MCLA President's Report 2026

A DECADE OF PROGRESS

A DECADE OF

MASSACHUSETTS COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS | PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026

DEAR FRIENDS, As I look back on the past 10 years serving as president of MCLA, I’m proud to say that Lisa and I are leaving the College in a very good position for our next president, Dr. Diana RogersAdkinson, to take the helm and lead this institution forward.

Since I began my tenure, the MCLA community has achieved remarkable milestones together.

We launched new majors in health science, nursing, global studies, and music industry and production, along with many new minors.

We also worked quickly to create a radiologic technology program so students could complete their studies after the closure of Southern Vermont College in 2019.

Together, we launched Pathways, the Campaign for MCLA, the most ambitious fundraising campaign in the College’s history, which has generated the largest gift, largest alumni gift, and largest planned gift MCLA has received to date. I’m happy to report that Pathways surpassed its $30M goal on April 15, raising $32.7M two and a half months ahead of schedule. Generous campaign donations have allowed us to expand and improve our Career Center (page 6), offer more varied and robust scholarships and travel opportunities for students (pages 5 and 7), and provide twice as many professional development opportunities for faculty members (page 31).

The Campaign’s success has helped the MCLA endowment reach its highest level in the College’s history, and MCLA’s reserve fund has doubled over the past five years to $27 million, reflecting a sustained commitment to longterm financial health.

Our community added men’s and women’s ice hockey and men’s lacrosse programs, and created a cutting-edge fitness center and athletic training space to support our growing athletic offerings.

Last fall, we officially broke ground on the new Campagna Kleefeld Center for Creativity in the Arts, which will serve as an arts programming hub for both the campus and the local community. When complete, in the fall of 2027, our students will benefit, but so will all of Berkshire County and artists in the surrounding area. (page 4) MCLA has continued to develop and steward many mutually beneficial regional partnerships. Our collaboration with Berkshire Innovation Center in Pittsfield allows us to offer a hybrid MBA program that enhances and expands career connections for students, while helping to fulfill the critical needs of Berkshire County’s manufacturing industry. With support from Berkshire Health Systems, our nursing and radiologic technology students learn in a state-of-the-art suite on the North Adams Regional Hospital campus. When they graduate, they will help rebuild the workforce that cares for our community.

By working with Drury High School to expand our early college and dual enrollment programs, we have saved regional families more than $880,632 to date. Additionally, our partnership with MountainOne helped local educators turn their emergency pandemic licenses into full teaching credentials.

We completed $33M in campus infrastructure upgrades, leveraging external funding to use only $1.8M of the College’s own resources (page 2). We secured decennial accreditation from NECHE, eight-year accreditation from JCERT for radiologic technology, ACBSP accreditation for our business department, and ACEN pre-accreditation for nursing.

I’m proud to have been here as the College celebrated its 125th anniversary, honoring its history and creating a throughline to the future. I’m also extremely proud of the way our entire community showed such agility, resilience, and care for each other throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. By pivoting to online learning, we were able to keep students on track to graduate, maintain full-time employment for staff and faculty, and drive down rates of infection throughout the region.

Even through the pandemic, MCLA maintained its U.S. News & World Report top 10 national public liberal arts institution ranking for more than a decade while earning recognition as a top national performer for social mobility.

During my tenure, the MCLA community crafted and implemented two strategic plans, while building a highly effective executive team. We expanded DEI infrastructure, initiatives, and programs across all areas. Our 2025-2030 strategic plan, Finding Our Voice, urges us to challenge assumptions, think creatively about our work, and act strategically in pursuit of the shared goal of making MCLA a stronger, more accessible, student-centered institution.

My work over the past decade has been both challenging and rewarding. MCLA and its people are truly special, and have provided me with deeply meaningful work while allowing us to work together to elevate the historic purpose of American public higher education. I am profoundly honored to have been part of this wonderful institution and its mission.

With deep appreciation for the privilege of becoming a Trailblazer,

James F. Birge, Ph.D. President

“WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THIS CAMPUS.” —JOE DASILVA, VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

CAMPUS TRANSFORMATION: A DECADE OF INVESTMENT

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uring the past 10 years, there has been a sustained and deliberate reinvestment in the College’s physical campus that has touched nearly every building, system, and shared space upon which students, faculty, and staff rely.

More than $33 million in capital improvements have been completed or are currently underway, with the majority funded by the state’s Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM). The projects range from the visible to the essential, from a transformed fitness center and renovated campus center to the water and steam infrastructure running beneath the campus itself.

The Centennial Room in the Amsler Campus Center was the first major project to cross the finish line, completed in March 2020 with a $2 million renovation funded 80% by DCAMM and supported by Aramark. The following year, the Fitness Center underwent a $5 million expansion, which also was 80% DCAMM funded. In 2023, MCLA completed a new turf soccer field, a $1.6 million investment funded entirely by the College.

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MCLA | PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026

Some of the most consequential investments have been the least visible. Completed in the fall of 2025, a $22 million water and steam line replacement, funded entirely by DCAMM, is one of the largest deferred maintenance capital projects in recent College history. Campus Center HVAC and electrical upgrades, totaling $4 million and 80% DCAMM funded, are also in progress.

In October 2025, the Campagna Kleefeld Center for Creativity in the Arts groundbreaking marked a milestone for MCLA. Made possible through a transformational gift from California artist and author Carolyn Mary Kleefeld, the 7,000-square-foot center will rise at the corner of Porter and Church Streets and is expected to open in fall 2027. It will serve as MCLA’s primary gallery and arts programming space, connecting students across all disciplines with working artists, rotating exhibitions, and hands-on experience in gallery and museum operations.

Among the many projects completed in the last 10 years (clockwise from top): Trailblazer Fitness Center, the POD, and the Centennial Room

SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING

What began as a pedestrian and vehicular wayfinding initiative has grown into a comprehensive, multi-phase effort to make the MCLA campus more legible and welcoming. Phases 1 and 2 established the foundation, addressing building identification, athletics complex signage, and the main entrance signs on Church and Ashland Streets. Phase 3, currently underway, involves overhauling parking lot signage and updating wayfinding directionals across campus to reflect departmental relocations and renamings.

Two remaining Porter Street houses will also receive new exterior building identification signs.

Phase 4, planned for fiscal year 2027, will bring the project indoors with new directory signage in Amsler Campus Center.

CAMPUS STRATEGIC FACILITIES PLAN

MCLA is also finalizing its 10-year Strategic Facilities Plan, developed

by Goody Clancy in collaboration with DCAMM, the MCLA community, and the City of North Adams. The plan replaces the 2015 Master Plan and received positive feedback from the Board of Trustees in April 2026. It will serve as a roadmap for DCAMM as it distributes capital deferred maintenance funding in the years ahead. With the plan in place, MCLA is well positioned to continue making strategic, coordinated investments in the campus for years to come.

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PATHWAYS CAMPAIGN SURPASSES $30M GOAL

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ATHWAYS, THE CAMPAIGN FOR MCLA officially surpassed its $30M goal, the Campaign Cabinet announced at its April 15 meeting to mark the milestone. At that time, Pathways had raised $32.7 million, but the official total is expected to grow by the Campaign’s official end date of June 30.

Meeting and surpassing the fundraising goal early reflects the sustained confidence of alumni, friends, and supporters in the College’s mission and future.

“The success of Pathways, the Campaign for MCLA is a testament to the generosity and belief of our alumni, donors, and friends who share our vision for what MCLA can be,” said MCLA President James Birge. “These resources will directly benefit students for generations to come, and they reflect the kind of institution we have worked hard to become: financially strong, academically excellent, and deeply committed to the people we serve.”

Funds raised through Pathways have supported and will continue to support scholarships, athletic facility enhancements, travel opportunities for students, and professional development for faculty members. The Campaign’s success has allowed the MCLA endowment to reach its highest level in the College’s history, and MCLA’s reserve fund has doubled over the past five years, to $27 million, reflecting a sustained commitment to long-term financial health.

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INNOVATIVE INITIATIVES: KLEEFELD GROUNDBREAKING The College hosted a groundbreaking for The Campagna Kleefeld Center for Creativity in the Arts on October 22, 2025. Made possible through the generosity of artist and author Carolyn Mary Kleefeld, the Center will be built on the corner of Porter and Church Streets. It will enhance all students’ experiences on campus — linking the arts with academic disciplines, from humanities and social sciences to business and computer science — and will serve as an essential part of the MCLA learning experience.

In addition to offering a platform for visual and performing arts, the Campagna Kleefeld Center will provide arts management students with hands-on experience in museum and gallery operations, community education, and collaboration with artists. By connecting the arts with academic disciplines ranging from the humanities and social sciences to business and computer science, the Center will enrich the MCLA learning experience and support the College’s ongoing commitment to equity, access, inclusion, and belonging.

The Campagna Kleefeld Center will be a vital hub of creativity that enhances teaching, learning, and community engagement at MCLA.

ENHANCED ATHLETICS: MEN’S SOCCER TRAVELS TO SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND For eight days in March, MCLA’s men’s soccer team traded the Berkshires for Britain. They came back closer than when they left.

From March 14 to 21, the Trailblazers traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland, and London, England, playing matches, touring legendary stadiums, and living inside a football culture that’s unlike anything in the U.S. “Individually, these are memories they’ll never forget,” said Head Coach Adam Hildabrand. “As a team, we got closer, built stronger relationships, and created a camaraderie you can’t fake.”

The team played two matches abroad.

They fell 3-0 to UCFB Wembley, then turned around and beat Pro:Direct Academy 3-2. The wins and losses mattered less than what they proved.

“It reinforced the mindset that we can play with anyone,” Hildabrand said.

“THE CLOSENESS BUILT ON THIS TRIP IS THE SORT OF BONDING THAT CAN’T BE CREATED IN A WORKSHOP — IT HAPPENS WHEN A TEAM EXPERIENCES THINGS TOGETHER.”

One of the trip’s biggest moments didn’t involve the Trailblazers at all. The team attended the Dundee Derby between Dundee FC and Dundee United, two clubs whose Scottish stadiums sit roughly 100 yards apart. Dundee FC was down, but scored twice in the final minutes to tie. The place went wild.

Michael Smith ’27 was right in the middle of it. “It was an amazing feeling seeing them come back, and celebrating with the team and the fans in our section,” he said.

The team also toured Celtic Park and Stamford Bridge stadiums.

