FALL 2020
MAGAZINE
this edition of castleton magazine is published thanks to the generosity of our sponsor:
UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION interim president DR. JONATHAN SPIRO
Dear Alumni and Friends, The fall provides an opportunity to look forward to the year ahead and reflect on the successes and challenges of the year that has passed. We feel fortunate that we were able to welcome our residential students back to campus this semester, given the challenges of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The 2019-20 academic year will forever be remembered for the pandemic and its effect on our campus. For this generation, their student experience will always be defined by the spring of 2020. In fact, we all suffered lost experiences when a stay-at-home order was issued in March, sending our courses online, our students away, and our employees home to work. Athletic seasons were lost, and performances were canceled. Our Commencement was postponed in favor of an online celebration of our students’ accomplishments. There was not a single part of our University that was not affected. The pandemic did, however, teach us many valuable lessons. In the most difficult of times, we learn a lot about ourselves, our colleagues, and our community. Here are my observations: Our students are resilient, passionate, and courageous. Many of our students had not previously been exposed to online learning, yet they persevered. Despite the difficult circumstances, they moved one step closer to achieving their dreams with continued progress in their academic journey. Our faculty are dedicated and adaptable. On a moment’s notice, our professors brought their courses online with minimal disruption to students. Our staff are nimble and innovative. They continued to deliver critical services, such as Academic Support, Counseling Services, Wellness Center services, and Admissions events without missing a beat. Our donors and friends are generous and offer unwavering support. In a time of great uncertainty so many of our donors and friends offered kind words, moral support, and generous gifts in our greatest time of need. I’m pleased to present the fall edition of Castleton Magazine. Thank you for your continued support of Castleton University.
provost DR. TOM MAUHS-PUGH director of human resources JANET HAZELTON chief budget and finance officer LAURA JAKUBOWSKI chief technology officer GAYLE MALINOWSKI ’95 dean of enrollment MAURICE OUIMET dean of students DENNIS PROULX ’87 associate dean of advancement JAMES LAMBERT
ALUMNI AND DEVELOPMENT data specialist LIZ GARSIDE ‘04 alumni relations coordinator CARRIE SAVAGE director of development & alumni affairs COURTNEY WIDLI ‘13 MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS director of athletic marketing & communications THOMAS BLAKE ’17 director of creative services JANE MACOMBER FOLEY director of design KATE RICHARDS
please send updates to ALUMNIOFFICE@CASTLETON.EDU please send comments to: COURTNEY WIDLI 62 ALUMNI DRIVE • CASTLETON, VT 05735 (802) 468-1241 • COURTNEY.WIDLI@CASTLETON.EDU
James Lambert Associate Dean of Advancement
published by OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT on the cover: ROBERT WRIGHT ’24 media & communication
FACEBOOK.COM/CASTLETONEDU
YOUTUBE.COM/CASTLETONEDU
@CASTLETONEDU
november
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Election Day
CASTLETON MAGAZINE | FALL 2020
8. 12.
18.
4.
State of the University
6.
It Takes a Village
8.
The Importance of Voting
10.
5 Things I’ve Learned
15.
Alumni Spotlights
18.
Analytics Everywhere
28.
Athletics
32.
The Permanent Collection
34.
Office Hours
35.
My Space
this issue of castleton magazine also includes
The Castleton Fund Report of Giving | July 2019 - June 2020
State of the University As you might expect, the University has spent most of 2020 navigating the twists and turns of the COVID-19 pandemic. The challenges that the pandemic has brought forth have certainly strengthened our resolve, pushed us to rethink the ways we deliver courses and services, and brought us closer as a community. After careful consideration, we moved nearly all of our fall courses online and gave our students the option to live on campus or take their courses remotely from home. Given our students’ differing feelings about living on campus, they were best served by having a choice for their living arrangements. This also positioned the University with greater flexibility as the future circumstances of the pandemic change. While there are no perfect decisions, all of our choices are made with the best interest of our students at heart. Here are some things that may look a little different than you are used to this fall: Academics In the spring, our professors worked rigorously to move their courses online in a single week. They are offering an even better learning experience this fall, given more planning time. Students are receiving their relationship-based education remotely. In fact, many of our professors are teaching remotely, but still on campus to be available in person or remotely for students in need. The University also hired Molly Marcy ’20 for its new videographer position, which helps professors supplement their course content with video. Services Students on campus and off have access to the offices, services, and resources the campus provides. Students can access such services as the Academic Support Center, Wellness Center, and Career Services in-person and through video conferencing or telephone. Our one-on-one campus relationships remain intact, no matter where students are located. The Admissions Office is operating in much of the same way. Through some creative thinking, they can now offer both in-person tours (following safety guidelines) and virtual admissions events. 4 CASTLETON UNIVERSITY
Despite the challenges COVID-19 presents, our Admissions Office hasn’t missed a beat in recruiting new Spartans! Campus Life Perhaps most visibly impacted is our campus experience. In fall 2020, about 300 students are living in the residence halls, down from more than 1,000 in a typical year. While our residential population is much smaller, it’s critical that we provide opportunities to bring people together for meaningful campus experiences. Clubs are active, events are underway, and Soundings will be delivered both in person and online. We recognize that our students, faculty, and staff have a shared responsibility to keep our community safe, and all of this is done under strict face-covering and social-distancing guidelines. While there have been many changes and challenges, our students, faculty, and staff have also experienced many recent successes to celebrate. Here are a few of note:
• Noelle Cave ’20 became the first female in Vermont history to enlist as a 19D Cavalry Scout. The Army views Calvary Scouts as its eyes and ears. She serves at A Troop 1-172 Mountain Cavalry in Newport, Vermont.
• Carley Patch ’20 became the first Castleton University student to join the Boston Crusaders, a world-class competitive junior drum and bugle corps.
• Castleton Spartan, the University’s student-run newspaper,
was awarded second place for Best Newspaper at a fouryear institution with less than 5,000 undergraduate students enrolled by the College Media Association at its Spring National College Media Convention in New York City.
• The University has gained millions of dollars in grant support, including a $2.25 million Title III grant from the U.S. Department of Education and a $1.7 million grant for TRIO Support Services.
