Assumption College Magazine - Spring 2019

ASSUMPTION THE MAGAZINE OF ASSUMPTION COLLEGE SPRING 2019

Exploring the Unknown Teaming up on faculty projects leads students to research discoveries, publications, and exciting careers.

SCHOLARSHIP PARTNERSHIPS

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GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP

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REMEMBERING ANDY LASKA HD Ì› 9 0

in this issue 6

The Art of Collaboration By assisting faculty in their research, students discover new passions as they conduct research, publish papers, and present their work at national conferences.

17 Honoring Andy Laska HD ’90 A tribute to Andy Laska HD’90, longtime Men’s Basketball coach, athletic director, and namesake of the College’s gymnasium.

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Making College Possible Scholarship partnerships make it possible for students from all backgrounds to earn a college education at Assumption – and to find pathways to successful careers and meaningful lives.

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Going Global The new Center for Global Studies connects students with Assumption’s many opportunities for international service and study abroad programs.

D E PA R T M E N T S 2 FROM THE PRESIDENT 10 CAMPUS NEWS 26 HOUNDS WATCH 32 CLASS NOTES 40 LAST WORDS

ON THE COVER

Associate Professor of Biology and Center for Neuroscience Director Michele Lemons, Ph.D., mentors undergraduates, including William Armstrong ’20, in her National Science Foundationsupported research program that seeks to unravel molecular mechanisms of neural development.

See story on page 6

ASSUMPTION Magazine

LEARNING & LAUGHTER

Students enjoy their time learning in the Assumption classroom.

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FROM THE

president Recognizing these realities, Assumption began proactively planning for these changes in higher education to ensure that we endure and thrive well into the future. During this reflection, it became evident that our current structure did not accurately reflect Assumption’s varied academic offerings, from traditional liberal arts and sciences to pre-professional programs, Such goals are more as well as graduate programs.

With the addition of nursing and easily accomplished physician assistant studies, as in separate schools well as the growth of facultystudent research, it was clear since the faculty in that Assumption most closely the school possess resembles a comprehensive university as opposed to a the expertise within strictly liberal arts institution. the disciplines to Therefore, we have begun a process to apply for university engage in innovative status with the Massachusetts collaboration.

Board of Higher Education.

Adapt, Endure, and Thrive: The New School Structure SINCE ITS FOUNDING, ASSUMPTION HAS ENDURED AS AN

INSTITUTION OF RESILIENCE. THIS RESILIENCE HAS MANIFESTED

itself at critical junctures in the life of the institution where bold decisions were necessary in response to situations that had consequences for Assumption’s future: the decision to transition from a six-year program comprised of the prep school with two years of college to a separate four-year degree-granting institution; the decision to rebuild and move after the 1953 tornado; transitioning from teaching all courses in French to English; becoming a coeducational institution with the admission of women; and the expansion of academic programs beyond the liberal arts, beginning with Business Studies. In each of these instances, Assumption recognized the need to adapt by responding to enrollment realities, changing interests among prospective students, and the need to be innovative.

Not only did Assumption adapt in each case, but it endured and thrived.

Assumption finds itself at another critical juncture as the higher education industry faces significant challenges: the continued decline in the number of high school students, the increasing cost of higher education, families who question whether a college degree is worth the investment, and skepticism regarding the relevance of the liberal arts in the 21st century. These challenges have forced the closure or merger of many small, private institutions at an alarming pace.

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Separate schools will facilitate cohesion around common disciplinary approaches, goals, and learning experiences that are integrated and related to an overall philosophy of the educational outcomes desired in a particular school. This will provide students a more focused and comprehensive academic experience that revolves around related disciplinary perspectives. These learning outcomes will be linked to the liberal arts Core Curriculum as the foundation upon which each school relates its overall mission to that of the College, providing the unifying and common element of the education that students receive while at Assumption. In this way, our commitment to the Catholic, liberal arts tradition will have greater prominence.

Innovation, creativity, flexibility, and “first to market” are essential to remain competitive. Such goals are more easily accomplished in separate schools since the faculty in the school possess the expertise within the disciplines to engage in innovative collaboration. The school structure provides faculty a greater voice since they, along with the dean, determine the direction of their school.

By establishing separate schools, Assumption may more effectively leverage its strengths, more easily develop new course options and programs, and allow us to be inventive as we adapt, endure, and thrive in this changing landscape of higher education without sacrificing the essence of who we are, maintaining the best of what Assumption offers its students.

Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. PRESIDENT

THIS IS US When Assumption students are not studying, there is plenty to keep them busy. The College’s myriad student clubs and organizations, all of which host events throughout the academic year, help contribute to a vibrant campus life. Weekends are always filled with student activities, from movie nights and concerts to bingo games with top-shelf prizes (Apple Watch or Nintendo Switch, anyone?).

70+

Student group-sponsored on-campus events each year

500

STUDENTS INVOLVED IN ONE OR MORE ON-CAMPUS CLUBS OR ORGANIZATIONS

300

2,276 RIDES

Taken through Assumption’s partnership with Uber Business from February 2018 – January 2019

Approximate number of students who attend each Assumption Bingo Night throughout the year

170 60+

Students who participated in Student Leadership Training

Magazine Team SPRING 2019 / VOL. 17 NO. 2 ISSN 1089-1296 Executive Director of Communications Michael K. Guilfoyle Director of Public Affairs Kimberly E. Ruscitti Art Direction/Design Keating Associates Worcester, MA

Contributing Writers Rachel Berthiaume ’20; Erin Casey; Michael Guilfoyle; Fr. Donat Lamothe, A.A., ’57; Fr. Richard E. Lamoureux, A.A., ’64; Holly Robinson; Kimberly Ruscitti; and Madalyn Sirois ’19 Photography Rob Carlin, Kindra Clineff, Ed Collier Photography, Karen Leaf, Matthew Levins, and Christine Peterson

Printing The Lane Press, Burlington, VT We encourage your feedback.

Please address your letters, class notes, and story ideas to: Assumption Magazine 500 Salisbury Street Worcester, MA 01609-1296

508.767.7160 acpa@assumption.edu www.assumption.edu/magazine

STUDENT GROUPS ON CAMPUS

Assumption Magazine is STAY CONNECTED published three times a year (spring, summer, and winter) by For web-exclusive content and the Office of Communications. links to our Facebook, Twitter, Assumption Magazine is distributed and Instagram accounts, visit free of charge to alumni, friends assumption.edu. of the institution, faculty, staff, administration, and parents of undergraduate students. Its purpose is to share stories and conversations that help alumni and friends stay meaningfully connected to the College.assumption.edu | SPRING

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// LIVING THE MISSION // FR. RICHARD E. LAMOUREUX, A.A., ʼ64 VICE PRESIDENT FOR MISSION

“I felt [Assumption] was the perfect place to continue to put faith at the center of my life.”

Meaghan Curley ’16

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Hearing a Call to Serve Those in Need AS A CHILD, MEAGHAN CURLEY ’16 SUPPORTED HER AGING GREAT-GRANDMOTHER AS SHE WALKED AND READILY CAME TO THE AID OF A NEIGHBOR WITH AUTISM.

She was always trying to help others. Curley chose to join the Assumption community because she found that people shared the same commitment. In January, the human services graduate from Seaford, NY, guided by a passion to serve that was nurtured at Assumption, answered a call to help 1,800 Peruvians hear for the first time.

“I knew right away this trip was something I wanted to be a part of,” Curley said.

“Providing people who have otherwise been living in a world of silence with the ability to hear themselves and their loved ones is an experience I knew would forever change my life.”

Curley and her doctorate of audiology classmates at the Long Island Doctor of Audiology Consortium spent 10 days traveling with the Starkey Hearing Foundation, which, according to the organization, “gives the gift of hearing to people in need in the U.S. and around the world.” They visited the Peruvian cities of Pisco, Ica, and Cusco, helping hearing-impaired individuals by evaluating them and fitting them with hearing aids at no cost.

“The mission to Peru was eye-opening and put everything into perspective for me, both in the audiology field and beyond,” Curley said. “This experience showed me the social and emotional sides of hearing loss and how it not only affects people’s ability to hear, but also their connections to their friends, family, and themselves. I was able to help give them the gift of hearing, but I feel as though the experience was just as much a gift to myself.”

While a student at Assumption and a member of the Women’s Lacrosse team, Curley participated in Team IMPACT, a national nonprofit that connects children facing serious and chronic illnesses with local college athletic teams to form lifelong bonds and life-changing outcomes. She also volunteered at the annual Victoria Sousa 5K and participated in food drives for those in need.

“One of the … reasons I chose Assumption was … I felt it was the perfect place to continue to put faith at the center of my life,” she said. “I have always loved serving and helping others, so being at a school that had the same values I did was very important to me. Attending Assumption further fostered my love for helping others and encouraged and inspired me to pursue a career in a health field.”

FEELING GRATEFUL

A Peruvian woman embraces Meaghan Curley ʼ16 after she fit her with a hearing aid, allowing her to hear for the first time.

Curley is in her third year of a four-year doctoral program and continues to advance her audiology career and to serve others when she can, tutoring young students and volunteering as a youth and high school lacrosse coach.

“Assumption’s mission of serving others is something that will always remain in my heart,” Curley said. “I treasure the experiences I had while I was at Assumption and will forever carry the same values with me throughout my life. It means the world to me to be part of someone’s success or life-changing experience.”

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTION BY ERIN CASEY

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EXPLO CREAT DISCOVER QUESTION

Assumption is a hub for exciting faculty-student collaborations, allowing students to experience hands-on research, present their work at national conferences, and publish papers in fields as diverse as neuroscience, psychology, and Latin American literature.

DEBATE 6

ASSUMPTION ASSUMPTION Magazine Magazine

ORE TE Collaborate.

Challenging Students to Ask New Questions and Test Theories Most children ask for toys at Christmas. Not Heather Bates ’20.

“Since a young age, I’ve been fascinated with the human body, so I asked for anatomy books,” she said.

Now a biology major intent on pursuing a career in medicine, her passion for science is greater than ever. “There’s never a lack of information to learn or new discoveries to be made.”

Bates is now making exciting discoveries herself, as she assists Associate Professor of Biology Michele Lemons, Ph.D., on research

funded by a highly competitive $301,059 grant from the National Science Foundation for neurodevelopment research recently awarded to Prof. Lemons.

“Research supported by this grant is expected to shed novel insights on healthy brain formation and function, and could enhance our understanding of the molecular basis of neurodevelopmental disorders,” said Prof. Lemons, who also directs the Center for Neuroscience at Assumption. “In addition to its scientific merit, this grant supports key research training opportunities for Assumption students, local biology high school teachers, and students from backgrounds under-represented in science.” assumption.edu assumption.edu| |SPRING SPRING2019 2019 77

“The impact of their experiences and the mentoring relationships they form with us here can last a lifetime.”

Professor of Psychology Paula Fitzpatrick, Ph.D.

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This is the second federal research grant for Prof. Lemons, one of many Assumption professors who mentor students in the research lab.

She trains students to formulate research questions, design and execute experiments that will test their theories, and share their findings after they analyze them.

Last summer, for instance, Bates discovered novel genes necessary for neural development. “It’s so fun to ask questions that have never been answered before,” she said.

Finding Passions and Lifelong Mentors

Associate Professor of History Carl Robert Keyes, Ph.D., looks through historic documents with Olivia Burke ’20 at the American Antiquarian Society (AAS). Prof.

Keyes is one of several teacher-scholars who take advantage of Worcester institutions like the AAS to enrich classroom instruction and allow for meaningful internship opportunities.

