Regis Today | Winter 2022

THE MAGAZINE OF REGIS COLLEGE Winter 2022

EMPOWERING DISCºVERIES Jane (Compton) Carroll, MS ’05 makes a global impact as a leader at Moderna.

BE SOCIAL Regis College Alumni Regis College

@regis_ma @regiscollegealumni

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Regis College

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Staci A. Shea Vice President of Institutional Advancement staci.shea@regiscollege.edu Alexis Baum Senior Director of Advancement Communications and Donor Relations Editor | alexis.baum@regiscollege.edu

Board of Trustees 2022 Chair Kathleen S. Jose ’87, ’94, MSN, RN

Michael J. Halloran, MBA (Treasurer) Antoinette M. Hays, PhD, RN Lee Hogan, CSJ, ’61, PhD Kristin Hokanson, SNDdeN

Members

Judy M. Lauch ’68 (CSJ Liaison)

Wael Al-Husami, MD, FACC, FACP

Kristen L. Walsh Managing Editor | kmwcreative.com

Marian Batho, CSJ, ’70 (Secretary)

Jacquelyn McCarthy, CSJ, MA, RN, LNHA

Anita Brennan-Sarmiento ’77

Patrice Tegan McCloskey

Ashley Starr Assistant Director of Advancement Communications Contributing Editor | ashley.starr@regiscollege.edu

Rosemary Brennan, CSJ, ’70, MEd, MDiv

Kathy McCluskey, CSJ, ’71, PhD

Allison S. Cartwright, JD

Jeffrey D. Navin

Lilly Pereira Designer | aldeia.design

Kevin C. Conroy, JD

Thomas P. O’Neill III, MPA

Kevin T. Conry, JD

Jigisha B. Patel, JD

Regis Today is published once a year. © 2022, Regis College, Weston, Massachusetts. All rights reserved.

The opinions expressed in Regis Today are those of the authors and not necessarily of Regis College.

Joanne Crowley ’74, MS (Vice Chair)

Lisa Thompson ’91, MBA

Camille Ferazzi ’69

Maylin S. Truesdell ’05, ’06, MS

Joe-Ann Fergus, PhD, RN

Satish Vankayalapati, MBA

John M. Gray, MBA, JD

*As of February 1, 2022

Please send address changes to: Office of Institutional Advancement, Regis College, 235 Wellesley Street, Weston, MA 02493-1571 or call 781.768.7220 or online at alumni.regiscollege.edu/updateinfo.

Glenn Morris

Cover and TOC photo: Kathleen Dooher

regıs inside

“ I’m so proud when my former students go on to become educators—and it’s a lot of them.

We are giving them jobs; we have that similar approach. It’s an incredible full circle moment.”

Dear Neighbor 02 The shifting landscape of higher education; Regis ranked a fastest-growing college; strategic planning for the future.

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Tower Views A decade of Regis success; meet Coach Diana Matthews ’95; new trustees; Professional Studies Division launch; Inclusive Excellence news; Novartis partnership; new NP residency program.

Human Before Hero 16

Courtney Joachim, PMHNP ’20 launches an online community dedicated to nurses’ mental health.

Empowering Discoveries 20 Jane (Compton) Carroll, MS ’05 on her journey from nursing to pharmacovigilance at Moderna.

Education is Liberation 26

Cory McCarthy, MEd ’20, EdD ’24 leads equity and inclusion initiatives at Everett Public Schools.

<< CO RY M CC A R T H Y, M Ed ’ 2 0, EdD ’ 24 CHIEF EQUITY OFFICER, EVERETT PUBLIC SCHOOLS STO RY O N PAG E 2 6

Departments

Features

Let It Shine 12 Gala raises nearly $700,000 for scholarships and honors Regis trustee Thomas P. O’Neill III.

14 30

Taking Action Donna Remmes, MSN ’15 volunteers in New Orleans following Hurricane Ida.

Class Notes 32 News of the classes.

In Memory 45 Remembering alumni and friends who passed away.

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Alumni Together Gatherings and events keep alumni connected.

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Alumni Spotlight Wesley Major, EdD ’15 had a nontraditional path to teaching.

Hearts & Minds Lauren Ghazal, BSN ’15, MSN ’16, PhD, FNP-BC, finds beauty amid cancer diagnosis.

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2 REGIS TODAY

“ At the core of the university’s mission is a belief that we all can and must make a difference—and because of that, Regis students graduate with a deep desire to serve others and be a force for good.”

The future. It’s something we all inevitably think about—personally, societally, globally. What does the future hold? It’s never guaranteed and at times, may be uncertain. I think we have all felt some of that in the last couple of years, in particular.

But how can we be strategic and thoughtful to ensure we are on a path to success? How can we as individuals—and as an institution at Regis—shape the future to make the world better? Two years since being thrust into a global pandemic that has reshaped the way we all live and work, we oftentimes find ourselves thinking: what’s next?

I am always thinking about what’s next for Regis and what’s best for our students. And as we develop the 2022-2025 strategic plan for the university, we are doing just that—ensuring that new initiatives and programs are centered around the evolving higher education landscape and the demographic shift of prospective students. Equity, innovation and investment, and empowerment are the three pillars of the strategic plan that will guide everything we do—and we are being intentional about creating a shorter-term plan that allows us to remain nimble and flexible. Read more about our strategic planning process at regiscollege.edu/strategicplan.

One of the market shifts we have seen over the last decade has been a demand for graduate and online education—and Regis responded by creating online programs that have grown exponentially since 2017. In fact, overall Regis enrollment has grown about 125 percent since 2011—and this past fall, we were recognized by The Business Journals as the number nine fastest-growing college or university in the country. This is an incredible accomplishment, and it is a testament to the amazing work of our entire community.

As always, the wisdom of the Sisters of St. Joseph continues to guide us as we read the signs of the times and make strategic decisions to keep building a strong future. Now we are seeing a market need for professional studies—adult learners who are looking to change careers or advance in their fields. To address this and stay ahead of the curve, we are currently working on developing a Professional Studies Division to expand upon our certificate and degree completion offerings.

Set to launch in June 2022, these programs will create solutions and opportunities for non-traditional students while building the workforce pipeline—which is critical especially amid the pandemic. (Read more on page 7.)

Regis College has been making a positive impact on the world since the CSJs founded this institution 95 years ago. (Yes, Regis is just five years away from its centennial!) At the core of the university’s mission is a belief that we all can and must make a difference—and because of that, Regis students graduate with a deep desire to serve others and be a force for good. And the incredible growth we are experiencing means that there are more Regis alums out there making the world a better place for everyone.

This edition of Regis Today gives you a glimpse into the lives of a few of these heroic alumni doing great work in myriad fields. From analyzing vaccine data to advocating for equity to tackling the mental health crisis—and so much more— our alums are on the front lines shaping our future for the better.

You are the future. And because of you, the future is bright.

Antoinette M. Hays, PhD, RN PRESIDENT

Photo (left): Brian Smith

neighbor

3 WINTER 2022

3,400+ 18k+ Overall Regis Enrollment: Undergraduate, Graduate, and Doctoral

2,000 Online Enrollment

Alumni Around the World

27%

First-Generation Undergraduates

Regis Ranked Among Fastest-Growing Colleges in the Country Just 10 years ago, Regis had approximately 1,500 students from 17 states. Today, Regis has more than 3,400 students from all 50 states and several countries around the world. Regis was named on The Business Journals list of the top 25 fastest-growing colleges or universities in the United States as the number nine school, citing an 87 percent increase in enrollment over the past five years.

•R egis launches its iPad initiative, expanding its digital footprint and creating innovative advances in the curriculum.

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Photo: Paige Brown

•R egis breaks ground on its Master Plan to make significant updates to the campus.

Photo: Kathleen Dooher

•R egis hosts its first Let It Shine Gala, honoring Virginia Pyne Kaneb ’57 and raising nearly $1 million for student scholarships. Special guests include Red Sox Hall of Fame member Jim Rice, Jack Connors, and Governor Charlie Baker.

•P resident Antoinette M. Hays, PhD, RN, is inaugurated as the tenth president of Regis College.

•R egis establishes the Center for Global Connections, creating opportunities for Regis students to study abroad and connect with educational opportunities around the world.

Ten years after President Antoinette M. Hays, PhD, RN, was inaugurated, Regis celebrates the great strides and transformational growth that the university has made under her leadership. Watch more in this short video: https://regisma.me/decade

•R egis North satellite campus in Lawrence, Massachusetts, opens with several bachelorcompletion programs.

•R egis completes several components of its campus Master Plan and cuts the ribbon to open the new quad, the Lorraine Tegan Learning Commons, and Maria Hall Extension.

Photo: Ron Rego

REGIS TODAY

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Photo: Stephen Sedman

A DECADE OF SUCCESS

•R egis is recognized

by Apple as an Apple Distinguished School for its leadership and educational excellence with the iPad initiative.

•R egis launches Now We Fly: The Campaign for Regis, its largestever fundraising campaign with a $40 million goal.

•T he Center for Inclusive Excellence opens.

•L aunch of Regis College Online graduate programs.

•R egis joins the Great Northeast Athletic Conference with its 20 NCAA athletic teams.

•T hree-year bachelor’s degrees and accelerated fast track programs launched.

•F amily of the late trustee emeritus and longtime supporter Richard “Dick” W. Young, PhD, and Sheila Young, make a campaign gift to name the Richard and Sheila Young School of Nursing— the first of Regis’ four schools to be named.

•L aunch of the Institutional Action Plan to Address Systemic Racism.

•R egis receives the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award (also in 2021).

Regis College

5 WINTER 2022

2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 •R egis confers master’s degrees to 37 Haitian nurses through the Regis College Haiti Project.

•R egis is recognized as the No. 9 fastest-growing college in the country by The Business Journals.

•R egis completes its most ambitious comprehensive campaign, Now We Fly, exceeding the $40 million goal.

•R egis opens a state-of-the-art Dental Center in Waltham, Massachusetts, for its dental hygiene program.

•R egis celebrates its sixth Let It Shine Gala, bringing the total raised for student scholarships through the gala to $4.5 million.

•R egis named a Top 100 Women-Led Business in Massachusetts by The Commonwealth Institute (also in 2020, 2021, and 2022).

•R egis names the Marshall M. Sloane School of Business and Communication in memory of longtime Regis supporter and friend Marshall M. Sloane.

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Br e

Photo: Paige Brown

•R egis opens the Autism Center within the Regis College Children’s Center.

tt

Q&A with

Diana Matthews ’95 Head Coach of Men’s & Women’s Swimming & Diving and Aquatic Director

6

In fall 2021, Diana Matthews ’95 returned to Regis as head coach, bringing more than a decade of coaching experience at Winchester High School. As a Regis student-athlete on the Women’s Swimming & Diving team, Matthews specialized in the sprint freestyle and backstroke events.

REGIS TODAY

Why are you excited about working in college athletics? Coaching NCAA [National Collegiate Athletic Association] swimming is an exciting opportunity, but more importantly returning to Regis to fulfill the dream is priceless. My office has a view of the pool. There are days I find myself staring out at the pool quiet and still before practice. My mind starts racing back to the memories of my college swimming days. I hope my athletes have a great experience and can look back someday with the same fondness I do.

What are your priorities as head coach? My goals as a head coach are to help my student-athletes do well in the classroom, pool, and community. We are more than just athletes. I preach the importance of education and studying, which I learned from my Regis coach Ray Harrington. We work hard in the pool every day, but we also spend time together outside of school and swimming— because even though we are a team, each person has their own goals. I always have my office door open for swimmers to come by at any point if needed.

What is the biggest lesson you learned as a student-athlete under Hall of Fame head coach Ray Harrington? The greatest gift Ray gave his athletes was the strength of education. During my four years in college, we earned NCAA All-Academic Team ranking every semester and he took pride in our academic success.

Ray was so much more than a coach. He was also a father figure, role model, friend, and support system. To this day, I always try to coach as Ray would.

Learn more about Regis Pride Athletics: goregispride.com

What is it like to be back at Regis? I returned to campus to begin my career on my wedding anniversary. I was married in the Regis Chapel 18 years earlier on a beautiful sunny day. The weather was similar, and I was in awe that I was back on campus.

Things have changed in the nearly 27 years since graduation but some things near and dear were still the same. The drive up to College Hall is still the most beautiful view, the pool is still a happy place, and the campus is still something special. It has been a journey over time. I am now married and the mother of four kids, but when I am on campus I feel young again.

New Trustees Patrice Tegan McCloskey is chief information officer of Communications Technology Services, LLC, a firm providing wireless and network solutions for enterprises and mobile network operators based in Marlborough, Massachusetts. A former director of software development at Workgroup Technology and software engineer at Digital Equipment Corporation, McCloskey’s extensive technology and business process expertise spans more than three decades.

She volunteers on many boards including serving as treasurer of the Neighborhood Outreach Connection in her hometown of Hilton Head, South Carolina, and member of the Plantation Garden Club. She received a bachelor’s degree in computer science and mathematics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a master’s degree in computer sciences from Brown University.

Jeffrey Navin is the vice president of project management and procurement at Consigli Construction Co., Inc. He brings more than 23 years of experience to his role, providing strategic direction and corporate leadership across all regions and markets.

As a member of Consigli’s leadership team and Board of Directors, Navin has contributed to scaling the company from a local, Massachusetts-based contractor to one of the largest general contractors in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

He has played a significant role in leading business operations including acquisitions, implementing integrated project management systems, and developing the next generation of leaders. In addition, he oversees some of Consigli’s most complex, high-profile projects in the academic, life science, and developer markets.

Navin helped to transition Consigli from a fourth-generation family business to a 100 percent employee-owned company.

He is a member of organizations including the Associated General Contractors of Massachusetts Board of Directors and the Worcester Polytechnic Institute Civil and Environmental Engineering Board of Advisors.

REGIS GIVING DAY More than 400 members of the Regis community came together to raise more than $101,000 on February 14, making it the most successful Regis Giving Day yet. Alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, trustees, and friends made gifts to support six different areas: the Dear Neighbor Fund, service trips, athletics, Regis In Haiti, inclusive excellence, and where it’s needed most (unrestricted).

Learn more about Giving Day, see the final fundraising results, and view photos and videos: alumni.regiscollege.edu/givingday

REMEMBERING BETTY ANN HYNES ELLIOTT ’49 Betty Ann Hynes Elliott ’49—a beloved and devoted alumna and former office assistant on the Institutional Advancement and Alumni Relations team for more than 40 years—passed away in November 2021. She is remembered for her quick wit, kindness, and friendship to all, and the Regis community will forever cherish and appreciate her commitment and generosity to her alma mater.

Regis College will launch a new Professional Studies Division to help address the ongoing workforce development needs in nursing and health sciences.

With an already robust portfolio of degree completion programs and certificates, this new division will elevate both tracks and position Regis to further support career growth for adult and non-traditional learners.

“The Professional Studies Division reinforces Regis College’s commitment to meet the needs of today’s workforce, particularly in the nursing and health sciences fields,” said President Antoinette Hays, PhD, RN. “Those needs are evolving and so is Regis. We will be part of the solution to this crisis.”

A nationwide nursing shortage, accelerated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, continues to strain the health care system. In addition to graduating 600 nurses into the workforce pipeline each year, Regis College will now have an infrastructure to support curricula and certificate programs to strengthen employees’ skills set and further infuse the workforce pipeline.

Regis College boasts more than 80 strategic industry partners across the country that will play a critical role in the development of new programming. The Professional Studies Division will offer certificate programs that will close workforce development gaps and build pathways for employees.

“I am thrilled to share the Board of Trustees’ unanimous support of President Hays’ vision for the Professional Studies Division at Regis College,” said trustee chairwoman Kathleen Jose ’87, ’94, former senior vice president and the first chief nursing officer at Lahey Clinic Medical Center.

“Through collaborative work with industry partners, this new division will provide programs that meet the needs of our community and the workforce.”

Slated to launch in 2022, the Professional Studies Division will provide flexible learning modalities. Programs will be taught by industry experts and offerings will evolve based on the ever-changing needs of the workforce. Regis will also tap into the educational infrastructure of its Young School of Nursing and leverage the real-world experience of faculty.

“We are excited to create nimble academic structures,” said Mary Erina Driscoll, PhD, Regis’ vice president of academic affairs and provost. “Our degree completion and certificate programs will provide intellectual rigor in an accessible format attractive to students of all ages and stages of life.”

7 WINTER 2022

I N M E M O RY

Regis to Launch Professional Studies Division

8 REGIS TODAY

Say Her Name, Discover Her Life Tamika Palmer is the mother of Breonna Taylor, a Black woman and emergency medical technician who was shot and killed in her apartment by Louisville police in March 2020. Lawana Brown, director of the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Program and assistant professor at Regis, and Faydene Small-Jones, BSN ’06, MSN ’09, DNP ’21, an ICU nurse at the Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital and Steward St. Elizabeth Medical Center who is pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at Regis, sat down with Palmer in June 2021 to remember Taylor and her passion for helping others, as well as discuss her aspiration to become a nurse.

Watch the interview:

For the second year in a row, Regis received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.

Announced in September 2021, the annual award recognizes U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.

“Recognition for a second year in a row demonstrates our strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at Regis,” said Regis College President Antoinette M. Hays, PhD, RN. “Under the leadership of Vice President for Inclusive Excellence Audrey Grace, we will continue to make this effort a top priority for our students and employees.”

The university’s diversity and inclusion efforts continue to have a tremendous impact on the campus community. Regis has made significant progress instituting its Action Plan to Address Racism, which was launched in 2020. Among the goals already reached are an institutionwide self-identification campaign, the creation of an inclusive excellence committee of the Board of Trustees, racial healing workshops for senior leaders, and several workshops for faculty on building an inclusive curriculum.

R E A D I N G F R E D E R I C K D O U G L ASS W I T H P O E T R EG I E G I B S O N In November 2021, Regis hosted a live reading of Frederick Douglass’ famed “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” speech performed by literary performer and educator Regie Gibson and students from the Regis Department of Humanities. The program, which was held in the Fine Arts Center, was made possible by a grant from Mass Humanities, which provided funding through the Mass Cultural Council.

“My students have been struck by Douglass’ ability to name the systemic racist practices that have tarnished this country’s promises of freedom and justice for all,” said Regis English Professor Julia Lisella, PhD.

9 WINTER 2022

Photo (left): Maria Oswalt/Unsplash

Regis Receives Excellence in Diversity Award

The fiat of the Almighty, “Let there be Light,” has not yet spent its force. No abuse, no outrage whether in taste, sport or avarice, can now hide itself from the all-pervading light.

AUDREY GRACE NAMED INAUGURAL VICE PRESIDENT FOR INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE Since she joined Regis as chief diversity officer and associate vice president for inclusive excellence in spring 2020, Audrey Grace, JD, has been a champion for social justice, equity, and inclusion at the university. A little more than a year later, she was promoted to the inaugural vice president for inclusive excellence.

Under Grace’s direction, Regis College received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine in 2020 and 2021. Regis joined the Campus Pride Index, a national benchmarking tool of colleges’ and universities’ commitment to LGBTQ-inclusive policy, program, and practice.

