President's Report 2025

MASSACHUSETTS COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS

PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2025

PATHWAYS

DEAR FRIENDS,

Each summer, when we reflect upon the past academic year to create the President’s Report, it serves as a great reminder to take a step back, to assess the larger picture, and to appreciate what we have.

Although the College, our country, and, indeed, the world have navigated great uncertainty this spring, we have navigated it together.

I continue to be inspired by the work of the many people who make up our MCLA community: our student leaders forging a path to a greater sense of belonging for their peers, our facilities colleagues literally and figuratively chipping away at the icy cold of winter, and our faculty members advancing the thoughtful development and sharing of knowledge.

In almost every instance in history, when American society has advanced, higher education has played a critical role in that achievement. Whether it was in medicine, economics, science, technology, or the promotion of peoples’ fundamental rights, colleges and universities have acted to secure a more durable social tapestry for millions of people.

MCLA is dedicated to continuing to do so. A major part of our plan is Pathways, The Campaign for MCLA, our most ambitious fundraising campaign to date (page 2).

Today, as both individuals and institutions confront constant upheaval, the $30 million Pathways campaign will help MCLA build upon its reputation as a national leader in social mobility, demonstrate responsible citizenship with significant impact in the regional workforce pipeline, respond to the emerging needs of students, and transform the campus with an innovative modernization project that expands programs and services through a smaller footprint and greater access to greenspace.

As the region’s only four-year public college, with one of the most diverse populations in Berkshire County, every aspect of this campaign will help dismantle barriers to education for any who seek it, produce equitable outcomes for all students regardless of socioeconomic status, and ensure an educational experience where every student can thrive.

As of July 30, 2025, Pathways has raised $22.1M in commitments toward its goals and helped the MCLA Foundation’s endowment grow significantly, surpassing the $20 million mark for the first time in history.

The campaign has already financially supported current College needs, including increasing the amount of faculty research awards, student scholarships, and travel course funding, and supporting the MCLA Athletics program.

As one of the highest-ranked public liberal arts institutions in the nation, MCLA will continue to blaze new pathways that enhance the success of our students and respond to the needs of our communities. Because of our supportive community, we can provide more robust and innovative academic experiences for our students. And because so many students who study at MCLA remain in the Berkshires and the Commonwealth after graduation, MCLA is contributing to the brain gain of our region.

We announced an exciting part of the campaign in late January: our plans for a state-of-the-art creativity and teaching center (page 8). The Campagna Kleefeld Center for

Creativity in the Arts is made possible through the generosity of artist and author Carolyn Mary Kleefeld. This transformational gift will support the construction of the Center on the corner of Porter and Church Streets. Carolyn’s support 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 October, the MCLA Foundation announced it had received a generous $500,000 gift from MountainOne that will create the College’s first hybrid endowment (page 6). The MountainOne Fund, the largest commitment in MountainOne’s history, will support multiple priorities over the next five years, beginning with scholarships for current North Adams Public Schools teachers currently teaching under emergency licenses they obtained during the pandemic.

I am pleased to report that MCLA has earned the No. 6 spot on U.S. News & World Report’s list of Top Public Liberal Arts Schools in the nation, and No. 2 for Top Performer on Social Mobility for public liberal arts colleges in the country. MCLA has appeared on U.S. News’ list of Top Ten Public Colleges for the last 10 consecutive years.

This year’s President’s Report proudly highlights some of the many reasons why MCLA is such a highly ranked institution. Throughout the fall and spring semesters, the College welcomed more than 30 guest speakers and artists (page 20), including two MacArthur Fellows,

two Pulitzer Prize winners, a rocket scientist (page 18), and a professor of hip-hop (page 22). In addition, our Managing Creativity class debuted (page 10), exciting Spring Break travel courses returned (page 12), our Men’s Ice Hockey team made it to the MASCAC championship (page 23), and so much more.

Beginning in March of 2024, a 24-person steering committee — representing all segments of the College community — worked to create MCLA’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan. Over the next five years, the plan will focus on creating new educational opportunities for our students and new professional opportunities for our faculty and staff; emphasize the importance of communication; make access and belonging defining characteristics of an MCLA education; and help recommit ourselves to building a holistic experience for all students.

As colleges across the country face funding challenges, we at MCLA will continue to do everything in our power to provide a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment for anyone who wishes to earn an education. We will continue to take care of and support one another, while focusing on and affirming the things that unite us. We are most successful when we work together. Please join us.

James F. Birge, Ph.D. President

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, the Commonwealth’s designated public liberal arts institution, has proudly upheld a tradition of excellence, innovation, and service for more than 130 years. Today, Pathways, The Campaign for MCLA — a $30 million fundraising initiative and the most ambitious in the College’s history — is transforming that legacy into action.

Thanks to the generous support of alumni, friends, and community partners who believe in the power of a high-quality public liberal arts education, the campaign is already having a meaningful impact. It has expanded student scholarships, supported faculty research, enhanced athletics, and funded immersive travel courses.

Guided by the Campaign Cabinet and inspired by your belief in our mission, the Pathways campaign is providing students with robust, future-focused academic experiences that prepare them to meet the world’s greatest needs. Our graduates — teachers, nurses, business leaders, social workers, artists, historians, and more — continue to strengthen the Berkshires, the Commonwealth, and beyond.

Nationally ranked among the top 10 public liberal arts colleges for more than a decade, MCLA remains committed to blazing new pathways to student success and community impact. Your support makes you a true Trailblazer — someone who empowers students to lead exceptional lives.

SUPPORTING PATHWAYS, THE CAMPAIGN FOR MCLA HELPS OUR STUDENTS BLAZE NEW TRAILS.

Your gift ensures our Trailblazers can pursue their passions, explore meaningful learning opportunities, and become fully empowered to make their impressions on the world.

1

Increased Student Success GOAL: $12M

With 90% of MCLA students receiving some form of financial assistance, it is imperative that MCLA puts students’ lifelong success first in every endeavor. The College ensures that all students, especially those utilizing need-based grants to finance their education, can achieve their academic and career goals, securing upward intergenerational mobility and economic opportunity.

This pathway increases MCLA’s financial aid endowment by 25%; delivers $200,000 in funding to support first-generation and lowincome students, and students of color; and provides $75,000 per year in wraparound student support services. It distributes travel scholarship funds of $50,000 annually and provides $20,000 per year to combat hunger across the College community. See page 6 to read more about this Pathway’s impact.

2

Innovative Initiatives GOAL: $8M

We believe in providing students with an education that lasts a lifetime. Our students can learn a little about everything and a lot about what fuels their curiosity. Their broad learning experiences set them up for success after graduation. By investing in handson learning, providing opportunities for innovative curricular exploration, and supporting student-faculty research, we continue to adapt and evolve with 21st century needs.

This pathway designates $200,000 annually for enrichment programs that connect faculty and students to community-based initiatives, especially those that address workforce training and other pressing community concerns, helping to

THE FIVE PATHWAYS

mitigate the largest job vacancy rate the Berkshires has faced since the 1990s. It underwrites student-faculty led research, provides scholarships to The Center for Teaching and Learning for faculty and staff, and addresses regional demands in data science and electrical engineering career paths. It also recruits, trains, and supports diverse faculty and visiting artists, because when students of color learn from a faculty member who is similarly diverse, they achieve better academic outcomes. See page 8 to read more about this Pathway’s impact.

3

21st Century Workforce GOAL:

$7.5M

Responding to local workforce needs, this pathway fosters upward social mobility by creating appropriate, modern spaces for academic programs that contend with the urgent needs of students and the critical employment demands of Berkshire County. Graduates will emerge with career-readiness skills and internship experiences needed to fill the current gaps in the healthcare, K-12 education, and STEM fields.

This pathway creates a Persistence Center that handles students’ administrative needs. It designates a Career Center for employment readiness and internship exploration, and establishes a Center for Education — a cutting-edge facility with technology-enabled tools to mirror what teachers use in modern classrooms. This pathway also develops a Center for Nursing and Health Sciences to meet critical employment needs in nursing and radiology, launches a fouryear Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, and underwrites educational expenses to support up to 200 nursing, radiology, and health science students.  See pages 5 and 18 to read more about this Pathway’s impact.

4

Enhanced Athletics GOAL:

$1.5M

MCLA has served thousands of students who enhanced their academics through participation in NCAA Division III athletics. The leadership and team building skills that our students develop through athletics support continued success along their career paths. Impactful recent enhancements include the return of men’s ice hockey and the addition of a women’s program, a replacement surface to Shewcraft Field for soccer and lacrosse, and the addition of softball to the facility. Modernizing our athletic facilities better attracts and serves our College athletes. See page 23 to read more about this Pathway’s impact.

5

The Fund for MCLA GOAL: $1M

At MCLA, we take pride in staying responsive to the ever-evolving needs of our students and our campus community. Through The Fund for MCLA, this pathway will build a broad foundation of support to provide unrestricted and flexible funding to the College, when and where it is needed most. It continues investment in MCLA’s Resiliency Fund, which covers food security, emergency financial aid, textbook cost mitigation, and technology needs.

This pathway also strengthens MCLA’s commitment to Inclusion, Equity, and Belonging through programs designed to improve student success and retention, particularly for historically underrepresented and marginalized groups. Additionally, it supports funding for the College’s Student Government Association, Freel Library Fund, Day of Dialogue event, and quality-of-life improvements to campus. See page 14 to read more about this Pathway’s impact.

THE ESSENTIAL NEEDS CENTER SUPPORTS STUDENTS, EXPANDS ACCESS

The College’s former food pantry is now so much more

The newly opened Essential Needs Center (ENC) in MCLA’s Amsler Campus Center is more than just a place to grab a snack or hygiene products — it’s a hub for student support, a launchpad for opportunity, and a reflection of MCLA’s commitment to student well-being.

The ENC builds on five years of groundwork to ensure that no student goes without the basics, and has grown from a small pantry to a larger, more welcoming space stocked with nonperishable food, household goods, warm clothing, toiletries, and small appliances including microwaves and coffee machines. Overseen by Assistant Dean of Student Growth and Well-Being Spencer Moser, the ENC is designed to reduce barriers that interfere with student success.

“Being able to provide for students and alleviate those barriers means they can prioritize their schoolwork,” said Tim Rasmussen ’28, an ENC coordinator. “It does so much good for the community.”

Rasmussen is one of eight students who staff the ENC. He got involved after meeting Moser during orientation. Like many of his fellow staff members, Rasmussen not only supports others through the ENC, but also benefits from the resource security it makes possible.

Kaiya Cocliff ’26, another of the site’s coordinators, has been involved with the ENC since it was “just a closet.” “It’s my child,” she said. “Every day last year was a new opportunity. Now, students come in [to the new space] and are so grateful. If they need something, we get it. I love this place.”

As the ENC continues to evolve, it’s also helping to lead broader conversations about food insecurity among college students. MCLA is participating in the HOPE survey, a national initiative assessing basic needs insecurity. The data will inform collaboration with other institutions and shape sustainable, student-centered support systems.

“It’s a financial investment, but it will give us data that we absolutely need as we move forward, help us to know what demographics exist here on campus in terms of food insecurity, and allow us to better design resources,” Moser said. “What comes with that is best practices, and we can meet with experts in the field. We’ll be able to convene with other institutions in the same cohort that are facilitating the survey at the same time.”

The ENC thrives because of the generosity of its donors. While state grants and MCLA departmental budgets provide vital funding, it is contributions from supporters that truly sustain and expand its mission. Generous gifts from Berkshire Bank and Frederick and Renee Keator — whose donation sponsors the annual Keator Food Security Challenge — help drive efforts, alongside invaluable support from alumni and the greater community. Additionally, as a proud member of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, the ENC welcomes donations of supplies from anyone wishing to make

a difference. Every contribution — large or small — makes a positive impact on students.

“Students cannot be successful if they do not have their basic needs met,” said Lori Kiely, managing director of the Berkshire Bank Foundation, a major ENC sponsor. “That is why Berkshire Bank Foundation is proud to support MCLA’s Essential Needs Center, which provides students with nutritional food and other items to assist them in navigating daily life. While it is unfortunate that such a Center is needed, it is heartwarming to see the impact it is making in supporting students through their educational journeys. We applaud MCLA for including the ENC in their funding priorities.”