Castleton’s Students and Faculty Find Themselves in a Brave New World … by Gillian Galle, Academic Dean It was Friday, March 13, 2020. That’s right, Friday the 13th. But that wasn’t the reason for the tension pervading my classrooms. Less than 24 hours ago, Castleton University announced it would be closing campus for a week so that all instruction could be moved online due to the pandemic. Fortunately, this past year saw the creation of Castleton University’s Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) thanks to the Title III Grant: Pathways to Graduation. Since the start of the spring semester, Chris Boettcher (Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning), Sarah Chambers (Coordinator of Instructional Technology) and myself (Assistant Professor of Mathematics and “Canvas Champion” at the time) had already been hard at work helping more faculty use Canvas, the online learning management system recently adopted by the Vermont State Colleges System. Now we just had to dial up our efforts to an eleven. From Monday, March 16, through Friday, March 20, the CTL hosted a Canvas Bootcamp offered face-to-face and virtually, through Zoom. Each morning featured a different targeted lesson, like how to use the gradebook or how to post assignments. Faculty could then practice those skills or ask other questions about setting up their courses during the afternoon help sessions. In true Spartan spirit, our faculty and staff did an incredible job of stepping up and meeting this challenge head on. The bootcamp was well attended despite the uncertainty affecting everyone’s lives. The technological glitches that occurred during the presentations were met with good-natured laughter and a few nervous chuckles as we pictured it happening to us while teaching. Despite our self-doubts, we drew courage from one other and applied these lessons to our spring classes. As the spring semester drew to a close, the fall semester loomed large. We had no idea what instructional modality we would use in the fall. Face-to-face? Hyflex? Hybrid? The CTL decided to prepare for any of these possibilities by designing some self-
paced courses and a series of summer workshops to improve our faculty’s use of Canvas and introduce them to better online pedagogical practices. The workshop series kicked off on June 10, when Chris Hakala, CU alum and Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Springfield College, spoke to the faculty about how to transition their face-to-face pedagogy to an online or hyflex classroom in the fall. In the days leading up to it, I worried about whether the faculty would be willing to attend workshops over the summer; given their heroic efforts in the spring, they certainly deserved some time off! I was blown away when over 60 faculty showed up. Much like the bootcamp, the workshops became about more than the lesson of the day. They were opportunities to reconnect with the colleagues we missed and a safe place to support and reassure one other as we shared our concerns and frustrations. Whether it was a “Hello Everyone” message from Rich Clark (Political Science Professor) in the chat, Burnham Holmes (part time English professor) sharing how the pandemic delayed the Off Broadway opening of Trumpilton (the new musical he wrote with Karen Klami), or Denny Shramek (English Professor) talking about … anything really (I just like listening to Denny talk), I treasured these moments of greeting one other while we waited for the workshop to start because they demonstrated how we could create community in our own virtual classrooms. When Castleton announced its decision to hold all fall semester classes online, everyone now had something concrete to plan for and instead of panicking they doubled down on their preparation efforts. August 18 came all too soon and ready or not, the fall semester began. While I don’t know what new surprises and challenges lie ahead of us this semester, I am certain of one thing: every member of our Castleton community is committed to ensuring our students get the same small university with a big heart education that we’ve become known for … even if we have to do it online. MAGAZINE | FALL 2020 5
M 1. A cN m ai an r S da ch R 2. ol ich Ke ar a Pu ith s P rd bl M 3. ro son i cS o M gr lin a am a t 4. fe ar IT t C t i M y o Se r e rv rie Pr red ice re es it id h s ’11 Co 5. B en Fle r nf ig t t ’ c s er et De O he en te ffi r ’ ve 6. C ce O ce 99 lo o l s so pm ur a 17 n n t d ’0 en ne .J Ev 5 e t& yW Up nni en 7. A i t B w fer d 8. s l 1 i u l l ar J 8 i m ’1 Fa l B St . d on ni 3 cil un ep W Ma B o es Aff iti ke ha e rth un ’0 1 l e l 9 r n ni a s P . a d 2 e irs at Je ss C Lib e T 9. s h o r s Ce ul w ic ra av St M ay a ry er ud at nt ter 10 20 er to Du se en t P .M Ed . Sa at Gr nc ’ t 1 2 A ry uc rah a a a c S 2 du n tiv ’8 ou ris 1. at C at ’11 M io h iti 6 nd a V io es at a Se n T am i n n l th e g e b 11 r n A s vic ch er ew . t G t 2 hl 2 no s ’ Cu M r e an M s et . T lo 97 st ark 12 ts or ics om gy od F . ia Ce Tar Co B ia ed rty 23 l S ol l nt a L a m fi k t . e m a e Sp St 13 r f ids ff u ’ .S ar ev or to ni 17 Ed 24 ta e W ca Sc ne Re hau n tio uc . K ho ’0 sid n A o a at te ns 14 l r W ol 2 f e en e i s n o . i S 25 Al C ce llia n p a um ar a D . A m L ep uld Ca ca Ke ife s ni rie S 26 ar in de lly st 15 Re av tm g le . C Fin . Je m Be l t a at g 16 ic ck n on ol en a n io e n le .R S i w t c f U up it ns ia er ap ni en po h l& W ve Ru ha S r o Ad e rs iz t er Re o ity vic gi de m l Ok iss u St es str ll ’0 o t at 0 io or re io ns o n ’2 0
It Takes A Village
It takes the collective efforts of countless departments and individuals across campus to ensure that each and every Spartan who walks through our alumni gates has the ability to fully immerse themselves in the Castleton experience. From student-centered departments such as Admissions, Upward Bound, and Student Life to campus affairs in the forms of Public Safety, Athletics, and Alumni Relations, it truly takes a village.
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THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING by Rich Clark, Political Science Professor
After his primary losses on Super Tuesday in 2020, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders conceded that his campaign had not been, “as successful as I would hope in bringing young people in.” He added, “It is not easy.” Maybe it is not easy, but it is essential. EDUCATION AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT The great American philosopher, John Dewey, grew up in Vermont in the late 19th century and attended the University of Vermont before making his mark on American political thought. Mostly, Dewey is remembered for his contributions to the field of education. He believed that education is less about acquiring a fixed body of knowledge and more about developing skills in critical thinking and applying those skills as active citizens. Consequently, the value of education goes well beyond the individual benefits; an educated citizenry supports democratic norms and a more robust civic life. Dewey was a strong proponent of democracy as the best means for meeting the needs of the public. In his book, The Public and Its Problems (1927), Dewey tried to reconcile civic engagement in American democracy with the depersonalizing forces of industrialism and capitalism. While Dewey recognizes the importance of policy experts, he also argues that popular participation in government is necessary to uncover the problems we collectively face because experts will be too removed from the public to clearly see the problems people confront. “The man who wears the shoe knows best that it pinches and where it pinches, even if the expert shoemaker is the best judge of how the trouble is to be remedied” (p. 207). So it is at Castleton that we take up the mantle that fellow Vermonter Dewey passed along to educate our students to be active and effective citizens in our democratic government. While some students opt to pursue a Certificate in Civic Engagement as they build the skills of citizenship, selfadvocacy, and leadership, all students participate in the liberal arts foundation of a Castleton education through our General Education Program. One of the explicit goals of general education at Castleton University is that the program, “promotes students to be engaged as active citizens on campus and beyond.” 8 CASTLETON UNIVERSITY
vote! Perhaps the most basic act of citizenship is participation in the electoral process by voting. WHY IS VOTING IMPORTANT? Political scientists and civics educators often express the idea that voting is important without explaining why that is the case. To many students, and to too many Americans, voting appears to be fruitless and unlikely to make a difference. And yet, the 2016 presidential election hinged on approximately 78,000 votes in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, or less than 0.06% of the total votes cast in the presidential election. Putting aside presidential elections, there have been many elections at the state and local level where a single vote made the difference. In 2017, the 94th District of the Virginia House of Delegates, wherein 11,608 ballots were cast, resulted in a tie, and the winner was chosen by randomly drawing a name from a hat. More significantly, control of the House of Delegates depended on the outcome of the 94th district, as the Republicans held 50 seats and the Democrats 49. Most elections are not closely decided, but that does not mean that one’s vote does not matter. The very act of voting is a form of civic responsibility and the exercise of a right for which many American citizens had to fight. For many Americans, voting is their only form of civic engagement. As Americans, it is part of our common creed that government’s legitimacy is based on the consent of the governed. Yet, without any formal rites of citizenship or national service mandates, Americans who do not gain citizenship through the naturalization process never explicitly avow their consent to be governed; instead, we accept the idea of tacit consent. Voting is one of the few opportunities for most Americans to weigh in and express one’s preference on the direction of government, thereby recognizing the legitimacy of the government through participation in the process. I may be among the few who love the political campaign season. Campaigns are opportunities for political parties and office seekers to express visions of and ambitions for our collective lives, and as voters, we are able to question those candidates, express our own thoughts on the politics of the day, and eventually select whom we wish to represent us moving
forward. We choose whose vision most closely represents our own. And we do this together. And still, many Americans don’t even engage enough to vote. The highest turnout for a presidential election since 1972, the first presidential election following the ratification of the 26th Amendment lowering the voting age to 18 years old, was 61.6% in 2008, and the lowest presidential election turnout was 51.7% in 1996, meaning just over half of all eligible voters cast a ballot. More discouraging, in midterm elections—elections for Congressional races without a presidential contest— voter turnout hovered between 36.7% in 2014 and 42% in 1982 before reaching a record high of 50% in the recent 2018 midterm elections. These turnout rates for the general population are high in comparison to turnout among younger citizens. Only 32.6% of eligible voters ages 18-29 voted in the record-setting 2018 midterm election, while 65.5% of voters 60 years and older cast a ballot. Voting rates for college students is slightly better than rates for young voters generally. There are many reasons that young adults vote at lower rates than older adults. Young adults are often more transitory, less settled than older citizens. They may be away at college, settling into new jobs, or finding their place in a community as adults for the first time. Pundits and politicians have often attributed the lower participation rate for younger voters to apathy, lethargy, and general disinterest in public affairs. Political scientists have cited a visceral antipathy toward politics, noting that younger voters are less likely to attach to any political party or overtly political movement. For decades, we believed that students simply lacked the necessary civic knowledge and that by including politics and government in the curriculum we could overcome the barriers to voting. A recent contribution to the political science literature by John Holbein and Sunshine Hillygus, Making Young Voters (2020), challenges many of these explanations for why young people don’t vote, emphasizing instead the non-cognitive barriers to voting. Holbein and Hillygus argue that, “the act of voting requires minimal cognitive abilities and a desire to participate but it can also require persistence, fortitude, energy, and patience to actually make it to the ballot box” (p. 33). Young people, our students, are as informed as most voters, and they often understand the importance of voting as well as the average voter. But when students see campaign ads, when they are greeted by candidates, when they attend political events or public meetings, and when they visit their precincts to vote, they do not see representations of themselves. They are not always
comfortable venturing into this new area where they perceive most everyone else to be better informed and to belong. These are the non-cognitive barriers that Holbein and Hillygus cite. The good news is that they are not insurmountable, and once they’ve been breached, the habits of voting begin to adhere. We know that when voters start at a young age, they are more likely to remain active voters for a lifetime. SPARTANS VOTE! Now we are engaged in a campaign to encourage our students to participate in the electoral process. An informal, multidisciplinary cadre of faculty, including Mary Droege from the Natural Sciences and Candy Fox from the English Department, are working with the Content Lab—a group of creative students led by Media & Communication Professor Bill DeForest—to develop messages to help and encourage students to vote. We are here to help them figure out if they are registered to vote, and if not, how to register. We are here to help them navigate the process of voting, either through absentee ballots or in person. Most importantly, we are here to assure them that they belong in the civic sphere. The 2020 presidential election is shaping up to be extraordinary in several ways, and our students face challenges as a result of political division, climate change, the pandemic, and the economic woes connected to the pandemic. They face mounting debt and a weak job market upon leaving college. In order to respond to those challenges, the political system needs students in the electorate to uncover those collective problems, so that our democracy could respond as Dewey believed it was intended. Vote, Spartans, vote!
