Eastern Magazine Spring 2004

EASTERN The Magazine of Eastern Connecticut State University

Volume 1, Issue 1

In this issue

Chimamanda Adichie ’01 reads from her new book, Purple Hibiscus.

Spring 2004

Spring 2004

In this issue: A purple hibiscus returns to campus ....2-3 16 sets of twins ...................................4-5

Departments: Around campus ......6-7

Faculty cover the globe ...................... 8-10

Athletics ............... 18-19

WebCT premiers ................................. 11

Philanthropy ............20

An Eastern family ...........................12-13 Generations ....................................14-15 Gordon Shepard lends a hand......... 16-17

Alumni ........................21 Class Notes .......... 22-27 The Last Word .......... 28

Dear Members of the Eastern Community: It is with pleasure that I introduce the first issue of Eastern magazine. These are exciting times at the University, and you are invited to experience that excitement firsthand as you read this new magazine. Eastern will appear quarterly, and will highlight the ways that Eastern students, faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni continue to demonstrate the University’s commitment to excellence.

It is our hope that the magazine will serve to help readers learn how Eastern remains a personal institution — committed to providing an excellent liberal arts education combined with a whole life experience that prepares graduates for leadership roles in today’s global society.

We hope you find the contents informative and relevant. Because this is your magazine, I encourage you to share your suggestions with our editorial staff.

Thanks for making Eastern an institution we all may be proud of as we strive to set the bar higher every day.

David G. Carter President

Staff and Contributors Editor

Edward H. Osborn

Director of University Relations Publication Manager

Patrick J. Johnson

Coordinator of Design and Publications Writers ⁄ Contributors

Dwight Bachman Public Relations Officer

Kenneth J. DeLisa

Vice President, Institutional Advancement

Carla Francis

University Associate, University Relations

Pauline T. McDougall

Director of Institutional Advancement

Robert Molta

Sports Information Director

Lana Pontbriant

Associate Director, Alumni Affairs Photographers

Nick Lacy Jeremiah Macht ’04

Spring 2004 • 1

A hibiscus by any other name Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ’01 returns to campus with a new book

by Dwight Bachman photos by Jeremiah Macht ’04

Edmond Chibeau, professor of communication, knew he was in for something special when Nigerianborn Chimamanda “Amanda” Nigozi Adichie ’0 enrolled in his History and Criticism of Radio and Television class in fall 2000. “Amanda showed me some of her short stories,” Chibeau said, “and I knew she had a great talent for writing.”

Adichie’s storytelling was so powerful that Chibeau asked her to write some articles for the Campus Lantern and then made the articles required reading for his class. “It was perhaps the first time her work was required reading in a college classroom, but I am sure it won’t be the last,” Chibeau declared.

Adichie, who says she’s been writing ever since she could spell, also agreed to write poetry in Igbo, her native dialect, for Chibeau’s All Ears Radio Theater, a live radio show that grew out of his scriptwriting class.

The young Nigerian woman was raised in the university town of Nsukka, where her parents worked 2 • Spring 2004

as lecturers. She came to the United States at age 9 and enrolled at Drexel University, eventually transferring to Eastern. This also enabled Adichie to be closer to her sister, who has a medical practice in Coventry.

Today, at 26, she’s at Johns Hopkins University in the graduate program in creative writing and also teaches freshman English, fitting signs of the value of an Eastern degree.

There’s more. Within two years of graduating summa cum laude in 200, Adichie has become a nationally acclaimed author touring the country to promote her new novel, Purple Hibiscus, published this past October by Algonquin Books in association with Workman Press.

Purple Hibiscus is a riveting, beautifully woven story of privileged family life in the city of Egunu, Nigeria.

Chibeau has high praise for his former student’s novel. “When we read her work, we become local to the spot where the story takes place in Nigeria. We become neighbors in the hearts of the characters through the

closeness of observation and elegant precision of language used to record those observations. The sociological observations are different, but the psychological particulars are universal.

Amanda’s descriptions of those emotions transcend geography and time.”

Adichie considered it ignorance when a literary agent told her, “People don’t want to read about Africa.”

She has written and published more than a dozen short stories, both fiction and nonfiction, chiefly about Nigeria. Her work has appeared in Zoetrope All-Story, Prism International, Wasafiri, Calyx Journal, Iowa Review, Other Voices, and the anthology Proverbs for the People.

Just last year, Adichie won the O. Henry Prize and the PEN Center USA’s David T. Wong International Short Story Prize — one of the nation’s most prestigious literary awards. In 2002, one of her short stories was put on the short list for the Caine Prize for African Writing.

How to Order Purple Hibiscus

Professor Edmond Chibeau and Christine Guarnieri, 2003 Barnard Scholar, join Adichie at the November 2003 book reading.

“I hope my fiction will enable Americans to see the human, and in many ways, ordinary lives of Nigerians,” commented Adichie. “I also hope that more contemporary African fiction will be published in the United States, because fiction is one of the best ways to open our eyes to cultures different from our own.”

Adichie returned to Eastern in November 2003 to voice her thanks to everyone involved with her education, and to read from and sign copies of her book. After the reading, Communication Department students, faculty, and staff recorded a half-hour program with her for ECSU-TV/ Channel 22 and WECS-FM (90.).

One reviewer calls Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus “a monumental literary achievement and a prayer for Nigeria.” A reviewer for the London Times deemed it “the best debut novel since Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things.”

of books described the work as “luminous… a novel that snares the reader from the first page and lingers in the memory long after its tragic end.” Jenny Quigley, reviewing for the Hartford Courant, asserted, “What makes Purple Hibiscus satisfying is that in addition to its lovely, spare writing and complex characters, it has a swift, seamless storyline and makes politically tumultuous and intricately textured Nigeria completely accessible.”

Copies of Purple Hibiscus may be ordered from the Eastern Bookstore.

Contact Information:

Bookstore Eastern Connecticut State University 83 Windham Street Willimantic, CT 06226 (860) 465-5283 blakeb@easternct.edu Book Details:

Hardcover, 307 pages Publisher: Algonquin Books ISBN: 56523875

Christine Guarnieri ‘03, Barnard Scholarship winner and friend of Adichie, recalled, “When I first met Amanda I thought she was a quiet and focused woman. While she was at Eastern, I watched her strengthen and expand into a more expressive, confident writer.”

Adichie is just finishing her second novel, the setting of which is the Nigerian civil war in 967-70.

Publishers Weekly, one of the nation’s most widely respected periodicals dealing with matters in the world Spring 2004 • 3

ditto

Emily and Elizabeth Wrobel

Sabryna and Sereyna Wallace

Think you’re seeing double? You would be right!

by Carla Francis photos by Nick Lacy

If you spend a few hours on the campus of Eastern Connecticut State University, you might think that you are seeing double — frequently. It’s not your eyesight; Eastern is home to an astounding 6 sets of twins. They come from many different environments, and have many talents and interests.

Here are just a few of them.

Chelsea and Megan Brown, graduates of South Windsor High School, are undecided on majors, but Chelsea is leaning toward psychology.

“Eastern’s small campus makes it easy to walk everywhere,” said Megan, “and the small classes and First Year Program are helping me become more comfortable in this great college community.” Megan, a cat lover, and Chelsea enjoy the typical college 4 • Spring 2004

activities — movies, sports events, and parties.

Elizabeth and Emily Wrobel are transfer students from Quinebaug Valley Community College and plan to be early-childhood teachers. They share many of the same interests — working with children, reading, cooking, and spending time at the beach.

Campus size and closeness to home were factors that led them to Eastern.

“As far as our twinness is concerned, we do not look alike,” said Emily, “but we can finish each other’s sentences and we know what the other is thinking before it’s said.” They reside in Danielson.

Dianna and Diane Desances of Bridgeport are enrolled as Biology majors. “The teachers are under-

standing and are always there for you if you need help, said Diane.”

Dianna said she sees Eastern as a university that motivates students to do well. Her outside interests include running track, and the step team and enjoying her friends.

Both love to shop and dance and enjoy socializing with friends.

Heather and Kelly McKenney will graduate in May. Heather is majoring in English and elementary education, and Kelly is a sociology major who transferred to Eastern in her junior year from the University of Rhode Island. They have parallel interests in children and animals.

Heather looks forward to teaching, and Kelly hopes to work with neglected and abused children.

Kelly and Heather McKenney

April and Candace Nicholson

Megan and Chelsea Brown

Diane and Dianna Desances

April and Candace Nicholson will graduate in 2005 with communication degrees and minors in criminology and psychology. They are alike in many interests, including music and movie preferences.

Candace says that what she enjoys most about Eastern are the small classes and the individual attention teachers offer to students.

Sabryna and Sereyna Wallace, who come from Hartford, are resident assistants who enjoy helping others any way they can. They also will graduate in May. Sabryna is a senior psychology major and rates Eastern a 0 out of 0! “Eastern has given me the best experiences of my life and I will never forget them. There is

something for everyone here, whether it is clubs, internships, or jobs. As a freshman, I learned the sky is the limit — now as a senior, I realize that Eastern has taught me to never stop, even when you reach the top.”

Serena, a communications major concentrating in advertising, remarked, “I love the many resources Eastern offers to enhance our learning and employment opportunities, and the small classes make it easier to learn and grow in knowledge and wisdom.”

Other Eastern twins include Amber and Sarah Jewell of Woodstock Valley; Keri and Megan Taylor of Manchester; David and Kristen Colasanto, from Middlebury; Aaron and Brendon L’Esperance of Milton, VT; Justin and Jason Preuss of Bolton; Alisha and Felisha Thomas of Bridgeport; Abigail and Kathleen Moon of Colchester; Jean Daniel and Jean Marc Dieudonne of Norwalk; Susan and Laura Dubois from Tolland; and Aaron and Dexter Eggleston of Norwalk.

Both have a love of singing and are members of the United Praises Gospel Choir on campus.

Spring 2004 • 5

Campus News

Eastern Builds for the Future Eastern Connecticut State University is making great strides in meeting its vision of becoming a campus of distinction, one that embraces new technologies to enhance the learning environment.

In the past four years, the campus has seen the construction of the 27,000 square-foot J. Eugene Smith Library, the Admissions building, the GelsiYoung administration building, a new parking garage, and other projects.