In addition to resources, the ENC also offers community. Through Instagram features like “Meet the Staff,” volunteer opportunities, and on-campus events, the Center creates a space where students feel seen and supported.

The ENC remains open and accessible throughout the summer, continuing its mission to support student success, dignity, and opportunity — one meal, supply, or kind interaction at a time.

From L to R: Emily Castle ’26, Isabella Fuller ’28, Rozene Sabeti-Seidel ’28, Tim Rasmussen ’27, MCLA Assistant Dean of Student Growth & Well-Being Spencer Moser, and Kaiya Cocliff ’26.

NURSING PROGRAM RECEIVES MAJOR BOOST FROM VIKKI AND BRIAN FAIRBANK

Local business owners and philanthropists Vikki and Brian Fairbank — well known in the Berkshires as the proprietors of Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort — are huge supporters of MCLA’s new nursing bachelor’s degree program, most notably with scholarships for area students. The couple, who earned honorary doctorate degrees from the College in 2023, are the Pathways Campaign’s largest donors to date.

“When we realized this helps the students, the College, and Berkshire Health Systems, the shoe fit,” said Brian. “Vikki and I thought, here’s a way to commit ourselves that helps the community at large. We became convinced really quickly that we wanted to support the launch with scholarships for Berkshire County students.”

Vikki said her son attended MCLA, graduated with a degree in biology, and then became interested in entering the medical field. After working as an EMT, he was inspired to pursue an RN program. “He couldn’t find something in the area,” she said, “and entered an intensive program at Mass General Hospital in Boston. Had there been something like this program at MCLA, he would have stayed here because it would have been closer, quicker, and easier to complete.” She said he wouldn’t have had to go through the motions of completing a separate program after already earning a bachelor’s degree.

Brian mentioned how many people move out of the area to find work, and touted the fact that this program offers the opportunity of getting a good job right out of school. “For first-generation college students, this could mean that families will be able to stay in Berkshire County as a result of this program.”

The Fairbank family has had strong ties to MCLA for a long time. Brian’s son, Tyler Fairbank, served a 10-year term on the College’s Board of Trustees, including as chair, and was instrumental in bringing President Birge to North Adams. Jiminy Peak has long been an employer of MCLA students. And now, Brian and Vikki are focused on persuading others to support the College’s nursing program through an endowment or scholarship. “This is a community-wide effort,” Brian said, “because it gives students the opportunity to go to college and get a substantial job when they graduate, putting money right back into the community.”

The Fairbanks’ generosity, along with that of Berkshire Health Systems, has encouraged additional philanthropic interest in MCLA’s nursing program, garnering support from Jack and Susy Wadsworth, the Donald C. McGraw Foundation, and Charlie and Lisa O’Brien.

MOUNTAINONE AND MCLA CREATE THE COLLEGE’S FIRST HYBRID ENDOWMENT

On October 30, 2024, the MCLA Foundation announced the College’s first hybrid endowment. A generous $500,000 gift — the largest commitment in MountainOne’s history — created The MountainOne Fund to support multiple priorities over the next five years. The hybrid strategy allows MountainOne’s leadership to shift its funding focus from year to year to match their goals for supporting MCLA and community needs.

The initial focus of the Fund is scholarship support for North Adams Public Schools (NAPS) teachers currently teaching under emergency licenses they obtained during the pandemic.

The emergency license allowed those with a bachelor’s degree to start teaching and move on to a provisional license in the future. In early 2024, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in Massachusetts established four regional centers across the state to facilitate the transition of emergency license holders to initial licensure.

The MCLA Education Department, in collaboration with Westfield State University, serves as Western Massachusetts’ Regional Center for Emergency License Holders, providing essential support within Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire County public school districts. This includes Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) registration and preparation support, coaching, mentoring, and access to resources such as classwork and field experience opportunities.

A scholarship of up to $5,000 per teacher, provided by the MountainOne Fund, is an impactful incentive to have these teachers enroll in a graduate program at MCLA to complete their licensure. The goal is to provide eight teachers with scholarships over the next two years. So far, five educators have been awarded funds ranging from $1,250 to $5,000 per person based on courseload needs.

“The MountainOne scholarship provides much-needed assistance for our teachers working under emergency licensure,” said North Adams Public Schools

Superintendent Dr. Timothy Callahan. “These are dedicated new educators who are working hard in the classroom and in their own studies so they can attain full licensure and pursue their master’s degree. With teacher shortages across the country, we are grateful to MountainOne for

INCREASED STUDENT SUCCESS PATHWAY:

WE’VE RAISED

$8.3M OF OUR $12M GOAL

helping to develop local educators who are already filling vital positions within our schools.”

“As two enduring pillars of North Adams, MountainOne and MCLA have a shared commitment to drive economic growth and invest in our community’s future,” said President and CEO of MountainOne Robert Fraser. “This inspires our contribution, and we look forward to seeing how our donation will enrich student experiences and strengthen our community.”

MCLA President James F. Birge, Ph.D. echoed this sentiment, saying, “We are incredibly appreciative of MountainOne for their generosity in creating this very flexible fund. Their commitment to advancing education in our community through two years of funding this scholarship not only strengthens our partnership with North Adams Public Schools, but also empowers teachers to pursue permanent licensure. This will ultimately improve the quality of education for our students and create a positive, long-lasting impact in the region.”

“This fund is centralized and localized,” said MCLA Associate Professor of Education Dr. Margaret Clark. “I think the combination of MountainOne, North Adams Public Schools, and MCLA is an example of how our local community can work together through innovative partnerships to come up with a solution that will support children and families in addition to individualized teachers.”

MountainOne’s generous gift will also support MCLA student athletes annually, and fund a bi-annual Civil Rights Tour for the College’s students.

SUSAN (ROGERS) SHEA ’81: A PASSIONATE BELIEVER IN EDUCATION

When Carol LaLiberte ’81 walked into her freshman dorm room at North Adams State College for the first time, she had no idea that the young woman unpacking her stuff would become her best friend. She and Susan (Rogers) Shea ’81 would end up bunking together all four years.

During their first few weeks as roommates, the pair realized they had a lot in common: their birthdays were six months apart, they each had one brother and two sisters, they were both cheerleaders, Susan grew up in West Springfield and Carol in East Springfield, their fathers worked for Springfield newspapers when they were children and the girls had even attended the same Christmas parties … it was meant to be.

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in education, Susan went on to teach in Maine, where she was an esteemed educator. She had just recently earned her master’s degree in education from the University of Maine Farmington when she passed away in 2017, at age 57, after complications from an illness and stroke.

Carol has established a scholarship in her friend’s memory. “They say a person’s heart only truly stops the last time their name is uttered,” Carol said. “I don’t want Susan’s name and goodness to go unsaid. Her mother has passed away, but her dad is in his 90s and I want him to know Susan’s goodness will not go unremembered.

“Sue believed in social justice,” said Carol. “She was a loud advocate for people, and felt it was her job to be a voice for those who didn’t have one. She was very passionate about the needs of others, and she talked about it with such grace and intelligence.” This scholarship is a way for Susan to continue to make a positive impact in this world. “Sue would want this to go to someone who can further their passion for education and realize the importance of paying it forward.”

To learn more about this scholarship, please call (413) 662-5229.

SUPPORTING

STUDENT AID HELPS ATTRACT STUDENTS TO MCLA AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO STAY IN THE BERKSHIRES, BOOSTING THE LOCAL ECONOMY, WORKFORCE, AND POPULATION. ACCESS — BOTH ACADEMIC AND FINANCIAL — IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COLLEGE AND THE REGION.”

Dan Trombley ’90

WHAT SETS MCLA APART — AND WHY I CONTINUE TO GIVE AFTER MORE THAN THREE DECADES OF VOLUNTEERING — IS THE POWER OF IMPACT.

A GIFT OF $10,000 TO MCLA CAN CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF A STUDENT’S LIFE IN A WAY THAT THE SAME GIFT ELSEWHERE MIGHT NOT.”

Susan Gold, parent of alum, Hon. Ph.D. ’22

Left: Susan (Rogers) Shea and Carol LaLiberte on their graduation day in 1981. Right: A more recent photo of Carol and Susan

MCLA Announces THE CAMPAGNA KLEEFELD CENTER FOR CREATIVITY IN THE ARTS

A state-of-the-art creativity and teaching center is coming to the MCLA campus. The Campagna Kleefeld Center for Creativity in the Arts is made possible through the generosity of artist and author Carolyn Mary Kleefeld. This transformational gift will support the construction of the Center on the corner of Porter and Church Streets. The Center 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.

As the new primary gallery and arts programming space on campus, The Campagna Kleefeld Center for Creativity in the Arts will support MCLA programs by providing opportunities for students to engage with artists, their work, and the community. It will serve as a dynamic and flexible space for faculty

engagement and curricular innovation, fostering meaningful interactions with a rotating array of exhibits and programs. This new venue will also support MCLA’s Benedetti Teaching Artistsin-Residence and student artists-inresidence.

A cornerstone of the Center will be its integration of Carolyn Kleefeld’s art and poetry, offering ongoing opportunities for students to curate and engage with her work as a model for exploring the

creative process. This engagement will extend to other artists, with students actively participating in selecting, situating, and appreciating works in the gallery. The Center will also provide spaces for student artists to showcase in-progress and completed work, supported by peer and faculty critiques.

ABOUT CAROLYN KLEEFELD

Carolyn Mary Kleefeld is an EnglishAmerican author, poet, and visual artist. Working since 1981, she has written 25 books, published many tri-lingual and bi-lingual translations, and created an extensive and diverse body of drawings and paintings, ranging in style from romantic figurative to abstract. Her art is featured internationally in galleries, museums, private collections, and multimedia presentations. She studied art and psychology at UCLA and resides in Big Sur, California. Learn more at carolynmarykleefeld.com

Additionally, Arts Management students will gain hands-on experience in museum and gallery operations, community education, and artist collaboration. Accommodating a range of artistic work across genres and forms, The Campagna Kleefeld Center for Creativity in the Arts will support MCLA’s commitment to equity, access, inclusion, and belonging, and to providing a comprehensive liberal arts education.

“Carolyn Kleefeld’s extraordinary generosity will allow MCLA to build and steward a leading-edge facility that will exponentially enhance the quality of our teaching, expose all our students to new and exciting

forms of art, and serve the broader community in immeasurable ways,” said MCLA President James F. Birge, Ph.D. “Carolyn’s forward-thinking gift is a game-changer, not only for our students and faculty but also Berkshire County and its surrounding communities, and will continue to be for generations to come.”

The Campagna Kleefeld Center for Creativity in the Arts will be a vital hub of creativity that will also provide a compelling teaching and learning environment,” said Carolyn Kleefeld. “This will allow others to explore and engage with the artistic practices that have meant so much to me throughout my life.”

THE CAMPAGNA KLEEFELD CENTER FOR CREATIVITY IN THE ARTS WILL SUPPORT MCLA’S COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, ACCESS, INCLUSION, AND BELONGING, AND TO PROVIDING A COMPREHENSIVE LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION.”

ENCOURAGING CONNECTION

New Managing Creativity Class Aims to Share Ideas with MASS MoCA, BIC Works

The College’s inaugural Managing Creativity class presented three final projects this December. Three teams of students offered concepts, developed over the course of the semester, to address the need for greater connectivity and exchange between the College, MASS MoCA, and BIC Works @ MoCA (the North County branch of Pittsfield’s Berkshire Innovation Center), with the goal of benefitting a broad swath of community members and creating lasting and meaningful discourse.

Managing Creativity, which is offered as part of MCLA’s Arts Management major, is co-led by professors Dr. Lisa Donovan and Lisa Chamberlain, founder of The Chamberlain Group, a Massachusettsbased studio specializing in the design and manufacture of high-fidelity anatomical models for surgical and interventional training. Chamberlain has decades of experience in special effects creation for films, including “The Matrix,” for which the visual effects team won an Academy Award.

“It’s a natural fit for our students to engage with these organizations,” said Chamberlain. “MCLA is an essential part of the North Adams ecosystem, as are our neighbors in the city. The class has provided opportunities for students to meet people at these institutions and learn about internships and employment opportunities. We see these vital and vibrant community partners as resources, not only for our students and our campus but for each other.”