In March 2022, Regis will host its first justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion conference for all CSJ sponsored ministries and congregation ministries thanks to a “Neighbor to Neighbor” grant received from the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston.

Learn more about the Center for Inclusive Excellence: regiscollege. edu/about-regis/ center-inclusiveexcellence

+ Focus on Health

Regis Awards MNA Scholarship Honoring Front Line Workers

10 REGIS TODAY

When Samantha Gevry ’25 was accepted to Regis College, she thought one way she could relieve some stress for her mother—a nurse who has worked on the front lines throughout the pandemic—was to apply for the Regis College/Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) scholarship, a four-year, fulltuition undergraduate scholarship for dependents of MNA members working on the pandemic front lines.

“Especially at the beginning of the pandemic when we didn’t know as much about COVID-19, getting called in for a shift was kind of scary [for her],” Gevry said. “She’d be in the operating room and wouldn’t know if a patient had COVID-19.”

Gevry was selected as a scholarship recipient and started at Regis in fall 2021.

“We are so proud to welcome Samantha to the Regis College community,” said President Antoinette M. Hays, PhD, RN. “Like so many front line health care workers and their families, Samantha and her mother have faced numerous challenges, and we thank them for their sacrifices.

Samantha’s drive and determination to improve the health care system embodies the spirit of this scholarship.”

Gevry plans to pursue a career as a nurse practitioner or nurse anesthetist—and the pandemic did not deter her from her dream. “If anything it made me want to be a nurse even more. Nurses were so critical to the response and I want to be able to help people every day no matter what is going on.”

“ Samantha’s drive and determination to improve the health care system embodies the spirit of this scholarship.”

President Antoinette M. Hays, PhD, RN

Regis Partners with Leading Pharmaceutical Company

Continuing its mission as a leader in nursing education, Regis has partnered with Greater Lawrence Family Health Center and Holy Family Hospital to launch an innovative nurse practitioner residency program. Similar to a physician residency, this program gives new nurse practitioners extensive clinical experience under the supervision of a veteran provider; in this case, a fellow nurse practitioner.

“In practice there tends to be a gap between when someone finishes their degree program and starts their clinical work,” said Ed Travers, an associate professor at Regis who helps lead the program.

“This residency program provides greater support as new nurse practitioners get up to speed. Their faculty mentor is with them every step of the way.”

Elsa Sullivan ’21 grew up in an underserved community in southeast New Mexico, where access to quality health care was very limited. And when there was access, many family, friends, and neighbors still forwent care because they couldn’t afford it. So when an opportunity arose for the newly graduated Regis nurse practitioner to work directly with a similar community, Sullivan jumped at it.

“The people we are working with is who I grew up with,” said Sullivan. “It is definitely full circle for me.”

Sullivan began working in September at a new Greater Lawrence Family Health Center clinic in Haverhill, Massachusetts. The goal is for Sullivan to have about two-and-a-half patient visits an hour, which is significantly more than a typical new NP. This is possible because she is seeing the patients with faculty mentor Lesly Harris, assistant professor in the graduate department of the Young School of Nursing.

“You can always share your experiences with the next generation,” Harris said of why she signed on to be a faculty lead. “This opportunity gives a new NP more time to learn in the clinic from someone who already has several more years of experience. This is why a NP residency is so important.”

11 WINTER 2022

Regis has partnered with Novartis in their novel academy program that offers an experiential and rigorous learning opportunity for those interested in a career in clinical research operations and supporting the development of therapeutic care.

“We are excited to have this unique partnership with a major biomedical company,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Mary Erina Driscoll, PhD. “Through the development of this program we recognized the highly structured work Novartis is doing can be used as active clinical credits in our courses.”

The two-year academy started in January 2022 with a cohort of eight fellows. It includes hands-on learning with Novartis’ clinical research operations—including many functions that support studies ranging from neuroscience to cardiovascular disease to liver disease—as well as courses at Regis that will culminate in the fellows receiving a certificate in clinical research management.

The fellows will have also completed more than half of the number of credits required toward a master’s in regulatory and clinical research management at Regis.

“There are so many biotech firms just in Massachusetts and the number of people with clinical research work is in high demand,” said Laura Burke, dean of the School of Health Sciences. “It is really a fantastic opportunity. The experience at Novartis will put these fellows in a position to grow in the clinical research field.”

In the first year of the academy, the fellows will take on the role of a study operations manager, shadow Novartis clinical research employees, and over time be given more tasks and responsibilities that will make them integral parts of the study teams.

“We will also give them opportunities to explore the aspects of clinical research they are most interested in,” said Geraldine Brucelle, study operations lead at Novartis. “So if they want to become a clinical trial lead, or are more interested in data sciences, or clinical finances, they can spend more time on one area or the other as they progress through the program.”

NEW NP RESIDENCY PROGRAM

LET IT SHINE

Regis trustee Thomas P. O’Neill III accepts the Shining Example Award from Let It Shine Chair Paul Lonergan (left) and President Antoinette M. Hays, PhD, RN.

REGIS GALA

12 REGIS TODAY THANK YOU TO OUR TOP SPONSORS PRESENTING SPONSOR

Regis Board of Trustees INSPIRED LEADERS

Regis Domitilla Society Thomas and Shelly O’Neill CHANGE MAKERS

Bank of America Marshall-Glocker Family Bill and Jane Mosakowski Brian Young To see all sponsors and to learn more about Let It Shine, visit alumni.regiscollege.edu/letitshine.

Regis College’s sixth annual Let It Shine Gala on October 27, 2021, raised nearly $700,000 for scholarships that will help provide greater access to higher education for deserving students.

More than 230 people attended the in-person event at the Four Seasons Hotel Boston, chaired by President of Congress Wealth Management and former Regis trustee Paul Lonergan and emceed by Boston radio personality and Regis parent Sue Brady Hartigan. Guests were required to be fully vaccinated to attend.

Regis honored trustee Thomas P. O’Neill III (pictured above) with the Shining Example Award for his dedication to public service, Catholic education, and the university. A former state legislator and lieutenant governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, O’Neill’s work has long focused on the intersection of government, business, and nonprofit causes. He was instrumental in Regis’ successful $40 million Now We Fly comprehensive campaign, serving as one of the campaign’s co-chairs.

“I’m proud to be part of the family of Regis,” said O’Neill. “The Sisters of Saint Joseph created the mission, and it’s the very same mission today that it was back then. I’m proud to be part of the team and I’m proud to receive this honor.”

Since it was launched in 2016, Regis’ Let It Shine Gala has raised more than $4.5 million for student scholarships. “As a member of the Regis community for 35 years—and as president for more than 10 years—I have always known that an investment in Regis students is a strong investment in the future,” said President Antoinette M. Hays, PhD, RN. “Our students graduate with a deep desire to serve others in a way that makes the world a better place for everyone.”

ELLS MINE SAINT-PAUL

Meet the Student Scholars As part of the dinner program, two Regis student scholars spoke to Let It Shine sponsors and guests about their journeys to and at Regis College— and the impact their scholarships have had on their ability to pursue their dreams. Read on to learn more.

TIMOTHY O’BRIEN

ELLS MINE SAINT-PAUL

TIMOTHY O’BRIEN

As an immigrant, I came to Regis because it offered me that sense of belonging and hope through the values and character that the school upholds.

It was a place that saw me, and a place that I could strengthen the core of my personal norms and values.

Now in my junior year, I use my voice and confidence as a leader to advocate for myself. But I also advocate for and support other people of color and firstgeneration students through the peer mentoring program and my work at the Center for Inclusive Excellence and club e-boards.

I hope one day I will be able to make a difference in the world of science and help students achieve their goals just like you are doing for me. Because of you all, I am, and I thank you.

As a Presidential Catholic Schools Scholarship recipient, I’m fortunate to be part of a tight-knit community of scholars who are committed to helping those in need.

I currently work as a mental health specialist at McLean Hospital’s geriatric psychiatry unit, where I’ve gained experience providing excellent medical and psychiatric care to some of the most vulnerable populations.

All of my experiences have been guided by the values of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston, caring for the dear neighbor without distinction.

Photos by Paige Brown

Class of 2023 Biomedical Engineering major

Class of 2023 Neuroscience major

To read the full speeches and watch videos, visit alumni.regiscollege.edu/ gala21speeches.

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The Power of Hope Donna Remmes, MSN ’15 volunteers in New Orleans following Hurricane Ida

14 REGIS TODAY

Hurricane Ida was making landfall in Louisiana in August 2021 when Donna Remmes, MSN ’15 received a call from Project HOPE, a nonprofit organization that provides medical assistance during disaster and crisis events. The very next day she was on a flight to New Orleans—ready to put her 25 years of nursing experience to good use.

Just five months earlier, Remmes—from Wrentham, Massachusetts—was working at CVS providing vaccination support when she signed up to volunteer with Project HOPE, thinking she may be sent on an assignment nearby in Boston or Rhode Island. But when she got the call to head all the way down to Louisiana, she didn’t hesitate.

“I never imagined I would be doing something like this,” says Remmes, who graduated from the adult geriatric nurse practitioner (AGNP) program in Regis’ Young School of Nursing. “But it was the most important thing I have ever done as a nurse.”

Remmes credits Regis for helping prepare her for a crisis situation like the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. “Regis taught me advanced skills that allow me to practice nursing in any setting. And the cultural competence I learned as part of my courses helps me effectively communicate and treat patients in different parts of the United States, such as New Orleans, as well as those of different socioeconomic levels, ages, and races.”

And in this case, Remmes really was practicing nursing in a whole new setting. She slept at the public health department building in New Orleans for eight days because it was the only space available.

“New Orleans was in crisis,” Remmes says.

“There was so much happening—no electricity

citywide, ambulances and EMTs were scarce, and hospitals were overrun with COVID-19 patients.”

She found herself performing myriad tasks—from helping evacuate buildings to providing emergency medical and psychiatric care and wellness checks.

While assisting in the evacuation of an elderly housing complex, Remmes noticed many residents were distraught and anxious, not knowing where they were going or when they could return to their homes.

She knew she had to remain calm and focused.

“I made a quick decision and jumped on the bus to make sure they had a familiar face with them,” Remmes recalls. “Once we arrived at the shelter, I stayed with the group until I found volunteers to help get them food, and I made sure there was a plan before leaving.”

Witnessing the strength and compassion of everyone she met kept Remmes motivated during difficult times.

“The people of New Orleans were incredible,” she says. “It was heartwarming to see the way they watched out for each other—offering support in any way they could.”

The Project HOPE Emergency Response Team helped provide medical services to more than 1,045 people affected by Hurricane Ida in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish. Remmes says she was honored to be a member of the team, and she looks forward to answering the next call from Project HOPE and going wherever she is needed most.

“Regis taught me to serve my dear neighbors,” says Remmes. “It is a blessing to be able to contribute the best way I know how. I want to be there to help people during their most vulnerable moments— to offer comfort and hope.”

Photos: Harley Jones, Morgan Loomis

B Y A S H L E Y S TA R R

DONNA REMMES, MSN ’15

Above: Hurricane Ida damage in Galliano, Louisiana.

15 WINTER 2022

“ Regis taught me to serve my dear neighbors. It is a blessing to be able to contribute the best way I know how ... I never imagined I would be doing something like this, but it was the most important thing I have ever done as a nurse.”

Courtney Joachim, PMHNP ’20 launches online community to help nurses prioritize their mental health

16 REGIS TODAY

Human Before Hero

STORY BY A S H L E Y S TA R R PHOTOS BY REBECCA ROSE

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses are working relentlessly on the front lines to keep communities safe—making unimaginable sacrifices to save lives amid a global health crisis.

But who is taking care of them?

17 WINTER 2022

I

t’s a question that Courtney Joachim, PMHNP ’20 set out to answer. At just 22 years old, she had recently graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and was working as a registered nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) when she found herself sitting in her car at the beginning of every shift crying—and trying to find the willpower to walk into the hospital.

“I was getting more and more anxious going to work,” Joachim recalls.

“I was lucky to get a sip of water in each shift and I was sleeping less and less on work nights, which made me extremely irritable during the day.”

When COVID-19 hit, Joachim’s already grueling schedule was amplified.

Admitting these concerns to herself was hard enough for her—but saying them out loud or asking for help seemed impossible, especially as she watched so many patients suffer with COVID-19. “Feelings of guilt and shame for not loving my job were constant.”

Joachim found herself in an endless cycle, sitting in her car outside the hospital day after day for nearly eight months before admitting that she was burned out and ready to share her story and take action—not just for herself, but for all nurses.

MIND AND BODY

18 REGIS TODAY

When Joachim made the difficult— and what she can now define as “selfless”—decision to put herself first, she cut her hours working at the hospital and decided to try a different approach.

“I began to trust my gut and turn down the noise of everyone around me,” Joachim says.

The process led Joachim to Regis College for the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) track to pursue her passion of breaking down the stigma attached to mental health.

Joachim was inspired to learn from faculty and fellow Regis students who felt strongly about serving others and supporting the nursing community.

“Not only does Regis have a renowned nursing program but it is close to my hometown of Concord, Massachusetts,” she explains. “I really wanted to learn in my community to be of the most service and give back.”

Going into the psychiatric field transformed the way Joachim viewed the nursing profession and how she thought about serving her patients.

“It was hard managing someone’s blood pressure only to realize they couldn’t or wouldn’t take care of themselves,” says Joachim. “I wanted to get to the root of the issue and understand why they didn’t want to take care of themselves so I could help them be as happy and healthy

as possible—both physically and mentally.”

FOR NURSES, BY NURSES

Joachim was looking for an outlet—a place where she could connect with other nurses to share her experiences and feelings. When she turned to social media, she found that she quickly gained followers who shared similar stories. She had organically found an inclusive community: a safe space to “get real” about the challenges nurses face and shift the conversation to mental health. And right then and there the idea of Shift Change was born. Joachim founded a genuine and knowledgeable company that works with nurses in the health care field who are ready to prioritize their mental health.

“I realized there is a serious lack of resources for nurses in dealing with these things, so I shifted my focus to creating a program that reflects all of the things that have been helpful to me,” Joachim says.

She credits Regis for providing not only the clinical experiences necessary to launch Shift Change, but also the motivation, through the support of classmates and fellow nurses.

“Regis gave me the tools to take care of myself—including taking breaks as needed and ensuring I’m always aligned with my purpose and why I chose nursing,” Joachim says.

Joachim hosts webinars about stress and burnout, as well as workout and mediation sessions to

fully connect the mind and body.

Her favorite part of Shift Change is her one-on-one, six-week mentoring program to break down the good, the bad, and the ugly of shift-working life. Being able to connect with other nurses and offer them the tools she wishes she had early in her career is why she began this venture.

INVESTING IN YOURSELF

Joachim has been blown away by the positive messages that flood her inbox. “As a nurse, I was struggling between taking care of others and finding the time to take care of myself,” shares one member of the Shift Change community. “I have learned that putting myself first isn’t selfish, it’s a necessity.”

Joachim aspires to make an even broader impact by having her mental wellness workshops integrated into nursing education and hospitals.

<< Courtney Joachim, PMHNP ’20 (center) with her nursing friends.

Prioritizing mental health

Courtney Joachim, PMHNP ’20 offers these tips: ocus on what you can •F control: how you treat yourself, how you show up, and what you do outside of work.

•D ecrease work hours (if possible) or change your shift to better accommodate your life.

“ Being a nurse is being a role model after all, and I owed it to my patients to take the best care of me so I can take the best care of them.”

“The hope is to change the culture of health care,” she says. “Nurses don’t always need to be this perfect, indestructible being. It’s okay to be human, because we are human.”

Joachim is currently working with an acute psychiatry team in the emergency department at MGH to help others navigate through their own mental health journey.

“Over the years, with a lot of reflection and hard work, I’ve gone down to the basics to learn about how I treat my body, how that influences my mindset, and how my mindset influences my body,” Joachim says. “Being a nurse is being a role model after all, and I owed it to my patients to take the best care of me so I can take the best care of them.”

CO U R T N E Y J OAC H I M , PMHNP ’20

Visit shiftchangeco.co to learn more about Shift Change, and visit regiscollege.edu/nursing to learn more about the Young School of Nursing.

•C hange your setting or specialty.

•T rust your gut: Know what triggers threaten your mental health and do not put yourself in a situation that would compromise that. If it is time to move on or get a different job to prioritize your mental health, do so.

Follow your passions to keep your soul fulfilled.

•C ontinue learning: Try going back to school or joining a committee to explore a passion or rekindle your career.

•B e honest: If you’re able to be vulnerable, tell the truth.

You might be surprised to find out you aren’t the only one experiencing what you’re feeling.

19 WINTER 2022

•T ake time off to recharge and reflect: Take a vacation; stay home and spend time with your loved ones; get into nature and enjoy nature being free.

20

REGIS TODAY

Illustrations by Stocksy / The Laundry Room / Noun Project

Jane (Compton) Carroll, MS ’05 makes a global impact as a leader at Moderna.

STO RY BY K R I ST E N WA L S H P H OTOS BY KAT H L E E N D O O H E R

21 WINTER 2022

EMPOWERING DISCºVERIES

S 22

ometimes, timing is everything. When Jane (Compton) Carroll, MS ’05 headed to her mother’s home in Scituate, Massachusetts, weary from a shift as an emergency department (ED) nurse the night before, she expected it to be a typical Sunday afternoon visit. But when Barbara (Glacken) Compton ’64 pulled a Regis College graduate program flyer off the kitchen counter and handed it to her daughter, the wheels started turning.

REGIS TODAY

“I loved trauma nursing, but it can also be grueling seeing people at the hardest times of their life,” Carroll says of working in the Boston Medical Center ED. “I wasn’t sure that was going to be what made me happy for a long, sustainable career and I was already having those sorts of internal thoughts.”

It was a crisp late fall day in 2004; the foliage on the drive evidenced the changing New England season— indicative of how Carroll’s career was about to change.

She recalls reading about the Regis Master of Science in Regulatory Affairs, particularly the option to focus on health product regulation and health policy.

“I thought it was a really innovative direction for nurses to work in pharma or other industries,” Carroll says. “I was interested.”

Finding Inspiration

Very soon after, Carroll signed up for an information session at Regis and enrolled in the program full time. She dove into topics like pharmaceutical drug development and how to bring a molecule through product development and regulatory approval. She remembers one evening when she listened to a guest speaker who was a registered nurse and worked for a major pharmaceutical company.

“She talked about pharmacovigilance and how she felt like she was nursing on a global scale,” Carroll says. “Her job was monitoring the safety of medication and making sure that the risks are understood and managed. That really spoke to me, and I knew that was what I wanted to do.”

When Carroll learned that the Regis program required an internship in a related field, it was a classmate working at Genzyme who told her about an opening for a health and regulatory archivist at the company. Carroll landed a three-month internship and soaked up all she could about documentation practices and inspection readiness.

And, thanks to that classmate, she networked with people on the company’s pharmacovigilance team.