november
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Election Day
RESOURCES
• • • •
Alemany, Jacqueline. “Power Up: Young voters are turning out in lower numbers than Bernie Sanders expected.” The Washington Post. March 5, 2020. Dewey, John. The Public and Its Problems. (Athens, Ohio: Swallow Press, 1927). Holbein, John B. and D. Sunshine Hillygus. Making Young Voters: Converting civic attitudes into civic action. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020). NSLVE Campus Report. Institute for Democracy and Higher Education at Tufts University’s Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life. For information, see https:// idhe.tufts.edu/nslve/frequently-asked-questions.
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Five Things I’ve Learned with Interim President Dr. Jonathan Spiro
1
Never underestimate the transformative power of a Castleton education.
Castleton University embraces students with diverse backgrounds and varying aptitudes. They spend four years here reading great books, asking insightful questions, and learning about the world— and about themselves. During this time, they mature emotionally and they expand their intellectual horizons. Our commitment to experiential learning and a career-focused liberal arts education provides them the opportunity to thrive. A Castleton education gives students as wide a base of knowledge as possible and as many skills as possible. We foster their intellectual curiosity and teach them how to be a lifelong learner. We feature small classes that hone their critical thinking skills and instill a global perspective, so they can become thoughtful and engaged citizens. And as a result, they are transformed. Not surprisingly, therefore, CU ranks as the top public college in Vermont for job placement (and the third public college in the entire nation for job placement).
Always remember that #343 Green is a perfect fashion choice for any occasion. 10 CASTLETON UNIVERSITY
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4
Cherish the generous spirit of our dedicated faculty and staff who always go the extra mile for our students. CU has embraced the ethos that every one of our employees is an educator. Faculty, staff, administrators, and coaches: we are all passionate about teaching and mentoring. We strive to maintain high standards, to demonstrate empathy, and to always be available to our students. For example, visitors to our campus can’t help but notice that our professors’ doors are always open and that they are constantly interacting with their students. Almost 70 percent of our first-year students admit that they worked harder here than they ever thought they could. That is because our devoted faculty and staff teach them how to work hard, and then they make them work harder than they ever thought they could. Our commitment to our students is exemplified on graduation day in May, when many of our staff members serve as ushers and all of our professors don their academic regalia and form a human tunnel and applaud as our graduates enter Castleton Pavilion for the commencement ceremony.
5
Never—ever—push the glowing red button on the president’s desk. ‘Nuf said.
DO
DO NOT PUSH THIS BUTTON
Celebrate the amazing evolution that CU has undergone.
When I arrived at Castleton State College, we were a ‘suitcase school’ (i.e. a college where the students went home for the weekend because there wasn’t a lot to do on campus). Thanks in large part to the vision of Dave Wolk and the hard work of Victoria Angis and her colleagues in Student Life, CU is now a thriving “destination college” where nobody could possibly attend all of the concerts, plays, lectures, club meetings, athletic events, and other activities that take place every day of the week. And at CU, our students don’t just attend these events, they often participate in them. We like to say that “At Castleton all students can earn straight A’s,” because they have amazing opportunities to excel in Academics, play Athletics, perform in the Arts, and participate in extra-curricular activities. And this is important, because the research consistently shows that the most successful students are the ones who are the most involved in activities on campus. Students who participate in campus activities earn higher grades, make more lasting friendships, learn leadership skills, and get better jobs when they graduate. Our alumni regularly tell me that the four years they spent at Castleton were the best four years of their lives. That is not surprising, as our campus is truly an exhilarating place. So, yes, our students now remain on campus on the weekends. And when they graduate, they are eager to go out and make a difference in the world, but a part of them wishes they could remain here forever.
About Dr. Spiro The VSCS Board of Trustees named Dr. Jonathan Spiro as interim president of Castleton University beginning June 1, 2020. Dr. Spiro provides a wealth of administrative and education experience, having served in a variety of academic posts since his arrival at Castleton in 2002. During his time at the University, he has served as interim provost, academic dean, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences, and Chair of the Department of History, Geography, Economics, and Political Science.
MAGAZINE | FALL 2020 11
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Spartans Under
Cover Our Spartans are back on campus and doing their part to keep one another and the greater Castleton community safe. Here’s a peek at some of our students showing off their masks, familiar smiles, and commitment to public health and safety regulations around campus. to learn more about castleton’s coronavirus safety and protection efforts visit:
CASTLETON.EDU/COVID19
MAGAZINE | FALL 2020 13
E
CASTL Castleton University will help meet regional healthcare employers’ needs by offering a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), beginning in the spring 2021 semester. The program offers a Clinical Nurse Leader concentration and a Nurse Educator concentration. It is designed for working nurses with a bachelor’s degree who wish to advance their careers. Dr. Angie Smith, DNP, RN, CNE, Assistant Dean of the School of Nursing, said the growing complexity and diversity of the healthcare environment and a severe national nursing shortage led to the development of this program. “While Castleton is doing a great job providing qualified baccalaureate nurses to the community, the demands of healthcare have increased the need to prepare and employ clinical nurse leaders,” Smith said. “Due to increasing complexities in healthcare, several employers have reached out to Castleton to ask that we help prepare Vermont’s registered nurses to be clinical nurse leaders at the bedside.” The Clinical Nurse Leader concentration will equip graduates for leadership positions in clinical settings. Graduates will be qualified to sit for the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Certification examination for CNLs. The Nurse Educator concentration prepares graduates to train nurses in academic and clinical settings. Graduates of the Nurse Educator concentration will be qualified to sit for the National League for Nursing Certification examination for either Certified Nurse Educator or Certified Academic Clinical Nurse Educator. Smith said the Vermont Talent Pipeline Project identified a lack of qualified nursing faculty as a bottleneck to producing qualified nurses. 14 CASTLETON UNIVERSITY
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Castleton University Launches Master of Science in Nursing
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“This nursing faculty shortage is a mix of both classroom and clinical nursing faculty. Vermont must attract and prepare qualified nursing faculty to supply larger cohorts of baccalaureate-prepared nurses to Vermont employers,” Smith said. The year-round degree program requires 40 credits and is designed for part-time study. Twenty-six credits are shared between the two concentrations, and 14 credits are distinct to each concentration. Students take a single three- or four-credit course in an eight-week term followed immediately by a second three- or four-credit course in an eight-week term. These eightweek terms fit into existing semesters as well as a summer term. It takes 24 months to complete the degree if a student enrolls in every course as described. Castleton University’s Nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). However, the first MSN students must be enrolled for one full academic year before CCNE conducts an on-site accreditation visit, which is expected around January 2022. The Vermont Board of Nursing (BON) has approved the MSN program to begin enrolling students. Castleton’s School of Nursing has expanded in recent years, adding an online RN-to-BS program and establishing a campus in Bennington, in addition to the master’s degree program.