In return, said Donovan, MCLA students are “informing the field as to what arts management can bring to the workforce across sectors, inviting and harnessing the power of our students, their diverse interests, and the unique lens they bring to North Adams.”

The three projects presented at the December 5 event are below.

STEEPLE CITY SUMMIT

This two-day science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) learning summit would expand on the shared missions of the three institutions: education, creativity, innovation, and community. Speakers would be drawn from the three institutions and events would be held at each location.

TEAMS AND TALENTS

This online platform would be used by all three institutions to promote events, support career development, and share resources and employment opportunities.

CREATIVE CAMPUS DAY

This annual event would encourage MCLA students to engage with the MASS MoCA campus and its tenants via guided museum tours, a live podcast recording at BIC Works, and an open mic at MASS MoCA’s Research & Development Store.

SPRING BREAK TRAVEL COURSES

Immerse Students in Culture, Conservation, and Community

Each spring, MCLA’s travel courses open the world to students — not just through sightseeing, but through immersive, handson experiences rooted in academic inquiry. In March 2025, students traveled with faculty to Japan, South Africa, and southern Florida to explore ancient temples in Kyoto, cultural preservation in Cape Town, and conservation efforts in the Everglades.

HISTORY AND IDENTITY IN JAPAN

Led by Dr. Kailai Huang, professor of history and political science, the Japan travel course combined classroom study with a 12-day journey through Honshu, Japan’s largest island. Students explored the ancient capital of Kyoto, the bustling streets of Tokyo, and the mountain town of Takayama while gaining firsthand insight into Japanese society, culture, and history.

Before traveling, students met weekly to prepare through readings and discussion. On the ground, they kept journals, visited temples and castles, and completed final projects shaped by their travels.

This is the third year Kaiya Cocliff ’26 has participated in a spring break travel course. “I’m very grateful and lucky to have had these experiences,” she said. “It was the best trip of my life.”

JAPAN

FLORIDA

SOUTH AFRICA

THE SUN HAD JUST SET, AND WE WERE WALKING THROUGH KISSIMMEE PRAIRIE PRESERVE WITH FLASHLIGHTS, COUNTING ALLIGATORS BY THE SHINE OF THEIR EYES. MOMENTS LIKE THAT — UNDER THE STARS, SURROUNDED BY WILDLIFE — LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION.”

CONSERVATION AND CONTRAST IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA

Florida may be best known for theme parks and sunshine, but MCLA students discovered another side of the state on a nine-day expedition led by Environmental Studies Professor Dr. Daniel Shustack. Camping in state and national parks, they encountered a range of ecosystems, from dry prairies and mangrove forests to coral reefs and sawgrass marshes.

“The sun had just set, and we were walking through Kissimmee Prairie Preserve with flashlights, counting alligators by the shine of their eyes,” said Shustack. “Moments like that — under the stars, surrounded by wildlife — leave a lasting impression.”

Students kayaked through Florida Bay, snorkeled coral reefs, rode airboats across Lake Okeechobee, and paddled through the mangroves of Ten Thousand Islands. Along the way, they learned about the environmental pressures facing Florida’s natural systems and met with conservationists working to protect endangered species and habitats.

“It was a life-changing experience,” said Tim Rasmussen ’27. “I left a changed man. I was able to really bond with the other students in my group and my professor.”

One standout experience took place on Marco Island, where students worked alongside a biologist from Audubon Western Everglades to assist with the banding of burrowing owls — a threatened species in Florida. The group observed the scoping of a burrow that had previously contained eggs but was later found abandoned.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA

For the third consecutive year, the College’s South Africa travel course was funded by donors Jim and Xtina Parks. Students traveled with Dr. Anna Jaysane-Darr, associate professor of sociology, anthropology, and social work, to Cape Town and the surrounding region. They studied post-apartheid social systems, community development, and the lasting effects of colonialism, while forming deep connections through service and dialogue.

Students explored key historical and cultural sites, including Robben Island, the District Six Museum, and the Langa Pass Museum. At the Cape of Good Hope, they encountered baboons and ostriches; at Boulder’s Beach, they swam with endangered African penguins. They also visited Table Mountain, the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art, and local arts initiatives in Khayelitsha.

“We were able to explore the nature along the majority of the coast,” said Jayna Schmohl ’26. “It was amazing to see the coastal environment and get a chance to experience the other side of the Atlantic Ocean!”

In Khayelitsha, students helped plant a school garden with local children and visited community organizations like Story Room Creatives. At the !Khwa ttu San Heritage Centre, they learned about cultural preservation from local educators and artists. For Eva Bassallo ’26, the energy of the staff left the deepest impression. “Their acceptance and passion truly made it an unforgettable part of this trip.”

The course emphasized personal connections, and students attended live performances in musicians’ homes, cooked Cape Malay food with a local chef, and visited with anti-apartheid activists in their homes and workplaces. Students later presented their research and reflections at MCLA’s Undergraduate Research Conference in a session called Envisioning South Africa: Experiences and Research from a Travel Course. Additionally, the class documented the trip on Instagram using the handle @mclacapetown2025.

“One of the most important parts of the South Africa Travel Course is the opportunity to connect with South Africans in personal and authentic ways,” said Dr. Jaysane-Darr. “I think this focus on interpersonal connection is what makes the travel course so magical and transformative for students!”

Dr. Daniel Shustack, Environmental Studies Professor

A SEASON OF CELEBRATION

Institutional Equity and Belonging Initiatives and Programming Remain Strong

During the 2024–2025 academic year, MCLA’s Office of Institutional Equity and Belonging hosted nearly 80 programs highlighting race, ethnicity, religion, spirituality, gender equity, sexuality, neurodivergence, voting, political activism, and more. The IEB Office kept the campus community informed through its semi-semesterly Institutional Equity Digest and launched several new initiatives, including the Breaking Bread series with Freel Library, which offered food-centered dialogues on intersectional topics such as racialized language, gender, neurodiversity, and immigration rights. A Celebrations Committee was established to ensure meaningful recognition of religious and identitybased observances across campus.

Major events this year included the 7th annual Day of Dialogue on the theme of Erasure, which featured

19 presentations — led by students, faculty, and staff — on topics including poverty, disrespect shown toward female veterans, reclaiming queerness, forgotten women in STEM, Black political thought, and balancing faith and modern college life. This year’s Day of Dialogue keynote panel included dancemaker, writer, and artist educator Matthew Cumbie; DEI Outdoors founder Rachel Hailey; and Dubois Thomas, co-founder of the Blackshires Community Empowerment Foundation. The Lavender Lecture series featured a panel of local drag performers — Vuronika Baked, Gemini DaBarbay, and Jackie Legs — who shared their queer experiences and concluded with a vibrant performance.

“We continued to deliver robust programming, support faculty and staff affinity groups — including the Faculty and Staff of Color Network and the newly launched LGBTQIA+ Faculty

and Staff Group — and promote learning, community, and dialogue,” said Gender and Sexuality Program Coordinator Ara Phoenixx.

“This past year has really been a season of celebration,” said Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Belonging André Lynch. “The students organized a reemergence of the ALANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Native American, and other communities of Color) recognition ceremony, which we haven’t had since the pandemic. Students Joshua Howard and William Garrity co-launched the NERD club for those who identify as neurodivergent.

“We put funding toward improvements to the Multicultural Education & Resource Center (MERC) to make it a more welcoming space and that culminated in some very well-attended events. We also introduced the Universal Meditation/Prayer Space in Venable Hall.”

President Birge, Day of Dialogue panel participants Rachel Hailey, Matthew Cumbie, and Dubois Thomas, and André Lynch

2025 Lavender Reception speaker Bentley Munsell ’15 with Gender and Sexuality Program Coordinator Ara Phoenixx

THIS PAST YEAR HAS REALLY BEEN

A

SEASON OF CELEBRATION.”

André Lynch, Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Belonging

Annual celebrations continued for seniors, and included the Lavender Reception for LGBTQIA+ graduates on April 18 with speaker Bentley Munsell ’15 and the Kente Stole Ceremony for ALANA graduates on April 25.

The College’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Fellow program announced three new faculty appointments. Dr. Kerri Nicoll and Dr. J. Antonio Templanza will serve as DEI Fellows for the Fall 2025-Spring 2026 academic year, and Dr. Omotara Adeeko will serve from Spring 2026Fall 2026.

“One initiative they will focus on is retaining faculty and staff,” said Lynch. “When folks move to a new area, you retain them by introducing them to the greater community where they can lay roots, and by creating a mechanism to connect them to regional organizations that support the marginalized, such as new homebuyer programs. Professional development is also important to expand faculty engagement at a higher level.”

Additionally, having formally adopted the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium’s Campus Climate Survey, MCLA has assigned a DEI Fellow to analyze the data and follow up with demographically focused groups to get a deeper understanding of what the survey results mean.

“As we move forward, we remain committed to uplifting marginalized voices, encouraging collaboration, and building a stronger, more inclusive MCLA community,” said Phoenixx.

THE 4TH ANNUAL MCLA AWARDS FOR LEADERSHIP IN DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

The Student Award for Emerging Leadership in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion recognizes a student who has demonstrated a commitment to inclusion and diversity at MCLA through a variety of ways, including curricular, co-curricular, and in the community. The student has played an active mentoring and/or leadership role on campus around diversity and inclusion, and promoted equity and inclusion in several ways. Esha Zahid

The Student Organization Award for Leadership in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion recognizes a student organization that has played an active mentoring and/or leadership role on campus around diversity and inclusion, has demonstrated a long-term commitment to inclusion and diversity at MCLA in all its forms, and is dedicated to equity and inclusion in all its forms.

Muslim Student Association

The Student Multicultural Advancement Award for Leadership in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion recognizes a student who has demonstrated a long-term commitment to inclusion and diversity at MCLA, including through curricular, co-curricular, and leadership roles on campus. Maya Dey and J.C. Innocent

The Department Award for Leadership in Diversity, Equity, and Leadership recognizes an academic or administrative department that has been actively engaged in meaningful diversity, equity, and inclusion activities as well as contributed to larger diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on campus. Department of Education

The Staff Award for Leadership in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion recognizes a staff member who made outstanding contributions to MCLA’s equity and inclusion effort in their role at the College and in collaboration with other campus entities in the last year. Laura Dear

The Faculty Award for Leadership in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion recognizes a faculty member who made outstanding contributions to MCLA’s equity and inclusion effort, both in instruction and with their service to the College, in the past year.

Dr. Clio Stearns

The O’Bryant Distinguished Career Achievement Award in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion honors a longtime advocate for equity at MCLA. The recipient is selected based on the following criteria: has demonstrated a long-term commitment to inclusion and diversity at MCLA through a multiplicity of engagement and across disciplines/programs, has played an active mentoring and/or leadership role on campus, and has shown a consistent dedication to equity over a significant period. Dr. Ruby Inez Vega

A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

MCLA Board of Trustees announces three new members

In July of 2024, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey appointed three new members to MCLA’s Board of Trustees — Darlene Rodowicz, Dr. Yvonne Spicer, and Buffy Lord ’98 — who began their terms of service that summer.

BUFFY D. LORD, ESQ.

A practicing attorney with the North Adams-based law firm Donovan O’Connor & Dodig, LLP since 2005, Buffy Lord’s main practice area is civil litigation but her work with the firm encompasses multiple practice areas, including personal injury and workers’ compensation, domestic relations, municipal law, and appellate work. She is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and Vermont.

Beyond her professional experience, Lord has a direct understanding of the importance of MCLA and public higher education in providing access and opportunity to students. As a 1998 graduate of the College, she has committed herself to the stewardship of the institution through her volunteer work in leadership roles with the MCLA Alumni Association (2007-2011, 2018-

2021), the MCLA Foundation (20092018 and 2023-present), and the MCLA Board of Trustees (2012-2018), as well as her financial support through the establishment of an endowed scholarship fund to help provide educational opportunities to current and future students.

Lord currently serves on the board of 18 Degrees and previously served on the board of Community Legal Aid. She earned her juris doctorate from Pepperdine School of Law in 2003.

DARLENE RODOWICZ

As President and CEO of Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) and a lifelong resident of Berkshire County, Darlene Rodowicz has dedicated her career to advancing the health and well-being of the community she loves.