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For students already intent on research or academic careers when they arrive at Assumption, working with faculty on research projects can open doors to graduate or professional schools by giving them powerhouse academic credentials, especially if undergraduates present their findings at conferences and earn authorship on a publication. And, for students whose career paths are less well defined, being introduced to research can help them find new passions or career goals.

Associate Professor of Spanish Juan C. Grijalva, Ph.D., who chairs the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures, inspires his students to continue learning outside the classroom by exploring new ways of integrating community service learning into coursework. “When Assumption students are given the opportunity to shine, their excellent work becomes a source of inspiration for others and for me as well,” he said.

For example, students in his Latin American Otherness: Indigenismo class studied, interviewed, and wrote the life stories of three influential indigenous women activists. The students traveled to the United Nations to interview the activists in person, then wrote up their interviews in Spanish and published them in Latino Rebels, one of the top Latino media outlets in the world.

Claudia Palencia ’17 called the trip “an incredible and unique experience.

I feel inspired by the women we met and I loved listening to their personal stories.”

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Lindsay Gomes ‘18, who Prof. Fitzpatrick invited to work in her lab and collect data for a pilot project. Gomes completed a summer research fellowship in 2017 and presented her findings at the Annual Meeting of the New England Psychological Association that fall. She is currently in the Ph.D. program in Developmental Psychology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

EXAMINE Discovering New Career Paths Professor of Psychology Paula Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., estimates that her department has dozens of active ongoing research projects each semester. Her research focuses on child development, and her studies have been supported by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and the University of Massachusetts Medical School and Assumption’s Collaborative Pilot Research Program. Currently, she is examining social interactions in children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Throughout her career at Assumption, “I’ve worked with some amazing students,” Prof. Fitzpatrick said, many of whom have gone on to master’s and doctoral programs.

“By introducing students to the world of research, professors can sometimes change their career trajectories in profound ways,” she added.

One case in point: Devyn Oliver ’14, who conducted neuroscience research for two years under the direction of Prof. Lemons. “I went to college thinking that I would become a pediatrician,” she said.

“It wasn’t until I enrolled in the natural science courses and labs at Assumption that I understood just how fundamental biology is.

There is always something new and unknown in science that both excites and pleasantly frustrates me.” Today, she is continuing her research as a Ph.D. student at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

“Conducting research with students allows us to help them find their strengths and passions,” said Prof. Fitzpatrick. “The impact of their experiences and the mentoring relationships they form with us here can last a lifetime.”

DISCUSS

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Striding Toward Greater Knowledge William Nall, who completed his master’s degree in clinical counseling psychology in 2018, can attest to that. He is now a clinician at Open Sky Community Services, where he provides therapy and treatment plans for clients with chronic mental illness.

Yet, he still collaborates on research projects with his Assumption mentor, Psychology Professor Leonard A. Doerfler, Ph.D., who directs the Clinical Counseling Psychology program.

“We enthusiastically invite students to join us in our research because we see these collaborations as an extension of the work we do in the classroom,” said Prof. Doerfler, who is currently exploring the links between irritability and its overlap with other mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and oppositional defiant disorder.

Nall said he is a more effective counselor as a result of doing research himself and staying informed about current studies. “One of the best things about Assumption is that you get this unique experience of working with professors who have a vast amount of knowledge,” he said, “yet are still striving to pursue greater knowledge through research, and you get to do that with them.”

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campus news

Provost and Academic Vice President Louise Carroll Keeley, Ph.D.

Vice President for Student Affairs Catherine WoodBrooks, Ph.D.

Two Longtime Administrators Retire This summer, Assumption will say goodbye to two longtime administrators, Provost and Academic Vice President Louise Carroll Keeley, Ph.D., and Vice President for Student Affairs Catherine WoodBrooks, Ph.D., who will retire at the end of the academic year.

Provost Keeley has served at Assumption for more than 35 years. She began her career in 1983 as an assistant professor of philosophy, achieving the rank of full professor, and has since served in a number of capacities, including chair of the philosophy department and, in 2008, associate provost. In 2014, she was appointed interim provost before her appointment as provost and vice president of academic affairs in 2015. Under her leadership, Assumption introduced new academic programs such as actuarial science, criminology, cybersecurity, data analytics, health sciences, neuroscience, nursing, and more.

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“The Assumption community and I are grateful to Provost Keeley for her dedicated service and the countless hours she has committed to enhancing the academic profile of the College,” said President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. “I have especially appreciated her counsel and advice over the years, as well as her honesty and integrity. She has contributed to what I believe will be a positive transformation of Assumption that rests on its strength as a liberal arts institution and the integration of the liberal arts into the new professional programs about to be launched. People will look back at her years as provost and laud her leadership and her courage. As Provost Keeley transitions to retirement, we are confident that her work on behalf of the faculty and students will endure.”

During her 17 years of service to the students and faculty of Assumption, Dr. WoodBrooks introduced a variety of programs and initiatives to enhance the quality of life for Assumption students on campus, including the development of the Quality of Life Survey and the Five Principles of Student Engagement: Community, Contemplation, Longing for God, Vocation, and Mission to Serve.

Dr. WoodBrooks has often collaborated

with other campus divisions, including Campus Ministry, in the establishment of the Peer Ministry program and with faculty in her redesign of the Living Learning Program and in the yearlong assessment of the SOPHIA program, which was awarded the Trailblazer Award from Campus Labs.

“Dr. WoodBrooks has been a valued collaborator who brought passion to everything she did,” said President Cesareo. “Her dedication to the students and her efforts to integrate the student experience across all areas of Assumption have contributed to a vibrant, student-centered environment on campus. Dr. WoodBrooks has always shown a genuine concern for the well-being of our students, especially ensuring an inclusive and welcoming community for underrepresented students. I particularly have appreciated that she is a woman of deep faith, which has been at the heart of her vocation as an administrator. She will be missed by the entire Assumption community.”

A national search is being held to find a replacement for Dr. WoodBrooks. In fall 2018, Assumption announced that Political Science Professor Greg Weiner, Ph.D., would succeed Provost Keeley as the next provost.

// CAMPUS NEWS //

The New Assumption.edu Assumption recently launched a completely redesigned and fully responsive website that showcases the institution in a comprehensive and user-friendly manner. This new site not only serves as a digital storefront, but for many prospective students and their families, it will influence their first impressions of Assumption.

This website, a key priority of Assumption’s strategic plan, Light the Way 2020: Building on Foundations of Excellence, was an 18-month project executed by a small team of staff. The project is a critical component in the effort to attract new students in an increasingly challenging higher education landscape.

Some of the many features of the new website include: a remarkable mobile viewing experience; profiles of successful and inspiring alumni that demonstrate the value and effectiveness of an Assumption education; informational and student profile videos that explain the Light the Way concept and share how Assumption has impacted students’ lives; newly designed faculty profile pages that highlight their scholarly accomplishments; and academic program pages that effectively share a wealth of information about Assumption’s numerous academic opportunities.

Student-athletes (FROM L TO R) Lexi Finn ’19, Stephon Hill ’19, Johnna Caporuscio ’21, and Branislav Vujadinovic ’20 studying in the d’Alzon Library.

Athletes Honored with NCAA Presidents’ Award

In December, the NCAA announced that Assumption was one of 27 Division II schools nationwide to earn the Presidents’ Award for Academic Excellence for achieving an Academic Success Rate (ASR) of 90 percent or higher.

Assumption was one of four Northeast-10 schools to earn the recognition, and was tied for the highest total for any Division II conference in the country. It marks the 10th straight year Assumption has finished with an ASR of at least 91 percent and in the top 25 nationally among Division II institutions.

“As one of only 27 institutions of higher learning nationwide to be recognized with the Presidents’ Award, we are proud of our student-athletes’ dedication to academics and the pursuit of knowledge,” said President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. “Throughout the year, our student-athletes work diligently in the classroom, in their communities, and in their respective sports to honorably represent Assumption in the Northeast-10 Conference and beyond.”

The ASR is the percentage of student-athletes who graduate within six years of initial college enrollment and includes virtually all Division II student-athletes, including transfers and those not receiving athletic scholarships. Assumption had nine different varsity programs post a perfect ASR of 100 percent.

“I am very proud of the continued academic excellence displayed by our student-athletes,” said Director of Athletics Jamie Marcoux. “Earning the Presidents’ Award for Academic Excellence shows the continued commitment of our studentathletes to their academic endeavors. We, as a department, are dedicated stewards to the development of our student-athletes’ athletic and academic excellence.” assumption.edu | SPRING

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// CAMPUS NEWS // Conway Campbell Named Assumption’s First-Ever VP for Student Success

In response to the ever-changing demographics of the student body, Assumption has announced the creation of a new position, vice president for student success, which will focus on student achievement in all of its dimensions across the College’s many departments and divisions. President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D., has appointed Conway Campbell, Ph.D., current dean of students, to this position, effective July 1.

“…the campus community has a renewed focus on strategies to retain and increase the resilience and persistence of students.”

CONWAY CAMPBELL

“Enhancing the various resources afforded to students, in particular first-generation students, is key to ensuring their academic success, resilience, retention, persistence to graduation, and employability," said President Cesareo.

David Nordman ’96 Named Executive Editor of Telegram & Gazette

BY ERIN CASEY

Few can claim that they served as editor of Assumption’s student newspaper Le Provocateur and in the same role for a major daily newspaper. After two decades of working his way up through the print news ranks, often leaning on the foundation laid by his Assumption liberal arts education, David Nordman ’96 was named the executive editor of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette in December 2018.

“For me, my Assumption education was all about the one-on-one relationships, the opportunity to get to know your teachers, the chance to ask them questions outside of class,” Nordman said. “That’s something unique to a small college.

I didn’t know it at the time, but I think that helped me to become a better communicator, interviewer, and public speaker. And like liberal arts, journalism is about being well rounded. A journalist is a quick learner, a good writer, listener, interviewer, communicator – someone who can take complicated issues, quickly understand them, prioritize them, and make them easy for others to understand.”

Nordman’s career has also been well rounded. While still a student, Nordman was hired by the Telegram in 1995 as a part-time copy editor and freelance writer, and would hold a number of other titles of increasing importance throughout his 23-year career at the newspaper including deputy managing editor, sports editor, copy editor, and assistant managing editor for digital and

In this position, Campbell will oversee Assumption’s Cross Cultural Center, an endeavor to sustain an environment that encourages and embraces the contributions of students from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds. Assumption’s Student Accessibility Services, Academic Support Center, and the Career Development and Internship Center will report directly to Campbell in this new capacity.

He will also lead essential initiatives, such as the Mentor Collective Program, the new ALANA Pre-Orientation program, and the Presidential Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity; additionally, he will serve as chair of both the Retention Committee and Dean's Council.

“This is an exciting time for me to be in this role as Assumption embarks on a new organizational model and as the campus community has a renewed focus on strategies to retain and increase the resilience and persistence of students,” said Campbell.

Campbell has more than 25 years of direct experience in higher education. In addition to dean of students, he has previously served Assumption as dean of campus life, associate dean of campus life/director of residential life, and interim director of multicultural affairs.

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Assumption Graduates First Cohort from ABA Programs In 2016, Assumption launched Master of Arts and Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) programs in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to meet a growing need for behavior analyst services. In December, the first cohort of six students (five of whom are pictured above) graduated from the program.

“The first graduating class comprises a group of very strong and motivated students who are poised to become excellent behavioral clinicians,” said Karen Lionello-DeNolf, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LABA, director of the ABA programs.

// CAMPUS NEWS // “For me, my Assumption education was all about the one-on-one relationships, the opportunity to get to know your teachers, the chance to ask them questions outside of class.”