“I was able to have an educated conversation about what I knew from my Regis courses, what I wanted to learn, and what I had to offer,” Carroll says of the informal meetings she had. Three weeks later, she was offered a contract position that led to a full-time job at Genzyme as a safety specialist working on a unique clinical trial related to cardiac cell regrowth.

“What we do in pharmacovigilance is collect adverse events or side effect reports from clinical trials and

people all over the world after a drug is approved,” Carroll explains.

“The rigorous process requires a team of experts including physicians and scientists who analyze the data with a goal of determining any potential risks of a medication, and what needs to be done to mitigate or manage these risks.”

Safety First

When one of her colleagues left Genzyme to join EMD Serono Inc. on Boston’s south shore, Carroll was recruited to join the team at the 350-year-old biopharmaceutical company that develops and offers therapies for specialty-care conditions like multiple sclerosis, infertility, and cancer.

The 15-year stint included positions of increasing scope focused on pharmacovigilance.

“I started to simplify some of the processes and use some digital tools for the successful operationalization of U.S. drug safety strategies including those related to case processing, commercial programs, clinical development plans, and regulatory reporting,” Carroll says.

Next, she was promoted to a role responsible for affiliate safety strategy in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and South America. “I learned so much about the culture and the amazing people and how their governments interact. Health systems in different countries are all somewhat different when it comes to how they consider adverse event reporting and public health.”

Carroll’s final post at EMD Serono was head of global patient safety regions and transformation office.

“I led a transformation across the

“

WHAT I

ABSOLUTELY

LOVE ABOUT MY

JOB IS THE

IMPACT OF THE WORK WE DO IN OUR VIGILANCE.” JANE (COMPTON) CARROLL, MS ’05

“I’m contributing to science and technology in ways that I never imagined.”

24 REGIS TODAY pharmacovigilance group, both the operations and the medical safety side, as we changed our operating model to really focus on the benefit-risk profiles of our products and streamline and prioritize our operational activities. It was really exciting to be a part of this strategic transformation.”

Proving Your Worth

It was in 2021, about a year after the pandemic hit, that Carroll became vice president of pharmacovigilance

operations at Moderna in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In the realm of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, Moderna was small and young—founded in 2010. But the company had proven itself as a leader in the development and authorization of a COVID-19 vaccine based on a technology called messenger RNA (mRNA).

According to the Centers for Disease Control, “mRNA vaccines use mRNA created in a laboratory to teach our cells how to make a

protein—or even just a piece of a protein—that triggers an immune response inside our bodies. That immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects us from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies.” Moderna had been working on this vaccine technology long before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Many people may recall that when they received their vaccine, they were educated to report any adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which is co-sponsored by CDC and FDA. As a result of this education, VAERS received 10 times more adverse events in 2021 for COVID-19 vaccines than all vaccines in 2020,” Carroll says.

“My job in pharmacovigilance operations is to make sure that we’re receiving all of those reports and processing them within our central database so the physicians on our team can analyze any new information.

The high volume of adverse effect reports was an incredible opportunity for me to streamline and digitize our processes in a really agile way.”

Carroll understands the magnitude of her work. “Moderna sees itself as a platform company—a digital company that also develops mRNA vaccines and is exploring and developing therapeutics for oncology, immunology, and other disease areas. So we have the opportunity to build the right digital platform from the beginning.”

Collective Purpose

Getting it right is something that Moderna is committed to, particularly when it comes to accelerating the development of mRNA vaccines to prevent serious diseases. It’s an admirable goal but one that comes with logistical challenges, including those that Carroll worked on to help make the COVID-19 vaccine available outside of the U.S. “We are literally having conversations with governments about

Full Circle Moment

When Carroll reflects on her journey from nursing to pharmacovigilance, she isn’t surprised that her mother

suggested the master’s program at Regis.

“Growing up I always knew that my mother and aunt [Cynthia Glacken ’65] graduated from Regis; it’s in our DNA,” Carroll jokes.

Compton was a “day hop” student, commuting from nearby Waban, who majored in psychology with a minor in education. She laughs as she remembers taking field hockey for a physical education requirement.

“Our one-piece maroon uniforms were just slightly above the knee.

We were not allowed to walk across campus to the playing field in those ‘skimpy’ things so we would don our trench coats to cover up as we walked over.”

Fast forward to Compton’s kitchen when she read the Regis flyer. “I was thinking it was smart of Regis to offer so many programs, undergraduate and graduate, for nurses.

I saved it for Jane to see. She had been working as a nurse in a major hospital trauma ED for several years and was thinking of moving on. I put the information aside for her and it didn’t take long before she was enrolled at Regis.”

Compton is clearly proud of her daughter’s career. “Jane received her master’s degree from Regis and had an immediate offer from a big biotech company. From then on, it’s been a rewarding and successful climb up the ladder to her really important position at Moderna today.

I am so very proud of my smart, capable daughter. And I’m happy that my Regis connection played a small part.”

Carroll is happy too. “I’m grateful to my mother for saving that flyer and sharing it with me; and I’m grateful to Regis. It gave me the foundation that I needed to enter the pharmaceutical and biotech industry and make an impact.”

Jane (Compton) Carroll, MS ’05 and her mother Barbara (Glacken) Compton ’64 share a love for Regis.

“PROUD I AM SO VERY

OF MY SMART, CAPABLE DAUGHTER. AND I’M HAPPY THAT MY REGIS CONNECTION PLAYED A SMALL PART.” BARBARA (GLACKEN) COMPTON ’64

25 WINTER 2022

how we’re going to exchange sideeffect information and how we can comply with their different regulations—what they’re going to do and what we’re going to do to ensure public health.”

Carroll relies on some of what she learned in a Regis economics course.

“We discussed the intricacies of health policies in different countries.

That information has helped me to guide my team through these conversations with government agencies all over the world.”

When Carroll considers what keeps her inspired on the job, it relates to the people. “What I absolutely love about my job is the impact of the work we do in our vigilance. I always imagine the example of a woman in her 40s who is diagnosed with cancer and faced with the daunting decision of which treatment is best for her. My job is to help empower that woman with information, so she understands the risks associated with each treatment choice in order to make the best decision for herself.”

She sees connections between her work in the biotech industry and nursing. “Pharmacovigilance is nursing on a totally different scale.

Instead of helping one individual patient at a time, we have this unbelievably important duty to share vaccine safety information with magnitudes of people at any given time.

And that is just incredibly exciting.”

Carroll gets emotional just thinking about it. “I’m in awe of Moderna bringing this vaccine to hundreds of millions of people around the world—and in such a short time. It’s hard work, but you can literally feel a shared sense of purpose when you walk into the office building. It’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced professionally; I’m contributing to science and technology in ways that I never imagined.”

Cory McCarthy, MEd ’20, EdD ’24, chief equity officer for Everett Public Schools

Education is

Liberation When Cory McCarthy, MEd ’20, EdD ’24 was packing to move to a new apartment in Winthrop, Massachusetts, he got rid of his collection of firstplace coaching trophies but held on to the secondplace ones. It might sound odd, but for McCarthy, it’s a mental reminder to keep working hard.

“I have to remember the times I didn’t win; it keeps me hungry,” McCarthy says. That kind of philosophy has informed more than two decades of McCarthy’s work to help change the societal narrative for underserved students. His current role is chief equity officer for Everett Public Schools (EPS).

STO RY BY K R I ST E N WA L S H P H OTOS BY KAT H L E E N D O O H E R

27 WINTER 2022

“ When students text me for an opportunity, I’ve got to make it happen,”

28 REGIS TODAY

he says. “Our school system is 84 percent students of color, and I have to make all of my students feel seen and valued. That’s really what equity is: making them feel like they have everything they need and following through with the opportunities to make that happen.”

McCarthy’s job description includes “leading the district’s efforts to sustain a culture of equity and inclusion for all students by narrowing the gaps between the highest and lowest performing students and by eliminating the racial disproportionality between student groups that occupy the highest and lowest achievement categories.”

Just a few months into his new role, with the full support of Superintendent Priya Tahiliani, McCarthy created an antiracism and antidiscrimination tool that helps students, staff, and families report discrimination in a formalized manner that will be investigated by the Office of Equity with a follow-up action to ensure mental and physical safety. He is also exploring ways to make it harder for students to drop out of school, including The Day Six Program, a degree completion program that meets on Saturdays.

“We wanted to re-engage students who have dropped out of Everett Public Schools or have the potential to drop out,” McCarthy says. “Many students didn’t drop out because they couldn’t finish school; it was for a variety of reasons, like passing the MCAS test [Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System], navigating the COVID-19 pandemic,

R EG I S PA R T N E R S H I P A Regis College partnership with Everett Public Schools (EPS) provides EPS members—including spouses and children—with a discount of 25 percent off their tuition before financial aid. Additional aid can be awarded for those who qualify as members of the EPS Diversification Initiative. Opportunities include: • Bachelor’s degree completion in education, elementary education, secondary degree (with licensure), child development, and humanities • Master’s degree in student success, educational leadership, and special education (with licensure) • EdD in Higher Education Leadership

holding down jobs, and dealing with mental health issues. We were able to secure tutors to help students get that diploma.” The program will also include job readiness training, an opportunity to take college courses, and help with the college application process. “Participants are going to get an opportunity to be successful. If there’s one thing the pandemic taught us, it’s that technology provides more avenues toward success.”

A partnership with Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology will supplement programs offered in Everett High School’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program.

Teachers in the CTE program will also have educational opportunities, including how to support English Language Learners.

“Our goal is to close the gap and make it harder for students to not be successful—and in the process, value them as thought partners to help them understand that they are part of the solution,” McCarthy says.

Diverse Perspectives

Since McCarthy understands firsthand how important it is for BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, People of Color] students to see teachers and staff members who look like them, he teamed up with the EPS curriculum and instruction director on a diversification initiative aimed at increasing the number of BIPOC educators.

Last fall, McCarthy visited HBCUs [historically Black colleges and universities] in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia to recruit educators and highlight benefits like loan reimbursement and signing bonuses.

He also met with current EPS educators of color to gather ideas for creating a career pathway for them.

In fall 2021, his department launched a Regis College partnership to offer tuition breaks for EPS staff members who enroll in Regis bachelor’s degree completion and master’s and doctorate programs (see sidebar).

“By diversifying our teaching staff, we are able to value the journey of educators who look like the majority of our students,” McCarthy says, citing research by The Center for Black Educator Development. “Black and Brown elementary school students

who get with an educator who looks like them are three times more likely to finish high school; and if they get three of them in K through 12 they are 35 percent more likely to enroll in college. White students also benefit from having educators of color by adding another enriching and influential perspective.”

Liberating Inroads

McCarthy has more than two decades of experience working to change the societal narrative for urban youth.

Spend a few minutes with him, and it’s evident that he has a special way of creating inroads with students. His approach? “I value their lived experiences and I’m curious about their world,” McCarthy says.

Part of that gets very personal.

“Even though I look like them, students think I have it all together,” McCarthy says. “But I want them to know that whatever the lowest point of their life is, I’ve experienced something similar. I remember not having anything—not having an allowance, having one pair of pants to wear during my entire freshman year of high school. But I didn’t let that stop me.”

McCarthy was born in Barbados and moved to Dorchester, Massachusetts, at age 11.

“My dad died when I was young,” he recalls, still emotional about the loss. “My mom had to pick up a second job and she really trusted me and my brother and sisters to do well.”

Cory McCarthy, MEd ’20, EdD ’24 interacting with students at Everett High School.

Unbiased Education

McCarthy followed his bachelor’s degree from University of Massachusetts Amherst with a master’s in education leadership at Endicott College before enrolling in the Master of Education (MEd) in Student Success at Regis College in 2019.

“My experience in the Student Success Program allowed me to apply 21st-century skills, research, and theoretical frameworks to my passion for K through 12 education,” says McCarthy.

“I was able to create a vision for Black and Brown students to close the opportunity gaps K through career.”

At the time, McCarthy was a director of operations, climate and culture for Boston Public Schools (BPS) New Mission High School and took advantage of a BPS Regis partnership like the one he would later develop for EPS staff.

“The Regis MEd was a game changer for me,” McCarthy says. “It was unbiased, equitable, and designed to truly support students who walk into higher education with anxiety feeling as if there is no end goal.”

Sustainable Impact

McCarthy’s early career as director of athletics at New Mission High School included serving as head coach for the boys’ basketball team, including winning five state titles.

“My proudest moment wasn’t when my student-athletes won the championships, it was when the majority of the players I coached went to college and graduated,” McCarthy says.

After completing the Regis MEd, McCarthy joined Everett Public

29 WINTER 2022

In eighth grade McCarthy took a job as a custodian in his middle school. “Cleaning the school that you go to—I was a target for bullying but I didn’t get bullied because I didn’t respond,” McCarthy says. “I knew I was making seven dollars an hour and I would be able to buy shoes for the school dance. I was always mindful of where I wanted to be and nothing was going to stop me—even at my lowest times.”

On a lighter note, McCarthy jokes about his own motivation during high school. “My reason to go to college was to be in a space where my mother couldn’t shut the light off at night or tell me to clean my room, and I had three meals a day.”

Once there, his perspective changed. “I stayed in college to build relationships and get a college degree so I could have whatever job I wanted when I got older. Education is liberation.”

Schools as vice principal in 2020.

Though school was fully remote due to the pandemic, he built relationships by making impromptu outdoor visits to students’ homes and increasing accessibility by having weekend and evening office hours for students and families.

“I’ve developed this framework in my brain; I call myself ‘the union for the students’—someone who is willing to do everything possible for them to be successful,” McCarthy says.

But nicknames aren’t something that he reserves for himself.

Throughout McCarthy’s career, he has assigned students names of colleges and universities to help keep them motivated.

“My goal is for students to see that we believe in them,” McCarthy says.

“If they want to go to college, it’s my job to help them build a framework that inspires them to work hard to do what it takes to reach their goal— whether that’s college, a trade, or another career path.”

Sometimes that goal eventually leads students back to McCarthy.

“I’m so proud when my former students go on to become educators— and it’s a lot of them. We are giving them jobs; we have that similar approach. It’s an incredible full circle moment.”

Sustainability of diversity programming is top of mind in his role as chief equity officer. He developed an equity task force of principals, staff, students, and community leaders to help ensure that happens.

“If I stayed as vice principal, a lot of my impact would have left when I left that role,” says McCarthy, who is currently enrolled in the Regis Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership. “I’m now working with the superintendent to develop a vision for K through 12 students and beyond. The EPS student will be a student who has access, who has opportunity, who understands and responds to injustice, and who’s going to advocate for themselves.”

together alumni

2

30

1 3

1. Alexa Nicholls Costa ’14, ’15, NP (right), and Alexandra Rogers ’14, ’15, NP (not pictured), welcomed alumni and friends and President Hays (center) to Regis on Nantucket in September at LexRX, an aesthetic injectables practice that they co-founded.

2. F ORE! More than 100 alumni, staff, and friends attended the Regis Golf Outing in June at the Marlborough Country Club to support Regis Athletics.

3. The Class of 1958 came together at the Cape Cod Luncheon at Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club in September.

4. Members of the Class of 1977 enjoyed a luncheon at the Pilot House in Sandwich, MA. Clockwise from top left: Mary-Edwina Colpoys, Dianne Novak Andresano, Jill Alexander Belastock, Joy Toomey, Donna Cellucci Sumner.

5. Alumni and friends supported student scholarships at the Let It Shine Gala on October 27.

From left to right: Shane Phillip ’22, Carol Donovan ’59, Miriam Finn Sherman ’98, Terry Dolan ’70, and Nancy MacKenzie Connelly ’70.

4

6. T he Class of 1991 coordinated their own mini-reunion in May to celebrate 30 years.

7. T he Class of 1971 met for lunch in September at the home of Christine Fregosi Beagan in Hingham, MA, in honor of their 50th Reunion.

8. T he Virtual Alumni Book Club met in January for an uplifting discussion about The Miracle Collectors with a special appearance by the book’s co-authors, Joan Luise Hill and Katie Mahon.

5

Upcoming Events Join us at an upcoming event for alumni and friends to stay connected.

Visit our website for a full list of events: alumni.regiscollege.edu/events.

6

Regis in Naples March 11–13, 2022 Naples, Florida Spring Fling April 9, 2022 Regis campus

7

Scholarship Luncheon April 7, 2022 Regis campus Donor Society Reception May 5, 2022 Regis campus Reunion Weekend May 13–15, 2022 Regis campus Memorial Liturgy May 15, 2022 Regis campus Annual Golf Outing June 21, 2022 Marlborough Country Club

LET’S BE SOCIAL Regis College Alumni Regis College regiscollegealumni regis_ma regiscollege_ma

8

vimeo.com/regisma Regis College regiscollegeweston

notes class

NOTES SUBMITTED IN AUGUST 2021

1947

✒ Elaine Richardson, daughter of Phyllis

Brosnahan Richarson, elaine.richardson.ma@ gmail.com, 781.862.6262 ¶ Many classmates

32 REGIS TODAY

continue to live independently and enjoy regular activities with family. “We were a wonderful generation and a great class of women at Regis,” was how Rita Rizzo Covelle described the Class of 1947. Rita recalled how over the years, she remained close with friends from Mount Saint Joseph who continued their education at Regis.

Rita regularly keeps up on Regis news through her daughter, Audrey, and her sister, Marie—both Regis alumnae. Gertrude Breen Alfredson continues as the ’47s Regis leader and is active in the Alumni Council, LLARC, and other on-campus or online activities. Gert misses traveling as much as she used to, yet keeps busy with philanthropic activity and engaging in her social circles, playing bridge, and other card games. Our other world traveler, Marguerite (Peg) Donovan, enjoyed her annual visit to Aruba last January, having taken all necessary precautions to travel safely. Donovan family celebrations and visits remain popular. Her Cape home welcomes outdoor visits by friends from Regis and the religious community. Eleanor Consentino Feuer finds balance in her life with healthy living, family celebrations, and occasionally getting out to Mass with the help of her son, Peter. Eleanor recently attended a milestone birthday celebration honoring her niece, Patricia, who was recognized for her public service career in Tilden, NH. Eleanor’s son, Martin, has upcoming travel plans to Antarctica and shares, “I would go with him in a minute if I could just to see those penguins in person!” Phyllis Gallinelli Campbell keeps engaged and educated through LLARC. For years, Phyllis has been a master with the knitting needles, and this past year she has been knitting afghan blankets for local ambulance companies to help comfort children who need emergency transport.

For 80 years, Phyllis has spent summers at the family home in Humarock Beach.

This year she let her three sons and their families take over the summer home, a safe gathering place for her family—26 adults and nine great-grandchildren.

Phyllis keeps a watchful eye on the family through video or when her sons make their weekly visits to Weston, MA. As the deadline loomed for these class notes, I left messages for Frances Durkee O’Neill of Worcester, MA. Frances’s message says she’s “out for a contemplative walk,” so we send her our warm wishes and hope to connect soon. Louise McInerney Ryder’s

family described their mom as “always elegant and classy, with a dry sense of humor, she never left the house without lipstick and jewelry and her hair perfectly coiffed.” Louise died peacefully on July 2, 2021, and was buried on Cape Cod near the blue hydrangeas she loved. For ten years Louise lived in Virginia Beach, VA, nearby her two children. Sadly, the class has lost three more active women. Marjorie Dimento Magrath died August 13, 2020, after a brief illness, still the matriarch of the family and homestead in East Boston.