Rodowicz joined BHS in 1984 and has served on its Executive Leadership Team since 2005. She has played a crucial role in the evolution of BHS through her various leadership positions, including ensuring the financial strength of the organization during her 15 years as Chief Financial Officer.

She also frequently steps forward as a community leader and advocate, having served for years as chair of both the Berkshire Community College Board of Trustees and the Hoosac Valley Regional School Committee. Rodowicz joined the board of the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association in January 2023, where she leads the Standing Committee on Finance. Additionally, she actively serves on the board of directors for the Berkshire Business Roundtable and the Massachusetts Business Roundtable.

In 2023, she was recognized by The Women’s Edge with a statewide honor as one of 10 Extraordinary Women Advancing Healthcare. Rodowicz holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a master’s degree in business administration from Western New England College.

DR. YVONNE SPICER

A Framingham, Massachusetts, resident and longtime educator, Dr. Yvonne Spicer is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She is also a highly sought-after speaker on the topics of leadership, STEM, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Dr. Spicer was the first mayor of Framingham, serving from 2018-2022. Prior to that, she served as the Vice President for Advocacy and Educational Partnerships at the Museum of Science, Boston and as an administrator for the Framingham and Newton Public Schools. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of Life Science Cares, Boston.

Dr. Spicer was appointed to the Massachusetts governor’s STEM Advisory Council in 2010 and reappointed in 2017. She was instrumental in establishing the 2001 Massachusetts technology/ engineering curriculum framework and the first ever kindergarten-12th grade assessment for technology and engineering. Dr. Spicer has also served as an advisor and content expert to the National Governors Association and as a consultant to numerous states on technology and engineering standards, strategic leadership development, and business engagement.

Dr. Spicer has served on the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, the Massachusetts Office of the Treasurer’s Economic Empowerment Trust Fund, the Climate Mayors Taskforce, and the Standing Committee on Ways and Means, and as a Town Meeting Member. From 2017-2020, she served on the board of directors of the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association and is currently on the board of directors of The Plumbing Museum, the Bob Moog Foundation, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass & MetroWest. In 2016, MCLA conferred an honorary doctorate of humanities on Dr. Spicer at its 117th Commencement exercises.

Trustees and Foundation Board Representatives Buffy Lord ’98 and Dr. Jean Clarke-Mitchell ’00

SEE YOURSELF IN STEM

Speaker Series Brings Physics Careers to Life for African American Students

In early 2024, MCLA received $110,351 from the American Institute of Physics (AIP) Foundation through its TEAMUP Together Expanding Expertise, Championing Excellence & Leadership (TUT EXCEL) program. Since that time, the College has used this funding to increase its African American students’ sense of belonging in the Physics Department and introduce systemic changes to the physics bachelor degree program to ensure positive outcomes for African American students.

The AIP Foundation grant allowed the College to implement four main initiatives: a specialized recruitment

campaign, a revised corequisite model ensuring all students have a path to the degree, strategic external partnerships, and on-campus activities.

One of those on-campus activities was a Physics Department speaker series, which kicked off in February 2024 with Trevor David Rhone, assistant professor in the Department of Physics, Applied Physics and Astronomy at Rensselaer Polytechnic. Rhone gave a presentation on Atoma, a laboratory artificial intelligence assistant, and how it can be combined with materials research to accelerate science innovation and discovery.

WE WANT TO GIVE OUR STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THEMSELVES OUT THERE IN THE INDUSTRY.”

Dr. Kebra Ward Associate Professor and Chair of the Physics Department

In September of last year, Dr. K. Renee Horton’s lecture, “Flying on A Rocket: How I Got There,” saw a standingroom-only crowd. Horton is the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in material science with a concentration in physics from the University of Alabama. Currently serving as a NASA airworthiness deputy, Horton has received numerous accolades, including the Black Engineer of the Year Trailblazer Award. She founded Unapologetically Being, Inc., a nonprofit for STEM advocacy and mentoring, and speaks worldwide to promote systemic change in STEM fields.

In March of this year, Dr. Ed Buie II, assistant professor of astronomy at Vassar College, gave the lecture “A Theoretical View of Turbulence and Magnetic Fields in the CGM of Galaxies.” Buie grew up in the metro-Detroit area and earned his bachelor’s degree in astrophysics from Michigan State University in 2016. He then went on to Arizona State University and earned a master’s and a Ph.D. in astrophysics for his work focused on modeling the evolution and chemical evolution of the extended halo of gas around Milky Way-like galaxies.

very similar to those of the students. “We want to give our students the opportunity to see themselves out there in the industry,” she said.

“MCLA has historically graduated a higher percentage of African American physics students than the national average,” said Ward, but the College’s current Physics Department faculty are entirely white. “Students don’t see themselves in us, so they don’t have that role model to map their experience onto someone at the Ph.D. level. Research shows that modeling is important to future success.”

The lecture series aimed to tackle that, with students also being able to have dinner or lunch with the speakers to learn more about their experiences in the field. “We’ve had really great feedback from the students,” Ward said. The series purposefully

chose two speakers (Rhone and Buie) who were in the early stages of their careers, so students could ask specific grad school questions.

Funding from the TUT EXCEL grant has also been used to send MCLA students to attend or present at conferences to get a taste of what it’s like to participate in the larger physics community. “It’s a significant experience for them,” Ward said, “and I saw a change in how they interacted with the material and how it motivated them.”

Attending conferences also gets MCLA’s name out there as a rigorous and successful, yet affordable, option for prospective students. Additional outreach opportunities made possible through the grant include engaging with local middle and high school students, attending college STEM fairs with the Admissions Department, and mailing out welcome packages to students interested in attending MCLA.

“It’s been a significant addition to our classes to host speakers who specialize in fields other than our faculty’s,” said MCLA Associate Professor and Chair of the Physics Department Dr. Kebra Ward. “It’s important for our students to be exposed to different sub-fields of physics, and for them to see that studying physics also prepares you for other fields. Many of our graduates go on to engineering jobs. Having guest speakers in the field brings into focus the breadth of employment options you have with this degree.”

Ward said the grant allows the College to bring in successful people from backgrounds that could be

Shown here: Dr. K. Renee Horton with Solaima A. ’25. Above: Dr. Ed Buie II

2024-2025

VISITING ARTISTS AND LECTURERS

Each semester, MCLA hosts dozens of artists, performers, authors, and experts on campus at events that are free and open to the public.

An Inclusive Democracy Election Panel was held September 26 with moderator A.J. Enchill, president and executive director of the Berkshire Black Economic Council, and panelists Dr. Samantha Pettey, MCLA associate professor of history and political science, WAMC radio host Joe Donahue, and Dr. Mason Williams, an associate professor of political science and leadership studies at Williams College.

MCLA Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies Dr. Hannah Noel Haynes presented the talk Myths & Monsters of New England on October 3. Based on a class she taught in the spring semester, it explored New England folklore, offered insight into historical places, and ascertained why certain stories are repeated in human history.

Renowned printmaker Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. returned to North Adams for workshops, talks, an exhibition, and a discussion of his new book, “Citizen Printer,” from October 22-24. The events were a part of Print Isn’t Dead, a project initiated by MCLA Professor Melanie Mowinski and funded in part by a Hardman Initiative Grant and the Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire, a division of the Mass Cultural Council.

Dr. Derron Wallace — a renowned sociologist of race, ethnicity, and education — visited the College as part of the Commonwealth Honors Program and Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Speaker Series. Wallace gave a talk on his critically acclaimed

Dr. Elena Traister, 2024 Vadnais Lecturer Ariana Chiapella ’12, Dr. Daniel Shustack, and President Birge

book, “The Culture Trap: Ethnic Expectations and Unequal Schooling for Black Youth,” on October 28.

We welcomed Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Forrest Gander, the author of 20 books and the translator of dozens of works into English, as the English and Philosophy Department’s Fall 2024 Visiting Writer. He gave a free poetry reading, which was open to the public, on November 12.

Ariana Chiapella ’12, a faculty member with the Rubenstein School of the Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont, gave the Fall 2024 Elizabeth and Lawrence Vadnais Environmental Issues Lecture, The Implications of Contaminants for Aquatic and Human Communities, on November 14.

MCLA’s annual Green Living Seminar Series returned with 12 lectures on the theme Rewilding Our World. The series, which runs from January

through April, focuses on timely and relevant sustainability issues. This year’s speakers included: Dr. Reed Noss, Sarah Greenleaf, Dr. Paula Prist, Jon Leibowitz, Renee Seacor, Paul Catanzaro, Andrew Madden, Paula Peters, Beth Lambert, Mark Winterer, Amy Meltzer, and Dr. Os Schmitz.

Dr. Leah Perry spoke on the media and policy techniques used to create and expand the U.S. Empire — at the expense of indigenous communities, their cultures, and lives — on February 25. Presented by the MCLA Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Department and the Critical Interdisciplinary Minors Advisory Board, Perry’s talk was based on her recently released second book, “Indigenous Dispossession, Anti-Immigration, and The Public Pedagogy of US Empire.”

On March 6, the English & Philosophy Department welcomed Dr. Jina B. Kim, who gave the lecture Care at the End of the World: Healthcare Infrastructure

and Wild Disability Justice Life-Writing. Kim is an assistant professor of English language and literature, and of the study of women and gender, at Smith College. Her book, “Care at the End of the World: Dreaming of Infrastructure in Crip-ofColor Writing,” was published by Duke University Press in 2025.

The English & Philosophy Department hosted MacArthur Fellow and Pulitzer Prize finalist Kelly Link as its Spring 2025 Visiting Writer. The author, publisher, and bookstore owner gave a talk on March 13 that was open to the public.

On April 10, MCLA Associate Professor of Political Science Dr. Dave Cupery moderated the panel discussion Immigration in the United States During Trump 2.0. Panelists included Williams College Professor of Political Science Dr. James Mahon, MCLA Associate Professor of Anthropology Dr. Anna Jaysane-Darr, and MCLA Professor of History Dr. Ely Janis. Presented as part of The Boschen Conflict Prevention and Resolution Speaker Series, the panel explored key policy changes, their historical roots, their connection to contemporary politics, and their impact on immigrants and refugees in the U.S. and beyond.

Dr. Trisha Elliott, clinical associate professor and associate chair of community health sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health, visited the College as part of the Commonwealth Honors Program’s spring lecture. On April 16, Elliott gave the talk Who is Taking Care of Our Youths’ Mental Health? — Crossdisciplinary Public Health Partnerships in Massachusetts.

POLITICS OF THE VISUAL LECTURE SERIES LAUNCHES WITH FIVE SPEAKERS

This past academic year marked the debut of the Politics of the Visual lecture series, organized by MCLA Associate Professor of English & Visual Culture Dr. Victoria Papa and supported by Hardman Special Initiatives and MOSAIC. The series explored critical questions about the political dimensions of visuality, the power structures behind perception, and the phenomena of spectacle in contemporary culture.

The season wrapped up with Susannah Cahalan, author of “Brain on Fire,” who spoke on the countercultural and psychedelic history of Rosemary Woodruff Leary.

From October 2024 through April 2025, the series featured leading scholars, artists, and curators who discussed the complex intersections of art, politics, and society.

In the Fall 2024 semester, the series welcomed art historian, curator, and RISD professor Alexandra Foradas to discuss “Technologies of Magic: Contemporary Artists and Rituals, Talismans, and Folklore” and Bennington College professor, poet, and artist Anaïs Duplan to speak on “What Lies at the Intersection of Land Ownership and Documentary Poetics.”

This spring, Caroline Fowler, the Starr Director at the Clark Art Institute, explored the intersections of Rembrandt’s works with the writings of Roland Barthes and Derek Walcott, with a focus on her new book, “Slavery and the Invention of Dutch Art.” Wellesley College Associate Professor Nikki Greene discussed the work of Radcliffe Bailey, highlighting the intersection of Black identity, the body, and sound in contemporary art.

“In the past several years, my teaching and research have incorporated more visual culture,” said Papa, “and the idea for this series was to bring together a cohort of interdisciplinary speakers who might think about visual components of their work in varying ways that highlight aspects of representation, spectacle, and the viewership.”