Construction projects under way or in the planning stages include a 750bed residential village; an outdoor track; a child and family development resource center; and a new public safety building. The master plan calls for future construction of a science building and fine arts center, and expansion of the existing student center.

When current and planned construction projects are completed in 2008, Eastern’s current building space —  million square feet — will have doubled to more than 2 million square feet devoted to the education and well-being of our students as they prepare to become members of the world community.

Residential Halls The South Residential Village project will add three 250-bed residence halls south of the library. Phase  has started, and utility and site work are under way. Building  will open in August 2004; Buildings 2 and 3 are slated to open in August 2005.

Child and Family Development Resource Center Groundbreaking for the Child and Family Development Resource Center is planned for spring 2004.

The $2 million facility will house a 6 • Spring 2004

Artist’s rendering of the new South Residential Village, currently under construction.

family resource center, classrooms, faculty offices, and distance-learning facility. The center will include a $2 million technology system, funded by a federal grant, to offer distance learning and other teaching opportunities.

Public Safety Building The Public Safety Building brings with it a communications center that will integrate campus monitoring systems — fire alarms, building energy-monitoring systems, security cameras, building card access, and emergency call boxes. The site has been cleared and contract documents are complete.

Science Building Construction plans for the Science Building are moving forward, with a projected start date of August 2004.

This state-of-the-art facility will be located just south of Webb Hall and will be one of the first LEEDcertified (Leadership in Energy and Efficient Design) buildings constructed on a Connecticut State University campus. The University’s mathematics and science departments will be housed in this building.

University Center The first phase of the University Center — the Student Center addition and renovation — is in the design stage. The combined project will renovate, enlarge, and connect the existing Student Center and Sports Center in two phases. In addition to the construction of 36,000 square feet of new space for the Student Center, plans call for expanding the Sports Center by approximately 85,000 square feet to include an NCAA-regulation 50-meter pool, an auxiliary gym, an office complex, training room, shower and locker facilities, and space to support the academic programs of the Department of Health and Physical Education. The new Student Center design includes a mini-mall, fitness center, performance space, and café.

Fine Arts Center Planning for the Fine Arts Center is complete. Eastern officials anticipate receiving funds for design in July 2004. The 34,000 square-foot facility will include classroom and performance spaces, an art gallery, a ,00-seat auditorium that will serve the University and surrounding communities, a 350-seat concert hall, a smaller black box theater, and visual arts and rehearsal studios.

Campus News Arts and Lecture Series Sparkles in its Second Year As of press time, five of the six events planned as part of the second annual Arts and Lecture Series had taken place, with appreciative crowds at each event.

In September 2003, Capitol Steps brought their special brand of political satire to Shafer Auditorium. In October, basketball legend Bill Russell spoke of teamwork, leadership, and the value of education to a packed house in the Betty R. Tipton Room.

December brought a stunning performance by the internationally acclaimed Borromeo String Quartet, whose members shared a range of familiar and inventive classical pieces from Haydn, Brahms, and Ligeti.

In February, the Providence Black Repertory Company presented a rich, moving performance in honor of noted Black Renaissance poet and author Langston Hughes. Perhaps the most unusual event of the series took place in March when the Renaissance trio, Ensemble Chaconne, joined mezzo-soprano Pamela Dellal to present “Heroines and Harlots, Crowns and Crones — The Music of Shakespeare’s Women.” The musicians used period instruments from the Shakespearean era to play the original songs from more than 400 years ago. Veteran PBS correspondent Ray Suarez is scheduled to cap off the year on April 20.

The Borromeo Quartet performance showcased the talents of violinist Nicholas Kitchen and his colleagues.

“The Arts and Lecture Committee was pleased to bring such a variety of performers and speakers to campus this year,” said Kenneth DeLisa, vice president for institutional advancement. “The turnout and reception we’ve seen from students, faculty, and the community have been very gratifying.”

State Supreme Court Visits Eastern Eastern students interested in pursuing a career in law saw the workings of the Connecticut State Supreme Court firsthand this past October.

The Providence Black Repertory Company honored the life of Black Renaissance poet and author Langston Hughes.

In an effort to educate the public about the role and responsibilities of the appellate court system, the state’s Supreme Court visited Eastern to hear arguments on two cases — one civil and one criminal. Students experienced all the protocol that surrounds this legal process, including security screenings before their admission into the proceedings.

“We are excited about the opportunity to visit Eastern and to educate students about our Court,” said Chief Justice William J. Sullivan at the proceedings. “We hope that they will walk away with a better understanding of the process — and perhaps a desire to consider law as a career.”

A number of firsts marked the visit. It was the first time the justices heard arguments at a Connecticut State University. Justices held one-on-one interviews with the media before the sessions began, and Eastern staff videotaped the proceedings to be used as an educational tool to inform high school and college students and members of the community how the Supreme Court works.

After each session, a volunteer attorney and two Eastern faculty members, Stacey Close, associate professor of history, and William Salka, assistant professor of political science, moderated a question-and-answer period. Lawyers involved in the cases responded to student questions about their case objectives and strategies.

Attorney Ingrid Moll of the firm Motley & Rice facilitates the student question and answer period which followed the proceedings of the Connecticut Supreme Court visit on Oct. 29.

Spring 2004 • 7

Sprinkling a Bit of Eastern A number of Eastern Connecticut State University faculty and staff traveled abroad during the past months to share their knowledge and broaden their horizons. Here are some highlights.

Bringing Scotland to British Columbia

In late October, Professor of English Kenneth McNeil presented his paper “Formation of the (Scottish) Highland Society of London in the Late 18th Century” at a conference in Vancouver, British Columbia.

“The Highland Society was an informal gentleman’s club of the time,” he said, “and its members worked to promote all things Highland, from cultivating the music and poetry and sponsoring prizes for agricultural improvement to wearing the kilt at all their parties and galas, and there were a lot of those.”

British Columbia, Canada Havana, Cuba Jamaica Barbados Atlantic Ridge

Colombia

Jaime Gomez visits Colombia

Professor Jaime Gomez headed a team of researchers from the Universidad de Cartagena and Universidad del Atlántico in a project sponsored by the Colombian National Television Commission (CNTV). The project, Towards a Regional System of Public Educational Television: A New Approach and Technological Convergence, advances a model of educational television in which new information and communication technologies, such as the Internet and digital interactive television, play a central role.

Gomez also visited the production site of one of Colombia’s highest rated television series as part of his research for his upcoming book on television production, coauthored with Professor Ronald J. Compesi of San Francisco State University.

8 • Spring 2004

Argentina Chile

Across the Globe Measuring Astronomical Refraction in Barbados

Earth’s atmosphere bends (refracts) the light of astronomical objects such as the Sun. Russell Sampson, professor of physical science, has recently completed a four-year study of the variability of astronomical refraction from the subarctic climate of Edmonton, Alberta.

A festive scene in nighttime Havana.

Snowplows in Havana

Can you imagine a snowplow in tropical Havana?

Snowplows in Havana, a book that Professor of Visual Arts Gail Gelburd is writing, examines the spirit of Cuba through its art. You will have to wait until the book comes out for the full story behind the unlikely title.

“This work has practical applications in such areas as navigation and surveying,” said Sampson.

“The extreme variability of Edmonton’s weather produces relatively large changes in astronomical refraction. The most obvious effect is the apparently unpredictable times of sunset and especially sunrise. The study also raised the question, ‘What kind of variability occurs in climates that are dramatically different from Edmonton’s?’”

To answer this question, Sampson visited Barbados for three weeks during intersession to research the tropical climate there. Barbados was chosen for its dramatically different climate and its research support services, and because it is home to the Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH).

Professor Russell Sampson sets up shop in Barbados.

Gelburd spent three weeks over the summer, two weeks in November, and a week in January interviewing more than 30 Cuban artists and reviewing their work in studios and museums.

She was also invited to lecture in November at the University of Havana in conjunction with the Havana Biennial (a Third World international art exhibition and conference) and in January at a conference sponsored by the Casa de Africa.

Jamaican Breezes

In October 2003, Rochelle Giménez, dean of Eastern’s School of Continuing Education, traveled to Jamaica to meet with education officials and recruit students for Eastern’s second Cohort Program for Teacher Professionals in Jamaica. In preparation for an upcoming accreditation visit, Giménez met with Dr. Ethley London, president of the University Council of Jamaica; the Hanover Education Foundation Board; and Mr. Theo Chamber, member of Parliament, among others.

These efforts follow the very successful first B.A. program for Jamaican teacher education professionals established by Beverley Anderson, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. In the program’s first year, 68 Jamaican teachers and principals graduated with an Eastern bachelor’s degree in sociology.

The drilling ship, Joides Resolution.

Women of “The Plaza de Mayo” in Buenos Aires.

Cruising the Ocean Floor

Cintron-Marrero Visits South America

This past summer, Tim Schroeder, a new faculty member of the Department of Environmental Earth Science, conducted seafloor research during an eight-week cruise aboard the international drilling ship Joides Resolution. Schroeder’s research investigates microscopic features in core samples taken from the rock formed during seafloor earthquakes to determine how fault slip relates to the spreading of the Atlantic Ocean.

Schroeder left Rio de Janeiro on May 6, 2003, and steamed north with 28 other scientists from nine countries to the study site on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a 6,000-mile-long rift at the center of the Atlantic, approximately 1,000 miles east of Barbados. New crust is formed within this rift that constantly widens the Atlantic Ocean and pushes the Americas and Europe/Africa apart at a rate of 2 inches a year.

In November, Modern and Classical Language Professor Sonia Cintron-Marrero traveled to Chile and Argentina. She met with Maria Ester Martinez, senior editor of Taller de Letras, a literary journal of the Catholic University of Chile in Santiago. After sharing ideas on literature and discovering a shared admiration of a contemporary Chilean writer, Cintron-Marrero left with books, journals, and an invitation to contribute articles to Taller de Letras.

Cintron-Marrero’s last stop was in Buenos Aires at a tango show. It was a nostalgic trip to her past when her Puerto Rican mother sang to Argentine tunes playing on New York City radio stations.

Spring 2004 • 9

Across the Globe (continued)

The Scent of Literature

Michèle Bacholle-Bošković, associate professor in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, traveled to Orléans, France, in December to speak at the two-day colloquium “Scents of Literature: The Smell of Words.” Her talk was on the aroma of coffee in Haitian writer Dany Laferrière’s works. The first day of the colloquium was at the University of Orléans; the second day’s session was in a 16th-century chateau.

