“At Saint Michael’s College, the student experience is our priority,”
River
by Don Cipriano ‘64, Phil Prespare ‘64, and Kevin Slane ‘67, Lunch Bunch Historians, and Bill Howe ‘71, editor
Dear Saint Michael’s Community,
As I write to you, I am filled with gratitude and a profound sense of purpose. Together, we are stewards of an extraordinary institution— a place that has shaped countless lives for over 120 years. In October, I was honored to be inaugurated as the 18th president of Saint Michael’s College. During that event, we reflected on our history, celebrated our achievements, and looked with hope and determination to what lies ahead.
At the heart of Saint Michael’s College is a belief in the transformative power of education. Our mission, grounded in faith, service,
and the liberal arts, equips students not only to succeed but to lead lives of purpose and integrity. This commitment—woven into the fabric of our community—has inspired generations to make meaningful contributions to the world.
As we face the challenges and opportunities of the modern era, we are called to be bold and innovative. Higher education is evolving rapidly, and Saint Michael’s must continue to adapt while staying true to its core values. Together, we will embrace new technologies, enhance our academic offerings, and deepen our ties to Vermont and beyond. We will nurture a culture of collaboration, resilience, and creativity to
prepare our students for the complexities of today’s world.
This work is not mine alone; it belongs to all of us. The passion of our faculty and staff, the vision of our trustees, the dedication of our alumni, and the trust of our students and their families fuel our progress. We are a community built on shared values, and it is through this collective effort that we will sustain and strengthen Saint Michael’s for the next 120 years.
I am honored to walk this journey with you. I am grateful for your partnership as we move forward together to ensure that Saint Michael’s remains a beacon of light—a place where knowledge meets compassion, faith informs action, and dreams become reality.
With gratitude and hope,
Richard Plumb, Ph.D. President, Saint Michael’s College
SAINT MICHAEL’S
COLLEGE MAGAZINE
Fall/Winter 2024
Volume 24, No. 2
smcvt.edu/magazine
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Millie Rossman
EDITOR
Susan Salter Reynolds
MANAGING EDITOR
Michelle Jordan P’20
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Rev. Michael Carter, SSE ’12
Chris Kenny ’86
Carla Hesler
Elizabeth Murray ’13
Izzy Quam ’25
Lauren Read
Terri Selby
Stephanie Snell P’28
Beth Syverson ’24
PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Jerry Swope
DESIGN
Harp and Company
Graphic Design
Jennifer Fisher
Douglas G. Harp
MAGAZINE ADVISORY BOARD
Alaba Apesin
Rev. Michael Carter, SSE ’12
Summer Drexel
Gretchen Galbraith
Michelle Jordan P’20
Ellen Kane
Josh Kessler ’04
Millie Rossman
Terri Selby
Stephanie Snell
Jerry Swope
Saint Michael’s College Magazine (ISSN 0279-3016) is published by the Office of Marketing and Communications twice per year. The views expressed in the Saint Michael’s College Magazine do not necessarily represent the official policies and views of Saint Michael’s College.
POSTMASTER
Please send address changes to:
Saint Michael’s College
One Winooski Park, Box 6 Colchester, VT 05439
SMCMagazine@smcvt.edu
EDITORIAL OFFICE
Saint Michael’s College One Winooski Park, Box 6 Colchester, VT 05439
802.654.2556
SMCMagazine@smcvt.edu
©2024 by Saint Michael’s College.
Dear Editor:
I always look forward to receiving the Saint Michael’s College magazine. The formatting and presentation are beautiful, the features are insightful, and the content always ties back to the mission of the College. I am writing regarding the decision to forgo including full obituaries in the magazine. I believe the decision to move to an online database of obituaries, with only one listing of recently departed alumni and friends of the College in the print edition, is misguided. While an online directory is an interesting option, scanning a QR code is not the same as reading—in print—about the lives of individuals who came before us and made the Saint Michael’s experience what it is today.
Letters may be edited for style, length, and clarity.
Dear Trevor:
Thank you for your letter. Our magazine committee consists of a mix of faculty and staff across campus, plus a core group that develops the committee’s ideas and makes decisions on content and storylines, and sometimes we are tasked with making tough decisions such as the change to the “In Memoriam” section. We had many conversations about the section and ultimately decided to move our obituary listings online. Putting the obituaries online allows classmates to search the database by name or by class year. Obituaries are added as we receive them. It is a large undertaking, but we are slowly backfilling the names so that eventually the database will be a complete listing of all deaths. Submitted obituaries range from a single paragraph to several long paragraphs. Online, they can be any length, and if a photo is shared, that can be added, too. We work to create a balance in providing printed content in a world that is moving more toward digital accessibility. We are doing our best to marry these print and digital expectations with an eye toward fiscal responsibility, while still honoring our alumni.
Best,
The Editorial Board
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Share your thoughts on the magazine. Is there a story you think we should cover? Do you have a favorite section? Did one of the pieces in this issue spark a memory of your time at St. Mike’s? How did your time at Saint Michael’s College impact your life?
Send your ideas and impressions to: VIA EMAIL: SMCMagazine@smcvt.edu
SNAIL MAIL: Saint Michael’s College Magazine,1 Winooski Park, Box 6, Colchester VT 05439
In September, a new art exhibit was installed at the Saint Michael’s College McCarthy Art Gallery to honor the work of the first art professor on campus, Cyril “Cy” Sloane. Sloane came to Saint Michael’s College in the 1950s, and he served as a professor until 1978. He was later honored with the title professor emeritus, and continued his association with the College until his death in 1989. Many of his works remain in the archives in the basement of Durick Library, and the current campus art building—Sloane Hall—is named for him. Jessica Engels ’81 of Duxbury, Vermont, the daughter of former English professor John Engels, is curating the exhibit. “I got together with a couple of friends from Saint Michael’s, and we had a discussion about
artistic legacy, in the sense of the long-lasting impact of their work. After my father died, the College honored him with the John Engels Memorial Poetry Reading for several years, with well-known poets like Ellen Bryant Voigt and Syd Lea,” Engels shared.
Sloane Hall now features two new studios that give students more room to work creatively and collaboratively. In the summer of 2024, two Art & Design majors, Jack Hurley ’25 and Claire Barone ’26, worked alongside Art & Design Professor Brian Collier in creating new senior studios and sculpture classrooms and expanding the space for the woodshop. Students have used the building, which houses solely art and design classes, to work on projects including photography, sculpture, woodworking, painting, and furniture making. The building facilitates a community where students can freely express themselves through creativity. “The character of this building lends
itself to creativity and freedom,” Hurley said. “There are drawings all over the walls, holes, stuff tacked to the ceiling. There’s a freedom of selfexpression in this building that you don’t get in St. Ed’s or the other buildings on campus.”
Saint Michael’s College Physics Professor and Chair Alain Brizard—one of the world’s foremost experts on fusion plasma physics—spent a month in Japan as a visiting professor at the National Institute for Fusion Science in Toki, Gifu Prefecture. During his visit, Brizard gave lectures and seminars; worked with graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and research physicists; and had the opportunity to travel to other universities in Japan to share his knowledge. His visiting professor post was part of a long tradition of international collaboration that Brizard has engaged in while a professor at Saint Michael’s College, including trips to China, Japan, Finland, Germany, and other areas of the world. Brizard’s international engagement has also brought students to Vermont.
Brizard worked on advanced collision operators for gyrokinetic numerical simulations. Brizard’s 40 years of work in thermonuclear fusion energy research has mainly focused on the mathematical models used by computer programs simulating fusion reactions, including accelerating these simulations. Brizard’s work has been essential in advancing fusion research and development.
During the 2024–25 academic year, the First Year Seminar common text is Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann (with Kristen Joiner). Heumann is one of the most influential disability rights activists in U.S. history, and in this memoir, she shares her journey as a disabled person who pushed for her right to receive an education, have a job, and be treated as a human.
“When thinking about a common text, we wanted a book that could be considered from many different angles. Courses should be interdisciplinary, and they should promote reflection on diversity,” said Professor Peter Vantine, director of the First Year Seminar Program.
Philosophy and Ethics Professor Crystal L’Hote and three alumni recently shared their thoughts on the future of artificial intelligence (AI) in a panel discussion at the College. Kellie Campbell ’08, chief information officer for the Vermont State Colleges, said that education will be the most affected field in the future of AI. Because so many students are already using ChatGPT, AI’s pace in education is only going to accelerate. Thomas Dickerson ’13, Ph.D., chief science officer at Geopipe, creates geospatial data about the world using artificial intelligence. Dickerson noted that the term AI can be misleading. “AI, in a lot of ways, is a marketing term,” Dickerson said. “It’s kind of a catchall for a lot of different techniques that broadly fall under the umbrella of getting computers to do pattern matching, and then also extrapolating from data.” James Watson ’12, a solutions architect at Honeywell, said he uses AI every day in his work schedule. “The key thing is to kind of embrace it, but do so with a bit of skepticism and a bit of curiosity,” Watson said.