DAVID NORDMAN ’96

He can also be found in Assumption classrooms, where he is sharing his decades of experience in news with students in an Introduction to Journalism course. Previous courses Nordman has taught as an adjunct professor include English Composition, Sports Writing, Argument and Persuasion, and Media Ethics. “I like making a difference in the lives of young people,” Nordman said.

new media. Last September, Nordman was appointed interim executive editor, and he continues to serve as an adjunct professor at Assumption.

A native of nearby Gardner, Nordman chose to study in Worcester and never left.

“For me, the city is like a really big small town,” he said. “Big enough that every day provides you with

a new opportunity and a different adventure, and small enough to still have a neighborhood feel. It’s a great town to go to school in, to work in, and to live in,” he added. And for Nordman, the Greater Worcester area is a great place to give back. He has volunteered as a hockey, Little League, and soccer coach and currently serves as the president-elect for the Worcester Junior Railers Youth Hockey program.

“They have met all of the requirements to sit for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) exam and become licensed in Massachusetts, which will allow them to meet the increasing need for behavioral services in the Worcester area and beyond.

I am excited to see all of the good work they will do to make meaningful improvements in the lives of their clients.”

ABA is the science of learning and behavior used to solve socially significant problems.

Assumption’s program gives students the tools needed to effectively create positive and significant changes in the lives of their clients and their families.

To make that difference relevant, Nordman must stay current in an ever-changing medium. Although the core journalistic principles of truth, accuracy, fairness, impartiality, and accountability have not changed, he said, the process, tools, and technology are always evolving. Each semester as his students report on current events on campus, he changes his teaching strategy to reflect that evolution. “We’ve introduced alternative story formats, the importance of digital layers, video, audio, and social media, among other things,” Nordman said. “I try to treat my classroom like a working newsroom. I am not my students’ teacher; I am really their editor.”

Joshua Jenness G’18, who works as a clinician at Community Resources for Justice in Shirley supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, said the coursework and knowledgeable instructors helped make him a more well-rounded clinician, especially the practicum courses.

“These courses allowed us to take what we were learning in the classroom and apply it directly to our work in the field,” said Jenness, who finished the M.A. program in December. “It was great to see results in the individuals I was working with, while also learning at the same time.”

“These courses allowed us to take what we were learning in the classroom and apply it directly to our work in the field.”

In addition to Oikonomou-Savvidis and Jenness, Candice Diaz-Hunter G’18, Maria Kean G’18, and Anthea Oikonomou-Savvidis G’18, who finished Cynthia Rielley G’18 also completed the M.A. the M.A. program in December and works as in ABA. Stephen Blaisdell ’11, who graduated an ABA teacher at the Crossroads School in from Assumption with a degree in psychology, JOSHUA JENNESS ’18 Marlboro, said her experience at Assumption earned his CAGS in ABA in August. Completing was “exceptional. It provided me with the either the M.A. or CAGS program enables these appropriate knowledge and skill set needed to provide effective students to sit for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst exam – a services to meet the needs of my students,” she said, adding credential that is in great demand among behavior analyst that she learned the “techniques and the skills to research and positions – which Blaisdell passed in August. Four students sat implement effective interventions that enhance the independence” for the exam in February, and one will take the test in May. of her students. assumption.edu | SPRING

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// CAMPUS NEWS //

Students in Professor James Lang’s English Composition course listen to the stories of residents living at the Interfaith Hospitality Network during a class visit in February.

The Power of Students’ Pens Supports Those in Need

BY ERIN CASEY

In the spring of 2019, a dedicated group of students had the opportunity to develop their writing and communication skills and explore a deeper understanding of challenges faced by Worcester’s residents in need through a unique partnership with a local nonprofit organization.

Through a collaboration with the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN), an organization that provides temporary shelter to families with children who would otherwise be homeless, students enrolled in an English Composition course taught by Professor James Lang, Ph.D., created materials used to support the organization and the families it serves.

“In some ways English Composition lends itself very well to community service learning, because we don’t have specific content we have to teach beyond the development of writing skills,” said Prof. Lang. “As long as the students are writing, we can ask them to write about almost anything that will improve their understanding of the writing process and their ability to communicate effectively to an audience. I’m convinced that writing about these important issues in the community provides the best inspiration for their learning and the best opportunity for them to practice writing in authentic contexts.”

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The students began to understand that context when they visited IHN to conduct group interviews with some of the residents. The students used what they learned about those individuals and poverty in the city to craft profiles for the IHN website, which will introduce a public audience to some of the faces and stories of people served by the organization.

After visiting IHN, Jessica Childers ’21, a health sciences major, realized “there isn’t a typical stereotype of what a person living in poverty is like” and learned to take time to listen to people’s stories. “Many people assume families are homeless because they are terrible with money or have drug addictions, but the reality is that people at IHN are like others around us, with jobs and kids,” she said. “It is inspiring to hear “I am very inspired by about the selfless amount of how much time and effort the staff of IHN puts in to help rehabilitate the lives of effort students are families around the community.” willing to put into their

During the semester, the students also worked in groups writing when they know to create presentation materials it will be used to make that were used at a major IHN a positive difference fundraiser in March. Their work helped garner positive to the families and to attention and necessary funds our community.” for the organization.

PROFESSOR JAMES LANG, PH.D.

“We are extremely grateful for the work the Assumption students did for our organization,” said Joanne Alley, director of IHN. “They did a fantastic job putting together the presentation for our fundraiser, which resulted in many positive comments and several requests from folks interested in using it in their fundraising efforts for IHN.”

Prof. Lang agrees. “I am very inspired by how much time and effort students are willing to put into their writing when they know it will be used to make a positive difference to the families and to our community,” he said. “I hope the students come away with a greater understanding of the challenges faced by the poor and a greater desire to stand with those on the margins.”

According to Prof. Lang, this English Composition course aligns with the Assumption mission because, while teaching students better grammar, mechanics, and style, among other objectives, it forms students in the virtues of critical intelligence, thoughtful citizenship, and compassionate service.

“The students do plenty of reading and research to help them develop a greater understanding of poverty and homelessness,” Prof. Lang said. “They learn about the work the government does in relation to these issues, which can make them more informed voters and citizens. And finally and most importantly, they see what a difference they can make in their communities if they are willing to walk to the margins, meet the people there, and work with them to better their lives.”

// CAMPUS NEWS // from the archives

Burning the Maison Mortgage August 29, 1970 The Union Saint-Jean-Baptiste, the largest Franco-American mutual benefit society, celebrating the 70th anniversary of its founding, held a special convention at Assumption in the summer of 1970. A few days prior, the Society made the final payment on its pledge of $316,000 made in 1955 to fund the construction of the La Maison Française building. That building was now debt free. To mark the occasion, the ritual burning of the mortgage was held at the entrance of the building, which served a number of purposes at the time. In the archival photograph (L to R), Father Georges Bissonnette, A.A., then-president of Assumption; Mr. Oliva Viens, a Society member from St. Albans, VT; and J. Henri Goguen of Leominster, national president of the Union Saint-Jean-Baptiste at the time.

In those days, the Maison building consisted of several first-floor classrooms, administrative offices, the Salon, and a 200-seat auditorium with a stage. The library was located on the upper two floors.

FATHER DONAT LAMOTHE, A.A., ’57 ASSUMPTION COLLEGE ARCHIVIST

Professor to Represent Assumption at National Colloquy Travis Gagen, Ph.D., assistant professor of health sciences in the Department of Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies, will represent Assumption at the Collegium’s 2019 Summer Colloquy on Faith and Intellectual Life at Saint John’s University in Minnesota in June.

For the past 10 years, Assumption has nominated several of its faculty to engage in this event. The Collegium’s goal is to foster a discussion on spiritual and intellectual life among representatives from Catholic-sponsored institutions of higher learning within their own institution while having different senses of vocation.

During this weeklong event, Prof. Gagen and his colleagues from across the nation will guide participants in lectures, group discussions, and reflections, as well as other opportunities to discuss faith and intellectual life.

“Accepting the nomination provides me an opportunity to critically appraise my role as a STEM faculty member at a Catholic institution of higher education,” said Prof.

Gagen. “As Catholic institutions across America move toward programs in the STEM fields, it is important to preserve schools of thought in the humanities while drawing connections to postmodernist epistemology. If we, as faculty, can move away from the notion that these are contradictory schools of thought, we can provide a unique interscholastic identity for our students and institution.”

Prof. Travis Gagen, Ph.D.

According to Prof. Gagen, the Colloquy is “a retreat for faculty to discuss the issues, aims, and changing needs of Catholic higher education with the intent that faculty will continue to facilitate further discussion and practice of the Colloquy experience at their respective institutions.” assumption.edu | SPRING

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// CAMPUS NEWS //

Assumption students and Special Olympics athletes celebrate the end of the inaugural Unified Sports soccer league last fall.

“Unifying” Assumption Students and Special Olympics Athletes

BY MADALYN SIROIS ’19

Last fall, Assumption became the first collegiate partner in Massachusetts to provide an opportunity for students and Special Olympics athletes from the Greater Worcester area to compete in an intramural Unified Sports soccer league.

“The students created a welcoming and inclusive environment for all,” said Arthur Merriam, a volunteer coach and local program coordinator for Special Olympics, about the soccer league. “[They] made sure that everyone was involved in the game and in conversations when they were not playing. I have watched as many participants – both athletes and students – have grown socially in this inclusive environment. The Assumption students were able to teach the Special Olympics athletes new skills both during the games and on the sidelines.”

According to Special Olympics, Unified Sports is an inclusive sports program that unites Special Olympics athletes and students as teammates for training and competition. In October and November of 2018, Assumption hosted a soccer league, which featured teams comprised of an even mix of Special Olympics athletes and Assumption students. This spring, Assumption hosted a pickleball league.

“Our students are full of compassion and enthusiasm and have loved being able to share these opportunities with the Special Olympics athletes.”

MIKE RODIER ’06 CAMPUS RECREATION DIRECTOR

Through his experience participating in the Unified Sports league, Matthew Sanchez ’22 strengthened his interpersonal skills. “It was an amazing and fulfilling experience to get to know the athletes and connect with them on a personal level,” he said. “[It] helped me to become a more understanding and empathetic person and pushed me out of my comfort zone to help and bring out the best from my fellow athletes.”

Assumption has engaged with Special Olympics in the past, hosting an annual spring break basketball tournament, but this was the first time it has collaborated with Unified Sports, according to Mike Rodier ’06, campus recreation director.

“I thought this partnership would be a good fit for Assumption and, after observing the success of our first season, it was an incredible experience for everyone involved,” said Rodier. “Our students are full of compassion and enthusiasm and have loved being able to share these opportunities with the Special Olympics athletes. This is something we hope to continue for years to come.”

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top Coach Laska holding the plaque dedicating the Laska Gymnasium in his honor in 1975.

Students paying their respects as Coach Laska’s funeral procession drives by Laska Gymnasium.

middle

bottom Coach Laska with 1961–62 co-captains, Eddie Hippert ’62 and Tim Cooney ‘62.

// CAMPUS NEWS //

Assumption Mourns Loss of Andy Laska

BY ERIN CASEY

As the Assumption College community mourns the loss of Andy Laska HD’90, longtime Men’s Basketball coach, athletic director, and namesake of the College’s gymnasium, his former players, friends, teammates, and colleagues remember a person whose impact on many lives will live on.

“He was as near a perfect human being as I’ve known in my life,” said Boston Celtics legend Bob Cousy, Laska’s teammate on the 1947 Holy Cross NCAA basketball championship team and close friend of 72 years. “He had very few, if any, flaws that I was aware of over the years. He was just a nice man, reliable, he always had your back when you needed that. I don’t know if I can say that about anyone else of my acquaintance.”

Laska, who passed away on February 2, was head Men’s Basketball coach at Assumption from 1951–67, compiling a 224-92 record.

