Engage - Spring 2024

Engage

Bryant University creates the Ellen Wilson Leadership Center

Thanks to a generous $5 million gift from incoming Board of Trustees

Chair D. Ellen Wilson ’79, Bryant University will create the Ellen Wilson Leadership Center, anchored at the new Business Entrepreneurship Leadership Center. This transformational Vision 2030 gift builds on the University’s leadership legacy and empowers all Bryant students to explore and enrich their leadership potential in impactful ways during their college experience and into their careers.

“Bryant students show up ready to solve big problems with creative ideas, and they have the drive to turn those ideas into action,” says Wilson. “The Ellen Wilson Leadership Center will expand on the University’s top-tier academic and co-curricular offerings to propel our students to the next level, solidifying Bryant as a premier institution for educating the next generation of leaders.”

“Ellen Wilson’s generous gift to create the Ellen Wilson Leadership Center is a testament to her strong belief in Bryant’s exceptional students and our talented faculty and staff, who live the Center’s core mission: to build extraordinary, ethical, and inclusive leaders capable of impacting the world,” says Bryant University President Ross Gittell, Ph.D. “Thank you, Ellen, for your unwavering commitment to

creating pathways of opportunity for Bryant University students.”

The Ellen Wilson Leadership Center launches this fall with the Women’s Leadership Institute, which provides a home for Bryant’s exceptional women undergraduates. The Institute serves to empower and equip Bryant’s women students with the skills, knowledge, and real-world experience they need to shatter glass ceilings, break down barriers, and change the world around them.

“The women students at Bryant are some of the most ambitious and dedicated students I’ve met in my 20-plus years in higher ed,” says Inge-Lise Ameer, Ed.D., vice president of student affairs, dean of students,

A long and winding road

After 23 years at Bryant, it’s time for me to step down from my role as Executive Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement. Here is what I hope the Bryant alumni and parent community will remember from my time on this long and winding road. Throughout my Bryant career, I focused on building relationships inside and outside of Bryant. During my early visits with alumni and

parents, I learned that they wanted to see more of us in person. They wanted to be engaged in meaningful ways and to see the power of the Bryant network in action. Most of all, they wanted to be heard. We heard you loud and clear, and we stepped up our game, building new strategies to reach across the country and around the world with regional, in-person events and receptions. Social media was a brand-new concept back

Ellen Wilson’s generous gift is a testament to her strong belief in Bryant’s exceptional students and our talented faculty and staff, who live the Center’s core mission: to build extraordinary, ethical, and inclusive leaders capable of impacting the world.

ROSS GITTELL, PH.D. BRYANT UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT

chief diversity officer, and executive director of Bryant’s Women’s Summit®

“The Women’s Leadership Institute is the perfect place to nurture this impressive next generation of leaders. We are so grateful to Ellen Wilson for recognizing this and carving out a space for these remarkable women to excel.”

The Ellen Wilson Leadership Fellows program also launches in fall of 2024. Each year, beginning with the Class of 2028, 20 first-year students selected as Wilson Fellows will receive a $5,000 stipend each to use over their four years at Bryant. The stipend can be used to fund leadership growth opportunities such as academic research, unpaid internships, and study abroad programs. Alumni mentors are paired with each Fellow and follow the students through

their Bryant journey. All incoming first-year students are eligible for this inaugural fellowship program.

In addition to their regular degree program, all Bryant students can pursue a Leadership Certificate via the Ellen Wilson Leadership Center. Bryant is known for producing exceptional leaders. This new certificate program will give all students an opportunity to be credentialed in leadership, making graduates more competitive in the job market, providing additional value to employers, and enhancing the University’s stellar ROI. The Leadership Certificate will be part of the Wilson Fellow curriculum.

The Ellen Wilson Leadership Center will serve as a robust hub for groundbreaking research in leadership and management topics, including an undergraduate leadership summit and programming such as a lecture series and Leaders in Residence.

“Leaders are not born, they are made at Bryant,” says outgoing board chair David Beirne ’85. “Ellen Wilson’s generous gift gives value to our students that extends well beyond their time at the University.”

then, and it proved to be a game-changer as we learned how to connect the worldwide Bryant network through new platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn. Along the way, I’ve been supported by incredibly creative and dedicated staff. Together, we made adjustments, tried new approaches, and always tried to do

more for our alumni and parents. We’ve focused on connecting alumni and parents with current students to share knowledge and expertise and bring the real world into the classroom. Last year, more than 5,000 alumni volunteered in some

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Robin Torbron Warde P’17

ALC CORNER

THE “WHY” QUESTION

At a recent dinner with two Bryant graduates whom I have come to know after meeting them at a recent New York City networking event, I was asked “Why are you so involved with Bryant?” It was a refreshing question, and by answering it, I became inspired. Now, I ask others about their “why.”

My good friend Nico Santini ’93 was also at the event. We are both members of the Alumni Leadership Council — a sounding board of advisors for the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement. Both of us responded to the “why” with several reasons.

Here are mine:

• Through my personal and professional journey, I have benefited from several formal and informal mentors — I aim to provide that same opportunity to our current students.