BY BETH SYVERSON ’24
Matt Akins steps into his first year as director of athletics for the Purple Knights well prepared. Akins’s career began in 2005, coaching collegiate soccer, which he did for 14 years, before transitioning to an administrative role as an associate director of athletics at The College of Saint Rose in 2017. In 2021, he joined Saint Michael’s College as an an associate director of athletics. Now as director, Akins aims to keep “why” at the heart of his decision making, striving to create the best possible experience for both student-athletes and coaches.
“If I look at the core of why I’m in this position, I try to make sure I take a step back,” Akins says. “I had a passion for sports from a young age, and I couldn’t have asked for a better career and opportunity to be at this “level—to work work with coaches and student-athletes on getting to do and perform in the ways that I got to when I was in high school and college.”
As part of his mission to better the athlete experience, Akins has implemented the “Three Cs”: community, classroom, and competition. Through the guidance of the three Cs, Akins aims to create well-rounded student-athletes. Not only should athletes strive for greatness on the field, Akins says, they should strive for it in the classroom and greater community as well.
So far, Akins has overseen the completion of the Kelley Ski Center and the addition of outdoor track as a varsity sport. Akins also plans to complete the ongoing facilities renovations started by the former director of athletics, Chris Kenny ’86 M’98.
MILLIE ROSSMAN
Executive Director for Marketing and Communications
Millie Rossman joined the Saint Michael’s College community in July 2024. Rossman has spent more than two decades in creative marketing and brand development, and she began working in higher education in 2012. She brings with her a wide range of skills and expertise in strategic communications, including experience in content strategy for recruitment, alumni relations and fundraising communications, building and leading integrated teams, and brand development through thought leadership and authentic storytelling.
BRIGID LAWLER
Vice President for Enrollment Management
Brigid Lawler joined Saint Michael’s in July 2024. Lawler brings with her 30 years of career experience in admissions at institutions including Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and Connecticut College. She has extensive experience in holistic recruitment strategies and the creation of innovative scholarship initiatives and campus visit opportunities. She has many creative ideas for the Enrollment Division, including plans for increasing diversity in recruitment.
HEIDI ST. PETER
Executive Director of the Student Success Center
Heidi St. Peter ’96 was named the executive director of the Student Success Center in September 2024. She has served in many capacities at Saint Michael’s College, including posts in the associate dean’s office, academic support, MOVE, and Campus Ministry. Earlier in her career, St. Peter also worked within Residence Life and Institutional Advancement at the College. Beyond Saint Michael’s, she had the opportunity to work alongside and learn from the Edmundites in Selma, Alabama, and Burlington, Vermont.
YUNGA WEBB
Associate Director of Human Resources/DEI
Yunga Webb joined Saint Michael’s College in 2024 from Southern California, bringing 20 years of experience in education, including 10 years of leading DEI efforts at independent schools. Most recently, she served as director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at North Country School in Lake Placid, New York, overseeing a team of over 50 educators in DEI curriculum, professional development, and community engagement. Before her academic career, Webb was a professional singer, performing on Royal Caribbean cruises and working as a vocal coach with MTV, Nickelodeon, and ABC. She continues to sing internationally, performing at events such as the NBA All-Star Game and at NFL Kansas City Chiefs games.
CHRIS KENNY
Executive Director for Stewardship and Leadership Giving
Chris Kenny ’86, M’98, P’18, took on a new role in Institutional Advancement in June 2024. A wellknown face around campus, Kenny has spent nearly four decades with the institution, most of it in the Department of Athletics in various roles for 37 years, the last nine as director of athletics. Since 2003, Kenny’s responsibilities have been comprehensive, including management of NCAA compliance, public relations, marketing and promotions, and institutional advancement efforts. At the same time, he served as a program administrator for seven varsity sports. He leaves the department on an upward trajectory, and in many ways, is going to back to his roots. “My long career with Purple Knight athletics has been immensely rewarding, and working with our student-athletes, coaches, staff, and campus colleagues has substantially enriched my life,” he said. “I’m thrilled to begin a new chapter at Saint Michael’s working with the Institutional Advancement team.”
NICOLE MORRIS
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING
DAVID LAMARCHE ENDOWED CHAIR
BY SUSAN SALTER REYNOLDS
by Jerry Swope
WE CAUGHT up with Nicole Morris in her fifth week at Saint Michael’s College, and she was already energized—by the students, by the mission, by the beautiful campus, and by the purple flags reminding the community to “Do Well and Do Good.”
A licensed certified public accountant with a diverse professional career in public and private accounting, Morris has also taught, for the past 16 years, at Burlington’s Champlain College. She loves teaching— inspiring students to build confidence, solve problems, and engage with their community. The students she has met so far at St. Mike’s have impressed her with their agency, she says. “These students know what they need. They are well-balanced.”
Morris has three children: a son in his first year in college and twin daughters in high school. Her dog Rosie comes to work and greets visitors to her office. A poster on her wall reminds the viewer, “Celebrate what you want to see more of.” What Morris wants, for her children and for her students, is success, broadly defined to include purpose, meaning, and lifelong learning.
Morris earned a Ph.D. in management—business administration from Saint Mary’s University, a master’s degree in business administration from Marist College, and a bachelor of business administration—accounting from Siena College. Coming to a values- and mission-based campus has been a kind of homecoming for her. In her first weeks, she felt immediately supported by faculty, staff, and students. She is excited to convey to her students, in an era of mistrust for institutions, corporations, and business in general, all the positive impacts business can have. Much of her own research and consulting has been with certified B Corporations and impact investing.
Inside and outside the classroom, Morris is already helping students envision career paths that will utilize their mission-based liberal arts backgrounds. Advising students in the Economics Department in their efforts to launch and run a student investment
fund (see page xx) was one of her first accomplishments. “Things are changing so rapidly,” she says. “We don’t actually know what future jobs will look like. But we can build resilience, flexibility, and fundamental principles into our business course offerings.”
Morris is teaching Intermediate Accounting this fall. She looks forward to upper-level courses such as Organizational Problem Solving that will help students transition to building a strategic mindset. Thanks to Morris’s decades of connections with local business owners, students will visit and be visited by local business leaders and innovators in the coming months.
For Morris, the future looks bright. Everywhere she looks, she sees the potential for leading with kindness. Nonetheless, Morris understands “analysis paralysis,” that feeling of being overwhelmed when change is needed. Getting things done is all about the small decisions, she reminds her listener—the ripple effect.
“People aren’t feeling hopeless,” she says, “they just don’t know where to start!”
Saint Michael’s College is adding varsity men’s and women’s outdoor track programs to its varsity sport offerings, effective for the 2025–26 school year. “This is an opportunity to try something new and continue to train and compete year round,” said athlete Rylee Burnham ’27. “I hope to see the construction of a strong, focused, and committed community in the track program as we begin counting down to the inaugural season.”
The addition of track brings the number of varsity sport offerings at the College to 23, and marks the first time new programs have been added since women’s ice hockey began play for the 2000–01 school year.
The new outdoor track teams will be led by Molly Peters, who is in her 19th year as a head coach at the College. She has guided women’s cross-country throughout her tenure, is entering her 13th season as Nordic skiing head coach, and is in her fourth year with men’s cross-country.
“It’s really a dream come true to add a track program at Saint Michael’s College,” said Peters in a press release. “Adding this program will be a game changer for recruiting, as most runners want to compete in cross-country in the fall and track in the spring. We really couldn’t ask for a better time for this to happen.”
Saint Michael’s becomes the 10th member of the 11-school Northeast-10 (NE10) Conference to offer track; the league has provided championship opportunities in the sport since 2002. The immediate entry into the NE10 track sphere will allow the Purple Knights to compete for additional NCAA Championship berths and inseason and postseason awards, both athletic and academic. Saint Michael’s will utilize local high school and college tracks for indoor and outdoor training.
—BY LAUREN READ
In late September, Saint Michael’s College celebrated 50 years of field hockey. The weekend festivities kicked off with the team hosting Molloy University and earning a win in front of alumni representing all decades of the sport, along with families and supporters. Shining throughout the weekend were the special bonds, lifelong friendships, and deep connections alumnae shared with former teammates and present team members. Game day included a pre-game ceremony at the Duffy turf, where over 30 alumnae were recognized. The alumnae and team gathered for a post-game circle to recognize top performers and share in the victory glow.
