MAGAZINE Volume 16, Issue 1 | Fall/Winter 2021
THE AGE OF ROBOTIC PROCESS AUTOMATION
From the President
The Nichols Way Even before I began my presidency in July, I knew that Nichols College was a special place. It wasn’t just the pervasive feeling of family that attracted me and my own family to the position, or the campus sitting high atop a hill. It was the grit and perseverance in the face of adversity displayed by this small but mighty community time and again, and especially over the past 18 months of the pandemic. I call it the Nichols Way. And it’s what we gathered to celebrate when I was officially installed as your eighth president in a community-wide convocation on September 24. Former U.S. Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III referred to it in his keynote remarks when he described the “Green and Black” as “tenacious, ambitious, and willing to go the extra mile, even when it’s hard.” And I echoed his sentiment in my inaugural speech when I said that, in these historic times, when we have witnessed the greatest mobilization of U.S. society since the conclusion of World War II, Nichols rose to the occasion once again with its noteworthy desire to “win.” The Nichols Way is the drive to fight on when others are ready to give up or surrender, to work harder than before or thinkable when others get tired or lazy, to become even more ambitious when others become satisfied and content, and to seek change and innovation when others are mired in the status quo and remain dull.
It is embodied in this quintessential New England college and will be our rallying cry for confronting the challenges of today and tomorrow as we take Nichols to greatness. We will bring our collective perseverance, tenacity, ambition, and creativity to bear on increasing enrollment, highlighting our return on investment, growing our endowment, offering a dynamic portfolio of academic programs, augmenting our world-class faculty, increasing athletic dominance, and building an unrivaled residential campus. As president, I will dedicate myself, along with my wife Marla, to put our heart and soul into making this magnificent institution well known – regionally, and then nationally prominent. To start, we will sharpen our focus on becoming the business college of choice in the commonwealth, for women in particular; ensure that every Nichols graduate will have enjoyed an internship or other full experiential learning opportunity; and commit to exposing all students to data science, a critical skill for today’s workforce. The Nichols Way will get us there, and beyond. Go Books. Go Bison.
Glenn M. Sulmasy, JD, LL.M President
M A G A Z I N E Vo l u m e 1 6 , I s s u e 1
CONTENTS
Fall/Winter 2021 EDITOR
ON CAMPUS
2–9
Susan Veshi VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT Bill Pieczynski CONTRIBUTORS Brent Broszeit Pete Divito Rae Glispin Mauri Pelto Jillian Riches Molly Thienel
Sulmasy installed as eighth president in community convocation and celebration
2
Nichols hosts first artist showcase
4
Additional Bloomberg terminals funded by local foundation
4
Student Profile: Olivia Antonson’s passion for politics
5
From the Archives
9
Nichols into the age of automation Students are learning to solve business problems using Robotic Process Automation, as Nichols prepares graduates for the next industrial revolution.
PHOTOGRAPHERS Pete Divito
A T H L E T I C S
14-15
Dylan Mitchell ’22 Lizzie Fontaine Ed Collier Photography Pat O’Connor Photography
Season openers: New coaches make Bison debut
14
8 Nichols launches the Center for
Intelligent Process Automation CIPA is a ground-breaking partnership between business education and the tech industry to showcase Nichols as a leader in digital transformation.
Brian Foley Timothy Power DESIGN Steve Belleville
Nichols College
C L A S S N O T E S
16–20
Sometimes you just have to press play: Eric Aukstikalnis ’17
18
Keep calm and adapt: Alf Anderson III ’98
6 The bot builders: Students lead
20
PO Box 5000 123 Center Road
NICHOLS REMEMBERS
22-24
Dudley, MA 01571-5000 508-213-1560 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., M–F www.nichols.edu
Nichols College MAGAZINE
Alumnus bequest supports students with learning differences: William S. Edmunds S TAY C O N N E C T E D
24
25
is published twice a year by Nichols College, Dudley, MA.
10 Nichols rides the airwaves
with community DJs
FALL
ON THE
HILL
Polka Bob and Barry Wilson have been beloved fixtures with a faithful following on WNRC for decades.
12 An avalanche of media Between the Herd kicking off winter sports in a crowd full of Bison Pride, a Pink Out for breast cancer awareness, food trucks, and our first annual PumpkinFest, students enjoyed a fall full of fun.
Mauri Pelto, aka Dr. Ice, has made a media splash with recent observations on glaciers.
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ON CAMPUS
Sulmasy installed as eighth president in community convocation and celebration Nichols College hosted the “Celebration of Us” on September 24,
Her words were echoed by Shannon Spitz ’99 MBA ’01, who
an event that combined convocation, an official welcome
offered remarks on behalf of Nichols alumni. She recalled her
to the Class of 2025, with the formal investiture of
first time on campus, initially intimidated by many
Glenn M. Sulmasy, JD, LL.M as the eighth president.
uncertainties. “I also remember this extraordinary feeling of being quickly enveloped by a sense of family and belonging,”
The program featured the participation of the entire campus
she said. “The kind that is
community and a keynote address by former U.S. Representative
so real you can feel it.
Joseph P. Kennedy III.
The kind that still permeates through the
The ringing of the 1883 Academy Bell signaled the start of
campus today.”
the faculty and dignitary procession over Budleigh Hill and the Class of 2025 procession from Academy Hall. Despite the
The ceremony also
occasional heavy downpour, the first-year
included the reciting
students were in good spirits as they
of the student pledge
touched the nose of the bronze bison
(“Bison Creed”) by new
statue (“Thunder”) for good luck, were
students and the reading of an original poem written for the
greeted by the cheers of hundreds of
occasion by a faculty member.
upperclassmen flanking the sidewalk, and gave high fives to President Sulmasy as they made their way to the tent on Shamie Hall Quad.
As keynote speaker, Kennedy congratulated Nichols for its accomplishments over the past year when the college was able to provide a safe campus experience for students and
Emcee Jean Beaupre, EdD, dean of business, explained that
keep COVID-19 cases to a minimum.
keeping the event’s focus on community was the idea of President Sulmasy and his wife Marla. “They recognize that
“This tiny virus shut down the world, but you persevered, and
what is special about this institution…is the community,” she
battled, and came back stronger than ever,” he said. “This is
announced. “A community that provides a sense of belonging,
particularly noteworthy as this has always been my perception
a community that both challenges and supports each other to
of the Green and Black here on the Hill in Dudley — tenacious,
grow and develop and become our best selves. A community
ambitious and willing to go the extra mile, even when it’s hard.
that gives back. And a community that is on a collective path
Especially when it’s hard. Some might even call it the Nichols
to greatness.”
Way. That is what we celebrate today — the Nichols Way.”
“The grit, the perseverance in the face of adversity, and this almost uniform desire to win — this is what represents the best of Nichols. It is that magic permeating all you do and all that is Nichols. It is the Nichols Way, and Marla and I have fallen in love with it.”
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Kennedy also shared his insights on Nichols’ new president, a family friend. “I know that Glenn is the perfect fit for Nichols College and his academic background, government service, extraordinary higher education leadership abilities will lead this college to unforeseen heights over the next few years,” he said. The investiture ceremony was conducted by John Davis, chair of the Nichols College Board of Trustees, with special assistance from President Sulmasy’s brother, Dr. Daniel Sulmasy. and first lady Marla Sulmasy. President Glenn Sulmasy reacts to the ovation following his inaugural
“Today…we gather in this distinguished company to honor a man of outstanding leadership, academic experience, and
speech, with, from left, his brother Dr. Daniel Sulmasy, Board Chair John Davis, and Joseph Kennedy.
energy, Glenn M. Sulmasy,” said Davis. “We are confident that President Sulmasy will embrace the culture of Nichols and foster
that magic permeating all you do and all that is Nichols. It
change that is both progressive and rooted in the college’s
is the Nichols Way, and Marla and I have fallen in love with it.”
esteemed traditions.” He then presented Sulmasy with the symbols of his office, including nineteenth-century china embossed with scenes of Nichols Academy, the academic gown, and the Presidential Medallion. To enthusiastic ovations (and the sudden end to the afternoon’s intermittent rain), Sulmasy gave his inaugural address. He thanked family, friends, and colleagues in attendance, including Ronald K. Machtley, the former
“We have begun, but today, let us commit that together we will ensure regional prominence, then national prominence of this shining college on a hill.”
president of Bryant University, where and praised the Nichols community for its
Glenn M. Sulmasy, JD, LL.M
response to the pandemic: “The grit, the
education, Sulmasy outlined his charge to the campus community, which included increasing enrollment, reassuring students and their families of the value of a college degree, and highlighting the Nichols’ return on investment. “This sort of effort requires all hands on deck, meaning every aspect of our institution must buy into this vision — to shatter, once and for
President
Sulmasy previously served as provost,
Noting the challenges facing higher
all, that notion of Nichols being the best kept secret in higher education,” he said. “We have begun, but today, let us commit that together
perseverance in the face of adversity, and this almost uniform
we will ensure regional prominence, then national prominence
desire to win — this is what represents the best of Nichols. It is
of this shining college on a hill.”
The bagpiper leads the procession
President Sulmasy
Students enjoy the company of friends
Flag bearers lead
of students as they are greeted by
confers with Joseph
and food trucks following the ceremony.
with Loyalty, Service
dignitaries.