During his 15 years as coach, he steered Assumption toward becoming one of the top basketball programs in New England. He won an NCAA Regional Championship, took his team to 10 NCAA tournaments, and was named New England Coach of the Year twice – no surprise to those who played under his direction.

Don Lemenager ’56 was a member of Laska’s first team at Assumption.

“That was the start of a friendship that grew and strengthened over the next 67 years,” said Lemenager, who visited Laska almost every weekday in recent years. “Not only was Andy my basketball coach, but a mentor who prepared me for life and success. His greatest character trait was loyalty. I never heard him say a bad word about anyone, and conversely everyone liked Andy and admired his success. By closely observing Andy’s everyday activities, I learned the importance of loyalty in my own life.”

Tom O’Connor ’68 played for Laska and then, with Laska’s ongoing support and encouragement, went on to have his own successful career in coaching and athletic administration. Laska became O’Connor’s mentor and close friend. “I will always be grateful for the major role he played in my life,” O’Connor said. “It went well beyond his coaching. He instilled in me, and in other studentathletes, the ‘Assumption Way.’ He taught us to be competitive,

but also taught us discipline both on and off the basketball court and instilled important life values for the future. I always felt that he truly cared about my well-being, and at the same time he taught me to respect others, by example more than with words.”

Ted Paulauskas ’67 also admired the example Laska set for those who knew him and tried to emulate him.

Paulauskas was captain of the last Assumption team Laska coached before retiring, and they remained friends for more than 50 years. “I admired the manner in which he handled the various aspects of his life,” Paulauskas said. “He had a lot of success as a young man, but he always seemed to be able to separate work from his personal life and spend time with his family. He never seemed to lose perspective of his priorities.” Some of those priorities, Paulauskas said, were finding the good qualities in others and helping to enhance them, and developing healthy relationships, practices Paulauskas also tried to incorporate in his own career as a coach and athletics administrator.

Laska served as Assumption’s “He was as near director of athletics from a perfect human 1956 until his retirement in 1986. During his tenure he being as I've was instrumental in adding known in my life.” various varsity sports to the BOB COUSY College’s athletic program, BOSTON CELTICS LEGEND oversaw the transition to an NCAA Division II program, and was a “founding father” of the Northeast-10 Conference. In 1967 he was the first non-alumnus inducted into the Assumption Athletics Hall of Fame.

He also coached golf at Assumption from 1969–86, mentoring top Massachusetts amateur golfer Frank Vana, Jr. ’86, P’13.

Through it all, according to Dee Rowe, Laska’s longtime friend, mentee, and cohost of a basketball camp with him at Worcester Academy and then Assumption for many years, Laska remained humble.

“Despite all the honors he received along the way, he never changed,” Rowe said. “He was always about others, about making life better for other people.

There will only ever be one Andy Laska. And I think anybody who has ever been touched by his life would say the same thing.”

Laska and his late wife, Ruth, had five children: Michael AP’66, Donna, former Director of Alumni Relations Diane Laska-Nixon ’76, P’10, Kim ’81, and Andrew, and many grandchildren, including Jessie Nixon Weiss ’10. assumption.edu | SPRING

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PARTNERS in SCHOLARSHIP How Assumption is collaborating with a variety of generous partners to put college within reach for many.

18 ASSUMPTION ASSUMPTION Magazine Magazine

Justin Auguste ’20 (left) and Alex Richardson ’19 are two of Assumption's The BASE scholars.

Creating Pathways to a Meaningful Life AS “A FIRST-GENERATION AMERICAN” OF IMMIGRANT PARENTS, ALEX RICHARDSON ’19 NEVER COUNTED ON

college. “My initial plan was to go straight to the police academy after high school,” he said.

Surprisingly, it was summer baseball that changed his mind.

Richardson’s father, a native of Saint Martin, had played baseball in the Caribbean, “so baseball was in my blood,” said Richardson, who took up the sport at a young age.

In searching for a summer travel team, Richardson discovered the team started by Robert Lewis, Jr., formerly known as the Astros.

Lewis began the team in Boston’s Villa Victoria public housing complex in the 1970s. That effort grew into The BASE, a premier national urban youth academy that today combines sports and academic opportunities, serving over 850 student-athletes annually.

“At The BASE, there’s this slogan, ‘Earn your spot,’ which means that, if you show up and work hard, you will be rewarded,” said Justin

Auguste ’20, a scholar of The BASE and a business management major. “Lots of kids in the program have struggled in school but go to college because of The BASE.” Assumption was one of the first colleges to enter into a partnership with The BASE. Today, it provides two full-tuition scholarships annually to The BASE scholars from the original Roxbury facility.

Plans are under way to support two more annual scholarships for The BASE national students as Lewis expands his program.

“Assumption has become a college of choice for our students,” Lewis said. “It’s amazing what a college and its leadership can do for urban education.”

Forming scholarship partnerships dovetails with Assumption’s mission, said President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. “Our goal is to provide students from all backgrounds with a college education, but more importantly, with a pathway to successful careers and a meaningful life.”

Richardson, a sociology and criminology major, hopes his next step will be a career with a nonprofit organization. “My duty now is to give back to others who are less fortunate than I am.” assumption.edu | SPRING

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Sister Thea Bowman scholar Roupnel Pierre ’14, MBA ’16 now works for a startup company in Boston.

By Supporting Them, We Support Others

Grace Clark ’19, who attends Assumption through its partnership with the Adopt-a-Student program, traveled to Uganda and participated in the Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children’s Summer Health Fellowship.

Grace Clark ’19 thought she wanted to be a teacher until her senior year at Worcester’s St. Peter-Marian Central Catholic High School, when she made a life-changing mission trip to Haiti.

“We went with the Be Like Brit Foundation and built a house for a family in need while also helping at the orphanage,” she said. While she was there, she was told that, as the property was being excavated to build the Be Like Brit orphanage, “they found the casket of a baby who died of a disease that could have easily been cured. That was when I realized I wanted to go into medicine.”

Clark was able to attend St. Peter-Marian thanks to the Worcester Diocese’s Adopta-Student program, which provides scholarships for families with a demonstrated need.

Assumption forged a partnership with the Adopt-a-Student program to provide support for deserving students who lack the resources to pay for a private Catholic college education.

At Assumption, Clark has been active as a resident assistant and in Campus Ministry.

She has also continued to work in underserved communities. Besides traveling to Haiti several times to volunteer at the Be Like Brit orphanage, she earned a Community Engagement Grant from SOPHIA (SOPHomore Initiative at Assumption) to travel to Uganda and participate in the Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children’s Summer Health Fellowship.

After graduating with a biotechnology and molecular biology degree, Clark will attend the highly competitive Master of Physician Assistant program at Mass College of Pharmacy. She traces her success back to both of her scholarships. “Now I can pursue my goal of increasing the accessibility of quality health care around the world by going and providing medical care wherever there is a need,” she said.

20 ASSUMPTION Magazine

“College is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

I intend to make the most of it.”

JASMIN VEERAPEN ’21

Life-Changing Opportunities

Finding Purpose and Perspective Jasmin Veerapen ’21 is equally appreciative of her scholarship from the Lynch Foundation, which awards financial aid to graduates of the Archdiocese of Boston’s inner-city Catholic high schools. Currently in the Honors Program, she chose to major in psychology partly because her twin sister is on the autism spectrum.

She was also inspired to consider a career in psychology or education by Assumption’s SOPHIA program, where “we talk about vocation, how to find your purpose in life, and what we can do to help people.”

"At Assumption, Lynch Scholars are provided the tools needed to become leaders in their communities and, in turn, positively impact the lives of those whom they encounter,” said Katie Everett, executive director of the Lynch Foundation. “Assumption’s commitment to providing not only financial assistance, but also academic support, mentoring, and leadership training to encourage the education of the whole person parallels the Lynch Foundation goals of increasing access to higher education and fostering the development of future leaders."

The Lynch Scholarship makes it possible for Veerapen to take advantage of experiences that broaden her perspective, like traveling to Rome with SOPHIA this year. She spent her recent spring break in Greece for her minor in Assumption’s unique Core Texts & Enduring Questions Program.

“College is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she said.

“I intend to make the most of it.”

Growing up in Irvington, NJ, as the son of immigrant parents was “very tough,” said Roupnel Pierre ’14, MBA ’16. “The kids there typically ended up in gangs, in jail, or dead.”

Earning a scholarship from Assumption through the Sister Thea Bowman Black Catholic Educational Foundation, a nonprofit organization that empowers African Americans to pursue their dream of earning a degree from a Catholic college or university, gave him new opportunities. “Without the help of this Foundation, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” said Pierre, now a senior accountant at Unispace, a startup company in Boston.

The support he received from Assumption’s Associate Dean Jennifer Morrison, Ph.D., and Mary Lou Jennings HD ’17, executive director of the Foundation, “was amazing,” he said. “Dean Morrison supported me academically and socially, and Mary Lou came often to visit and review my academic progress. I got a lot more support than just a scholarship.”

“Assumption is such a wonderful school for us to partner with because of the College’s dedication to teaching students how to think critically and form their own ideas,” Jennings said. “Assumption educates students not only pragmatically, but existentially, and that’s in keeping with our mission.”

FINANCIAL AID BY THE NUMBERS

Of the 1,917 full-time students enrolled at Assumption in fall 2018, over 1,400 demonstrated financial need. More than 99 percent of those students receive institutional scholarships.

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UNIFYING CONNECT

22 ASSUMPTION Magazine

OUR GLOBAL TIONS WITH ITS NEW CENTER FOR GLOBAL STUDIES, ASSUMPTION CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN ITS COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING OF THE WIDER WORLD IN WHICH THEY LIVE.

BY ERIN CASEY

GLOBAL STUDIES, WHICH BEGAN IN 1961 AS FOREIGN AFFAIRS, HAS A LONG AND STORIED HISTORY AT ASSUMPTION. THIS VIBRANT

interdisciplinary program helps students understand how countries across the globe are linked together ecologically, economically, geographically, and politically. Now, global studies students will be even more closely linked to Assumption’s many extracurricular, globally oriented offerings through the new Center for Global Studies.

The new Center brings together a diverse group of students and the many opportunities for international learning and enhanced global citizenship available to them. In line with Assumption’s mission, the Center seeks to form students who are thoughtful, compassionate citizens with a better understanding of the complex world in which we live and students’ place in it, according to Kevin Hickey, MLA, associate professor of geography and director of the Center. “We are here to connect opportunities to students looking for an experience with some aspect of international learning,” Prof. Hickey said. “We become a clearinghouse of sorts for those wanting to expand their experiences.”

The Center encompasses Assumption’s internationally focused academic and study abroad programs to provide a comprehensive experience for students interested in global learning, particularly the global studies major and minor.

The Center is also a place for international students to gather and meet, receive advising, take part in English language courses, or join an international club.

According to Eloise Knowlton, Ph.D., dean of undergraduate studies and study abroad coordinator, the Center is also a place where students can explore the “global reach of service and learning” and its connection to academic experiences through Assumption’s affiliation with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) as a CRS Global Campus.

Maria Hernandez Monteros ’21 came to Assumption from the Dominican Republic for the close-knit and welcoming community she experienced when she visited the campus. She is eager to utilize the Center to study abroad, to better connect with other international students, and to enhance that feeling of community.

THE CENTER, WHICH OPENED IN SEPTEMBER, EXEMPLIFIES ASSUMPTION‘S COMMITMENT TO EXPAND

AND DEEPEN ITS INTERNATIONALLY FOCUSED CURRICULAR AND NON-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS. THOSE

PROGRAMS, NOW UNITED IN ONE LOCATION ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE TESTA SCIENCE CENTER, INCLUDE THE CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES GLOBAL CAMPUS INITIATIVE, THE FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR PROGRAM, INTERNATIONAL ADVISING, STUDY ABROAD, AND THE GLOBAL STUDIES MAJOR.