Celtic Park had a deep effect on the students. The stadium’s home team was born from poverty and built its identity around the working class, the students learned as they hung on their tour guide’s every word.

The closeness built on this trip is the sort of bonding that can’t be created in a workshop — it happens when a team experiences new things together.

The MCLA men’s soccer program plans to make international travel part of the experience every three years, so every team member gets the opportunity. But none of it happens without people believing in the idea first. Men’s soccer alumni and parents funded the trip, and Hildabrand wanted to make sure they knew what it meant.

“Without them, this crazy idea of mine would have stayed just that, a crazy idea,” he said. “The players had an experience they’ll never forget, and none of it happens without people supporting your ideas.”

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21ST CENTURY WORKFORCE: TROMBLEY-WESTALL CAREER CENTER Resume writing, job searching, mock interviewing, recruiter meetings, internship matching, recommendation letters, graduate school applications: Tony Napolitano, MCLA Career Services’ employer relations and internship coordinator, has been assisting students and alumni in MCLA’s Career Center with all of this and more for the last eight years. Now, with help from two dedicated alums, the Center has been given an upgrade to make it larger, more accessible, and more attractive to students and recruiters alike.

On September 2, the College hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new TrombleyWestall Trailblazer Career Center in Bowman Hall. Support from alumni Dan Trombley ’90 and Nicole Westall ’92 will enhance students’ ability to find fulfilling careers, live meaningful and productive lives, and increase their earning potential.

“The Career Center at MCLA was an invaluable resource, helping me with my resume and interview skills,” said Trombley, a local businessman and Pathways Campaign Cabinet co-chair. “When Nicole and I were approached by the MCLA Foundation about investing in a new Center, it was an easy decision for us. We both strongly believe we are making an investment in the future success of students and the overall growth of the College.”

Career Services has coordinated approximately 500 employer visits to MCLA in the last six years and, last year, the College was able to place 137 students in local, state, and national internships. Within six months of graduation, 93% of MCLA alums are employed or enrolled in graduate school.

“The new Center’s prominent location provides for increased foot traffic, greater brand visibility, and improved convenience,” said Trombley. “We hope it will support students — past, present, and future — in achieving their professional goals.”

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“THE NEW CENTER’S PROMINENT LOCATION PROVIDES FOR INCREASED FOOT TRAFFIC, GREATER BRAND VISIBILITY, AND IMPROVED CONVENIENCE.” —DAN TROMBLEY ’90

INCREASED STUDENT SUCCESS: MCLA FINANCIAL AID TRANSFORMS STUDENT FUTURES, ENABLES DEBT-FREE EDUCATION For many students, the cost of college can feel like an insurmountable barrier. At MCLA, robust financial aid packages are changing that narrative, allowing students like Kristan Lewis ’26 and Eva Bassallo ’26 to pursue their educational dreams without the burden of overwhelming debt.

Eva Bassallo ’26

Lewis, a transfer student who came to MCLA to play basketball and study business administration with a concentration in sports management, credits financial aid with making his college choice possible. After earning an associate degree at Jefferson Community College, he was recruited to continue his athletic career at MCLA. But it was the financial aid package that sealed the decision.

“MCLA was significantly more affordable,” Lewis said. “Seeing my financial aid offer helped relieve pressure for both me and my family, and made it possible for me to attend without feeling overwhelmed by future financial stress.”

Without that support, Lewis believes he would have stayed home as a commuter student. “That would have limited my ability to fully experience college life,” he said.

Kristan Lewis ’26

For Eva Bassallo, a soccer player and psychology major with a minor in Spanish, financial aid has meant more than just covering tuition. It’s opened doors to experiences she never imagined possible.

Financial aid gave her the opportunity to travel. She explored the American South through the lens of the civil rights movement, left the country for the first time to visit Cape Town, South Africa, and traveled to Brazil to cap off her senior year. “These have been experiences I never would’ve had without the financial support MCLA donors provide.”

Emergency grants also helped her manage vehicle issues as a commuter student. “Without those grants during those stressful times, I’m not sure if I would have been able to progress through my four years of school without going into vehicle debt,” she said.

The long-term impact is equally powerful. Lewis has been able to focus on leadership development and is working toward starting his own business. “Instead of only focusing on getting through each semester financially, I have been able to focus on skill development, networking, and preparing for life after graduation,” he said.

Bassallo graduated from MCLA in May completely debtfree. “When I go on to pursue my master’s degree, I won’t be starting that journey burdened by undergraduate loans,” she said. “Thanks to MCLA’s financial aid, I can focus on graduate school without the debt that many students carry forward.”

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FUND FOR MCLA: 8TH ANNUAL DAY OF DIALOGUE MCLA’s 8th Annual Day of Dialogue was held October 22, 2025.

For this campus-wide alternative day of education, the College suspended regular day classes to ensure full participation by students, faculty, and staff in meaningful conversations.

This year’s theme, “Unpacking Insecurity to Build a Shared Future,” explored insecurity as a deeply human experience that manifests in countless ways, from personal feelings of imposter syndrome to systemic forces that fuel competition, erode trust, and perpetuate scarcity mindsets in our rapidly changing world. The day featured workshops, panel discussions, and interactive sessions.

“We are excited about where students, staff, and faculty took our theme,” said Professor of Social Work Dr. Kerri Leyda Nicoll, one of two Faculty Fellows for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at MCLA. “We had sessions on everything from journalism to community gardening to neurodivergence, all connected to experiences of insecurity and to visions of a more collectively-oriented future in which everyone feels secure, cared for, and connected.”

The keynote panel, “From Scarcity to Solidarity: Imagining a Shared Future,” brought together three distinguished voices to explore how we might move from competitive scarcity mindsets toward collaborative, solidarity-based futures.

Anaïs Duplan is a trans* poet, curator, and artist who serves as professor of postcolonial literature at Bennington College.

He is the author of a book of essays, “Blackspace: On the Poetics of an Afrofuture,” among many other works. In 2016, Duplan founded the Center for Afrofuturist Studies, an artist residency program for artists of color. He is the recipient of the 2021 QUEER|ART|PRIZE for Recent Work and a 2022 Whiting Award in Nonfiction.

Dr. Timothy Callahan leads the North Adams Public Schools, where he has spent 27 years. His journey began as a substitute teacher and included various roles, from English teacher to high school principal and district leader, before becoming superintendent in 2025. Beyond education, Dr. Callahan is a pop culture and role-playing game writer who has written for Fantagraphics, Goodman Games, Macmillan Publishing, and Marvel Entertainment. He is the author of “Grant Morrison: The Early Years,” the editor of “Teenagers from the Future,” and the designer of numerous adventures for Dungeon Crawl Classics. In

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2021, he completed his doctoral dissertation on “Principal Actions in Massachusetts in Relation to School Accountability Status” and has presented at conferences on topics including Rethinking Discipline, Public Education as Equity, and Blended Learning Models. He believes deeply in the power of public education to build community and create a positive shared future.

Charles Redd, Berkshire Health Systems’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, began his career as a nursing assistant in 1985. He worked in nursing positions of increasing responsibility for nearly three decades, including at Baystate Medical Center as Assistant Manager of Telemetry and ICU Step-Down Units, Director of Emergency and Behavioral Health Services, and Clinical Documentation Improvement Lead. Prior to his appointment at BHS, Redd served as the Director of Quality for Fairview Hospital.

Redd has been engaged in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work for more than 12 years, first as part of the Black Employees Connecting resource group at Baystate Health, then as a leadership fellow with Partnership Inc. in Boston. Locally, Redd represents BHS on the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services’ (EOHHS) Health Equity Accountability Group and the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association’s (MHA) Hospital Incentive Workgroup. He is currently a member of the BHS Council for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and writes a weekly blog exploring relationships, respect, and equity called Dignity Freedom Fighter.

Day of Dialogue represents MCLA’s ongoing commitment to creating spaces where difficult conversations can happen productively and respectfully, fostering critical thinking and community engagement across campus.

DEI AND STUDENT AFFAIRS LEADERSHIP AWARDS THE 5TH ANNUAL MCLA AWARDS FOR LEADERSHIP IN DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

STUDENT AFFAIRS LEADERSHIP AWARDS

The Student Organization Award for Leadership in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Women of Color Initiative

Behind the Scenes: Lyn Corbett

The Student Award for Emerging Leadership in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Gel Amor and Naomi Blake

Leader Achievement: Casey Vieira, Matthew Lewellyn

Student Multicultural Advancement Award for Leadership in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Kaiyah Cocliff

Rising Stars: Ymar Martinez, Robert Campbell

Department Award for Leadership in Diversity, Equity, and Leadership: The Multicultural Education Resource Center

Student Development Change Agent: Women of Color Initiative

Staff Award for Leadership in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Jessica Yurkofsky and Arianna Marroquin

Outstanding Senior Leaders: Tonimarie Basil, Natalie Rowan, William Garrity, Jaden Nesmith, Jasmine Hooper, Kris Safford

Faculty Award for Leadership in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: J. Antonio Templanza and Nicole Porther The O’Bryant Distinguished Career Achievement Award in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Jason Canales

Distinguished Service: Cacey Desruisseaux

DEI Leadership and Student Affairs Leadership award winners

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BREAKING

TRAILBLAZERS SOFTBALL HAS MOST SUCCESSFUL SEASON IN 25 YEARS What a year it was for the Trailblazers softball team. In their first .500 season in 25 years, the team broke countless records, and finished in third place at the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) tournament.

reach the 50-hit mark in a single season at MCLA. In that same game, Hailey Peabody ’26 became the new record holder at MCLA for Most Career Hits when she reached 179 hits, and later finishing the season with 182 total.

In a May 8 game against Worcester State, freshman Hannah Gilbert moved into a tie with Kristen Parzych ’99 for the MCLA Single Season Home Run record.

In his second year with the Trailblazers softball team, Head Coach Zack Farber credits the team’s resiliency to its success. “This year’s group was young, with only three seniors on the team, and the first-years brought a lot of excitement,” he said. “The team had a slow start at Florida spring training, but came back to win 12 in a row.”

In Game Two of a May 2 doubleheader, Nevaeh Lopez became the first first-year player to ever

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RECORDS “With a younger team, there’s a learning curve to what a college softball season entails—40 games in 6 weeks. This group wasn’t phased; they just kept plugging along and it was awesome to get to the playoffs,” Farber said.