Kennedy.
and Culture.
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ON CAMPUS
Nichols hosts first artist showcase The campus of a business school is not a typical spot for an art exhibit, but Marla Sulmasy, wife of Nichols President Glenn M. Sulmasy, wants to change that. In September she initiated an artist showcase, the first of many, aimed at enriching the student experience. “Art is simply part of the academic experience and it is essential for our students to enjoy an appreciation for all that art brings to culture, leadership, experience, and higher education,” said Mrs. Sulmasy. “The faculty, staff, and perhaps most
Additional Bloomberg terminals funded by local foundation Nichols College received a $168,000 commitment
importantly, the students have embraced this initiative. Our
from the Affinity Group Charitable Foundation,
graduates are leaders, and efforts such as this art exhibit help
supported by Dexter-Russell, Inc., to expand the
to provide an expanded education.”
number of terminals in the college’s Bloomberg Finance Lab, which was launched in 2018. The grant
The showcase, displayed on two floors of the Academic
underwrites the annual cost of increasing from
Building for the fall semester, features American painter
12 to 16 terminals, enabling more students to earn
Brian Keith Stevens and Polish-born photographer and mixed
Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC) certification.
media artist Pola Esther, two internationally exhibited artists based in Connecticut.
In addition to increasing access to this experiential tool in the lab, 300 web logins are available so
Stevens’ painting of a bison will be a permanent fixture at the
students can complete their certification remotely.
college, donated by the Sulmasys.
This was particularly helpful in providing uninterrupted student access to Bloomberg during the pandemic. To date, some 850 students have earned BMC certification, a requirement for first-year business students at Nichols. Alan Peppel, president and CEO of Dexter-Russell Inc. who earned an MBA at Nichols, said, “As a leading employer in the Southbridge/Dudley community, Dexter-Russell supports endeavors that can benefit our community, employees, and their families. The Affinity Group Charitable Foundation was established to support these efforts, and we are pleased to underwrite students’ educational
Brian Keith Stevens (second from left), the artist of the bison painting, stands with fellow artist Pola Esther, flanked by President Glenn Sulmasy and his wife Marla, at the artist showcase opening on September 23.
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aspirations at Nichols College, the leading business school in the area.”
Student Profile: Olivia Antonson’s passion for politics Olivia Antonson admits that she
where I want to be, where I belong,”
flew “way under the radar” during
she says. In fall 2020, she became
her first year at Nichols College.
a teaching associate intern for that
“I didn’t take advantage of any of
course.
the opportunities presented to me, didn’t apply myself in the way I know
Other internships followed, most
I could and wasn’t realizing my full
recently at Vote Smart, a
potential,” she states. Since then she
Des Moines-based
has skyrocketed and is poised to
nonprofit organization
continue the ascent on her way to a
that provides free,
career in politics.
factual, unbiased
“I came [to college] to take risks and to challenge myself… to take advantage of opportunities and to grow as a person. The minute I stepped out of my comfort zone is the minute I started growing. And I haven’t looked back since.” — Olivia Antonson ’21
information on
how government works and intersects with every business.”
Antonson blamed her comfort zone
candidates and elected
for holding her back. The realization
officials, and the
propelled her and was an apt theme
Massachusetts Center for
for her award-winning elevator
Civic Education, where she
speech. “I didn’t come to college
built a website from scratch.
to stay in my comfort zone,” she
In September, Antonson began an
declared before a panel of judges
internship with the Town of Dudley
on Zoom, 22 fellow participants and
to test the waters of a future in
dozens of YouTube viewers at the
local government.
April 12 event. “I came to take risks and to challenge myself… to take
This summer, she participated in
advantage of opportunities and to
the NEW Leadership conference,
grow as a person. The minute
a national bipartisan program that
I stepped out of my comfort zone
engages women in civic leadership.
is the minute I started growing.
“I met inspirational women across
And I haven’t looked back since.”
political science, law, lobbying, state and local and federal government,
Antonson took first place in that
nonprofits, academia,” she says. She
competition, adding to her mounting
also benefitted from the mentorship
list of achievements, which already
of Richard Moore, a Massachusetts
included four internships, a research
state senator from 1996 to 2015 and
presentation at the New England
long-time Nichols trustee. “Olivia
Peer Tutors Association conference,
demonstrated a clear interest in
participation in the North American
public service, and she combines
Model UN, a 3.95 GPA, and service
this commitment with integrity and
as a tutor and teaching assistant.
intellect. I expect her to be a leader in
Each experience solidifies her decision to pursue politics, Antonson notes, but none more so than being a TA and a tutor in the Academic Resource Center, where she has initiated research on best practices for peer tutors in political science. “I’ve been able to immerse myself in the academic side of politics, which is a nice contrast to the industry experience I’ve gotten from my internships,” she says. Antonson, whose parents are both Bison, will graduate in December with a degree in business administration (general business) and further concentrations in civic leadership and politics, management, and communication. Plans include graduate school leading to a career in either state/local government or academia.
the practice of government and the Confronting her fears unlocked
academic study of public administra-
opportunities that fed her passion
tion,” Moore says, adding, “I’d like to
for politics, an interest sparked in
see more Nichols students learn, as
Introduction to Political Science.
she has, that success in business is
“I knew within one week this is
enhanced by an understanding of
Will we see her name on a ballot one day? “I don’t have interest in being the candidate,” she says, “But I can see myself being the person behind the candidate.”
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The bot builders: Students lead Nichols into the age of automation by Susan Veshi
Nick Kolodziejczak took his first accounting class in high school, and he liked it enough but, more importantly he says, “It was one of the few classes they offered that I could see leading to a good job.” But the more courses he took, the less interested he became, and by the time he was a sophomore at Nichols College, he began questioning whether the field was a good fit for him.
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He was at that crossroads when Professor Bryant Richards invited him to participate in a research associate internship in the spring of 2021 on something called RPA — Robotic Process Automation. Not considering himself particularly tech-savvy, Kolodziejczak was skeptical, but remembers Richards saying, “Trust me, this is the wave of the future.”
“I’ve been working with him since February, and I love it!” says Kolodziejczak, now a junior. He is among a handful of students who have pioneered RPA at Nichols, creating “bots” to solve business problems. The skills and real-world experience they are gaining have markedly altered the trajectories of their careers and are giving Nichols a competitive foothold in preparing students for the burgeoning automation economy. Before you conjure images of the Terminator and r2d2, know that the bots Nichols students are building do not have a physical form or human characteristics. These are software bots, designed with a set of instructions to perform a task, usually one that is routine or repetitive. For instance, bots can be used to copy and paste journal entries into a general ledger or collect data from the web or other digitized format and compile it in a usable structure, like an Excel spreadsheet, for analysis and reporting. “The easiest way I explain it to people is I create a computer process to reduce the repetitive tasks of a job that a person really shouldn’t have to do, that a computer should be able to do anyway,” says Christopher Haverty ’21, who has been hooked on RPA since also taking the internship last spring. He has developed dozens of bots. He programmed one to identify which Nichols professors have or have not uploaded their syllabus to the college’s course management system, and he is working with the Mohegan Sun Casino on one that ensures check requests have the appropriate approvals — jobs typically requiring a manual process now made more efficient and reliable. Haverty and Kolodziejczak, along with fellow pioneer Jacob Ortega, are quick to point out that RPA is not intended to replace jobs, but to help people work smarter. “Most RPA tools are not capable of making decisions, but it can simplify data gathering and processing
to help humans make better decisions based on data.” Kolodziejczak offers, “It saves people brain space.”
pave the way for the Center for Intelligent Process Automation (CIPA). (See page 8.)
With its ability to perform tedious and rules-based tasks, RPA has transformed the accounting industry — PwC surveys state that 73 percent of all internal processes can be automated. It was at the urging of firms like PwC and Deloitte that prompted Richards, associate professor of accounting and finance, to investigate further. “We were hearing from big accounting firms that RPA is something they’re training their folks to understand and use now, and if students learn how to do this, it would be very useful to them in their careers,” he says.
“The data science field is revolutionizing the business landscape, and we intend to be at the forefront of tech business and leadership education,” say Nichols President Glenn M. Sulmasy, JD, LL.M. “Bryant and our RPA students have laid an excellent foundation for my vision of ensuring that all students are exposed to this critical skill set.”
The college became part of the UiPath Academic Alliance, which gave students access to free software, and by 2019, started to introduce RPA into the undergraduate accounting curriculum. “We found quickly that this technology was a great fit at Nichols,” says Richards. “Our students loved it and became successful at it. Within weeks they were building bots and by the end of the semester they were designing automated solutions for small accounting firms, large banks, and even Nichols.” Providing consulting services to local business and nonprofit organizations took RPA education at Nichols to the next level. “Of the 80 U.S. colleges and universities within the UiPath Academic Alliance, few have expanded as quickly as Nichols into curriculum advances, student programming and consulting,” states Richards. “And there is currently no school that has a full circle deployment of automation tools to support training, education, and consulting.” In 2020, Nichols entered another stratosphere when it partnered with NICE Ltd. to provide the software and
RPA software became the fastest growing segment of the global enterprise software market in 2019, according to NICE, with growth accelerating in 2020 when the pandemic forced organizations to abruptly change practices. The technology research and consulting company, Gartner, predicts that 90 percent of all large enterprises will adopt RPA in some form by 2022. And McKinsey and Company says automation technologies, such as RPA, will have a potential economic impact of nearly $6.7 trillion by 2025. “RPA is a game changer for Nichols,” says Fran Carlo ’90, vice president for global services at NICE, who was responsible for getting Nichols free resources and consultation. “The opportunity to learn about and be hands-on with a complimentary technology that truly solves business and operations problems will give students a competitive advantage in the job market and add significant value immediately in their careers.” Amahl Williams ’02, a partner at the Reveal Group and founding advisor of CIPA, goes even further in saying, “We have created a scenario where Big 4 firms will come to Nichols to compete over talent,” he says, contending, “Our student capability is better than MIT’s now.”