Much like the Mind’s Eye lecture series, which Papa directed for seven years at MCLA, this new series is a way of modeling academic excellence for MCLA students. “It’s so important for students to see professional scholarship in action,” she said. “Mind’s Eye featured MCLA faculty presenting research so students could see what that level of expertise looks like and how it lives both inside and outside the classroom, whereas Politics of the Visual brings scholars from other institutions to campus.”

Beyond student engagement with the series and its speakers, one of the highlights of the Politics of the Visual events has been the way it’s brought the MCLA community and the local community together, said Papa. “It’s been a chance for the scholarly community in our area to come together across neighboring institutions,” she said.

MCLA WELCOMES 2025 BENEDETTI

ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE WENDEL PATRICK

MOSAIC, the College’s community-serving cultural events program, hosted its fourth resident artist this spring.

“Wendel Patrick, our fourth Benedetti Artist-in-Residence, is our first music-focused resident, but he’s also a photographer, so he’s actually a multidisciplinary artist,” said MCLA Theatre Professor and MOSAIC Director Jeremy Winchester.

Patrick opened his residency in February with an overview of his artistic practice and a demonstration in the College’s Multicultural Education Resource Center, followed by a lecture and demonstration covering his work composing for film, podcast, and TV.

His residency ended on a high note when he performed music he’d been working on during his time in North Adams at the April 11 reception for his photography exhibit at the College’s Gallery 51. “The Photography of Wendel Patrick” presented a selection of images taken during the Baltimore Uprising of 2015 following the death of Freddie Gray while in police custody, and coincided with the 10-year anniversary of that event. Other images had previously been featured in the radio documentary series Out of the Blocks, produced for NPR affiliate WYPR in Baltimore.

During his time on campus, Patrick visited arts management, music theory, and music industry production classes to engage with students. “I had the chance to share my work across spaces, and present on the topics of sound, photography, journalism, and building out education programs,” he said. “I also met with students one-on-one to talk about their post-college careers.”

“It’s been really exciting to see how many different ways he’s been able to plug in to different artistic disciplines and the breadth of impact he’s had on campus,” said Winchester.

Patrick said his time in North Adams has also been spent thinking and drafting ideas for his solo performance set at Gallery 51, working on production projects for two internationally renowned poets, and taking long walks around town. But his favorite part, he said, has been the opportunity to interact with students. “I love teaching, connecting with, and helping students get to the next level.”

MEET WENDEL PATRICK

Wendel Patrick is a professor, composer, producer, beatmaker, pianist, sonic architect, photographer, and videographer. The alter-ego of classical and jazz pianist Kevin Gift, Wendel Patrick has made a name for himself internationally through his performances and the release of five albums.

Patrick’s music has also been heard across the country on NPR stations, most notably on Out of the Blocks, an award-winning radio documentary program he co-produces with Aaron Henkin for NPR affiliate WYPR.

An avid photographer and videographer, Patrick’s photography has been exhibited in several art galleries including the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Ralph Arnold Gallery in Chicago.

Patrick double-majored in music and political science at Emory University and earned his master’s degree in piano performance as a scholarship student at the Northwestern University School of Music in Evanston, Illinois. He is a winner of the 2015 Baker Artist Awards’ Mary Sawyers Baker grand prize and was a member of the faculty at Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland from 2001-2013 teaching piano, introduction to music theory, music history, and electronic music production. He has taught at the Maryland Institute College of Art and at Loyola University Chicago where he was a 2019 artistin-residence. He is the host of Artworks on Maryland Public Television/PBS and was chosen as the 2021-2022 Nasir Jones Hip Hop Fellow at the Hip Hop Archive and Research Institute at Harvard University.

Patrick is an Associate Professor in the Department of Music Engineering & Technology at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, where he teaches “Hip Hop Music Production: History and Practice,” the first course of its kind to be taught at a major traditional music conservatory in the United States. In the fall of 2025, Peabody will be launching the first bachelor of music degree in hip-hop, which Patrick designed.

IT’S BEEN REALLY EXCITING TO SEE HOW MANY DIFFERENT WAYS HE’S BEEN ABLE TO PLUG IN TO DIFFERENT ARTISTIC DISCIPLINES AND THE BREADTH OF IMPACT HE’S HAD ON CAMPUS.”

Jeremy Winchester, MOSAIC Director

TEAMWORK IN ACTION

Men’s Ice Hockey Makes it to MASCAC Championship

“Hard work and preparation,” said MCLA Men’s Ice Hockey Head Coach Jeremiah Ketts when asked how a team, in only its second year, was able to make it to the MASCAC Championship game while knocking off two nationally ranked opponents on the way there. On March 8, 2025, the MCLA Trailblazers went up against the Fitchburg State Falcons at the Wallace Civic Center. Although the Falcons won 3-1, Ketts said the team had a great time and was happy to have made it that far. They felt proud of how they represented the program and the College.

“We were an underdog,” he admitted. “Last year we were the youngest team,

with only one senior, we had only one senior this year, and will have only one senior next year.” Ketts said the team members have gone through a lot of development, both in the community and on the ice, and they prepared themselves well. “It’s similar to taking a test — if you studied and prepared properly, there shouldn’t be much worry,” he said. “It’s the same with hockey.”

Ketts said the team had great support throughout its season, with staff, faculty, alumni, and students supporting them at home games and in the finals. “We had representatives from every MCLA sports team at the championship,” he said, “and even our North Adams rink manager was there. It was terrific to see because the guys have really tried to raise the profile of the team.”

And the ice is not the only place the Men’s Hockey Team has been excelling — this past semester, the team had the highest GPA (above a 3.7) in the entire MCLA Athletics Department. This is the second year in a row where they maintained the highest GPA in both semesters. “It’s one of the pillars of the culture,” Ketts said. “There are no athletics scholarships in Division III sports, so these students are here for the academics.”

Ketts said recruiting for next year is going well, and there are now more eyes on the program since the team made it all the way to the championship. “It’s had a snowball effect,” he said, “and I’ll continue recruiting through the summer to form the best team possible.”

MCLA Sophomore Balances Ice and Anatomy in Pursuit of Strength Coaching Career

Shane Green, while usually found on the ice playing hockey, has been spending time with his professor, Dr. Peter Hoyt, at Gemini Gymnastics in North Adams, and at Williams College, in order to fulfill his course observation hours.

Green is a sophomore at MCLA studying health sciences with a concentration in sports medicine. As a studentathlete on the Men’s Hockey team, Green knows the value of strength, conditioning, and discipline. Now, he’s taking those lessons a step further through clinical observation that’s giving him hands-on experience with the very principles he studies in class.

This spring, he is completing 45 hours of observation time under the mentorship of Hoyt, an MCLA biology professor, and Victor Brown, the head strength and conditioning coach at Williams College. The experience spans two very different athletic environments — Gemini Gymnastics in North Adams, where he works alongside Hoyt in the ACL injury prevention program, and the state-of-the-art facilities at Williams, where he observes and assists with collegiate athletic training.

“We talk a lot about what it takes to get certified and be a strength coach,” Green said. “Dr. Hoyt is constantly asking about my future and giving me real advice about the field. It’s not just about what you learn in a book, or class — it’s how you apply it.”

At Gemini, Green helps develop exercises focused on injury prevention. “Dr. Hoyt would come up with new movements targeting specific muscle groups, and we’d have the gymnasts test them out,” he said. “It’s a totally different setting than the classroom.”

At Williams, Green is learning how to train athletes according to their specific sport. He observes Coach Brown leading athletes through strength and mobility exercises, applying the anatomy and physiology

IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT YOU LEARN IN A BOOK, OR CLASS — IT’S HOW YOU APPLY IT.”

Shane Green

concepts from his coursework in real time. “I’ve even had the chance to demonstrate some of the exercises. It’s one thing to learn about muscle function in class — it’s another to see it in action,” he said.

Hoyt acknowledges the potential in Green’s passion and work ethic. “It has been a pleasure to work with Shane outside of class at Gemini,” he said. “It is refreshing to have a student so passionate about the field of strength and conditioning. He’s a bright student and a hard worker; he is going to do well in the field.”

Hoyt noted that Green’s background in hockey offers a unique perspective in a field often dominated by coaches with experience in football or track and field. “With Shane having a

Shane Green and Dr. Peter Hoyt

background in ice hockey, I think this will set him apart from others trying to get started. We’ve had a few alumni get certified, and I’d love to connect Shane with them — it could open doors for him to jumpstart his career.”

Hoyt also praised the community partnerships that make these experiences possible. “It’s great to have Coach Brown at Williams College as a resource. And I appreciate Gemini Gymnastics for allowing students to come and work alongside me — it’s been a great opportunity for many years. The gymnasts love having the MCLA students there; it’s a win-win relationship.”

As Green continues his coursework, he’s also preparing for future certification through the National

Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) to become a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Hoyt emphasized the importance of starting early.

“The certification requires a bachelor’s degree, prerequisite coursework, and CPR/AED certification. Shane will be able to get everything he needs here at MCLA, and we’ve discussed him doing an internship as he gets closer to graduation,” he said.

Green’s experience highlights MCLA’s commitment to hands-on learning, strong faculty mentorship, and supporting student-athletes who want to turn their passion into a profession.

I AM PROUD TO SUPPORT MY ALMA MATER BY FUNDING SCHOLARSHIPS AND STRENGTHENING THE COLLEGE’S ATHLETICS PROGRAM TO RECRUIT AND SUPPORT GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS TO COME.

MY TIME SPENT AT NASC (MCLA) WAS INTEGRAL TO MY SUCCESS AND I’M PLEASED TO NOW BE IN A POSITION TO GIVE BACK TO A PLACE THAT’S MEANT SO MUCH TO ME.”

Jim Clemmer ’86

COMMENCEMENT

Congratulations, Class of 2025!

We celebrated our 126th Commencement on May 17 with Commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient Kiese Laymon, an award-winning author, the Libbie Shearn Moody Professor of English and Creative Writing at Rice University, and a 2022 MacArthur Fellow. In addition, honorary degrees were presented to Massachusetts State Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier, North Adams Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Barbara Malkas, and NAACP Berkshire County Branch President Dennis Powell.

BRIGH COTE ADDRESSES THE CLASS OF 2025

Brigh Cote ’25, an Army Sergeant, transferred to MCLA at the start of her junior year to play on the first women’s ice hockey team in the College’s history, and it ended up changing her life forever. Here is an excerpt from her Commencement address to the Class of 2025.

“My junior year was the first time in MCLA history that a women’s hockey team would exist and take part in a regular season. The little kids in town would stand outside the locker room door before we entered the ice and give us high-fives. I learned a lot from them without them even knowing.

“At the last home game of the season, I was about to take the ice for the third period when I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was one of the little girl’s moms and she said, ‘I just wanted to tell you that you are my daughter’s favorite player — you’re super feisty, and she enjoys watching you play.’ I said thank you and went out onto the ice — I started to get emotional, but it was game time.

“The season went well, considering it was a first-year program. It was a wonderful experience knowing we had an impact on this town and showing little girls from the Berkshires that they could be just like us. After the season, I was pretty much established at MCLA. I was a part of numerous clubs, including the WJJW radio station, where I became the secretary and had a weekly show.

“Senior year rolled around and I was selected to be a Resident Assistant for the 2024-2025 academic year. I loved my role as an RA; it has instilled in me the importance of community and helped me develop networking skills. The first six weeks of the semester

MY TIME AT MCLA HAS MEANT THE WORLD TO ME. IT OPENED MY EYES TO THE FACT THAT I AM NOT JUST AN ATHLETE; I HAVE MORE TO BRING TO THE TABLE.”

Brigh Cote ’25

went well, and I was on numerous boards and honor societies, while also training for the upcoming hockey season.

“October 26, 2024 was our first scrimmage of the season. The game was going well — not our best, but surely not our worst. On my last shift, with 2:47 on the clock, the puck went behind our net and I skated to pressure the opposing team player. When I did that, my right skate got stuck, the opposing player moved out of the way, and I flew headfirst into the boards. I got up, finished my shift, but did not feel good.

“I got through the handshake line, went to the locker room and sat in my stall, but knew I was not okay. I couldn’t open my eyes and everything was spinning. I finally figured out where I was when I

recognized the emergency room. I looked over my shoulder and saw two of my teammates in the room — there to make sure I was not alone.