For the first game of the playoffs, the team went on the road to Salem State. The Trailblazers’ centerfielder fractured her finger and played with a cast, the right-fielder separated her shoulder, and the team in general was pretty beat up, Farber said. With the score 3-1 after the first inning, it didn’t look good, but Farber said the team didn’t let it get to them.

They clawed it back and won 4-3. After beating Salem 6-3, the team took on Westfield State and lost, but beat Bridgewater State the next day to move into third place. The Trailblazers faced Worcester in the semi-finals, where their run came to an end.

In addition to the team’s semi-final and individual player accomplishments, Farber said the team played two no-hitters, Hailey Peabody made the MASCAC first-team all-conference, and Amelia Leasure and Hannah Gilbert made second-team all-conference. Paxton Ebling, Hannah Gilbert, Juliana Johansen, Hannah Mitchem, and Alex Moyer were named 20252026 National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America Scholar-Athletes.

“We’re lucky that we get to return most of this team next year, plus add a great class of freshman,” he said. Plus, now they have the experience of a playoff season from which to draw. “There’s no reason we can’t be back at the conference championship next year and I’m excited to see what they can do.”

“The team was young and beat-up by the end, but they definitely exceeded our expectations,” Farber said.

Farber’s style of coaching takes an analytical, data-driven approach, where every decision has reasoning behind it based on the kind of pitching each team displays and other factors. But, on game day, he said he empowers the players to lead the way.

“They steer the ship based on what they perceive as important,” he said. “It’s their game to play and we want it to be meaningful to them.

Their energy is unlike any team I’ve coached in my 10 years. It’s a lot of fun and high-energy and they want to see each other succeed.”

Hannah Gilbert ’29 Single Season Home Run Record

Nevaeh Lopez ’29 Single Season 50-Hit Mark

Hailey Peabody ’26 Record for Most Career Hits

“THEIR ENERGY IS UNLIKE ANY TEAM I’VE COACHED IN MY 10 YEARS.” —ZACK FARBER, HEAD COACH

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GAME PLAN MARKETING STUDENTS BUILD COMMUNITY AROUND MCLA HOCKEY When Amy Shapiro, MBA program coordinator and adjunct professor, walked into her marketing class in fall 2024, she saw an opportunity. Eight hockey players sat among her students, and MCLA’s hockey program needed a boost in attendance at home games. What started as a single semester project evolved into a three-semester collaboration that brought together students, athletes, and the community in ways no one initially imagined.

Charlie Addesa ’27, Jack Bortle ’27, Spencer Craig ’27, Christopher Gallagher ’27, Easton Moore ’27, Quinn Murphy ’27, Sean Neu ’27, and Joshua Romanowski ’27 dove into the challenge that first fall. They conducted research, interviewed students, coaches, Assistant Dean of Athletics & Recreation Laura Mooney, and MCLA staff, then designed and implemented an event honoring local police and firefighters on opening weekend. It was a success that proved the concept.

“I have over 25 years of professional experience in community economic development,” Shapiro said. “I understand the importance of community collaboration, mentorship, and applied learning. This project ties it all together: students interested in learning and mentoring youth, a community interested in MCLA’s hockey program, and opportunities for community enrichment.”

The next semester, nine students continued the work: Nicolette Bardsley ’27, Wally Brown ’27, Brigh Cote ’25, Joshua Girard ’28, Gavin Glaubitz ’27, Luke Rhoss ’27, and Sean Schifferl ’27.

They created events for both men’s and women’s teams and developed a marketing internship position to sustain the work.

The goal was ambitious: develop a marketing plan that could continue long after the semester ended, one that would teach numerous students over several semesters how marketing concepts are applied in real-world settings.

That’s where Dylan Schenck’s story begins. By fall 2025, Schenck ’27 was serving as the marketing intern, working with students Luc Fricchione ’27, Rocco Stolz ’29, and Sam Zis ’28 to execute a youth hockey event on November 15.

Rocco Stolz ’29, MBA program coordinator and adjunct professor Amy Shapiro, Luc Fricchione ’27, and Cade Herrera ’27. Photo: ​Dylan Schenck ’27

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Matthew Ryynanen ’28 and Black Bear youth hockey players. Photo: ​ Dylan Schenck ’27

“This idea started last year and I was approached by a couple of my friends on the hockey team,” Schenck said. “It was a huge undertaking, but overall it was really exciting to be able to work with my friends and make this idea come to life.”

For Schenck, a communications major with a passion for photography, the project meant stepping far outside his comfort zone to plan events and create promotional materials. Using a digital marketing plan became his most valuable strategy.

“I’m an idea guy through and through; my brain is constantly buzzing with ideas, and being able to get them on paper and have them structured was a huge help to me,” he said. “Using a timeline really helped me, mainly because without it, I can get overwhelmed and fall behind with my ideas, making it impossible to catch up and be able to do what I want to do.”

Taking classroom concepts into practice proved transformative.

“Putting so much thought into my ideas and finally making something successful and well done was a very proud moment for me,” he said. “The biggest thing I learned from this is trusting myself. I have to believe in myself and know that I’m capable of planning events, making posters, and stuff like that was a huge step for me.”

But it was the night of the youth hockey event that crystallized why the work mattered.

“The most rewarding part was seeing the little kids just have fun,” Schenck said. “Having parents come up to me and say how happy and excited their kids were to participate in this event. It

was so heartwarming to see the hard work that we put in have a positive impact on the community.”

That moment captured exactly what Shapiro had envisioned.

Young hockey players got to interact with college athletes and students, seeing possibilities for their own futures. The joy on those children’s faces, the gratitude from their parents, it all validated the investment of time and energy from three semesters of marketing students.

“All the hockey players were informed, invested, and supported the work that went into these events,” Shapiro said. “That investment made all the difference. And the students created a how-to plan and timeline that will serve as a blueprint for future special hockey events, ensuring this work continues long after they’ve graduated.”

For Shapiro, the project delivered on every level. Students gained firsthand experience in market research, collaboration, implementation, and evaluation. They saw how marketing incorporates operations, accounting, management, and community economic development. And they learned something broader: how business concepts and skills can positively impact the community around us.

What began as a single class project has become a model for applied learning at MCLA, one where students don’t just study marketing principles but actively build something that lasts, strengthens community ties, and creates opportunities for everyone involved.

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“I CHOSE MCLA BECAUSE I WANTED TO LEARN HOW TO LEAD WITH AN EQUITY-FIRST MINDSET.” —HEIDI ALLEN, MCLA LEADERSHIP ACADEMY GRADUATE

LEARNING TO LEAD FOR EQUITY HOW MCLA’S LEADERSHIP ACADEMY TRANSFORMED AN ADVOCATE INTO A SYSTEMIC CHANGE AGENT

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CHOSE MCLA BECAUSE I WANTED TO LEARN how to lead with an equity-first mindset,” said Heidi Allen, the director of special education at East Syracuse Minoa Central School District and a graduate of MCLA’s Leadership Academy. “It wasn’t just about earning a new title; it was about gaining the knowledge to address systemic gaps and become a leader who dismantles barriers for all students.”

For Allen, a seasoned speech-language pathologist with 15 years of experience running her own multidisciplinary practice, the Leadership Academy represented a crucial bridge. “This experience has truly allowed me to grow from a direct service provider into a systemic advocate,” she said.

In 2020, when Allen unexpectedly stepped into managing five special education classrooms through the New York Board of Cooperative Educational Services, she knew she needed more than natural leadership instincts. She needed what she calls the “administrative architecture”—fiscal management, curriculum evaluation, and frameworks to dismantle institutional barriers. “MCLA provided the ‘missing pieces’ of my professional toolkit while never losing sight of the most important part: keeping social justice at the heart of every decision,” she said.

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The Leadership Academy’s coursework proved immediately applicable. When Allen became principal in the Camden Central School District as it transitioned to becoming a community school, her training helped her establish programs addressing systemic barriers, including a dental assistance program and a family school navigator position. Curriculum courses equipped her to lead a district-wide shift to the Science of Reading. She guided a comprehensive pilot year analyzing two curricula before adopting the most effective one. “The skills and knowledge I gained were instrumental in my ability to be a strong leader through the change,” she said.

Working with Professor Marianne Young in courses on supervising teaching and learning helped Allen build the foundation of her leadership career, forging what she calls her “servant leadership” approach to improving climate and culture. Perhaps most transformative was the data course.

The Leadership Academy reframed data as a storytelling tool that reveals which students are being left behind.

“Data tells a story and guides all the work I do, from teacher evaluations to student growth, curriculum to fiscal responsibility and budget management,” Allen said.

Today, as a director of special education, Allen applies her Leadership Academy training daily. She oversees programs affecting hundreds of students, manages complex budgets including two federal grants, and implements evidence-based curricula, all through the equity-first lens MCLA cultivated. “As a clinician, I loved helping individual children, but now, as a director, I’m empowered to build the frameworks that support hundreds of children,” she said.

“It is incredibly fulfilling to look at a data set, identify a gap in student achievement, and then use my ‘administrative toolkit’ to secure the funding, curriculum, and staff training necessary to address it. Knowing that I am helping to create a more equitable school system where every child has an advocate at the district level is what drives me toward the next level of leadership.”

Allen now returns to MCLA’s Leadership Academy to facilitate training sessions for current students on navigating New York’s certification process. “Returning to the Leadership Academy, and remaining connected to Marianne, is a profoundly rewarding, full-circle experience.”

Looking back, she calls enrolling at MCLA’s Leadership Academy “single-handedly the best decision of my adult life.”

“KNOWING THAT I AM HELPING TO CREATE A MORE EQUITABLE SCHOOL SYSTEM WHERE EVERY CHILD HAS AN ADVOCATE AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL IS WHAT DRIVES ME TOWARD THE NEXT LEVEL OF LEADERSHIP.”

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THE WEIGHT AND THE JOY: MCLA STUDENTS JOURNEY THROUGH THE AMERICAN SOUTH

T

HIS SPRING, NINE MCLA STUDENTS returned from the Civil Rights Bus Tour, a 10-day immersive travel course that took them through Atlanta, Montgomery, Mobile, New Orleans, Jackson, and Birmingham.

They visited museums, memorials, and communities still shaped by the history they came to study. Some had never been to the American South, two had never been on a plane.