Dorothy Mahoney McKenna passed peacefully on September 1, 2020, after more than 20 years on Cape Cod and a lifetime filled with teaching math, social activities, and being a role model for generations of women. Virginia Demeo Prieto passed away on September 22, 2020, two days before her 96th birthday. Virginia lived in Valencia, CA, near her sons except for the occasional visit to Cape Cod to see her sister and Regis classmates. Thank you for continuing to embrace me as your class reporter, the Regis role my mum, Phyllis Brosnahan Richardson loved best. I so enjoy keeping up with you and your news. You continue to inspire me and remain amazing role models for my generation. Keep happy and healthy!

1952

✒ Marie Rizzo, 136 Warren Street, W. Medford, MA 02155, 781-396-9835 ¶ Dear classmates, I am going to use the expression heard constantly this year, “I haven’t done anything due to the pandemic.” Isn’t it true, though? I’m sure you’ll agree with me, have we ever experienced such a horrible and tragic event in our lifetime? Oh yes, we can elaborate on the several wars we fortunately lived through and the horrible marathon shooting, but this pandemic truly put a “red light” on the ordinary living of each day. So my dear classmates, yours truly, who usually has been truly out and about became familiar with her home and even discovered how the oven works.

I pray that you and your loved ones are doing your best to live normally, feeling well, getting vaccinated, and keeping your distance. Some good news now! I have been in frequent communication with our brave and wonderful class president, Sally Finnerty Tully. She is doing beautifully due to her deep faith and determination. Yes, Sally has been battling cancer but seems to be receiving the right treatment and it’s keeping her very busy with many doctor appointments. Recently, she sounded remarkably happy when she told me about

celebrating her 91st birthday on August 2, 2021, at her daughter’s house. What added to this happy event was that her son, Frank, arrived from Australia to celebrate with her. Also, he brought with him the even better news that he and his wife will be moving back to the U.S, and guess where? They will be living in Newton, MA. His wife, Debbie, will be returning to her old job as principal at Newton School of the Sacred Heart. In addition, Sally’s son and his daughter, Laura, called from Texas to wish Sally a happy birthday. A belated “Happy birthday, Sally!” from all your close classmates and especially from your young friend, me, who owns up now to “80.” Ha Ha. To help you remember me, I lie about my age constantly. I have a fetish about it. When I did not want to march with my class at one of our reunion events, I was wandering around the outside looking for a younger class to join. A man appeared and asked if I would help him out. Guess what?

I ended up marching with the oldest graduate of Regis, holding the banner with her stating the origin of Regis. Was God teaching me a lesson? This wouldn’t be my job as class reporter if I did not report another funny incident regarding my stupidity and impossible pride. I was in a coffee shop that I go to often after daily Mass. A young pretty woman entered who greeted me with a warm smile and asked if she could sit with me. When she sat down I asked her my usual question, “You look familiar, did I have you in school?” To which the young lady laughed and said, “No.” I should have known her, as she was the Mayor of Medford! I felt like an idiot and apologized profusely. Naturally, it made the local newspaper and Facebook. Humility and stupidity, thy name is Marie. Dorothy Connors is enjoying her lovely home in South Yarmouth, MA. As stated in my last class report she is delighted to have her son back in Massachusetts from California.

Wipe that smile off your face Dorothy, being lucky to have a son who spoils you.

Congratulations to Patricia Arroll Waite Petrilli who holds the grand title of having the most great-grandchildren in the class.

At this time she brags the number is 17.

Patricia, to no surprise, is very active in her residence at Nort Hill in Needham, MA. This is the part of the newsletter which I dislike—to inform you about the loss of our dear classmates. It is with much sadness that I inform you of the loss of our beloved classmates: Marie Brophy Allard, Dorothy Barrett Bemis, Joan Barrett VanTassel, Jeanne Bowen Delory, Ann Purcell Macdonald, Marilyn Burke O’Rourke, and Marie Fleming Sisk. We send our sincere

class condolences to their families. However, we should be jubilant to know we have friends in heaven who can help us and take care of us. Perhaps they can start a “Regis Club” in heaven. In conclusion, we are indeed fortunate to have been taught the traditional values and truth of our faith. In my opinion, I feel that our faith and example are indeed needed in today’s culture. I appeal to your love of God and our gratitude to Regis for giving us the Catholic foundation which is so needed today. Although, we may be a bit too old to march to show our faith we still have the power of speech to show the world, “God is not dead.”

1954

Neal, Ellen Synan, Rosemary Denmark Murphy, Ann McCourt Riley, Connie Coughlin, Margery Roche O’Keefe, Jackie Guerard Lacoste, and Mary Jane Grady Coburn. It

was a wonderful way to enjoy freshman year—like having your own sorority house!

Joanne enjoys her winters in Vero Beach, FL. She sold her home in Connecticut and now will divide her time between Florida and Maine. She has family in both spots.

Family is a recurring theme of where we locate ourselves. Betty and I had a wonderful phone conversation. Betty lives

1955

✒ Janet Condrey Beyer, 52 Authors Road,

Concord, MA 01742-2607, 978-369-4828, Jbeyer1126@aol.com ¶ COVID! It changed

our lives. My question to you was: How did you deal with the past year, did your routine change? Estelle Ferraro Misto wrote from Rhode Island: “The shutdown was kind of nice in the beginning but soon became depressing. I tested positive after Christmas even though we did not have the usual holiday gatherings. I was asymptotic and wasn’t sick at all. Thank God.” She

did several 1,000 piece puzzles and had intentions to clean out but didn’t accomplish as much as she thought she would.

Since life has become normal she has resumed her usual routines. She missed the reunion last year and hopes to see us at the 70th. Rosalie L’Ecuyer emailed that few restaurants are open in Fairbanks, AK, and most went out of business due to the pandemic. She needs to have kitty food on hand along with some “me” food.

Barbara Kelley Kelley writes: “I am grateful to be with my son, Tim, and his family. I have been with them since my son, Brian, died in 2018 and my husband, Paul, died in 2017. I am grateful to have them during this lockdown time. During the lockdown, I participated in three Zoom meetings a week with friends from my parish. It was wonderful to be able to see their faces and talk with friends outside the house. I have enjoyed maintaining that connection with my parish friends during this time. It is terrible for people who have died during COVID.” Mary McCarthy Hayes flew to Naples, Fl, on March 4, 2020, with a friend for a three-week vacation. “A few days later COVID began to paralyze the world.

There we were, in sunny Florida with no access to beaches, pools, restaurants, shops, etc. Luckily, we were able to stay put at my niece’s condo. We finally made it home in May. My family got together the next day in the driveway!” Taking two Zoom classes at the Regis LLARC program last year kept her occupied. Getting vaccinated was the highlight of her year!

She visited Denyse Dunbar Maddaleni in July. “It was awesome to visit. We’ve been friends since first grade. Love to all my classmates. Be healthy and happy.” Ann Gallagher Diegnan no longer drives and or goes shopping, so the virus didn’t keep her from doing that. She had holidays with her family in her daughter’s barn with two long tables and people spaced, but she hasn’t seen one of her sons since COVID began. Anne O’Brien Temple says “It’s still out there. I am concerned that it is coming back. COVID limited my activities and I focused on getting through it.” She hopes to take her yearly trip to Savannah, GA. My take on the isolation: I wish I had used the downtime to at least read or clean out junk, but instead I napped a lot and played Words With Friends on the computer. I greatly missed social gatherings but liked meetings on Zoom—so much easier than driving to a meeting place. If you did not get my email, it means I do not have your email address. I use it only for this mailing and class news. Please send me your email address if I do not have it.

33 WINTER 2022

✒ Patricia Cronin Huie, (781) 799-7134, pchuie@comcast.net ¶ Another year and time for our annual get-together. My phone has not been ringing with news from the Class of ’54 so I started my calls to find out how you have all been doing. Mary Roche Sullivan has finished her vacation home in Scituate, MA, which was destroyed during a recent winter storm. The Fourth of July was enjoyed by Mary and her family and all agreed it had been worth the time and work to rebuild. Mary, enjoy your fantastic ocean view in good health! I checked in with Marianne (Sandy) Sanderson Shay about her golf game. Sandy continues to play 9 holes of golf. Sandy, so wonderful to hear you are still playing! Sandy also keeps busy with her family events. Her oldest grandson was married in Oswego, NY, and she made the five-hour trip from her son’s home in Weston, MA. Sandy has five sons and two live in Massachusetts for which she is thankful. Phone calls to Norma McNamara Quinn replaced our Florida lunches. We are both fortunate to have daughters who can live with us which was especially a blessing during COVID! Norma has assured me she will be back in Florida in 2022. I, Patricia Cronin Huie, was able to get to Florida for April and May. While there, my daughter and I made a trip to Vero Beach to visit family members and Joanne Hickey Johnson. We spent a delightful Saturday afternoon with Joanne. My daughter enjoyed hearing about our life at Regis and our rides from Worcester and Shrewsbury, MA, to Regis.

Joanne and I spent our freshman year in the “Tea House” at Regis which is now the President’s House. There were 10 of us and we were called the “Tea House 10”: Me, Joanne, Elizabeth (Betty) Morrissey

in Charlotte, NC and recently packed up her condo to move to a resident apartment.

It will offer Betty more sociability and activities. Betty, enjoy your new apartment! Regina Seales Caines continues to amaze me with her outstanding achievements and awards. The Regina Caines Distinguished Education Award for 2021 was awarded to Grace Milner HowardDonlin ’00 during a virtual Education Department reception in May. The award to Grace will be celebrated in person at a future date. The Regina Caines Award will be given out annually and is a great tribute to Regina for all that she has done as a staunch advocate of diversity and inclusion at Regis College. Regina did share with me that our classmate Hilda Knight Cooper had passed away and that Rita Fichera Fragala had some details regarding Hilda’s life. Hilda lived in Rome and London and then moved to Liberia until the civil war broke out. She lived in London until 2014 and then moved to Nairobi, South Africa.

During her lifetime, Hilda worked very hard to develop the rubber plantations. In honor of all her hard work and charitable efforts, a school was built and named after Hilda in Liberia, the Hilda Knight Cooper Foundation School Elementary School. How Rita gathered this information is a fascinating story. Rita’s daughter, Elizabeth, went on Facebook in October 2020 and was noticed by Hilda’s son, Dale. Dale forwarded Elizabeth’s contact information to his sister, Sharon. Dale and Sharon contacted Elizabeth to see if she had any photos of their mother since most of their family photos and documentation were lost when the civil war broke out and they had to leave the country. Rita emailed the photos that she had of Hilda at Regis events to Sharon. One picture was of the Regis Father-Daughter Banquet. Rita’s uncle was the substitute dad for Hilda.

Rita, her husband, and her daughter met Hilda’s daughter, Sharon, for lunch in Burlington, MA, which proved to be an amazing reunion! Rita said that Hilda lived an extraordinary charitable life. May she rest in peace. Special thanks to Rita for providing all this information. To end, I want to wish my granddaughter, Elizabeth Stevenson ’24, an enjoyable and rewarding year at Regis. Elizabeth attended her first year in the nursing program virtually but moved onto campus last fall. Best of luck, Elizabeth!

notes

1957

✒ Judy Sughrue, 47 Rosewood Drive,

Stoughton, MA 02072-4958, 781-344-3357, 1nettiedog@verizon.net ¶ We had lots to

cope with this past year. Long car rides have been replaced by short trips. Margaret Lamoureux Ledoux in Chatham, MA, now rides the mile to Mass rather than walk.

Flag Indicates Reunion Year

34 REGIS TODAY

Carol Noonan Driscoll only takes short rides in her neighborhood. Last summer she stayed in her family’s beach house.

Many generations of her family have had many happy times at that house. However, she has not been able to go to the theater or symphony. Her former roommate, Betty McCarthy O’Conor, flew from her home in Ohio rather than make the long drive to spend the summer at her home on the Cape. Three classmates who died brought many personal memories. Elly Zarotschenzeff Doyle was my best friend and a fellow history major. She died from several complications. Her family had her funeral “Zoomed” from California to Massachusetts. Many of the people that she and her late husband worked with showed up for her funeral. It had to be held outdoors due to the pandemic. Janet Petty was one of my two roommates during our freshman year, and we shared a love of history which we continued the rest of our lives. She moved to Georgia to be near her brother. Rosemary Weidner Mahoney was one of several of us who went to work for the NSA upon graduation. We shared with Rosemary her news when she met her husband, who was in law school at Georgetown University. His legal advice came in handy since she and Joan Keenan carpooled with two NSA guys who fled to Russia. It was the era of McCarthy and somehow the government was suspicious of these two Catholic women. Our generation moves on with new generations. Mary Hughes Noonan was celebrating her grandson’s marriage. Ann Pelchat Damerow lives in Seattle, WA, and has five children and ten grandchildren, nine of whom are in college.

Ann is suffering from early-stage dementia. Her college roommate, Charlotte Maney Higgins, is now in a nursing home in Maine where her daughter lives. Geraldine (Gerry) McCarthy Ballotti has two great-grandchildren. She now lives in a townhouse condominium in Belmont, MA from which she does drive to her son’s home on the Cape.

She attended Margaret Griffin Dion’s funeral in Sandwich, MA, where she met Margaret (Peggy) Larner Rago. Many thanks to Cynthia Souza Nakane who put me in touch with several classmates. Cynthia and her husband, Paul, did not make their annual trip east to go sailing with her brother or to take interesting travels. They do have a lovely place in which to remain, the beautiful Pacific coastal community of Cambria noted for its lovely downtown, arts, and food. It is within driving distance to their three daughters who live in Los Angeles, CA. The somber news is that 68 of our classmates have died. Well, there is also the fact that 83 of our class still live as far as we know. But there are all those not in service telephones.

1958

✒ Joan Meleski Kenney, P.O. Box 33, Hyannis Port, MA 02647, kenneyjo@aol.com ¶ We have often enjoyed sharing information

about our family graduates. This year has been extremely difficult due to the pandemic, and we want to celebrate the perseverance and resiliency that these young people have exhibited. I had two graduates; Kate Naughton from George Washington University and Joseph Annis from Northeastern. Kate was scheduled to do the first semester of her senior year in France, but two days after her group arrived in Paris they were told they must return to the United States within 48 hours—not at all what had been planned.

Carol Finnell Kenney also had two graduates; her grandson, Matt Kenney, graduated from Providence College and her grandson, Thomas Moakley, graduated cum laude from Suffolk Law. After forty years of practicing law, Carol has decided to retire and hopefully do more traveling, including a visit to her “forever roommate” Pat Flanagan Neumann on Long Island, NY. Recently, Laetitia (Tish) Albiani Carney and Ina Catalanotti Roehre joined Carol for lunch at the Chart Room. The eight grandchildren of Lora LoConte Stosez weathered the pandemic pretty well.

After a bout with COVID, the oldest (25) was promoted to Top Gun which made Lora watch the movie. The youngest (10) brought COVID home and gave it to her sister and mother but not her father. The oldest girl (21) started grad school last fall. The others managed to graduate from high school, middle school, and grammar school, all virtually. The good news is that all are healthy, happy, and thriving.

We send our condolences to Carol Costa Doherty on the passing of her husband, Neal. She has four children—all married— and seven grandchildren. She is living in Marshfield, MA, close to her two daughters in Duxbury. Her third daughter lives in Atlanta, GA, and her son is in Andover, MA. She describes herself as “healthy and still driving.” Lucille Berube Williams shares news of the effects of the pandemic and surgery which kept her close to home. All is well now, and she went to New Hampshire on July 1 and returned to New York in mid-September. Two of her grandchildren are living in Chicago; the other two are in relationships in NYC and Washington, DC. She saw all of them in New Hampshire, as Lake Winnipesaukee is a good drawing card. She has a new phone number 914-393-7319. Anne Smith Tobin has discovered that the world really is very small. A good friend shares three grandchildren with the next-door neighbor of Carol Finnell Kenney in Falmouth, MA. Anne has been connecting with Elaine O’Connell Fitzpatrick regarding a stainedglass window in her church in Holliston, MA, and is trying to get Elaine to come to Holliston to take a “history walk.” Elaine walks in Waltham, MA, with Gail Oliver Corrigan. Lea Toto Dmytryck was to direct the play Lost in Yonkers in April 2020, but we all know what happened to Broadway and community theater alike. She happily reports that her group was granted the

licensing rights to perform the play for three weekends in October 2021. She had a cast of seven very talented people. Lea also enjoys her great-grandaughter who turned three in August. It is with deep sadness that we mark the passing of three of our classmates; Marijane Hill Kennedy in November 2020, Jane Gorman McCue in December 2020, Doris Good Marr in April 2021, and Patricia Burke Tarpey in July 2021. They will be greatly missed.

1959

✒ Maureen O’Connell Palmer, 101 Country Road, Hanover, MA 02339, 781-561-1016, maureenpalmer59@hotmail.com ¶ Well,

friends, it’s back to almost normal times…I think! Today I was just about to go into Shaws when I got a call from Rita Noonan Griffin. She and Bill were in Florida before returning to Minnesota.

They had attended a Noonan family get-together on the Cape in July. Marcia Sheperd Heustis and Bruce love their condo complex in South Bend, IN. They went on a trip to New Mexico last fall. My grandkids and I were discussing college experiences. I referred to myself as a “dayhop” which we commuters were called.

That termed caused hysterical laughter from the kids. Ergo, that term shall be retired! Judy Bresnahan Mawn had lots of company over the Fourth of July at the Cape. She still had enough energy to host Elizabeth Russell Bilafer, Jane McCarthy Murphy, Janice Canniff McCall, and yours

truly for our annual Lobster Roll Feast.

However, the competitive floating contest down the creek was canceled. Rosemary (Bunny) Catalucci Hughes and I chatted a bit. She spent some wonderful time with her family in New Hampshire and with a friend in Vermont. However, she is ready for some “quiet” time. The Hilsinger family held a Memorial Mass for Patricia O’Hearn Hilsinger in June at St. Joseph’s in Medford, MA. It was an inspirational event for a heroic woman. Please remember in your prayers our dear classmates who passed away in 2021: Eunice Sylvestre Dupre Allard, Jean Letourneau Hampsey, Janet Clements Lavey, Joanne Myers, Antoinette Riordan Newhoff, Barbara Meyer Pierce, Margaret Doherty Rybicki, and Ann Tiernan. Rest in peace!