Wales London, England France Israel

Rising Tides

Environment Earth Science Professor Roy Wilson spent the summer, fall, and intersession researching the vulnerability of coastal communities on the Pembrokeshire Coast of Wales, United Kingdom. Wilson is developing a method for quantifying the risks posed by an accelerated rise in the sea level. Some of the consequences are inundation, erosion, increased flooding, and the loss of agricultural and settled lands.

The study integrates geological, geomorphological, tidal-range, elevation, and land-use data to derive an index of vulnerability.

London Calling

Ellen Faith Brodie, director of theater in the Department of Performing Arts, spent a week in London during intersession to plan the daily itinerary for Eastern’s International Summer School in London 2004 program with colleagues at the London Metropolitan University. This will be the fifth year of “Time Travel Through the Arts – Destination: London,” a time when students tour museums and galleries; attend plays, concerts, ballet, and opera; and tour cultural and historical sites in London and its environs.

Professor Ellen Faith Brodie experiences the historic atmosphere of Stonehenge.

For more information regarding the Summer In London program, please call Brodie at (860) 4655122 or email BrodieE@easternct.edu.

Nematology in Israel

While Associate Professor of Biology Elizabeth Cowles was on sabbatical leave last semester, she attended the Third International Conference on Entomopathogenic Nematodes in Eilat, Israel, where she spoke on insecticide-nematode interactions. She described the research she conducted at Eastern, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, and Rutgers University.

The conference gave her the opportunity to meet nematologists from around the world. She enjoyed the camaraderie, swimming and snorkeling in the Red Sea, and a side trip to see the carved rock ruins of Petra in Jordan. If you’d like to learn more about Professor Cowles’ research and nematologists from around the world, please visit http://www.easternct.edu/personal/faculty/ cowlese/index.html.

10 • Spring 2004

South Africa Lt. Derrick McBride takes time out from his official tour to visit a wildlife preserve in South Africa.

From Lieutenant to Ambassador

For Lieutenant Derrick McBride, a 17-year veteran of the Department of Public Safety at Eastern, his recent two-week visit to South Africa “was probably the most incredible and humbling experience I will ever have” – next to helping his wife, LaShawn, deliver three daughters into the world, that is.

McBride joined a group of law enforcement officials from New Jersey, Texas, Indiana, Kansas, and Washington as part of an ambassador program sponsored by People to People, a nonprofit

group instituted by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1956 to enhance international, professional, and cross-cultural communication.

“Visiting Robben Island where President Nelson Mandela spent 27 years of his life in such deplorable conditions was overwhelming,” said McBride.

“What impressed me the most was the ability of the people to forgive and move forward. They realize that the past cannot be forgotten, but they refuse to let it hinder the progress of the country.

We can learn a lot from people like that.”

WebCT Premiers at Eastern

by Michael Palumbo, Technical Support Analyst, Center for Instructional Technology

This past fall, Eastern Connecticut State University faculty and students implemented WebCT, a new online course management system designed to support instruction on the World Wide Web. WebCT uses the latest technology to enable professors to foster inquiry, encourage discourse, and inspire collaboration.

Eastern professors are using WebCT to augment their current courses, providing students with the tools to succeed both in and out of the classroom. With professors posting their lectures and class material online, students now have access to instructional content at any time of day or night.

Imagine a world where professors are free from lugging stacks of handouts back and forth to class — it’s here!

Students can print all the handouts at their convenience and can even access a previous lecture if they need to review.

In addition to course materials, professors can add communication tools to their course in WebCT. Tools like chat, discussion boards, and e-mail extend the classroom community beyond the physical classroom. Students can take part in debates, tutor one another, and contribute to group projects from the comfort of their own home. Commuting students can participate as much as resident students without the need to travel. It’s like being in class on your time.

A professor can track each student’s participation, maintain a grade book, collect student assignments, and manage every aspect of the classroom experience.

Richard Silkoff, assistant professor of business administration, had tried another online course management

Center for Instructional Technology staff (clockwise from lower right): Michael Palumbo, David Oyanadel, Kevin Gill, and Steve Frazier.

system with mixed success. “I was very skeptical and hesitant about using another online program again,” he said. “Once I tried WebCT and saw what it could do, however, I was very impressed with its flexibility and ease of use. The training provided by Eastern’s Information Technology Services Department made it even easier.”

Eastern’s Center for Instructional Technology has created a WebCT support team to assist faculty in implementing this new instructional system. The team offers training workshops, individual instruction, and consultation for all WebCT projects.

Faculty are finding the task of developing courses to be easy using WebCT. “The system is easy to learn and the workshops provided

by Information Technology Services are organized in a way that gets you through the basics quickly,” Professor of Economics Rhona Free commented.

WebCT became available to a pilot group of professors during the spring 2003 semester and was opened up to all Eastern faculty for the summer 2003 session. By the end of the fall 2003 semester, 75 Eastern faculty were using WebCT in more than 400 class sections. In excess of 2,500 Eastern students were enrolled and benefiting from this innovative educational tool.

Spring 2004 • 11

Alicia Anne (Marcarelli) Forst ‘98 with husband Bryan Samuel Forst ‘96.

Giselda Rita Marie (Salzarulo) Forst ‘73 with husband Thomas Samuel Forst ‘73.

A Family Affair

Seven members of the Forst family have made Eastern their home

by Kathleen L. Nielsen

The Forst family is so loyal and committed to the University that seven family members over two generations have made Eastern their educational home, and have established a scholarship in the family name to ensure the perpetuation of their legacy.

Arthur Charles Forst, Jr. ’70 M.S. was the first family member to embrace Eastern. A 962 graduate of the University of Connecticut, where he majored in political science, he received his master’s degree in psychology and education at Eastern in 970. This academic groundwork enabled him to pursue his doctorate in educational administration at UConn, where he received his PhD in 980. Given his long-term relation12 • Spring 2004

ship with Eastern, it seems fitting that his UConn doctoral dissertation is a history of Eastern covering the period 889 – 959; a copy can be found today in the J. Eugene Smith Library.

Arthur Forst had begun his career at Eastern in 969 as assistant to the president, while he worked on his master’s degree. Eastern, then, was a logical choice to seek full-time employment while working on his PhD. For the next 25 years of his life, he made Eastern his professional home, serving in admissions and alumni relations, and helping establish the ECSU Foundation.

Forst also was president of the Alumni Association for 983-984.

To the disappointment of many, he retired from Eastern in 994. Not one to sit idly by and enjoy retired life, he accepted a position as dean of enrollment management at Mitchell College in New London. Today, he is the director of the State of Connecticut Legislative Internship Program in Hartford, where many of the interns are Eastern students pursuing their political ambitions, developing their careers, and making invaluable contacts through networking.

Forst and his wife, Carolyn Lee (Moore) Forst ’8, met in Washington, D.C. Mrs. Forst says it was “love at first sight.” The couple married in March 966. During their 37 years of marriage, they raised two sons, Arthur

with a bachelor’s degree in education, received her master’s degree in education at UConn, and teaches in the Wethersfield School System.

Did we say Arthur Forst Jr. had two sons? Both have joined their father as Eastern alumni. Arthur Charles “Chuck” Forst III ’92 graduated with a bachelor’s degree in general studies, and has been employed for the past  years by the State of Connecticut as a criminal investigator in the Office of the Public Defender.

His brother, Bryan Samuel Forst, graduated in 996 with a bachelor’s degree in computer science. Like his uncle Thomas, Bryan also met and married his Eastern “sweetheart.”

Alicia Anne (Marcarelli) Forst ’98 graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English. In her sophomore year, Alicia met Bryan in the Outdoor Adventure Club (OAC). Bryan was the treasurer of the OAC, and Alicia became the secretary of the club. A week later they went rock climbing, and “the rest is history.”

Arthur Forst, Jr., spent a quarter of a century of his life working at this University and felt strongly about maintaining the legacy he started.

He could think of no better way to nurture it than by creating the Forst Family Scholarship in 995, a year after his retirement from Eastern.

Arthur Charles Forst, Jr. ‘70 (sitting) with Bryan Samuel Forst ‘96, Carolyn Lee (Moore) Forst ‘81, and Arthur Charles Forst III ‘92.

and Bryan, who are also part of the family legacy at Eastern. Mrs. Forst also studied part time at Eastern for 3 years, earning her bachelor’s degree in economics and business administration. Today she is an assistant vice president at Jewett City Savings Bank and a commercial lender in its Commercial Loan Division.

arts and a minor in fine arts. Thomas Forst is employed by Cox Media Services as its regional vice president in charge of nationwide cable and broadcast television operations. He says he owes much of his success to his Eastern experience, especially the tutoring he received during the summer session prior to his freshman year.

The third member of the Forst legacy is Arthur’s brother, Thomas Samuel Forst ’73, who graduated from Eastern with a bachelor’s degree in liberal

Thomas Forst met his future bride, Giselda Rita Marie (Salzarulo) Forst, at freshman orientation. She graduated from Eastern in 973

This year’s Forst Family Scholarship was awarded to Timothy Kudelchuk, a freshman majoring in accounting. His dream is to become a certified public accountant. With the help of this scholarship, he feels he has been given a wonderful opportunity to pursue that dream.

As with all of the scholarships at Eastern, contributions can be made at any time by anyone. Please call the Office of Institutional Advancement at (860) 465-553 to ask how you can contribute to the Forst Scholarship or to any other Eastern scholarships.

Spring 2004 • 13

(1978) Eastern spanning Fred Johnson ’78 is a partner in GEI Consultants. “I transferred to Eastern from an expensive private school. Deciding to attend Eastern was the best investment in my future that I ever could have made.

I received a well-rounded education, in that I focused not only on my major but other fields as well.

“Many professors, in and out of my discipline, impacted me. I was a science major, but because so many people took an interest in me, I really feel like a well-rounded individual.

“Chemistry Professor Max Ferguson was the most influential professor in my life. I am still in contact with him to this day. He started an internship program with the Environmental Protection Agency in which I participated for a semester. It was a new organization, and I got to do everything. That gave me a taste for the world of work, and a taste for what I wanted to do. It was also a great résumé builder. I attribute my success to Eastern Connecticut State University.