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Continued from page 7
Williams, a self-described “zealot,” estimates there are currently 80 million RPA jobs in the U.S. With his extensive knowledge and background in marketing new technologies, he motivated Nichols towards exploring partnerships with industry leaders. “We are talking about transforming lives,” Williams adds. “We are changing the way people feel about their ability to drive their careers in the future of work.”
Graduates like Bethany Faford ’19 MSA ’20, a senior accountant at AAFCPAs who is credited with building the first bot at Nichols, are already seeing the impact. Shortly after she joined the firm, the managing partner began talking about investing in company automation. “I was only there for three months at this time, but I decided to set up a meeting with her to discuss my experience and how RPA might be useful to gain efficiencies at the firm.”
Nichols launches the Center for Intelligent Process Automation Nichols College has taken a major step toward preparing students to capitalize on the emerging technologies that are transforming business with the launch of the Center for Intelligent Process Automation (CIPA). CIPA is the result of a ground-breaking partnership between the business education specialists at Nichols and the internationally recognized tech leaders at NICE Ltd. to bring Robotic Process Automation (RPA) training and implementation to businesses at every scale. “CIPA provides students with an unrivaled immersive opportunity in the data science field and showcases Nichols as a leader in digital transformation and a hub for training, data analytics, automation development, and research,” said Nichols President Glenn M. Sulmasy, JD, LL.M. “In addition to advancing data and tech-related buisness skills, experience, and career prospects of students, CIPA will be an invaluable resource for the
Jacob Ortega ’21
Nick
While driven by industry needs, CIPA is fueled by the passion, creativity, and leadership of students who have learned to build bots that perform audits, reconcile accounts, collect stock data to automate portfolios, and support the admissions call center, among others. “Through our training, consulting, and methodology development, CIPA has prepared me to lead in an ever-evolving business landscape,” said Jacob Ortega ’21, a current MBA student. “I feel that through this work I have accomplished the goal I set out on when I first arrived on the Hill in 2017, to be the most effective resource possible in helping businesses operate and make better decisions towards achieving their goals.” Ortega serves as the lead intelligent process automation analyst for CIPA, joined by analysts Nick Kolodziejczak ’22, Chris Haverty ’21, Cody Roberts ’22 and Kendra Annis ’22.
Chris Haverty ’21
Kolodziejczak ’22,
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Cody Roberts ’22
Kendra Annis ’22
For Haverty, who came to Nichols in his senior year from a 3+1 Program with Mount Wachusett Community College, RPA training will be the key to unlocking opportunities in accounting and finance. “Every job over the next 10 to 15 years, every company is going to have some amount of RPA in their business. This puts me ahead of other applicants,” he says. “I am glad to have found it when I did and look forward to a bright future for this field,” adding, “My curiosity got me into it and my passion will make me stay.”
Bryant Richards, associate professor of accounting and finance at Nichols and CIPA director, notes that a student-run center of excellence is highly unusual in higher education, making CIPA an unparalleled opportunity. “The depths and layers of experience our students are getting will uniquely prepare them for a digitally transformed workplace,” he said. The NICE alliance also opens the door to student-involved research in business applications of emerging technology. Nichols has relationships with research fellows from other institutions who are working with students on two projects: identifying complex factors in automations that cause increased development time and deployment challenges; and exploring best practices around Citizen Development, a process that encourages non-IT professionals to become software developers. “Both of these will put us on the cutting edge of solving problems for industry,” says Richards.
For more information on how Nichols is elevating its profile in the field of data science, visit cipa.nichols.edu.
From the Archives a
The Hill was alive with the sound of… Singing. For several decades, dating back to the founding of Nichols Junior College, vocal groups were a big part of the campus culture. Ensembles, such as the Glee Club, performed on campus, entertained the region and even took their talents to the airwaves. They were seen as ambassadors of good will for the college, united by a pure love of singing. The first Glee Club was formed in 1931, drawing 37 members, but hit an immediate snag when fire struck Budleigh Hall, destroying their music and other materials. (“An impromptu rehearsal was held,” reported the Budget newspaper, “but it was necessarily hindered by a lack of music.”) Over the next decade, the Glee Club was recognized as an asset to Nichols. They performed at convocations, dances, and the annual Winter Carnival and at off-campus concerts, rotary events, church suppers, garden clubs, places such as the Worcester Art Museum and on WTAG radio. The Glee Club rehearsed often in pursuit of perfection, which they often achieved, according to student reviews. Other times, practice didn’t always make perfect, as in this 1956 depiction from the yearbook: “In the beginning, the sounds heard could not exactly be called music, but as the sessions wore on, the melody became discernable. The end result was most satisfying.” Some years, due to insufficient interest, the Glee Club went silent, but not singing. The Metronomes, a dapper octet comprising Glee Club members, made its debut at the Freshman Frolics in 1949. Later performance highlights included the Hotel Touraine in Boston, a sales convention at the famous Toots Shor night club in New York City, and a televised talent show. One of the more celebrated vocal groups was the Nicholodians (spelled variously as Nicholodeans, Nicholodiens, and Nicholodeons). Formed in the fall of 1956,
the Nicholodians wowed audiences with barbershop melodies and modern swing, producing a tight harmonic sound. They became a favorite on and off campus, “spreading the name of Nichols across New England,” at other colleges, nightclubs, private parties and social functions. Then there was their appearance on The Nicholodians, who made their debut in fall 1956, were often called the “Tonight Show back for many encores. Starring Jack Paar,” a story retold by the late Reverend Paul Undoubtedly, music — and even singing — Price ’58 in a 2016 visit to campus with his commanded its place and presence in wife: While taking a break from performcampus life in the ensuing decades, but ing with the Glee Club at a school in New by the early ’70s, formal vocal groups had York City, a few of the Nicholodians toured all but reached a coda, save for yearbook NBC studios. Clad in their nifty vests, they evidence of a Glee Club in 1977 and caught the attention of Paar, who asked Nicholodians in 1996, and talk of launching them to sing a few notes during the show. the Bison Singers in recent years. “It was very brief,” recalled Price, “but we were hometown heroes when we returned It’s also difficult to pinpoint why. Perhaps to Nichols.” waning interest coincided with the emergence of other clubs at Nichols, Throughout the ’60s, the Glee Club especially those catering to professional performed predominantly with and at activities, such as the American Marketing other colleges. As in previous years, Association or Finance Club. Perhaps they relished the opportunity to travel college glee clubs had passed their prime to all-female schools, such as Annhurst, and only the most stalwart, robust, and Endicott and Mt. Ida, or sing with their historic choral groups, at places like female counterparts. In the words of a Harvard and Yale, survived. Or maybe the 1942 club member, these occasions enjoyment of music itself had become “provided many pleasant associations too personal an experience, appealing to with the opposite sex.” The Nicholodians a range of diverse tastes and delivered also stayed busy, typically as an octet, through earbuds. and formed a campus quartet toward the end of the decade, adding folk music to Whatever the reason, the Hill still echoes their repertoire. with the memory of those intrepid voices, raised in song to the sounds of music. From then, unlike Don McLean’s “American Pie,” it’s difficult to pinpoint the day this type of music died on Dudley Hill.
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Nichols rides the airwaves with community DJs by Susan Veshi Bob Guyette may be 100 percent French Canadian, but he
“There was peer pressure and he received prank calls,” says
has polka music in his blood. In the early ’60s, when other
Guyette of his son, a fan of the genre since the age of 5. “But
teenagers were bopping to the Beatles, he was begging his
he said, ‘I love my music. I don’t care what they say.’” He and
older brother to tag along at polka dances. It’s a passion he
Jeffrey, who graduated in 1993 and received an MBA in 2001,
has fully and proudly stoked for 57 years.
continued to cohost until 2006 when the younger Guyette married and moved away. By then, Polka Bob had long estab-
Barry Wilson, on the other hand, is a little bit country and a
lished another polka program on his own.
little bit rock and roll. He has deep roots in the music industry, with a career as a prolific promoter, a drummer in multiple
Wilson’s first contact with the college may have been in
bands, and a disk jockey for clubs and commercial radio that
1979 when, as a music promoter, he brought Dr. Hook & the
dates to the ’60s.
Medicine Show to campus for two sold-out performances. His daughter Cynthia graduated from Nichols in 1983 — and
They are the living legends of WNRC Radio — community
is believed to be the first female president of the Radio Club
DJs who have delighted local audiences for years — 30 for
— but Wilson’s WNRC debut was still yet to come. The radio
Guyette and 14 for Wilson – with their passion, playlists,
veteran worked at several stations in Worcester and Boston
and perspectives. Now, in the age of streaming, they claim
until an attack of sudden retinal degeneration rendered him
devotees across the country, bringing the
legally and instantly blind at the age of 59.