for information on the master of science in nursing, visit:
CASTLETON.EDU/MSN
Alumnus Follows Newspaper Path of Mentor and Friend Some students can only dream of following in the footsteps of their professors. Jay Mullen went ahead and did it. Mullen ’20 is beginning his professional career at Manchester Media in Granville, NY – just as Media & Communication Professor and Castleton alumnus Dave Blow ’86 did. “It puts a good thought in my head that I’m heading in the right direction, knowing that he started there and [former Glens Falls, NY, Post-Star reporter] Don Lehman ’87 also started with Manchester Media. They ended up being pretty big names in local journalism. I’m hoping to move forward the way they did in the field,” Mullen said. Graduating with a Media & Communication degree with a concentration in journalism, Mullen also served as sports editor for the Castleton Spartan, which was awarded second place for Best Newspaper at a four-year institution with less than 5,000 undergraduate students enrolled. In his new role at Manchester Media, he primarily reports for the Whitehall Times with his stories also appearing in the Granville Sentinel. The job provides a variety of valuable experiences as he will be able to cover events, write hard news stories and features, proofread, and design pages. “When I worked for the Spartan, I was primarily the sports guy. Toward the end of my time at Castleton, I was trying to get into more hard news and feature stuff. I think that helped me get into this role more easily,” Mullen said. Some people are hard-wired to be storytellers. It’s true for Mullen, and it’s also true for Blow, who stays active in the field as a journalist. The pair recently teamed up for a freelance assignment at The Post-Star. “I think I was doing freelance work and finishing up an article when I got a text from Dave that said, ‘I think we should write a story together,’” Mullen said. “I was taken aback because Dave played such a large role in my wanting to do this. It was a surreal experience because we had done similar things at the school, like when he would come help us cover a meeting. It was one-
on-one learning from a guy who I consider not only my mentor but a friend. It was an honor and a humbling experience.” The article focused on parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a rewarding experience for both Mullen and Blow. “I had never collaborated with a former student on a story before, but after Jay had already done some freelancing for The Post-Star, I got the idea to give it a try,” Blow said. “To see that co-byline on the front of the Sunday paper just felt so good. I hope it felt just as good for him.” Castleton’s Media & Communication program is focused on producing storytellers, regardless of their choice of media, which creates a versatile degree that can be applied to many career fields. “Castleton has its finger on the pulse of what the market and what the world looks like outside of the University, and they are preparing people who want to get into the communication realm. They all do a really great job at it,” Mullen said. Mullen credits several Castleton professors with shaping him into the storyteller he has become, including Department Chair Michael Talbott, Assistant Professor Sam Boyd-Davis, and, of course, Dave Blow. Blow said Mullen will be insanely busy as a community journalist and can use that experience to climb the journalistic ladder to bigger daily papers. “Jay has a passion for storytelling, like I did at his age and still do, and we need good journalists in this world, perhaps more than ever these days. When I learned he was hired at the Granville Sentinel as a reporter, it brought back a flood of memories for me from 30 years ago when I was a fresh Castleton State College graduate starting my career there,” Blow said. “As a professor, I try to ooze out the passion I have for journalistic storytelling into students, and when students like Jay are receptive and become great storytellers themselves, I’m not sure there’s any bigger professional reward.”
MAGAZINE | FALL 2020 15
Cooking up a New Career: Chef Joe Lewi ’85 When Joe Lewi ‘85 told his parents he wanted to be a chef, they rolled their eyes at the idea. “They told me I couldn’t be a cook, so I decided to go into the entertainment and public relations business like them,” explained Lewi, who utilized his time in the Castleton Media & Communication Department to master the trade. Marketing and promotion came naturally to Lewi. The day after graduation, he headed to Madison Square Gardens in New York City and began working for Barnum and Baily Circus as an event promoter. He spent the next 20 years successfully building a career that specialized in event and entertainment marketing for clients ranging from Disney on Ice to Sesame Street Live and the Harlem Globetrotters, and eventually opened a firm of his own. When the recession in 2008 hit the entertainment industry, The Lewi Company’s business felt the devastating effect, leaving Lewi questioning his next professional move. His wife, Melissa, a 1986 Castleton alumna, had the answer. “She reminded me I always wanted to be a chef, so I stopped everything,” he said. “I quit my job and went to the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts and became a chef.” Chef Lewi was ready for the chance to fulfill his original culinary dream and eager to learn. “I had to work as hard as I could because it takes at least 10 years to become an Executive Chef,” said Lewi. “It was the greatest thing I’ve ever done.” Since 2015, Lewi has served as the Executive Chef for National Amusements, Inc., a world leader in the motion picture exhibition industry, operating more than 900 movie screens in the United States, Great Britain, and Latin America. He travels to all of the showcase theaters, designs the restaurant concepts, and menu creations, is responsible for quality control, and works with staff on producing the optimal dine-in movie theater experience. 16 CASTLETON UNIVERSITY
He also manages his own weekly YouTube series, “Sunday Dinner with Chef Joe,” which he created during the recent pandemic shutdown. The crossover between his former career in entertainment and his passion for cooking continues to amaze Chef Lewi. The blending of worlds has created his ideal outcome. “I’ve come full circle if you think about it,” he muses. “I loved the entertainment business and I wanted to become a chef. Now I’m a chef who works for a movie theater company, but I’ve always seen food as entertainment.”
Chicken and Seafood Jambalaya FROM CHEF JOE LEWI 2 whole bay leaves 2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper 1 tsp. dried oregano 1 tsp. white pepper 1 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves 3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil ½ cup chopped andouille smoked sausage 1 ½ cups chopped onions 1 cup chopped celery
¾ cup chopped green peppers 2 chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces 2 tsp. minced garlic 4 medium size tomatoes, peeled and chopped 1- 8 oz. canned tomato sauce 2 cup seafood stock ½ cup chopped green onions 2 cups uncooked rice (converted) 1 lb. peeled large shrimp 10 oz. oysters in their liquid
Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. In a 4-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and sauté until crisp. About 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers: sauté until tender but firm. Add the chicken. Raise heat to high and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Reduce heat back to medium. Add seasoning mix and minced garlic, cook about 3 minutes stirring constantly. Add tomatoes and cook until chicken is tender. Add the tomato sauce and cook 7 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the stock and bring to a boil. Then stir in the green onions and cook about 2 minutes. Add rice, shrimp, and oysters; stir well and remove from heat. Transfer to an ungreased 8x8 inch baking dish. Cover pan snuggly with foil and bake at 350° until rice is tender; about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves and serve immediately.
Where In The World Are Castleton Alumni? Your role in the Castleton University community does not end at Commencement! Castleton is committed to providing its nearly 20,000 alumni with meaningful, lifelong connections, both personal and professional, between alumni and the University, wherever they are in the world. These valued connections are maintained through dynamic events, career mentoring, online and social channels, philanthropic support, and alumni publications.
number of spartan alumni living in state 1-49 50-99 100-499 500-999
Leading Companies who have employed Castleton Alumni
?
Did You Know?
Castleton University was ranked the top public college in Vermont and third in the nation for job placement, with 94.66 percent of alumni employed, according to the career resources website Zippia.