• At Bryant, the knowledge I gained and relationships I made ignited a passion for learning that forms the basis of who I am today.

• As the value of a Bryant education has increased, so has my alumni network providing me with new opportunities that otherwise would not have availed themselves.

• As a life-long learner, Bryant provides multiple engagement formats that allow me to meet new people, hear new stories, and grow.

• I’ve been inspired by other alumni who have developed a strong call to service at our University, most-notably Nirbhay Kumar ’97 and Nico Santini ’93 and

• I’m proud that my wife, Tracy ’94, is a fellow Bryant alumnus and that our youngest son is a current student studying Finance and Psychology.

I want to do everything possible to make Bryant even better, and associating myself with such an accomplished and visionary organization provides me with additional purpose. Who doesn’t want to be part of a winning team?

That’s my “why” — I’d like to hear yours.

Share your story and your “why” with us at alumni@bryant.edu and we welcome you to stay engaged with Bryant in the ways that suit you — come to events, follow us on social, network with Bryant graduates, mentor Bryant students, and share your stories.

– Samuel Broomer ’93, P’25

First Vice President Bryant Alumni Leadership Council

Please visit alumni.bryant.edu/ getinvolved or contact the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement at alumni@bryant.edu to join our efforts.

D. Ellen Wilson ’79 named Chair of Bryant University’s Board of Trustees

Bryant University announced that D. Ellen Wilson ’79 will be the next chair of the Board of Trustees. She will succeed David Beirne ’85 who has served as chair since 2020. Under his board leadership, Bryant launched Vision 2030 and has experienced strong growth in enrollment and rising reputation and recognition.

“Ellen Wilson is the right leader at the right time,” says outgoing board president Beirne. “It has been an honor to serve the Bryant community for over twenty years as a trustee and as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the past four. We assembled a world-class team to lead Bryant. Together, we set the direction for Bryant with Vision 2030. We just delivered the two largest classes in our 160-year history and secured a game changing gift from our partners at Fidelity for a dedicated home to grow our College of Business. With Ellen’s strategic leadership at the board level, the future of Bryant University has never been brighter.”

“Vision 2030 is set in place, there’s a defined plan, and the capital campaign has strong momentum. One of my strengths is bringing organizations together to move toward common goals”

D. ELLEN WILSON ’79

“Bryant University is fortunate to have strong alumni willing to share their talent with and dedication to the institution. I want to thank Dave for his decades of service to Bryant, including the last four as board chair, which launched Bryant into its next era of unprecedented growth and innovation,” says Bryant University President Ross Gittell, Ph.D. “Bryant will benefit enormously from Ellen Wilson’s strong leadership and unwavering commitment to this University. I look forward to continuing Vision 2030 with Ellen as chair of our Board of Trustees.”

Across her prominent career, Wilson worked alongside leaders in the financial services and healthcare sectors. She spent 17 years at Fidelity Investments, helping build the financial services firm into a global brand. At UnitedHealth

Group, she was pivotal in growing the company from 100,000 employees to a global juggernaut of 400,000 people with a revenue of $324 billion.

Wilson has advocated for Bryant University and its students for decades and as a board member since 2019.

Always engaged with the next generation, Wilson visits campus often, sharing lessons learned from her deep experience in business with students at both formal events and informal gatherings. Along with fellow board members, she helped guide the University through the COVID pandemic, which kept students on campus and engaged in the Bryant community. Her values-based leadership style will bring the Bryant community — its students, faculty, staff, and alumni — together to achieve the ambitious goals within Vision 2030. Wilson’s collaborative leadership approach will be a tactical advantage to bring these bold plans to fruition.

“President Gittell built an excellent team that’s forward thinking and practical. Vision 2030 is set in place, there’s a defined plan, and the capital campaign has strong momentum,” says Wilson. “One of my strengths is bringing organizations together to move toward common goals. Now is the time for that kind of guidance. David Beirne did a fantastic job and I am privileged to continue to build on his foundation.”

Wilson is the first woman to hold the position of board chair in the university’s 160-year history. According to the American Association of University Women, gender parity at the board level remains elusive, with women making up only 30% of the board seats. Of that number, only 7% lead boards as chairs or directors, according to Fortune. Wilson’s role at the chair level underscores the university’s strong commitment to an inclusive campus community that is supportive of diverse leaders.

Wilson’s tenure begins in May 2024 at the annual board meeting; Beirne will continue to serve on the Board of Trustees, which he joined in 2001.

2024 Alumni Achievement Awards

On April 12, members of the Bryant community gathered to celebrate seven of the University’s most accomplished alumni and faculty with awards for Distinguished Undergraduate and Graduate Achievement, the Nelson J. Gulski Service Award, Emerging Leaders and Distinguished Faculty.