1961

✒ Kate Martin Hawke, 4 Rockland Road, Marblehead, MA 01945-1316, 781-639-3492, kfhawke@comcast.net ¶ Several members

of the class joined the Virtual Reunion Weekend in May: Judith Powers, Carroll

Beegan Follas, Lillian Leverone Peracchia, Barbara Hoyle Healy, Lee Hogan, CSJ, Mimi Fleming O’Brien, Sally White Harmer, Pat O’Connor Prindle, Ellen Donahue Foley, Mary Doane Cassidy, Susan Fallon Kolk, and Ann (Maxine) Webb Thelwell. I understand

that Lee Hogan, CSJ, who is still a major power in the order, gave an interesting

class look ahead for Regis and the Sisters of St. Joseph. Something to be genuinely sad about is the number of classmates whom we have lost in the last year. There are fewer and fewer of us who entered the freshman class in September 1957. Those were the days, my friends! Especially noteworthy is the unexpected death of Jane D’Ercole Roman who devoted her life to her family and her alma mater. Well, to be honest, and to her golf game. Now that the vaccinated are free to roam I expect to hear reports of vacations and family reunions so that I can report them in the next class notes. Judith (Judy) King Weber spent two weeks in Hawaii this past July with her sisters, Mary and Paula. Ellen Donahue Foley and her sisters, Paula and Kathy, met in Virginia in July for a family reunion/bat mitzvah. And I, Kate Martin Hawke, was lucky to have my sisters, Mary and Liz, here to celebrate an 80th birthday. I think that after the isolation and fears of the past year and a half, we are all more appreciative of our families and friends, particularly those whom we remember from our time at Regis 1957-2021. Lots of years for which I am grateful!

✒ Margaret Wheeler, 41 Magazine Street,

Cambridge, MA 02139, 781-570-6812, miggiewheeler@hotmail.com ¶ I have not

been in touch with many people during this past COVID year. As with most people, I was isolated. Life took place on Zoom. I celebrated the big 8-0 on New Silver Beach with just immediate family: my three boys, five grandchildren, and sister. Domenica (Dee) Fiumara Pedulla and Frank downsized to a condo. Kathleen (Kathy) Sheehan Falvey saw six children and 19 grandchildren through baptisms and weddings. On a sad note, both Joan Serino Shute and Agnes McCarty Harginger lost their husbands.

Mary McCauley Higgins spends time with her daughters in Texas and Maryland.

She is always working hard for our class.

Remember, we have our 60th Reunion in May 2022. Mary has a list of over 50 classmates, so please send her your contact information and she will keep us informed: Mhigg83781@AOL.com.

1963

✒ JoAnne DuFort, 24 Notre Dame Avenue,

Allenstown, NH 03275-2120, 603-485-5014, joduf@juno.com ¶ Hello, classmates! I did

not hear from anyone, so please email me your news for next time. I hope everybody is surviving COVID. I was a “lucky” one to get it. I was down for four weeks but had no respiratory problems. It was four days before I was scheduled to get my vaccine.

I don’t know if anyone is traveling. I know my plans were canceled for another year.

Let me hear from you.

Queenan, 603-881-8528, saqueenan@comcast.net ¶ Condolences to the family of our classmate Audrey Dalton Gorman who died in May. Condolences also to Sue Sullivan Gabler on the death of her husband, Ray, to Sheila Dineen Queenan of the death of her brother, John, and to Regina Millette Frawley, who lost three family members

to COVID. Our prayers are with all of you. Many of us enjoyed the Class of 1964 Holly Hour last year, a Zoom gathering organized for us by Regis. Seventeen of us joined in, including Nobumi (Maria) Matsumura Morishima from Japan and Anisa Shubita Kreitem from Jerusalem. It was such fun to see and hear from so many old friends, who didn’t even have to leave home to join us. Although Nobumi did remark that because of the time difference she had to get up at 5:00 a.m. to be ready.

Nobumi and her family spent the summer at their summer house in Karuizawa, Japan. She watches BBC and CNN every day and probably spends more time on those stations than Japanese news. I contacted Anisa in May to see if she was okay during the bombing of Jerusalem.

She replied that she and her family were safe, and she was very grateful to hear from her friends at Regis. She asked that we pray for peace and justice in Jerusalem.

It was a relief to hear from Michelina Lentino Downey that she and her family were safe, after the attack on the Capitol last January. Joan Fricker Burritt has been living in Greer, SC, for 38 years. She and her husband, Vic, have two children and four grandchildren living relatively nearby and spent an annual beach week together at Edisto Island. She and Vic are retired and have traveled extensively: France, England, Spain, Germany, and the Baltic.

They’ve climbed the Great Wall in China and visited the Acropolis in Athens. Joan is active in Mothers Against Drunk Driving, a women’s bible study group, a ladies theater group, and a book club. Joanne Benedict Caulfield and her husband live in Maine and also spend time at their home on Nantucket. They were relieved to get their COVID shots early last year, so they could attend their twin granddaughters’ high school graduation and celebrate a grandson’s 21st birthday. Elaine Buonfiglio Chinchillo said she and her husband stayed healthy during the pandemic by taking daily walks and watching every episode of Agatha Christie’s Poirot detective series.

Her son’s family did get COVID, so she food-shopped for them for two weeks, leaving the bags at their door. Everybody is healthy now. Shelley Hackett Phipps reported an active year, despite the pandemic and the brutally hot temperatures in Arizona last summer. She played tennis four times a week, kept up with her personal training, a book club on Zoom, and did a lot of reading. She also traveled to Maine in September and to Maryland

for the DelFest Bluegrass Festival. Regina Millette Frawley wrote that this had been “a time of reflection and self-care, with medical surgeries and procedures successfully accomplished.” Regina is trying to distance herself from her civic responsibilities, having been a member of town meetings for over a quarter-century and hoping for time to do some traveling. Ann O’Sullivan sold her house at Seabrook Beach, NH “after 33 years of sun and fun for myself and my entire family.” She also visited Judith Machaj Susanin in Connecticut in June. I, Virginia McNeil Slep, have continued teaching my creative writing class via Zoom in the Regis Lifelong Learning (LLARC) program and was excited to be back on campus last fall. I was recently appointed to the advisory board of LLARC. Some of the LLARC classes will remain on Zoom, so check out regiscollege.edu/llarc and perhaps you’ll find a class or two that appeals to you! And finally, we invite you to join the Class of ’64 Prayer Group or you can just ask for prayers. Contact Judy Machaj Susanin at jmsusanin@gmail.com or contact Sheila or me and we’ll get your message to the group.

1965

✒ Anne Marie Fontaine Healey, 54 Stacy

Street, Randolph, MA 02368, 781-963-6964, annemariehealey@comcast.net ¶ It seems

we are all weathering the pandemic in our own ways. Ann Blando Pinna has published a children’s book called “Quarantined!” about 8-year-old Angela and how she and her family are coping with the changes and uncertainties of the pandemic. By extension, the story will help families with any unexpected life changes. You can read about Ann’s book on amazon. com. Congratulations, Ann! Carole Groncki McCarthy notes “For me, the pandemic and isolation gave me a greater appreciation of life and family. They are a gift that we should be thankful for every day. It has shown us that we are not in control and need divine intervention.” Carole and Ken have been staying busy with Carole’s ancestral farm/barn in New York, where their family celebrated the 111th birthday of their family barn with rides in their 1940 Dodge truck and lots of family activities. The farm and their house in Sugar Hill, NH, gave them safe places to get away to and enjoy. Carole wishes everyone a safe haven. Carole also reports “We were also fortunate to have our son and family visit us from California during the New Hampshire fall foliage. Also, we visited our son and his family in New Jersey for Thanksgiving and the grandkid’s sporting activities last spring. Our daughter is running a homeless shelter for St. Joseph County in Indiana. We visited her last fall and went to a Notre Dame football game.”

Carol Jewell Hunt writes that she and Jay are both doing well and are very proud of their son, John, who is an emergency physician who has been seeing too many

35 WINTER 2022

1962

1964

✒ Virginia McNeil Slep, 508-358-2478, virginiaslep@comcast.net ✒ Sheila Dineen

notes

Flag Indicates Reunion Year

36 REGIS TODAY

COVID patients at CityMD locations in mid-Long Island, NY. On his days off John volunteered to be medical director at vaccination sites. Anne Marie Fontaine Healey’s son, John, temporarily left his job with the Environmental Protection Agency to spend four months in El Paso, TX, with the Department of Health and Human Services assisting unaccompanied teenage refugees arriving from Central America. Thousands of teens have now been reunited with family members. Our Tanzanian classmate, Venantia Fivawo Malima, recently celebrated her 80th birthday! Venantia’s mother passed away peacefully on January 1 at the age of 98 after a healthy and active life.

Venantia’s daughter, Regina, was visiting from Massachusetts for Christmas and was able to spend time with her grandmother and other family members in Tanzania.

Our sympathies go out to Venantia and all classmates who have lost loved ones, and also to the families of deceased classmates: Joan Wixted Curran (April 14, 2020) and Claire Ryan Hickey (April 6, 2021). Patricia Gaumond Kasierski and George have settled into life in Jacksonville, FL, and love living near their son, Scott, and his family. Their son, Stephen, is considering early retirement from the National Park Service in California to join the family in Florida, as Pat’s brother, Roger, has also moved close by. Pat and George returned to Massachusetts on vacation and were able to see many friends and classmates including Sharon Gibbons Reardon. Mary Ellen Lavenberg has become an excellent online bridge player while at home, although Mel remarks that she may need a therapist after all the isolation. Kathleen Henighan uses her design skills by knitting shawls with intricate patterns and gorgeous yarns and also by creating contemporary quilts.

Barbara Doran Sullivan enjoys filling her days with friends and catching up with Regis classmates. Despite some health setbacks, Babs continues to be a hostess extraordinaire! Hopefully we classmates will be seeing each other in person in the future, perhaps at a class lunch. Until then, enjoy all life has to offer.

1966

✒ Connie Alexander Giorgio, 658 Main St., Harwich, MA 02645, 508-432-4645, connie@thegiorgios.com ¶ It has been a

sad year for our class. Condolences are offered to family and friends of classmates Mary Brennan, Susan Carter O’Brien, Joan Mullaly, Carol Wixted Cahill, Anne Collier, Sheila Kelly Sullivan, Betsy Burns Griffin, Wilfredine Chiasson Lesperance, Margaret (Peggy) Flores Moran, and Nancy Leverone Ortwein. Ann Boyle Tatum and her family

have fared well coming out of pandemic seclusion. They are all fully vaccinated, and their joy is seeing family members of all ages. Their San Diego family with three elementary school-age children visited Tucson in mid-June and their oldest granddaughter got married Labor Day

weekend. During the lockdown, Nancy Corcoran celebrated 50 years as a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet. She continues her ministry with transgender, intersex, and gender-expansive people and their families via Zoom. She is a volunteer community provider with the Washington University Transgender Center. Any questions re: gender, please call her at 314-203-1199.

Eleanor Merrigan Olsen wrote from Cape Cod after a three-week stint last summer with her large, extended family. She and her brother delved into their three Mayflower passenger ancestors. Her husband, George, has retired after 21 years in the Navy and Virginia Beach is now home. During COVID, Eleanor practiced Mahjong, her new pastime. Deborah Cahoon Didick now enjoys uniting with the world and its people, although she is doing so slowly and still wearing a mask.

She is writing Volume II of Famous and Infamous Cahoons and enjoys being in her garden. Joanna Cahill Carr is pursuing an online philosophy class with her son, Chris, and her grandson, Jake. Another project has been writing lesson plans for schools in Nepal. She and her husband, John, have also been decluttering their house. They are very happy to see people in person again. Jo-Anna Rapp Holden and her husband are enjoying their daughter’s family on the Outer Banks in North Carolina.

She still walks on her treadmill, swims laps daily, and is trying to keep her faith strong. Her good Regis friends make her very grateful. Mary Louise Collins feels very liberated to be vaccinated and rejoining society. She is very appreciative of family gatherings, dining out, and time spent with friends in a new way. Hopefully, she will be traveling to Nashville, Prince Edward Island, and the Azores, even though she likes her time at home. Francine Bailey Osenton regards the pandemic as a respite: no social obligations, no deadlines, and no schedule. She and Bill moved during shelter-in-place, and she is enjoying her garden that has expanded her appreciation of creation. They are now re-entering slowly. Social contacts are appreciated and managed. Enjoyment includes hugs from children and grandchildren and occasional dinners with friends. Nancy Greene Barry left Hawaii after 55 years and moved back to Cape Cod permanently. Her son, John, was married in 2020 but, due to the pandemic, she was unable to attend. Eleven months later, they welcomed Nancy’s first grandchild. So, Nancy’s new adventure is off to a great beginning as she has already visited with John and her family. Frances Murphy has a new job. She is the executive producer at My Montgomery County Media, a platform that informs residents about what’s happening. Fran’s Black Lives Matter documentary was finished last February and contributed to a special on policing in her area in June. She may produce a pizza show and a train show, both now in the approval stage. Fran still plays tennis, gardens, and walks her two

Jack Russell dogs. Mary Lahnston Ford and John finally have one of their kids living nearby in Bar Harbor, ME. Molly and John have moved to their little lake for the season. They are venturing out more but still being cautious. Susan Clark Cronin and her family recently celebrated her husband Matt’s big birthday along with two high school graduations and their anniversary on Brant Lake in New York. Marie Faubert, CSJ retired from the School of Education at the University of Saint Thomas in Houston, TX on May 23, 2020. She and a colleague have written an article to be published in the Journal for CollaborativeDialogic Practice.

1967

✒ Carolyn Sammartino Moran, 105 Kittredge

St. #1, Roslindale, MA 02131, 617-921-5759, cmoran6@comcast.net ¶ Condolences to the family of Arlene Pelkey Sample who passed

away on June 29, 2020, in Melbourne, FL. Marlene Gibbons Wilkey remembers her as a roommate during freshman year, a Spanish major from Holyoke. Marlene called her at the time of our 50th, and she was not well. Arlene is survived by her husband, Bill, and two daughters.

Sympathy also to the family and friends of Eileen Hayes of Falmouth who died on February 11, 2021. Formerly a Sister of St. Joseph, she was known as S. Catherine Ambrose and later taught special education students in the Boston Public Schools.

Congratulations to Rosemarie Melloni Dittmer and Myron on the celebration of their 50th anniversary on June 27.

Their three children, spouses, and three grandchildren joined them for this happy occasion. George and I also celebrated our 50th on July 18 with four of our five daughters, their husbands, and a granddaughter. Although still cautious, we were glad to be together after well over a year of no celebrations or limited outdoor ones.

Susan Lang Abbott attended graduation ceremonies for two of her grandchildren, who both started college last fall. She hosted family gatherings on her patio and celebrated holidays in outdoor spaces at her daughter’s home so that they could be together safely. Janice Settana Bingham and Frank celebrated Easter with open windows and doors to keep all happy and safe.

Mary Priebe Hicks and Frances Waht Lewis enjoyed gardening. Spring flowers cheered all of us after this past year. Frances was happy that her daughter, Amanda, and family could again come to Eastham, MA from Brittany, France this summer. Mary made 100 masks for her whole family during COVID and had “babcia’s sewing camp” with her 10-year-old granddaughter.

She sent her oldest grandson off to college last fall. She is grateful he visited Poland with her two summers ago when travel was possible. Mary shared on Facebook pictures from our senior prom and graduation. Fellow Russian majors Susan Lang Abbott and Ellen White Hill are in them.

class Sheila Norton Dugan planned to lunch with three Ellens: Ellen Farrell, Ellen O’Connor,

1968

✒ Patricia Nelson Cross, 200 Paseo Terraza #306, St. Augustine, FL 32095, 904-805-3222, tricia.cross915@gmail.com

¶ Greetings classmates! Thanks to those who wrote in. Marlena Belviso Santomero shares, “Tony and I have much to celebrate. We turned 75 before the Christmas holidays and celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary this summer. We are planning a drive from the Philadelphia suburbs to

and her siblings spent 2019 taking care of her mom who sadly passed away in 2020.

Our sympathies to Sandy. I always enjoyed seeing your sweet mom in Adams. Sandy writes, “I am dealing with house repairs and caring for my perfect old English sheepdog, Oliver. I had a bear and three cubs on my property roaming around and used a siren and cowbells to scare them— worked fine. It was scary for a while. One has to be diligent living in the woods!” Rita Famiglietti Lash, after being fully vaccinated, enjoyed a family get-together with her children and grandkids in the Poconos.

It was “wonderful to be able to hug and play with Carter (4) and Josephine (2) for a whole weekend.” She also attended birthday parties and their 45th wedding anniversary surrounded by them all. Pure joy! My husband Burt and I enjoyed five weeks in Rhode Island and Maine. The entire family was together after two years!

Our 14 grandchildren had a great time, tubing on the lake being the main attraction. We flew to Michigan in early July and celebrated our 37th wedding anniversary on Mackinac Island. It was beautiful! Finally, I had a great visit hosted by Jeanne Gianturco Jaroszweski. It was so wonderful to see Jeannie, Mary Beth Govoni Cormier, Virginia (Ginny) Giuliani Davis,

Maryanne Skeiber Burtman, and Judy Murphy Lauch! Nothing has changed—I still never stopped laughing!

1972

✒ Janet Wilhelm, 8 Brookside

Drive, Stratham, NH 03885-2129, Janetwilhelm029@gmail.com, 978-3355575 ¶ Greetings everyone! I hope that

37 WINTER 2022

and Ellen Hill on the Cape after a hiatus of 50 years. Later, Sheila hoped to join Ann LaBrecque Baird and Ellen O’Connor between Naples and St. Petersburg, FL. Sheila and her husband, Paul, have a daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren, and all are thriving. Congratulations to Donna LaCouture MacLeod who received 1st place from Golf Inc. for best interior design of a new club, the Club at the Dunes in Naples, FL. Paula Dempsey Beauregard spoke with Susan Sitarz Fennelly who spent the year writing a children’s science book, Little Raindrops, for Pre-K to Grade 1. It combines science and poetry with illustrations. Sue received the Wethersfield, CT Teacher of the Year and the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching.

She taught for over 30 years and served as a consultant at the state and local town levels. She is an adjunct professor at Manchester Community College. Another Connecticut classmate, Mary Barnett Messerschmidt, retired from teaching math and volunteers with an adult learning group that works with non-traditional students, as well as with her high school. She shares holiday greetings with Anne-Louise Gibbons O’Brien, her roommate for four years, who now lives with her daughter in Tennessee. Anne-Louise’s husband died, and she has health issues. Mary also hears from Ann Lawler Fischer, Mary Lou Battory Kirchmeyer, and Keven Vincent McGuire.