BY THE NUMBERS
1,000+
17,773
58
living alumni
in canada
8,805
701
in vermont
11,724
in new england
in florida
99
living abroad
Update Us On Your Spartan Journey! Start a new job? Move to a new city? Get married? Continue your education? Castleton would love to hear from you about your post-graduation experiences and ensure we have your most up-to-date contact information on file.
stay connected at:
CASTLETON.EDU/ALUMNI-UPDATE
Analytics Everywhere: Skilling the Workforce for Now by Libby Duane Adams ’84 In today’s business environment, there is one thing that executives and senior leaders are increasingly asking about: data analytics. And some might be asking, “what are data analytics and how can they help?” In thinking about this question, it’s important to understand the thousands of questions that are solved each day by companies, using analytics. A few examples answered with data analytics are: • Which of my customers are likely to leave us and why? • What is the cash reserve of my company? • On the production line, which part of the machine is scheduled for replacement ahead of breakdown, so that the line keeps running? • What are the tax payments made by each of the 34 states my company does business in? And the list goes on. Organizations not only have a desire, but a need to unlock the value in their data to make insight-driven decisions. These insights are being used within all departments – human resources, finance, operations, sales, research, supply chain and more – across every industry, from healthcare and technology to public sector, media, and manufacturing. With this increased demand for data-driven insights, there is an urgent need for companies to hire employees with analytics skills and to reskill their current employees. After earning my bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at Castleton University in 1984, I started my career in New York City with data analytics before moving on to become one of the founding partners of Alteryx, a leader in analytic process automation (APA™) with our global headquarters in Irvine, California. Throughout my career, I’ve come to realize that technology alone doesn’t solve our biggest business and societal problems; instead, technology complements our inherent human capabilities. When organizations bring together data, processes, and people, they are able to transform their workforce and business outcomes now. As more companies adopt the Alteryx Analytic Process Automation Platform™ and 18 CASTLETON UNIVERSITY
embrace a culture of analytics, thousands of hours and millions of dollars are saved, and workers spend less time on manual tasks and more time making meaningful changes. A university degree alone isn’t enough for students to land that first job as they begin their career journey. Corporations and higher education institutes share a responsibility to prepare students to be part of today’s workforce by updating university curriculum with student access to technology. With help from their educators, students can develop analytics skills early on to “future proof ” their careers. By stressing the importance of analytics for entering the job market, expanding data literacy and what it means to be a data worker, and evolving curriculum to meet the standards of today’s business requirements, educators can set their students up for success as they start their career and beyond. At Alteryx, we see customers using our data analytics technology platform in their marketing, HR, finance, sales and other departments to streamline efficient processes and make data-driven decisions across their operations. According to PwC’s “Investing in America’s data science and analytics talent” report, 23% of educators say all graduates will have data science and analytics skills, while 69% of employers say they will prefer job candidates with these skills over ones without. The demand isn’t just for data scientists – it’s for business people with analytics skills. Bolstering students resumes with data analytics skills and certifications can give students a leg up as they begin their job searches. Educators can play a role in closing the skills gap when it comes to data science and analytics. Today, I can look back on my curriculum at CU as a Business Administration major with classes that included market research practices, probability and statistics, psychology, and many others. Having access to technology like Alteryx would have helped connect what I was learning in the classroom with the “real world.” Data skills today can’t be taught with spreadsheets because the data is too
big, and the worker can’t get to insights. Self-service analytics platforms like Alteryx enable every level of data worker, no matter the level of experience. In addition to understanding the value of hard skills in this area, the soft skills developed in the process of problem-solving are equally as valuable to employers once students enter the job market. The influence of educators – from early education through university and higher education – will be crucial in enabling more and more data workers. To enable students to become data workers, universities can evolve their curriculum and equip their classrooms with the right tools and technology used in today’s modern workforce. By diversifying content in the classroom to make it relevant to a variety of career paths, students can better understand how their learnings will apply to their intended careers. Through the Alteryx for Good (AFG) program, students and educators can access an Alteryx Designer license, learning paths and one-on-one help via the Alteryx Community for free. Many educators across the globe have already integrated Alteryx into their courses and capstone projects. For example, a micromarketing professor who benefits from the AFG program demonstrates applications of Alteryx using real
business cases in her class and encourages her students to pursue Alteryx certifications. She said that many of her MBA students get internships or even full-time jobs based on their knowledge of Alteryx. This type of classroom integration, in addition to the offering of more analytics degree options, is essential given our ever-evolving business world. I encourage all university leaders and educators to look at their programs and curriculum to evaluate what needs to be done in order to arm more students with desirable skills in today’s job market. A college degree is earned, but when it comes to what one does with that degree, power lies in knowledge and skillsets. With the heightened demand for data analytics and increased accessibility to platforms like Alteryx, the time to skill up the workforce of the future is now. As a student, Castleton University’s Certificate in Analytics (master’s program) and Business Analytics Certificate (undergraduate program) are excellent programs to gain valuable, in-demand experience to bring into the business world. For more information on Alteryx for Good and how to get started with using Alteryx and data analytics in the classroom, visit: ALTERYX.COM/ALTERYX-FOR-GOOD.
Libby Duane Adams ’84 Chief Customer Officer and Founder, Alteryx Olivia Duane Adams (Libby) is the chief customer officer (CCO) and founder of Alteryx, and one of only a handful of female founders to take a technology company public, along with her founding counterparts, Dean Stoecker and Ned Harding. Libby’s vision and leadership in the creation of the world’s leading data science and analytics community is a key factor in the company’s 22+ year success. Under Libby’s leadership, the Alteryx Community has grown both on- and offline, serving as an incubator for the workforce of the future and empowering women in business via the Alteryx Women of Analytics initiative. Libby recognized early on that creating a customer-centric culture went beyond delivering a successful product experience and set out to enable a global community of passionate data lovers, where Alteryx users can solve more together, boldly step into the unknown, and achieve more than they ever thought possible. Libby spearheaded the growth of the Alteryx Community as an engaging platform, with support for local and topic-focused user groups, launching what is known today as the Alteryx Inspire user conference and introducing the Alteryx ACE program. Before co-founding Alteryx, Libby held various sales, customer, and marketing roles at Strategic Mapping, Donnelley, and VNU Business Media. Libby earned a bachelor’s degree from Castleton University and is an active member of the university’s alumni association. MAGAZINE | FALL 2020 19
A Resourceful Spartan If you ask Tim Langlois ‘94 how he ended up in the waste and recycling business, he will tell you that it chose him. As a first-generation, non-traditional student when he started at Castleton, Langlois was eager to explore the endless opportunities available to him as he pursued his degree in Business and Marketing. “A big piece of my journey was finding the confidence to challenge myself. I found that confidence through the help of my professors, administration, and staff members,” he said, adding that a senior year co-op work experience helped to bolster his ability to work with and present to others. “It was great because as a manager with Casella it is an essential function. Although I give presentations to much larger groups now, I credit that work at Castleton for the foundation that allows me to share our recycling message across the country.” Langlois transitioned through several jobs after college before receiving a call from a recruiter looking to fill a sales position at Casella Waste Management. Castleton alumnus John Casella ‘72 and his brother Doug founded the waste removal company in 1975 and the first recycling facility in Vermont in 1977. It didn’t take long before Langlois realized the company provided far more than just a job. “The people and the culture are as important as the work. I’ve met some of the best people and made lifelong friends over the last 22 years. I found my home here, much like I did at Castleton,” he said. Throughout his time at Casella Waste Management, Langlois has taken on numerous roles, from sales and operations, which included hauling, recycling, and safety, to his current role as Director of Material Recovery Facility Operation. It is his job to make sure Casella’s general managers have all the resources and tools necessary to run the business. Casella Waste Management has operations throughout New England, New York, and Pennsylvania, with major customers in 40 states. Langlois travels weekly to recycling facilities throughout the northeast and focuses on driving continuous improvement across the business segments in his charge. 20 CASTLETON UNIVERSITY
“With all the technology that is available to us, I still find a faceto-face or an in-person visit is the best way to communicate,” he explained, adding that he doesn’t mind the extra time on the road. “My role is not a 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. position. When you love what you do, it becomes part of your life.” For Langlois, the most rewarding part of his career has been working closely with people and problem solving the daily challenges of business. “We have the most committed, driven, and conscientious professionals in the business. I am so lucky. I get to help people and I get to build and mentor the next generation of professionals that will manage solid waste in an ever-changing world. It is the most fulfilling role I’ve ever had,” he said. Langlois is adamant that the waste and recycling industry is always looking for smart, enthusiastic people to join the team. Over the years the company has hired many Castleton University graduates, in addition to the recent formation of a Castleton alumni 28-member group within the organization that focuses on support, mentorship, and networking. At the end of the day, Langlois considers himself lucky to be surrounded by fellow Spartan allies. “Casella has been fortunate enough to find many of our most valuable assets in Castleton alumni,” he said, prideful of his alma mater. “I can’t imagine a day that won’t be the case.”