The trip was led by Assistant Professor of History Dr. Mariah Hepworth and Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Jeannette Smith, and according to Dr. Hepworth: “Several moments stand out, but what I keep coming back to is how the trip held two things at once — the full weight of this history and the joy and resilience that survived it. That was a conscious choice in how we designed the itinerary, and it showed up everywhere.”

In preparation for the trip, each week the students worked their way through difficult material. “The academic rigor was high, the content was personal and hard to wrestle with,” said Dr. Smith. “We led a session on grounding exercises, including box breathing and meditation. We had an interactive session where we reviewed student protests since the 1800s, imagining who we would have been and what we would have stood for. We built trust and camaraderie, in addition to our knowledge base and scholarship, in a very intentional way to set us up for a successful trip.”

A powerful moment for both faculty leaders came at the National Monument to Freedom, located in the 17-acre Freedom Monument Sculpture Park in Montgomery. Students used an app to locate their ancestors’ surnames on a 43-foot wall. Once found, they called family members, FaceTimed grandparents, and took photos to mark the moment. “It was so powerful watching living history make itself felt in the present, said Dr. Smith. There was a quiet joy, a recognition of the brutality and pain our ancestors survived so we could be here. In the grief was pride, love, and gratitude.”

In Jackson, the group stayed at the Orchid Bed and Breakfast, a Black and veteran-owned inn where owners Jason and Katrice Thompson shared the remarkable history of the property.

Built in 1888 for a Confederate officer whose family had enslaved people in the same county where Jason grew up, the reclamation is total and intentional.

The trip also brought students to Africatown, where they heard directly from descendants of the Clotilda, the last known slave ship, about how their ancestors built and sustained a selfgoverning community after emancipation.

“Africatown may be the site that tied it all together,” said Dr. Hepworth. “Hearing directly from descendants of the Clotilda was, I think, the trip’s clearest argument: that studying this history isn’t only an act of mourning. We framed it for students

“THE CLASSROOM TEACHES STUDENTS WHAT HAPPENED. TRAVEL TEACHES THEM WHAT IT MEANS TO TRULY CONFRONT IT.” —DR. MARIA HEPWORTH, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF HISTORY

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WHAT STUDENTS CARRIED HOME For many students, the Whitney Plantation outside New Orleans was one of the most affecting stops on the trip. Students moved through it largely on their own, without a tour guide.

“You could just feel the heaviness of the space. It was hard to conceptualize that we were walking in spaces where such violence, hatred, and unimaginable torture took place. Walking out of the plantation, I felt sick and had to spend the rest of that day really processing what we learned and how close we were to history.”

—Amare W. ’28, English

Nathaniel Chaney was moved by the memorials to those who resisted enslavement at the Whitney Plantation, particularly those dedicated to the German Coast Uprising. that way from the beginning — that showing up to these places is itself an act of resistance. I think they felt that.”

Dr. Hepworth is clear that travel does not replace classroom learning. It completes it. “The classroom teaches students what happened,” said Dr. Hepworth. “Travel teaches them what it means to truly confront it.”

The students agree. Amare Williams put it plainly. “No matter how much you know going in, you will leave knowing more. Porscha Hamilton said, “The trip does not just inform you — it changes you, and it calls you to do something with what you’ve learned.” Kamau Franks described it as “a life-changing experience that elevated his sense of responsibility to his community.” Nathaniel Chaney said, “It was eye-opening to experience a completely distinct culture and engage with history in so many different ways.”

Not every moment was heavy. In New Orleans, the group stayed at the historic Dew Drop Inn, a landmark of the chitlin circuit, where the owner shared the history of the space and of redlining in the city over a catered dinner. An open mic night followed. Several students came back on their own the next evening for St. Joseph’s Night, the Indian Mardi Gras celebration.

There was also an unplanned stop at Buc-ee’s, a gas station with its own bakery, massive souvenir shop, and award-winning bathrooms that, according to Dr. Hepworth, is viral on TikTok. When the bus pulled in, the students lit up.

Franks summed it up well: “Professor Hepworth and V.P. Smith really help shape this course. Their amazing love and care for teaching and connecting students with history elevate the entire experience.”

SUPPORT FOR THE CIVIL RIGHTS BUS TOUR

“I was deeply moved, but I was also empowered.

I felt a great sense of pride and perhaps a hint of patriotism when I witnessed how valiantly my ancestors battled despite the terrible circumstances.”

—Nathaniel C. ’27, performing arts and theater

For Kamau Franks, two sites shifted his perspective in lasting ways.

“The two places that really changed my perspective and my goals in life were the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and Africatown.

Learning about Black history and how I can contribute to my community has become my main takeaway from this trip.”

—Kamau F. ’27, health science

Porscha Hamilton, a mother and educator, was stopped in her tracks at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, where four young girls were killed in a 1963 bombing.

“Knowing that four little girls lost their lives there, children, in a place meant to be safe, completely shifted something in me. It stopped being history I could observe from a distance and became something deeply personal. That moment didn’t just stay with me emotionally, it changed how I understand safety, history, and responsibility.”

—Porscha H. ’26, interdisciplinary studies with a focus on children and families

COMES FROM MOUNTAINONE.

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THE WORLD AS Each spring, MCLA students leave North Adams and go looking for something they can’t find in a lecture hall.

This year, they found it in the jungles of Belize, the streets of London, the hills of Ireland, the coast of South Africa, and the mountains of Brazil. Across five travel courses, more than 40 students spent time in places that challenged them, changed them, and sent many of them home with plans to return.

IRELAND

LONDON

Nine students traveled to Ireland this spring in a course led by Dr. Anthony Daly of the Department of History and Political Science, joined by psychology professor Dr. Sharon Claffey and physics professor Dr. Emily Maher. The group visited sites spanning Ireland’s ancient landscape and its more recent, complex past, including those tied to the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Five students spent spring break in London as part of a theater-design travel course led by Associate Professor Michaela Petrovich and Professor Jeremy Winchester. Before they left, students had spent the semester studying Tudor history and how Henry VIII used architecture, portraiture, and dress to project power. London was where that research came to life.

For many students, the trip made abstract history concrete. “Having the opportunity to apply what has been taught in the classroom to physical experiences in Ireland really helped me make connections and understand the complex history that Ireland has,” said LilyGrace Mayo ’27, a biology pre-veterinary major.

The trip also crossed the usual campus divides. Mayo noted that traveling alongside students from different majors led to friendships she might not have made back in North Adams.

For junior Rory DiVenuto, the National Portrait Gallery was a highlight. She had seen the paintings in lectures and textbooks, but standing in front of them was different. “To see them in person was a truly wonderful experience,” she said.

The trip was designed as a culmination, not an add-on. Months of preparation preceded the flight, and students arrived with enough context to understand what they were viewing.

THE COLLEGE’S ANNUAL EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING TRIPS ARE FUNDED BY THE WOOTTERS TRAVEL SCHOLARSHIP, THE BRUCE AND JUDY GRINNELL EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL SCHOLARSHIP, AND THE BIRGE TRAVEL SCHOLARSHIP. NOW IN ITS FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR, THE COLLEGE’S SOUTH AFRICA TRAVEL COURSE IS FUNDED BY DONORS JIM AND XTINA PARKS.

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CLASSROOM BELIZE

BRAZIL

SOUTH AFRICA

Six students traveled to Belize in March with Spencer Moser, MCLA’s assistant dean for student growth and wellbeing, who has led service trips for 30 years, the last 20 of them at MCLA. The eight-day trip, facilitated by Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, moved through jungle, ancient ruins, Indigenous communities, and open ocean.

Thirteen students traveled to Brazil this spring in a course led

by Dr. David Cupery, professor of political science and chair of the Department of History and Political Science. The group moved from the mountains of Bahia to the hillsides of Rio de Janeiro, tracing the country’s political and cultural landscape across regions.

As part of a course led by anthropology professor Dr. Anna Jaysane-Darr, students traveled to Cape Town to examine contemporary South Africa and its communities in historical and cultural context, 30 years after the fall of Apartheid. The trip included visits to historic sites, museums, local organizations, a cooking class, and street art.

The centerpiece was a service project at a local school, where students leveled a flooding courtyard by hand, using wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow of sand, before spending two nights with host families in San Antonio, a Mayan village in the western part of the country. The final stretch took the group to Tobacco Caye, where they snorkeled the Belize Barrier Reef, the second largest coral reef system in the world.

For Michael D. Lynch ’26, an English major and deckhand on bluefin tuna boats off Cape Cod, the unexpected highlight was a stop at the Smithsonian Marine Station on Carrie Bow Cay, a two-building research outpost on a tiny island. Lynch ended up in a long conversation with the station’s caretaker, and the two exchanged numbers before the group left. Lynch is already looking into an internship there. “I plan on returning to Belize to see some of the friends I made,” he said, “and hopefully help more at Tobacco Caye.”

For Cinderella Khoury ’26, a tri-sport athlete who had spent her college years watching travel course options pass her by, the trip was personal as well as academic.

Her cousins are Brazilian, and her father traveled there when he was younger and learned Portuguese.

“I hoped to grow personally, strengthen family connections, and push myself beyond what I was used to,” she said. “This trip gave me exactly that.”

Visits to under-resourced townships gave students direct exposure to how communities build safety and connection with limited resources. “Having this experience and being able to speak to people shows how many people really rely on the community,” said Rudi Liuzzi ’27.

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VISITORS HARDMAN LECTURE SERIES: JODIE GINSBERG In November, Jodie Ginsberg delivered the Hardman Journalist in Residence Lecture, “Defending Journalism in an Age of Rage,” in the College’s Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation. Ginsberg is the CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists, a U.S.-based nonprofit that defends press freedom worldwide. She began her career at Reuters, working as a foreign correspondent in Johannesburg before serving as bureau chief for the U.K. and Ireland, where she managed coverage of the 2008 financial crisis. She later led Index on Censorship, a London-based freedom of expression organization, for six years.

Her Hardman residency spanned two days. Students had a chance to question Ginsberg directly during a moderated session, worked with her in a journalism workshop covering ethics, verification, and the risks of reporting from conflict zones, and attend her keynote speech.

Her message was direct: “Facts are our superpower.” On the state of local news, she was equally pointed: “Even the price of a cup of coffee can make a difference for local journalism.”

The Hardman Lecture Series is made possible through the generosity of the Hardman Family Endowment.