Patricia Connearney Deveaux and Don gathered in Marshfield, MA with their son, daughter, and five grandchildren. Patsy and Don celebrated their 53rd anniversary in June. Patsy has been cutting back on her CPA work but still works part-time from home. Patsy recalls working in the same accounting office with Patricia (Patti) McCurry Morley. Patti and Don spend time with family in Cape Neddick, ME, and Waltham, MA, and she is in touch with Rachel Gustina Shea who works with the elderly and young. Ellen Kearns has cut down on her work and took courses from Cornell to become a certified mediator in wage and hour law. Ellen looks forward to gathering, hopefully before our 55th which is being chaired by Phyllis Mae Carberry Mueller. Frances Hogan went into her law office all during this past year and reports that downtown Boston is coming back to life. Let’s hope that is true for each of you and yours as well.

my beloved New England, visiting friends who were in our wedding and graduate school friends in Providence. Later, we’ll visit Boston and stay at the hotel where we held our wedding reception.” Jo Sullivan’s newest venture is as a news junkie, accepting a request as an unpaid “ombudsman” for her local paper. Jo writes an occasional column called “Readers’ Advocate” on how The Daily Item covers the region. So far, Jo’s topics covered the election, police reform, learning during COVID, teachers’ unions, and racism. Jo rocks! Linda Gaioni Dranchak enjoyed lunch with Mary Coogan Martin and her husband, Ham, who live up the Maine coast near Linda. Linda praised Ham’s recently published book, Talk Radio, set in a small town in Maine. Judy Murphy Lauch and I enjoyed it as well! Jane Van Dyke Deering reports one more grandson since our last writing. Congrats, Jane!

She is still managing her two galleries; one on Cape Ann in Gloucester and a small gallery on her property in Concord, MA. Maryanne Skeiber Burtman and her husband, Tim, visited the Cape for a few days and finely felt confident enough to schedule a trip to Yellowstone in September 2022!

Her family went to Saratoga this summer to continue with their yearly summer gathering after a year hiatus! 36 of them! Maryanne visits and frequently talks to Rita Famigliette Lash and Carol Hogan Ford, great friendships that only get better every year. Grace catches up with Gail Gawlinski McGuiness on FaceTime, having known each other since grammar school! Kathleen (Kathie) Libby retired in 2016 after many years in the government and having her own consulting company.

Since then she has worked on projects for the Department of Interior Wild Horses and the CA Recreation Programs. She is engaged with her local village, helping seniors “age in place.” Kathie has three grandchildren. She visited the Cape with her family last summer and had a wonderful time! Her cardio and yoga classes have re-started, yeah! Mimi McDonald Concannon and Bill spent the summer on Cape Cod. She shares, “Lifeguarding, sailing, and swimming!! We had a lovely visit from Judy Murphy Lauch and Bill and then hosted our four daughters with seven grandchildren for 10 days! We all squeezed together in our little house in Osterville, MA, and had a blast.” Linda Murphy Church is walking and pet sitting. She often walks five hours a day and has frequent furry overnight guests! She also does scheduling, invoicing, and new client development for their company. Dawn-Marie Driscoll is now officially a snowbird, having bought a condo in an 1851 home in Beverly, MA. She loves being back on the North Shore.

Best wishes in your new home, DawnMarie! Mary Reilly Potter and husband David hunkered down in Kittery Point, ME, having left their home in Venice, FL, in June. In early July, Mary spent a week visiting a friend in beautiful San Juan Capistrano, CA. Sandy Kowalski Diaferio

notes

all of you and your families are enjoying the winter months. Isn’t it amazing how quickly time passes? Speaking of which, our 50th Regis Reunion is quickly approaching, but more on that later. Maria Zodda has been in touch and, despite COVID, has been very busy. Maria has been very busy writing two children’s books entitled, Nana Has Sneakers and Griffin Saves His Elm. Kudos to her husband, John, for being her editor! Maria has also been busy creating art canvasses and selling her oil paintings. She has also been participating in the swim program called “Swim Across America!” Great job, Maria!

I’d like two take a minute to remind all of you that our 50th Reunion is coming up in 2022. In the meantime, wishing you all a happy new year, and don’t forget to stay in touch!

1974

✒ Grace Murphy, 6 Colony Road, Lexington,

MA 02420, 781-861-3914, gracemurphy52@ gmail.com ¶ Given that I’ve been in COVID

hibernation, I’m light on news this cycle.

I did read that Kevin Conry, husband of Mary Beth Graham Conry, has joined the Regis Board of Trustees. Congratulations!

But we were saddened to hear of the

Flag Indicates Reunion Year

passing of Bob Brissette, husband of Robin Parker Brissette. Condolences to Robin and her family.

1975

38 REGIS TODAY

✒ Janet Arigo Dygert, jayseadee@ yahoo.com ¶ It’s been a crazy year as we learned to navigate COVID. We enjoyed Zoom get-togethers and looked forward to planning our 50th Reunion. My husband and I are enjoying “retirecation” on Cape Cod. I’m busy with golfing, cooking, gardening, reading, taking cross-fit classes, and napping. After 33 years, Nancy Haggerty Eaton and her husband, Gerry, sold their home in Milton, MA, and planned to relocate to Scituate, MA. Their son, Matthew, was married in a small ceremony meeting COVID restrictions. Nancy is retired and works on her golf game.

Catherine (Cathy) Greeley Cohen continues to work after 28 years full-time as vice president of governmental affairs and head of the DC office for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. She enjoys visiting her three children; a physician, a senior vice president, and a glass artist. Her first grandchild was born during COVID, which might entice her into retirement.

Constance Ustach Fielding is a supervisor for the chemistry lab at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA, with plans to retire soon. Connie will relocate to Florida with her two sisters. She has three grandchildren who are the loves of her life and is very proud of them. Judith Ready Doyle is retired and splits her time between Newton and Manchester, MA. She enjoys spending time with her three grandchildren. Retired from teaching American history at Everett High School, Diane Tortola Dideo keeps busy with family and friends and enjoys volunteering at the Belmont Senior Center.

Diane has a new granddaughter, who is the most exquisite little girl she has ever seen. Diane is in touch with Cathlyn Walsh Prendergast who is also enjoying retirement and golfing. Patricia Flynn Riley retired from being a Massachusetts Probation Officer In Charge ten years ago and is thoroughly enjoying life. She and her husband, Paul, live in Gloucester, MA, and winter in Naples, FL. She has a daughter, a son, and six grandchildren. She gets together with Donna Bosche O’Brien, Carol (Posey) Baker Fradette, and Cheryl Dumont-Smith and it’s

always like they’re back at Regis. Recently retired after 45 years in social work, Elizabeth Owens Cronin lives in Branford, CT, and keeps busy with volunteer work at the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare. Elaine Mercier lives in Portland, ME, and is a part-time faculty member at three local colleges. Condolences to Eileen Dobbyn Ackles whose husband, Rich, passed away last year. She keeps busy keeping up the house and yard. She misses traveling and hopes to visit her daughter, Elizabeth, who lives in Dubai once it is safe. Lorraine Covati Hance’s daughter, Kristen, graduated in the spring

from Regis, specializing in family medical care and passed her boards! Her three kids and their families visited from California, Maryland, and Massachusetts in July.

After not seeing each other for over a year, they had much to celebrate. Pamela Kelleher Thompson and her husband, Bill, have lived in Pittsburgh, PA, for the last 27 years. Two of her kids live nearby in Pittsburgh. She summers in Martha’s Vineyard and gets to spend time with her two other kids who live in Massachusetts.

She has six grandchildren. Pam “retired” when her youngest left for college. Mary Ellen Hartnett Fillo lives in Wellesley, MA, and runs a boutique tax practice. She often passes Regis when visiting her son and his family who reside in Weston. Theresa LaBelle Tomlinson and her husband, Dave, live in Eliot, ME. Theresa works part-time at a library in Newington, NH. Dave had bypass surgery in the spring and his recovery is going well. Despite COVID, both her sons gave her beautiful granddaughters in 2020. Margaret Donoghue Golden and her husband are retired and live in Longmeadow, MA. They love to travel and visited the Sea Island/Savannah, GA area where her parents honeymooned in 1950.

Her children live in West Roxbury and Agawam, MA. After working as a psychotherapist, Paula Champagne is self-retired and enjoying life on Cape Cod. She does volunteer work and enjoys artwork and writing. Prayers and healing thoughts to Lela Niemer as she recovers from hip surgery. Lela lives in Thailand and is a lecturer at her church. She has been acting in movies and TV and doing fashion shoots.

She hopes to visit the Netherlands when she is able. Mary Ann Dellea Cronin works part-time as a social worker. She and her husband adopted an adorable but very active puppy. She gets to spend time with her daughter who lives nearby. She enjoys golfing and hopes to travel soon.

1976

✒ Mary-Christina Mulherin Duncan, P.O. Box

496, Bradford, NH 03221-7602, 603-9385026, dmcduncan@protonmail.com ¶ It was

so wonderful to catch up with classmates at our virtual 45th Reunion in May. Kudos to Martha Murphy and Mary Anne Keane McCauliffe who made personal calls and sent postcards to rally the troops!

Also, thanks to Molly Zuccarini from the Alumni Office for her organizational and technical support which was much needed for the technologically challenged. The virtual event brought 20+ of us together allowing us to “see” each other from over 6 states and share Regis memories and our own life stories. It was fascinating to hear the extraordinary accomplishments and challenges of our classmates since our graduation. Joining me for the event was Stephanie Shiek Anderson, Denise Dodds, Mary Ellen Swenson Dunn, Linda Foster, Anne Gibson-Vosikas, Patricia Jensen, Laura Lawrence Blumberg, Laurie Mallet,

Mary Anne Keane McCauliffe, Andrea Murphy, Martha Murphy, Elizabeth Pare

O’Brien, Rosemary Coppola Rainsford, Ellen O’Donnell Rankin, Joan Rearick, Elaine Richardson, Mary Hagan Rose, Shirley TracyDunn, Marian Hannum Zytka, and Adele (Dolly) O’Connor Sullivan. We drew a broad

cross-section across dorms and commuters, majors, and minors, with memories of our special guest at the Baccalaureate, Mother Theresa, as well dorm antics and some of our favorite professors. The consensus is we are pretty happy at our current stage of life—loving our grandkids and four-legged buddies who got us through COVID isolation. President Hays joined us to discuss changes at Regis and compare notes on our experiences back in the ’70s.

We hope to have other gatherings and connections before our next BIG reunion year.

It was a very spirited and energizing 45th Reunion. Let’s try to double the numbers for our 50th! Please update your contact information and consider joining the Regis College Spirit of ’76 Facebook page created

by Pat Jensen.

1977

✒ Karen Driscoll Montague, 9 Erwin Road,

Wayland, MA 01778, 508-358-5130, kdm55@ verizon.net ¶ Another pandemic year has

passed and to the best of my knowledge, we have been fortunate not to have lost any classmates to COVID. Life is slowly starting to get back to some semblance of a new normal. Classmates are starting to travel again and in some cases finally able to meet the newest members of their families.

Jan Gleason Rogers traveled to California to welcome her second granddaughter, Fiona.

Her son, Chris Rogers, is the executive producer of a new Amazon original series called “Paper Girls” which is going into production in Chicago very soon. When not in Tinseltown, Jan is spending a lot of time playing golf on the Cape after having had a knee replacement in December 2020. She is also taking art lessons. Coincidentally she plays golf in a foursome with Joan Whalen Wilson and Donna Cellucci Sumner. After 42 years in math education (29 years at Matignon High Scholastic’s in Cambridge and 13 years at Wayland Middle School), Donna has retired, sold her home in Wayland, and moved to the Cape full-time.

In addition to golf, she is enjoying spending time with Jill Alexander Belastock, whose sister lives right around the corner from Donna! Mary-Edwina Colpoys, Dianne Novak Andresano, Jill Alexander Belastock, Joy Toomey, and Donna Cellucci Sumner met

at the Pilot House in Sandwich, MA, for a lovely quarantine lunch. The past year has been quite challenging for Mary-Edwina, a pediatrician at Atrius/Harvard Vanguard since 2016, practicing telemedicine, seeing well and sick kids, and doing COVID testing. She is considering retirement in 2022 after 36 years of practice. In addition to her work, Mary-Edwina started a part-time position in 2021 at the Integrated Center

class

How to Submit Class Notes Regis would love to know what’s new with you. Regis Today is a great way to stay in touch with your classmates and friends.

Share news about babies, jobs, marriages, vacations, activities, anniversaries, and grandchildren.

Contacting your class reporter is the best way to submit a note. If you’re unable to get in touch with your reporter, please send your notes directly to the Office of Institutional Advancement and Alumni Relations by emailing classnotes@regiscollege.edu.

Thanks for keeping in touch; we look forward to hearing your news!

since she retired last year. Kathy and I went to Williamstown, MA, in August to visit Marion Quinn Jowett who retired from the Williamstown Council on Aging in July.

I’m trolling Facebook to get news on the classmates I don’t hear from. Please send me your news. Stay safe everyone. Our 45th is next year!

1978

✒ Sheila Walsh, 10916 Clovermill Circle,

Raleigh, NC 27617, smbw.walsh@gmail.com

¶ Hello, Class of 1978! Hope you all had a peaceful and joyful holiday season. Spring is around the corner! Suzanne Benavent Mendez reports from Puerto Rico that she is retiring after 42 years of teaching. She says, “Virtual teaching took its toll!” Susie has no definite plans but will be doing some volunteering after a rest period. She enjoys being part of the lives of her three beautiful granddaughters, ages 13, 2, and 19 months. The youngest is living in New York City. Diane Bednaz Gabel writes “Isn’t retirement great?” She and her husband, Jeff, retired about four years ago, and she says it took her about a year to adjust to no schedule! Diane now belongs to a book club that meets every month and volunteers at a local thrift store that helps women and children in domestic violence situations. Her youngest got married in October and she and Jeff enjoy spending time with their four-year-old granddaughter. Deirdre Keough Ball writes that due

to travel restrictions she still can’t travel outside Singapore, so she spends her time mentoring young founders of start-ups.

“I’m having a blast,” she says and has also discovered deep water jogging. She sends warm wishes to everyone. Patricia DiPasqua Woodward has been spending time at her cottage up in Maine. We send Pat and her family our sincerest condolences on the death of her husband, Paul, from COVID last spring. Her daughter, Harley, is a junior at Cornell and her son, Redmond, recently graduated from UMASS Boston with a degree in criminal justice. We also note with deep sadness the passing of our classmate Mary Kay Milley, who was such a vibrant, fun-loving, and generous woman, and send condolences to her family. I heard from a lot of you after that news, as it hit hard, especially for her suite-mates up in “the Boat.” Thinking of everyone who has suffered loss this past year. Finally, I’ve been living quietly here in North Carolina.

I’m hoping to start traveling again and if you visit the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area, let me know! Also, if anyone is interested in picking up this gig as class reporter, please don’t hesitate. It’s rewarding to hear from you all, and sometimes a change of contact means we might hear from more of you. Peace to everyone and put our 45th Reunion (big gulp!) on your calendar for 2023.

1979

✒ Janet Mills-Knudsen, 504 Narvaezi St,

Unit 113, Venice, FL 34285, 781-424-0660, janet@knudsen3.com ✒ Debbie Southworth Howard, 18729 43rd Street, West Des Moines, IA 50265, 515-441-9539, deboo813@ hotmail.com ¶ Kathryn Carroll reports

that after retiring from Louisiana State University and hunkering down for the pandemic, she started a new part-time job as a museum assistant at the National Hansen’s Disease Museum in Carville, LA, between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

Kathy’s husband, Steve Beck, continues to work full-time at LSU and both kids are officially out of the house; Sarah (26) is in Chicago and Charlie (23) is in New York City. Susan Chevoor Chin recently retired from Harvard University after 42 years and is happy to have joined the ranks of fellow classmates who are enjoying this new lifestyle. After living in New Jersey for 25 years, Daphne Cunliffe and her husband moved to Montreal in 2016. She says she enjoys the food, people, theater, weather, and cultural diversity. Daphne has a dance studio in her home and also teaches at a local university. Her daughter and two grandsons live in Newton, MA, and her son is in New Jersey. Deb Flaherty-Kizer and her husband, Keith, celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary in September.

They traveled to Boston for her annual congenital heart disease check-up and then celebrated their anniversary on Cape Cod. Ann Harrington Lagasse reported that the Maria Pit Crew got together for

39 WINTER 2022

for Child Development in Newton, MA, which specializes in children with autism, learning disabilities, and other developmental issues. She misses international travel but is enjoying “domestic” travel whenever possible to her home on Martha’s Vineyard. Dianne, working remotely for Hanover Insurance, still has no retirement plans. She, husband Vinny, and daughter Megan are enjoying living on the lake in their Sutton, MA home. Jill and Joy are delighted with the return to normalcy.

Joy is very happy being retired! She is planning to travel a lot this year with her boyfriend, Dave, and enjoyed boating with him in Marblehead, MA! She is also getting together with her family and friends and heading to the Cape and Florida. Jill is enjoying her waterfront home in Kingston, MA, and her job as a dog walker, as well as visiting family and friends on the Cape.

Everyone is thinking about traveling and making plans for our 45th Reunion. Julie O’Connor McGinn is also newly retired having sold her insurance business. She hosted a nice post-pandemic get-together by her pool this spring. She and her husband, John, are looking forward to cruises to Alaska, Buenos Aires/Brazil, and Argentina next year. Jane Lenox Leary welcomed her second pandemic grandchild, Finn Leary. She is looking forward to retiring and spending more time with her family. Jan Rutkowski has retired from Regis and is enjoying violin lessons and spending time with her wife, Mary Beth, traveling throughout New England. They are planning a trip to New Zealand once it is safe. Carol Manning Chicarello’s son Paul recently had heart surgery and everyone is thankful that it went very well. Her daughter, Lizzy, is in the Accelerated BS Nursing program at Regis. Sharon Lally Doliber has left MGH which was very stressful during the pandemic and is working at a rehab facility on the North Shore. She thanks Donna Gabrielli Popkin for “holding her hand” through her job search efforts. Sharon bought a house on Juniper Point in Salem, MA. Right behind the Salem Willows and only 167 steps to the ocean! Two of her children, Sarah and Connor, are local. Jess “the wild child” is in California and another son is in Portland, ME. No grandchildren yet but she’s hopeful. Pam Witt Wadzita traveled to Orlando, FL, this spring to help move her mother into a facility that will provide the care she needs for her dementia. She did manage to make a quick visit to her happy place, Walt Disney World, before heading back to Portland. Sadly, Janet Prior’s father and Nicki Girouard’s mother both passed away during the height of the pandemic, and Carmel Coughlin Donoghue’s mother, Ruth, passed away in early July. We extend our deepest sympathy. Carmel has been doing some beautiful paintings which you can find on her Facebook page. Another very talented artist is Valthea McGee Fry. Val lives in North Potomac, MD. Kathy Cove Curley has also been taking art classes

notes

Flag Indicates Reunion Year

a fun reunion in Boston this summer.

Barbara Boyd Cohen flew up from her home in Texas and met Claudia Pelosi Cuddy,

Maureen Baker Kelly, Ann Regan Flynn, Cathleen O’Halloran McManama, and Ann

40 REGIS TODAY

in the North End. It was a wonderful time to catch up and celebrate the recent and future weddings of their children; Neil Kelly married this spring and Maggie McManama’s wedding is planned for 2022. The four grandmothers—Cathy, Moe, Barbara, and Ann L.—bragged about their grandchildren. And the avid golfers, Claudia and Ann F., bragged about their golf games. The Pit Crew stayed connected and somewhat sane with Zoom and group chats throughout the pandemic, but nothing beats finally getting together in person. Karen Murphy Slein is in her 20th year as a self-employed human resources consultant. She works with her small team providing HR services to family-owned businesses throughout New England.