LISA (WAYNELOVICH) MCCARTHY ’01

Distinguished Alumna, Undergraduate

“Bryant was the launching pad for so many things in my life,” says Lisa (Waynelovich) McCarthy ’01, CFO of Duracell, Inc, who credits the university for helping her achieve success in her life and career. At Bryant, she gained practical skills and leadership experience through her Accounting and Computer Information Systems majors, Student Senate and Resident Assistant duties, her work on the inaugural Women’s Summit®, and a second-place finish in an intercollegiate tax competition. She even met her husband, Brian ’00 at Bryant. “If I did not attend Bryant,” she says, “I don’t know where my career would be.” After graduating, Lisa went on to earn a master’s degree in Accounting from the University of Connecticut,

“You can have a connection with your university that spans way longer than the four years that you’re there.”

LISA (WAYNELOVICH) MCCARTHY ’01

followed by several years working for Deloitte. She and Brian eventually decided to move back to her hometown, Turners Falls, MA, in order to start a family near her parents. That’s when she began working at Yankee Candle, an international manufacturer and retailer based in Western Massachusetts.

“They had a really great breadth of opportunity,” says Lisa of Yankee Candle. “I got tremendous opportunities along the way to learn and grow and to progress in my career.” After starting

as a senior financial reporting analyst in 2004, Lisa worked her way up to become the CFO in 2012 and the CEO in 2020.

“They were all incredible learning experiences,” Lisa says. “We were bought and sold so many times that it felt like a new company every few years.”

In 2023, Lisa left Yankee Candle to become the CFO of Duracell, a company whose fully remote work structure has enabled her to remain in Turners Falls with her family. She says the opportunity to help lead this major brand, which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway, has been deeply fulfilling. “Their operating model is great,” she says. “It feels like I’m running my own business.”

Lisa says receiving an Alumni Achievement Award is humbling. She is excited to celebrate with her family, especially her four children, the oldest of whom is a junior in high school. “It’s really powerful as my daughter starts her college search,” Lisa says, “because I want her to understand that this is possible wherever she attends college. You can have a connection with your university that spans way longer than the four years that you’re there.”

TODD GUSTAFSON ’86

Nelson J. Gulski Service Award

“What I’m good at,” says Todd Gustafson ’86 “is creating a vision, gaining consensus around that vision, and then executing on the project.” Now President of HP Federal LLC and Head of US Public Sector HP Inc., Todd has used his visionary leadership to drive growth across the company for more than 35 years. He says that over the years, he has become successful by taking ownership of problems and working to create solutions. His career experiences at HP, he says, “reaffirmed to me the importance of managing outcomes, as opposed to being managed by them.”

Todd came to Bryant after spending one year at the University of Rhode Island, then another year working in the fishing industry in Narragansett. His father, Paul ’84 a leader at New England Electric, was working to complete his own bachelor’s degree at Bryant when Todd enrolled. Todd said he knew he had a business mind and wanted hands-on training for his future career, so he enjoyed the instruction he

got from his Bryant professors. “The teachers I had at Bryant were connected with what they did,” he says. “It wasn’t the philosophical approach; it was the practical approach.”

For many years now, Todd has given generously to Bryant by mentoring students and visiting classes, connecting students with internship opportunities, and helping to establish Bryant’s innovative Data Visualization Lab by facilitating a grant of cutting-edge technology from HP. He also recently hosted members of Bryant’s senior leadership, including Provost Rupendra Paliwal, Ph.D., at the HP Welcome Center in Fort Collins, CO to explore

“What I’m good at is creating a vision, gaining consensus around that vision, and then executing on the project.”

TODD GUSTAFSON ’86

technology solutions for Bryant’s Business Entrepreneurship Leadership Center (BELC). Todd has also competed in the Pan-Mass Challenge, a bike-a-thon that raises money for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, for 15 years, honoring a friend who died of ovarian cancer.

“I don’t do things for the reward,” says Todd, for whom the Nelson J. Gulski Service Award was an unexpected honor. His parents plan to make the journey to Smithfield from Florida for the Alumni Achievement Awards, and he says he will be especially happy to celebrate with his father and family.

ERIC EMERSON ’91MBA

Distinguished Alumnus, Graduate School

After nearly 30 years working for Fidelity Investments in a wide variety of roles, Eric Emerson ’91MBA now CIO and Head of Technology for Fidelity Wealth, says what keeps him inspired is his belief in the company’s mission. “You can have a career there and get the benefit of an overarching culture and set of guiding principles,” says Eric, “but have different things to do every couple of years.” He has charted a unique path through the company, applying his skills — and his work ethic — to solve problems and rise through the ranks to the executive role he now holds. “I never forget that I’m not the smartest guy in the room,” he says. “I will always be the hardest working and most persistent guy in the room, but I’ll never be the smartest.”

Before he joined Fidelity, Eric came to Bryant for his MBA, which he says was a pragmatic decision. “The curriculums at other schools were fine,” he says, “but they were much more theoretical and far less project-based. I wanted a program that would enable me to work with other people and do projects, because that’s what you have to do out in the real world anyway.”

Shortly after completing his MBA, Eric started at Fidelity, where he has spent the past 29 years.

“I do what I do because I want to make a difference. Our mission is to help millions of people have better financial outcomes, whatever that means to them.”