Nichols name on the airwaves with them. Guyette, also known as Polka Bob, hosts two live shows a week, “Polka Festival” on Monday evenings and “Polka A-Go-Go” on Wednesday evenings, and can be heard daily from 6 to 7 a.m. on a pre-recorded show. His WNRC odyssey began in 1990 as a co-host of a polka program launched by his son Jeffrey when he was a freshman at Nichols.
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“I dropped out of everything completely
that, having worked in commercial radio.
and was at the height of depression,”
If you go up and down the dial and listen
says Wilson. He reconnected with the
to country music, you hear the same
college, staging concerts through the
40 songs over and over. He is playing
Fischer Institute and serving as a guest
stuff that you don’t find on the dial.”
speaker for arts and entertainment classes before finding a home on WNRC.
In addition to playing “deep cuts,” Wilson gives extensive background on
“Nichols was a savior to me, giving
the songs he plays from a lifetime of
me back what was left of my sanity,”
experience in the business.
he says. With just a little bit of sight in his left eye, he learned to operate the
“Barry is a walking encyclopedia on
board, with labeling assistance from
music,” adds Andrea Becker ’96 MSOL
Justin Dolan ’09 MBA ’14, a student at
’10, assistant dean for academic affairs
the time who is now assistant director
and co-advisor to the Radio Club.
of campus services at Nichols and co-advisor to the Radio Club.
Guyette’s shows are driven by listener requests, for which he taps into his vast
Polka Bob Guyette (page 10) and
Wilson relies on a contingent of drivers
collection of 2,500 albums, 2,000 CDs,
Barry Wilson (above) give WNRC listeners
to get him to and from the studio.
and 1,500 cassettes. If he doesn’t have
a unique blend of beats and background.
“Running the station isn’t the hardest
the requested song in the studio? “I’ll
part, it’s getting there,” he jokes. On
find it,” he says. “It might take a week,
Tuesday afternoons he hosts “Groovers’
but I write it down, and play it. That’s
Paradise,” a show dedicated to all types
the extra mile I do.” Guyette has been
of Americana music, and on Saturday
nominated in the top 55 radio and
mornings it’s the “Country Hall of Fame
internet disk jockeys of the year by the
Show.” He also hosts the “The Time
United States Polka Association for
Capsule!” which airs on WXRB 95.1,
three years. Though he’s never won, he’s
the former home of Nichols radio still
come close to the top 10.
Guyette boasts followers from California,
“People who like polka music are really
New York, and even Canada.
exploded for both Guyette and Wilson, whose shows can generate upwards of 100 clicks. “I have regular listeners from Maine, Amarillo, Texas, and Chicago. It’s amazing and helps put the college on the map so to speak,” Wilson contends. Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, Florida,
located at the top of Academy Hall. Both Wilson and Guyette provide a
dedicated,” he says. “They will go above
unique service...for their listeners and
and beyond to listen to the music.”
for the college.
Dolan can attest — during a recent power outage on the campus, he received a
Their impact is also economic. When WNRC holds its annual radiothon in March, the bulk of donations are made in honor of Guyette and Wilson.
“We are like the liaison between Nichols
number of calls from fans who were
and the senior people in the community,”
missing their morning jolt of polka.
Together, they have raised thousands
himself “the oldest kid on campus.”
And sometimes, it’s more than just the
station operations, such as licensing and
“A lot of people wouldn’t know about
music that keeps them coming back.
Nichols then, all of a sudden, there’s
Becker received a letter from a daughter
the connection to polka music and
whose mother listened to polka and
old-time music. It’s funny that a college
has since passed. “For her, it keeps her
is presenting music that some of these
mother’s spirit alive,” she says. “It was a
older people couldn’t find anywhere
beautiful and touching letter that shows
on the dial.”
there is history here and a tendency for
says Wilson, who, now at 79, calls
some of the next generation to be inter-
of dollars among listeners to support streaming fees. And they are here to stay. Though Guyette laments that interest in polka may be waning, he is committed to promoting the music he loves for as long as possible. “To put it bluntly, they are going to have to carry me out of
ested. I don’t think polka is going away.”
here,” he quips. Wilson approaches
you can’t find it anywhere else on FM
In fact, when the 100-watt station
14 years and I haven’t missed a day.”
radio,” he says. “Barry is cognizant of
began streaming in 2004, the fan base
That’s a definite part of their appeal, notes Dolan. “Their shows are popular because
his work with the same zeal: “It’s been
alumni.nichols.edu
l Nichols College Magazine
11
AN AVALANCHE OF MEDIA Mauri Pelto, PhD, professor of environmental science, has studied the impact of climate change on glaciers, including heat waves, for four decades. His research has caught the attention of organizations such as NASA and news media outlets such as the Washington Post, BBC, and most recently, National Geographic. Here, he looks at how an increase in heat waves has led to even greater interest among the press. Heat waves and glaciers don’t usually
Earth Observatory (EO). This same
go together; however, in the last two
heat event led to the observation that
years an increasing number of heat
the snow lines on Taku Glacier in Alaska
on Easton Glacier, where the team annually
waves have affected glacier regions
were the highest they had been since
measures the snow and ice layer thickness.
around the world. The impacts of heat
tracking began in 1946. This decade of
Above, Pelto with his daughter Jill who,
waves have been a focus of my research
high snow lines indicating increased
over the last four decades on glaciers.
melting, causing the retreat of this
The duration of these studies has not
glacier for the first time since the
escaped the attention of the media
glacier was first observed in the 1880s.
in recent years. In 2021, for the third
The work was published in the journal
consecutive year, I have responded to
Water and shared with NASA’s EO,
well over 100 media requests.
which generated interview requests from media in five continents. Of the
The beginning of this “heat wave”
250 glaciers I have worked on, this was
of observations of a heat wave on
the last one to begin retreating. I was
glaciers in the Yukon that generated
quoted as saying, “That makes the score
snow swamp. The observations were
global warming: 250 and glaciers: 0.”
published in a joint project with NASA’s
12
Nichols College Magazine
l Fall/Winter 2021
At top, Mauri Pelto, with Ann Hill, Clara Deck, and Abby Hudak approaching icefall
between them, have spent 50 field seasons in the range, are below Columbia Glacier, one of three World Reference glaciers they monitor.
An all-time temperature record for Antarctica in February 2020 prompted a search for the immediate impacts on glaciers. My observation of the rapid formation of melt ponds on Eagle Island Ice Cap was reported to NASA EO, which published the results within two weeks of the event, leading to further global media coverage.
When record warmth spread over the Mount Everest region in January 2021, I noted that the snow lines near Mount Everest had remained at nearly 6,000 meters, including the key glacier passes from Nepal into China being snow free into late January. I reached out to a National Geographic team who had put up weather stations at high elevations on Mount Everest in 2019. This led to a joint project with Prajjwal Panday, assistant professor of environmental science at Nichols, and researchers from Loughborough University in the United Kingdom and Appalachian State University. Temperature observations and reconstructions of daily weather conditions, dating back to 1950, indicated that the region had experienced the five warmest winter days since 1950. Even in the highest mountain range in the world, we are seeing melt conditions during the winter. This study was first published by NASA EO within a month of the event, and then in the journal Remote Sensing. The next warm weather event was the Pacific Northwest record heat in late June 2021 that set all-time records at almost every location. For glaciers, this rapid snowmelt event attracted the attention of scientists and the media.
The team camps below Easton Glacier on Mount Baker, where they spent over 750 nights in a tent during the project.
As a result, as we headed into the field
outreach, including the Seattle Times.
in the North Cascades in August to
Mount Shasta in California fared even
monitor 10 glaciers, I knew that our
worse, losing all of its snow cover on
results would be noteworthy. A National
glaciers by September 6. The largest
Geographic reporter joined us for the
glacier on the mountain and in California,
first four days as we observed the
Whitney Glacier, began to separate. In
impact of this heat wave. (The article
all, the glaciers here had lost 50 percent
was released on October 13.) It had
of their area and volume this century,
stripped the snowpack from the glacier
including 10-15 percent this summer,
earlier in the season than usual, exposing
and had fragmented from six into
the dirtier ice that lies underneath the
17 glacier pieces. This was reported
snow and melts more rapidly than snow
in the San Francisco Chronicle and
under the same weather conditions.
Washington Post.
The resulting volume loss during this summer season has been the highest
The bottom line is I have been asked to
we have observed in our 38 years of
provide all too many hot takes on the
monitoring North Cascade glaciers. We
impact of heat events on glaciers, each
observed stunted alpine plant growth,
illustrating that glaciers are simply not
experienced days of smoky air limiting
compatible with recurring heat waves.
visibility and had to navigate and mea-
This is true from Arctic Canada to the
sure more open crevasses than
Himalayas from the Andes to Antarctica.
usual. On Mount Baker, a 10,700-foot
This year, for the 34th consecutive year,
stratovolcano, we observed four glaciers.