Karen’s husband, Ed, is a mechanical engineer working for Jones, Lang & Lasalle.

They split their time between homes in Ashland and Dennis, MA. Their son, John, is a Bentley grad and planning a wedding for next summer. Deborah Southworth Howard’s oldest son, Christopher, married Lindsey last October, and her youngest son, Sean, married Juliette last May. Deb Flaherty-Kizer and her husband, Keith, attended Sean’s wedding. Cheryl Rodgers and her husband, Jimmy, have lived in Lincoln, MA, for 10 years. Cheryl and her sister-in-law collaborate to create children’s books for family and friends.

She also stays involved with her church and its food pantry run by Saint Vincent de Paul. Cheryl enjoys cooking, reading, knitting, and caring for her two cats, Salty Queen and PepPep Girl—named after Salt & Pepper. Our condolences to Karen Walsh Fortin, whose father, Edward Walsh, passed away last August.

1980

✒ Judith Allonby, 7 Rockland Park, Apt. 2, Malden, MA 02148, 781-324-7735, judithallonby@aol.com ¶ Happy New Year, Class

of 1980! Not much to report this year as I was short on news. Please let me know all your exciting activities. Marie O’Malley is enjoying her recent retirement. Caroline Coscia joined a walking group through which she met fellow Regis alumna Martha Dwyer ’73. Mariaelena Walden Labonte has completed a move to Florida. Janet LeBlanc Osborne got married last January, and we send her all the best wishes for much happiness. I have once again become a member of the Regis Alumni Council. Our 40th Reunion was sadly a pandemic statistic but our 45th Reunion is now only three and a half years away. Start making plans to participate and please send me your news!

1981

✒ Susan Clancy Kennedy, sclancykennedy@ comcast.net ¶ This year has been a year like no other. The world has changed in many ways and I truly hope you are all well. Our 40th Reunion was remote and keeping in with the Class of ’81 traditions, we still had a good turnout. A total of 22 classmates attended at least one of the events. Many thanks to the reunion committee who helped plan a trivia night, a Zoom coffee break, and other events. A special thanks to Deb Foley Watson and Sue Grady who worked with the Office of Institutional Advancement to establish a scholarship in the names of our classmates who have passed away. On the Sunday of the Reunion Weekend, we took a few minutes to honor those classmates who have passed. Susan Roney Bracket, Maria Branquinho, Janice O’Rourke Damon, Adela Gadala-maria De Moldonado, Debra Goguen Doherty, Kelley Lafferty, Lori Lambert, Ann Marie Whalen McCann, Lisa Anne Milso, Marie Larocque Sheehy, Mary Palky Treddin, and Penny Williams are no

longer with us physically but remain in our hearts. To that end, our class has created a 1981 Memorial Scholarship to honor them as well as to help support the needs of future generations of Regis students.

We have already surpassed our initial goal of $25,000—we were able to raise $35,000 thus far—and hope to increase that amount to $100,000. Once we hit that threshold, the scholarship will become an endowed scholarship and a lasting legacy for the Class of 1981. If you have already given, thank you for your support. If you would like to help us reach our goal, please visit the 1981 Memorial Scholarship website to make a gift: https://alumni.regiscollege.edu/81fund. Please continue to send updates to me.

1987

✒ Annamaria Cobuccio Paone, annamariapaone07@gmail.com ¶ Greetings, ladies!

I hope this finds you doing well and staying healthy! My parents celebrated their 93rd and 94th birthdays last November.

They both are still independent and live at home. Unfortunately, my dad has had some health issues and was diagnosed with cancer last fall. I decided to take this year off from work to help care for him. It’s been quite a challenge but very rewarding. I traveled to Arizona in May with my son, Julian, and daughter, Sofia.

We hiked Cathedral Rock, Devil’s Bridge, and Bell Rock in Sedona. We then drove to the Grand Canyon and hiked the South Kaibab and Bright Angel Trails in Grand Canyon National Park. This has been a dream of mine since I was 8-years-old! I hike and forage as often as I can. Let me know if you are interested in joining me on hikes around the Boston area. I am hoping that those who continue to receive the Regis Today will contact me to provide their updated contact information so I can

include you in my email messages. I am only reaching a small number of you and would really like to reach more. I must admit that after much reluctance I finally joined Facebook in 2018. I may create a Regis College Class of 1987 group with the hope this will allow me to reach more of you and receive updates more frequently.

Eileen Schmitt Perry is a kindergarten teacher in Arlington, MA. She commented on how proud she is of the children. They proved that even with masks, social distancing, and not being in the classroom full-time, they were super flexible and could have fun, learn, and make friends.

Just before the pandemic surge in this country, Theresa Montani retired from the Braintree Fire Department after 30 years of service in February 2020. She continues to work part-time for the Tufts University Fire Safety Office in their Department of Public Safety. She lives in Randolph, MA, if anyone wishes to connect and catch up she can be reached at 781-413-5471 or shefire90@aol.com. She wishes everyone continued safety and good health as we seek the end of this pandemic. Lisa Mae DeMasi is pitching Calamity Becomes Me to literary agents, a memoir about survival, told with reflection, insight, and laughout-loud moments. Is there a chapter or two depicting her years as a student at Regis, you ask? You bet there is. About our big hair, Duran Duran outfits, and yours truly being called into the dean’s office for pulling pranks such as sunbathing on the roof of College Hall, door slamming, pouring cold water into sweet Victoria’s bath, and absconding with coins from the washer and dryer. Friends, keep an eye out for this little gem that recalls our embarking on womanhood and the best times of our lives! Cheryl Ascioti O’Hare and her husband, Brian, are doing well. Their daughter, Alissa, is finishing her studies at the Denver School of Nursing in Colorado where she now lives. Their son, Ethan, graduated from Mass Maritime in June 2020 and has been working in Long Beach, CA for almost a year for Total Terminals International as an operations manager.

They are hoping COVID becomes a thing of the past so they can visit them both soon.

They just sold their house and downsized to an apartment in Marshfield, MA, and are empty nesters and looking forward to the next chapter! Marie Nunn Van Patten is living in Scituate, MA with her husband, Tim, and 12-year-old daughter, Tenley.

Tenley is going into middle school (yes, middle school) and has taken up playing the drums and enjoys 80’s music, so Marie is re-living her Tower Tavern days! She has been working for the past 14 years at Inly School, a Montessori-based independent school on the South Shore as director of development and loves it! Travel is her family’s passion and she hopes to get back to it soon! She would love to connect with any Regis alum on the South Shore!

class 1989

✒ Maria Alpers Henehan, 33 Baker Road,

Arlington, MA 02474, 781-643-4499, paulhenehan@verizon.net ¶ Hello! I hope

was one of the most upbeat people I have had the pleasure of knowing. Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers.

1991

✒ Rosemary Hughes, rosemaryhughes@ comcast.net, 617-429-6912 ✒ Cat Trainor Froio, nobskama@gmail.com ¶ Yes, we did it. We are THAT class. We had a reunion, several in fact. The big one was held in Westwood, MA, at Hale Reservation in a huge field that provided an abundance of fresh air and a ton of smiles, laughter, and reliving of the old days. In attendance from the class: Lisa Armstrong Trahant, Karen

Boyle Fogarty, Emily Buffum, Kristine Dishaw Bisson, Julie Downs-Conover and daughter Kate, Laura Fahey Murphy, Kathe Feeney Farris, Mary Ellen Gillis DuBois, Rosemary Hughes, Laura Kean Anes, Noreen Kelliher Zachem, Colleen Kelly, Kelly Loud Morgan, Pattyanne Lyons, Meg McWilliams Garvey, Kristan Murphy, Erin O’Halloran Gesmundo, Jennifer Pauley Kennally, Tara Philbin, Dawn Polito Morris, Jessica Rucci, Stacey Smith, Tricia Sullivan, Cat Trainor Froio, Jean Lorizio, Lisa Velky Lieb, Lisa White, as

well as some of the husbands who were good sports about it even though Kelly left hers at home. It is always so great to see everyone! Congratulations to Lisa Spadafora Thompson who has been named as a trustee at Regis College and hosted a few classmates in May—she was unable to attend the June BBQ. Good luck! We always have so much news BUT a very very active Facebook page. PLEASE go find it and join if you are not already there: Regis College Class of 1991. So many photos and updates! A lot of classmates sent kids off to college this Fall—let us know where they are going! Julie Downs-Conover and Stephanie Duffy Seeley had a chance meeting on Nantucket at the beginning of August. Laura Kean Anes hosted seven classmates up in Vermont including Jen Pauley Kennally, Bonnie Bradley Perdomo, Gabrielle Leblanc, and Louanne Bobala Athanasiou. Kathe Feeney Farris was a headliner at Nick’s Comedy Stop in Boston, and Jess and Lisa were swimming in New York! The list goes on and on—get on Facebook and send in those updates to us!

Eileen Malone Corbett put it best after our reunion in August of her Regis pack and families: “12,410 days ago I won the friendship lottery!”

41 WINTER 2022

you and your loved ones are healthy and doing well. I want to thank each of you who took the time to chat online as I gathered the information for this column.

It was wonderful to connect! Kristen Dolder Wenger’s oldest son, Joseph, graduated from Berklee and now lives in Tennessee.

Jacob is heading to the University of Connecticut, and Caleb just finished competing in the Fencing Junior Olympics and Summer Nationals. She caught up with Anne-Marie Kerrigan Caruso and Suzanne Casey over dinner. She has been enjoying learning how to play piano and tooling around on her electronic bike. Kathleen Fleming Gladstone and her husband, Josh, bought a house in Brewster, NY. Kathleen joked that she is in the process of becoming “that lady” who haunts consignment shops and gardening centers. Cheryl Mabey Cleary received her MEd in moderate disabilities and is teaching in Lawrence, MA. Karol Maybury McIntosh and her daughter, Grace, gave a presentation at the Association for Psychological Science on a study they did together examining American college students’ social distancing discipline as a function of the region and political attitudes. Grace is a psychology major at the University of Maine Farmington where Karol teaches. Melanie Faulkner is starting her 33rd year in education and her 21st as a middle school assistant principal. Her daughter, Olivia, attends college in Colorado, and her son, Tim, graduated from the University of Vermont in 2020 as an athletic trainer and ROTC cadet. He is currently a 2nd Lieutenant at Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX. She and John celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary and bought a camper.

They are enjoying spending time together with their cane corso, Zita. Lisa Meninno Theriault is working as a Spanish teacher at Austin Preparatory School and loved spending her fourth summer working as a Spanish teacher for the Upward Bound program at North Shore Community College. Upward Bound helps students from Lynn prepare for and reach their goals of attending college. Her son, Luke, is a Regis 2021 graduate and will attend medical school at Saint George’s University in Granada. Kris Ann Donofrio Stancombe is loving being a very young grandmother to Harley (3), Jace (9 mos), Peyton (2), and Ayda (9 mos). Kimberly DeVito Salerno made a trip up from Florida and caught up with Laura Kopp Nuttall and Kristine Gomes. Congratulations to Kristine Gomes and Bruce Olszewski who wed in October 2020. Mary Regan Thakur started a new position at State Street Corporation and is a certification analyst within the Global Cybersecurity Group. She has been with the company for 12 years. Mary O’Connor D’Amico’s son, Dan, is in his senior year at the

University of Vermont. Christopher (15) and Katelyn (14) are entering high school.

The D’Amicos bought a house in Brewster, MA, and are enjoying spending time on the Cape. Nancy Antonellis D’Amato reports that Mass Ballet was their rock during the pandemic. Both Hannah and Asher dance with Mass Ballet and managed to have three pandemic performances. Nancy designed the costumes for all performances. She is still writing math curriculum. Hannah is a senior and they are beginning college tours. Nancy has noticed that college is MUCH different than it was in 1989! Lisa Perry Calderon is the administrative assistant to the director of special education at Salem Public Schools. She and Paul have been married for 27 years.

Her son, Josh, is a plumbing apprentice with Local 12, and her daughter, Lydia, is an honor student in the nursing program at Salem State. Kathleen Nawn Conrad’s son, Steven, is also a plumbing apprentice.

Her daughter, Christina, is entering her second year of her clinical PsyD program at William and James. Kathy and her husband are heading to Hawaii to celebrate their delayed 30th anniversary. Catherine Verderber Stanton has been enjoying time spent with Beverly Starble Ekstrom, Myra Manoogian Monto ’91, and Kerry Kehoe Battles. She has been playing in a weekly bridge game with her mom and her mom’s friends—one is Regis alum Maura Turco Dwyer ’65. Apparently, bridge was big back in the day! Cathy’s oldest, Meghan (Regis ’17), graduated from Brockton Hospital School of Nursing as the Class of 2021 valedictorian. Her youngest, Sarah, graduated from Catholic University, BSN, in 2021. Her middle, Alison, graduated from Framingham State in 2019. Mary McSoley Ohrn and her family took a trip of a lifetime visiting seven national parks out west. Melissa Rodriguez enjoyed a post-pandemic trip to Sanibel and Captiva Island which was a glorious escape from the very rainy summer we experienced.

S. Maria Iannuccillo is starting year 6 of a 4-year-term in elected leadership for her province after the election has been postponed due to pandemic. She has been on the provincial council for 10 years.

She moved back to Wilton, CT in 2020.

Just like Melanie’s son, my daughter, Casey, graduated from the University of Vermont in 2020 pandemic style. As many of you know, our dear classmate Karen Foran Dempsey passed away suddenly on Christmas Eve 2020. She leaves behind her husband and twin sons as well as her mom, sisters, brother, and many loved ones. Karen spent her life advocating for equality for those with disabilities.

She co-founded Framingham’s Disability Commission in 2002 and served as chair until 2019 when she was elected to the school committee. She was a clinical instructor at Tufts University School of Medicine and worked as a disability consultant. We were both proud tenants of Maria Pit, and I can honestly say that she

notes

1996

✒ Jody Michalski, teacherjmm@aol.com ¶ Congratulations to Tracey Forte Crossman who turned her love of drawing into a wonderful adventure! In December of 2020, Bows on Bears & Ties on Tigers: a fun, unique look at the alphabet was published with Tracey’s whimsical illustrations!

Tracey paired with author Tony Nesbitt to provide the drawings on a journey through the ABCs with animals and their fashion choices. The book is fun for adults and

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42 REGIS TODAY

children alike! Jennine Giaquinto Lesser, Trinity Hurlbut Edwards, and Carly Kimball Smith traveled to Outer Banks, NC, for two weeks this summer with their families.

They had a great time reconnecting and recharging after not being able to see each other during the pandemic. They are already planning for next time! April Alger Grudier recently got together with Jennifer Sun, Gia Salce Jobin, Johanna Taylor ’95, and Erica Scalzo Dysart ’95 for dinner. It was the first time they had all seen each other since the pandemic started and it was wonderful! For the past two years, April has been working at BlueSnap, a payment technology company as their vice president of marketing. Her office is right down the street from Regis, so she gets to drive by every day! She is also serving as the vice president of the Board of Trustees for the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School in Franklin, MA, putting her education degree to good use!

As for family, she enjoyed the summer with her 9-year old son, Ben, and her husband, Patrick. I, Jody Michalski, was recently named the Head of School for White Oak School in Westfield, MA. White Oak School provides effective research-based instruction for students with specific learning disabilities and related learning differences. I am thrilled and honored to lead the school that has provided me with 24 years of amazing teaching experiences! I hope this finds you all well. Please keep me updated with your latest news!

1998

✒ Jessica Nowosielski Flaherty, jesflaherty @gmail.com ¶ Dr. Verna-Ann PowerCharnitsky is the current chair of the STEM Department at Regis. She will be serving as chair for a three-year term.

She is still an associate professor at Regis and continues to do her cancer and pharmacology research.

1999

✒ Janine Lapan-Yawson, j9l0414@ comcast.net ¶ My sincerest apologies to my classmates for not submitting 2020 notes. I know I am not the only one whose life has been turned upside-down recently.

Despite the craziness of 2020, I am happy to report some positive news from our classmates. Stephanie Schmidt Orchard started a new job as a technical service coordinator at a medical device company, Advanced Instruments in Norwood, MA, in April 2021. She reports that she is loving her teammates, the challenges of learning a new industry, and the commute home is only 15 minutes. Congrats, Steph!

Christina Musante Rosher had a small New Haven city hall wedding in November 2019 and shortly after went into lockdown together due to COVID. She remarked, “So it’s been different, that’s for sure!”

Best wishes to you and your husband, Christina. Stephanie Turgeon shared that

she just moved to Savannah, GA, and extends an open invitation to all. She is currently working from home for the IRS on the Economic Impact/Stimulus Payment Project. She also has a new four-legged family member, Eliza Lily! Kristin WormleyLee has started a new business that combines her love of politics and lipstick called PoliticalLips. If you want to make a statement without saying a word, check it out.

Good luck, Kristin, with your new venture.

Jennifer Alberti Atwood is continuing to raise three little ones and homeschooling.

She is actively involved with Boy Scouts of America, running two cub scout dens and participating on the education commission at her church. This past year her daughter, Abigail, joined girl scouts and her fabulous leader was Jennifer van Buren ’00. Please stay safe everyone. I look forward to sharing more awesome news soon.

2002

✒ Karyn Lessard, karyn_lessard@ yahoo.com ¶ Class of 2002! Can you believe we are approaching our 20th Reunion?! In just a few months we will be invited back to campus for shenanigans... err... celebrations and I can’t wait to see your faces!

While I know many of us do a great job staying connected with classmates through social media, I did want to share some updates with everyone and since 2020 was...2020, we are going to press rewind for a hot second so we can catch up. Tara Mattson Schmehr got her PhD in education with a concentration in exceptional students from Northcentral University in December 2019. Kathryn Lucek and her wife of 15.5 years, Susan, purchased a new home in 2019 and welcomed a four-legged bundle of joy in the summer of 2020.

Andrea DePaoli McDonough dusted off her Spanish skills when welcoming her newest niece from Colombia in November 2020.

Maria del Mar turned 8 last February with the DePaoli family showering her with love and of course presents! Gina Napoleone Clark earned her black belt in kempo karate and was accepted to Pepperdine University School of Law for their online Masters in Legal Studies and is pursuing a non-lawyer’s legal education. Miss?

Ms.? Mrs.? Nope, it’s Dr. Albrent! Jessica Albrent earned her doctorate in education from Johns Hopkins University with her study “Building Data Use Practices to Support the Learning of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students.” Latoya McGregor Gimler got some fancy new business cards with her new job as director of human resources at the Austen Riggs Center, a therapeutic community, open psychiatric hospital, and institute for education and research in Stockbridge, MA. Julie Bertolino Coiteux and her husband, Jon, welcomed their second son, Miles, in June 2021. He has brought so much love, happiness, and joy to their family with 2.5-yearold, Maxwell, doing an amazing job in his newly promoted role of big brother! As for

me, Karyn Lessard, my youngest nanny kid graduated high school in June 2021 and is going to college in Michigan. I feel REALLY old! Time flies by especially since some days it feels like we were just college students at our home away from home, high on the hilltop! Be well and if you haven’t already, connect with our private Facebook group: Regis College—Class of 2002, for news and updates, especially with our 20th coming up: facebook.com/ groups/269853236360196.