“I was told I couldn’t play hockey my senior year, which made me feel like a part of me was missing. But when one door closes, another opens, and I ended up becoming the official voice of the MCLA women’s hockey team. This helped me overcome the intense feelings I had due to not being able to play, and

gave me a sense of purpose. Head Athletic Trainer Matthew Boillat helped me through my recovery. I also can’t thank Women’s Ice Hockey Team Athletic Trainer Elizabeth Oakes ’21 enough. No matter how much I wanted to downplay my feelings and my injury, she always made sure I felt cared for. Both Matt and Liz told me what I needed to hear, even if it was not something I wanted to hear. I am forever grateful for them and everything they’ve done for me and every student-athlete here.

“My time at MCLA has meant the world to me. It opened my eyes to the fact that I am not just an athlete; I have more to bring to the table. I have developed a connection, not just with the Athletics Department, but with almost every department on campus. When I walk into any building, I am always greeted with a ‘hello’ and a ‘how are you.’ The two years I spent here have helped me in so many ways. I was never treated differently because I was a transfer student. I was always respected, and treated as not just

a college student, but a family member.

“I have been on my collegiate journey for six years now, with highs and many lows. MCLA guided me to the end of my journey — to finally becoming a college graduate. In the wise words of Miley Cyrus: ‘Ain’t about how fast I get there. Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side. It’s the climb.’”

STUDENT AWARDS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS | 2024–25

We’re reflecting back on the impressions all our MCLA students made this year. The following students were recognized at the end of the Spring 2024 semester for going above and beyond in their studies, as club and organization leaders, and as community citizens. MCLA also offers more than 100 scholarships for qualifying students. We’re proud of each and every MCLA student and are proud to share this list with the world.

Student Affairs Leadership Awards

SCHOLARSHIPS

Diane Collins SGA Scholarship

Cacey Desruisseaux

Cinderella Khoury

Heather Fischlein Memorial Resident Advisor Scholarship

Tonimarie Basil

On the Rise Scholarship

Destiny Rivas

Outstanding Resident Student Scholarship

Matthew Lewellyn

LEADERSHIP RECOGNITION

Fall Peer Mentors

Josh Bissaillon

Henry Blake

Sam Broderick

Garrett Brunette

Lyn Corbett

Matt Damon

Cacey Desruisseaux

Paige Dufur

Max Fyfe

Trinity Greer

Mae Hall

Rachel Lamarre

Matt Lewellyn

Aja Mercer

Katrina Nakaya

Madi Ogorzalek

Jasmine Robert

Kristopher Safford

Brielle Winters

Belle Wurmser

NATIONAL RESIDENCE

HALL HONORARY OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Resident Advisor of the Year

Brigh Cote

Advisor of the Year

Allison Williams

Resident Student of the Year

Aja Noelle Mercer Leadership Awards

Advisor of the Year

April Wright

Behind the Scenes

Emily Castle

Aedan Maginnis

Club Executive Board

Member of the Year

Cacey Desruisseaux

Club/Organization Excellence

Black Student Union

Essential Needs Center

Change Maker

Kaiya Cocliff

Program of the Year

Psychology Club, Wild River

Rising Star

Rozene Sabeti-Seidel

Student Engagement

Change Agent

Muslim Student Association

Maya Dey

School Spirit

Solaima Antunez

Tia Kareh

Senior Leadership Awards

Outstanding Senior Leader Award

Brigh Cote

Maya Dey

Max Fyfe

Sajaira Hudson

Rachel Lamarre

Faith Leblanc

Nate Morris

Distinguished Service Award

Agnieska Ramirez

Vice President’s Award for Distinguished Leadership, Scholarship, and Service Award

J.C. Innocent

Awards and Scholarships

MCLA offers more than 100 awards and scholarships for students who qualify

Academic Achievement Scholarship

Spencer Fossett

Academic Achievement Transfer Scholarship

Jaci Tart

Adams Community Bank

Scholarship

Camryn Belisle

Katie Burdick

Nora Griffin

Chaquoya Johnson

Briana Lancia

Laney Martin

Lillian Meehan

Amelia Wallace

Alan Larese Memorial Scholarship

Gage Perkins

Alice Summers Ayling

Scholarship

Trinity Burgess

Kaylee Gray

Mae Hall

Mallachy Ings

Jaden Jackson

Aja Noelle Mercer

Hayden Morris-Gray

Shuami Odolomerun

Jalissa Payton

Remy Sumner

Alumni Scholarship

Vincent Suarez

Ames Samuel Pierce

History/PoliSci Award

Veronica Bella

Jacqueline Cohen

Trinity Greer

Daniel Izyk

Andrew S. Flagg Art Award

Matt Flanagan

Haley Rolon

Anna Ruth Chase Spurr 1930 Memorial Scholarship

Ashley Pacheco

Anna Yan Ji Arabia Scholarship

Kaitlyn Mongeon

Aramark Scholarship

Spencer Fossett

Maia Rice

Carter Scott

Avaz Hajizadeh Scholarship Fund for Overall Excellence

Traizen Griffith

Barbra Jayne Haddad Memorial Scholarship

Joshua Hemstock

Berkshire County

Greylock Scholarship

Daphne Catelotti

Berkshire Hills Program

Jacob Bluestein

Joseph King

Freya Langleyht

Adam Loubsky-Lonergan

Jaden Nesmith

Bernadette Marie Foley ’28 Scholarship

Abigail Cobb

Bernard (Bud) E. Riley

Accounting Scholarship

Stephen Donnelly

Bernard (Bud) E. Riley Business

Major Scholarship

Averin Paradise

Alaina Vigiard

Bernard (Bud) E. Riley

MBA Scholarship

Bryana Malloy

Cordelia Moran

Matthew Tassone

Betty Kendall Scholarship

Brady Hamel

Biology Achievement Award

Elizabeth Brown

Birge Travel Scholarship

Audrey Krzanik

Lori Lester

Veronica Nault

Owen Vareschi

Blue Chip Scholarship

Veronica Nault

Board of Trustees Scholarship

Casey Desruisseaux

Bob Bence International Studies Scholarship

Serena Wiita

Centennial International Travel Scholarship

Michael Lynch

Armanni Rios

Charles Jackson Craig Foundation Scholarship

Bryce Bachand

Taylor Haughn

Lindsey Piantoni

Jha-Barrie Portis

Class of 1954 Scholarship

Joshua Bissaillon

Class of 1963 Scholarship

Maggie Closinski

Class of 1965 Scholarship

Ashlyn Bill

Class of 1966 Scholarship

Benjamin MacFadzen

Class of 1986 Scholarship

Malik Campbell

Michael Cellana

Community Service Scholarship

Brandon Hunt

Deborah Foss Psychology Research Award

Ryan Taylor

Denise C. Richardello ’77, M.ED. ’81, HON. D.P.S. ’18

Honors Scholarship Fund

Brigette Marcil

Diane Collins SGA Scholarship

Tonimarie Basil

Ryan Taylor

Dion Family Nursing Scholarship

Colleen Baker

Rachel Coxon

Antonio Demarco

Isabella Fuller

Mohini Gera

Abijah Koomson

Destiny Rivas

Jackson Will

Elodia Zilbrun

Don Quinn Kelley Lift Ev’ry

Voice Scholarship

Katrina Nakaya

Don Westall 1969

Memorial Scholarship

Rory DiVenuto

Aedan Maginnis

Alexia Moses

Marializ Sustache

Donald A. Thurston

Communications Scholarship

Tonimarie Basil

Mason Kilgallon

Donald R. Dion Jr. Scholarship

Elyjah Garneau

Agnieszka Ramirez

Dr. John Moresi Memorial Scholarship

Lena DuPont

Ducharme Family Scholarship

Spencer Craig

Edmund K. Luddy Memorial Award

Patrick Casagrande

Educator’s Scholarship

Sajaira Hudson

Ashley Pacheco

Ellen J. Bernstein/Gadsby Fund for Journalism

Owen Brown

Environmental Science Award

Nathan Haley

Evelyn Hampel Jorge 1944 Scholarship

Paige Dufur

Eli King

Mary Kipp

Madelyn Ogorzalek

MaKayla Schuerer

Fairbank Family Scholarship

Makayla Duquette

Fairbank Community

Nursing Scholarship

Stephanie Ahearn

Abby Bird

Kacie Copeland

Jolyn Davis

Makayla Duquette

Sumowo Harris

Lamin Janneh

Courtney Kanelos

Brigette Marcil

Macy Nesbit

Christian Perreault

Gracelyn Smith

Celia Szczepaniak

Michelle Williams

Francis H. Bissaillon

Memorial Drama Award

Jax Marer

Greylock Federal Credit

Union Queer Student Union

Scholarship

Jacqueline Cohen

Camdyn Craver

Greylock Federal Credit Union

Under-represented Student Scholarship

Naomi Blake

Nathaniel Miranda

Jane and Jack Fitzpatrick Scholarship

Jasmine Hooper

Ainslie Lafko

Natalie Rowan

Kristopher Safford

Florence Wineberg Residence

Experience Scholarship

Juliana Johansen

Foster Family Scholarship

Alexander Conklin

Frederick K. Bressette 1946 Performing Arts Scholarship

Aedan Maginnis

Gary F. Kelley Computer

Science and Math Scholarship

Nathan Caron

Grace S. Hampel Scholarship

David Babineau

Abby Bird

Emma Butler

Lena DuPont

Trinity Greer

Cam Harrington

Addison Hayer

Rylee Joy

Riley Kilmer

Cameron Laferriere

Mya Linsky

Brigette Marcil

Martin Montero

Tyler Pettit

Armanni Rios

MaKayla Schuerer

Harlequin Drama Award

Georgia Dedolph

Health Achievement Award

Ore-Oluwa Mejule

Heather Fischlein

Memorial Award

Agnieszka Ramirez

Henry J. Bruton

Scholarship for Women

Stephanie Ahearn

Savanah Brown

Mackenzie Dobbert

Lena DuPont

Armoni Ellerbee-Berkeley

Trinity Greer

Porscha Hamilton

Rylee Joy

Mary Kipp

Abijah Koomson

Victoria Leja

Richellmarie Luckey

Alexa Macdonald

Brigette Marcil

Shamika Mungin

Denise Rodriguez

Samantha Rodriguez

MaKayla Schuerer

Breanna Sumy

Brielle Winters

Honors Program

Scholarship Fund

Charles Addesa

Savanah Brown

Alexander Miller

Ida Maino Trabold 1936

Scholarship Fund

Alexis Gamari

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Lena DuPont ’25 Chosen for Jackson Laboratory Summer Research Program

Each year, The Jackson Laboratory accepts roughly 40 students, to either its Maine or Connecticut campus, for an immersive 10-week program to research genetics and genomics. MCLA senior Lena DuPont ’25 was one of those students accepted into the competitive program in the summer of 2024.

DuPont, a biology major and a chemistry minor, was awarded a $6,500 stipend that covered her room, board, and travel expenses at the laboratory’s Bar Harbor, Maine campus. Out of 500 applicants, only 27 students were accepted into the Maine program. “It made me really proud to hear those actual numbers … that I was accepted out of all the qualified students,” she said. “A lot of us represented our school pride while we were there.”

Program participants are paired with an experienced scientific mentor, develop an independent project, implement a plan, analyze the data, and report their findings to researchers, other students, and parents to culminate the experience.

DuPont’s research focused on defining the role of a specific protein, mitochondrial topoisomerase (TOP1MT), in mtDNA stability, release, and innate immunity. This protein helps regulate the coiling of mitochondrial DNA. When this protein is absent or disrupted, it can lead to harmful effects, especially when cells are exposed to certain cancer drugs like doxorubicin. The research focused on how the loss of this protein might trigger inflammation, potentially leading to heart damage or contributing to autoimmune diseases. DuPont also worked with a mouse model to test whether it effectively mimicked these cellular processes, building on previous experiments done in cell cultures.

This experience allowed DuPont to think more broadly about which careers she could pursue with her biology degree. Outside of the research project, the program offered professional development days including networking events with industry professionals from The Jackson Laboratory.

“I feel like I gained more insight into what it is to be a biologist and the different terms that fall under that umbrella,” she said. “This program helped me solidify that I want to continue my education after graduating and I’ve already started looking into Ph.D. programs around cellular and molecular biology.”