ERIC EMERSON ’91MBA

Eric says he doesn’t seek accolades for his work, so it means a lot to him to receive an Alumni Achievement Award from Bryant. “I do what I do because I want to make a difference,” he says. “Our mission is to help millions of people have better financial outcomes, whatever that means to them. Forty years from now, when I’m looking back on the career part of my life, I will get to say I spent my time helping millions of people. That’s a pretty good way to spend your time on the planet.”

Alumni Achievement Awards

In her role as Director and Institutional Advisor at the global investment firm AllianceBernstein, Amanda Dunne ’07 works with large public pension funds to help participants reach their retirement goals. Her interest in finance began years before while working in a bakery during high school on her native Long Island. “I loved the idea of pulling together with your colleagues to help run a business and make it successful,” says Amanda.

“Sometimes, all it takes is one person to really help move your career forward. The connections that link back to Bryant are truly unique to other schools.”

DUNNE ’07

A trusted co-worker and friend at the bakery was a student at Bryant, and she suggested Amanda consider the college. “When I visited campus in my junior year of high school, I immediately thought, ‘This is where I have to go.’”

In addition to lifelong friendships, her time at Bryant gave her the tools to succeed. “I think the emphasis on group work and collaboration in particular was crucial — so many roles today require the ability to work across teams,” says Amanda. “Our professors really cared about us as people and wanted us to be successful in all aspects of our lives.”

After graduating from Bryant, Amanda took on her first full-time role as an associate for a financial advisor at

Barney (now Morgan Stanley Wealth Management) in 2008 at the onset of the Global Financial Crisis. “It was a real hands-on experience. I had to learn the role and the field while building trust with our clients during a very tumultuous time,” she says.

Three years later, after time with AXA Advisors as an Investment Specialist, Amanda was seeking a new challenge when she connected with Stephen Tully ’98 at an alumni event. He helped advise her on other opportunities, including those at his previous firm, AllianceBernstein. Six months later, a position opened up and Tully passed along her resume. “Sometimes, all it takes is one person to really help move your career forward,” she says. “The connections that link back to Bryant are truly unique to other schools.”

Today, Amanda serves on both Bryant’s Alumni Leadership Council and the Wall Street Council. “The resources I received throughout my time on campus and also as an alum have been invaluable throughout my career, so it’s important to me to stay connected,” she says. “It’s great staying in touch with students, providing mentorship, and hearing about what’s going on campus.”

For Michael Oliveri ’08, receiving the Emerging Leader Award from Bryant University is a full-circle moment. “As President of the Student Alumni Association,” says Michael, “we would go to these dinners often, and I remember thinking about how special it was to receive these awards.”

In the 14 years since he graduated from Bryant, Michael, now a Partner at PwC, has amassed an impressive resume of accomplishments that places him alongside the very alumni he once admired. He says a key to his success has been the support of his partner, Eric. “Having someone who supports the craziness of my career, who can understand and be adaptable along with me, is really important.”

During his years as a Bryant student, Michael developed a view that has informed the path of his life and career.

“If you understand finance and you understand politics,” he says, “you really understand how the world works.”

He majored in Finance and minored in Political Science, and, in addition to serving as Student Alumni Association President, he helped co-found the official Bryant chapter of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO).

After interning with PwC the summer before his senior year, Michael began his career with the firm right after graduating from Bryant. In 2012, he seized an opportunity to work in the firm’s mergers and acquisitions division. “I get energized doing deals,” he says. “When I started, there wasn’t really a team focused on M&A in the financial services sector. We formed that

practice over several years, and I was on the ground floor. Back then, there were 10 of us, and now we’re more than 100 people.”

“Without art, there is nothing. Finance and politics, that’s how the world operates. But how people live and enjoy and have satisfaction is through art.”

MICHAEL OLIVERI ’08

Michael is also passionate about the arts. He has served on the board of the Handel and Haydn Society, a Boston-based Baroque and Classical orchestra, for nearly a decade, and he and Eric visit the New York Metropolitan Opera frequently. “Without art, there is nothing,” he says. “Finance and politics, that’s how the world operates. But how people live and enjoy and have satisfaction is through art.”

“My end goal was always to join my family business,” says Bruce Messier ’14 President of Butler and Messier, Inc., a fourth-generation, family-owned insurance agency based in Pawtucket, RI. Now that he’s at the helm, he says he puts everything into helping it grow. “I’m so entwined with the business that I feel like we’re one and the same.”

Bruce took over Butler and Messier in 2021 when his father retired, and he says he has enjoyed carrying on his father’s legacy. “I consider this my dad’s baby,” says Bruce of the agency. “He’s worked on this his entire life, and he’s gotten it into a really good place.” Bruce says he has big goals for the business’s future. “I want to double the size of the agency within the next 10 years. I have a growth plan that we’re aggressively attacking. I want to see how far I can take this.”

Growing up in Warwick, RI, Bruce says his goal as an adolescent was to

“My end goal was always to join my family business. I’m so entwined with the business that I feel like we’re one and the same.”

attend the United States Naval Academy. He was ultimately accepted, but his time in Annapolis was cut short by injury just months short of graduation. He says he then applied to Bryant because he knew it would help him prepare to join the family business. “I wanted to get a solid grasp on business,” he says. “There is so much that I recall from Bryant classes that I use in everyday life.”