Alumna’s Passion for Service Leads to Secret Service Career For alumna Christina Bentham ’95 the journey from college graduate to Secret Service agent began in the Castleton University Criminal Justice Department. In addition to attending classes and working toward her degree, Bentham also used her time on campus to gain valuable real-world experience including participating in ride-alongs with the Rutland Police Department, observing operations at the Marble Valley Correctional Facility, volunteering at the Vermont State Police training facility, interning with the Vermont Department of Resources, Enforcement Division, and joining the Army Reserve Military Police to gain more experience. “Castleton provided the tools needed in any law enforcement position like discipline, independence, integrity, strong work ethic, and confidence,” said Bentham. “The most important thing the Castleton Criminal Justice program taught though is understanding the responsibility you have to the community and the criminal justice system. Instilling good moral judgment to ensure the decisions and choices you make are for the good of the community to sustain trust and confidence in the justice system.” Upon accepting her diploma, Bentham spent time as a security guard in Boston, before finding employment with the St. Petersburg Police Department in St. Petersburg, Florida. After five years on the force, drawn to the variety of the job and the travel, she applied to the US Secret Service and was hired as a special agent. In the past 18 years, she has had the opportunity to serve in the Tampa, New York, and Chicago field offices, and has traveled worldwide as part of the United States presidential detail. “The description of what I do now as a supervisor is small compared to what a Special Agent does in their career,” she explained. “An agent’s career starts with seven months of training in Georgia and then Maryland. Upon graduation,
they are assigned to an office, working both investigations and protection. One day you are running down the leads to a bank fraud and the next, posted at a site while the Prime Minister of Canada visits the district.” For Bentham, the opportunity to travel was one of the most appealing aspects of the job. “In the second phase of their career, an agent is assigned to full-time protection, which could be a variety of specialties but primarily the President, Vice-President, or former President details. Agents travel the world preparing for visits, working with local police agencies and governments, and experiencing different cultures.” Currently entering the final stages of her professional career in the Secret Service, Bentham has the ability to return to the field or work at Headquarters in Washington, DC. One thing she has always appreciated about her employer is the unique opportunities to pursue specialized interests within the field. “The Secret Service has the Protective Intelligence Division dedicated to evaluating and analyzing threats against protected persons, including the President and protected facilities. They locate, interview, and evaluate the person and determine if they are a threat,” she said. “The agency also has a career path for cyber investigations, analyzing methodologies evolving in the cyber world that threaten financial infrastructure. During their protection phase, they join the Critical Systems Protection program, which identifies, assesses, and mitigates risk posed by information systems to persons and facilities protected by the Secret Service.” For Bentham, it’s been the experience of a lifetime. “You get to do and go places you may have never experienced.”
MAGAZINE | FALL 2020 21
Supporting Student Scholarships In the fall of 2019 Castleton University officially launched Scholarships for Spartans, an on going initiative focused on helping to make quality higher education affordable to all students through the creation of annual and endowment-based scholarships. The increased focus on financial support for students has led to the creation of over a half dozen newly established scholarships, marking the first additions at the University since 2015. “Our Spartan community, including alumni, donors, faculty, staff, community members, and local businesses, has come together in extraordinary ways to ensure that all students are able to obtain a Castleton education and experience all that our academic programs have to offer,” said Courtney Widli, Director of Development and Alumni Affairs. “It’s the Castleton Way.” Members of the Spartan alumni and donor community pledged their support to the Scholarships for Spartans campaign through various philanthropic donations, scholarship commitments, and naming opportunities. The Community Health Scholarship In Nursing Established to help support aspiring Nursing professionals, the Community Health Centers of the Rutland Region created their first-ever annual scholarship. The Community Health Centers of the Rutland Region have been a longtime community partner with Castleton University, providing various internships, sponsorships, and job placements throughout the years. The Debra Fowler Clare Student Leadership Scholarship Highlighting the importance of student leadership and campus involvement, the Debra Fowler Clare Student Leadership Scholarship was created in memory of Debra Fowler Clare ’96. A Student Orientation Staff member, Student Orientation Staff Coordinator, and Caroline Woodruff Award recipient, Deb embodied the true spirit of Castleton. Elaine H. and Sok Nam Ko International Student Scholarship This newly created endowment celebrates educational and cultural exchange through student scholarships. The Elaine H. and Sok Nam Ko International Student Scholarship, established by alumna Elaine H. Ko-Talmage ’60 in honor of her late husband Dr. Sok Nam Ko ’58, provides funds annually to deserving international students attending Castleton, expanding the family’s longtime commitment to community involvement and volunteerism. Elizabeth H. Sumner World History Scholarship The Elizabeth H. Sumner World History Scholarship was created in memory of the late Elizabeth H. Sumner, who served as a faculty member in the Castleton History, Geography, Economics, and Political Science Department for 37 years. Upon retirement from Castleton University in 2007, Sumner received the distinguished title of Professor Emeritus. 22 CASTLETON UNIVERSITY
Faith A. Smith Memorial Scholarship Vermont native Marilyn Mayo honored her mother’s passion for learning with the creation of the Faith A. Smith Memorial Scholarship. This award is given annually to a local Vermont student who is pursuing a professional career in education. Mayo Family Scholarship Local artist Sandra Mayo recently gave back to her community after creating an annual scholarship for deserving Castleton University students. Named the Mayo Family Scholarship, the award celebrates three prominent generations of women in the Mayo family, including Sandra, her mother Beverly, and her daughter Kimberly, who have used their voices, talents, and life’s work in support of their communities. Pei-Heng Chiang Political Science Scholarship The Pei-Heng Chiang Political Science Scholarship was created in memory of the late Pei-Heng Chiang, who served as a faculty member in the Castleton History, Geography, Economics, and Political Science Department for 32 years. Upon retirement from Castleton University in 2000, Chiang received the distinguished title of Professor Emeritus.
for information on how you can support student scholarships or create a personalized endowment fund, visit:
CASTLETON.EDU/SUPPORTSPARTANS
Spartan Cubicle When your co-workers are fellow Castleton alumni, it makes the workday a lot more fun. Join us as we clock in at workplaces full of Spartan Spirit.
MAGAZINE | FALL 2020 23
Wilcox & Barton, Inc. Concord, New Hampshire Bill Wilcox ’91 and Russ Barton ‘92 met in 1988 as freshmen in the Geology program at Castleton. The two galvanized a strong friendship during their time on campus and joined forces in 2000 to form Wilcox & Barton, Inc. The company has provided clients with a complete range of civil, environmental, and geotechnical services for more than 20 years, completing nearly $70 million in business at approximately 2,000 sites across the United States.
WCAX-Channel 3 News Burlington, Vermont WCAX-Channel 3 News is home to Castleton alumni Darren Perron ’95 and Ike Bendavid ‘16. Joining the WCAX team in 1995, Perron currently serves as a News anchor, AwardWinning Reporter, and Executive Producer for Vermont’s most-watched news station. Throughout his career, he has been nominated for and received a variety of industry awards. Bendavid’s career with WCAX began as an intern in 2016. Since his hire, he has experienced and embraced every aspect of broadcasting, as a photographer, producer, anchor, and reporter.
Gifted Healthcare New Orleans, Louisiana Gifted Healthcare is a private, in-home care, and staff relief service that specializes in supplying highly-skilled, experienced, and compassionate care through regional offices in Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and nationally through its travel nurse division. The company launched in 2006, and is currently managed by Castleton alumnae and long-time friends PK Scheerle, RN ‘80 the CEO and Executive Chairman and Margaret Candon, RN ‘80, who serves as the Chief Nursing Officer. 24 CASTLETON UNIVERSITY
RNL & Associates Rutland, Vermont Three out of five financial employees at RNL & Associates are passionate Castleton alumni. Vice President, Financial Advisor, and Tax Manager Tim O’Connor ’00, Financial Advisor and Office Operations Manager Katherine Brady ‘08, and Financial Planning Assistant Meghann Dayton ’17 each hold a Business degree from CU. RNL & Associates was started in 1987 by former Castleton Professor Ron Lazzaro and the group frequently utilizes Castleton student interns each year during tax season.
University of Vermont Medical Center Burlington, Vermont Several dozen Castleton alumni call The University of Vermont Medical Center their home away from home and current employer. The hospital’s Neonatal ICU team alone features eight talented alumni with more than 70 combined years of service. NICU staff members include Hannah Franzoni ’16, ‘17, Russell Halpern ’85, Kylah Livingston ’13, ‘14, Jennifer Miller ’07, Brook Naylor ’16, ‘17, Andrea Parker ’06, Tina Roper ’03, and Alix Zeno ’15. The NICU team provides specialized care for newborn infants who need close monitoring due to premature birth, birth defects, infections, and other conditions that require immediate medical attention. *In memory of Joseph Sorensen ’86 Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.
