo, in February 2022

1959 James Kennedy, husband of Susan Leech Kennedy, in January 2022

1959 James McGrath, husband of Margaret Watson McGrath, in August 2022

1965 Howard Kuenzler, husband of Carole Miller Kuenzler, in September 2022

1975 Frederick Horlbeck, father of Barbara Horlbeck, in January

1976 Richard Cruickshank, husband of Donna Gay, in July 2022

1976 Mary Wilkins, mother of Kate Wilkins Franklin, in December 2022

1977 Mark Clements, husband of Cyn Lichtenberger Clements, in February

1977 Arthur Lichtenberger, father of Cyn Lichtenberger Clements, in February 2022

1980 Priscilla King Gray, mother of Amy Gray Sluyter, in February

1981 Frederick Horlbeck, father of Eleanor Horlbeck Thompson, in January

1984 John Leyon, father of Anne Leyon Kilkenny, in November 2022

1986 Jane Carithers Pearsall, mother of Brenda Pearsall, in December 2022

1987 Dennis Looney, father of Susan Looney, in November 2022

1987 Jane Carithers Pearsall, mother of Jennifer Pearsall, in December 2022

1987 Blanche Stockbridge, mother of Eleanor Stockbridge Fox, in January

1989 William Parshall, father of Lee Parshall Roberts, in November 2022

1996 Robert Rakip, father of Jason Rakip, in March 2022

2002 Sarah Whyte, mother of Alison Goodrich Thompson, in May 2022

2002 Dita Wolf, mother of Daniel Wolf, in October 2022

2004 Michael Coppola, husband of Matthew Lucerto, in January

2009 Patricia Tessitore, mother of Katie Tessitore Wade, in December 2022

2010 Sarah Whyte, mother of Hilary Whyte Moore, in May 2022

Winter Fest

Wheaton community, local neighbors enjoy a unique celebration

Ice sculptures, sweet treats, music and more made for a magical Monday as the Wheaton community and local neighbors enjoyed the first Winter Fest celebration on a campus aglow in luminaria and white lights. President Michaele Whelan invited students, staff, faculty and their families as well as area residents to attend the inaugural event held on Dec. 5, 2022. The celebration, which was cosponsored by the Office of the President

and Arts at Wheaton, featured a student music performance, vendors selling handmade items, an opportunity to be in a snow globe photo, food trucks offering Thai food and fries, as well as hot cocoa, apple cider doughnuts and other treats from Dining Services.

Whelan said she wanted to start the event as a new way to create connection. Winter Fest was one in a series of Tradition and Transformation events being held during the 2022–23 academic year celebrating the college today and its future.

“In my talks with staff last spring, many mentioned that after COVID–19, it was more important than ever to mark the beginning of the school year, the end

of the fall semester and the end of the spring term,” said Whelan. “Celebrating milestones as a community brings everyone together. After the intensity of the semester, it’s important to pause, reflect on all that has been accomplished, and to enjoy each other and the beauty of the Dimple.”

“I also heard from people in Norton who wonder about our campus as they drive by, and we wanted to invite them in to share the light, music and food,” she added.

—Sandy Coleman

More online wheatoncollege.edu/ wheaton-magazine

N ICKI PARDO KEITH NORDSTROM

Ice sculptures (above) were carved by students who worked throughout the day until the spectacular and colorful evening lighting of the creations; members of the Flute Choir (left) performed in front of Cole Memorial Chapel; and eventgoers had an opportunity to take scenic photos in a manufactured winter wonderland.

Planning the future.

“As one of nine children, it was easy for me to get lost in my own family. Wheaton makes it difficult to get lost. Here, I was seen and felt welcomed by not only faculty and staff, but also by like-minded and like-hearted friends who I continue to learn from today. I feel so fortunate to have had the quality of education and access to professors that Wheaton provides. It offered the environment that started me on the path of growing into who I am and continues to provide opportunities for students to find their unique interests and abilities. As a member of the Founders Society, I am happy to give back through scholarships to support students in need of financial assistance.”

Irene Castelot Bradford ’79 Psychologist, executive coach and writer

possibility.

For information, call the Office of Gift Planning at 508-286-3393 or visit giftplanning.wheatoncollege.edu.

Invest Today. Inspire Tomorrow.

Wheaton Fund supporter

“I met soul-good people at Wheaton. I am magnificently blessed by the deep connections and friendships that have endured. Wheaton was formative and transformative for me. Learning from professors like Katherine Conway, Hyun Kim and Dolita Cathcart widened the aperture for what I thought was possible in my own life and in the world. I was able to volunteer in Lima, Peru, because of Diana Davis Spencer ’60. I studied abroad in Cordoba, Spain, because of work-study and financial aid. These experiences uncovered a profound desire to travel and work abroad. Now, I run a global consultancy that helps organizations advance their missions. My investment in Wheaton, including establishing the Ade Ayo Moody Ujima Scholarship, has continued since graduation because I benefited so greatly from a challenging and nurturing environment. Supporting the Wheaton Fund is a moral mandate for me—an opportunity to plant seeds and watch them grow for the betterment of our world.”

Makiyah Moody ’00 Founder and president, Kairos

&

Heart Consulting LLC

Wheaton Alumni Trustee (2014–19)

Alumni Board of Directors member (2015– 19)

Wheaton Fund

investment today inspires the dreams of tomorrow.