A post-game reception was held in the Roy Room, which included a slide show highlighting teams through the years. A special shout-out goes to alumnae Bridget Lyons, Seanna Poelaert Balfe, Meagan McCarthy Hildebrand, Andrea Slaven Arone, and Coach Anne Noone Adams, who spoke so passionately about their experiences and filled the Roy Room with stories of Purple Knight pride, friendship, relentless effort, determination, and grit. An alumnae game was held Sunday morning, where skills, thrills, and smiles were shared. We offer thanks to field hockey senior Chloe Sapienza ’25 for creating the slide show and Director of Athletic Communications Josh Kessler ‘04 for his dedication to preserving the Saint Michael’s College athletic history.
—BY CARLA HESLER
The Aquatic and Marine Biology minor is new this year. The program dives into a deep understanding of the biology of freshwater and saltwater systems. “The minor includes a grounding in ecology and evolution and a series of courses and internships and other experiences that are primarily water-based,” said Professor Declan McCabe. Students can take courses on campus, participate in research, and take Marine Biology courses through studyabroad programs. The program is designed to give students the skills and experiences needed to work in fields in aquatic and marine biology after they graduate.
—BY IZZY QUAM ‘25
Digital Marketing is a new major and minor program added this year. The Digital Marketing program was built through a collaboration between the Business and Accounting Department and the Digital Media and Communications Department. The new program is focused on the rise of digital marketing and how it overlaps with other fields of study. “It recognizes that marketing expenditure, around the world but especially in the United States, is increasing toward digital marketing. Marketing across search engines, across social media, across brands’ own websites, is much more than any expenditure toward traditional means of marketing such as TV commercials, magazine ads,” said Digital Marketing Professor Sebastiaan Gorissen.
—BY IZZY QUAM ‘25
“The College has been our home, a home where we welcome and treat everyone as treasured members of our community. We hope that being welcomed as family opens people up to all we have to offer.”
—REV. DAVID THEROUX, SSE ‘70
by
BY CHRIS KENNY ‘86, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF STEWARDSHIP AND LEADERSHIP GIVING AND ELLEN KANE, VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
In October, Patricia (Trish) and Mark Hansen P’25, parents of Kathryn (Katie) Hansen ’25, established the Reverend Brian J. Cummings, SSE ’86 Scholarship to honor his many years of service to his alma mater, Saint Michael’s College.
The purpose of the scholarship is to support a student who embodies Fr. Brian Cummings’s commitment to faith, business acumen, and athletics. Fr. Brian Cummings served as director of Campus Ministry at the College for 29 years, enriching the faith of many students and supporting their academic and athletic success. He also taught accounting in the Business Department for many years. The recipient of this scholarship
should be from New Jersey and preferably a graduate from a Catholic high school, or a varsity athlete, or majoring in business or religious studies.
“I have known Fr. Brian since high school, so I guess it is fair to call him an ‘old’ friend,” said Trish Hansen. “For over 40 years, we have stayed connected through family and friends.”
Fr. Cummings attended St. Peter’s Preparatory School in his home-town of Jersey City, New Jersey, with Trish’s two brothers. It was about that time that he began to consider religious life, influenced by his time with the Jesuit priests at St. Peter’s. He went on to attend Saint Michael’s and graduated with a degree in accounting in 1986. He then returned to the New York metro area to work with Price Waterhouse, earning his CPA designation, and then managed the accounting department of a large publishing firm. However, he felt that something was missing in his life.
“I wanted my feet to hit the ground running when I woke up in the morning, and that wasn’t happening as an accountant,” he shared with the Burlington Free Press for a 1996 article. “When I think of making a difference in people’s lives as a priest, that gets my feet on the ground running.”
Fr. Cummings began his formation program with the Society of Saint Edmund (the College’s founding order) in August 1990 in New Orleans. His ordination took place in the Chapel of Saint Michael the Archangel on June 15, 1996, with Edmundite Bishop Moses Anderson SSE ’54, auxiliary bishop of Detroit, attending. It was then his career at Saint Michael’s began.
Fr. David Theroux, SSE ’70, was his formation director and identified a key quality of Cummings’s back in 1993 when he said, “One of Brian’s greatest strengths is his outgoing personality, which makes him very effective in reaching out to young people.”
Fr. Cummings went on to earn a Master of Divinity degree from the Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was an instructor in religious studies and accounting and served as a campus minister in his early years on campus. Before long, his substantial role at Saint Michael’s expanded to director of Edmundite Campus Ministry, chaplain for the Saint Michael’s Fire and Rescue squad, and involvement with the Department of Athletics and the Alumni Association. Additionally,
he serves as a member of the President’s Cabinet, house treasurer and first assistant for the College’s Edmundite community. Fr. Cummings also serves on the Edmundite General Council (fifth term), is chair of the board for the Edmundite Southern Missions in Selma, Alabama, and is the spiritual director of St. Anne’s shrine in Isle LaMotte, a ministry of the Society of Saint Edmund. The shrine has become a cherished satellite campus for several Saint Michael’s programs and students.
“As luck would have it, our youngest daughter, Katie, decided to attend Saint Michael’s College to study and play soccer,” said Trish Hansen. “We have spent a good deal of time in Vermont and on Saint Michael’s campus over the last four years with the added benefit of spending time with Fr. Brian. His commitment to his faith and service to the College and the thousands of students who attended Saint Michael’s College during his time there is truly inspiring.”
As supporters of education, and specifically Catholic education, the Hansens were excited to make this gift now to recognize Fr. Cummings.
This year, Fr. Cummings has taken a well-earned sabbatical in Rome to participate in the Institute for Continuing Theological Education at the Pontifical North American College (PNAC) in Vatican City.
“This is an exciting opportunity for me to be back in the classroom and be among other priests in a program designed for theological reflection and time away from ministry,” said Fr. Cummings. The studies will focus on the Nicene Creed and the Greek and Latin Fathers. “I’m looking forward to spending time with the Lord to rekindle the energy that called me to this life, tapping into the reservoir of faith and vocation.”
When he returns from sabbatical, he will resume his ministry at the shrine and will assist at Saint Michael’s College where needed.
To make a gift to the Reverend Brian Cummings, SSE ’86, Scholarship, please mail a check to Saint Michael’s College, One Winooski Park, PO Box 256, Colchester, VT 05439 with the fund name on the memo line. To make a gift online, select “other” as the designation and include the name of the scholarship: https://engage.smcvt.edu/give.
For stock, IRAs, or planned gifts, please contact Ellen Kane, Vice President, Institutional Advancement, ekane3@smcvt.edu.
PURPLE KNIGHT CHALLENGE
Thanks to the energy and efforts of our student-athletes and coaches, and the generosity of a record number of participants, the 8th Annual Purple Knight Challenge was a big success. The sevenday event saw 1,872 donors contribute a total of $295,008 in support of the Saint Michael’s College varsity athletics program. Along with the all-time-high number of donors, the 2024 Challenge raised a total that was the second-highest in the event’s history. The Purple Knight Department of Athletics and its 473 varsity studentathletes deeply appreciate this difference-making display of generosity and support!
$6.6 million
Raised in Gifts and Pledges
$2.2 million
Raised for the Saint Michael’s Fund
$295,008*
Raised through the Purple Knight Challenge
4,084
Total Number of Donors
$2.5 million
Available in Named Scholarships
2,836 Loyalty Circle Members
479
President’s Leadership Society Members
321
Students Receiving a Named Scholarship
26%
Participation Rate Parents of Current Students
100%
Participation Rate Board of Trustees
800 People Attended Reunion
300
People Attended Alumni and Family Weekend
LOYALTY CIRCLE: Three or more consecutive years of giving PRESIDENT’S LEADERSHIP SOCIETY: $1,000 or more annual gift
Frank Normandin ’84 recently made a generous gift to name the Office of the Vice President for Enrollment after Jerry Flanagan ’71, P’94, P’98, P’01, P’11, G’26, as a way to demonstrate his thanks to his first boss and mentor. Flanagan devoted his career to Saint Michael’s College in countless roles, but he is best known for his role as dean of admissions and vice president of enrollment and marketing. Normandin came to campus in August to celebrate, reunite, and reminisce with Flanagan, President Plumb, and others.
“I was honored to be part of the construction of the new Kelley Ski Center at Saint Michael’s College. Gus MacLeod ’02, head Alpine coach, reached out to me with his vision for the storage lockers during the spring, and it was great to be able to implement those ideas. I know how much he cares about and believes in his athletes and I was excited to do what I could to help him make his vision a reality. A small donation of birch plywood from local lumberyard RKMiles also helped us to put it all together.