Root Cellar Designs New York, New York Friends since their days as students at Castleton, Tamara Matthews-Stephenson ’83 and Susan Young ’85 channeled their artistic backgrounds and created the three-pronged enterprise Root Cellar Designs in 2015. The most prominent is a Business to Business firm designing, making, and selling American-made wallpaper and fabric to the design industry in showrooms nationwide. They also sell ready-made products from their fabrics, such as fashion accessories, pillows, and tabletop linens, as well as create private labels for celebrity clientele. MAGAZINE | FALL 2020 25
Ticonderoga Central School District Ticonderoga, New York The Spartan spirit is well represented just across the Vermont border at the Ticonderoga Central School District. The UPK-12 public school system is made up of two schools. Castleton alumnus Scott Nephew ’03 serves as the Principal of Ticonderoga Elementary School. He and fellow alumni Shari O’Bryan ’84, ’99, who teaches second grade, and Michele Eicher ’96 the Elementary Physical Education Instructor, are navigating their first year as a universal Pre-K-6 building. In the classrooms at Ticonderoga Junior-Senior High School Maria Bagneschi ’94, a Special Educator, and Teaching Assistant Kimberly Powers ’95 challenge students to excel at their highest level of achievement.
Vermont Electric Power Company, Inc. (VELCO) Rutland, Vermont Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO) currently employs 14 talented Castleton alumni with a combined 106 years of service, whose job descriptions include: Business System Analyst, Real Estate and Right-of-Way Specialist, Director of Operations and Energy Management Systems, and Application Integrator Developer. VELCO was formed in 1956 as Vermont’s local utilities joined to establish the nation’s first statewide, “transmission only” company. The company’s current mission is to manage the safe, reliable, cost-effective transmission of electric power throughout Vermont and as a part of the integrated New England regional network. Our Spartans help manage a system responsible for 738 miles of transmission lines, 13,000 acres of rights-of-way, and 55 substations, switching stations, and terminal facilities.
Rutland Young Professionals Rutland, Vermont Nearly half of the Rutland Young Professionals (RYP) Board of Directors are Castleton alumni. Graduates include Alex Adams ‘16, Elicia Pinsonault ‘12, Vanessa Robertson ‘17, and Dan Warnecke ‘17. RYP is an all-volunteer, all-inclusive organization focused on creating a vibrant Rutland, Vermont, and attracting young professionals near and far to the local area.
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Facey Goss & McPhee P.C. Rutland, Vermont Castleton alumni Rodney McPhee ’87 and Toni Girardi ’15 were recently joined by new associate Vanessa Robertson ’17 as practicing attorneys at Facey Goss & McPhee P.C., a full-service law firm based in Rutland, Vermont. For more than 36 years, the firm has provided clients with a complete range of legal services with an emphasis on quality of work product, competitive cost, and an overriding commitment to client service at a sophistication level comparable to a large urban law firm. This focus has allowed the firm to establish itself as a leading legal resource in the Green Mountain State and a reliable partner for many clients seeking legal assistance.
Maximize Your Talent New York, New York Founded in 2010 by Castleton alumnus Art DeLorenzo ’64, Maximize Your Talent (MYT) currently employs three Spartans ranging in graduating years from 1964 to 2020. In addition to DeLorenzo, who serves as the organization’s co-founder and managing principal, Director of Operations Kelly Mesler ’17 and Operations Associate Devon Gordon ’20 both began their careers at MYT immediately after earning their Castleton degrees. MYT specializes in emotional intelligence and mindfulness development to lead everyday people to live extraordinary lives.
Castleton University Castleton, Vermont Currently, 64 outstanding Spartan alumni are employed by Castleton University. Alumni hold positions in a variety of campus departments including admissions, IT services, athletics, facilities, development, student life, academic affairs, library, career services, and conferences and events, as well as serve as dedicated members of our faculty. These enthusiastic alumni join forces daily to elevate the Castleton brand, build a prosperous future for the University, and provide an exemplary educational Spartan experience for all. MAGAZINE | FALL 2020 27
Dear Spartan Student-Athletes and Athletics Community, As I look out at Dave Wolk Stadium I find myself at a loss. Never in my 20-plus years at Castleton have I ever faced the start of a season knowing there will be no competition for any of our many athletic teams for the semester. Like many athletic directors across the country, I am working with our dedicated coaches to try to bring some normalcy to our studentathletes and their daily lives as they train for their sport not knowing what next semester will bring. Although all of our students are taking their classes online, I am thankful for those student-athletes that have had the opportunity to return to campus to train and be with their coaches and teammates. NCAA guidelines as well as state regulations have been put in place to protect our studentathletes, and I am very proud of our student population as they follow new rules and regulations to keep everyone safe. As a former Division I field hockey player, I cannot imagine wearing a mouth guard and a mask over my face while running down our turf field on an 80 degree day, yet I have not heard any objections from our student-athletes. They are not allowed in their locker rooms, they have strict rules for using the athletic training room, they are working with their strength coaches outside on the turf instead of in the weight room, and yet they have no complaints. Our student-athletes came back to campus following all of the guidelines for COVID-19 testing procedures and are willing to follow any rules or changes that may occur so that they can practice. I am amazed at their commitment to want to be here on campus and to be able to continue to be a part of their team. I am hopeful that our teams will be able to compete after January 1. Our winter sports plan on playing a limited number of contests that would include conference play only. Our spring schedule has not changed at this point and we are exploring options for our fall sports to play an abbreviated conference schedule as well. I cannot say what our stands will look like for our winter sports—and only time will tell—but I hope that you will continue to support our athletes as they get back to competition. I hope your enthusiasm for being able to watch our Spartans compete will be as strong as their excitement to be back in their uniform representing Castleton University! Please stay safe, all my best. Go Spartans! Deanna Tyson Associate Dean for Athletics & Recreation Castleton University
Rechberger Named to CoSIDA Academic All-America Team
Castleton University men’s alpine skier Paul Rechberger was named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Division III Academic All-America Second Team At-Large in June, becoming the fifth Spartan all-time to earn the honor for the At-Large category. Rechberger’s appointment to the Academic All-America Second Team gives the Spartans a representative on the award for the third consecutive year, following Trevor Hanna (men’s ice hockey, men’s tennis) on the Third Team in 2018 and Wyatt Pickrell (men’s ice hockey, men’s lacrosse) on the First Team in 2019. The At-Large category is comprised of 12 different men’s sport offerings. Rechberger has an impressive resume to date, both on the slopes and in the classroom. On the mountain, Rechberger has landed five All-America accolades at the USCSA National Championships—three in the slalom, one in giant slalom ,and one in combined standings. He won the 2018 USCSA SL National Championship as a freshman and followed that up with a third-place SL finish in 2019 at the same event. In 2020, Rechberger won two races for Castleton in the regular season,and helped the men’s alpine and men’s Nordic programs earn the USCSA President’s Cup—awarded to the top overall combined program in the USCSA. In his three-year career, he has won 14 races and landed on the podium an impressive 30 times. He was also named the 2018 Vermont Alpine Racing Association Collegiate Skier of the Year. In the classroom, Rechberger has been just as impressive, landing on the President’s List six times through his first three years at Castleton. He is also a three-time First Team USCSA
Scholar All-American and a two-year community advisor on campus. In 2019, he was inducted into the Sigma Beta Delta International Honor Society in Business Management and Administration. Rechberger is joined on the Academic All-America At-Large Second Team by fellow Eastern Collegiate Ski Conference MacConnell Division racer MacIntyre Henderson from Babson College. The duo are the only two alpine skiers to make any of the Division III Academic All-America At-Large teams.
CoSIDA began the distinguished Academic All-America® program in 1952, and since then, has honored thousands of deserving student-athletes from numerous sports across all divisions with these elite Academic All-America® scholar-athlete honors. Currently, CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) sponsors Academic All-America® programs for men’s soccer, women’s soccer, football, volleyball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, softball and men’s and women’s track and field/cross country. Many other sports are eligible through the At-Large program. Both the Academic All-America® program and the Hall of Fame are nominated and voted upon exclusively by members of CoSIDA. In total, less than 10 percent of all nominees each year go on to earn the prestigious title of Academic All-American.