“You get out what you put in. I went on to graduate school, knowing that I was well prepared.”

— by Jasmine Sweet ’04

“Deciding to attend Eastern was the best investment in my future that I ever could have made.”

14 • Spring 2004

the Generations (2007) Garance Esteve ’07 “I am not yet sure what my life goals are, but I know I want to be able to express myself freely through art. And at Eastern, I like the fact that I receive such wonderful individual attention.

Everyone tries to help you, provides you with all the information you need to make the right decisions, and prepares you for life in the real world.

“Student orientation was the best example of that because I met new people and gained a better understanding of the University.

I left orientation feeling more prepared for my first day of school. I knew where everything was, met some of my fellow classmates, and gained insights into many issues through the lectures and activities held for incoming freshmen.

“Already Sociology Professor Wendy Everton has had a significant impact on me. She has an extraordinary way of making class interesting. She teaches with such a passion it is impossible not to get excited with her.”

— by Jasmine Sweet ’04

“Everyone tries to help you, provides you with all the information you need to make the right decisions, and prepares you for life in the real world.”

Spring 2004 • 15

A Helping Hand For Gordon Shepard, ‘giving’ is his way of life

by Robert Molta, Sports Information Director

When he was in the eighth grade, Eastern Connecticut State University senior Gordon Shepard made a decision that would change his life.

As a 3-year-old at Wallace Middle School in Waterbury, Shepard was being encouraged by his basketball coach to attend one of Waterbury’s two parochial high schools — Holy Cross or Sacred Heart. After some hesitancy about leaving the comfort of friends and classmates, Shepard opted for Holy Cross, largely because of the school’s basketball program.

Although Shepard did not experience immediate success as a freshman basketball player with the Crusaders, he realized almost immediately that he had found the right academic and social environment in which to prosper.

In his early years, Shepard had been raised in the north end of Waterbury in a three-floor apartment owned by his grandmother. When Shepard was in middle school, however, his mother left her job in a convalescent home for her current position as a correctional officer. With the new job came a pay hike, which allowed the family to leave behind the drugs, violence, and gangs of the impoverished north end for a condominium in the hill section on the west side of town.

16 • Spring 2004

“It was the biggest change of my life,” said Shepard in describing the move to Holy Cross. “I didn’t know anything about schoolbooks. I had only street knowledge, not school knowledge. It was a complete turnaround. By the time I graduated, I was a totally different person.”

His basketball talents also yielded results. Shepard captained the Crusaders in his last two years and helped win a state basketball championship in his senior year.

He was recruited to Eastern Connecticut State University by former head coach Barry Davis. Even more than basketball ability, Davis was impressed by Shepard’s attributes as a person. Early in the recruiting process, Davis spoke with Shepard’s mother, Cynthia Minnis, who insisted that her son attend a college that would not lose sight of academics and from which he would graduate.

“Everything coming to me about Gordon was positive,” remembered Davis, who coached Shepard through his first two seasons before stepping down to accept an administrative position at Worcester Academy. “There was no question about his athletic ability, but the fact that he was at Holy Cross also told me something about his academic priorities.”

Shepard initially chose psychology as his major at Eastern, but soon switched to social work. He stands just 8 credits shy of earning a bachelor’s degree in social work – a degree that he hopes will help him realize his goal of helping others.

As part of a six-credit, 400-hour internship this year, Shepard has been assigned a caseload of troubled elementary school students in Vernon.

In the mornings, he visits students on a one-on-one basis. He spends his afternoons at an after-school program at the Vernon Youth Services Bureau, counseling youngsters, playing games, and helping them with homework.

“Basically, we are used as rewards,” said Shepard. “If the kids behave and do what they’re supposed to do, then they get to come to the after-school program and hang out with us. And if they behave in class, then they get called out of class so that we can talk.”

Shepard feels that the most important message that he has delivered concerns the need for youngsters to get an education. “Books lead to success,” is what Shepard tells youngsters. “If you want to be on the basketball team, you can if you work hard, but you have to work hard with the books as well. I tell them that I wouldn’t even be here talking to them if I weren’t working on my books.”

At press time, Gordon Shepard was putting the finishing touches on a standout four-year career and helping the Warriors achieve the most successful season of his career.

In addition to winning two consecutive Little East Conference home games with last-second shots during the regular season, Gordon also played in his 100th career game and became the 20th 1,000point scorer in program history. Three days after lifting the Warriors over Rhode Island College on a drive to the basket with 4.5 seconds left, Gordon became the 20th player to score 1,000 career points in the program’s 64-year history when he drilled a three-point field goal three minutes into a 78-68 non-conference win over Curry College on February 3.

Against in-state rival Western Connecticut State University Jan. 20 at Geissler Gym, Gordon gave Eastern its second straight last-second home win over Western by driving the lane and sinking the winner with 4.7 seconds left.

Gordon Shepard drives to the basket against Worcester State College.

As Shepard nears his academic goals, his steady play on the basketball court also attests to his commitment to excellence and perseverance.

The 5-foot-9-inch point guard has appeared in all but two games in his career at Eastern. Shepard averaged 0.0 points and 3.0 assists in his career and led the team in free throw percentage all four years.

Shepard doesn’t expect to earn a million dollars in the social work field, but he has learned that everything isn’t about money. “As long as you have your health and good people backing you up, you don’t need that much money,” he insists.

“I’m not really focused on money.

I mean, if it comes, it comes, but I really want to help people.”

On Seniors’ Night in his final regular-season home game Feb. 17, Gordon posted his second 20-point game of the season, leading the Warriors with 21 points and playing all but four minutes in a 76-65 loss to conference leader Keene State.

The final game of the regular season on Feb. 21 at the University of Massachusetts – Boston was the 100th in the career of Shepard, who brought into that game career totals of 1,079 points, 97 threepointers, 290 assists and a free throw percentage of 76.0. Over his final three seasons, Gordon was the team’s most dependable and durable player, starting all but three of the team’s games over that span.

Spring 2004 • 17

Athletics

Warriors hit the diamond The four-time national Division III Eastern Connecticut State University baseball team has continued its winning ways this spring. At press time, the Warriors were ranked first in New England and fourth in the nation, and sported a 8-5 record.

A 7-2 victory over defending national champion Chapman University highlighted the team’s spring trip to California. Other early spring victories included wins over Montclair State University, Wilmington College (2), Menlo University, Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, University of Redlands, and University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse.

Since returning to New England, the team has gone 9-0, dominating opponents and posting a 5-0 Little East Conference record.

Senior pitchers Joey Serfass, Newington, and Ryan DiPietro, Berlin, have continued their success with four early season victories each; the two have a combined 42-4 career record. Senior Jeremy Hall, Northfield, VT, has won five games already this year, three in relief. With a career record of 3-, Hall joins Serfass and DiPetro in a formidable pitching corps.

Another standout performer has been senior Dwight Wildman, Seymour, who has a 22-game hitting streak and a .432 batting average. Individual highlights include the performances of junior centerfielder Scott Hayward of Meriden, who drove in nine runs with three home runs – one of them a grand slam – in the games against UW-Lacrosse and University of Redlands; junior leftfielder Jason Pekrul of Berlin, who drove in six runs in the victory over Pomona-Pitzer; and sophomore first baseman Chris DeSantis, Shrewsbury, MA, who hit for the cycle in a victory against the University of Massachusetts Boston on April 3.

Warriors Hit the Diamond

Varsity Baseball Schedule Sat. Apr. 3, Noon MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON (2)*

Sun. Apr. 4, at Western Connecticut State University* Danbury, 1 p.m.

Wed. Apr. 7, at Amherst College Amherst, MA, 3:30 p.m.

Thu. Apr. 8, at Framingham State College Framingham, MA, 3 p.m.

Sat. Apr. 10, at Plymouth State University (2)* Plymouth, NH, Noon Tue. Apr. 13, 4 p.m.

TRINITY COLLEGE (CT) Thu. Apr. 15, 4 p.m.

ALBERTUS MAGNUS COLLEGE Fri. Apr. 16, 4 p.m.

SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE Sat. Apr. 17, at Massachusetts Dartmouth (2)* North Dartmouth, MA, Noon Mon. Apr. 19, 4 p.m.

SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY Tue. Apr. 20, 4 p.m.

MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY Wed. Apr. 21, 7 p.m.

BRIDGEWATER STATE COLLEGE Sat. Apr. 24, Noon RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE (2)* Sun. Apr. 25, 1 p.m.

WESTERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY* Wed. Apr. 28, 7 p.m.

WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY Sat. May 1, Noon KEENE STATE COLLEGE (2)* Mon. May 3, 7 p.m.

TUFTS UNIVERSITY Thu. May 6, at Wheaton College Norton, MA, 4 p.m.

Sat. May 8, at University of Southern Maine (2)* Gorham, ME, noon Wed. May 12 - Sat. May 15 Little East Conference Tournament No. 1 seed, TBA Thu. May 20 - Sun. May 23 NCAA Div. III New England Regional Tournament

Sophomore Greg Sullivan of Needham, MA, is one of 18 returning players from last year’s team, which finished 3rd in the NCAA Division III tournament.

18 • Spring 2004

Fri. May 28 - Tue. Jun. 1 NCAA Div. III National Tournament Grand Chute, WI Home games in CAPS

Athletics Eastern men’s season ends with another thriller The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth men’s basketball team eliminated the Warriors from the first round of the 2004 Little East Conference Tournament with a 62-6 win on Feb. 24 at Francis E. Geissler Gym. The game was the third close game in a row this season between the two teams; Eastern won the two regular season games by a total of three points.

The Warriors ended their year at 4-2, a seven-game turnaround from last year’s 7-9 season. Picked to finish sixth this year in the LEC coaches’ preseason poll, Eastern shared third place in the final conference standings with an 8-6 record.

Seniors Gordon Shepard, Waterbury; Michael Kipphut, Meriden; and Christopher Morgan, Waterbury, provided key leadership throughout the season, which featured a string of last-possession victories by the Warriors, and five home games won by a total of seven points. The team worked hard, gave great entertainment to the fans, and demonstrated once again how exciting Division III athletics can be.

Freshman guard Matt Albon of Middlebury drives the lane.