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“Assumption prioritizes diversity, and having the Center on campus allows international students like me to better access many resources,” she said.

“My hope is also to learn more about other international students’ backgrounds, cultures, and traditions through the Center.”

Emma Salachi ’19, a global studies major who studied at Assumption’s Rome Campus in 2017, said the new Center is important to her because both the global studies and study abroad programs have made her time at Assumption more meaningful. “These programs have expanded my global awareness and thirst for knowledge and new experiences, and I hope the Center will help many other students do the same,” she said. “It’s a great resource for students to easily access all the tools they need to learn about and pursue a study abroad experience.”

David Crowley, Ph.D., associate professor of biology and CRS Global Campus coordinator, said that by offering interesting and diverse programming, the Center will be able to garner student attention to global learning opportunities. “For instance, a student who attends a Center-sponsored lecture on a global issue like food insecurity might have their thinking challenged in such a way that they explore further opportunities through the Center, including study abroad,” said Prof. Crowley.

“THE CENTER FOR GLOBAL STUDIES GATHERS TOGETHER THE MANY STRANDS OF INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH AT THE COLLEGE.” ELOISE KNOWLTON, PH.D., DEAN OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES AND STUDY ABROAD COORDINATOR

The global opportunities provided by the Center for Global Studies, coupled with Assumption’s study abroad programs, enhance and expand Assumption’s commitment to traditional liberal arts learning. Studying abroad – whether in locations across the globe or at the Rome Campus – provides students with an enhanced liberal arts education; as they take courses in the humanities, they are learning to become citizens of the world. In Rome, students learn about philosophy, theology, art history, Italian, and comparative literature, using the city as a living classroom.

“In its interdisciplinarity, its emphasis on experiencing the world in its fullness, and its embrace of our common humanity as citizens of the world, the Center furthers our mission as a Catholic, liberal arts college,” said Smriti Rao, Ph.D., associate professor of economics.

GLOBAL LEARNING

TOP: Emma Salachi ‘19 (second from left) and her

classmates cheer on AC Roma while studying abroad.

MIDDLE: Abigail Nolan, ESL/director of academic support for

international students, works with Zhenxi Jin ‘18, G’19 and Yuxin Shen ‘21, both of China, in the Center.

BOTTOM: Sam Malone ‘21 in Florence, an excursion he took while

studying at the Assumption Rome Campus this spring.

24 ASSUMPTION Magazine

FACULTY PROFILE

Alison Cares

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF SOCIOLOGY AND CRIMINOLOGY

Education Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University, 2005 M.A., The Pennsylvania State University, 2002 A.B., Dartmouth College, 1995

Classes Taught at Assumption Criminal Courts & Society Criminology Internship Seminar Principles of Sociology Research Methods Victimology

What is the most challenging aspect of teaching criminology?

Helping students unlearn all the myths about crime, victims, and why crime happens. The biggest enemies for me are the news and entertainment media. Often, my students who are most interested in crime have been heavy consumers of crime-related shows on TV; while these shows have some elements of fact in them, they perpetuate misunderstandings about crime and the criminal justice system.

What sparked your interest in this field?

As an undergraduate, I took a course on women, politics, and the law. It was the first time I had been exposed to the topic of domestic violence. Soon after college, I did community outreach at a sexual and domestic violence services agency. We were all so passionate about our work, but there was so much we didn’t know. That’s what motivated me to go to graduate school.

How do you build connections with your students?

They are important to me as students and as people, now and after they graduate. I try to build connections by learning about them as a whole person. In a bit of criminology humor, I tell them being my student is a life sentence. Even after they’re done taking my course, I’m still a resource for them.

There is much controversy today regarding the criminal justice system; how do you discuss and work through these issues in the classroom?

The gulf between the ideal and the reality of the criminal justice system is vast. This can be a harsh reality for students to face. We spend a lot of time looking at statistics that reflect racial and class disparity and the structural and societal reasons for that disparity. The hard work is in pushing students to come up with realistic solutions to the issues the criminal justice system both faces and creates. The answers are not easy, but the stakes are high so we have to figure this out.

What is one thing about you that would come as a surprise to those that know you?

I used to run pretty fast over long distances.

Just do not ask me to do that now.

You’re known for your candy bucket.

There must be a story.

When my daughter was 4, she went to a daycare at a large company, and on Halloween, the kids trick-ortreated through the entire facility and received exorbitant amounts of candy. I brought most of it in to my students and it was a hit. Over the years, it grew into having candy year-round, and hence the bucket was born. The rule is that once you have met me, you can help yourself to the candy bucket.

A little chocolate can be a big help on a tough day or a way to celebrate on a good one. assumption.edu | SPRING

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// HOUNDS WATCH //

STUDENTATHLETES LEAD ON & OFF THE FIELD

BY ERIN CASEY

When Lily Vartanian ’20 first arrived at Assumption, she knew it was where she was meant to spend the next four years of her life.

And with the help of a student leader, she was able to adjust to college life.

At a first-year student social during Move-In Weekend, an upperclassman made more of an impression on Vartanian, a philosophy major and Women’s Rowing team member, than the older student could have known.

“I think she could tell how nervous I was, because she came up to me and she talked to me about the Student Government Association,” Vartanian said. “She convinced me to run for a class officer position. Her being so friendly and welcoming to me really made a difference.”

Now the vice president for the Class of 2020, Vartanian strives to have the same kind of impact on others. “I hope as a student leader I am able to be someone who helps others when they are facing challenges, the same way that upperclassman was there for me,” she said.

Vartanian is one of many Assumption studentathletes who choose to enhance their College experiences beyond high academic standards and athletic pursuits. “I think student-athletes 26 ASSUMPTION Magazine

Biology major and member of the Men’s Track & Field team, Daniel DeLuca ’20 is a student leader for Athletes InterVarsity, a group for athletes to learn more about one’s faith.

Philosophy major and Women’s Rowing team member Lily Vartanian ’20 is vice president of the Class of 2020.

are leaders by nature and want to be involved as much as they can,” said Jamie Marcoux, director of athletics at Assumption. “Being part of a team and working with others is the core of athletics. We want our student-athletes to receive a balanced education, which includes experiences beyond the classroom and athletic commitments. Our student-athletes are involved in community service, intramurals, InterVarsity, and other activities on campus.

They’re recruited by our coaches, but they also choose Assumption because of the faithbased liberal arts program, which focuses on developing the whole person.”

Sarah Reilly ’19, a marketing major and cocaptain of the Women’s Lacrosse team, chose Assumption because she longed to develop friendships in the close-knit and supportive community she found here. Reilly is the president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), assisting with fundraisers and food drives and contributing to policies and regulations that affect the student-athlete population – she is also a volunteer tour guide for football team recruits. Additionally, she co-founded the I AM Mentoring Program, which pairs incoming student-athletes with older student-athletes from other teams to help them adjust to the transition from high school to college while also building camaraderie amongst all teams.

The mentors help new students develop time

Marketing major and co-captain of the Women’s Lacrosse team, Sarah Reilly ’19 leads a meeting as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

“There are so many conversations to have with people about worldviews, religion, current events, and life as a whole, for me to not be as involved as I can be.”

DANIEL DELUCA ’20

management skills, facilitate introductions to other student-athletes, and suggest course schedules that work well with athletic team schedules. The program is in its beginning stages and will likely be fully implemented this fall, according to Reilly.

“I choose to be so involved on campus because I really like to be a part of a variety of things,” she said. “It gives me the opportunity to get to know a lot of people and to build relationships that mean something.”

Daniel DeLuca ’20 sought to build on his relationship with God. A biology major and member of the Men’s Track & Field team, DeLuca has since become a student leader for Athletes InterVarsity, a group for athletes who want to learn more about the Bible. He also leads his own small Bible study group with an emphasis on free and independent thinking to share his beliefs with his peers and friends and learn from their perspectives. Being a student leader in Campus Ministry has taught him about service, leadership, showing kindness to others, and following God’s guidance for his life, he said.

“I find it crucially important that people take time to think about the core of their beliefs and worldview,” DeLuca said. “For me, my faith impacts every aspect of my life, and the ability to help other people find their own beliefs and the importance of those beliefs is something I cherish. I choose to be involved because I can’t imagine sitting back while there is so much that could be done. There are so many conversations to have with people about worldviews, religion, current events, and life as a whole, for me to not be as involved as I can be.” assumption.edu | SPRING

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// HOUNDS WATCH //

Winter 2019 Sports Highlights Morgan O’Donnell ‘19

 Women’s Basketball finished its 2018–19 campaign with a 14–14 record and 9–12 mark in the Northeast-10 Conference.

The team compiled a six-game winning streak early in the season, highlighted by a victory over rival Stonehill College. Morgan O’Donnell ’19 led the team all season, averaging 17.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while earning NE10 Second-Team All-Conference honors.

She was also the 24th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points, during a game against Bentley University, and concluded her career ranked 19th in program history with 1,110 points.

 Men’s Ice Hockey had another impressive

Dante Tomassini ‘19

season, concluding the year with a 15–9–3 record. The team earned the No. 4 seed in the Northeast-10 Tournament and came up just short in the semifinals, falling to St. Anselm College 2–1 in three overtimes. It was the longest game in school history at just over 103 minutes. Despite the loss, this marked the first time in 25 years the program won 15 or more games in back-toback seasons. Robert Roche ’20 was named the NE10 Defensive Player of the Year while Devan Sheth ’22 was selected Rookie of the Year. Matt Damelio ’19 and David Zulauf ’20 were both named Second-Team All-Conference.

 Men’s Basketball concluded the 2018–19 season with a pair of victories over Stonehill and Southern New Hampshire University. Matthew Kelly ’21 led the team in scoring, averaging 15.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. Cal Connelly ’22 and Michael Speight ’22 were both honored as WACBA Rookie of the Week on multiple occasions and finished the year averaging 9.6 and 9.0 points per game, respectively.

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Katherine Eckerson ‘21

 Women’s Track & Field relied on its youth and depth to compile one of the best seasons in program history, culminating with its first-ever runner-up finish at the NE10 Championships in February. Abby Jones ’19 was named the NE10 Most Outstanding Field Athlete after winning the pentathlon with 3,457 points and taking fourth in the high jump. Sarah Miller ’19 won the NE10 title in the long jump with a leap of 5.18 meters, while Kialeigh Marston ’20 won the one-mile race in 5:03.72. She was also part of the 4x800 relay, which took first with a time of 9:37.47. Over the course of the season, the team set 16 new school records, including three by Jones and three more

by Victoria Steffon ’22. Jones set new marks in the 55-meter hurdles (8.85s), 60-meter hurdles (9.13s), and pentathlon (3,618), while Steffon broke records in the 55 meters (7.33s), 60 meters (7.83s), and 200 meters (25.49s).

Michael Speight ‘22

 Men’s Track & Field matched its best finish in program history at the 2019 NE10 Championships by placing fifth. Though also finishing fifth last season, this year the team accumulated its highest point total ever, four short of fourth place. Kevin Hack ’20 took second in both the heptathlon with a school record of 4,659 points and the high jump with a height of 2.04 meters. Overall, the team broke nine school records during the season. Everett Pirtle ’21 and Joseph Santos ’21 were each responsible for a pair of new records. Pirtle set records in the 300 meters (36.29s) and 400 meters (50.22s) while Santos set new marks in the 55-meter hurdles (7.86s) and 60-meter hurdles (8.42s).