Alpine glacier volume in the world will
By the end of August, they were 90
decline; their business model is not
percent stripped of their snow cover,
sustainable with our climate. I’ll
instead of being 60 percent snow
continue to document this around the
covered in a balanced-weather year.
world and report relevant results, which
Mauri Pelto traversing through seracs at
The mountain itself is noticeably less
will be featured by science and media
the front of the Lower Curtis Glacier.
white, which prompted more media
organizations.
alumni.nichols.edu
l Nichols College Magazine
13
AT H L E T I C S
Season openers: New coaches make Bison debut by Pete DiVito, Sports Information Director
The 2021-22 academic year at Nichols College will mark the coaching debut of nine new head coaches in the athletic department, all of whom were hired over the last 18 months. Some joined the Nichols community last year, when all Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) competition was cancelled due to COVID-19, while others arrived on campus just a short time ago. Let’s meet the newest leaders of our student-athletes:
Men’s Basketball
Women’s Basketball
Brock Erickson
Dan Nagle
A native of Worcester and graduate of Assumption College, Erickson most recently worked at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he spent the 2020-21 campaign as an assistant coach responsible for recruiting. He was the associate head coach at nearby Division I Bryant University for two seasons, during which he helped three student-athletes earn Northeast Conference All-Conference honors as the Bulldogs finished 11th in the nation in rebounds/game. He has been at Kent State and Iona, where he helped the Gales capture the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship in each of his final two seasons to advance to the NCAA Tournament after earning National Invitational Tournament bids in his first two years.
Nagle comes to Nichols following a two-year stint as the head girls’ varsity coach at King Philip Regional High School. He helped the Warriors qualify for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association Tournament following a 12-8 season in 2019-20, setting program records for steals, turnovers forced, three-pointers made, and single-game points (84). Previously, he spent three years as the head women’s basketball coach at Fitchburg State, where he inherited a winless team and brought them to consecutive nine-win seasons in 2016-17 and 2017-18. He recruited and coached a pair of Massachusetts Small College Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year award winners and spearheaded the program’s involvement in the Special Olympics.
Women’s Soccer Caitlin Pickul Pickul came to Dudley after spending the previous four seasons at The College of Holy Cross, first as an assistant coach before rising to
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Nichols College Magazine
l Fall/Winter 2021
associate head coach and, since March 2020, interim head coach. The Crusaders’ coaching staff was named Patriot League Staff of the Year in 2019 after posting the best record in program history while also recording the highest cumulative GPA in the athletic department. Pickul was an assistant women’s soccer coach for five seasons at Wellesley College where, after posting a combined record of 11-22-6 during her first two seasons with the program, the Blue went 25-21-12 over the next three, finishing above the .500 mark in each campaign.
Men’s Hockey Michael Parnell ’17 A member of the 2015-16 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Northeast Championship squad, Parnell returned to Dudley as an assistant coach in 2019 before being named head coach in July 2020. As an undergraduate at Nichols, Parnell amassed 19 points in 69 games during
his time in black and white and served as team captain as a senior, when he received the Hal Chalmers Memorial Award for Dedication and Sportsmanship. Parnell, who was a member of the ECAC Northeast Academic All-Conference Team in 2015-16, also served as the recruiting coordinator upon his return to the Hill, effectively recruiting junior hockey leagues throughout the United States, Canada and Europe to the tune of 13 freshmen this fall.
hockey program and later took over the head coaching reins of the women’s ice hockey program, where he spent six seasons. Barrett took over a women’s program in its second year of varsity competition and guided it to a pair of 10+ win seasons. Barrett, who worked as a color analyst on QU women’s and men’s broadcasts from 2008-19, began his collegiate coaching career at Sacred Heart in 2000 when he took over a women’s team that was transitioning from Division III to Division I.
was named Commonwealth Coast Conference Men’s Tennis Coach of the Year on four occasions during 17 seasons at the helm of the men’s program. After guiding ENC to a back-to-back appearance in the CCC Championship match, the Lions captured the 2019 Greater Northeast
Cheerleading
Athletic Conference Championship in
Mariah Vasquez
match. Popa also guided the women’s
Vasquez comes to Nichols from Medford High School, where she served as the cheerleading coach during the 2018-19 season. She guided the Mustangs to a Grand Championship in a competition in West Springfield and a second-place finish at the Greater Boston League in 2019. The Mustangs later advanced to the second round of the Massachusetts School Administrators Association Regionals and just missed qualifying for the state championship. The Grand Championship was the first co-ed title for Medford in school history.
Women’s Hockey Michael Barrett Barrett was hired to lead the women’s ice hockey program in September after spending the better part of the last 30 years as a member of the Quinnipiac University athletic department, most recently as the director of athletic and School of Communications development. He began his tenure in Hamden as an assistant coach with the men’s ice
2019 and won their NCAA First Round tennis program for 13 seasons and, after advancing to the GNAC Semifinals in 2018 (13-5 record), the Lions captured the 2019 GNAC Championship.
Men’s and Women’s Volleyball
Field Hockey Laura-Ann (“LA”) Lane A three-time Colonial States Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and the 2018 Atlantic East Conference Coach of the Year, Lane came to Nichols in the summer of 2020 from Gwynedd Mercy University, where she spent the last 13 years as the head field hockey coach, senior woman administrator, athletics work-study coordinator, and mentor for the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. Lane guided the Griffins to nine consecutive championship games — including four-straight CSAC Championships (2011-14) — and six NCAA Tournament appearances. She mentored 89 all-conference studentathletes (45 first-team selections) during her time in Gwynedd Valley with seven earning Player of the Year nods and two receiving Rookie of the Year accolades.
Casey Fitzpatrick Fitzpatrick, who spent the 2018-19 campaign as an assistant with the men’s program at Nichols, returned to Dudley in August following a two-year stint as the men’s volleyball head coach at Division III Adrian College. While in Michigan, he was named the Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League Coach of the Year in his first season in 2020 after guiding the Bulldogs to a 10-9 mark and a firstplace finish. The Bulldogs led the conference in both kills/set and digs/ set. At Adrian, Fitzpatrick coached five MCVL
Men’s and Women’s Tennis
All-Conference student-athletes,
Cris Popa
received the Team Academic Award
including the 2020 Offensive Player of the Year. This past season, the Bulldogs
Popa came to Nichols from nearby Eastern Nazarene College, where he
from the U.S. Marine Corps/American Volleyball Coaches Association.
alumni.nichols.edu
l Nichols College Magazine
15
CLASS NOTES
1972
1983
Class Champion:
These Bison never leave home without a Nichols banner, from left, Dan ’83 and Pam Murphy ’84, Mark Fagan ’84 “Bubba“ Battaini ’84, Bob Barry ’83.
Mark Alexander mark1alex12@gmail.com
1973 Class Champion: Jay Reese (508) 359-7862 jay.reese@verizon.net A note was received from Richard Barber, who reports that he has been spending time in Aruba: I have been retired for 24 years and am enjoying every minute of my retirement. With seven grandchildren and one headed to UConn to be a pharmacist this year, I can’t be any prouder of what my children and grandchildren have accomplished. Fred Fogel says that he retired and is living in Reynolds Lake Oconee in Greensboro, GA: For all you golfers, I am sure you are familiar with the community. If you are ever in the area feel free to look me up! I am getting married on 2/22/2022 and going to the Maldives for a honeymoon. If anyone has been to the Maldives, please give me a heads up. Gregory Pogue shares that he retired from The College of New Jersey in July and now holds the title of vice president of human resources, emeritus. Andy Rich shares that he too was retired for one year, but then they called him back. Now he is working part time, spending time with his three grandchildren and traveling as COVID permits. He reports that he thinks of Nicky U often and would like to attend Homecoming soon.
1985 Class Champion: John Donahue 609-257-8717 Johndonahue1234@gmail.com Sue (McElroy) Bacarella reports: Ross ’84 and I are doing well, splitting our time between Connecticut and Palm Beach Gardens, FL. We have six kids and four grandchildren. We own a logistics company called BTX Global Logistics based in Shelton, CT.
to a college in Florida that I was accepted to. Lou Testa ’84 helped shape my attitude about working. When he hired me in the Boston office for U.S. Lines, I attribute my excellent work ethic to him. He taught me well and started me on a lifelong journey of success in all positions I have held. John Donahue shares: I became a grandfather to this bundle of happiness in October 2020. That’s a rice cake in his mouth. He was just starting to break teeth and has a good start with the team of choice on his bib. Mary Carlson Mangano says hello! She was on her way to Ohio State University to drop off her son Chris who will enter his freshman year and serve under the Naval ROTC Program. Joan (Koonce) Stearns says: We have moved to Vero Beach, FL, and I am still in the golfing world. I am the controller for Riomar Country Club. If ever in the area, please let me know.
Nancy L. (Russo) Davis shares an update: I received my MBA from Nichols in 2014 and a doctorate from Nova Southeastern in 2019, and I’m currently enrolled in law school. Yes, I am a professional student; it certainly feels like that. If I continue, I will complete my JD in 2024. It’s a long time away, and I’m reinventing the wheel!