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SEPTEMBER 11 LECTURE: MICHAEL HINGSON On September 11, 2025, the 24th anniversary of the attacks that changed his life, Michael Hingson came to MCLA to tell his story. Blind since birth and working on the 78th floor of Tower One on that morning in 2001, Hingson and his guide dog, Roselle, descended 78 flights of stairs and escaped moments before the building collapsed. That experience became the foundation for a career as one of the country’s most sought-after speakers on resilience, trust, and overcoming fear.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR KIM DRISCOLL In November, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll (far right, shown here with President Birge and education professor Dr. Maggie Clark) toured campus and discussed the BRIGHT Act, which aims to update facilities and address deferred maintenance for public higher education campuses across the Commonwealth.

VADNAIS ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES LECTURE MCLA’s Fall 2025 Elizabeth and Lawrence Vadnais Environmental Issues Lecture, held October 11 in MCLA’s Murdock Hall, celebrated the creation of The Center for Resourceful Living (CRL), started 50 years ago by the lecture’s namesake, MCLA Professor Emeritus Lawrence H. Vadnais.

Hingson presented “Turning the Tails on Terror in our Uncertain and Scary World” to students and faculty in the Amsler Campus Center Gymnasium, drawing on lessons he has shared with Fortune 500 companies, universities, and world leaders. He is the author of the No. 1 New York Times bestseller “Thunder Dog,” which has sold more than 2.5 million copies. His visit also included time in the classroom with Dr. Anthony Daly’s War, Science, and Society course, and a meet and greet with book signing following the presentation.

The event featured the debut screening of filmmaker Sharon Wyrrick’s documentary, “Did You Put Milk in the Bucket?: A Tribute to The Center for Resourceful Living.” The filmmaker attended the screening, along with alumni who took part in the CRL program in the late 1970s.

The screening coincided with “Scenes from The Center for Resourceful Living,” an exhibition of photographs of the Center curated by Wyrrick and on view at MCLA’s MOSAIC EventSpace. The exhibit featured photographs from the Randy Trabold Collection, donated to MCLA by Ida Trabold; images from MCLA’s Freel Library archives; and photographs from CRL participants.

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COMMENCEMENT

O

N MAY 16, FAMILY AND FRIENDS filled the Amsler Campus Center Gymnasium for MCLA’s 127th Commencement, where the Class of 2026 heard a charge they won’t soon forget. “Don’t find your place in the world,” keynote speaker Michael J. Bobbitt told graduates. “Make the world more worthy of your place in it.”

CLASS OF 2026 22

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Bobbitt, president and CEO of OPERA America and a nationally recognized arts executive, was one of three individuals to receive an honorary degree at this year’s ceremony. MCLA also honored Dr. Mary K. Grant, president of Massachusetts College of Art and Design and a proud MCLA alumna who served as the College’s 11th president, and Mohan Boodram, former Chair of the MCLA Board of Trustees, whose 13 years of service helped shape the institution into what it is today. All three were recognized for outstanding leadership, service, and lasting impact on their communities and beyond.

The Class of 2026 was represented at the podium by two student speakers. Eva Basallo—a psychology major, athlete, researcher, and Student Government Association leader who is graduating debt free and heading to SUNY Albany for her master’s in social work—called on her classmates to take up space and build others up along the way. Peter Fekete, a graduate student earning his master’s in moderate disabilities education, spoke about his four-year journey from uncertain C student to confident educator.

“MAKE THE WORLD MORE WORTHY OF YOUR PLACE IN IT.” —MICHAEL J. BOBBITT, COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

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“ANNIE’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE A TESTAMENT TO THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF A MASSACHUSETTS STATE UNIVERSITY EDUCATION —JAMES F. BIRGE, MCLA PRESIDENT

ANNIE PECOR, PH.D. HONORED WITH MASSACHUSETTS STATE UNIVERSITIES EDUCATOR ALUMNI AWARD Assistant Superintendent of North Adams Public Schools Annie Pecor, M.Ed. ’09, was selected to receive the Massachusetts State Universities Educator Alumni Award and honored at a ceremony at the Massachusetts State House on April 29.

The award, presented by the Massachusetts State Universities Council of Presidents, recognized nine graduates of the Commonwealth’s state universities who have made outstanding contributions to the field of education.

“Annie’s accomplishments are a testament to the transformative power of a Massachusetts State University education,” said President James F. Birge, Ph.D. “We are incredibly proud of her dedication to students and communities across the Berkshires, and it is a privilege to see her recognized on a statewide stage.”

A Berkshire County educator for more than 15 years, Pecor began her career as a middle school English Language Arts teacher before rising through the ranks of educational leadership. This year, she was recognized by the MCLA Alumni Association with the Outstanding Educator Award. She earned both a master’s degree in education and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study from MCLA, and is a proud graduate of the MCLA Leadership Academy. She also holds a bachelor’s degree from Siena College and earned her doctorate in education from the University of New England in 2024.

Throughout her career, Pecor has demonstrated a consistent commitment to student success and community-centered leadership. As a North Adams middle school teacher, she launched a peer mentoring program and a 7th grade student council to cultivate student leadership. She later served as vice principal and then principal of Craneville Elementary School in Dalton, where she championed restorative practices, reduced behavior referrals, and guided the school community through the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Most recently, as director of Northern Berkshire Adult Education and 21st Century Programming, Pecor led the program to exceed enrollment targets, launched a thriving English Speakers of Other Languages program, added tutoring services, secured local transportation funding, and forged a partnership with McCann Technical High School for an adult Culinary Arts program. Under her leadership, the program achieved a Proficient rating from the Massachusetts Department of Education.

Beyond her professional work, Pecor volunteers as vice chair of the Berkshire Leadership Program and serves on the boards of Berkshire County Suicide Prevention, the Berkshire Food Project, and the Northern Berkshire United Way.

MCLA WELCOMES NEW BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBERS In June of 2025, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey appointed four new members to MCLA’s Board of Trustees— Tom Bernard, Ben Downing, W. David Halbert ’03, and Yina Moore—who began their terms of service that summer.

TOM BERNARD serves

as town administrator in Williamsburg, Massachusetts. He formerly served as the president and CEO of Berkshire United Way, and as mayor of the City of North Adams. Earlier in his career, he served as director of special projects at Smith College; in various administrative roles at MCLA; and as a development officer at MASS MoCA. In addition to his service to MCLA, Bernard is chair of the BART Charter Public School Board of Trustees, and a member of the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Governing Council. He is a graduate of Williams College and Westfield State University, and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Public Service Degree from MCLA in 2022.

BEN DOWNING is the chief executive officer of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.

Before joining MassCEC, he served as the chief growth officer at The Engine, a nonprofit incubator and accelerator built by MIT to support climatetech, biotech, and advanced infrastructure startups. Prior to this role, he was vice president of new market development for Nexamp, a clean energy company focused on community solar and lowering customer utility bills.

Beginning in 2007, Downing served as state senator representing his home district of the Berkshires. As senate chair of the Joint Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy Committee, he helped shape Massachusetts’ clean energy and climatetech policy, including authorizing the first offshore wind procurement, investments in the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal,

support for workforce development, and energy affordability initiatives to rein in costs. He committed to term limits and departed the Legislature in 2017. He was a candidate for Governor in 2022.

Downing lives in East Boston with his wife and two sons.

DAVID HALBERT ’03

serves as the director of external affairs for Framingham State University (FSU) where he helps lead efforts around community relations, legislative and government affairs, and development of strategic partnerships and initiatives.

Prior to joining FSU, Halbert was executive director of Bay State Progress, working to organize institutional and individual social justice donors to fund the development of long-term, community-led, progressive power building in Massachusetts.

He has also had a career in public service, working for elected officials at the municipal, county, and state level, including former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. While serving in the Community Affairs department of the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, Halbert helped found the People of Color in Criminal Justice Conference—the only conference of its kind in New England—serving as director until 2019.

Halbert actively serves the community through leadership positions with the Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center, Union Combined Parish (Methodist), the Greater Mattapan Neighborhood Council, and the Theta Iota Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. in Springfield.

Halbert earned a bachelor’s degree in English and communications from MCLA, and holds a master’s degree in public administration from Northeastern University’s School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, where he is a member of the Advisory Board.

Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, he moved to Framingham, Massachusetts, in his youth and has lived in Boston for more than 20 years, currently residing in the Dorchester neighborhood with his wife, Lauren Merrill ’03, and their children.

YINA MOORE is the

founder and artistic director of The Adams Theater, in Adams, Massachusetts, where she has spent the past five years revitalizing a historic cultural landmark. Moore has an interdisciplinary background that includes two decades of work in arts, design, architecture, finance, and non-profit organizations.

Born and raised in Shanghai, China, she came to the United States to attend Hamilton College in New York, and graduated as the valedictorian with a double major in economics and studio art. After a 12-year career on Wall Street, she left her director position at Credit Suisse and obtained a master’s degree in architecture from Harvard University.

Moore’s work as an architectural consultant led her to Berkshire County.

Revitalizing The Adams Theater through community building, design thinking, and creative collaboration lies at the intersection of her various skill sets.

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1

MCLA 1.

The first-annual Faculty & Staff vs Students Volleyball Game, organized by Beth Harris ’27, was held April 30.

4

2. P resident Birge reads to alumna Jade Schnauber’s kindergarten class at Hoosac Valley Elementary School in Adams for Read Across America Day on March 2.

3.

On June 1, Massachusetts Congressman Richard Neal visited the College to announce a $1.2M federal earmark for MCLA’s Early Education Center. This funding will mean child care for student-parents, hands-on training for future educators, and a needed resource for Northern Berkshire families. Pictured: President Birge, Board of Trustees Chair Buffy Lord, and Congressman Neal 4. The 24th Annual MCLA Undergraduate Research Conference was held April 23 5.

President Birge and former President Mary Grant pose for a selfie at Commencement.

6. Trailblazers Women’s Soccer Team

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2

3

MOMENTS 6

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FACULTY ACHIEVEMENTS BIOLOGY

Dr. Andrew Best, assistant professor In October, Dr. Best’s study, “Ultra-endurance athletes and the metabolic ceiling,” was featured and he was quoted in a story in Men’s Health.

BUSINESS

Dr. Tom Whalen, professor Dr. Whalen’s paper, “Narcissists Need Not Apply: Using Social Transaction Theory in Guiding Culture Change,” was accepted for the 21st International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, held at the University of Galway, Ireland, in July. Whalen also serves on the Town of Adams Zoning Board of Appeals.