Bruce’s lifelong passion for hockey helped him to break the ice with his wife, Janine, an Austrian native who came to Rhode Island to play ice hockey and earn a Master’s degree from Providence College. Bruce recalls with pride the nine years he spent watching her play hockey professionally across North America. “Not a lot of people get to follow their spouse around to watch them play,” he says. “It was busy, but it was a lot of fun.”

PROFESSOR ASLI ASCIOGLU, P h .D. Outstanding Faculty

In Professor Asli Ascioglu’s 24-year career teaching at Bryant, she has helped thousands of her students go on to successful careers in the finance industry. She says seeing them succeed and maintaining their connection to Bryant is her favorite part of teaching. “It’s so rewarding,” she says. “Getting students into the business world, and then having them come back as graduates — that’s the most rewarding part of the job.”

“Getting students into the business world, and then having them come back as graduates — that’s the most rewarding part of the job.”

DR. ASLI ASCIOGLU

Dr. Ascioglu has spent her entire professional career at Bryant University, and she has witnessed a great deal of change in that time. When she first came to Smithfield, the George E. Bello Center for Information and Technology (Bello) was not built, and one of her first major responsibilities was to help design its C.V. Starr Financial Markets Center (FMC) in Bello in 2002. “That was a great start for me as an assistant professor,” she says. “I saw that I could get things done, and that Bryant had trust in me. I had the chance to change my course curriculum to incorporate the new experiential learning opportunities we had in the Financial Markets Center.” Now, as the FMC prepares to relocate to Bryant’s new Business Entrepreneurship Leadership Center (BELC), Dr. Ascioglu

is lending her experience and expertise to ensure that the

FMC

on more than two decades of success. Born and raised in Türkiye (formerly known as Turkey), Professor Ascioglu says an outstanding high school math teacher inspired her love of learning. She went on to study at Middle East Technical University in Türkiye, then came to the US for her master’s degree in Finance at Texas Tech and her Ph.D. in Finance at the University of Memphis. “I had a very enjoyable time during my Ph.D. studies,” she says, “largely due to my advisors, Dr. Tom McInish and Dr. Bob Wood. They were very kind individuals and approached their students with humility. They made sure their students stayed on track, worked on meaningful projects, and took good jobs.” Now, as an advisor herself to the next generation of finance students, Professor Ascioglu follows her advisors’ examples. “I have always been proud of my students,” she says. “They work hard, they create and capitalize on opportunities for themselves, and I try my best to help them move on to fulfilling careers in finance. I’m beyond honored to be recognized by them with this award.”

the arts and entertainment industry (Amy Feldman Kulkin ’07, Max Machado ‘14 Allie Miller ’17 ’19MBA, and Patrick Walcek ’09) discussed their careers with students followed by a packed alumni reception at the Hard Rock Hotel.

Pictured here are: Amanda Garber ’11, Girish Massand ’08, and Ryan Daley ’08

January 12 | Palm Beach, FL

RECEPTION

More than 70 alumni, parents and friends of Bryant gathered in Palm Beach for the annual winter Trustee Reception. Pictured are

ALUMNI RECEPTION Anthony Martucci ’18 and Brendan Nixon ’18 assisted by the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement, co-hosted a reception at

BRUCE MESSIER ’14

27th Women’s Summit® fosters a spirit of sharing, connection, and unfiltered joy

On March 14, Bryant University welcomed more than 1,000 engaged, joyful attendees to the 27th annual Women’s Summit® and shared a historic moment with participants during the opening ceremony.

“Through a gift from the incoming Board of Trustees Chair D. Ellen Wilson ’79 to Bryant University, the Ellen Wilson Leadership Center — with a mission of developing thoughtful, effective, and change-making leaders who will positively impact the organizations they lead and communities they live in — will open this fall in our new, beautiful space across the street,” said Inge-Lise Ameer, Ed.D., executive director of the Women’s Summit® and Bryant’s vice president of student affairs, dean of students, and chief diversity officer, in the MAC auditorium during the conference’s opening remarks.

This year’s summit, with its theme of “Passion, Purpose, Power, Possibility,” featured three keynotes and an array of morning and afternoon breakout sessions where attendees — from international business leaders to local high school students — explored how the values, vision, mission, and strengths of individuals and organizations can be leveraged to reach collective success. “We achieve wonderful things when we listen, problem-solve, and innovate together,” Ameer told the audience.

Morning keynote speaker, HGTV co-founder Susan Packard shared three steps individuals can take to grow their emotional fitness and become great leaders. Packard suggested that the attendees ask themselves: How am I wired? Am I living authentically? What brings me joy? She then emphasized the importance of establishing trust and focusing on “we” principles.

Following break-out sessions on mastering the art of self-promotion, design thinking for leaders, power moves, and other topics, attendees returned to the MAC for a luncheon, awards ceremony, and afternoon keynote.