1991
A couple memories from my time at Nichols: The first person I met was Debbie Cassella, who was my roommate at the time. She made an impression on me because she convinced me to stay at Nichols and not transfer
khofbeck@comcast.net
Class Champion: Donna Small 336-692-5157 dsmall9242000@yahoo.com
1992 Class Champion: Keith Hofbeck
1994 Class Champion: Danielle Troiano Sprague thedwoman@yahoo.com
Please send your Class Notes news directly to your class champion. If you do not have a class champion, news may be forwarded to classnotes@nichols. edu. Digital images are preferred, but please do not crop them! The higher the resolution the better — 300 dpi (dots per inch) is best. Digital images may be sent directly to the Alumni Relations Office classnotes@nichols.edu. Prints may be sent to: Nichols College, Alumni Relations Office, P.O. Box 5000, Dudley, MA 01571.
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Nichols College Magazine
l Fall/Winter 2021
2000 Class Champion: Andrea Sacco Andrea.j.Sacco@gmail.com
2001 Class Champion: David Twiss 978-979-7658 David.twiss14@gmail.com
2002 Class Champion: John Larochelle john.larochelle1@gmail.com Robert Cleary, president and CEO of ClearComIT Solutions, announces that, after facing one of the most challenging economic setbacks in their 20-year history, the company has been recognized with two business awards. It was named No. 3662 on the Inc. 5000 list of the most successful, independently owned businesses in the U.S., out of over 7 million businesses. With 92 percent three-year growth, ClearComIT has expanded to manage the IT of over 100 organizations along the East Coast. It was also chosen for the fifth consecutive year by the editors at Channel Futures as one of the technology industry’s top-performing providers of manager services, based on annual sales, recurring revenue, profit margins, revenue mix, growth opportunities, innovation, technology solutions supported, and company and consumer demographics. He says: To be included on these two prestigious lists is a testament to the amazing team we have and the wonderful clients we partner with. The landscape regarding cybersecurity has shifted immensely in the past year. In response, we have expanded our cybersecurity services to keep our partners safe and secure. We are now protecting against treats that didn’t exist 10, five, or even two years ago. Educating our clients
on safe email practices and data protection with ongoing training has been key in keeping everyone protected. ClearComIT is focused on delivering ongoing, exceptional service and support, responding to our clients’ evolving IT needs and demands quickly and effectively. The children of Heather (Bassett) Pike and Erin (Hickie) Gaffny show their Bison Pride.
2003 Class Champion: Jillian (Hayes) Smerage Jnhayes80@gmail.com
2005 Class Champion: Melissa Jackson msmeljackson@gmail.com Kerry (Barnes) Cole and husband Steven welcomed Elizabeth Grace on August 16. Jeremy Lemoine was promoted to AVP, Northeast region distribution leader, at Chubb.
2006 Class Champion: Erica Boulay erica.boulay@hotmail.com Sheen Farner MBA ’14 was promoted to director of budget & financial reporting at Day Kimball Healthcare.
2007 Class Champion: Meaghan Larkin meaglark@gmail.com
2008
2016
Class Champion:
Class Champion:
Nicole Curley
Stacie Converse
nsc3129@gmail.com
converse.stacielee@gmail.com
2010 Class Champion: Katelyn Vella katelyn.vella@yahoo.com
2012 Elizabeth Sullivan welcomed Rowan Charlotte O’Donnell on July 27, 2021, saying, “We are overjoyed and couldn’t be more in love with our future baby Bison!” Christopher Pagliccia welcomed a new baby to the family, Leonardo Hugo. A potential fourth-generation Bison! Courtney and Michael Simoni are now a herd of four! Tyler Michael was born on June 28, joining big sister Carey Marie.
2013 Class Champion: Ryan Flavin rtflavin@gmail.com
2014 Ryan Foley MBA ’16 was named to the Worcester Business Journal’s 40 Under 40.
Alycia Allard adopted a puppy, Mocha.
Caitlin Peloquin welcomed a baby girl, Dakota Gloria, on March 29. Mackenzie Scheer was promoted to senior manager, human resources business partner, at Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. Kim Whalen was promoted to risk management examiner III at the Massachusetts Division of Banks. Colin Whitney, a former Nichols College golfer, played in the Golf Fights Cancer Golf Marathon on June 3 to help raise awareness and funds for DetecTogether (formerly 15-40 Connection). The organization was founded by Nichols Trustee James W. Coghlin Sr. ’67 and his wife Nancy to teach people how to recognize the earliest warning signs of cancer. Colin played 100 holes at Juniper Hill Golf Course in Northborough, MA, to honor his sister Caitlin, who was helped by the organization to detect breast cancer in the early stages; today she is seven years cancer free. A highlight of the day was Colin’s hole-in-one on a par 4 hole, a first for that hole in Juniper Hill’s history. Pictured is Colin with his father, Mark, and Jim Coghlin.
2015
Nikki LaBrack, Gina Petruzzi, Lindsay Baker, Cally Audet, Ali Hanlon, Julia Zawacki Andrew Pelc is engaged to Cynthia Zayas Torres.
2018 Ryan Meagher was promoted to senior manager of premium seating at the Worcester Red Sox.
2019 Class Champion: Brian O’Riodan boriordan78@gmailcom Nicole “Kiki” Guerin was promoted to branch manager at Enterprise. Taylor Kerr and Miles Meacham ’20 are engaged!
Class Champion: Andrew Haas & Mike Ricci andrewhaas3@gmail.com michaeljamesricci@gmail.com Matt Taylor and Jenn Townsend ’17 have adopted a puppy, Roo.
Nikki LaBrack was promoted to account coordinator for Enterprise Fleet Management, working on the corporate side of the business. She spent the last two years working for Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
2020 2017 Class Champions: Nicole LaBrack & Gina Petruzzi njlabrack13@verizon.net gmp0626@aol.com
alumni.nichols.edu
Michael Battaini was promoted to college unit director at Northwestern Mutual, where in 2020 he was named as one of the Top 100 Financial Representative Interns in the country.
l Nichols College Magazine
17
CLASS NOTES
Sometimes you just have to press play Eric Aukstikalnis ’17 Eric Aukstikalnis ’17 holds a Bachelor
Makes You Beautiful’ and thinking,
time, working full time, and spending
of Science in Business Administration
‘Wow, that is so catchy. I want to
as much time as possible creating
with a finance major from Nichols
create music like that.’”
music. He’d go to class, get to the library to do his schoolwork and then
College and is now following his dreams by pursuing a career in the
With a proficiency in math and an
work on his music, often staying until
music industry. Today the Worcester
interest in the investment world,
the library closed at 2 a.m. Sometimes
native splits his time between Los
Aukstikalnis enrolled at Nichols to
he’d crash with a friend or even take a
Angeles, Atlanta and Massachusetts.
pursue a concentration in finance. Music
nap in his car and do it all over again.
He has achieved over a million monthly
continued to be a big part of his life,
For him, as long as he could work on
listeners on Spotify and has worked
starting in his freshman year as a resi-
his music, he was happy.
with notable artists such as Dolly
dent of the beloved Budleigh Hall. “Our
Parton, and this is just the beginning!
floor was a tight knit group, a strong
Upon graduating in 2017, Aukstilkalnis
community,” he shares with a smile. “I
was at a crossroads as he contemplated
Aukstikalnis’ interest in music started
used to do open mic nights at Nichols
his options: “I could take the safe
at the age of 10. “I asked Santa for
and even won the talent show with a
route and live a great life as a finance
a PlayStation, instead I got a piano,”
song that I wrote. All of my Budleigh
executive and maybe play in a cover
he recalls. “The piano sat in my room
friends knew I created music. They
band with my buddies on Thursday
for months until I was bored enough
were supportive and always wanted to
night or I could give music a real shot.”
to give it a try. Once I started, I was
know what I was working on.”
He thought about his father, who always advised “follow your dreams.”
hooked. I spent hours listening to music on YouTube and teaching myself
After his first year, Aukstikalnis
He also recalled a speaker at Nichols, a
how to play.”
commuted to Nichols, attending full
fisher who tried for six years to turn his passion into a career. The moral of the
The interest intensified in high school
story was that he went for it, lived his
when, in addition to the piano, he
dream and, even when it didn’t work
learned to play the trumpet, and even
out, he was only 28 and could quickly
led the school orchestra. He was also
pivot his future. Aukstikalnis decided
a competitive golfer, winning several
to go all in with music, to live a life
New England PGA junior tournaments
with no regrets that his father would
and starting to gain attention from
be proud of.
D1 schools. But in his junior year, he suffered a back injury, which turned
In 2018 he moved to Los Angeles to
out to be a pivotal moment for his
be closer to the music community. His
future. “While recovering from my
friend, manager, and fellow Worcester
back injury, I turned to my music. It
native, Ernest Osei, invited him to stay
was during this period that I started
with him while he got his career started.
to create my own songs,” Aukstikalnis
The move proved to be critical to
reflects. “I was very inspired by pop
building the right network of people needed to create the music, like
icons like Justin Bieber and One
18
Direction. I can remember clearly
Eric Aukstikalnis is following his dream
pulling together the puzzle pieces of a
hearing the One Direction song ‘What
and making it in the music business.
song. He worked hard and started to
Nichols College Magazine
l Fall/Winter 2021
Two alumni named to Board of Trustees Jaime Paris Boisvert ’98 and Amahl H. Williams ’02 have been elected to the Nichols Board of Trustees, beginning their terms in May and October, respectively.
see success. Notable records include
experiences that I know help me in
“Faith,” featuring Dolly Parton and DJ
my career today.”