COMMUNICATIONS & INTERCULTURAL STUDIES

Dr. Rita Nnodim, professor of interdisciplinary, global & intercultural studies Dr. Nnodim presented “‘Raging Trade’: Extractive Economies and the China-Africa Nexus in Koli Jean Bofane’s ‘Congo Inc.: Bismarck’s Testament,’” at the annual conference of GAPS (Association for Anglophone Postcolonial Studies), at the University of Bielefeld, Germany, in May 2025.

Nnodim also earned a Goethe Institut online certificate, DLL Standard—Teaching German as a Foreign Language, in January.

EDUCATION

Dr. Margaret Clark, associate professor Dr. Clark served as a member of the Strategic Leadership Team for North Adams Public School’s Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative. She also joined the board of WilliNet, a local television access station and

media center in Williamstown.

In her research on teacher identity and critical reflection, she continued to work with Dr. Rebecca Buchanan and their paper, “Wayfaring: Folk Art and Co-creation as Reflective Mapping,” was accepted for presentation at the ​2026 Castle Conference, held at the Herstmonceux Castle, East Sussex, England.

ENGLISH & PHILOSOPHY

Dr. Jenna Grace Sciuto, professor of English Dr. Sciuto published her first lyric essay in Elsewhere: A Journal of Place, in addition to a series on Icelandic literature in The Reykjavík Grapevine, an interview in The Common, and a peer-reviewed article on symbolic depictions of violence in two stories

by Icelandic women writers in Women’s Studies. She was awarded a research residency on Örö Island, in the Finnish archipelago, to support her new project, “Northern Space and the Edges of the Self.” She also presented her research at conferences in Nashville and Reykjavík, and on NPR’s The Academic Minute. Locally, she is a board member of the Berkshire County Historical Society: Herman Melville’s Arrowhead.

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Dr. Daniel Shustack, professor Dr. Shustack continues to serve as Master Bander for a Project Owlnet owl-banding site during fall and spring migration in Berkshire County.

MCLA students complete internships there, gaining hands-on experience operating mist nets, safely measuring and banding owls, and managing research data. The program hosts 10 public outreach nights

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Professor Daniel Shustack bands a Northern Saw-whet Owl each fall, giving more than 100 community members the opportunity to observe field research and learn about bird migration and monitoring protocols. Data collected contribute to continentwide monitoring of Northern Saw-whet Owls and help researchers better understand their migratory behavior.

FINE & PERFORMING ARTS

Lisa Chamberlain & Dr. Lisa Donovan Students in Chamberlain and Donovan’s spring 2026 Managing Creativity 2.0 class hosted the Better Together Block Party at MASS MoCA in May, with museum tours, live music, art-making activities, and more. The studentconceived and -produced event is designed to welcome cross-pollination and discovery, overcome inertia and hesitancy, and promote exploration and interaction. Also in May, the two professors spoke at the annual conference of the Association of Arts Administration Educators, held at Boston University. In their talk, they challenged the long-held premise that making art and managing art are split; that making art is “creative” while managing the making of art is not.

Dr. Michael R. Dilthey, professor of music At the College’s Mind’s Eye works in progress event, Dr. Dilthey performed and recorded two songs from “Girl

in the Air,” an opera based on the Bhagavad Gita, with music

by Dilthey and libretto by Brian Leahy Doyle. “Messy Dance” was performed by soprano Nellie Rushtick, pianist Karen Schwartz, and double bassist Harrison Dilthey. “No Last Song” was performed by baritone Paul LaRosa, pianist Karen Schwartz, double bassist Harrison Dilthey, and percussionist William Chapman. Both were recorded

by Saltbox Films.

Dr. Lisa Donovan, professor of arts management Dr. Donovan secured a $60K grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and a $5K grant from Milltown Foundation to advance arts integration and educator professional development in Berkshire County. She delivered a keynote address on arts and literacy at the Mossy Creek Literacy Conference at Carson-Newman University in Tennessee and presented on systemwide change at the MASS Creative Statewide Summit. She also brought arts integration to the New England Association of Chemistry Teachers Summer Conference, emphasizing interdisciplinary learning. She co-instructed at the Joan Oates Institute at the University of Richmond with Partners in the Arts and supported a second cohort of educators with the South Carolina ABC Institute

using Teacher as Curator (co-authored with Sarah Anderberg) as a foundation for leadership through arts integration. Dr. Donovan serves on a Massachusetts Cultural Council planning committee exploring how higher education prepares students for sustainable, civically engaged careers in the arts. She has been invited to teach on the Spring 2027 Semester at Sea voyage with Colorado State University.

Melanie Mowinski, professor of art In 2025, the Guild of Book Workers awarded Professor Mowinski the inaugural Mid-Career Award, a national honor recognizing excellence in book arts and printmaking.

Funded by the Maxwell/ Hanrahan Foundation, the award celebrates leaders in the field. Her practice centers on sustainable artmaking, transforming repurposed materials into meaningful works while modeling environmental responsibility in both studio and classroom.

Gregory Scheckler, professor of art Professor Scheckler’s recent multidisciplinary projects include the short film “Linger the Unknowns,” which premiered at the Maurice Kahn Gallery, Vermont. He published several new albums, including “Kymatology Vol. 1” and “Vol. 2,” focused on memories of Lake Michigan. He is a participating artist for Flow, an international collaboration with the University of Padua and University of Warzburg, and the Cities & Memory project in the UK. This project will premiere at the EGU geosciences conference in Vienna, and includes his composition “Epfach Round: Andere Zeiten, Andere Landschaft.” Scheckler also serves on the board of Images Cinema, based in Williamstown.

HEALTH PROFESSIONS

Amanda Davis, assistant professor of nursing In November, Davis started working toward a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree through Capella University.

HISTORY & POLITICAL SCIENCE

Dr. Samantha Pettey, professor of political science Dr. Pettey’s op-ed, “Nancy Pelosi’s real legacy is the pipeline of women running for office,” was published in The Hill in November.

PHYSICS

Dr. Kebra Ward, professor and chair of the Physics Department Dr. Ward published the article “Effectiveness of peer instruction in the South African college-level physics classroom” in the June 2025 issue of the journal IOP Physics Education. The article was based on research she conducted during her Fulbright Fellowship to South Africa.

Dr. Ward also celebrated her 5th year as a mentor with the American Physical Society’s National Mentoring Community.

PSYCHOLOGY

Dr. Tom Byrne, professor In 2025, Dr. Byrne published “Within- and between-subjects analyses of the effects of chronic xylazine on negative phototaxis in two planarian species” in Biomolecules, 15(11), 1542 and “Instant behavioral pharmacology: How to conduct a multiple-baseline experiment with animals in under an hour” in Perspectives in Behavioral Science. With L.E. Croghan and Poling, he published “Removing the opportunity to respond induces resurgence” in Behavioural Processes, 228, 00-209.

With R. Taylor, E. Denette, and E. Walter-Goodspeed, he published “The effects of xylazine on locomotion and motor behaviour in a planarian model” in Behavioural Pharmacology, 36(2-3), 137–143.

Dr. Carter J. Carter, assistant professor Dr. Carter delivered a keynote address to the Society for Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychology (APA Division 39). The work

he presented is evolving into his second book, “Field Theory: Agrarianism and Analysis.” Carter earned a Faculty Incentive Award to support the completion of the proposal for the book. He has also published scholarly articles in journals including Psychoanalytic Dialogues and Studies in Gender & Sexuality. He remains active in community service in Ashfield, where he was elected to serve on the town’s Planning Board and the Board of Directors of the Ashfield Community Preschool. Additionally, he has written a recipe column, Larder Ardor with Carter Carter, in the town newspaper for the last five years.

SOCIOLOGY, ANTHROPOLOGY & SOCIAL WORK

Dr. Mohamad Junaid, associate professor of anthropology In November, Dr. Junaid’s segment on The Academic Minute, “Ecological Disaster and Cultural Imagination,” was featured on the American Association of Colleges and Universities homepage.

Dr. Kerri Leyda Nicoll, professor In January, Dr. Nicoll presented her research, Towards an Understanding of Collective Wellbeing for Social Work Research & Practice, at the Society for Social Work and Research Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. This research grew out of the Williamstown CARES Project (a community-based research project assessing safety and wellbeing), as well as her newly developed social work course, Wellbeing as Radical Practice. Dr. Nicoll also serves as vice president of the board of directors for the ROOTS Teen Center in North Adams.

Associate Professor of Psychology Sara Steele was named “Best Professor” in The Berkshire Eagle’s Best of the Berkshires 2025 awards. The honor comes after a community voting campaign that saw just over 114,500 digital votes and over 1,700 print ballots submitted across all categories.

MCLA | PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026 29

STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Julia Brierley, institutional advancement coordinator Since November 2024, Brierley has served on grant application review committees for two education enrichment grants at Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation for North Adams Public Schools.

Since November 2025, she has also served as a representative of Monroe on the Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire.

Shela Levante, chief advancement officer In October 2025, Levante was appointed by the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators as a state Commissioner to the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women. In March 2025, she served as a keynote speaker for WAM Theatre’s International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month celebration, presenting “Hot Girl Walk: Women’s Impact Through Activism,” and participating in their Creative Resistance panel.

In March 2026, she was one of five women recognized by the Zonta Club of Berkshire County for contributions that support and empower women and girls.

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Amrita Lash, staff counselor Lash completed a 3-month training in EMDR therapy, which is a gold standard method for trauma resolution.

Laura Mooney, assistant dean of athletics & recreation Mooney currently serves as president of the National Association of DIII Athletic Administrators Board. NADIIIAA is comprised of athletics administrators from more than 350 institutions and conferences competing at the NCAA Division III level.

Spencer Moser, assistant dean for student growth and wellbeing Moser was featured in Inside Higher Ed for MCLA’s innovative approach to addressing food insecurity and economic hardship on campus through the Essential Needs Center.

Dr. Jeannette Smith, vice president of student affairs Dr. Smith served on the Conference Leadership Committee for the 2026 NASPA Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. As co-chair for VP Initiatives, she planned conference tracks, worked with sponsors, identified content and keynotes for a day-long institute, managed volunteers, and contributed to the overall organizing of the conference, held in March. Dr. Smith was selected to participate in the 6th Cohort for the HBCU Executive Leadership Institute, which includes an on-campus residency at Clark Atlanta in June, mentor opportunities with current and legacy presidents, and micro-credentials.