Iris Cavazza Lilly Award

Ashley Pacheco

Isanne and Sanford Fisher Scholarship

Jacob Bluestein

Rachel Lamarre

J. Michael Silsby 1976 Scholarship

Alexa Macdonald

James L. May, Ph.D.

Memorial Endowment Fund

Eva Bassallo

Jane Kerr Kahlert 1922 Scholarship

Kaia Borski Caruso

Madilynn Brothers

Hannah Mitchem

Jane P. Avis Memorial Scholarship

Brigh Cote

Chaquoya Johnson

Jane Ruth White Scholarship

Stephanie Laconto-Doherty

Victoria Leja

Tania Reppucci

Samantha Rodriguez

Jenny Rosenberg Fyler 1913 Scholarship

Ezmeralda Albright

Shane Green

John M. C. Hess Scholarship

Eric Dupont

Tyler Pettit

John Morrison White Scholarship

Kevin Chen

Tatum Ciempa

Joseph G. Mansfield Award

Kyle Manzolini

Kathleen M. Shea Memorial Scholarship

Viral Shah

Lawrence V. Gould World Ready Fund

Allie Bayer

Lee Hamilton Ransford

Memorial Scholarship

Rory DiVenuto

Madelyn Ogorzalek

Leilani Claire Scholarship

Jasper Demello

Sajaira Hudson

J.C. Innocent

Patricia Symonds-Powell

Linda and Stephen Crowe Scholarship Fund

Joshua Romanowski

Lisa and Eric Chamberlain

Presidential Scholarship

Esmeray Smith

Lisa O’Brien Nursing Scholarship Fund

Bree Ballantyne-Hinckley

Sadie Wicker

Lola and Edwin Jaffe Arts

Management Scholarship

Conall Mannion

Crystal Pech

Kristopher Safford

Mary A. and Walter Grant Jr.

Memorial Scholarship

Janeilah Vazquez

Margaret A. Hart ’35 Scholarship

Viral Shah

Mary Ellen Harding

Memorial Scholarship

Summer Bissaillion

Faith Blaisdell

Kyle Carden

Austin Meyette

Luke Rhoss

Margaret, Frances, Nellie

Karrey Scholarship

Kaylee Strayer

MCLA Scholarship

Lauren Corbett

Mya Linsky

Aja Mercer

Ethan Wood

Monica Thyme

2024 NORTHEAST REGIONAL UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH, SCHOLARLY, AND CREATIVE ACTIVITY CONFERENCE

MCLA hosted the 2024 Northeast Regional Undergraduate Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity Conference from October 24-25, 2024. A Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) initiative, the event allowed students from six regional public liberal arts colleges to present their research and creative projects to their peers and professors from other institutions.

23RD ANNUAL MCLA UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH CONFERENCE

The College’s 23rd annual Undergraduate Research Conference (URC) was held April 24, 2025. The URC is an opportunity for students to share their research and creative activity through oral presentations, poster sessions, or performances. This year’s keynote speaker, Bentley S. Munsell ’15, is a registered nurse and nursing leader who advocates for social justice and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in healthcare.

Gov. Maura Healey met with students on February 12, 2025 to discuss potential economic benefits of the Northern Tier Passenger Rail project. MCLA students William Garrity ’26 and Tia Kareh ’27 [second and third from left] were in attendance.

PHOTO: STAN VASILEIADIS

MCLA Foundation Scholarship for High School Students

Travis Carlson

Kelsey Magri

Michael Marchetti

MCLA South Africa

Travel Course Scholarship

Eva Bassallo

Mariama Bayo

Angie Carias

Brigh Cote

Paige Dufur

Lena DuPont

Sajaira Hudson

Nicole Melo

Agnieszka Ramirez

Jayna Schmohl

Melvin Band Scholarship in Mathematics

Siyabulela Hloma

Ashley Pacheco

Michael and Elaine

Christopher Scholarship

Ruby Pullaro-Clark

Mitchell L. West Opportunity Scholarship

J.C. Innocent

Mohan Boodram and Robert

Morris Scholarship

Nicole Melo

MOSAIC Scholarship

Quinn Daugherty

Shyane Gladu

Guhan Nandakumar

Enaya Ogletree

Patricia Symonds-Powell

MountainOne Scholarship

Matthew Cook

Kelleigh-Anne Lawrence

Allison Lillie

Chanda Shin

Patrick Wood

Nancy Wright Scalise Cozzaglio Scholarship

Ranger McGinnis

NASC Scholarship Fund

Jazmyne Taylor-Brown

Norma Lorell Starr

Memorial Scholarship

MaKayla Schuerer

Northern Berkshire EDC Scholarship

Lucas Field

Martin Montero

Outstanding Resident

Student Scholarship

Faith LeBlanc

P. Randolph Trabold PhotoJournalism Award

Anthony Andolina

Pamela P. Dennis Scholarship

Rory DiVenuto

Donovan Howell

Natalie Rich

Paula Nickerson Plock ’73 Scholarship

Erin Strek

Philomena J. Dolan Memorial Scholarship

Kai Amuso

Armanni Rios

President Mary K. Grant Service Award

Madison Goodell

Psychology Department Award

Mark Hayden

Raymond C. Sullivan Award

Kellie Skorupski

Resident on the Rise

Traizen Griffith

Rodney Bartlet Card and Rita Rosch Card Visual Arts Scholarship

Denise Rodriguez

Max Sweeney

Ruth P. and Nicholas Boraski Scholarship

Izabella Benzie

Naomi Blake

Elizabeth Bruce

Jayna Civello

Quinn Daugherty

Madison Gage

Isabel Garcia

Megan Kessler

Lauren Kimball

Ember Lawrence

Samantha Maccoy

Guhan Nandakumar

Clarke Stading

Amare Williams

Samuel H. Clarke

Memorial Award

Armanni Rios

Sharron Sprague Zavatarro

1985 Scholarship

Shyane Gladu

Soc/Anth/Social Work

Department Award

Grace Krzanik

Thomas & Jean Price Award

Eva Bassallo

Paige Dufur

Timothy Jay Psychology

Ambassador Fund

Jayna Schmohl

Tom Olsen Scholarship

Freya Langley

Travelli Scholarship

Solaima Antunez

Matthew Belfance

Jacqueline Cohen

Kylie DeMaio

Bryan Hall

Daniel Izyk

Ore-Oluwa Mejule

Austin Meyette

Alexia Moses

Katrina Nakaya

Jayden Richards

Avani Richardson

Julianna Romero-Palomares

Elodia Zilbrun

Vivian Dix Redman Award

Maxwell Murray

Wilfred J. and Marion Quintin

Music Award

Franklin Lane

Wooters Travel Scholarship

Veronica Nault

Ruby Pullaro-Clark

Jakob Revett

Yvonne Leonesio Memorial Scholarship

Xavier McDonald

Ziomek Family Scholarship

Kaitlyn O’Brien

FACULTY & STAFF

ACCOMPLISHMENTS | 2024–25

Every year, MCLA’s faculty and staff members write, edit, and contribute to papers and articles, receive awards and grants for their research, are quoted as experts, and contribute to their community, among other accolades. We are proud to present this list of accomplishments for the 2024-25 academic year.

FACULTY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Biology

Dr. Nicole Porther, associate professor of biology, chair of Health Professions Dr. Porther completed her Health Informatics Certificate, which has enhanced her expertise in data-driven healthcare solutions. She was selected to participate in the Association of Teachers of Maternal & Child Health Mentorship Program, an initiative that promotes leadership in public health education and maternal and child health. She was elected to the Williamstown Community Chest board, where she contributes to community health initiatives and the development of local resources. She was invited to speak at the Berkshire Vaping Prevention Conference for Youth, held in June, where she engaged with students on vital public health issues. She is also happy to announce that MCLA’s first Public Health

Podcast, which she launched, is now in its second season and continues to serve as an important platform for health discussions and community engagement.

English & Philosophy

Dr. Paul Nnodim, professor of philosophy

Dr. Nnodim published the article “Corporate Ethos and Justice as Fairness: Aligning CSR with Rawlsian Principles” in Dialogue and Universalism, 34 (1) 2024.

Dr. Jenna Grace Sciuto, professor of English

Dr. Sciuto published her second book, “Intersecting Worlds: Colonial Liminality in US Southern and Icelandic Literatures” (University Press of Mississippi). She also co-edited a special issue of

the journal The Global South, “The Far North and the Global South,” and co-wrote the introduction and an interview with Icelandic anthropologist Kristín Loftsdóttir. Sciuto was awarded a 2025 Klaustrið Residency at Skriðuklaustur, in Eastern Iceland, in support of her new collaborative project on southern gothic tropes and themes in Icelandic literature. She presented her research at the Árni Magnússon Institute in Iceland, as well as conferences in Oxford, Mississippi; New Orleans; and Turku, Finland. Locally, she is a board member of the Berkshire County Historical Society: Herman Melville’s Arrowhead.

Fine & Performing Arts

Brian Cook, adjunct professor of music production

Professor Cook produced, recorded, mixed, and played a number of instruments on Hackable Animals’ album “Leave It All Behind,” which was released in April. MCLA student Helen Kahn wrote and recorded vocal harmonies for all songs on

the album. Cook also mastered Ciarra Fragale’s album “Get What You Want,” which was released May 16. MCLA adjunct instructor and alum Daniel O’Connell ’15 mixed the album.

Dr. Lisa Donovan, professor of arts management

Dr. Donovan received a $50K National Endowment for the Arts Grant to support regional work with the creative sector advancing equity in arts education through the Berkshire Regional Arts Integration Network (BRAINworks) and was invited to serve on the NEA Panel for Collective Impact Grants. She received two $5K grants from the Mill Town Foundation to develop arts and literacy initiatives with Pittsfield Public Schools. In September, Donovan was invited by Edvestors to present as one of three Massachusetts collective impact models at the Arts Education Partnership in Pittsburgh. She published two mini-workbooks (Music and Drama) for the Enhance Art Project in Maryland. The Drama mini-book was created in collaboration with MCLA

senior Rachel Lamarre. In May, Donovan recorded a webinar for the University of Sydney’s CREATE Centre on her book “Teacher as Curator.” She partnered with the Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative and her MCLA students to produce four films that were shared at the College’s Undergraduate Research Conference. She also led a year-long Arts Leadership Institute for South Carolina’s Arts in Basic Curriculum Initiative, worked with Art Omi to launch an arts integration studio lab series, and served as a presenter at University of Richmond’s Joan Oates Institute.

Dr. Jerome Socolof, professor of arts management, chair of Fine and Performing Arts

Dr. Socolof and Elise Lael Kieffer co-authored the book “Rural Arts Management,” which was published in July 2024 by Routledge. He delivered guest lectures on rural arts management practice and research at Texas Tech University and Murray State University. He was also elected to the board of directors of Social Theory, Politics & the Arts, one of the largest international organizations serving arts management researchers.

History and Political Science

Dr. Anthony Daly, professor of history and political science

Dr. Daly published an article in July 2024 called “‘The Most Consistent of Them All’: William Sharman Crawford and the Politics of Suffrage” in the academic journal Labour History Review, vol. 89, no. 2.

Mathematics

Dr. Elizabeth Hartung, professor of mathematics

In May 2024, Dr. Hartung delivered the opening keynote talk, “The Clar and Fries Numbers of Fullerenes and Benzenoids,” at the Computers in Scientific Discovery conference in Kortrijk, Belgium. In June 2024, Dr. Hartung delivered the talk “Regular word pattern avoidance for (1,b)-based Pell numbers” at the Permutation Patterns conference at the University of Idaho. This fall, her paper, “Pattern Avoidance for Fibonacci Sequences using k-regular words,” was accepted in the journal Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science. This article includes two MCLA students as coauthors, and includes work done through the Feigenbaum Summer Research Institute.

Nursing

Dr. Normadeane Armstrong, professor of nursing

Dr. Armstrong volunteers with the Remote Area Medical (RAM) Volunteer Corps. As a nurse practitioner, she has offered free healthcare to those in need by participating in pop-up clinics for underserved and uninsured individuals who lack access to or cannot afford medical care.