“Today, we celebrate the women who excel in leadership roles, successfully launch businesses, and are powerful changemakers within their organizations and communities,” noted Ross Gittell, Ph.D., president of Bryant University.

The summit, he said, was an extension of Bryant’s longstanding commitment to equality and to empowering women to excel, wherever their ambition lies. “Bryant University has a long history of producing talented and strong women leaders dedicated to their chosen fields,” said Gittell. “Bryant is positioned and firmly committed to provide the support and resources that are needed to help women address the challenges they confront.”

Sabina Matos, lieutenant governor of Rhode Island, shared Gittell’s focus on the power of possibilities in her remarks. Matos shared her story of coming to the United States from the Dominican Republic at 20 years old and rising to become the first woman of color elected to her post and the first Dominican American elected to statewide office in the United States. Only in America, she suggested, was such a journey possible.

In a keynote conversation with Ameer, Meridith Webster, executive vice president of global communications and public affairs at the Estée Lauder Companies Inc., discussed the many pivots she had taken throughout her

career, from directing communications and serving as a trusted advisor to former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to her time as an associate attorney at Latham and Watkins to working at global corporations like VOX, Bloomberg, and Estée Lauder.

Following a short break for caffeinated lemonade from local woman-owned business, The Vibe, attendees filed in for the third and final keynote of the day: a conversation between Trustee Ann-Marie Harrington ’86 and basketball legend Lisa Leslie, who regaled the crowd with an origin story rooted in big goals and hard work.

As a young child growing up in Compton, California, Leslie would pretend to sign autographs without understanding why, but always hoping she’d someday be famous.

She said she didn’t find her reason until the seventh grade.

“I literally got into basketball to be popular,” she told the audience, remembering how she sought to emulate another middle school girl named Shay who played the sport.

Leslie went on to become a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner and now serves as the head coach for the BIG3 men’s basketball team, the Triplets.

In a spontaneous moment of humor and connection, Harrington asked Leslie if she’d be willing to sign one more autograph: on the side of the gold, purple, and turquoise Nike

“Dunk Low LX Lisa Leslie” sneakers Harrington wore on the Women’s Summit® stage. Leslie, ever humble despite unparalleled success, obliged with a broad smile.

At several points throughout her keynote, Leslie credited her single mother for instilling in her the values of teamwork and integrity, which she carried through her athletic career and, now, as a venerated public speaker, broadcast host, author, and real estate entrepreneur who was bestowed with the 2024 Women’s Summit® Businesswoman of the Year award. She’s since condensed those lifelong learnings into an acronym, CHOICE, which stands

ALUMNI AND PARENT NETWORKING EVENTS

February 2 | Boston, MA

TRACK AND FIELD MEET-AND-GREET

We were excited to see so many cross country/track and field alumni at the Broken Records Beer Hall in Boston. It was great to reconnect with our alumni and raise a glass!

Dan ’73 and Joanne Schmitt receive Champions for Philanthropy Award

In January, Dan ’73 and Joanne Schmitt received the Champions for Philanthropy Award in recognition of their decades of investment in the Bryant University community. Dan, a former member of Bryant’s Board of Trustees, and Joanne were celebrated for their lifetime of dedication to Bryant in a special ceremony in their honor held in Palm Beach, Florida.

for “Competent; Hard work; Optimism; Integrity; Courage; and Execution.

Before attendees headed to afternoon sessions on subjects including financial advice, women in film, and mindful leadership, Leslie welcomed questions from the crowd. The final one came from Central High School junior and student-athlete Rexella Bishop, who wondered how Leslie ensured she was in the right mental space to achieve her personal goals — ones, Leslie said previously, that she wrote down in one- and five-year increments and placed on her bedroom mirror and refrigerator as daily reminders.

“I had hope; I was hopeful I would be successful,” she said. “And I had faith and I believed in who I was. And love — treating people how you want to be treated. It sounds so cliché, but it’s real. You get back what you give out.”

As a buoyant crowd streamed out of the MAC and headed into the sunshine, Leslie and Harrington stuck around to speak with attendees, including Bishop and her classmates from Providence.

“What shoe size are you?” Harrington asked Bishop. It turns out, the trustee and the student wore the same size. Harrington slipped off her just-signed sneakers and handed them to Bishop, who wore a look of astonishment on her face as she accepted them.

“What are you going to wear?” a smiling Leslie asked Harrington, who had no qualms with spending the rest of her afternoon in socks. Because at the Bryant Women’s Summit® a spirit of sharing, connection, and unfiltered joy trumps even the most prestigious footwear.

February 7 and 8 | New Delhi and Mumbai, India

INTERNATIONAL RECEPTIONS

Alumni, parents, and prospective students gathered in Mumbai and in New Delhi at the home of Parents Leadership Council members

Jayati and Mohan Puri P’27. They heard from Provost and Chief Academic Officer Rupendra Paliwal, Ph.D. who provided an update on Vision 2030 and the exciting campus expansion plans. The Mumbai event was hosted by Rohan Shah ’06 and underwritten by Bryant Trustee Eric Handa ’97

“I’m not a big splash guy,” Dan says, modestly, of his philanthropy, “but I’ve tried to be consistent.” He says he and Joanne have prioritized Bryant in their giving to make a difference for students with financial need since the 1980s. Together with fellow Bryant Trustee Karl Ericson ’58, ’91H and others, Dan created the KPMG Endowed Scholarship at Bryant, now known as the Scholarship by KPMG Retired Partners. Since it began, the scholarship has provided financial assistance to more than 50 Bryant Accounting majors with high GPAs. “The best thing we can do,” says Dan, “is help provide an education to somebody who otherwise can’t afford it.”