Additionally, Dr. Smith serves as a planner for the COPLAC

30 MCLA | PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026

Scott Beard Leadership Circle, where she is designing and implementing an inaugural student affairs track. She also serves as chair of the Health Equity Committee for the Berkshire Health Systems Board of Trustees.

Dr. April Wright, director of civic programs Dr. Wright received the Doris Michiko Ching Award for Excellence in Student Affairs at the NASPA Region I Conference, representing the state of Massachusetts. She presented her dissertation research findings, “Vulnerable Student Populations’ Understanding of Title IX, Campus Support, and Supportive Resources: A Hermeneutical

Phenomenological Study,” at the Regional NASPA Conference.

Additionally, she presented in the NASPA roundtable Next-Gen Leaders: Building Civic Responsibility & Global Citizenship in Uncertain Times, co-facilitating a panel with three Student Government Association members and student leaders from Fairfield University, and highlighting student voice and shared learning across institutions.

MCLA Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Jeannette Smith was selected to serve on the Massachusetts state team for a new national initiative focused on holistic student advising and case management.The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association announced this spring the launch of Holistic Advising for Student Success, a two-year program engaging seven states to strengthen advising systems that support student retention, completion, and success.

2025 GIVING THANKS CELEBRATION

FACULTY INCENTIVE AWARDS

MCLA recognized faculty and staff milestones this past December at its annual Giving Thanks celebration. Gifts of appreciation were given to those celebrating tenures of five to 45 years of service to the College.

The College was able to double the amount of incentive awards this year thanks to the generosity of donors Brian Fitzgerald ’75 and Julie Englund.

President Birge poses with faculty and staff members celebrating 10 years of service

CELEBRATING 45 YEARS:

Director of Housing Operations & Special Projects Dianne Manning; Professor of Business Administration James Moriarty CELEBRATING 40 YEARS:

Professor of Music Christine Condaris CELEBRATING 35 YEARS:

Media Center Coordinator/Technical Director Peter Gentile; Clerk Maria LaValley CELEBRATING 30 YEARS:

Power Plant Engineer David Zaleski CELEBRATING 25 YEARS:

Administrative Assistant Terry Burdick; Head Soccer Coach/Sports Performance Coach Deborah Raber; Professor of Art Gregory Scheckler CELEBRATING 20 YEARS:

Assistant Director of IT User Services John Clark; Professor of Computer Science David Eve; Professor of Biology Peter Hoyt; Professor of Environmental Studies Elena Traister

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS:

Director of Communications & External Relations Bernadette Alden; Professor of Sociology Ingrid Castro; Administrative Assistant Shelley Martocchio; Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies Rita Nnodim; Professor of Theatre Laura Standley CELEBRATING 10 YEARS:

Carpenter Keith Anderson; Associate Director/Nurse Practitioner Aimée Bullett-Smith; Professor of Political Science David Cupery; Academic Affairs Operations Coordinator Deborah Currie; Professor of English Amber Engelson; HVAC Refrigeration Mechanic Patrick Kearns; Assistant Dean of Athletics & Recreation Laura Mooney; Professor of Psychology Ruby Vega; Professor of Physics Kebra Ward; Director of Civic Programs April Wright

Creative Civic Learning & Engagement Awards were given to Gregory Scheckler for “Pictures within Pictures: Migrations in Time” and Lisa Donovan for “Developing an Open Educational Resource (OER) for Community Arts Engagement and Education”; a New Course and Program Development Award was given to professor Justin Golub for “Pre-Professional Pathways at MCLA”; Sabbatical Research Awards were given to Michaela Petrovich for “Reimagining the 17th Century Casket” and Ely Janis for “The Battle of New York: Henry George, Abram Hewitt, Theodore Roosevelt and the 1886 New York City Mayoral Campaign”; a TenureTrack Faculty Research Award was given to Samuel Bruun for “Theoretical Framework and Methodology”; 3-Credit Research APR Awards were given to Carter Carter for “Field Theory: Agrarianism and Analysis”; Daniel Shustack for “Testing predictions of differential migration with a common songbird in western Mass.”; and Drew Best for “Does sweat gland density matter?”

CELEBRATING 5 YEARS:

Maintainer Joseph Beverly; Assistant Professor of Social Work Whitney Gecker; Assistant Professor of History Mariah Hepworth; Maintainer Angel Rivera; Assistant Professor of English J. Antonio Templanza; Associate Director of Academic Technology Jessica Yurkofsky

MCLA | PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026

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STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS MCLA UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH CONFERENCE

STUDENTS TRAVEL TO NATIONAL PHYSICS CONFERENCE

The 24th Annual MCLA Undergraduate Research Conference was held April 23, with a keynote address by Kaitlin Wright ’17.

Physics major Treyana Holiday ’28, traveled to Denver last fall with fellow MCLA students and faculty members Dr. Kebra Ward and Dr. Emily Maher to attend the triennial Society of Physics Students Physics and Astronomy Congress, the largest gathering of undergraduate physics and astronomy majors in the country. Holiday was there to present the summer research she did with the NASA L’Space Program.

President Birge and Kaitlin Wright ‘17

Treyana Holiday ’28, Eric DuPont ’26, Dr. Emily Maher, Dr. Kebra Ward, and Téa Caravello ’26 at SPSCon 2025

Kristan Lewis ‘26

Treyana Holiday ’28 presents her work at SPSCon 2025

MountainOne Vice President, Community Engagement Officer Brenda Petell with Porscha Hamilton ’26, who presented on the MCLA Civil Rights Bus Tour. MountainOne sponsors the biennial spring trip.

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MCLA | PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026

AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS MCLA awarded a total of $941,000 in scholarships, including travel and internship support, during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The College offers more than 120 awards and scholarships for students who qualify, including: Academic Achievement Scholarship • Academic Achievement Transfer Scholarship • Adams Community Bank Scholarship • Alan Larese Memorial Scholarship • Alice Summers Ayling Scholarship • Alumni Scholarship • Ames Samuel Pierce History/PoliSci Award • Andrew S. Flagg Art Award • Anna Ruth Chase Spurr 1930 Memorial Scholarship • Anna Yan Ji Arabia Scholarship • Aramark Scholarship • Avaz Hajizadeh Scholarship Fund for Overall Excellence • Barbra Jayne Haddad Memorial Scholarship • Berkshire County Greylock Scholarship • Berkshire Hills Program • Bernadette Marie Foley ’28 Scholarship • Bernard (Bud) E. Riley Accounting Scholarship • Bernard (Bud) E. Riley Business Major Scholarship • Bernard (Bud) E. Riley MBA Scholarship • Betty Kendall Scholarship • Biology Achievement Award • Birge Travel Scholarship • Blue Chip Scholarship • Board of Trustees Scholarship • Bob Bence International Studies Scholarship • Centennial International Travel Scholarship • Charles Jackson Craig Foundation Scholarship • Class of 1954 Scholarship • Class of 1963 Scholarship • Class of 1965 Scholarship • Class of 1966 Scholarship • Class of 1986 Scholarship • Community Service Scholarship • Deborah Foss Psychology Research Award • Denise C. Richardello ’77 M.ED. ’81 HON. D.P.S. ’18 Honors Scholarship Fund • Diane Collins SGA Scholarship • Dion Family Nursing Scholarship • Don Quinn Kelley Lift Ev’ry Voice Scholarship • Don Westall 1969 Memorial Scholarship • Donald A. Thurston Communications Scholarship • Donald R. Dion Jr. Scholarship • Dr. John Moresi Memorial Scholarship • Ducharme Family Scholarship • Edmund K. Luddy Memorial Award • Educator’s Scholarship • Ellen J. Bernstein/Gadsby Fund for Journalism • Environmental Science Award • Evelyn Hampel Jorge 1944 Scholarship • Fairbank Family Scholarship • Fairbank Community

Nursing Scholarship • Francis H. Bissaillon Memorial Drama Award • Greylock Federal Credit Union Queer Student Union Scholarship • Greylock Federal Credit Union Underrepresented Student Scholarship • Jane and Jack Fitzpatrick Scholarship • Florence Wineberg Residence Experience Scholarship • Foster Family Scholarship • Frederick K. Bressette 1946 Performing Arts Scholarship • Gary F. Kelley Computer Science and Math Scholarship • Grace S. Hampel Scholarship • Harlequin Drama Award • Health Achievement Award • Heather Fischlein Memorial Award • Henry J. Bruton Scholarship for Women • Honors Program Scholarship Fund • Ida Maino Trabold 1936 Scholarship Fund • Iris Cavazza Lilly Award • Isanne and Sanford Fisher Scholarship • J. Michael Silsby 1976 Scholarship • James L. May Ph.D. Memorial Endowment Fund • Jane Kerr Kahlert 1922 Scholarship • Jane P. Avis Memorial Scholarship • Jane Ruth White Scholarship • Jenny Rosenberg Fyler 1913 Scholarship • John M. C. Hess Scholarship • John Morrison White Scholarship • Joseph G. Mansfield Award • Kathleen M. Shea Memorial Scholarship • Lawrence V. Gould World Ready Fund • Lee Hamilton Ransford Memorial Scholarship • Leilani Claire Scholarship • Linda and Stephen Crowe Scholarship Fund • Lisa and Eric Chamberlain Presidential Scholarship • Lisa O’Brien Nursing Scholarship Fund • Lola and Edwin Jaffe Arts Management Scholarship • Mary A. and Walter Grant Jr. Memorial Scholarship • Margaret A. Hart ’35 Scholarship • Mary Ellen Harding Memorial Scholarship • Margaret, Frances, Nellie Karrey Scholarship • MCLA Scholarship • MCLA Foundation Scholarship for High School Students • MCLA South Africa Travel Course • MCLA Travel Course Scholarship • Melvin Band Scholarship

120+ AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS OFFERED EACH YEAR

in Mathematics • Michael and Elaine Christopher Scholarship • Mitchell L. West Opportunity Scholarship • Mohan Boodram and Robert Morris Scholarship • MOSAIC Scholarship • MountainOne Scholarship • Nancy Wright Scalise Cozzaglio Scholarship • NASC Scholarship Fund • Norma Lorell Starr Memorial Scholarship • Northern Berkshire EDC Scholarship • Outstanding Resident Student Scholarship • P. Randolph Trabold Photo-Journalism Award • Pamela P. Dennis Scholarship • Paula Nickerson Plock ’73 Scholarship • Philomena J. Dolan Memorial Scholarship • President Mary K. Grant Service Award • Psychology Department Award • Raymond C. Sullivan Award • Resident on the Rise • Rodney Bartlet Card and Rita Rosch Card Visual Arts Scholarship • Ruth P. and Nicholas Boraski Scholarship • Samuel H. Clarke Memorial Award • Sharron Sprague Zavatarro 1985 Scholarship • Soc/ Anth/Social Work Department Award • Thomas & Jean Price Award • Timothy Jay Psychology Ambassador Fund • Tom Olsen Scholarship • Travelli Scholarship • Vivian Dix Redman Award • Wilfred J. and Marion Quintin Music Award • Wooters Travel Scholarship • Yvonne Leonesio Memorial Scholarship • Ziomek Family Scholarship

MCLA | PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026 33

MCLA STUDENTS MAKE NORTH ADAMS

“BETTER

D

ylan Schenck ’27 used to think of creativity in a simplistic way: you either have it or you don’t.