Joseph Santos ’21

Cameron Donoghue ’21

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT

Women’s Swimming & Diving The Women’s Swimming & Diving team captured the program’s fourth Northeast-10 title, following four days of competition in the NE10 Championship. The team was in second place after the first two days of competition, but won two events and had 12 top-eight finishes to take the lead on the third day and 13 more top-eight finishes to capture the NE10 title February 10. Abbey Holmes ’20 was named the NE10’s Most Valuable Swimmer of the Meet after winning the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle,

and 100-yard breaststroke events. She also was a part of two relay victories and one second-place finish. Shannon Quirk ’19 won the 1,000-yard freestyle and the 1,650-yard freestyle events, becoming the first swimmer in Conference history to win the same event (1,650 free) four straight years.

Meanwhile, Allison Fitzgerald ’21 won the 100-yard butterfly in a schoolrecord time. In January, the team also earned Scholar All-America honors for the 23rd consecutive semester by posting a team cumulative grade point average of over 3.0. assumption.edu | SPRING

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ALUMNI NEWS

Recent Alumni Events

FROM THE A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N PRESIDENT Goodbyes are never easy. They are made more bearable when you know that the farewell is not forever. When parting ways with Assumption after my time as an undergraduate, I was a bit afraid of what was to come and what life would be like beyond the warmth and familiarity of 500 Salisbury Street. I quickly learned that I would never lose my connection to Assumption, and I would always have a home at my alma mater.

Come June, I will end an additional chapter in my Assumption career when I conclude my time as president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors. Though my term in the role will soon be coming to a close, our goals to increase engagement with alumni and to continue to bring the mission of the College forward will continue.

This group of wonderfully dedicated alumni is truly inspiring.

From supporting admissions efforts and helping to recruit the next generation of Assumption students, to welcoming new alumni and continuing to make connections, to hosting events in the community and encouraging alumni to attend events at Assumption’s beautiful campus – the Alumni Association Board of Directors bleeds blue.

On January 27, alumni in Northern California joined President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D., for a wine tasting at Pangloss Cellars in Sonoma, CA. BACK ROW (L–R): Vice President for Institutional Advancement Tim Stanton P’17,

Eileen Friedmann Hirst ’74, Hoang Leclerc, Sheila Milroy, Kevin Milroy ’80, Lauren Kershner, Paul Liubicich ’02, and Advancement Officer Emily Murray ’00.

FRONT ROW (L–R): Marc Leclerc ’75, President Cesareo, and Elaine Ingalls ’17.

Thank you for the honor and privilege of serving the Alumni Association at large in this capacity. I look forward to meeting more fellow Greyhounds, and I know that it is certainly not goodbye.

Michela D’Eramo Mesa ’06 mderamo@assumption.edu

ALUMNI NETWORKS

Alumni Networks are a great way to stay connected with Assumption and meet local Greyhounds in your own backyard. If you wish to learn more about networks in your area and/or start your own, please contact alumni@assumption.edu.

To find out about alumni events and to update your contact information, please visit assumption.edu/alumni to get involved.

30 ASSUMPTION Magazine

On February 11, Naples, FL, area alumni and friends gathered at The Country Club of Naples, hosted by former trustee Jim O'Connor and his wife, Joan.

FROM L–R: Nadine Manning, Joan O'Connor, and Dave Grenon HD’86.

Ron ’69, G’72 and Donna Coderre During their frequent visits back to campus, whether attending sporting events or alumni reunions, Ron ’69, G’72 and Donna Coderre are always looking for more ways they can impact Assumption and its students.

In spring 1993, Ron met with former alumni director Jack Bresciani ’72 to explore how he could become more involved with Assumption. Though Jack suddenly passed away after their meeting, a co-worker found his note to “Call Ron Coderre to chair the Annual Fund,” and the rest is history. Ron spent six years as the national chairman of The Assumption Fund while organizing Reunion Weekend and other alumni events. During the Assumption Alive campaign, Ron established the Paul ’38 and Georgette Coderre Endowed Scholarship to honor his parents and thank Assumption for his education and the opportunities that contributed to his success. After he and Donna married, they created the Ron ’69 and Donna Coderre Endowed Scholarship to support students from the Greater Putnam/Northeast Connecticut area.

They recently made a gift to the Light the Way Capital Campaign as part of a legacy gift in their estate. As Jack Bresciani used to say: “They bleed blue” for Assumption.

For more information on how you can support Assumption with a legacy gift, contact Melanie Demarais at 508.767.7332 or visit www.assumption.edu/plannedgiving. assumption.edu | SPRING

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CLASS NOTES

Submit your news online at assumption.edu/classnotes.

SUMMER 2019 issue deadline is June 1. Weʼd love to hear from you!

1972

1980

1976

1981

Ed Neafsey and Dave McCarthy participated in the Maine Lighthouse Tour bike ride in September 2018. Ed and Dave did the Metric Century ride, a 62-mile loop along the coast. Ed and his wife, Jane, also recently traveled to South Africa where his son lives and works.

Joseph Kubacki recently had his third and fourth articles published in the national basketball magazine Winning Hoops.

Frank Doyle, senior vice president of insurance services at AAA Northeast, was recently quoted in the company’s publication regarding the organization’s recognition as the Brand Name of the Year by the 2018 Harris Poll EquiTrend study for its multiline insurance offerings.

Joan Laracy’s floral representation of the painting of St. Catherine Giulio Cesare Procaccini was displayed this January as part of the Worcester Art Museum’s Flora in Winter showcase. The painting is part of the museum’s permanent collection.

Patricia (Bermudez) Smith has been named the new assistant vice president/ branch manager of the Bolton branch of Clinton Savings Bank. In her new role, she will oversee branch staff to foster and further develop the bank’s relationships with both individuals and businesses in the area. She was previously employed by Fidelity Bank and has more than 37 years of banking industry experience.

1977

1982

Ron Gilbért is the global director of Gilbért, Flossmann & Zhang Worldwide, a global marketing consultancy with associates in Asia, Europe, and North America. The firm offers digital and traditional marketing strategy development and deployment services designed for regional markets and delivered in local languages. Ron previously held global marketing management positions at the Fortune 500 manufacturing companies Parker Hannifin, Danaher, and Fortive.

32 ASSUMPTION Magazine

Greg Ugalde, Esq., National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) 2019 chairman of the board, attended the State of the Union Address in Washington, DC, in February. NAHB is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction.

1984

35TH REUNION

Jackie (Trahan) Rezuke is in her ninth year volunteering as scenic artist for Shrewsbury’s community theater Regatta Players, and most recently painted part of the set for the group’s February performance of Drinking Habits. She has also volunteered her skills by painting stage sets for the town’s public high school musicals for a decade.

Vincent Salamone has retired after a career of more than 30 years with the federal government. During that time, he was a captain in the U.S. Army, a special assistant U.S. attorney, and a command procurement fraud advisor at the U.S. Army Communications–Electronics Command. Subsequently, as a civilian attorney at the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, Vince served as an associate counsel. In that position, he also performed duties as the press liaison for 20 years and provided services as an ethics course instructor for more than 25 years for the General Services Administration.

He was the recipient of the OGE Director’s Award on three occasions.

1985

Mary (Wood) Robins recently joined Bryant University as a lecturer in communication. She previously taught at Northeastern University and worked as a marketing consultant for a social media marketing firm and an online media education company.

1988

1999

Michael Johnson is a senior graphic designer for Aéropostale in Red Hook, NY. Rear Admiral Andrew Loiselle, a former commander of the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier, served as one of 13 honorary pallbearers at the U.S. Capitol services for the late President George H.W. Bush in December 2018. Rear Adm. Loiselle, a Rhode Island native, attended Assumption on an ROTC scholarship. After graduating with a degree in mathematics, he became a fighter pilot and served as a flight instructor before earning an Executive Master of Business Administration through the Naval Postgraduate School in 2004 and graduating from the Navy’s nuclear power school with honors in 2007. Rear Adm. Loiselle commanded the USS George H.W. Bush from 2013–15.

1989

30TH REUNION

Catherine Carbone, Ed.D., was named the new superintendent of schools in Bristol, CT, effective July 1. Dr. Carbone has served in numerous roles throughout her educational career, including teacher, assistant principal, principal, central office administrator, and her current position as assistant superintendent for the Bristol Public Schools.

1994

25TH REUNION

Daryle P. Dwan was recently promoted to the rank of lieutenant in the Boston Police Department. Lt. Dwan was pinned by his wife, Holly J. (Stavinski) Dwan, during a ceremony at Boston Police Headquarters in October 2018. He has been a member of the department since 1995.

1996

David Nordman was named executive editor of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette in December 2018. David served

ASSUMPTION CLASS NOTES

John F. Fulone has joined Cape Cod 5 in the role of senior vice president and director of strategic support, bringing over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. John is a member of the American Bankers Association’s Mutual Institutions Council and serves in a number of leadership roles for local nonprofits.

as the paper’s interim executive editor since September. He joined the Telegram in 1995, holding many positions including deputy managing editor, sports editor, and copy editor, and most recently served as the assistant managing editor for digital and new media since 2015. He is also an adjunct professor at Assumption.

(See story on pages 12–13.)

University of Notre Dame

1986

20TH REUNION

Pamela (Perfetuo) Wheeler and her husband, Rich, welcomed twins, Benjamin William and Tessa Elizabeth, on May 13, 2018. They join their three older siblings: Brandon (17), Emily (12), and Noah (8).

BIRTH:

2000

Courtney Boulli-Brown and her husband, David Brown, welcomed their second child, Remington Alexander Brown, who joins his big brother, Maddox.

BIRTH:

2001

Patrick Driscoll has been named the new assistant director of athletics at Austin Prep. Patrick assumed his new position in January. He was formerly the athletic director at Malden Catholic.

Amy Logue married Andrew Gontarz on October 6, 2018, in Scituate. Alumni in attendance included bridesmaids Jill (Moore) Bernhard, Meghan Logue ’12, and Cate (Leamy) Tyler, as well as: Matt Abraham, Erin (Jones) Barata, John Barata ’00, Bob Belforti ’02, Raquel Durkin Belforti, Jim Bernhard, Lauren Catalogna, Brittney (Cass) and Kyle Egress, Kyle “Rip” Gibbons, Kristen (Hurlbut) Gwiazdoski, Kara (Wilson) Mason, Lauren (Kres) Masterson, Tim Monahan, Beth Murray, Jon Pickard, Amy Sacco ’98, and Brian Toman.

Assumption staff in attendance included Nicki Lazaros and Sharon Mahoney P’07.

Amy is the director of alumni relations at Assumption. The couple resides in Providence, RI. Rich Rubino recently published his fourth book, titled American Politics on the Rocks: The Bizarre Side of American Politics. Rich enjoys speaking to various organizations and groups about his research in American politics.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Kelly ’83 Named AP Coach of the Year

For the second time in his career, University of Notre Dame Head Football Coach Brian Kelly ’83 was named the Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year following a season in which he led his nationally ranked team to a perfect 12–0 season. The AP shared that Kelly is one of only three coaches to earn this designation twice, one that he also earned in 2012 following another undefeated season.

BRIAN KELLY IS ONE OF ONLY THREE COACHES TO EARN THE COACH OF THE YEAR DESIGNATION TWICE. The perfect record propelled Notre Dame to its first appearance in the new College Football Playoffs.

In his nine seasons with Notre Dame, Kelly has amassed an 81–34 record; he appeared in the BCS Championship game in 2012 and in the 2018 BCS semifinals, losing to eventual National Champion Clemson in the Cotton Bowl.

According to the AP, its college football poll voters gave Kelly 16 of 58 first-place votes for a total of 81 points. Alabama’s Nick Saban finished second in voting, and Central Florida’s Josh Heupel finished third.