Southern Maine continues LEC dominance For the third time this year, the University of Southern Maine proved to be too much to handle for the Eastern’s women’s basketball team, beating the Warriors 8-55 in the 2004 Little East Conference championship game on Feb. 28 on Southern Maine’s home court. Eastern had advanced to the title game with a semifinal victory over Rhode Island College. The win was the 24th straight for Southern Maine (27-), which won its eighth straight conference tournament title and 5th in 8 years of conference tournament play.

While Eastern didn’t make it back to the NCAA tournament — it reached the Division III national championship game last year — the team nonetheless continued its standard of excellence. The Warriors recorded their fourth straight 20-win season, equaling the most consecutive 20-win seasons in the program’s 33-year history. Four-time All-American Allison Coleman ended her season as Eastern’s all-time career leader in scoring, assists, and steals, and finished tied for the lead in career rebounds with Beth Milton ’97. Allison also was named NCAA Division III National Player of the Year.

Junior guard Jen Bergeron of Jericho, VT, goes up for a shot.

Hall of Fame The 2th ECSU ⁄ E-Club Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony ⁄ Dinner is scheduled to be held this fall. The date, location, and time had not been finalized at press time.

Anyone wishing to nominate an individual for induction or who is interested in attending the banquet can obtain additional information by visiting http:// cit3.easternct.edu/athletics. Since its founding in 986, 59 individuals have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, and a number of other persons have been honored for their contributions to the development of Eastern’s intercollegiate athletic program.

The Hall of Fame inducted members annually between 986 and 990 before changing to a biennial schedule in 992.

(from left): Holly E. Zimmerman Memorial Award recipients Shari D’Amico, Rachel Albino, and Erika Blozie receive their awards on Feb. 14. The award is in memory of Holly Zimmerman, Eastern women’s basketball player, who passed away in 1993. In background is committee chairman Dr. David G. Yeo.

Spring 2004 • 19

Philanthropy President’s Charity Games Generate Funds for Local Agency Community Prevention and Addiction Services, Inc. (CPAS), an agency established in 976 to help chemically dependent, abusing, and at-risk populations, was the recipient of proceeds from this year’s President’s Charity Games on Jan. 3.

Both women’s and men’s varsity basketball teams played Little East Conference rival Rhode Island College during the event. Prior to the men’s game, Executive Vice President Michael Pernal presented a check in excess of $2,00 to Robert Wolf, Eastern professor of sociology and CPAS board chair, and Leanne Dillian, president and CEO of the agency. Pernal remarked that Eastern has important ties to CPAS via faculty membership on its board, as well as the involvement of student works and interns.

CPAS serves 38 towns in Eastern Connecticut with pro-

grams in prevention, education, intervention, treatment, and rehabilitation services relating to substance abuse.

“I know that CPAS will use the money to supplement a budget that is not large enough for it to accomplish its BU043_Bestof_4/19 4/19/04 11:35 AM Page 1 mission,” said Wolf.

Executive Vice President Michael Pernal presents the President’s Charity Games check to CPAS officials Robert Wolf and Leanne Dillian as ECSU Alumni Association President Ed Giard (far right) looks on.

The President’s Charity Games recognize President Carter’s commitment to serving the community and offer a way for the community, alumni, students, and friends of Eastern to contribute to local charitable organizations.

The Best of Broadway, Family Fun, Symphonies and Stars.

All Under One Roof.

Coming Soon!

Peter Cincotti Friday, May 14

ECSU Students and Alumni Save 10% (Ask for the “Affinity” discount; some restrictions apply)

Alvin Ailey

American Dance Theater

May 25 & 26

For tickets: 860-987-5900 or buy online at www.bushnell.org 20 • Spring 2004

Alumni

Alumni Weekend 2004 Reconnect, Rediscover, Rejoice!

The Eastern Connecticut State University Alumni Association invites you and your family back to your alma mater to join in the exciting festivities that are taking place during Alumni Weekend 2004. Visit with classmates as you discover the changes taking place on our ever-growing campus. Be a part of the action and celebrate with us May st and 2nd!

Schedule of Events Saturday, May 1st

Welcome/ Information Center 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Lower Lobby, 1st Floor, J. Eugene Smith Library Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society Induction 10 a.m., Sophie Jenkins Living Room, Burr Hall Join us as we recognize the academic achievements of this year’s inductees.

ECSU Alumni Association Annual Meeting 10:30 a.m., President’s Dining Room, Hurley Hall Come enjoy a complimentary brunch while taking part in the Alumni Association’s Annual Meeting. Make your vote count with a gift to the ECSU Annual Fund of $25 or more!

Attending the annual meeting is a great way to get involved with your alumni association!

Planetarium Show 11:30 a.m.-Noon, Wickware Planetarium Enjoy an illumination “tour” of the night sky.

See the brightest planets and major constellations!

All Ears Radio Show Noon-3:00 p.m. , Webb Hall, Rm. 110 Join the Department of Communication for their annual awards. Highlights include live sound effects and scripts written and performed by students, live radio interviews with alumni, poetry readings in many different languages, and much more.

Reunion Family Barbecue Noon-3:00 p.m., Baseball Complex Come one, come all! Bring yourself, bring your friends, bring your family! Get a few of your classmates together and reserve a table or two or three! Enjoy great food and a baseball game.

Eastern Baseball Game Noon, Baseball Complex Come watch the Eastern baseball team play a double-header against Keene State.

Campus Tour 3 p.m., Gather at the “Sun Bench,” Main Entrance, J. Eugene Smith Library Join us for a walking tour of the expanding campus. Driving tours are also available.

All Alumni Cabaret Night!

5:30 p.m.

Hosted by the classes of 1969 and 1974 Paul E. Johnson, Sr. Community Conference Room, J. Eugene Smith Library All are welcome to attend this festive evening to include a reception and dinner. Don’t miss great food, live piano, and a performance by the Eastern Concert Chorale (recently invited to perform at Carnegie Hall)! RSVP early!

Space is limited. Cash bar available.

Quadrennial Math and Computer Science and Baseball Alumni Reunion 5:30 p.m., Betty R. Tipton Room, Student Center This special reunion event for the math and computer science and baseball alumni will include dinner, dancing, and entertainment.

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect and laugh with old friends and have fun with Eastern’s faculty! Watch the mail for your invitation. For any questions about this reunion please call Bill Holowaty (465-5185) or Steve Kenton (465-4589). Cash bar available.

Sunday, May 2nd

60th Class Reunion Brunch and Campus Tour 11:30 a.m.

President’s Dining Room, Hurley Hall Members of the class of 1944 and their guests will gather for a Reunion Brunch and shuttle bus tour of campus, compliments of the Alumni Association.

Willimantic Orchestra 1:00 p.m., Shafer Hall Auditorium

Please use the Reply Card to register for events during Alumni Weekend. The Alumni Weekend schedule and registration form are also available on the ECSU Alumni website at www.easternct.edu/alumni.

Upcoming Events May

1 Alumni Weekend 23 Commencement 23 Jubilee Reunion June

8 Fun*Ding 12 Plant Sale, Eastern’s Main Entrance July

20 Golf Tournament, Tunxis Plantation Country Club in Farmington October

Alumni Association Annual Board Meeting 7 Foundation Annual Board Meeting November

President’s Donor Recognition Luncheon December

17 December Graduation For more information about any of the above events call: (860) 465-5531.

Spring 2004 • 21

Class Notes A message from the President of the Alumni Association As the newly elected president of the Alumni Association, I invite you to catch up on your classmates in “Class Notes.” These personal updates will help you stay connected with the people with whom you shared your time at Eastern.

All of us, regardless of when we were at Eastern, can share with pride all of the growth occurring at our University.

I earned a master’s degree from Eastern just four years ago, yet each time I visit the campus I am amazed at the recent transformations. Each new building and program further strengthens Eastern’s academic reputation. As the University continues to evolve, I know my Eastern degree becomes even more valuable.

I encourage you, as an alumnus, to come back to campus and see for yourself what Eastern is like today. Join us here in May for the 2004 Alumni Weekend.

Each of you is an important part of our family, and although the campus may have changed, we hope you will always think of Eastern as “home.”

Edward J. Giard Education:

Eastern Connecticut State University M.S. Organizational Management, 2000

Edward J. Giard ’00 MS President of the Alumni Association

University of Connecticut Master’s Degree in Education, 977 Providence College Undergraduate Degree in Sociology, 97

ECSU Foundation Community Youth Scholarship Recipients

Current Employment:

East Catholic High School Teacher, 30 years Member:

Greater Hartford Catholic Education Association Knights of Columbus

Phyllis Foster ’65 (far right), a member of the ECSU Foundation Board of Directors, and Ellen L. Lang ’81 (second from left), a member of the ECSU Foundation and Alumni Association Board of Directors, congratulate this year’s recipients of the ECSU Foundation Community Youth Scholarship during the annual Scholarship Reception. This scholarship honors academically promising seniors from local high schools. A total of 90 scholarships were awarded at the reception, at which more than 225 guests were present.

22 • Spring 2004

Class Notes 1961

A. David Babbitt and his wife, Peg, built and moved into their “dream house” in Thompson.

David is a principal in the Thompson school system.

Robert Orrin Brewster and his wife, Ruth, reside in Port Orange, FL and have been married for 33 years. They have two grown sons and one grandson. Bob is one of the founders and the president of the National Association of Drug Free Workplaces (NADFW), which is based in Altamonte Springs-Orlando, FL. Bob and Ruth traveled the U.S. for the past four years in their RV.

1962

Victor H. Ferry and his wife, Katherine, reside in Waterford and have two children, Michael and Jennifer. Victor received his PhD at UConn and after 24 years of service has retired as principal from Southwest Elementary School in Waterford.

However, he continues to remain active, and has been contracted to organize the regional community Emergency Response Team program to provide training for citizens on behalf of the Waterbury Division of Homeland Security. He served on the Waterford Emergency Management Advisory Council for 20 years, as well as the school district’s safety committee overseeing transportation safety issues. He has also acted as an independent consultant through the firm Jennings Smith Investigations. In July, 2003, Victor completed the Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency courses, making him one of only two people in the state having completed such training.

1968

Robert Brewster and his wife of thirty-three years, Ruth, reside in Port Orange, FL. Bob is one of the founders and the president of the National Association of Drug Free Workplaces (NADFW).