Galantis, “Losing My Religion,” featuring MKLA, “Get Like Me,” with Bhad
As for his goals, Aukstikalnis
Bhabie and featuring NLE Choppa,
confidently states, “I want to be the
“Stars In My Eyes,” “Wasted On You,”
biggest DJ and music producer in
“Missing You,” featuring DJ Tez Cady,
the world.” This self-proclaimed
and “Monsters” featuring 24KGoldn.
underdog says he may not be the most gifted person in the room,
Aukstikalnis considers himself a music
but he will certainly be the hardest
producer. “I like to work directly with
working with a can-do attitude and
an artist from the ground up and
charisma to back it up. True to his
collaborate on every element of the
decision, he harbors no regrets.
song,” he says. His creative process
And, echoing his father’s wisdom,
starts with an idea, which he develops
he advises, “No matter what, it is
to its fullest potential so that it sounds
never too late to follow your dreams.
as good as it can based on his vision.
If you have a dream don’t be
Then he works to present this as a
afraid of failure. If you live your life
product that others would want to buy.
fearing failure you will never truly achieve success.”
Skills he learned and honed at Nichols. “College taught me how to think,
Eric Aukstikalnis shares his music
how to think outside the box, how to
under the name Aukoustics. Search
carry myself, interact with different
“Aukoustics” on Spotify or any music
types of people from all walks of life,”
streaming service. Follow his journey
he remarks. “When you submerge
on social media @aukoustics.
Paris Boisvert is the director of the Higher Education Vertical Market for Johnson Controls, which is well known for delivering solutions that optimize buildings and infrastructure by improving energy efficiency, data analysis, comfort, safety and security. Previously she was the general manager of the Boston Branch at Siemens Smart Infrastructure, where she served in a number of capacities over 12 years. She began her career through the Nichols Career and Professional Development Center as an account executive at AT&T, moving onto MAC Systems, followed by a stint as director of sales & marketing for Chace Building Supply of Conn. Williams, a three-sport varsity captain at Nichols, has spent his career in sales and marketing leadership roles focusing on the monetization of new and adjacent technologies for the Fortune500 and Global2000. He is currently a partner at Reveal Group, as well as a contributor at Forbes as a member of the Forbes Communications Council. He serves as a volunteer mentor at BUILD, which provides hands-on entrepreneurship training and college prep to help stem the high school drop-out rate. He was also a member of the Nichols Board of Advisors, a member of the Colonel Conrad Society, and is a founding advisor for the Nichols College Center for Intelligent Process Automation.
yourself in the college experience you naturally gain valuable experiences,
– Jillian Riches Paris Boisvert
alumni.nichols.edu
Williams
l Nichols College Magazine
19
CLASS NOTES
Keep calm and adapt
s
Alf Anderson III ’98 If recessions were rodeos, this isn’t
irreparably. When his position was
Alf Anderson’s first. As the executive
eliminated, his next job was one he
director of the Bar Harbor Chamber
calls “one of the most rewarding
of Commerce, Anderson has been
experiences he’s ever had” as a crew
guiding the New England magnet
member at Trader Joe’s. Empowered
businesses and members through
by positivity, Anderson overcame
the challenges brought to the iconic
what should have been a challenging
coastal New England tourist desti-
time in his career journey.
nation by the pandemic.
These Bison friends from the Class of 1998 adapted to a virtual reunion during the pandemic. On the call were Kosta Haveles, Stan Crosby, Jeff Haffty, Mike LaVigne, Ken Stockhaus, Dave Sokolnicki ’97, Kevin
By digging deep into past
With these professional
Fournier ’96, and Alf Anderson, feeling it was
career and life experience
changes came flexibility, so
as if not a day, let alone more 20 years, had
from a decade ago in the
when his wife, Heather, had a
passed since they were all together.
Great Recession, Anderson
job opportunity that meant
has ensured Bar Harbor
relocating to Mount Desert
Chamber supports businesses year-
business members recovery
Island, Maine, Anderson was
round. The pandemic put Anderson
in. Heather had grown up in southern
and his team to the test but the
Maine and they celebrated their
success of members adapting and
Anderson grew up in Connecticut,
wedding in the state six years prior.
overcoming challenges feels like
living with two older sisters, his mother
However, the one and only time Alf
the chamber’s own success. Their
and stepfather. Those who know him
had been to Bar Harbor before moving
marketing and social media has
best describe him from a young age
there had been seven years earlier.
greatly contributed to engaging
as calm, focused, devoted, caring and
The Andersons had escaped Boston
visitors in all seasons. The chamber’s
very funny. A happy teenager and
to enjoy a quintessential getaway
site, visitbarharbor.com, is not just a
hard-worker, Anderson doesn’t recall
down east where they indulged in
resource for tourists; local visitors
much more of an influence to attend
lobster on the water, hiked in Acadia
and residents can find all there is to
Nichols College aside from two of his
National Park, drove to the summit
experience year-round.
close high school friends were going
of Cadillac Mountain. They’ve since
there. He thoroughly enjoyed his time
settled near Bar Harbor, along with
Anderson’s advice to Nichols graduates
on campus and classes and made
their Great Dane, Pippy. Home, he
starting out in their careers is a
connections he holds dear to this day.
says, is “one of the most beautiful
powerful reminder for all: “It’s so
places in the world. It’s an amazing
important to listen to people.”
place to live, and I’m very fortunate.”
He also says to stay positive and
and success.
With a longtime interest in marketing
open-minded. And, when faced with
and advertising, his professional pursuits following graduation landed
When the Bar Harbor Chamber
a recession or other career changes
him on Boston’s North Shore for the
was seeking someone to run their
and challenges, be adaptable. “If
next 15 years. Anderson started out
events program, Anderson applied.
you’re not adaptable, you’re probably
in event planning for a publishing
His potential to lead was clear and
going to get left behind,” he adds.
company which grew into a role
his role developed into marketing and
“You’ve got to be able to roll with the
in advertising sales. He thrived,
membership responsibilities with a
punches.” Or find a way to stay on
overachieving against targets while
promotion to executive director in
that bull the whole ride.
managing a team and an $8 million
2019. Outside of promoting the town
annual budget. By 2012, the recession
as a global destination for tourists
had impacted his company and industry
in summer and fall, the Bar Harbor
20 Nichols College Magazine
l Fall/Winter 2021
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l Nichols College Magazine
21
NICHOLS REMEMBERS
Lester R. “Rally” Thomas ’48, of Montpelier,
Gerald T. LaMarque ’54, of Edgartown, MA,
David P. Benson ’67, of Villalba, Spain, formerly
VT, March 28, 2021: He served in the U.S.
on January 12, 2021: He was president of
of Riverside, RI, August 22, 2020: A veteran
Army in the Pacific Theatre during World War
LaMarque Marine Services Inc., a marine
of the U.S. Air Force, where he was stationed
II. He worked in the banking industry for 40
survey business he started in 1976. His business
in California and then Madrid, he worked at
years, spending much of it as a vice president
was active in both the New York/Connecticut
the Veterans Administration in Providence.
at Worcester County National Bank. Among
areas, Solomons, Md., and Martha’s Vineyard,
his many volunteer commitments, he was a
where he spent summers from 1973.
past trustee at Nichols College.
Jack C. Hult ’54, of Branford, CT, June 28,
Edward C. Wheaton ’48, of Millville, NJ,
2021: He served in the tank division of the
August 3, 2021: He was a member of the
U.S. Army and spent many years as a driver
U.S. Army Air Forces from 1945 to 1948. He
for Shell Oil.
retired in 1992 as the president of Wheaton
Kenneth D. Walters ’67, of New Haven, CT, July 18, 2020: He served two years in the U.S. Army with the 82nd Airborne Division and worked in Greenwich and Stamford in sales, tree service, and construction until retiring in 1996.
Scientific, where he worked for 42 years.
Bruce Bartlett ’55, of Winchendon, MA,
Roy Zabriskie ’49, of Vero Beach, FL, July
and his family reports that Nichols laid the
21, 2021: He was a veteran of the U.S. Air
groundwork for a successful career in
John M. Harrison ’68, of Woodmere,
Force, stationed at Sheppard Air Force base
business and a love of sports.
NY died on April 24, 2021. He was
in Texas. He was the owner and president of Zabriskie Chevrolet in Paterson, NJ, before
July 2, 2021: He was a U.S. Air Force reservist
James P. Russell ’55, Verona, NJ, April 6,
John M. Harrison ’68
a longtime volunteer leader at Nichols College, first on the Board of Trustees
retiring in 1978.
2021: He started as an insurance executive
Carl J. Kurtgis ’51, of Fort Lauderdale, FL,
Jersey Life and Casualty Insurance Co. He
March 9, 2021: A veteran of the Korean
then founded Spectrum Lighting. An inventor
in 2016, and was a member of the
War, he worked in the family businesses,
and manufacturer, he held several patents on
Colonel Conrad Legacy Society.
including wholesale floral supply, and retired
corner lighting concept.
Harrison enjoyed a successful career
at MetLife and continued his career at New
from Berkeley Floral Supply in Miami.