Psychology

Dr. Carter J. Carter, assistant professor of clinical psychology Dr. Carter had papers published in journals including Psychoanalytic Dialogues; the International Journal of Applied Psychoanalytic Studies; and Studies in Gender & Sexuality. His work has been assigned as required reading in graduate schools and psychoanalytic training institutes across the country. His book on fascism will be published by Routledge later this year. Carter, who lives on a working farm, is writing his next book — about agrarianism and psychoanalysis — with an MCLA research assistant. He recently won a $10K grant from the American Farmland Trust to support climate-resilient infrastructure development

on the farm, and is developing this infrastructure as part of his research process for the book. Last year, Carter won MCLA’s Junior Faculty Award. In April, he delivered a keynote address for the Society for Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychology, Division 39 of the American Psychological Association. In March, he appeared in conversation with author Ijeoma Oluo in Seattle for the Northwest Alliance for Psychoanalytic Psychology’s Distinguished Speaker Series, along with speaking engagements for state psychological associations in Rhode Island and Colorado. He was invited to deliver Grand Rounds to present his research at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston Medical Center, and Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. He has given trainings on student mental health at colleges including MassArt and Williams. He was also featured in a story co-produced by ProPublica and NPR.

Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work

Dr. Whitney Gecker, assistant professor of social work Dr. Gecker serves on the board of directors for the non-profit All Our Kids, a foster family organization. fosteringaok.org

Dr. Anna Jaysane-Darr, associate professor of anthropology, chair of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work

This year, Dr. Jaysane-Darr collaborated with MCLA emeritus professor Sumi Colligan to prepare an edited volume, “The Disabled Anthropologist,” which was published by Routledge in March. She also presented her paper, “Constructing Racial Subjects in the Special Education Classroom” at the American Anthropological Association’s annual meeting in November 2024.

Staff

In November, MCLA’s RHA/ NRHH sent three delegates to the NEACURH Regional Leadership Conference at SUNY Oneonta, where the MCLA delegation won Best Case Study for Returning Delegates and second place for its Educational Display.

Ashleigh Hala, associate dean for student wellness, chief wellness officer

Hala chaired the 2025 NASPA Strategies Conference planning committee and presented at three of the conference’s sessions. She also presented at other conferences and special

events: NASPA Peer Education Initiatives: “The Okanagan Charter, Health Promoting Campuses, and the Role of Peer Education”; NASPA Wellness and Health Promotion Knowledge Community: “How non-clinical SA Pros can support individual student wellbeing”; International Institute for Restorative Practices Higher Education Forum: “Restorative Leadership and Supervision”; Illinois Higher Education Center: “The ‘Why’s’ and ‘How’s’ of the Work”; Illinois Higher Education Center: “Implementing Sustainable Prevention Strategies and Strategic Planning for Success.” Hala also joined the board of directors for The Brien Center on behalf of MCLA.

Laura Mooney, assistant dean of athletics & recreation

At the 2025 NCAA Division III Convention, held in Nashville this past January, Mooney presented a Survive and Thrive session to an audience of more than 600 attendees.

Kevin Pezanowski, Men’s Lacrosse head coach

In December, Coach

Pezanowski presented the keynote for the Intercollegiate Men’s Lacrosse Association annual conference in Orlando, Florida, and served

as chairman for the North Atlantic Conference.

Jeremiah Ketts, Men’s Ice Hockey and Men’s Golf head coach Coach Ketts was voted MASCAC Golf Coach of the Year for 2024.

Dr. Jeannette Smith, vice president of student affairs published “When work is a zoo” in “The Magic of S.A.M.S. (Student Affairs Moms),” edited by White, A. & Upton, Y.

April Wright, director of student engagement and programs

Wright serves on the NASPA Region 1 board of directors for Massachusetts, and presents at regional and national board meetings to foster connections and engagement among state and regional student affairs professionals.

MCLA Students and Professors to Have Work Published in Behavioural Pharmacology

MCLA psychology professor Dr. Tom Byrne, adjunct professor Eric Denette, current student Ryan Taylor ’25, and recent graduate Ellie Walter-Goodspeed ’24 have co-authored a paper that was recently accepted for publication in the journal Behavioural Pharmacology.

The paper, “The effects of Xylazine on Locomotion and Motor Behavior in a Planarian Model,” stemmed from discussions held in Dr. Byrne’s Drugs and Behavior course, where students often bring in news articles relating to the coursework.

Xylazine, used as a sedative in veterinary medicine, has been in the news lately as it has increasingly been found mixed with the street drug fentanyl. Public health concerns were raised due to the possibility of overdose, as rescue drugs such as naloxone do not work on xylazine. The drug also seems to cause severe skin lesions, which can lead to serious tissue damage and possible amputation, possibly because xylazine limits blood flow and slows down healing.

In the lab, Byrne, Denette, Taylor and Walter-Goodspeed ran experiments using planarians (tiny flatworms). The finished paper describes two of their experiments: determining if planarian behavior is susceptible to

xylazine, and if those effects were orderly. “At higher doses, we noticed complete sedation, and they stayed sedated for a long time,” said Byrne, “but if we stimulated them, they moved around normally again.”

Although Byrne and his students do not publish as frequently as labs at large research universities, he said it’s not unusual. “I work with students in the lab every semester,” he said, “and sometimes we find something worth sharing at a conference or in a journal.”

“The best thing about this was the opportunity to have an academic idea and see it come to fruition,” said Taylor, a psychology major and biology minor. “I was foreign to the experiments going in, but with Dr. Byrne’s guiding hand, time and effort, we deduced our procedures and put it together in a manuscript that we were able to send out for publication. It changed my outlook on what I’m going to do the rest of my life; I’m now pursuing a Ph.D. in behavioral pharmacology or psychopharmacology.”

The group’s paper is currently in the peer review phase, and will then be scheduled for publication.

GIVING THANKS CELEBRATION

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 55 years of service to the College. Those honored at the 2024 Giving Thanks celebration include:

CELEBRATING 55 YEARS: Biology Professor Dr. Jerry Smosky

CELEBRATING 35 YEARS: Carpenter II Frederick Ferris

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS: Administrative Assistant Donna Poulton

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS:

Ground Laborer John Brown; Director of Student Financial Services Bonnie Howland; Chief of Staff Dr. Joshua Mendel; Assistant Dean of Student Growth and Well-being Spencer Moser; Philosophy Professor Dr. Paul Nnodim; Mathematics Professor Dr. Christopher Thomas

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS:

Head Volleyball Coach Amanda Beckwith; Psychology Professor Dr. Sharon Claffey; Head Men’s Soccer Coach Adam Hildabrand; History Professor Dr. Ely Janis; Director of New Student Programs and Family Engagement Jenn Labbance

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS: Assistant Director of Networking Seth Bean; Comptroller Curt Cellana; Chief of Police/Executive Director of Public Safety Dan Colonno; Social Work Professor Dr. Kerri Leyda Nicoll; Accountant and Systems Coordinator Catherine Obrzut; English and Philosophy Professor Dr. Jenna Grace Sciuto; DGCE Assistant Director Amanda Stedman; Business Professor Dr. Thomas Whalen

THIS EVENT IS ALWAYS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER WITH

COLLEAGUES AND CELEBRATE THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS.”

MCLA President James F. Birge, Ph.D.

Additionally, the 2024-2025 FACULTY INCENTIVE AWARD winners were announced at the event. 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.

NEW COURSE AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AWARDS were given to professors Graziana D’Elia-Brillante for “Modern Languages 102: Special Topics in Modern Languages”; Laura Standley for “Examining Practical Theatre Experience: A comparative Study”; Omotara Adeeko for “ECON 1XX: Introduction to Economics”; and Sharon Claffey for “PSYC 3XX: Psychology of Stigma.” Professor

Thomas Burton won the Research Award for Tenure-Track Faculty for “Investigating the Impact of Surface Geometry on Optical Performance in 3D Printed Lenses.” Sabbatical Research Awards were given to professors Elizabeth Hartung for “Collaborative Research in Chemical Graph Theory & Combinatorial Generation”; Travis Beaver for “The Mitigation, Management, and Meanings of Sport Injuries among Older Alpine Skiers”; Hannah Haynes for “White Women and Discourses of Supremacy”; and Jerome Socolof for “Theorizing the causes of rural inequity in competitively-awarded state arts agency grant funding.”

Three-credit Research APRs were

CELEBRATING 5 YEARS: Administrative Assistant/Project Coordinator Viktoria Bates; Maintainer Brent Braman; Library Access and Outreach Specialist Danielle Christensen; Education Associate Professor Margaret Clark; Director of Field Education Michelle Colvin; Library Learning Resources Specialist LauraLynn Dear; Assistant Director of Security/ Police Lieutenant Mark J. Denault; Research and Instruction Librarian Kate Flower; Communications Dispatcher Ryan Frazer; Employer Relations/Internship Coordinator Anthony Napolitano; Theatre Associate Professor Michaela Petrovich; HVAC/R Charles Poulton; Interim Director of Academic Advising and Support Casandra Rochelo; Assistant Director of Student Records Carrie Schadler; Power Plant 3rd Engineer Randy Smith; Education Assistant Professor ClioElizabeth Stearns; Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Initiatives Arlene Theodore; Radiologic Technology Program Director Julie M. Walsh

given to Samantha Pettey for “Where are the Women?: A recruitment study on women on local politics and a preliminary state-level analysis on Abortion Restriction” and Mariah Hepworth for “War and the American Imagination.”

“Each year, I look forward to honoring the hard work and dedication of our staff and faculty at our Giving Thanks event,” said MCLA President James F. Birge, Ph.D. “As the fall semester draws to a close, this event is always a wonderful opportunity to gather with colleagues and celebrate their achievements.”

ECONOMIC IMPACT

TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET

$51,651,447

Source: MCLA 2024 Audit EMPLOYEES College Employees 270 Full Time 72 Part Time Employee Salary & Benefits

$27,956,760 Salary & Benefits

$19,569,732 After Tax (70%)

$10,959,049 Employee Spending (56%)

Source:

&

$1,199,680 + $29,100 = $1,228,780

($1,600 x 749.8 Undergraduate Students FTE)

($300 x 97.0 Graduate Students FTE)

CAPITAL PROJECTS

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

André Lynch  VICE PROVOST FOR INSTITUTIONAL EQUITY AND BELONGING

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

2024-2025

MCLA Board of Trustees

Mohan Boodram, CHAIR

Frederick J. Keator, VICE CHAIR

Hon. John Barrett III

Brenda Burdick

Jean Clarke-Mitchell, Ph.D., ’00, FOUNDATION REP.

William Garrity ’26, STUDENT TRUSTEE

Buffy D. Lord, Esq. ’98

Denise Marshall ’81

Darlene Rodowicz

Yvonne Spicer, Ph.D., Hon. ’16

2024–2025

Alumni Association Board of Directors

OFFICERS

Jake Boillat ’18, PRESIDENT

Kimberly Roberts-Morandi ’91, ’01

M.Ed. ’00, VICE PRESIDENT

Crystal Adelt ’21, FOUNDATION REP.

DIRECTORS

Tabatha Beshears ’07

John Cadiz ’88

Darrell Colvin, MBA ’15

Patrice Dwyer ’81

Lizz Furtado ’91

Danielle Gismondi ’10, M.Ed. ’15

Colby Harvish ’16

Carla Holness ’95

Shaleigh Howells ’10

Gary Lavariere ’16

Joe McCue ’75

Becky (Lindley) McGann ’99

Ron Pollone ’66

Bruce Richman ’78

Ryan Scutt ’09

Sally Shaughnessy ’02

Alyssa “Laini” Sporbert ’92

Dana Wiklund ’88

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

2024–2025

MCLA Foundation Board of Directors

OFFICERS

Timothy Cherubini, CHAIR

JamieEllen Moncecchi, VICE CHAIR

Buffy D. Lord Esq., ’98, TREASURER

Colleen Taylor, CLERK

Robert Ziomek ’89, PRESIDENT

DIRECTORS

Crystal Adelt ’21, ALUMNI REP.

Michael Avis ’91

Michael Barbieri ’95

Tara Barboza, MBA ’12

Daniel Bosley ’75

Kimberly Boyden-Briones ’89

Wende Carver

Dr. Jean Clarke-Mitchell ’00, TRUSTEES REP.

Dr. Benjamin Lamb ’07

Michael G. Muti ’99

Mary Nash

Molly O’Meara Sheehan

Stephen Pagnotta

Xtina Parks

Bernie Pinsonnault ’73

Judith Wilkinson