In December, Kelly was also named the Home Depot Coach of the Year – the only coach to earn the recognition three times. He was also awarded the Dodd Trophy, which, according to the AP, honors “scholarship, leadership, integrity, and success on the field” and is given to the nation’s top football coach. assumption.edu | SPRING

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ASSUMPTION CLASS NOTES

Rear Admiral Andrew Loiselle ’88 served as an honorary pallbearer at the U.S. Capitol services for the late President George H.W. Bush.

Dave McCarthy ’72 (left) and Ed Neafsey ’72 (right) participated in the Maine Lighthouse Tour in September 2018.

2002

Davide Villani, CPA, CGMA, was promoted to partner at Alexander, Aronson, Finning CPAs (AAFCPAs) Wealth Management. Dave joined the firm shortly after graduating from Assumption. He leads AAFCPAs’ Employee Benefit Plan Audit & Consulting Practice and has extensive expertise in Employee Retirement Income Security Act standards.

2003

Gabriela (Galvez) Crosse and her husband, Seamus, announced the birth of their first child, Seamus Thomas, on May 6, 2018.

BIRTH:

Adam Hardenbrook and his wife, Lisa, welcomed their second child, Molly Alexis, on November 9, 2018. She joins big sister, Lucy, 4.

BIRTH:

34 ASSUMPTION Magazine

Greg Ugalde, Esq. ’82, National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) 2019 chairman of the board, attended the State of the Union Address in Washington, DC, in February.

(Greg is in back left in pink tie.)

Jessica (Cremin) Oliveri married Carl Oliveri, Ph.D., on September 14, 2018, at the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor Hotel.

Jessica is a project manager for Mugar Enterprises and Carl is the associate dean of students at MCPHS University.

They reside in Chelsea.

2004

15TH REUNION

Michael Morrison is riding in the PanMass Challenge for the second time this August to raise money for cancer research and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. The Pan-Mass Challenge is an approximately 170-mile bike ride beginning in Wellesley and ending in Provincetown.

2005

Daryle P. Dwan ’94 with his wife, Holly J. (Stavinski) Dwan ’94, at a ceremony in which Daryle was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in the Boston Police Department.

Shawn Huxley, CPA, MSA, was promoted to director of Samet & Company PC, an accounting firm in Chestnut Hill.

2006

Matthew McGinnis, CPA, has been promoted to partner at Alexander, Aronson, Finning CPAs (AAFCPAs) Wealth Management. Matthew joined the firm as a staff accountant upon graduation and has since excelled to become a leader of AAFCPAs’ Community & Economic Development Practice. He is also a leader of the firm’s Charter School Practice, providing proven solutions for charter schools and charter management organizations.

2007

Kristin Cannon has joined Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn, NY, as their assistant athletic director, head girls’ soccer coach, and teacher. She spent the previous 10 years coaching college soccer, most recently at Division I Xavier University.

ASSUMPTION CLASS NOTES

James Coletti has joined Suffolk Construction as a purchasing analyst in the Greater New York City area. Jim lives in Watchung, NJ, with his wife and two children.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

2008

John Callahan received the Governor’s Award for Meritorious Conduct at the Massachusetts Firefighter of the Year ceremony on November 20, 2018. Last June, John and his crew from Worcester’s Park Avenue Station Ladder 7 rescued a man from a two-alarm fire. In January 2017, John and his crew received a commendation from the City of Worcester for the rescue of a family from the top floor of a three-alarm fire on Pelham Street.

Kara (Snyder-Gerardi) Schneider and her husband, Ronnie, welcomed their son, Jackson Cole Schneider, on December 19, 2018.

BIRTH:

2009

10TH REUNION

Shannon Plasski and her husband welcomed their first baby, Madelyn Grace Perkins, on March 21, 2018.

BIRTH:

Kim Ricciardone married Matt Kisil ’10 on November 3, 2018. Alumni in attendance included bridesmaids Amy (Laurendeau) Basbas, Marie (Torto) Bucklin ’10, Katie (Ricciardone) Conley ’07, Marissa Howard, Katherine (Slifka) Leonard, and Laura Ricciardone ’16; groomsman Matt Wright ’10; and Megan (Kellett) Bray, Elizabeth Dickinson ’08, Jennifer (Clancy) McWhirter ’10, Alyse Moccia ’10, Cecilia Santos, Megan (Maddaluno) Scheeler, and Laura (Hart) Testa.

2010

Doug Starbird is currently serving in the Peace Corps in the Fiji Islands, where he also coaches high school soccer and basketball and is involved in volleyball and rugby in his village.

Dustin Wirzburger has been promoted to vice president and manager at Security First Mortgage Funding, LLC. Dustin previously served as the operations/ closing manager for the company.

How a Chemistry Degree Prepared Jessica Kosturko ‘07 for a Career with The New York Times

BY RACHEL BERTHIAUME ’20

Jessica Kosturko ’07 never thought she would find her dream job in advertising, but now she’s leading one of the nation’s top daily newspapers in implementing innovative and unprecedented digital strategies. Kosturko is currently a senior manager of advertising technology at The New York Times where she manages a team of engineers to improve the digital experience and delivery of the Times.

KOSTURKO SAID HER BACKGROUND IN LIBERAL ARTS HELPED HER THROUGH HER MANY CAREER CHANGES AND TO KEEP PACE IN AN EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY FIELD.

Kosturko describes her career path and time spent at Assumption as a “jungle gym” as she changed her major three different times before deciding on chemistry. After graduation, she applied to jobs related to her field, but ultimately took a computer programmer position, first working for a startup and Comedy Central before landing her current position at the Times. At the Times, she has built websites and designed a new reader experience for mobile devices. Kosturko is responsible for increasing ad revenue while optimizing the reader experience for the publication, a job with significant importance in the digital age.

Kosturko said her background in liberal arts helped her through her many career changes and to keep pace in an evolving technology field. “Philosophy taught me to think differently,” she said.

“Business and technology can be baffling at times with seemingly unanswerable questions. …

Organic chemistry taught me to stay in the game even when I was utterly lost.”

She cites her Assumption professors’ dedication and commitment to her success as an influential factor when it comes to her nontraditional career path. “Each step in my career has taught me something about myself,” she said, adding that she is always open to possibilities. “I have found major growth in areas I least expected.”

assumption.edu | SPRING

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ASSUMPTION CLASS NOTES

2011

Christine Marotto married Dr. Robert DiGiammarino ’12 on August 25, 2018. The wedding was held in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit and was celebrated by Fr. John Franck, A.A. Alumni in attendance included: Laura Begley, Jonathan Bishop, Nicole Campbell, Scott Corain ’12, Jenna Damato, Michael Dion, Zachary DeLoughery ’12, Nicole DePaola, Matt Epstein ’12, Meg Farnam ’12, Elizabeth Johnson ’12, Grace Kennedy, Alex Mascaro, Gayle Melko ’10, Peter Melko ’10, Alex Merriam ’12, Andrea Moniz ’12, Alex Potter ’12, Andrew Smith ’12, and Jeffrey Starr ’12.

Lauren Milka is the new digital solutions coordinator at the Massachusetts Dental Society in Southborough.

2012

Dr. Robert DiGiammarino recently launched Ocean Gem Psychological Care, PLLC, a private psychotherapy practice.

He is a Massachusetts-licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in the treatment of children and families.

Shafayet Khan has been named the embedded software engineer at Next Generation Access Networks Comcast in Denver, CO.

2013

David D’Amico was recently named the strategic account executive for Recorded Future in Somerville.

Matthew Doherty and Elizabeth Gannuscio were married on October 6, 2018, in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit.

The Mass was celebrated by Fr. Ron Sibougan, A.A., and a reception followed at the Pleasant Valley Country Club in Sutton.

Alumni in attendance included: Jennifer Byrne ’12, Michael Conway, John Donegan, John Flaherty, Kimberly McIntosh, Lauren Mulkern, Allison O’Malley, Billy O’Neill, Britni Hagopian Parker, and Brittany Wonsor.

John P. Donegan was recently elected to the Cranston, RI, City Council.

36 ASSUMPTION Magazine

2014

Brianna (Simoncini) Norton and her husband, Patrick, announced the birth of their first child, Patrick John (PJ), on November 8, 2018.

BIRTH:

2015

Sarah Kupec ’15, G’18 recently joined Finivi, Inc. Financial Advisors in Westborough as a client relations manager.

Pablo Sierra-Carmona recently began a new position as deputy press secretary for U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ). He previously worked for Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (D-CA) for three and a half years, where he started as a press intern and was promoted to staff assistant and ultimately press assistant.

ASSUMPTION PREP 1973

Kevin O’Sullivan stepped down from his position leading Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives at the end of December 2018.

During his 20-year tenure, the Worcester nonprofit launched dozens of life science businesses in Central Massachusetts.

CONTINUING EDUCATION CE’98

G’76

Holly Haines has been named chief operating officer at MLS Property Information Network, where she provides leadership and management while focusing on organizational excellence and technical vision. She previously served as the company’s director of operations and human resources.

G’11

Suzie Wagner, the regional manager for the Vermont Department of Labor’s Career Resources Centers in Springfield and Brattleboro, recently joined 18 other community members in serving on the Youth Services Board of Directors, a nonprofit agency that helps area young people and families thrive.

CLASS NOTES SUBMISSION GUIDELINES Assumption Magazine publishes Class Notes in each issue (spring, summer, and winter). Submissions can be made at alumni@assumption.edu or by mailing us your information. An icon may be placed by a wedding announcement, indicating a photo is posted online. The Magazineʼs editorial staff makes every effort to accurately print announcements, but cannot always verify the accuracy of information submitted for publication.

Kathie (Holm) Mahoney has been promoted to center director at the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MassMEP).

In her new position, she will be responsible for leading and developing a team of professional consultants who create economic impact by transforming manufacturing enterprises.

GRADUATE STUDIES G’74

Mark J. Griffin has been chosen as one of the AARP Purpose Prize Fellow awardees for 2019, which honors individuals who use their life experiences to make a better future for all. Mark has worked in the field of learning disabilities for more than 40 years. He is the co-founder of Understood.org and was the founding headmaster of Eagle Hill School in Greenwich, CT, a position he held from 1975–2009.

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Assumption Alums Launch Online Literary Magazine

BY RACHEL BERTHIAUME ’20

For Brett Murphy Hunt ’11 and Jon Bishop ’11, their Assumption educations instilled in them a deep love of learning and passion for writing. This, paired with their love for literature, motivated them to create Portrait of New England, a submission-driven online literary magazine launching this summer with the goal of encouraging aspiring writers and “reviving regional, New England literature.” According to the longtime friends, the magazine will provide a yearly issue that features a variety of different authors “ALWAYS REMEMBER and styles of writing, while capturing THAT WHAT YOU DO IN the meaning and beauty of New England THIS WORLD SHOULD in a pure, original way.

POSITIVELY IMPACT YOUR COMMUNITY AND SOCIETY AT LARGE.“ Brett Murphy Hunt ’11 Jon Bishop ’11

“With this new project, the main goal is to put forth something artistic and creative for the world to enjoy,” said Hunt and Bishop. “Indeed, our liberal arts education showed us the importance of endeavors such as this.”

The duo’s idea for Portrait of New England evolved from their desire to enable writers to share their love for New England through both nonfiction and fiction literature and visual art. Hunt and Bishop report a “sense of pride” over the triple-digit submissions they received for their inaugural issue.

They added that while their Assumption education prepared them to “go out into the world and try to find our callings,” sometimes that means seeking out or creating one’s own opportunities. “Remember that opportunities don't always come to you; you have to go out and find them – or create them,” they added. “Always remember that what you do in this world should positively impact your community and society at large.”