The Brewsters have traveled the U.S. for the past four years. He and his wife have two grown sons and one grandson.

1973

Lorise Anderson and her husband, Gregory, reside in Old Lyme and have a daughter, Allison (26).

Since 1981, Lorise has been employed at the Murphy Elementary School in Montville as a language arts ⁄reading consultant for kindergarten through grade 2. Lorise was also named Montville Teacher of the Year for the 2003-2004 school year.

Thomas Samuel Forst and his wife, Giselda Rita Marie (Salzarulo) ’73, reside in Wethersfield.

They have three children, Sara (22), Michael (18), and Amanda (16). Tom is employed by Cox Media Services and is their regional vice president in charge of cable and broadcast television operations, nationwide. Gez is employed by the Wethersfield School System as a teacher.

Donna (Rossignol) Harris and her husband, Steve, reside in Avon. Donna is employed by the University of Hartford as head coach of the women’s golf program. She and her husband have three daughters: Jennifer (23), Lauren (21), and Katie (18).

1974

Paula Bergenty ’74 and husband Gary Bergenty ’73 visited fellow alums, James Seaha, President of the Class of 1973, and Gary Kacin ’74, in Australia. Seaha and Gary Kacin reside in Australia with their wives and children. Paula and Gary Bergenty were able to attend a World Cup Rugby game with their friends. As you can see from the picture (above), James wears his Eastern polo shirt with pride.

1976

Giovanni (John) B. Curcio resides in Lamezia Terme, Italy. John completed a PhD program in clinical psychology and concluded his training in psychoanalysis in Europe. He has remained in Italy and is a director of a psychiatric residential facility in Lamezia Terme.

Joseph Jacovino resides in Buckner, KY and is the director of students for Oldham County Schools in Kentucky.

Penny Lynn (Stanley) Tracy and her husband, Timothy R. Tracy ’90 reside in Willimantic. Penny is employed by the Willimantic Camp Meeting Association as their treasurer/collector. Tim is a teacher at Wildwood Christian School.

1969

1977

Carol (DeMillia) Brusseau and her husband, Frederick, reside in Chelmsford, MA. Their daughter, Eileen, recently graduated from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine.

1970

Arthur C. Forst, Jr. and his wife, Carolyn L. (Moore) ’81, reside in Willington. Arthur is the director of the State of Connecticut Legislative Internship program at the state capitol in Hartford.

Carolyn is an assistant vice president and a commercial lender at Jewett City Savings Bank.

Raymond A. Stone and his wife, LuAnne, reside in West Suffield and have two sons, Christopher (25) and Patrick (22), and a daughter, Erin (16). Ray is the owner of Stone Insurance of Suffield.

Darlene (Palmieri) Hammersley and her husband, Clarke, reside in Ormond Beach, FL. They have three children: Thomas (22), Jonathan (20), and Cara (16).

Walter Duston Lowell resides in Chapel Hill, NC and is a social worker for the State of North Carolina.

Laurens H. Smith, Jr. and his wife, Carol, reside in Lewiston, UT. After leaving Eastern in 1977, and maintaining an avid interest in zoology, Larry is presently an associate dean and professor of biology at the School of Graduate Studies at Utah State University. He received his master’s in invert physiology at the University of Kansas and his PhD in molluscan cell physiology reosmotic bal-

James Seaha ‘73, Gary Bergenty ‘73, and Gary Kacin ‘74 take in the Australia vs. Romania World Cup Rugby game in Australia. ance from the University of Maryland. He did his post-doctorate at UConn Health Center, Worcester Foundation for experimental biology.

1979

Kenneth C. Otzel and his wife, Laura Jean, reside in Bellingham, MA. Ken is a sales manager for Pressmasters, Inc., located in Newburyport, MA. Cathlin (Houlihan) Palmer and her husband, Alden, reside in Sandy Hook with their three children: Alden II (20), Caitlin Marie (19), and Christian (12). Cathy is employed by West Stafford Elementary School as a remedial reading teacher. Cathy is also attending Eastern and working toward her certification in reading and language arts.

James Alan Stefanski and his wife, Laura Jane, reside in Waterford. Jim is employed as a senior material specialist by Dominion at the Millstone Nuclear Power Plant.

1980

Terry A. (Fehrenbach) Wilson and her husband, John P. Wilson ’80, reside in Cromwell. Terry is a fourth grade teacher at M.H. Steven Elementary School in Rocky Hill.

Bart F. Peters resides in Scottsdale, AZ. Bart previously practiced law in venture capital finance in Stamford. He is now employed by Paramount Financial Services in Arizona as an account executive. Bart has two daughters, Rachel (12) and Katherine (9).

Kevin L. Smith and his wife, Sharon, reside in North Dighton, MA, and have three daughters: Aili (20), Megan (18), and Mara (16). Previously a police officer in Manchester, Kevin is now a pastor at North Christian Church in North Dighton and teaches high school Bible school for a Christian school in Norton, MA.

Spring 2004 • 23

Class Notes 1981

Donald K. Johnson resides in Seattle, and is the fleet superintendent for Pacific Navigation Co., Inc., located on Bainbridge Island.

Heidi E. Kolle resides in Windham, and is a switchboard operator at the Windham Community Memorial Hospital.

Kimberly Lynn (Rubin) McElroy and her husband, David, reside in Plainfield, and is the assistant director of the May Institute.

Gisele C. Russo and her husband, James, reside in Lebanon. Gisele is employed by the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut as its finance coordinator.

Jesse K. White resides in West Hollywood, CA. Jesse received his master’s degree in education at Cambridge College in Massachusetts. He is currently a math teacher at Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, CA.

Kimberly Ann (Desrosiers) Pelletier and her husband, Richard, reside in Pawcatuck. She is a sixth grade teacher at Sayles Elementary School in Baltic.

1991

Eric Ronald Bergeron and his wife, Catherine Anne, reside in Waterbury. Eric is a sixth grade teacher at Woodbury Middle School.

Dawn S. (Stanton) Stefano and her husband, Louis, reside in South Riding, VA. Dawn is employed by NEC Eluminant Technologies as a marketing manager.

1982

Michael G. Whyte was ordained a Roman Catholic priest on June 7, 2003. Father Whyte has been assigned to Saint Mark the Evangelist Church in West Hartford.

Terri (Atkinson) Wilson and her husband, Lee, reside in Avon. Terri is an assistant executive director for BEACON (Biomedical Engineering Alliance and Consortium) in Hartford.

1986

Robert A. Laudadio resides in Hillsdale, NJ and is employed by Johnson and Johnson in New Brunswick as the director of information management.

Marhea Martin and her husband, Norbert Perkins, reside in Upper Marlboro, MD. Marhea is employed by the American Association of Health Plans in Washington, D.C. as a professional education/meeting services manager.

1988

Kim Elizabeth Donovan resides in Willimantic and is employed by Windham Public Schools as a science teacher at the Windham Academy.

Christopher M. Holton and his wife, Mary, reside in Columbia, SC with their two daughters, Samantha (13) and Ariel (10). Chris is a major in the U.S. Air Force and serves as a special agent.

Eileen Marjorie (O’Connor) Carlson and her husband, John, reside in Killingly. She is a teacher and is employed by the Griswold Board of Education.

Susan Marie Smith and her husband, Brian, reside in Scotland. Susan is employed by Windham Community Memorial Hospital as a radiology technician. She and her husband have two children: a daughter Hayley (11), and a son, Gregory (7).

Arthur Charles Forst III and his wife, Erin Cathleen, reside in Tolland County with their three children (twin daughters and a son). Chuck is employed by the State of Connecticut as a criminal investigator for the Office of the Public Defender.

1993

Matthew Louis Deary resides in Pawcatuck, and is a social worker employed by the State of Connecticut.

Wendy C. Ernst resides in Coventry. Wendy received her DMV degree at Tufts University and is practicing veterinary medicine at the North Windham Animal Hospital.

Margarita Pagan (Moreno) Wood and her husband, Travis, reside in Waterford. She is a school social worker at a clinical day program and is employed by Natchaug Hospital.

1994

Daniel Eugene Noto resides in Stamford, and works for the Town of Darien.

1996

Catherine Ann Delage resides in Grafton, NH and is the head of literature for Thermal Dynamics in Lebanon, NH. Lynn Marie Egan resides in Prospect, and is a national account manager employed by Engineering Services & Products Company in South Windsor.

Cheryl J. (Gillespie) Gorham and her husband, Jerome, reside in East Hartford, with their two children, LeLani (2) and Adrian Jerome (4 months).

Cheryl was formerly a legal assistant with Advest, Inc. and is currently a homemaker.

Darlene Johns resides in Bristol, and is employed as a consultant at Cigna.

Kathleen Kimball resides in Fairfield, and is a physical education teacher in the Darien Public School system.

Aisling (Moore) McCloskey and her husband, Kevin, reside in Vernon. Aisling is a senior marketing associate in sales communication at Cigna.

Elizabeth Catherine (Phelon) Saunders and her husband, Robert, reside in Glastonbury. Elizabeth is a marketing specialist at Office Furniture Rental Alliance. She is also an event coordinator for the Young Presidents Organization.

1997

Gregory E. Warner resides in Plattsburgh, NY and works for the New York State Department of Labor as a disabled veterans Outreach Program specialist.

Christy (Card) Toppa and her husband, Peter, reside in North Franklin, with their two daughters, Allison (2) and Danielle Marie (5 months). Christy is a guidance counselor at Ledyard High School.

Leah Brooke (Lemons) Grenier and her husband, David, reside in Sturbridge, MA. She is a budget analyst for the State of Connecticut based in Hartford.

1989

Amanda (Maynard) Zadora and her husband, Shawn, reside in Dayville, and have two sons, Jacob (3) and Riley (1). Amanda is employed by the Thompson Public School System as a fifth grade teacher.

Mark Stewart Hamilton resides in Bridgeport, and is a television producer for World Wide Entertainment in Stamford.

Lisa (Brodeur) Zawadski and her husband, Charles, reside in Waterbury. Lisa is a district sales manager for Holland America.

Calvin Arthur Mellor has an address in Norwich, and is an air evacuation liaison officer assigned to the 439th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron at Westover Air Reserve Base in Springfield, MA. He is currently on deployment overseas to support Operation Iraqi Freedom.