“The Ski Center is truly one of a kind for New England NCAA ski teams, and it is going to make a huge impact for the Alpine and Nordic athletes at St. Michael’s. As a parent of an Alpine racer, as well as a Vermont craftsman, I am proud that my work was part of this project and I was happy to dedicate my time to help with the growth and improvement of the ski team’s facilities.” —Travis Apple P’26 shown with lockers and his son, Morgan Apple ’26
Saint Michael’s College staff and students took a whirlwind trip to Boston, where President Richard Plumb met with alumni at their workplaces and spoke to a packed audience at the New England Aquarium. Thank you to Craig Duffy ’06, Andrew DeCristoforo ’22, Dora Barrett ’22, Ben Mottola ’90, George ’79 and Jackie Keady ’81, Mark Doran ’72, Rob Noonan ’82, Bill Gallagher P’99, and Pat Casey for their generous contributions of time, talent, and treasure. A special shout-out to Drew Russo ’03, who is one of the best ambassadors of St. Mike’s. Shown in photo (left to right): George Keady ’79, Jackie Keady ’81, Tara Keady Nault ’15, and Matthew Nault ’14.
BY ELLEN KANE, VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT, AND TERRI SELBY, ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
Saint Michael’s College is very grateful to the many alumni, parents, and friends who have created more than 270 endowed and term funds for scholarships and programs supporting students over its 120-year history, often honoring beloved professors, family members, and classmates.
A healthy endowment is an essential part of the financial stewardship plan for any college, especially a small, liberal arts college like Saint Michael’s. Although scholarship and program endowments support only a portion of the overall operating budget of the College, the endowments provide a steady source of annual income, through investment earnings, to sustain vital programs and provide essential aid to students who might not otherwise be able to attend our school. As of the end of our fiscal year, June 30, 2024, Saint Michael’s maintains a total endowment of $95 million.
There are four types of funds a donor can establish or support to make a lasting impact on the College, through either an immediate or a planned gift that ensures future growth of the fund. The minimum amount to establish different types of funds has changed over time; however, this type of donation is a gift that keeps giving year after year. If you would like to make an immediate or planned gift to a new or existing fund, or make changes to your existing fund, please see details at right.
“I choose to support Saint Michael’s College by funding a term general scholarship because I believe in the transformative power of a St. Mike’s education. I like the immediate impact that a term scholarship has on a student’s financial aid package. By helping to provide opportunities for deserving students, I hope to contribute to their personal growth and success, while also strengthening the St. Mike’s community as they foster the next generation of servant leaders. Education has the potential to change lives, and it’s an honor to be a part of making that difference at St. Mike’s.”
—Ben Mottola
“From the minute I stepped foot on the campus I knew that this was the right place for me. It was the trifecta of academic rigor, the student-athlete participation, but most of all the powerful sense of community. There exists an intangible spirit of community and relationships. The photo above speaks to this. Ten women who lived together first year through senior year, who went on to astonishing personal and professional successes. Here we are 47 years on, expressing our gratitude for what we were given and gave to each other. This is the reason I support Saint Michael’s by way of term scholarships. I believe in the value of a liberal arts education and the development of the full person by way of academic inquiry and the appreciation of the natural world, but most of all by way of the human relationships, which, in the end, are what sustains us all.”
—Grace Taferner Hoefig ’81
A minimum of $150,000 to establish an endowment to provide scholarships or program support in perpetuity for a purpose identified by the donor, with the fund named by the donor.
A minimum of $100,000 to establish an endowment to provide general scholarships to any deserving student, awarded at the College’s discretion in perpetuity, with the fund named by the donor.
A minimum of $50,000 to establish a scholarship or program fund for a purpose identified by the donor (e.g., region or sport), with the fund named by the donor. This can be pledged for five years at $10,000 per year.
(The Saint Michael’s Fund Scholars Program)
A minimum of $25,000 to establish a general scholarship to be awarded at the College’s discretion. This can be pledged for five years at $5,000 per year. Donor names will be published under the fund.
BY ELLEN KANE, VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
Howard (Howie) O’Hara ’71 cherishes the education he received at Saint Michael’s College, which prepared him for a long leadership career at Verizon. He was involved in the management of three club sports—football, hockey, and lacrosse—and welcomed the first class of women who were admitted in his senior year.
“The College was one big community, where it was easy to fit in and take advantage of all it had to offer,” said O’Hara. “The thing I enjoyed most was the relationships I made while there, many of them [with friends with] whom I am still in contact with some 55 years later.”
O’Hara is an honorary member of the Connecticut River Valley Lunch Bunch, the group of St. Mike’s alumni who have been meeting monthly for 73 years.
In 2005, O’Hara, his wife, Susan, and their children Stephen O’Hara ’00 and Liz (O’Hara) Zani ’04 established the O’Hara Family Scholarship to provide unrestricted support to deserving Saint Michael’s students, to honor the memory and commitment of Paul and Virginia O’Hara, loving parents and grandparents.
“My mom and dad really sacrificed to send me to St. Mike’s, which I realized even more when we were sending our kids to college,” said Howie O’Hara. “Once we were established, we felt it would be a fitting tribute to them both if we established a named scholarship for them. About 20 years ago we established the O’Hara Family Scholarship (with a 100 percent match from my employer Verizon). We all donate annually to this scholarship, and have seen it grow to a substantial sum, with only the interest being awarded to selected students.”
“this fund would still be sitting in a big lump long after we were gone, and that did not make a whole lot of sense to us. We felt it would be a better use of these resources if they were used to provide more meaningful assistance to students while we were still around.”
Starting this year, they plan to change the way their scholarship is awarded so it provides more immediate impact on students. To do so, they will begin to significantly draw down their endowed fund until it’s depleted, and combine it with annual outright gifts.
In 2019, the O’Haras established a planned gift for the O’Hara Family Scholarship to be included in their will. “This gift was modified recently to allow the school to immediately award meaningful scholarships well after we are gone,” added Howie O’Hara.
Recently, the O’Haras revisited the status of the scholarship, and both came to the realization that
“We realize that all colleges have faced some obstacles post COVID, but with the new leadership team at St. Mike’s, I am extremely optimistic that the first- and second-generation O’Haras (and Zanis) will see a vibrant St. Mike’s for the upcoming third generation.”
BY SUSAN SALTER REYNOLDS
Photo by Jerry Swope
Becca Gurney is driven to get people to act, inside and outside the classroom. “What do you want to make?” she asks her students. “What do you care about?”
Armed with a math and science background and some AP credits, Gurney entered the design world in college through the hands-on, problem-solving door. “I use math every day,” she says. Pasteup, technical pens: These are her tools. The computer is just another tool, and typically students in her classes do a lot of hands-on sketching and brainstorming before they get to the screen. Thinking, designing, and expressing ideas—these interwoven activities take time.
Gurney describes the “non-linear” career path she followed. Her liberal arts education deepened her design skills, but she still had to learn how to talk to clients.
direct mail. Sound dull?
Not to Gurney. “I cared about getting Democrats elected,” she says. As her proficiency in design grew, Gurney didn’t take just any job. Education, women’s rights, equity, and progressive policy: These values and movements motivated her.
“I find meaning in mission-driven work.”
Punk rock, women’s rights, and the “heartbreaking” 2004 reelection of President George W. Bush were all ingredients in the career recipe, she says. Her first job was in
Purpose and meaning. Those were the two elements that attracted Gurney to Saint Michael’s College in 2020. “I find meaning in missiondriven work,” she says. Her design studio, Design Choice, has this description on its landing page: “Founded by women working for equality. Design Choice is a missiondriven graphic design studio. We work with progressive clients to make the world a better place, by encouraging entrepreneurial endeavors, advancing social justice and women’s causes, and supporting women in leadership positions.”
Gurney says that running a design shop informs her teaching in critical
ways. Her students have front-row seats to the kind of community engagement that helps Gurney’s creativity thrive. In her classes, students choose an organization or a concept they care about and design their projects to communicate and engage with viewers.
How do you belong to your community? What is your lens? How can you contribute? Where are the avenues for engagement? Students go through the design thinking process. They sketch, they pitch,
they problem-solve. As a group, they ask: Why did you do this? Is your explanation clear? Go back. Iterate. They leave the program with strong portfolios, ready to work from the heart.
Gurney is always learning from her work and her students. She is proud that the design offerings are firmly situated in the Art Department at St. Mike’s. “Creativity can’t be siloed,” she grins, doodling as we speak.
BY IZZY QUAM ’25
In the fall of 2024, the Saint Michael’s College Student Investment Fund (SMCSIF) launched. SMCSIF is a student-led group that is responsible for $50,000, derived from and part of the College’s endowment, to invest. “It was created by students for students,” said cofounder Margrethe Frøland ’25, who is co-president and head of energy for the group.
SMCSIF held its first meeting on September 10, 2024. With over 45 students attending, the first meeting was a success. But the road to the first meeting was both long and bumpy. In the fall of 2023, a group of six students kicked around the idea of starting a student group that focused on finance. The job and internship market is very competitive in the finance world, Frøland explained, and being part of a student investment fund could help set applicants apart.
It took some time for the club to gain traction. The students conducted significant research, consulted professors, and talked to students at other schools about how they structured their SIFs.