W eddings

C onferences M eetings S o cial E vents and more Located on 185 picturesque acres just minutes from downtown Worcester and major highways, Assumption College offers a number of comfortable facilities for your wedding, social event, conference, meeting, or summer camp. A beautifully landscaped piazza and fountain are located adjacent to a new, state-of-the-art building featuring a 400-seat ballroom, separate performance hall with the same seating capacity, and a number of classrooms and conference rooms, all equipped with advanced technology.

Ample and free parking available.

Call 508.767.7423 for more information.

www.AssumptionEventPlanning.com assumption.edu | SPRING

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19 37

IN MEMORIAM Normand Marois AP’53, ’57, HD’91, and Gloria Marois P’80, P’87, P’89 1938—2018

Longtime Assumption benefactors Normand, 83, and Gloria Marois, 83, passed away last fall; Gloria on November 26 and Norm on December 8. Through their vision, generosity, and passion, they helped shape the growth of Assumption.

As Arthur’s business successes grew, so did his generosity, supporting organizations that served the neediest in the communities where he lived and worked, particularly in education. Arthur was very much involved with Assumption, working on the Assumption Alive Campaign, which enabled the construction of the Plourde Recreation Center. The Remillard Fieldhouse inside the Plourde is named in honor of him.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, and his children – Arthur J. Remillard III (who served as a College Trustee), Robert, Renee, Danielle P’07, and Regan – and many grandchildren, including Lindsey Haxton-McGovern ’07.

Norm joined his father’s construction business, Marois Brothers, after graduating and immediately got to work on his alma mater’s campus. Since that time, the company has been instrumental in several major projects, including the campus loop road, the Testa Science Center, and the Multi-Sport Stadium, while Norm – who retired as chairman of Marois Brothers in 1994, after taking over the company in 1963 – was instrumental in the construction of the original football field and the field hockey/softball field, and supported the building of the Chapel of the Holy Spirit and Plourde Recreation Center.

Norm’s contributions to Assumption extend beyond construction; he was just the sixth person to receive the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year Award in 1972 and served on the Board of Trustees for 15 years (1975–90). In 1987, the women’s softball field was dedicated in his honor. He received an honorary doctorate from Assumption in 1991, was named an honorary trustee in 1994, and was an honorary inductee to the Alumni Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003. He was a founding father of the original athletic booster club, and both Norm and Gloria were charter members of the President’s Council.

They leave behind a lasting legacy, which includes their five children: Nancy Winn ’80, Jeffrey, Barbara, Ralph ’87, David ’89, and granddaughter Alexandra Marois ’22.

Arthur J. Remillard, Jr., HD’94 1930—2018

Arthur J. Remillard, Jr., 87, passed away on November 28, surrounded by his family.

Arthur, an Auburn native and U.S. Navy Veteran, was an entrepreneur at heart, pursuing a number of opportunities in business, among the most notable as an incorporator of the Shrewsbury Bank and Trust and a founding investor of Commerce Insurance Company. At the time of Arthur’s retirement in 2006, Commerce was the leading writer of automobile and homeowner insurance in Massachusetts and the 19th largest personal automobile insurer in the U.S.

38 ASSUMPTION Magazine

Lance Brady 1970—2019

Former Assumption Men’s Ice Hockey Head Coach Lance Brady, 48, passed away on February 5, after battling cancer.

In his 10 years as coach, Lance won 99 games, helping to lead the team back to prominence in the Northeast-10 Conference and ultimately winning the program’s first NE10 Championship in the 2016–17 season. He was selected the NE10 Coach of the Year three times while coaching two of the last three NE10 Players of the Year and the 2017–18 NE10 Defenseman of the Year. In his final season with the program, Assumption went 15-10-2, its highest win percentage in over 20 years.

Lance’s teams excelled in the classroom and were committed to community service, holding special awareness games to raise financial resources for important causes, which over the last three years alone raised over $10,000.

Lance was a standout hockey player in his own right at nearby College of the Holy Cross, where he earned ECAC East AllStar honors and served as a captain his senior season. Following his time at Holy Cross, he played with multiple teams in the ECHL, AHL, and IHL, including the 1997–98 season with the Birmingham Bulls of the ECHL where he was an all-conference performer as well as an assistant coach with the team.

† Raymond ˮRayˮ C. Greenwood, Jr. ’73

† Elaine L. Olson

† Duane H. Berquist, Ph.D., P’95

† Luis F. Candal ’66

† Walter R. ˮSkipˮ Barys, Jr. G’69

January 22, 2019

† Andre LaPre AP’47

† Kevin Glanzman ’12

January 24, 2019

June 28, 2018

December 21, 2018

† Robert R. Esposito, Jr. ’89

† Debra Sheridan Olbrias ’97

January 26, 2019

† Dr. Clarence C. Dumais

† George ˮChipˮ E. Chandley AP’64

January 30, 2019

October 13, 2018

† Helen Queenan CE’93

February 2, 2019

† Gerard ˮGerryˮ R. Gravel AP’49, ’53

February 4, 2019

† Katherine ˮKatieˮ V. Donahue ’89

February 5, 2019

† Charlotte Ferland Socha ’97

February 9, 2019

May 14, 2018

November 24, 2018

May 31, 2018 (date of services)

December 8, 2018

September 14, 2018

AP’50, ’54, P’91

† Rev. Monsignor Joseph L. Goudreau AP’55, ’59

October 15, 2018

† Robert P. Burns ’73 October 18, 2018

December 25, 2018

January 4, 2019

† Rev. Monsignor F. Gilles Roy

January 9, 2019

† David J. Picard, Jr. AP’50 † Paul J. Alarie AP’47 † Joan I. (Malboeuf) Dalmanieras G’72

December 27, 2018

† Albert E. Bouley AP’46, AU’50

† Carol A. Harding G’66 † Thomas F. Harrahy ’60

December 21, 2018

January 9, 2019

October 18, 2018

Former professor

† Sr. Mary Bosco G’79 † Edward “Ted” J. Chisholm ’88 † Hannah Karp Laipson G’68

Former professor, president of WISE

AP’45, ’50

† Francis X. Babineau, D.M.D., ’43

† Dr. Jeffrey Bernardone ’80

† William J. Piechowski ’78

† Kathleen A. Noponen ‘79

† Marcia (Dunn) Stirk ’77

† Michael E. Lahey ’77, P’09

† Roger D. Tourville AP’53

† Dr. Leo A. Paquette AP’52

† Eugene “Gene” L. Tougas, Jr., Esq. ‘40

† Mary E. Vail CE’88, P’84

† Stephen P. Fredette ’68

January 17, 2019

October 20, 2018 October 21, 2018 October 23, 2018

† Sister Lucy Scata G’70 November 4, 2018

† Nancy (Pisko) Fay ’82 November 12, 2018

† Dr. Normand P. Larocque AP’47, ’51

January 19, 2019 January 20, 2019 January 21, 2019 January 21, 2019

February 14, 2019 February 15, 2019 February 21, 2019 February 23, 2019 February 27, 2019

November 12, 2018

Did you know that Assumption College offers 12 graduate programs?

• Addiction Counseling • Applied Behavior Analysis • Business Administration (MBA), including Accelerated & CPA Track • Clinical Counseling Psychology • Health Advocacy • Healthcare Management MBA

• • • • •

Rehabilitation Counseling Resiliency in the Helping Professions School Counseling Special Education Special Ops: Service Members, Veterans, and Families (SMVF) • Transition Specialist

Flexible course schedules. Small class sizes. Individualized attention.

We pride ourselves on our student-centered culture where the focus is YOU! For information about our graduate programs, please email graduate@assumption.edu or assumption.edu | SPRING call 508.767.7387. Visit us online at www.assumption.edu/graduate

2019

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// LAST WORDS //

Finding Our Center(s)

BY DAVID CROWLEY, PH.D., ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY AND SMRITI RAO, PH.D., ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS CLIMATE CHANGE, HUNGER AND FOOD

insecurity, forced migration – the world’s complex problems require thinking that is broad and creative, from across academic disciplines. Practicing interdisciplinarity is easier said than done, however. Disciplinary training, teaching demands, and the surprisingly sticky issue of campus geography (where we sit!) tend to isolate faculty members from each other. Meanwhile, a truly interdisciplinary education goes beyond asking our students to take classes across disciplines; it requires that these classes and experiences be in conversation with one another. And the reality is that classes are more likely to be in conversation if faculty members truly are.

40 ASSUMPTION Magazine

This desire for shared conversation is being expressed through a variety of initiatives at Assumption. For the last three years, faculty and staff members have come together for a service and reflection day at Noonday Farm in Winchendon. Noonday donates its organically farmed produce to local food banks and is supported solely by volunteer groups. The trip gives faculty and staff precious time and space to serve together, enjoy each other’s company, and reflect over lunch about our shared vocations at Assumption. We know from personal experience that friendships established at events like these not only make Assumption a more collegial place, but also produce new and creative collaborations in research and teaching that improve the education our students receive.

A great example is our Global Campus partnership with Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the world’s largest humanitarian organization. Through collaboration with Catholic institutions like Assumption, CRS seeks to educate and inspire students to better understand and help solve complex global problems. Our partnership with CRS, which we coordinate through an interdisciplinary advisory board, has led to a number of new co-curricular events on campus, including films, student-led refugee walks, and the Hounds4CRS basketball games.

Recently, our CRS alliance has been brought into a larger interdisciplinary collaborative project, the new Center for Global Studies, which coordinates the College’s internationally focused programs. And from this work arose yet another innovation: a

one-credit, service-oriented course called Global Humanitarian Relief that was offered to students for the first time during the spring semester.

The emergence of interdisciplinary centers and institutes on our campus brings faculty and staff together around shared themes.

For example, the D’Amour Center for Teaching Excellence engages faculty in discussions about teaching through its course innovation academy, faculty learning communities, and “food for thought” presentations by faculty on pedagogical innovations. Professors from psychology and biology are working together through the new Center for Neuroscience to provide students a variety of academic and co-curricular programming focused on this exciting field. Finally, the forthcoming Center for Purpose and Vocation expands upon our highly successful SOPHIA program to promote conversations about mission and vocation amongst our students, as well as our staff and faculty.

After all, hospitable spaces for students to discern purpose and meaning must be nurtured by faculty and staff who already feel at home.

Inclusive, interdisciplinary conversations will continue to deepen our sense of common vocation and foster the future programs, projects, and intellectual insights our students are looking for.

The reality is that classes are more likely to be in conversation if faculty members truly are.

Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends,

Growing up, I was taught to thank people for a gift or when they did something nice. With this in mind, I want to thank YOU for helping to make my Assumption experience possible. Your financial support of The Assumption Fund provided me with amazing opportunities such as engaging faculty committed to my success, piano lessons, weekend activities, intramural sports, experiential learning, and friends that will last a lifetime.

This year, I will make my first gift to The Assumption Fund as an alumna. I hope you will also make a gift so that more students can have the same experience I did. My time at Assumption has been one of the greatest gifts I have ever received, and I am truly grateful.

Thank you,

Alyssa Jalbert ’19

T he A ssumption F und

The Assumption Fund impacts the lives of Assumption students like Alyssa every day. Your gift of any amount will help provide students exceptional academic, student life, recreational, service, and athletic opportunities.

Make your gift using the enclosed envelope or by visiting our online giving page:

www.assumption.edu/donate

assumption.edu | SPRING

2019

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save the date

ALUMNI EVENTS Friday, May 31 – Sunday, June 2 Reunion/Houndfest

Saturday, July 20

Cape Cod Alumni Reception / Hyannis Yacht Club

Saturday, September 21 Prep Reunion

Saturday, October 19

Presidentʼs Council Dinner

Saturday, October 26 Homecoming

Event information: assumption.edu/alumni/events