Harold P. “Pick” Jurgens ’58, of Hudson,
and most recently on the Board of Advisors. He endowed a scholarship
in marketing as a partner or principal at several firms, including Harrison
John H. Perry ’51, of Hutchinson Island, FL,
NY, March 29, 2021: He worked at J. Kenneth
April 10, 2021: He served in the U.S. Army
Frasier & Associates as a consulting
and worked 50 years for Araban Coffee Co.,
engineer and was the owner and operator
president for 20 years. Survivors
starting as a salesperson and retiring as its
of the Cairo Water Co. and owner of the
include his wife, Carol, two daughters,
sole owner.
Torchlite Campsites.
two grandchildren, and two siblings.
Peter M. Polstein ’51, of Oxford, CT, January
Harry Clemence ’60, of Albuquerque, NM,
5, 2021: He served in the U.S Army, where he
August 4, 2021: A member of the U.S. Marine
posted in the Far East during the Korean War.
Corps, he served three combat tours in
He was an insurance broker in New York City
Vietnam, flying the UH-34D helicopter and
and worked for Alexander and Alexander for
KC-130F, earning 43 air medals (860 combat
20 years, retiring in 1997.
missions) and the Navy Commendation Medal.
John A. Chesebro Jr. ’53, of North Providence, RI, March 9, 2021: He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving overseas during the
Retiring as a major in 1982, he flew for Muse Air, Transtar Airlines, and then Continental Airlines until he retired in 2000.
Leifer DiMarco where he was
Michael J. Carney ’68, of Naples, FL, May 24, 2020: He served in the U.S. Air Force as a T-38 Jet instructor pilot during the Vietnam War. He was a professor at Bentley University, later serving as vice president of human resources and retired as HR VP at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He was inducted into the Nichols Athletic Hall of Fame for baseball and football in 1976.
Korean War. He worked as a civil engineer for the City of Providence for many years before retiring.
Alvah O. Rock ’63
David R. Eisner ’53, of Niskayuna, NY, September 25, 2019: He served in Japan
Alvah O. Rock ’63 of Bay Shore, NY, died on August 31, 2021. He worked in banking
during the Korean War. He worked for
before transitioning to real estate in 1981 and then facilities management and
General Electric doing early research work
services at The McGraw-Hill Companies, retiring in 2003. An ardent supporter of
on television, and later at the GE corporate
Nichols, he and his wife Susan endowed a scholarship in 2016 and helped complete
R&D Lab, where he was part of a team that
the extension to the college’s Bicentennial Campaign. Rock was a charter member
developed Doppler ultrasound, CAT scanner,
of the Board of Advisors and has served on the Board of Trustees since 2018. In
and MRI system.
22 Nichols College Magazine
addition to his wife, he leaves four children and nine grandchildren.
l Fall/Winter 2021
Robert J. Cassella ’69, of Albany, NY, April 3, 2021: In addition to his Nichols degree,
Margaret I. Duquette ’93, of Worcester, MA,
Eugene J. Kerrigan ’80
March 10, 2021: She was employed by Melville
he earned an associate degree in civil engineering and spent his professional life as a manufacturing plant manager.
Shoe and Assumption College before
Eugene J. Kerrigan ’80, of Hyde
beginning a long career in banking as a
Park, MA, died on July 31, 2021.
human resource manager, working 19 years at Bay State Savings Bank and 10 years as
Donald S Labonte ’72, of Rochester, NY,
He had a career in finance, most
August 18, 2021: He was a management
recently as a financial advisor for
specialist for the New York State Office of
Bay State Financial. As a dedicated
Temporary and Disability Assistance in a career that 48 years at various agencies in New York State.
an officer and trustee of Westborough Bank, before retiring in 2007 from Avidia Bank.
volunteer at Nichols, Kerrigan served as the president of the Alumni Board and a member of the Board of
George F. Cressey II ’74, of Kennebunk, ME, May 20, 2021: He was the co-founder of W.C. Cressey & Son, Inc., where he and his father
Millicent P. Maziarski MBA ’96 of Melrose, MA, March 2, 2021: For the past 24 years, she was the manager of finance and administration at MilliporeSigma in Burlington.
Trustees. He was a frequent participant in the annual alumni golf
Kristopher M. Johnson MSOL ’16, of Charleston, SC, March 20, 2021: He was
served as distributors for Thomas Built Buses
tournament. His survivors include his
in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. In
wife Joyce and four children, among
2019, he was presented with a Meritorious
them is Christopher, a 2012 graduate
Service Award in honor of 53 years serving
years as head basketball coach at Lawrence
of Nichols.
Academy. Most recently, he was an athletic
Kennebunk Fire Rescue.
the assistant basketball coach at Eastern Connecticut University, followed by four
director and basketball coach at West Nottingham Academy, where he led them
Garrish J. Sloat ’74, of Norwalk, CT, April 5,
to the 2018 championship season.
2021: He was a member of the Greenwich
James K. Urban MBA ’90, of Southborough,
Police Department, and following retirement,
MA, March 21, 2021: He served in the U.S. Army
was the owner and operator of Sloat Security
in Vietnam and worked for several companies
STAFF
Services LLC, providing security, driving
in his career, including Brown, Brothers
George C. Proulx, of Southbridge, MA,
instruction, and transportation.
Harriman, Bay Bank, and Data General.
June 29, 2021: Former assistant director
Timothy C. Paddock ’77 of The Villages, FL,
Richard H. Ayres MBA ’91, of Ringoes, NJ,
career as a high school counselor and guidance
June 27, 2021: He served in the U.S. Navy in
May 21, 2021: He served with the U.S. Navy
administration at Acton Boxborough,
aviation ordnance. He owned a real estate
from 1978 to 1982 and was vice president of
Minnechaug, and Shepherd Hill.
development company, and, after working for
operations and plant manager for Mold-Rite
of admissions, he previously had a 36-year
a time with Ernst & Young, started his own CPA firm in 2005.
Plastics in Somerset, and formerly at 3M in Southbridge, MA, and Indianapolis, IN.
The next Golden Bison Bulletin is coming this winter! Be sure to send your submissions and any updated seasonal address information to: Nichols College Attn. Jillian Riches PO Box 5000 Dudley, MA 01571 Jillian.Riches@nichols.edu or classnotes@nichols.edu Catch up on past editions and the happenings of alumni who have celebrated their 50th reunions and beyond. alumni.nichols.edu/nichols-publications/
alumni.nichols.edu
l Nichols College Magazine
23
Alumnus bequest supports students with learning differences At 6 feet 8 inches, William S. Edmunds ’62 was well known as “Big Bill” in his community. His family describes him as a sociable person with lots of friends, a “gentle giant” almost, and a successful salesman who was admired and appreciated by clients for his professionalism and integrity. Edmunds, who lived in his native
At Nichols College, however, Edmunds
Vermont his entire life, was a car
flourished. Like many students of his
method of ensuring they get the
enthusiast and collector who loved
generation, he was taken under the wing
support they need to reach their
travel, sports, and eating at diners.
of Nichols president, Colonel James
academic goals. But with Kolek
Conrad, Sr., and given the support and
conducting all the meetings —
confidence he needed to confront his
approximately 40 a week, with most
struggles. Embracing his stature, the
students on a weekly basis — help was
management major even played varsity
needed with other services, such as
and intramural basketball.
proctoring exams for students who
“The college and Learning Services Office is very thankful and appreciative for this financial support to be able to better serve our students during these very difficult times.”
require additional time or resources. So, shortly after his passing in January 2019, when the college received word of
Using the Edmunds bequest, Nichols
a generous bequest from the Edmunds
is in the process of hiring a learning
estate, his sister reached out with the
services coordinator who will oversee
idea of using the six-figure gift to expand
the Testing Center, assist Kolek with
services for Nichols students with learn-
student meetings to advise, coach, and
ing differences.
mentor students, and explore resources to benefit the greatest number of
The college currently
students with learning differences.
Edward Kolek, PhD
offers outreach, academic
Assistant Dean
counseling, and course
for Learning Services
accommodations to students
Office is very thankful and appreciative
who document learning
for this financial support to be able to
But his family also
needs. That number has
better serve our students during these
remembers more
grown 55 percent in the past
very difficult times,” says Kolek.
challenging times. In the
five years, according to
1950s, when Edmunds
Edward Kolek, PhD, assistant
Bill Edmunds at
towered over the other
Nichols College in 1962
dean for learning services, with more than 60 students
children at school, he was teased and bullied for his unusual
receiving learning accommodations this
height, and dealing with a learning
fall.
disorder that would have likely remained undiagnosed and
Kolek has found individual meetings
unaccommodated back then.
with students to be the most effective
24 Nichols College Magazine
“The college and Learning Services
l Fall/Winter 2021
If you are interested in learning more about including Nichols College in your legacy, please contact Jillian Riches at jillian.riches@nichols.edu.
S TAY C O N N E C T E D
Together Again: Homecoming 2021
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Thanks to the support of donors, I have had
YOUR SUPPORT MAKES AN IMPACT.
incredible experiential learning opportunities at Nichols College, such as volunteering at Super Bowl LIV in Miami. Now, I am pursuing my Master of Science in Organizational Leadership while working as a graduate assistant. Nichols has given so much to me, and it’s my goal to pay it forward
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now and beyond my time on the Hill. Cari Cyr ’21 Sport Management Major Hospitality Management Major Emerging Leaders Program Graduate Assistant
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