Once the group had a foundation in place, the members presented their idea to various levels of the Saint Michael’s administration, including the Board of Trustees, the financial committee of the board, the administration, and President Richard Plumb. “We decided to do months of research, act like we were already an organization, and present to them what we would be doing,” said cofounder Sam Boger ’25, who is the other co-president and head of fixed income. Eventually, in the spring of 2024, SMCSIF was approved and was awarded $50,000 from the endowment to fund its investments.
According to the group’s website, student investment funds create a platform to cultivate some of the technical knowledge essential for finance-related jobs, such as gaining an understanding of financial markets, risk assessments,
and equity research. The fund could, and hopefully will, generate additional income for the school. The fund could also draw prospective students interested in finance and economics. “This is kind of the missing piece and what will set us apart from other schools,” said Boger, stating a finding from the group’s research.
Anyone is welcome to attend an SMCSIF meeting. Students can come and listen to the weekly discussions, or they can join a sector group, a subdivision within the club. Each executive board member leads a sector group in his or her own field. The sector groups meet outside the regular meetings, research a company, and then present a pitch to the rest of
the club. If the club approves, they will invest in it.
The SMCSIF may also bridge the gap between students and alumni.
“Saint Mike’s has a very strong alumni network already, but it is perhaps not always easy for students to navigate or access this network. The SIF can help show students what is out there in terms of jobs, but also show that we have people we are connected to.” Frøland emphasized how “to enter, evolve, and thrive in the finance and business world, relationships are immensely important.” The club is planning on inviting alumni to its events, offering panels and alumni meet-and-greets, and having alumni come and speak. A goal high on Frøland’s list is to have a “women in finance” event on campus.
The SMCSIF is active on Instagram but also on LinkedIn. On LinkedIn, they seem to have connected with the older alumni base, and in the club’s first semester, they already have 278 followers. They also launched a newsletter for alumni in the finance field that they call “SMC Financial Knights.”
Boger and Frøland said the whole experience of starting the club was very rewarding. Their favorite part was meeting people and making new friends. “We are actually creating something from scratch and having fun together along the way,” said Frøland.
BY SUSAN SALTER REYNOLDS
Photo by Jim Laskarzewski ’86
Students at Saint Michael’s College grow and excel in many ways: academic, athletic, personal, and spiritual. Mission, purpose, and service—all core values—find their counterparts in classrooms, on fields, and everywhere else on campus. And even though the college community knows that, it can be gratifying to have this excellence quantified by an outside source.
Each year for almost the last two decades, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has tracked and published both a graduation success rate (GSR) for Division I athletes and an academic success rate (ASR) for Division II student-athletes.
The Division II ASR is a model developed at the request of presidents of Division II institutions to overcome inadequacies with the federal graduation rate (FGR), which takes into account only student-athletes who
receive athletic scholarships. ASR, in contrast, considers all student-athletes, thus capturing non-scholarship students.
A high NCAA Division II ASR means that a particular school has achieved high levels of academic performance among its studentathletes relative to its peers in that division.
Academic success rate tracks the academic progress of studentathletes at member institutions, taking into account graduation rates of student-athletes over a six-year period from their initial enrollment and including those who transfer into the school. ASR is considered a more comprehensive measure of academic success than GSR because it does not penalize schools for student-athletes who transfer out as long as they are in good academic standing.
In 2024, Saint Michael’s College earned a top-three ranking in NCAA
“Our student-athletes could not achieve at this sustained level of excellence without an ‘all-in’ effort by the entire Saint Michael’s community from every corner of campus.”
— FORMER DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS CHRIS KENNY ‘86.
Division II student-athlete graduation rates for the 12th straight year. It has been ranked number one six times in 15 years.
In these most recent rankings, Saint Michael’s student-athletes achieved an ASR of 97 percent, trailing only Northeast-10 Conference counterpart Bentley University (98 percent) and Hillsdale College (99 percent) in the national rankings. The NCAA Division II average for 2024 was 77 percent. Saint Michael’s posted at least a 97 percent showing for the 17th straight cycle.
In 2023, St. Mike’s student-athletes achieved an ASR of 99 percent, tying for first place among more than 300 Division II schools.
All these numbers represent a remarkable collective achievement. Consider that a student’s daily schedule is full to the brim. Time management, setting goals and priorities, and collaborating with teammates and fellow students all require diligence, passion, engagement, and discipline.
“What a tremendous accomplishment by our student-athletes,” said former Director of Athletics Chris Kenny ’86. “I can’t imagine a more definitive affirmation of Saint Michael’s College’s commitment to student success and the tremendous dedication and support of our faculty and staff. This is a
time in nine years this fall.
very student-centered institution that cares deeply and collaborates well. Our student-athletes could not achieve at this sustained level of excellence without an ‘all-in’ effort by the entire Saint Michael’s community from every corner of campus. We are very proud of our distinctive NCAA ASR tradition and celebrate this great recognition with our Purple Knight family!”
The rankings are a reflection of the importance an institution places on helping student-athletes flourish academically while competing hard in their sports. They indicate the
robustness of the school’s commitment to student-athlete well-being. In short, leading in ASR means a school excels at helping its studentathletes succeed academically at a higher rate than other schools in the division.
Of the 21 varsity sports offered by Saint Michael’s, 10 earned a 100 percent ASR for the 2014–17 cohort: women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross-country, field hockey, men’s golf, women’s ice hockey, women’s skiing, softball, women’s tennis, and women’s volleyball. The remaining 11 varsity sports were all at 90 percent or better.
Director of Athletics Matt Akins is in his first year on the job, but he’s already bursting with pride, saying, “This wonderful achievement validates that what we’re doing as a campus community to support our student-athletes is working at a high and efficient level. This reinforces that our dual commitments to the classroom and the field of play remain core strengths.”
The close-knit community at Saint Michael’s College lifts up students—and changes lives.
When Aidan Finnegan first arrived at Saint Michael’s College three years ago, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to study and didn’t have a lot of confidence in his academic abilities.
One thing he did know: He wanted to play rugby. He’d grown up in the Boston area and had been playing the sport since seventh grade, so he joined Saint Michael’s club rugby team.
A few months in, Finnegan took a tough hit. “I caught a couple knees to the head and ended up with a traumatic brain injury,” he said. He started having seizures—eight to 10 a day—that sometimes required hospitalization. His schoolwork suffered. The injury almost derailed his college career.
What saved him was his professors. They worked closely with him to keep him on track. “They didn’t let me off the hook,” Finnegan explained, “but they encouraged me to know myself and work within my limits.”
With continuing faculty support, Finnegan improved his grades and found a major—Political Science. He took classes in French and philosophy because the College required it, but he liked those subjects so much he added them as minors. He got involved in student government.
Finnegan suffered a serious setback last year and was hospitalized again. It was his most vulnerable point, he said. Yet his Saint Michael’s network was there for him. “I’ve never felt more supported,” he said of that time in his life.
He managed to end his spring 2023 semester with a 4.0 GPA and made the Dean’s List. “That’s something I never thought I would be capable of,” he said. Next year, he sees law school in his future.
Transformative educational experiences like Finnegan’s are not unusual at the small liberal arts school in Colchester. Founded in 1904 by the Catholic Society of Saint Edmund, Saint Michael’s has
always been guided by the principles of education, justice, and service. But equally valuable to its 1,100 students are the opportunities to be seen and known by professors and peers—90 percent of classes have fewer than 30 students—and to give back to that supportive community.
“At Saint Michael’s College, the student experience is our priority,” said Richard Plumb, Ph.D., who was inaugurated as the 18th president of the College on October 26. “Our vision is to provide students with the skills, professionalism, and empathy to navigate the complexities of the modern world.”
Saint Michael’s delivers on that promise in multiple ways. In addition to choosing among 40 majors, students can benefit from three interdisciplinary institutes focused on global engagement, environmental stewardship, and advancing equity and justice, respectively. These “personalized learning environments” foster close relationships with faculty, staff, and coaches and encourage undergraduate research, internships, advocacy work, and leadership opportunities, according to Plumb.
“The institutes provide our liberal arts majors with a learning laboratory to apply what they have learned in class to the real world, similar to the chemistry or biology lab,” Plumb
said. “For example, a Business major can participate in the Leahy Institute for the Environment and work with a local sustainable business partner to develop an energy efficiency plan for the College.”
Plumb also cites opportunities such as the school’s Fire and Rescue squad, a volunteer program operated primarily by students who respond to calls in Colchester, Winooski, and surrounding towns. Saint Michael’s Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts (MOVE) program has connections with more than 25 local nonprofits where students can advocate, intern, and volunteer.
Said Plumb: “At Saint Michael’s College, the student learning experience does not end when class ends; it’s the real-world engagement that makes us stand out.”