Thanks to MCLA’s Managing Creativity course, he has a newfound understanding and appreciation.

“After this course, I understand creativity is a skill you need to improve on every day,” Schenck said. “Creativity is something that can always be worked on, like a muscle.”

That mental shift is exactly what co-instructors Lisa Chamberlain and Dr. Lisa Donovan envisioned when they designed the Arts Management course. The professors taught the class for the second time this past semester, leading to the fruition of a Better Together Block Party designed by students with collaborative support from the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA).

More than 300 students, faculty, and alumni attended the event, along with North Adams community members, which served as a

34

MCLA | PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026

TOGETHER” kickoff for FIRST Fridays North Adams and a celebration of local businesses surrounding the MCLA campus.

“We held a great event, but that’s not the rationale for what we did,” Chamberlain said. “What the event taught the students, and what they taught themselves, is that it’s about the journey, not the destination.

A lot of people benefited from the destination, and we accomplished what we set out to do, which is to make the perceived barrier much more permeable between MCLA and MASS MoCA. But it’s really about the journey the students took getting there.”

For Matthew Garrity ’27, the journey was one he believes will be valuable for years to come.

“My creative work has shifted me to be more organized,” he said. “When I create things, I tend to do them without a plan in sight. In this course I’ve developed the ability to plan out my intentions before I act on them. I’ve developed more of an organized mindset during this course which will help me in any career I find myself in down the road.”

This year’s class built upon the work done by students in the previous year’s Managing Creativity course. In that class, students developed three different ideas to introduce MCLA students to MASS MoCA and all it has to offer.

With the decision to host a block party set, this year’s students were tasked with bringing one of the ideas to life.

The students spearheaded everything about the block party, from the name of

THE STUDENTS SPEARHEADED EVERYTHING ABOUT THE BLOCK PARTY, FROM THE NAME OF THE EVENT AND HOW TO MARKET IT TO HOW STUDENTS WOULD GET THERE AND WHAT THEY SHOULD EXPERIENCE DURING THE AFTERNOON. the event and how to market it to how students would get there and what they should experience during the afternoon. The goal was to show MCLA students the vibrancy of the museum and give them a greater sense of belonging in and to North Adams.

“Community is not produced on a checklist,” said Patricia SymondsPowell ’27. “It emerges when the conditions are right. Our job was to create those conditions.”

To do that, the students applied frameworks and lessons they learned in class.

Jacob Bluestein ’26 said it was interesting learning from Chamberlain and Donovan about creativity, but that the true value of the course was applying that learning outside the classroom.

“What this course was able to provide for me was the experiential education to put what I know into practice,”

he said. “We can talk about toolkit practices and our understanding of managing creativity, but I don’t think the habits begin to solidify until we are actually faced with real life challenges.”

Organizing the Better Together Block Party epitomized the value of an arts management degree, according to Donovan. In her eyes, people see the term “arts management” and think the program is about the business of the arts or supporting the arts.

Those ideas, though, are too limiting.

“We’re trying to broaden the tent for how people understand what arts management skills can do,” Donovan said. “One of the things that we see in MCLA students is that they’re multihyphenate — they have a whole variety of interests. We are seeing students get hired right out of college because of the mosaic of their skills that they’ve been able to put together.”

MCLA | PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026 35

ECONOMIC IMPACT TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET

$53,206,185 Source: MCLA 2025 Audit

NUMBER OF VISITORS Gallery 51:

300

Athletics:

5,000

Admissions:

2,000

Performances and Presentations:

500

Commencement:

1,800

Alumni Events:

1,000

269 Full Time 82 Part Time

Orientation:

400

Employee Salary & Benefits

Estimated per Visitor Spending:

$

Total Spending:

$ 696,520

EMPLOYEES College Employees

$32,903,621 Salary & Benefits $22,374,462 After Tax (68%) $11,634,720 Employee Spending (52%)

Total: 11,000 63.32

Source: Visitor counts from department reports/estimates 2025. Visitor spending from MASS MoCA Economic Impact by Center for Creative Community Development

Source: College employees from 2025-2026 IPEDS Human Resource Survey Salary benefits from the MCLA 2025 Audit Estimated employee spending rate from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

CAPITAL PROJECTS Venable Hall Main Roof

$

431,194

Student Spending

Campus Center HVAC Upgrade (CIP)

$

1,614,486

$1,224,170 + $27,450 = $1,251,620

Campus-wide Signage (CIP)

$

222,502

Water/Steam Line Replacement Project DCAMM (CIP)

$

2,518,779

Upgrade (CIP)

$

899,560

Total Major Renovations:

$ 5,686,521

UNDERGRADUATE & GRADUATE

($1,700 x 720.1 Undergraduate Students FTE) ($300 x 91.5 Graduate Students FTE) Source: 2025-2026 student spending data from the MCLA Financial Aid office Undergraduate student FTE total from the 2025 Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE) annual enrollment file.

Campus Center Electrical

SOURCE: MCLA 2025 AUDIT

2026 ECONOMIC IMPACT

All data is for the fiscal year 2025 unless noted.

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MCLA | PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026

TOTAL

Operating Budget

$ 53,206,185

Employee Spending

$ 11,634,720

Undergraduate Spending

$

1,224,170

Graduate Spending

$

27,450

Visitors Spending

$

696,520

Major Renovations$

$ 5,686,521

Total

$72,475,566

MCLA Executive Leadership James F. Birge, Ph.D., PRESIDENT Bernadette Alden DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS

Joseph DaSilva VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

Richard Glejzer, Ph.D. PROVOST, VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Kelli Kozak EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT

Joshua Mendel, Ed.D. CHIEF OF STAFF

Jeannette Smith, Ph.D. VICE PRESIDENT OF STUDENT AFFAIRS

Robert P. Ziomek ’89 VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

2025–2026 Alumni Association Board of Directors

2025–2026 MCLA Foundation Board of Directors

OFFICERS

OFFICERS

Crystal Adelt ’21, PRESIDENT Danielle Gismondi ’10, M.Ed. ’15,

Timothy Cherubini, CHAIR JamieEllen Moncecchi, VICE CHAIR Michael Barbieri ’95, TREASURER Stephen Pagnotta, CLERK

VICE PRESIDENT

Dana Wiklund ’88, FOUNDATION REP. DIRECTORS

Tabatha Beshears ’07 Sarah Bloom ’18, MBA ’21 Darrell Colvin, MBA ’15 Sharon Denton ’90 Patrice Dwyer ’81 Colby Harvish ’16 Shaleigh Howells ’10 Gary Lavariere ’16 Rick Maybury, Ph.D., ’80 Joe McCue ’75 Becky (Lindley) McGann ’99 Bob Morgan ’86 Ron Pollone ’66 Nia Scott-Hamilton ’17 Ed Sokolowski ’92 Alyssa “Laini” Sporbert ’92 Amy Troelstra ’08 Mara Woolley ’96

2025-2026 MCLA Board of Trustees Buffy D. Lord, Esq. ’98, CHAIR Jean Clarke-Mitchell, Ph.D., ’00, VICE CHAIR Dr. Thomas Bernard, Hon. ’22 Brenda Burdick Benjamin Downing, Hon. ’16 W.E. David Halbert ’03, FOUNDATION REP. Yina Moore Darlene Rodowicz Yvonne Spicer, Ph.D., Hon. ’16 Allie Bayer ’26, STUDENT TRUSTEE

Robert Ziomek ’89, PRESIDENT DIRECTORS

Michael Avis ’91 Mohan Boodram Kimberly Boyden-Briones ’89 Wende Carver Pamela Connolly ’82 Sarah Gaffey ’02 Jeffrey Grandchamp W.E. David Halbert ’03, TRUSTEES REP. Jodi Joseph ’10 Benjamin Lamb, Ph.D., ’07 Michael G. Muti ’99 Mary Nash Molly O’Meara Sheehan Xtina Parks Bernie Pinsonnault ’73 Colleen Taylor Dana Wiklund ’88, ALUMNI REP.

Pathways Campaign Cabinet CAMPAIGN CHAIRS

Brian Fairbank, Hon. ’23 Vikki Fairbank, Hon. ’23 Susan Gold, Hon. ’22 Daniel Trombley ’90 CABINET MEMBERS

Julie Arnold ’94, TREASURER James F. Birge, Ph.D., MCLA PRESIDENT Mohan Boodram Lisa Chamberlain James Clemmer ’86, Hon. ’16 Julie Englund Brian Fitzgerald ’75, Hon. ’09 Bruce Grinnell Judy Grinnell Denise Marshall ’81 Mary Nash Xtina Parks Denise Richardello ’77, M.Ed. ’81, Hon. ’18 Adrienne Wootters, Ph.D. Robert Ziomek ’89, MCLA FOUNDATION PRESIDENT MCLA | PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026 37

“MCLA AND ITS PEOPLE ARE TRULY SPECIAL, AND HAVE PROVIDED ME WITH DEEPLY MEANINGFUL WORK WHILE ALLOWING US TO WORK TOGETHER TO ELEVATE THE HISTORIC PURPOSE OF AMERICAN PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION.” —JAMES F. BIRGE

MASSACHUSETTS COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT 375 CHURCH STREET NORTH ADAMS, MA 01247 (413) 662-5000 MCLA.EDU