1990

Richard Andrew Feher, Jr., and his wife, Kimberly, reside in Stratford. Rich is employed by TeleMedia Cable in Seymour and is a marketing manager of digital and data services.

24 • Spring 2004

1995

Gregory Vaughn Brasher resides in Norwalk, and is the senior director for Gartner, an international research company.

Christopher Matthew Lacey and his wife, Ali Elizabeth, reside in Norwich. Chris is an assistant program director of Waterford Country School Safe Home.

Alma Luz Ramos resides in Valley Stream, NY, and is a social worker-therapist for Project Liberty in the Bronx, NY.

1998

Nadine M. (Enes) Altieri and her husband, Anthony J. Altieri ’99, reside in Gloucester, MA with their daughter, Haley Jayden. Nadine is self-employed and owns Nadine’s Dance Center. Tony is a physical education teacher at Wilmington High School in Wilmington, MA.

Class Notes Karl Raymond Butzgy and his wife, Danielle, reside in Plainville. Karl is working on his masters’ degree in business science. He is also a sales manager for Hartford Insurance Co. Bryan Samuel Forst and his wife, Alicia Anne (Marcarelli), reside in Vernon-Rockville, with their two sons, William (1) and Nicholas (5 months).

Bryan is a senior software engineer in avionics and flight control systems and is employed by Sikorsky Aircraft in Hartford. Alicia, currently a homemaker, is pursuing her master’s degree in secondary language arts and reading at St. Joseph College.

Tracy Jean (Gervais) Gillis and her husband, John Holmes Gillis, reside on the North Shore near Boston. Tracy is employed by Dr. Robert Baskies and Associates in Chelsea, MA as the head dental hygienist. John received his paralegal certification in 2002 from Northeastern University and is the program coordinator of continuing legal education at the Boston Bar Association.

Peter A. MacLaurin resides in Collinsville, and is a group leader employed by Dymax Corporation.

1999

Shepard Jared Boucher resides in New York City and is employed by ABC World News Tonight as an assignment editor.

Michelle (Way) Combs and her husband, Alonzo, reside in Norwich. She is an electronic banking representative employed by The Dime Savings Bank.

Donna J. (Renshaw) Dudish and her husband, Michael, reside in Charlotte, NC. She is an executive assistant for Sanborn, Inc. Kristi-Marie (Desrosier) Favro and her husband, Todd, reside in Moosup, with their daughter, Makayla Marie. Kristi is a full-time homemaker and is in the process of pursuing her certification in education at Eastern.

Chelsey Lea Haile resides in Essex, and is a teacher assistant at Goodwin Elementary School.

Arkangkel I. Mikel and his wife, Kathryn, reside in Willington, with their two children, Joanna (8) and Michael (4). Arka is the residence services coordinator for the Willimantic Housing Authority.

Sloane M. Pagani resides in Bristol, and is a sales manager for Lincare, Inc., in Meriden. Sloane is pursuing her master’s degree at Albertus Magnus College.

Dianne M. (Schaefer) Smith and her husband, Scott Smith ’92, reside in Rockville, with their three children: Kevin Arthur (3) and twins, Kelly Anne and Nicholas William (born April 10, 2003).

Dianne is currently a homemaker but was employed at the Vernon Center Middle School as a seventh grade math teacher. Scott is employed at Eastern in the Department of Athletics as equipment manager and assistant baseball coach.

Heidi M. Tischler resides in Newton, MA. She is employed as a pharmaceutical sales representative for Ortho McNeil Pharmaceutical in Boston.

Melissa Ann Giannino resides in Norwalk, and is the marketing manager for Country Living Associates in New Canaan.

Adam Tussing resides in Norwich, and is a Medicaid coordinator for Hebrew Health Care.

Brian D. Gouin resides in Baltic, and is employed by the Norwich Public School System as a physical education teacher.

2000

Michelle Lynn Belval resides in Wolcott, and is a third-grade teacher at Green’s Farm Elementary School in Westport.

Patricia Marie Covaleski resides in Newington, and is a staffing consultant at Advest, Inc. in Hartford.

Barbara L. (Hall) Grant and her husband, Kevin, reside in Waterford. Barbara is a teacher in the Putnam Public School System.

Kathryn Haley resides in Enfield, and is a development officer for the Jimmy Fund located in West Springfield, MA. Steven Timothy Markoja and his wife, Jennifer, reside in South Meriden. Steve is the assistant childcare director at the Meriden YMCA. Sara Marie Rossetti resides in Newington, and is an environmental analyst at the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health.

Maureen (Scott) Thomas and her husband, Richard, reside in Myrtle Beach, FL. Maureen is a fitness director and is employed by Her Body and Soul.

Kathleen E. Voorheis resides in Orlando, FL and is a costumer for the Walt Disney World Company.

Nichole Wicks resides in Wayne, NJ and is employed by Outreach & Partnership Associates in New York.

Paul J. Winiarski resides in West Suffield, and was named head baseball coach at Manchester High School.

2001

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (see article on pages 2 and 3).

Sandra Jane Heller resides in Madison, and is employed by WTNH-TV Channel 8 News. Sandra was promoted to promotions and marketing producer for the television station. She is also a writer for the Creative Services Department.

Michael J. Jalonen resides in Aliso Viejo, CA and is the owner of Customized Business Solutions, Inc. Adam David Johnson resides in Marlborough, and is a seventh-grade teacher at Quirk Middle School in Hartford.

Kristen Lee Manware resides in Hamden, and is employed as a first grade teacher with CasimirPilaski School in Meriden. She is also pursuing a master’s degree in reading at Southern Connecticut State University.

Daniel Ortiz resides in Willimantic, and is a police officer for the Willimantic Police Department.

Carrie Ann (Lisitano) Rose and her husband, Ryan Rose ’00, reside in Manchester. Carrie is pursuing her master’s degree in information and library science and works part time at Howell Cheney Technical High School. Ryan is a legislative aide for the State of Connecticut.

Sarah Anne Ryczek resides in East Haddam, and is the junior varsity girls’ soccer and basketball coach at Portland High School.

Christina Dawn (Casieri) Smith and her husband, Scott Allen, reside in Tolland. Christina is an elementary education teacher.

2002

Hillary K. (Griffith) Bracciale and her husband, Rocco, reside in Boston. Hillary is an accountant for the firm Wheelabrator Lisbon, Inc.

Julie Ann (Bogue) Anderson and her husband, Ryan David, reside in Westerly, RI. Julie is employed as a teacher’s aide at North Stonington Elementary School. She also is the director of summer playgrounds for the Town of Waterford, and is employed at Timothy’s Restaurant.

Tracy Renee (Moulin) Booth and her husband, Larry, reside in Ellington. Tracy is a teacher in the Enfield Public School System.

Charles R. Bull, Jr., is a Naval Lieutenant aboard the USS Carl Vinson; his home port is Bremerton, WA. Chuck conducted an eight-month deployment to the Western Pacific and visited the ports of Singapore, Guam, Hong Kong, and Pusan, Republic of Korea. While on deployment, he has also visited Australia. Chuck recently returned home.

Kristen Lee LeClerc resides in Canterbury, and is a bookkeeper at the office of W.D. Fonfara D.D.S. in Plainfield.

Jessica Lynn Cichon resides in Pawcatuck, and is employed as a social worker for the State of Connecticut.

James W. Estabrook and his wife, Mary Ann, reside in Chester. Jim is employed by Whelen Engineering.

Katherine (Monahan) Gladue and her husband, Roger, reside in Baltic. Kathy is a certified elementary school teacher.

Corrissa Lynn McCullough resides in Scotland, and is a collections manager with Better Val*U Supermarkets, Inc. in Plainfield.

Meranda Lynn (Ferris) Ostermeier and her husband, John, reside in Vernon. Meranda is an English teacher at Rockville High School in Vernon.

Traci Lynn (Smith) Pazzaglia and her husband, Jason, reside in East Lyme. Traci is employed by Pfizer, Inc., as a veterinary technician.

Spring 2004 • 25

Class Notes Ginny Marie (Perkins) Person and her husband, Matthew Ross, reside in Stonington. Ginny is employed by Haven Health Care in Jewett City.

Adam Piacenza resides in New Haven, and is an engineer employed by Pratt & Whitney.

Eric Tokarzewski and his wife, Joanne, reside in New Britain. Eric is an account executive for the Hartford Advocate.

Meghan Elizabeth Wols resides in Naugatuck, and is a teacher for the Town of Naugatuck.

2003

Leigh Ann Carter resides in Fairless Hill, PA and is a family support provider for the Bucks County Head Start Program.

Josh Richard Gibson resides in Norwalk, and is a technician employed by Lexus of Westport.

April M. (Parenteau) Griffin and her husband, Brian, currently reside in Plainfield, while they are building a home in Sterling. April is employed by Whole Life, Inc., as a program aide.

Sarah Kannas has been recognized by the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants with a CSCPA Merit Award. The CSCPA Merit Award is presented annually to the highestranked graduating senior majoring in accounting at each of Connecticut’s 13 colleges and universities offering an accounting program that is officially recognized by the Connecticut State Board of Accountancy. Sarah is currently employed by Marion & Company, an accounting firm in Norwich, CT, and is working towards a Masters Degree in taxation at the University of Hartford.

She resides in Norwich with her husband Nate.

Danielle J. Olivier resides in Brookfield, and is the head coach for the varsity field hockey program at the Joel Barlow High School.

Michael T. Owens and his wife, Davina, reside in Webster, MA. Mike is pursuing a master’s degree at Suffolk University School of Education.

John Henry Pease has a residence in Willimantic.

He is now stationed at Ft. Lewis, WA with the 25th infantry division as a specialist after having graduating from basic training and airborne school at Ft. Benning, GA.

Marriages 1979

James Alan Stefanski and Laura Jane Sletta — July 6, 2003.

1988

Steven Vincent Kisling and Kimberly Rissetto — July 2003.

1989

Lisa Brodeur and Charles Awadski — May 24, 2003.

1990

1997

Charles (Chuck) Carroll and Christine Thomas — September 2003.

Leah Brooke Lemons and David Thomas Grenier — September 6, 2003.