In keeping with its focus on advancing equity and justice, Saint Michael’s created the Edmundite African American fellowship program, which continues the order’s legacy of supporting African American civil rights. Jolivette Anderson-Douoning was the inaugural fellow, serving from 2021 to 2023 while she finished her doctoral program in American studies at Purdue University.
Anderson-Douoning is not Catholic, but she was familiar with the Edmundite order through its work in New Orleans, Louisiana; she grew
up in Shreveport, and lived for 10 years in Mississippi, not far from south Louisiana history and culture.
Accepting the fellowship at Saint Michael’s allowed her to move with her teenage daughter from Indiana to Vermont, and gave her time and space to finish her dissertation. In it, she used a unique primary source—her grandmother’s handwritten ledger, which she discovered at her parents’ house after they died—as a window into African American life in Louisiana during the Jim Crow era.
The book shows that “we had our own thoughts about the world,” she said. “But sometimes sharing those thoughts could cause us harm, could bring harm to yourself or your family. So those things stayed quiet and inside of our own communities and our own spaces.”
Bringing attention to those thoughts and related actions is part of her life’s work. After earning her Ph.D., Anderson-Douoning accepted a postdoctoral fellowship at Saint Michael’s. Now she teaches The African American Experience, 1619 to the Present and a first-year seminar called Black Voices of Democracy. She also co-teaches a dual-enrollment course at Winooski High School—part of Vermont’s most racially diverse school district—and helps her students develop a nuanced understanding of the history of segregation and “how Black people were actually living inside segregated spaces,” she said.
Anderson-Douoning recently raveled to Montgomery, Alabama,, where she delivered a talk to lawyers with the Southern Poverty Law Center. She and her daughter combined the trip with a college and civil rights
tour, stopping in Selma and Tuskegee. One of her former students, a senior, is writing a thesis on Jim Crow laws in Alabama, so AndersonDouoning texted with him during her travels, sending photos of historical markers and other information that might be helpful to him. “That’s the St. Mike’s spirit,” she said. “When you’re at a small institution like this, you can build those kinds of relationships with your students.”
Saint Michael’s helps its current and former students seek meaningful experiences off campus, too. It’s one of approximately 30 institutions in the U.S. to offer grants through the Freeman Foundation for international internships, and it has a medical school matriculation rate more than double the national average.
It also has a reputation for producing Fulbright Scholars. Last year, the U.S. State Department recognized the College as a “Top Producing Institution” for Fulbright awards. In the past two years, the school’s Fulbright Scholars have served in or been selected for Mexico, Spain, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, Costa Rica, and Kenya.
Patricia Siplon, professor of political science and international relations— and director of Saint Michael’s public health program—leads the effort to help students win
Fulbright fellowships. She’s a two-time “Fulbrighter” who went to Tanzania in 2005 and Jordan in 2011–12. “Both experiences were wonderful and transformative,” she said. “They opened up new connections, gave me new skills, and, perhaps most of all, [introduced] new ways of viewing our world. Now I am dedicated to opening the path to those opportunities to as many students as possible.”
She said even the act of applying is valuable, as it helps students assess their own strengths and aspirations. “Those who win a fellowship often mention learning they had skills and abilities they didn’t know they had,” Siplon said.
All of these experiences add up to a college education that prepares students not just for a job but for a wide variety of careers. For example, Vermont’s commerce secretary, Lindsey Kurrle, graduated in 1993.
“Saint Michael’s College set me on a path toward personal and professional success, which I reflect on often,” she wrote in a testimonial. “Choosing a faith-based, liberal arts education in a close-knit community was one of my life’s best decisions. Not only did I earn an accounting degree, but I also made lifelong friendships and acquired tools that have proven invaluable as I navigated life and career.”
Jared Peick ’13 currently works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as a biomedical engineer and crew health integrator at the Johnson Space Center.
“As a Biology major, my studies were amplified by courses like philosophy, communications, and religious studies,” he wrote. “Faculty always encouraged critical thinking, taking action to solve problems, and [searching] for answers utilizing the interdisciplinary mindset taught in the liberal arts curriculum.”
Peick’s hands-on learning experiences at Saint Michael’s made an impression on him. “I often think about the lessons I learned while
“It was his belief in me, his willingness to take a chance, that changed the course of my life.”
—RICHARD PLUMB
managing my senior research study, which sought to understand the health of Vermont streams through the macroinvertebrate communities,” he wrote.
The college’s campus community mattered to Peick, too. “I can’t speak highly enough of the community of people that make up Saint Michael’s. Faculty, staff, and students all seem to share the same appreciation that Saint Michael’s is a special place,” he said.
That same spirit is what drew Richard Plumb to the school. In his inaugural address on October 26, he shared a story about his arrival as a first-year student at Syracuse University, when he had a chance encounter with the associate dean of the College of Engineering.
“He asked if I was a first-year student and what I hoped to achieve in college. I shared my story—that I liked math and science, loved rowing, and wanted to study engineering but had been told I was not smart enough.” At the end of their conversation, Plumb said, the dean “asked me to walk with him to his office … and he transferred me into the engineering program that morning.” Plumb wound up graduating at the top of his class.
He said he came to Saint Michael’s because he was profoundly impacted by the people he met through the
Peick ’13
interview process. “They reminded me of Dr. Gildersleeve—the man who saw potential in me when others did not. It was his belief in me, his willingness to take a chance, that changed the course of my life.”
At Saint Michael’s, he said, “I feel that same spirit—a belief not only in me but in the
limitless potential of this institution and its people. The passion, dedication, and shared values I witnessed reaffirmed this is where I belong.”
Dr. Richard Plumb inaugurated as Saint Michael’s College’s 18th President
BY ELIZABETH MURRAY
by Stephen Mease
Leaders of the Saint Michael’s College Board of Trustees officially bestowed the title of President of the College on Richard Plumb, Ph.D., during the inauguration ceremony for the College’s 18th president.
Plumb, who officially began serving as president in January, accepted the title and symbols of the office before a large crowd in the McCarthy Arts Center Recital Hall on Saturday, October 26. The hall was filled with Saint Michael’s College students, faculty, staff, alumni, other board members, and delegates representing other colleges.
Approximately 30 students carried flags for the countries and honor societies represented at the College as part of a procession leading into McCarthy Recital Hall. Dozens of faculty members and members of the Board of Trustees joined the procession, dressed in academic regalia.
Even though Plumb has been on the job for 10 months, the presidential inauguration has been a traditional way for community members to welcome past presidents and allow new presidents to share their thoughts about the state of the College and look toward the future.
“Saint Michael’s embodies the kind of transformative education that shapes not only careers but lives,” Plumb said during his inauguration remarks. “The College’s mission, grounded in a deep sense of purpose, mirrors the experiences that have brought me to this point. As we move forward, I am inspired by our unwavering commitment to intellectual curiosity, ethical leadership, and service to others. This community is more than a campus—it is a beacon of hope, where dreams take root and grow.”
Gratitude to our Inauguration Sponsors
M&T Bank Charitable Foundation
Anonymous Trustee Donor
Special Thanks West Lane Flowers
BY SUSAN SALTER REYNOLDS
It’s getting harder and harder not just to define these terms but to share our definitions with others. Does civic engagement mean voting? Working for social justice? Running for office? Helping neighbors? All of the above?
And how are students at Saint Michael’s College learning to be engaged citizens?
Stephon Boatwright, assistant professor of political science and international relations, agrees that it has become harder for all of us to step under the overarching umbrella of citizenship. For students in their late teens and early 20s, it can be even harder. “This is the era of disinformation, populism, radical movements, and horse-race politics,” he says. Boatwright grew up in the George W. Bush era, when the issues were clearer. Now, he sighs, what used to be on the margins has become mainstream. A modern political question: “Whose version of reality do you believe?” Arguing over reality is a lot harder than arguing over tax cuts. Boatwright sees disillusionment among his students, who wonder, Does the system listen to me? Who is it working for?
His solution is helping students focus on the local so that they can directly engage with others and express their voices. This focus takes away some of the mystique surrounding decision making. Students’ focus on individual identity, although vital, can make it difficult to see how we, as individuals, fit under a larger umbrella.
Boatwright also finds that helping students separate fact from fiction in the media is empowering. Conspiracy theories offer little hope for the future. Boatwright’s students are insulted by the falsehoods and assertions they see on social media that negate their lived experience. Preparing them to identify logical fallacies and rational contradictions is one tool for positive engagement.
For Boatwright, education was a way to get out of “a dire situation.” When he was young, he believed democracy was working. But then came the war in Iraq, when the U.S. government falsely insisted that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and used that misinformation to justify military force. This was devastating, Boatwright recalls, for millennials. Like many of his peers, he began to search in earnest for the truth—a search that is itself a form of engagement. Today, he sees students trying to process the situation in Israel and Gaza, and it reminds Boatwright of his own search for truth at the beginning of his academic career.