Dan has stayed connected to his alma mater through the years by serving two separate terms on the Board of Trustees. He also facilitated

a grant from the Warren Alpert Foundation, where he is also a Trustee, helping to establish the School of Health and Behavioral Sciences and Bryant’s Physician Assistant (PA) Program. “It’s a home run,” says Dan of the PA program, which now boasts more than 330 alumni. As the demand for qualified healthcare professionals continues to grow, Bryant is committed to training outstanding physician assistants who can provide competent, patient-centered care, helping to fill a critical need in Rhode Island and

beyond. The Warren Alpert Foundation’s grant was critical in establishing the successful and acclaimed program at the University.

After graduating from Bryant in 1973, Dan began his career at the accounting firm then known as Peat Marwick Mitchell, which later became KPMG. He spent his entire 39-year career with the firm, including 30 as a partner, retiring in 2011. He was the lead audit partner for some of the firm’s largest clients, including Wells Fargo, Bank of New York Mellon,

The best thing we can do is help provide an education to somebody who otherwise can’t afford

SCHMITT ’73

GE Capital, and others, and he oversaw risk management for the firm’s western area — “from Hawaii to Denver and everything in between,” as he puts it — and, later, the Northeast. He also served as a teacher for KPMG’s internal training programs. “That was something I volunteered for,” says Dan of the training. “I enjoyed the teaching aspect.” The week-long programs took place all over the country, with all levels of professional development opportunities, from new hires to senior level management training. “I taught them all,” Dan says. Dan and Joanne now live in Scottsdale, Arizona, where they enjoy golfing in the warm weather and their proximity to their two children and three grandchildren in California. They recently celebrated both their 50th wedding anniversary and Dan’s 50th Bryant Reunion in 2023. “We got married the day after classes ended at Bryant,” says Dan. “We went on our honeymoon for a week in Bermuda, then they had the official Commencement. It was an interesting year for us.”

Bryant University launches its first doctoral program: Doctor of Clinical Psychology

Bryant University is introducing a Doctor of Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) degree, marking the University’s first doctoral program. Applications for the new Psy.D. program open on September 5, 2024, for the first cohort beginning in Fall of 2025.

The new doctoral program is part of Bryant University’s School of Health and Behavioral Sciences’ commitment to improving healthcare delivery and outcomes, particularly to underserved populations, in Rhode Island, New England, and across the United States.

“We are in the midst of a severe behavioral health crisis, with access to care being a major issue,” says Joseph Trunzo, Ph.D., Associate Director of Bryant’s School of Health and Behavioral Sciences and clinical psychologist.

“The School of Health and Behavioral Sciences at Bryant University is proud to launch this program, training clinicians of the highest quality to help serve the public and alleviate suffering across all populations and settings.”

“Bryant University’s new Doctor of Clinical Psychology degree

demonstrates our growing leadership in the healthcare space,” says Bryant University President Ross Gittell, Ph.D. “Our strong doctoral program will increase access to mental healthcare for Rhode Islanders by bringing qualified clinicians into the communities where they are most needed.”

“Bryant University listens and responds to the needs of our community with high-quality, high-impact programs,” says Bryant University Provost Rupendra Paliwal, Ph.D. “There is an urgent need for qualified clinicians

in the mental health field and this new Psy.D. program is key to bolstering the number of clinical psychologists in Rhode Island and across the U.S.”

MORE QUALIFIED MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS NEEDED LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY

The COVID pandemic accelerated a growing mental health crisis across the U.S. There is a growing shortage of qualified, licensed clinical practitioners nationwide and, more specifically, in Rhode Island.

February 10 | Campus

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

ALUMNAE REUNION

Rookie coach Lynne-Ann Kokoski had a record turnout of alumnae back for a reunion in February. Pictured on the court at halftime of the win were Jennifer Mariani ’00 Beth (Connealy) Wandyes ’96

Meredith (Soper) Schlitter ’13

Haley Connors ’19 Maureen (Leahy) Martonik ’16 Morgan Olander ’17, Leaha (Tacey) Mount ’15 Elizabeth Davies ’96, Deneva Fogarty-Phearse ’05

Lindsay (Hermann) Lacey ’05

Pamela Malcolm ’07, Naomi Ashley ’19, Lauren (Rubenoff) DiFazio ’07, and Meagan Bianchi ’20

Provost and Chief Academic Officer Rupendra Paliwal, Ph.D.; Champions for Philanthropy Joanne and Dan ’73 Schmitt and President Ross Gittell, Ph.D.