1998

Karl Raymond Butzgy and Danielle Lisa Miceli — May 24, 2003.

Tina L. Chasse and Peter J. Johnson — August 2003.

Holly A. Eldredge and Jason Ladd — Summer 2003.

Richard Andrew Feher, Jr. and Kimberly DuFresne — September 6, 2003.

Tracy Jean Gervais and John Holmes Gillis — May 31, 2003.

Amy Dawson Fraser and Brian John Riley — July 2003.

Robert Jerard Ross and Betsy Bendas — October 11, 2003.

Jon E. Rogers and Kimberly Ann Harvey — September 2003.

1999

1991

Christina Dawn Casieri and Scott Allen Smith — October 12, 2002.

Eileen Marjorie O’Connor and John M. Carlson III — August 16, 2003.

Stacey Lynn Graham and Edgar Eli Frazelle — July 12, 2003.

1992

Heidi M. Tischler and John J. Masso — November 1, 2003.

Elizabeth Ann Moriarty and David Allen Wigfield, Jr. — August 2, 2003.

1993

Amy Elizabeth Iancale and David Michael Primini — October 11, 2003.

Margarita Pagan Moreno and Travis W. Wood — April 12, 2003.

1994

Kerry O’Connor and Sean Patton — July 2003.

1995

Kimberly Ann Desrosiers and Richard Francis Pelletier, Jr. — August 2003.

Christopher Matthew Lacey and Ali Elizabeth Abrahamson — May 31, 2003.

1996

Eric Ronald Bergeron and Catherine Anne Barry — August 7, 2003.

Daniel Carlson Pichette resides in Windham, and is pursuing a master’s degree in education at the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut.

David Frederick Macey and Gioia Marie Ligos — July 2003.

James Brian Shannon and his wife, Melissa, reside in Vernon. James is a teacher at Rockville High School.

Gina Nicole Mazzarella and Troy Edward McNulty — October 12, 2002.

Scott Maturo and Cameron Cotter Bohan — August 2003.

Elizabeth Catherine Phelon and Robert H. Sauders, III — October 2003.

Michele Lori Ridolfi and James Vernon “Casey” O’Neill — Fall 2003.

Michelle Way and Alonzo Combs — October 12, 2003.

2000

Emily A. Caviggia and Rick Spence — July 2003.

Michael C. Fritch and Nicole Bastiaanse — August 1, 2003.

Barbara L. Hall and Kevin M. Grant — June 28, 2003.

Anthony Manfre and Katie Richard — July 25, 2003.

Steven Timothy Markoja and Jennifer Lynn Murdock — September 20, 2003.

Jason L. Martin and Rebecca L. Merchant — September 20, 2003.

Keith M. Marotta and Marisa Martino — July 2003.

2001

Julie Ann Bogue and Ryan David Anderson — May 24, 2003.

James W. Estabrook and Mary Ann Parsons — October 4, 2003.

Gary Arthur Goeschel and Lori Diane Genova — August 16, 2003.

Carrie Ann Lisitano and Ryan Rose ’00 — August 2003.

Joseph Michael McGivern and Michelle Antoinette Johnson — May 10, 2003.

Susan Marie Snitkin and James Thomas Szerokman — February 2004.

Jamie L. Sumner and Gregory Tower — September 2003.

26 • Spring 2004

Class Notes 2002

Sarah E. Besaw and Frank Perry — August 30, 2003.

Births and Adoptions 1988

In Memoriam

Clara E. (Holbrook) Sutter ’24 (1905–2003)

Tara J. (Platt) Palmer and her husband, Michael, announce the birth of their son, Jake Ryan, on November 4, 2003.

Jennie Elizabeth Stark ’26 (1901–2003)

Katie Lynn Brower and Darryl S. Rouillard — July 2003.

Meranda Lynn Ferris and John Ostermeier — June 21, 2003.

1993

Dorothy W. (Whitehouse) Gascoigne ’33 (1912–2003)

Hillary K. Griffith and Rocco L. Bracciale — October 4, 2003.

Kristen L. Kegler and Jason Ruel ’00 — July 27, 2003.

Kristen Lee LeClerc and Jeffery Alan Raymond — February 2004.

Gino Mancini and Jennifer Rinaldi — July 26, 2003.

Tracy Renee Moulin and Larry Russell Booth — June 27, 2003.

Ginny M. Perkins and Matthew Ross Person ’03 — November 29, 2003.

Diane Renae and Matthew Maglio — August 2003.

Molina M. St. George and Gregory R. Arnold — October, 2003.

Traci Lynn Smith and Jason David Pazzaglia — July 19, 2003.

Eric Tokarzewski and Joanne Irene Chlastawa — September 13, 2003.

Megan Elizabeth Wols and Mark Alan Goletz — December 19, 2003.

2003

Katherine Monahan and Roger Gladue — June 14, 2003.

Janis Marie (Gallegos)-Palmer and her husband, Shawn, announce the birth of their second child, a daughter, Grace Laudia, on January 20, 2003.

Cheryl J. (Gillespie) Gorham and her husband, Jerome, announce the birth of their second child, a son, Adrian Jerome on October 13, 2003.

1994

Christy (Card) Toppa and her husband, Peter, announce the birth of their second daughter, Danielle Marie, on November 25, 2003.

1998

Nadine M. (Enes) Altieri and her husband, Anthony J. Altieri ’99, announce the birth of their first child, a daughter, Haley Jayden on September 10, 2003.

1999

Kristi-Marie (Desrosier) Favro and her husband, Todd, announce the birth their first child, a daughter, Makayla Marie on February 28, 2003.

Diane M. (Schaefer) Smith and her husband, Scott Smith ’92 announce the birth of twins, Kelly Anne and Nicholas William on April 10, 2003.

Edith (Muller) “Dolly” Clark ’30 (1912–2003) Jeanette (Stern) Aron ’31 (1912–2003)

Hazeltine Straughan Bjorkman ’34 (1912–2003) Rosalie G. (Giordano) Alfieri ’45 (1923–2003) Mariette C. (Conant) Selavka ’45 (1923–2003) Annise M. Powell ’48 (1927–2003) Marie (Almada) DiCiancia ’54 (1928–2003) Audrey (Wootton) Longo ’54 (1954–2003) Fay (Gerstein) Goldberg ’64 (1914–2003) Joyce Dorothy (Eldridge) Rivers ’66 (1944–2003) Philip F. Hopkins ’71 (1948–2003) Mary (Wilson) Leslie ’71 (1927–2003) Terrence P. Chapman ’72 (1950–2003) John Peter Denz ’75 (1951–2003) Carmen J. Arisco, Jr. ’79 (1957–2003) Tonia R. (Deveau) Rochelle ’82 (1959–2003) Bonita (Vaughan) “Bonnie” Ryan ’85 (1932–2003) Jeffrey William Lecce ’88 (1963–2003) Elizabeth Ann (Douglas) New ’91 (1935–2003) Sheron Edwards ’97 (1973–2003) Meinhard Wander ’02 (1945–2003)

Michael T. Owens and Davina Rechel — June 14, 2003.

Eastern Friends, Faculty, Students and Staff: Sarah Bushka (member of the 2001–2002 women’s basketball team) (1981–2003)

April M. Parenteau and Brian K. Griffin — June 14, 2003.

Lois C. Crane James (retired Dean of Women’s Office) (1908–2003)

James Brian Shannon and Melissa Berger — July 5, 2003

Carleton Paton “Carlie” James (1924–2003) Ryan Christopher Matt (Student) (1982–2003) Joseph Donald McLaughlin, M.D. (former Medical Director) (1938–2003) Otto Saidi (former faculty member) (1932-2004) Norma Jean (Plante) Simrell (employee) (1961–2003)

Spring 2004 • 27

The Last Word Dear Friends: Having served for several years as a volunteer member of the ECSU Foundation Board, I joined the Eastern family as the new Vice President for Institutional Advancement this past September with anticipation.

I already knew of Eastern’s exciting evolution as Connecticut’s public liberal arts university. I came with the knowledge that without Eastern, many smart and deserving young people might not have the chance at a first-rate college experience at an affordable level. Moreover, for those who for many reasons wished to attend college closer to home or who desired to experience a close-knit college community, Eastern was again a first choice. I realized quickly that Eastern’s version of public higher education held its own against many private college experiences when I witnessed first-hand so many talented, focused young people and the wonderful faculty members who made the learning process happen every day.

Kenneth J. DeLisa Education:

Northeastern University B.S. Business Administration (1971) Most Recent Employment:

The Hartford Courant Corporate Affairs Manager (1997-2003) Community Service:

Chairman: VNA Health Care Inc. Foundation Chairman: “Doc” Hurley Scholarship Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors: Hartford’s Camp Courant Board of Directors: Metro Hartford Economic Growth Council Overseer: The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts and Vice Chair: External Relations Committee Overseer: Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center

28 • Spring 2004

My excitement also was in seeing the campus develop in such an extraordinary way: the J. Eugene Smith Library, the new Admissions building, the residential halls under construction, and a new Child and Family Resource Development Center about to break ground. A Science building and Fine Arts facility are planned to follow, both designed to provide state-of-the-art learning environments for our students for decades to come. Add to this a “hands-on” president and a dedicated faculty and staff and it is easy to understand why Eastern is the school of choice for students from 64 of Connecticut’s 69 townships, 26 other states, and 30 countries.

For me, joining the administration was an opportunity to be part of the many wonderful and positive things happening daily on the Eastern campus that benefit students, the community, and the region. The publication of the new Eastern magazine is truly timely and complements the positive energy that characterizes the Eastern Connecticut State University campus. We hope you enjoy reading Eastern, and that you, too, will be left with the same sense of excitement and progress that motivates us to reach higher every day.

Kenneth J. DeLisa Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Comments?

Please send any thoughts,“letters to the editor,” or questions to: Edward Osborn, Director Office of University Relations Eastern Connecticut State University 83 Windham Street Willimantic, CT 06226 phone: (860) 465-5735 e-mail: osborne@easternct.edu

Attention Alumni: Have you moved, did you get married, have you taken a new job, had a baby?

Please send your information to: Lana Pontbriant, Assistant Director Office of Alumni Affairs Eastern Connecticut State University 83 Windham Street Willimantic, CT 06226 e-mail: pontbriant@easternct.edu

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