Sarah Kenney ’94 sees civic engagement as a privilege and a responsibility—to vote, to be engaged in one’s community, and to support others. Coming of age in the 1970s and ’80s, Kenney was raised to be an activist by parents who saw civic engagement as central to being human. “My parents’ families had struggled, so the importance they placed on helping others came from a place of empathy,” she says. This message was reinforced at St. Mike’s, and was tied closely to a culture of service. Kenney also credits her frequent opportunities to study abroad, both before and during college, with having given her a broader perspective—on her own privilege, and on the lives of people in very different cultures. Early on, Kenney saw policy as her avenue for personal and professional civic engagement.
Kenney’s journey toward public service was motivated by her outrage at Republican threats to reproductive rights. “It seemed so wrong,” she says, “and I found a community of like-minded activists who supported each other as well as people who had no voice in the debate.”
This feeling of collaboration and community is a foundational principle in Kenney’s career,
which has taken her from working for then-Congressman Bernie Sanders; to fighting gender-based domestic and other violence as development director at the Women’s Rape Crisis Center; to serving as associate director, then director, of public policy at the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence; to now, holding the position of chief policy officer at Let’s Grow Kids in Burlington. Along the way, she served for 10 years on the Burlington Police Commission and has been active in many political campaigns.
Kenney’s years working for the Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and on the police commission were difficult (although not anywhere near as difficult, she is quick to say, as the lives of the many people she supported in those roles). The police commission at the time was made up of five white men over 60. “These were not reflective of the populations they were serving,” she says. “Those aren’t the people who live in my community.”
Going to work at Let’s Grow Kids, for Kenney, was like going to the root of the social issues she had studied and experienced for years, what she calls “going upstream.” Early childhood is really where civic engagement begins, she says. It starts with making sure every child is loved, has a sense of play, and is healthy, as well as living in settings with people who look like that child.
“This is not a perfect nation, but beyond the law, there are critical norms that hold us together. The erosion of these norms is the most dangerous development we are facing.”
How to foster civic engagement in others? Kenney believes in the power of setting examples, offering alternatives, and engaging in change-making by speaking up. After realizing years ago, she says, that the federal government was not going to provide families with high-quality, affordable child care, Kenney began her work making Vermont an example, and she will continue to “cultivate hope” for the nation.
For Tyronne Walker ’06, civic engagement means contributing to the betterment of your community. It means, in the true Edmundite sense, service. But Walker stepped on this path long before college. In sixth grade, he met the mayor of his hometown, New Orleans. Walker was student council president, and the principal of his school introduced him to Mayor Mitch Landrieu. Landrieu became a mentor; years later, he hired Walker as senior advisor, then communications director for the City of New Orleans. But before all that, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans.
This was a call to action, and Walker temporarily left Vermont to help at home. He recalls thinking that “everyone with any means should go home to help,” he says, “especially young black men.” He saw the true impact government could have on people’s lives and stayed on to work on Mitch Landrieu’s campaign for mayor. “Leaders in those days, in that situation, didn’t have the luxury of being partisan,” he says. “They just had to get things done.”
Walker always had a desire to serve, to be involved and engaged, a value that was reinforced in his faith-based education. It took a few teachers, counselors, sponsors, and mentors to truly show Walker the talent he possessed for communicating with people. “I had this ability,” he says, “but I needed other people to see it in me.” This support from others, he says, is critical for young black professionals.
Walker wanted to have an immediate impact, and he saw the office of the mayor as ground zero for making an impact in people’s lives. “I wanted to get into the game,” he laughs. His liberal arts education as a Political Science major at St. Mike’s inspired a policy path, rather than law school. The ability to speak up became one of Walker’s core strengths. All these ingredients— confidence, insight into how change can happen, a foundation of social justice values—built a person who, he says, “was always speaking up about something, using my voice.”
Currently the vice president for policy, strategic partnerships, and development for the Urban League of Louisiana, Walker recognizes the profound impact his professors in political science, and in particular, the Edmundites,
Poster created by Lawton Jones ’26 for Intro to Graphic Design.
For Walker, communication is key in civic engagement. By the time he went to work, he was positioned to speak about complex issues, or to persuade others, while leaving room for contrasting points of view.
had on his development. “This is not a perfect nation,” he says, “but beyond the law, there are critical norms that hold us together. The erosion of these norms is the most dangerous development we are facing.”
BY REV. MICHAEL CARTER, SSE ’12
A new vision for the spiritual character and mission of Saint Michael’s College is emerging. President Richard Plumb has helped secure a $3 million endowment to create a new division of the Edmundite mission, which will ensure that the Society of St. Edmund continues to be an integral part of the Saint Michael’s community and identity. Building on the legacy of the past, the Edmundite heritage will continue to be felt in the present as the College charts its future.
“The principles of social justice from a Catholic Students will leave St. Mike’s with a firm unders
has been selected as the inaugural vice president of this new division. I sat down with him to glean his insights about the new role and what it will mean for the campus community. He frankly expressed what many in the Saint Michael’s orbit already know: The Edmundites, though still working hard, are shrinking in number. The current membership is aging, and new membership is not forthcoming. How will the College retain its character in a future without Edmundites? “As long as religious communities were there, schools could remain Catholic,” Fr. Theroux states. “With the diminishment of communities, who carries on the mission?” He continues: “Edmundites have been arguing for years for a VP-level position to preserve the mission at St. Mike’s. This has been done generally in many places, in many institutes of Catholic higher education.”
perspective represent an area that intrigues and engages people. tanding of these principles.”
In this new position, Fr. Theroux will directly supervise various entities on campus: not only Campus Ministry, but the MOVE Office, the Institute for Equity and Justice, and the Edmundite Centers for Faith and Culture and Peace and Justice. He will “collaborate and work with personnel at the College to raise awareness of the mission of the College, and collaborate with faculty and staff to determine how the mission is to be implemented,” he explains.
Fr. Theroux is the first to say that his thinking about the opportunities and possibilities is “still very young … but going in the direction of social justice. The principles of social justice from a Catholic perspective represent an area that intrigues and engages people. Students will leave St. Mike’s with a firm understanding of these principles.”
The overarching goal of the new office is exemplified for Fr. Theroux in the Road to Emmaus sculpture created by Paul Aschenbach, which stands in the courtyard between St. Edmunds, Jeanmarie, and Cheray Halls. The black granite work depicting two figures engaged in discussion illustrates an episode from Chapter 24 of Luke’s gospel,
wherein two disciples conversed with the resurrected Christ and began to understand his true nature.
Fr. Theroux says that the two figures in this work “are not simply the disciples. They represent all people—past, today, infinity—who are discussing and conversing on issues. What is missing from the sculpture is the presence of Jesus.” That is where the mission of the school comes into play. The mission of Saint Michael’s College is to allow Catholic faith to inform all of the discussions and debates that take place on campus. Community members in dialogue, regardless of background, and with an openness to the spiritual dimensions of life, will help to forge a stronger community.
Community is at the core of the vision for this new office. Fr. Theroux connects it to the Edmundite tradition of hospitality. “We buy into the idea of accompaniment. Walking with students, removing your sandals, recognizing that we are on holy ground, respecting who they are, being available. For the Edmundites, the College has been our home, a home where we invite guests. It maintains its identity by treating people as treasured guests. We hope that the concept of people being welcomed as guests into our
home will make them respectful and open to what we have to offer.”
In his work thus far inaugurating the new position, Fr. Theroux says that he has been “surprised by how many people have supported the idea of it, and have supported me in doing it … I am pleased. There is an openness about what can happen.” Fr. Theroux will spearhead the department for the next two years, and will have a role in selecting his eventual successor. “The president has thought in terms of a priest or religious sister for this position. These are people who know the faith and the Church and could bring that kind of expertise,” he explains, adding, “but I would be open to any person who has the capacity because of their background.”
Whatever form the future takes, the foundation is being laid now to allow Saint Michael’s to continue as an institution informed by Edmundite values and operating in the light of the Catholic faith well into the future.
Nearly 800 Alumni Returned for a Spectacular Reunion 2024 Weekend! Thank You for Coming Home to St. Mike’s.
It was a special celebration for the Class of 1974, who came home after 50 years and were inducted as Golden Knights on Friday, May 31.
The classes ending in 4s and 9s also enjoyed class events that night at venues from campus to Winooski to Burlington, and five reunion classes took over Waterworks restaurant in Winooski.
The Purple and Gold brunch on Saturday, June 1, showcased outstanding alumni awardees, including six Alumni of the Year and the recipient of the Fr. Michael Cronogue Award for Service. George Keady ’79, trustee, and Sue Koscher ’84 presented President Richard Plumb with a check for approximately $1.4 million from all Reunion classes—a 35% increase over last year!