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The Spartan Way castleton softball gives back to those on the front lines There is a common phrase around campus that says “Once a Spartan, always a Spartan,” letting members of the Castleton community know that even upon graduation, our students will be bonded forever as part of the Castleton family. That saying rings true every single day—even in the face of a global pandemic—evidenced by the outreach and support members of Castleton’s softball program gave to former teammates working on the front lines to combat COVID-19 in March. Chelsea Grady ’16 graduated from Castleton with a bachelor’s degree in Health Science before later obtaining her master’s degree in Nursing from DePaul University. Grady then took a nursing job in Chicago, where she stepped into a role in the hospital’s COVID-19 unit. Grady’s former teammate Brooke Naylor ’16, ’17, who earned both her associate’s degree and bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Castleton, also found herself facing new challenges in her role in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the UVM Medical Center in the midst of the pandemic. Both women grappled with new procedures at their respective hospitals, including mandatory social isolation that kept them away from family and friends for multiple weeks. It was at this time that Castleton softball head coach Eric Ramey began reaching out to his alumnae, checking on them and their respective families to see how they were holding up in this challenging time. “I sent a group message out to the 2016 team as the virus started to take over, just as a way to say hello and check in on them,” said Ramey. “That opened some back-and-forth between the students, and they enjoyed hearing from one another. About two weeks later, I checked in with Brooke, and she was pretty beat down by her shifts and she had not seen her family in over two weeks. I let the others know that Brooke could use a boost, and the team took it from there by sending her encouraging messages. It really lifted her spirits.” 30 CASTLETON UNIVERSITY
“We then started checking in on some others that we knew were working in healthcare, and stories started to be shared amongst the group,” Ramey continued. “I remembered that Chelsea returned to nursing school, and she was working on a COVID-19 floor in a Chicago hospital. I think, overall, we had eight members of this group that were in the fray in one way or the other.” The encouraging notes and uplifting conversations sparked something further from the softball alumnae, however, as Kristi Lawless ’16, ’17, organized a way to help not just their former teammates, but also their co-workers. “I knew we had two nurses really working on the front lines and struggling a bit with the isolation and everything they were facing,” said Lawless. “We were—and still are—a part of their team, so it was time to step in.” “I reached back out to everyone, minus Chelsea and Brooke, and asked if they would be willing to donate $10, which would be split between the two nurses for them to buy themselves and their staff members a meal for their next shift,” Lawless recounted. “We received a minimum of $10 from every member of the 2016 North Atlantic Conference Championship team, as well as donations from a couple of parents, the coaches, and even some other softball alum, bringing the total to $350.” That money was then split evenly between Grady and Naylor, allowing them to share the love with their co-workers. “I was overwhelmed when the Castleton softball team made such a generous donation to our unit,” said Naylor. “This donation provided our staff with a breakfast buffet, snacks, coffee, and a pizza party. Most importantly, it provided our unit with a morale boost. Sometimes coming into work is daunting and anxiety provoking, but the smallest things make the 12 hour shifts so much better.”
“Social distancing during the stay at home order was more difficult than I anticipated,” Naylor continued. “I am constantly paranoid about what germs I am coming in contact with on my days off and what germs I will bring with me to the hospital and to the immunocompromised babies.”
The ongoing global pandemic has been a challenge for everyone, but a little kindness can go a long way to making someone’s day brighter. “Don’t forget to check in on each other,” Lawless said. “You never know when your family, friends, or teammates might need it the most!”
Even though they admittedly don’t keep in touch as much as they’d like, members of the Castleton softball program still have a fondness for one another due to the strong bonds created during their time in Spartan green. Furthermore, the group still feels just as much a part of a team as they always have. “This was a full team effort, players and coaches alike,” said Lawless.
“This group will always be connected through the championship,” said Ramey. “But four years later and with some time passed under the bridge, when a couple of their teammates needed to be lifted up and encouraged to keep swinging—they were there for each other. The work they put in together through softball will never leave them alone. This virus brought out the best of qualities of these women. They still have each other’s back when times are tough.”
Naylor echoed the team sentiment, saying “I would give anything to be able to go field some ground balls with all my teammates again on the Spartan Softball field.”
Castleton Classic Bolsters Athletics Support The 14th annual Castleton Golf Classic was held on Friday, August 14, at the Rutland Country Club featuring an array of alumni, University supporters, and local community sponsors. The annual event, which began in 2007, has now raised more than $550,000 in support of the 28 varsity teams and 600+ student-athletes at Castleton University. Event proceeds are directed to Castleton Athletics, ensuring funding for comprehensive and diverse programming that provides opportunities for student-athletes to develop as individuals and leaders, while promoting a tradition of academic and athletic excellence.
Save the Date for the 2021 Castleton Golf Classic: Friday, August 13, 2021
CASTLETON.EDU/GOLFCLASSIC
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The Permanent Collection CASTLETON’S CAMPUS IS HOME TO COUNTLESS UNIQUE WORKS OF ART. THESE PIECES ARE ADMIRED DAILY BY STUDENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND CAMPUS VISITORS.
BAMBOO STAR AKIO HIZUME bamboo and twine located in calvin coolidge library
CHILDREN OF EARTH ROY CHADWICK marble located on the fine arts center green
THREE FOR ONE PERSI NARVAEZ located on the side of babcock hall 32 CASTLETON UNIVERSITY
PENDULUM FACE
MANDALA II
OLIVER SCHEMM copper, steel, limestone located in wooldridge sculpture garden
PAUL CALTER steele and marble located on the student center green donated by jennifer and fred bagley
BLUE CENTRIPETAL DRAWING BILL RAMAGE drawing located in jeffords science center
UNTITLED
PAUL ASCHENBACK welded steele located outside leavenworth hall MAGAZINE | FALL 2020 33
Off ice Hours: PHIL WHITMAN | PROFESSOR OF ART Phil Whitman spent his childhood summers visiting America’s historic battlefield sites. Those frequent family trips fostered in him a deep interest in American military history and helped set a core theme in his artwork and professional endeavors. Whitman attended Bowdoin College in Maine, intending to major in history, but quickly found himself drawn to the arts. “The liberal arts curriculum enabled me to explore all sorts of fascinating subjects and how they connected,” explained Whitman, who graduated as a double-major in History and Visual Art. “I loved how art allowed me to synthesize my new learning and various interests into something personally significant.” After graduation, he was offered an internship at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art, lived in Chicago, and then enrolled in a graduate program at the Rhode Island School of Design. There he worked with artists from all over the world and earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Painting. Following graduate school, he worked as a picture framer and a stonemason. He was then accepted into several prestigious artists’ residencies, including the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Cape Cod, and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine. In 2011, Whitman, along with his wife, Kristen, and their two boys, Gib and Ned, moved to Poultney. He began teaching Art History courses at Castleton while continuing to create unique history-inspired art pieces in his spare time. 34 CASTLETON UNIVERSITY
Throughout this journey, Whitman continued to draw images from the battlefield parks and historical sites from his childhood. His work has been featured locally in Vermont at the Chaffee Art Center, Downtown Gallery in Rutland, and the Carving Studio and Sculpture Center in West Rutland. His latest work recreates 19th century American painter James Hope’s The Aftermath at Bloody Lane, using mediums he has on hand as a parent, like Crayola crayons. Whitman uses a pencil to depict the images of soldiers Hope recreated from the photographs taken on the battlefield. Their black and white lines stand out in contrast to the colorful landscape in the background. Whitman now serves as the chairperson of the Castleton Art Department and chair of the General Education Committee of the Faculty Assembly. His vision for the department is to move from a singular declaration as a major to an emphasis on conceptual and contextual learning. He looks forward to working with new Castleton students each semester and continuing to evolve as an artist, learning from his colleagues and students. “Working with students is fulfilling,” he said. “Art is one of the Liberal Art disciplines. It’s going to prepare you for connecting a lot of different things.”
My Space each issue we ask one person to share their space on castleton’s campus.
ETHAN BRUCE MAINTENANCE WORKER Ethan Bruce is everywhere on the Castleton campus during all kinds of weather. In the summer, you will find him weed whacking, mowing lawns, pulling weeds, and setting up special events for the Conferences and Events Office. In the spring you’ll find him seeding, fertilizing, planting, and mulching. In the fall Ethan will be raking leaves, cutting brush, and preparing for the colder months. In the winter, he will be on the Castleton campus whenever needed to shovel and plow the roads and walkways of snow, slush, and ice. When Ethan was asked why he liked being part of the grounds crew, he replied “I like to smile and wave to all the great people, and I enjoy making the grounds look nice.” “Ethan is a great guy,” said Chuck LaVoie, facilities director. “He works hard, does what you ask him to do, and takes pride in his work. I really appreciate those qualities in a person.”
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