2004

✒ Paula Spadea, paulak.power@gmail.com ¶ Hi, Class of 2004! I must share that I received many funny updates that centered around wearing sweats all day, full carts on Amazon, and the difficulty transitioning back to “normal life.” Despite the challenges of living through a pandemic, many of our ladies have been able to keep moving forward in both their personal lives and careers. You never cease to amaze me!

Elizabeth Smith Woodard finished her PhD a few years ago. She was lucky enough to have her wedding and purchase a condo in Methuen, MA, six months before COVID happened. She and her husband, Ben, were able to spend newlywed time home together for 17 months. They just welcomed their first child, a daughter named Hope on May 30 (part of the “Coronial” generation.) Elizabeth started a new job as a pastoral associate at Sacred Hearts Parish in Bradford, MA. She continues to serve as director of the Regis College Alumni Chorus. Bobbie Finocchio Paolini also welcomed a new baby boy in April named Taye Nicholas. She published a book, A Case for Change in Teach Preparation: Developing Community Based Residency Programs. Nickema (Nikki) Williams is still in Tobago, Trinidad rallying through the pandemic by teaching from home. The time at home has allowed her to grow her business, Nick’s Homemade Ice Cream, which will take over the island one lick at a time! Good luck with your endeavor, Nikki! Lorick Wash bought a townhouse in East Bridgewater, MA, right before the state’s shutdown. To keep her company, she adopted a cute pup named Star. She shared that she attempted to pursue her dream of being a roller-skating disco queen, but that dream was instantly crushed when her skating skills were not up to par! Keep trying, Lorick! Julie Burgoyne Sears was promoted to director of studio operations at Haddad & Partners.

She married Mike Desilet in September.

Alejandra Barreda left Miami to move back home to Arizona. She transitioned from working from home to driving 56 miles each way to a new job. What a difference from quarantine, but the mountains make for a beautiful drive to work every day! Her children are now teenagers and keeping her busy, I am sure! Nicole Hoffman Solano accepted a position with Bethany Christian Services as their director of donor analytics

class after 12 years of working with Operation Smile. She resides in Virginia Beach where she lives with her family. Abigail Allen Harmon entered her 14th year of teaching special education on Mount Desert Island, ME. She is celebrating 11 years of marriage this year and has three awesome children ages 8, 5, and 2! She shared that life is busy but wonderful. Jessica Homer accepted an assistant general counsel position at the Florida Gulf University in June 2021. She is part of the Southwest Florida’s Equity Action Team through the FutureMakers Coalition. She focuses on bias and its community impact. I always enjoy hearing your updates. Each one of you is so inspiring. Please encourage other classmates, whom I may not hear from, to share their updates with me either through Facebook or by email. Stay safe!

2005

2006

✒ Nicole Collette, nmcollette@gmail.com Heidi Gomez, heidzgomez@gmail.com ¶ Hello, Class of 2006! Amazingly, it has been 15 years since we graduated! Erin Campbell started a new position at Direct Associates, a direct marketing agency, as a senior client executive. She is driving new

strategies, as well as generating new ideas to ensure that clients are meeting their marketing goals. Heidi Gomez is currently enrolled in the Educators Leadership Institute and is actively working in this intensive program to facilitate her goal of becoming an assistant principal.

2007

✒ Kate Daley Fisher, kdale324@gmail.com ¶ Breaking news from the class of 2007!

Tiffani Lanctot Britton moved her family back east to Burlington, CT, where she has started a new job as an oncology RN at Trinity Health of New England. Leah Boniface Soloman and Sarah Boniface Sauder expanded the Regis crew. Leah and her husband, Philip, welcomed Zachary James Solomon on December 19, 2020.

Soon after, on December 21st, Sarah and her husband, Justin, welcomed their son, Jackson Alan Sauder! In July 2021, Estefania Von Hausen Ricci married Steve Ricci in a beautiful ceremony that was attended by several Regis ladies! Tina Tomaszczuk MacKenzie and her husband, Brian, are keeping busy with two beautiful kids, Alexis and Jacob. Got news? Send me an email update!

43 WINTER 2022

✒ Elizabeth DeLise, elizabeth.delise@ gmail.com ¶ Kathryn Bloomquist gave birth to her son, Nathan Douglas Van Ahnen, on September 12, 2020. She says, “It was the greatest blessing out of this really tough and strange time we’re living in.” Kathleen Stuart Caldwell reports that her twin girls are almost 2-years-old and potty training.

She’s a part-time stay-at-home-mom and a part-time worker at a resale store. Kat will also be celebrating four years of marriage. Kathryn Nicholson Mjos had identical

twin boys, Mason Alexander and Lucas Edward on November 24, 2020. Lauren Vey Fournier moved to Merritt Island, FL, and is enjoying the year-round sunshine and swimming! Lauren would also like us all to take a moment to remember our dear friend and classmate Maura O’Sheaz who passed away on October 15, 2020. She was a nurse practitioner, caring daughter, sister, friend, and lover of animals. Several members of the class of 2005 virtually met with first-year students for a Zoom event to discuss the unique challenge of being a first-year student during historical times. We all reflected and shared our 9/11 experiences and the Zoom event was well-received by the students. I, Liz DeLise, moved clear cross-country from North Carolina to Monterey, California. I also was promoted to director of Saturday Runs for Wear Blue: run to remember. It has been 20 years since our first days at Regis College! I encourage you all to utilize our class Facebook page to keep in touch.

Blessings to you all.

notes

T H E R EG I S F U N D provides essential support to ensure all students have the opportunity for an excellent education at Regis College.

WAYS TO G I V E ONLINE alumni.regiscollege.edu/regisfund PHONE 781.768.7240 MAIL 235 Wellesley St., Box 30 Weston, MA 02493

From financial aid and scholarships to athletics, campus life, mentoring, extracurriculars and clubs, classroom and lab equipment, and so much more— your gift to the Regis Fund will make an immediate impact on the things that make Regis such a great community to live, learn, and work.

Flag Indicates Reunion Year

PLANNED GIVING AT R E G I S

44

Your gift to Regis College creates opportunities for the next generation of leaders.

Making a planned gift to the university gives you a unique opportunity to make a longterm impact while receiving benefits during your lifetime.

Regis recently launched a new website that features helpful information about planned giving options, financial resources and news, and free planning tools exclusively for Regis alumni and friends. Learn more at regiscollegelegacy.org and email advancement@regiscollege.edu if you would like to receive our monthly email newsletter.

REGIS TODAY

Membership in the Catherine Burke Society— Regis’ planned giving donor society—is extended to those who document their planned gift to Regis. If Regis is in your plans or if you would like to discuss your planned giving options, please reach out: 781.768.7048 or advancement@regiscollege.edu.

class

notes

In Memory Regis has been notified of the following alumni and friends who passed away.* May they rest in God’s eternal peace.

1941 Dorothy Carman Goguen January 31, 2022 1943 Catherine Clinton Lillis December 10, 2016

Edith Bolduc Vallarino November 15, 2015 1944 Phyllis Davieau May 26, 2021 Virginia Sheehan Delaney July 17, 2021 Alice McHugh Vigneau December 14, 2016 1945 Doris Lynch October 19, 2021 Rosemary Lyons Martin November 27, 2021 Marion Terrasi May May 25, 2019 Mary Hannon Monahan November 26, 2021 Pauline Montgomery April 16, 2020 Catherine Hogan Powers March 21, 2021 1946 Marion J. Fahey January 11, 2022 June Foley Igo May 29, 2021 Patricia McDavitt Scanlon June 22, 2021

Louise McInerney Ryder July 2, 2021

Eunice FitzGerald March 12, 2019 Olga Coscia Harrigan April 25, 2020

1957 Marion Kenney McKinney October 24, 2021 Ann Murphy Raffa September 13, 2021 1958 Patricia Burke Tarpey July 1, 2021

1948 M. Clare Glennon Brown October 26, 2021

Aldine Barber Lehman September 8, 2021

Joan Doherty Mahoney July 29, 2021

Miriam Brault Santry January 18, 2022

Margaret McGrath August 28, 2021

1951 Jeanne Bourneuf Burke August 15, 2021

1949 Anna McLaughlin Brodbine August 16, 2021

1959 Eunice Sylvestre Dupre Allard October 30, 2021

45

1952 Jill McKearin Paredes January 31, 2022

Marjorie Grant January 20, 2022

Marion Comerford Cowie July 17, 2021 Betty Ann Hynes Elliott November 16, 2021 Katharine Healy Hassey September 20, 2021 Margaret Moore Latour August 13, 2021 Eleanore Arseneault Meinhardt January 18, 2022 Helena Regan October 23, 2020 Paula Power Rogerson August 1, 2021 Kathryn Penney McNally January 19, 2019 1950 Mary Towne Baggett May 27, 2021 Janet Cushman Bergeron September 30, 2021 Anne Stingel Bolton August 26, 2016

*As of February 7, 2022 print deadline.

Eileen Delaney Debany July 24, 2021

WINTER 2022

Catherine O’Hare Lind August 20, 2021

1947 Jeanne McDonough Cronin January 14, 2022

1953 Patricia O’Donnell Deegan-Nawn August 14, 2021 Claire Delaney Kiely July 6, 2021 Joan Quinn Kindamo June 30, 2021 Theresa Audette Wood-Lavine October 30, 2021 1954 Margaret Hassan August 8, 2021 1955 Judith Michaud Marotta March 13, 2021 Jeanne Dekat Schork September 30, 2021 1956 Margaret Grant Casper January 15, 2022

Donna Coffey Young December 1, 2021

Jean Letourneau Hampsey September 15, 2021 Antoinette Riordan Newhoff July 14, 2021 Margaret Doherty Rybicki June 9, 2020 Ann Tiernan September 18, 2021 1960 Dorothy Gallagher Connell November 18, 2021 Kathleen Doyle Edmonds November 28, 2021 Mary Dowd Keelan April 4, 2021 Ann Louise Whitcomb Scotten November 6, 2021 Mary Stackpole March 9, 2013

continued on next page >>

1961 Catherine Ross Bettencourt September 30, 2021

1968 Kathleen Loughlin Norris October 13, 2021

1994 Christine Serrecchia November 2, 2021

Patricia Crowley June 18, 2021

1969 Lynn Hyland Bobby November 21, 2021

1995 Lois Goepfert October 8, 2021

Kathleen Mahoney Norstein November 3, 2021

1996 Dorothy O’Leary July 4, 2021

Janet Goldrick December 26, 2021 Judith McKinney Lyons August 3, 2021 Nicole Baril Sica August 25, 2021 1965 Kathleen Kane Chamberlain July 25, 2021 Joan Wixted Curran April 14, 2020

46

Sheila DeCoursey Kennedy November 17, 2021

REGIS TODAY

Janet Ostafin Tierney January 15, 2022 1966 Mary Brennan June 25, 2021 Anne Collier September 4, 2018 Elizabeth “Betsy” Burns Griffin July 18, 2021 Jane Peyton McCone Guthrie February 4, 2022 Wilfredine Chiasson Lesperance April 5, 2020 Mary Ellen Minihane Mahoney October 6, 2021 Margaret Flores Moran July 18, 2021 Nanci Leverone Ortwein September 9, 2021 1967 Kathleen Maguire January 19, 2021

1970 Marlies Willscher Zammuto December 18, 2018 1972 Suzanne LeBel Corrigan May 22, 2021 Marie Sullivan October 29, 2021 1973 Anne Marie Leo McCarthy December 4, 2021 1975 Jayne Bozzuto August 14, 2021 1976 Renee Hamilton November 9, 2021 Barbara Pedersen Szostakowski October 9, 2015 1978 Mary Milley July 1, 2021 1979 Catherine Healy-Robbins July 5, 2021 Marguerite Quist Paul November 28, 2021 1982 Helen Miller Moore December 20, 2021 1988 Diane Robitaille August 3, 2021 1993 MariaGina Cruz Rippins February 7, 2022

2002 Cheryl Dorriety O’Connor September 24, 2012 2008 Teresa Fuller October 29, 2021 2011 Paul Reynolds July 24, 2013 2016 Michael Emanuelson August 24, 2021 Former Faculty Thomas McGovern October 16, 2021 Friends Paul Garber November 29, 2021 Violet Glickstein November 27, 2021 John Kaneb August 29, 2021 Maryjane Kerrigan September 30, 2017 Barbara Sloane December 3, 2021 Honorary Degree Catherine DeVink December 15, 2021 Mary Hennessey January 27, 2020

alumni class notes

spotlight Did you have a Regis mentor?

I will always rememberr Sisterr Carmela Abbruzzese ’66, CSJ. Herr knowledge was impresss ivee , but herr kindnesss and caring atttitude is what I will rememberr.

What motivated you to become involved in the Regis Graduate Alumni Ambassador Program?

Wesley Major, MEd ’15 Tell me about your career.

How did your education at Regis prepare you for your career?

Withh out a degree from Regis, I would not havee been able to become a teachh err or gain my new posi si tionn as an administrator.

While on n -thh e-job work experr iencee is vee ry

valuable, my courses at Regis provided a stronn g foundation n thh at informs my current practicee . One lesss on n from a course onn teachh ing Englishh Language Learnerr s (ELL), for example, highlighted how many ELL teachh ing techh niques work well for students withh language procee sss ing delays or executivee functionn ing isss ues. I learned specific

vocabulary instructionn skills thh at I used in thh e classs room when I was teachh ing, and now I shh are thh at withh othh err teachh err s.

What is your favorite part about being an ambassador?

I really enjoy inspiring othh err s to join thh e teachh ing professs ionn , and I am vee ry grateful for evee rythh ing thh at my degree from Regis has helped me to achh ievee . So being an ambasss ador is my small way of giving back by shh aring my experr iencee and motivating othh err s.

DUAT E RE GI S GRA M R PR O GRA DO A SS BA AM bassador Am te ua ad The Gr umni the s graduate al program give e the value of ot om pr to opportunity nnected ation, stay co a Regis educ build d an , er ma mat with their al Volunteers . ks or tw ne their own participate portunity to have the op ittedm ad g in clud in events, in ts, en ev , career n student days and admissio n, io at nt ie student or arn more Le . ns io ss se information at get involved about how to aap. ollege.edu/g sc gi .re ni alum

Regis Program: Master of Education in Teaching Special Education Current Employer: The Gifford School Job Title: Special Education Coordinator

47 WINTER 2022

The Giffford Schh ool is a private, special educationn schh ool for students withh social, emotionn al, behavioral, and complex learning chh allenges. I wear many hats in my role as special educationn coordinator, including helping to superr vise teachh err s in our lowerr, middle, and high schh ools; perr forming academic testing withh students; and devee loping IEPs and academic curriculum. I also work closely withh thh e educationn director to advise thh e team onn educationn al isss ues and help guide decisionn s. No day is thh e same, whichh I lovee !

My pathh to teachh ing was nonn traditionn al.

I didn’t always know I wanted to be a teachh err and I didn’t study educationn as an underr graduate. When I decided to get my masterr ’s in teachh ing, I was working full time. I felt as thh ough some people could benefit from hearing my experr iencee and learning what thh ey can achh ievee , evee n if thh ey follow a nonn traditionn al pathh as well.

THE BASICS

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Life is ‘Brutiful’ Nursing alumna finds beauty in life amid cancer diagnosis

48 REGIS TODAY

Lauren Ghazal, BSN ’15, MSN ’16, PhD, FNP-BC, was pursuing her PhD at New York University and working as a family nurse practitioner when she began feeling tired and losing weight.

“I had only been living in NYC a few months, and, at the time, just attributed it to a normal adjustment to the hustle of city life,” Ghazal recalls.

But when Ghazal identified a non-tender lymph node right above her collarbone, she went to her primary care physician and a series of specialists before receiving a diagnosis of stage 2 Hodgkin Lymphoma.

“I truly would not have found my cancer as early as I had if I was not a nurse practitioner,” Ghazal says.

“Even my oncology team was super impressed with my clinical assessment skills.”

She is forever grateful for the many influential Regis professors and research opportunities that provided her with critical clinical experience that helped save her life. Ghazal went through six months of treatment, including fertility preservation and chemotherapy.

“Looking back, I put too much pressure on myself to be at the top of my game throughout treatment because of my health care background,” Ghazal says.

“But now I understand, with cancer, there’s so much uncertainty and you can’t control most of your treatment or response to treatment.”

At the end of her treatment, Ghazal was elated to see the clear scan telling her she was in remission, but she still found herself asking, “What now?” She had finished treatment, but no one told her about the struggles she would face the first few years after active treatment.

“There was so much to process after everything I went through; it was a very stressful time, leaving me with a lot of anxiety,” Ghazal says. Thanks to a friend’s recommendation, she started seeing a therapist when she was first diagnosed and continues to this day. “Mental health was never discussed during my active treatment, but therapy is where my healing truly started.”

By sharing her story, Ghazal hopes to help eliminate the stigma around discussing mental health and give more people the courage to seek the resources and help they need.

“A friend told me the reason she started seeing a therapist after having a baby was because I was so open about my experiences,” Ghazal says. “You have no idea what that means to me.”

Ghazal’s diagnosis completely shifted the trajectory of her career, which now focuses on cancer survivorship, specifically among adolescents and young adults (AYAs), an age group with unique challenges and needs.

“I came out of active treatment asking so many questions about how to support patients before, during, and after cancer and saw many gaps in the literature available,” she recalls. “AYAs are diagnosed at such a pivotal moment in their life when they are trying to figure out who they are and what they want to do with their lives, and also trying to become financially independent.”

Ghazal’s PhD dissertation focused on workrelated challenges and financial toxicity in AYA cancer survivors, specifically looking at how cancer impacted their future careers and ultimately their quality of life. Now more than three years in remission, she is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor working on a research project funded by the National Cancer Institute on social genomic mechanisms of health disparities among AYA cancer survivors.

“I wear a bracelet with the phrase ‘brutiful’ as a daily reminder that life is both brutal and beautiful,” Ghazal says. “It’s hard to embrace the brutal moments, but I’ve learned there can also be beauty in them. I am excited about the contributions I will make to this field as a patient, clinician, and researcher to help others, and I am proud of my nursing roots at Regis.”

Photo: Kathi Littwin

B Y A S H L E Y S TA R R

“ I am excited about the contributions I will make to this field as a patient, clinician, and researcher to help others, and I am proud of my nursing roots at Regis.”

LAUREN GHAZAL, BSN ’15, MSN ’16

Read a recent CNN opinion piece by Ghazal about the impact of the pandemic on nurses everywhere: regisma.me/ghazal

Regis College 235 Wellesley Street Weston, MA 02493-1571 Change Service Requested

Come back to campus and celebrate! Classes ending in 2 and 7 will celebrate their Reunions all weekend, and there will be select all-alumni events for everyone. Registration opens in March.

Learn more and get involved: alumni.regiscollege.edu/reunion22