EVENTS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND CONTACTS

PARTNERSHIPS

Notices received through January 2024

JULY 2, 2023 | HAMPSTEAD, NH

OCTOBER 14, 2023 |MOULTONBOROUGH, NH

Kaitlyn Graham ’18 and Dennis Frank ’18

SEPTEMBER 2, 2023 | HAMPDEN, MA

NOVEMBER

Casey Conroy ’17 and

Send wedding photos that feature a group of Bryant alumni to alumni@bryant.edu

Contact us in advance to receive a complimentary Bryant banner.

We receive more photos than we can print for each issue of Engage. To view all wedding photos received since the last issue, as well as the names of alumni in attendance, please visit facebook.com/bryantalumni

EVENTS

Bryant has many opportunities for you to come back to campus or to join us off campus for a variety of events, from networking and webinars to sports and reunions.

Head to alumni.bryant.edu/events or scan the QR code.

Along and winding road continued from page 1

capacity by signing up to be a mentor to a student, hosting an event, speaking in the classroom, or serving on a volunteer council. Additionally, nearly 2,000 alumni attended an event or had a meaningful interaction with Bryant at Reunion or at a regional event.

There are so many highlights in my 23 years at Bryant, but of course one for both me and my husband, Newell, was to have our son, Stephen ’17, walk across the stage at Bryant to receive his diploma in 2017. Shortly after this goes to press, Steve and his Bryant fiancé, Rébecca Goulet-Martel ’17,will be married — they met during their junior year abroad in Aux-en-Provence. Can you imagine a more perfect setting than that? You’ll see their wedding photo in the next issue along with their many Bryant friends.

In 2001, my first year here, Bryant was entering a cycle of growth. Then President Ron Machtley was ready to

unveil the Campaign for Bryant and the George E. Bello Center for Information and Technology was in the final stages of construction. I still have my notes from those initial interviews; I can read in them the excitement I felt as I joined the Bryant community. I feel that same excitement today as I look to Bryant’s future, with Vision 2030 charting the course for a new era of growth and opportunity in our community. It’s time for me to pull off this wonderful winding road. But the relationships I’ve built will stay with me for a lifetime. And I don’t intend to go far — I’m just taking my foot off the gas a little. I’ll continue to work with my colleagues in University Advancement on special projects internationally, and I’ll be sure to come around every Reunion@ Homecoming to see old friends and meet new ones! You can still reach me at rwarde@bryant.edu — I look forward to staying connected. Thanks for the ride!

SEPTEMBER 23, 2023 |

NOVEMBER 11, 2023 | AURORA, NY

Michael Shypski ’13 and Mark Hebert

All photos are featured as part of our Wedding Wednesday series on social media.

Submit your “Partnerships” and “Additions” to the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement by emailing alumni@bryant.edu or enter a class note through our online directory at alumni.bryant.edu

Bryant’s first doctoral program

National Alliance of Mental Illness reports 178,000 adults in RI have a diagnosed mental health condition and 41.5% of adults reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. Along with this growing need across the state, there is a mental healthcare desert in Washington and Newport counties, leaving one quarter of a million people without access to care in their own communities. Rising costs are also a factor, with one third of Rhode Islanders who need mental health care unable to access treatment due to cost.

PREPARING FOR CLINICAL CAREERS

The new Psy.D. degree is built upon the impressive undergraduate psychology program growing at Bryant University’s School of Health and Behavioral Sciences, which also offers graduate programs in Physician Assistant Studies and Healthcare Informatics. Psy.D. students will learn from acclaimed faculty who are leaders in the field and gain valuable experience through a wide range of clinical placements.

Bryant’s Psy.D. curriculum adheres to the scholar-practitioner model of training, which emphasizes clinical practice backed by scientific research. Psy.D. students will receive a well-rounded education in psychological science and the practice of clinical psychology. Bryant is a leading university in experiential education and Psy.D. students can expect critical hands-on experience treating patients in clinical settings through practicum placements and a doctoral internship.

Psy.D. students can opt to specialize in one of two concentrations: Child and Adolescent Psychology and Health

Psychology. Both concentrations have a shortage of qualified specialists to provide care to these growing populations.

WHAT WILL STUDENTS GAIN IN THIS PROGRAM?

In addition to the crucial clinical focus, a Doctoral Research Project is a core part of Bryant’s Psy.D. curriculum. This research will add to the robust work published and presented by the professors in the School of Health and Behavioral Sciences.

The Psy.D. will also provide exceptional opportunities for Bryant’s undergraduate psychology majors to engage and interact with graduate students doing advanced clinical training and research.

ACCREDITATION

Bryant University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. The Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology is subject to approval from NECHE.

The American Psychological Association does not allow for application for accreditation until the program has matriculated its second cohort, and it is a multiyear process. The curriculum and the educational experience have been designed and built according to APA accreditation standards. As such, APA accreditation will be pursued at the earliest possible time.

Laura Nadeau ’06 and Eric Poster

Alexa Baker ’19 and Jared Benharris ’19

CHATHAM, MA

Liz Rice ’16 and Curtis Nolet ’16

SCAN