The P-Knight party the same night hosted over 650 attendees in the 300s field who enjoyed food trucks, lawn games, and axe throwing, as DJ Craig Mitchell ’93 spun tunes from the alumni-curated Reunion 2024 playlist. The fun continued through the night as alumni packed into the townhouses and enjoyed chicken patties served by RDs at the late-night grill.
More available online at smcvt.edu/magazine
In September, the Alumni and Family Weekend kicked off with the grand opening of the Saint Michael’s College Kelley Ski Center! The ski center, two years in the making, is designed to meet the unique demands of the College’s Alpine and Nordic ski teams. With the support of Tom Kelley ’69 and his wife Denise, and help from alumni, parents, and the local community, the Kelley Ski Center is set to give the ski teams the edge they need to go the extra mile.
Saturday, September 21, St. Mike’s celebrated its institutes, its student-athletes, and its home in Vermont. The Patrick ’61 and Marcelle Leahy Institute for the Environment was open for Purple Knights to swing by and experience all the institute has to offer. The Institute for Global Engagement held a panel made up of current students and alumni, so attendees could learn more about the global opportunities at the College.
St. Mike’s was host to many Division 2 games, and threw a great party, the Welcome Back Bash, showcasing student-run clubs, along with food trucks and live music. The Bash was enjoyed by prospective students, current students, and alumni together. Rounding the day off was an alumni social in downtown Burlington at Three Needs! The social had a great turnout and it was the perfect way for alumni to reconnect and bond over what makes them all Purple Knights.
A big thank you to everyone who came to celebrate a homecoming on the hilltop at this year’s Alumni and Family Weekend. See you next year—or hopefully sooner!
By Shannon M. Parker ’93 (Riveter Press)
Female lobsterman Charlie Pinkham is content with her seaside life in Christmas Cove, Maine. Single and surrounded by friends and community, Charlie has always been more comfortable braving the bold Atlantic than diving into the messy business of romance. From Kirkus Reviews: “A heart-skipping small-town love story with tight pacing, captivating prose, and memorable characters.”
By Ashley Laurent Marlow
‘11 and
Katie Novak (Cast.org)
Ashley Laurent Marlow is the director of operations for the All Learners Network (based in Winooski, Vermont, but active nationally), a professional development organization for math learning. In this fast-paced, engaging new title in the UDL Now! series, the authors apply their expertise in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and equitable, inclusive instruction to the elementary math curriculum.
By Declan McCabe (Down East Books)
For focus, exercise, and pleasant distraction, scientist Declan McCabe takes frequent walks along Vermont’s Winooski River. The brief trips provide solitude, grounding, and an opportunity to explore. The more than 50 short essays gathered in this volume provide an astounding look at the rich diversity of life that depends on water.
The Power Behind Policy: An Understanding of Today’s Renewable Energy
By Gabriella LaRiviere (Independently Published)
With climate summits, improved technologies, and government leaders supporting a greener future, we can expect an increase in the use of renewables. Gabriella LaRiviere’s firm, VAYU Solutions, is committed to developing renewable energy programs, visual plans, and financial plans that include leveraging IRA tax credits for campuses and communities. This book illuminates the way forward.
Policing Show Business: J. Edgar Hoover, the Hollywood Blacklist, and Cold War Movies
By Francis MacDonnell ’81 (University Press of Kansas)
Francis MacDonnell explores the starring role played by J. Edgar Hoover in the development of the Hollywood blacklist in the 1940s and 1950s. As director of the FBI, Hoover poured resources into scrutinizing show business, a policy choice unjustified by any corresponding threat to public security. MacDonnell demonstrates the many ways his interest bordered on obsession.
by Monica Donovan
HELLO, FRIENDS!
I hope that everyone is doing great and getting ready for the holidays. This has been an amazing year at Saint Michael’s, and all of us on the Alumni Board are really looking forward to an exciting future.
I remember first visiting St. Mike’s in the fall of my senior year of high school and knowing that this was the place for me. I know many of you are now making similar journeys with your sons and daughters, and I hope that a trip to Winooski will stir similar feelings for them.
Whenever I stop by the campus during the holidays, I make a quick visit to the Chapel and enjoy the Advent decorations and the quiet of that space.
The theme of this semester’s magazine is “Vision”—and the timing for this theme couldn’t be more appropriate. There are so many exciting changes happening on campus and so much new thinking about our
long-term mission and vision.
For St. Mike’s, it’s going to be a great year!
I was very fortunate to be on campus in October for President Richard Plumb’s inauguration weekend. Plumb’s vision for the College reflects all of the challenges we have faced in the past years, but is enormously positive and strategic.
He is enthusiastic about meeting all of us in the alumni community and sharing his ideas for our continued success. That came through very clearly at his inauguration.
There are plenty of details of the president’s plan included in these pages. What excites me most, though, is his focus on making the current students’ experience at St. Mike’s just as special and memorable as the experiences we all shared in our years at the College.
In particular, the realignment of the academic programs feels just right to meet students’ academic needs and will prepare them very well for life after college.
Regarding change, our Alumni Board has made a few changes to its bylaws, including opening up board nominations to everyone.
If you would like to be considered for the board, or know someone we should be considering for participation, please drop one of us on the board and/or Stephanie Snell (ssnell2@smcvt.edu) a note and we’ll add you to the mix!
And now, a little advertisement: The Alumni Office is planning multiple regional events across the country this fall and there’s likely one happening near you soon. You can find one at www.smcvt.edu/alumni.
Try to find the time to reconnect at one of these events—they’re a great reminder of everything we cherish most about our college experiences. Also, mark those calendars for Reunion Weekend 2025, June 6–8.
At St. Mike’s, we received a great education—in one of our country’s most beautiful places. I’m so grateful for the impact it continues to have on my life.
I hope to see you soon!
Pat Fitzgibbons ’89 President, Saint Michael’s College Alumni Association
BY DON CIPRIANO ’64, PHIL PRESPARE ’64, AND KEVIN SLANE ’67, LUNCH BUNCH HISTORIANS
AND BILL HOWE ’71, EDITOR
Photo by Ellen Kane
For 74 years, Saint Michael’s College alumni in the Connecticut Valley have carried on a tradition begun by members of the classes of the late ’40s and early ’50s. The bonds of friendship these alumni experienced at St. Mike’s have lasted a lifetime, and they have extended their tradition to younger generations of St. Mike’s alumni.
As was the case for so many of their generation in the 1940s, whatever plans these young men had for their
The young men from the Hartford/ Springfield area who would go on to found the Springfield gang, whose name would later be changed to the St. Mike’s Connecticut Valley Lunch Bunch, were typical of veterans returning to their homes and families, seeking to make good on the dreams they had had before their patriotism and sense of duty turned them into soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen.
They made their way to northern Vermont, where the crucible of war
cherished and renewed, even as they completed their studies in 1950 as the first post-war graduating class of veterans.
The pact they made upon their graduation was simple: A picnic in the fall each year would be their way of staying in touch. They carried this hope and their friendship for the rest of their lives, and extended the invitation to other local St. Mike’s alumni to join in the annual picnic tradition. That tradition continues to this day, with almost 75 alumni and
future would be placed on hold. For many, the next “classroom” would be in cockpits or aboard ships or huddled in foxholes, in places like Iwo Jima and Normandy, or in the skies above Europe or the Pacific, where their education was the cruel reality of global war. That they selflessly accepted their nation’s call is truly testament to their sobriquet: the Greatest Generation.
gave way to the demands of classroom lectures, late-night study, libraries, research papers, and dissertations, all under the watchful and devoted care of the Edmundite Fathers of Saint Michael’s College. There, in the serenity of Winooski Park, they reclaimed as much of their youthful hopes as they could. It proved to be a profoundly gratifying experience and something to be
friends attending the most recent picnic, held in September 2024. Their tradition also continues in the lunch meeting that takes place at noon on the third Thursday of each month at the Maine Fish Market Restaurant in East Windsor, Connecticut. Any St. Mike’s graduate—even if just passing through the area—is welcome to join in and carry on the Connecticut Valley Lunch Bunch tradition.
DANIEL D. BERRY, JR. ’50
Hometown: Fitchburg, MA, and Easthampton, MA
Military Service: U.S. Navy, fighter pilot who achieved “ace” status by age 20
Career: Business executive, recognized internationally for his expertise in rubber and plastics manufacturing
LOU BOURBEAU ’48
Hometown: Ludlow, MA
Military Service: Honorable discharge
Career: Owner and operator of Bourbeau & Hinch Insurance Company
JOSEPH J. BRIGANTI ’50
Hometown: New Britain, CT
Military Service: U.S. Navy, served on USS Makin Island CVE-93, an escort aircraft carrier that earned five battle stars
Career: Elementary school teacher, Farmington, CT; retired 1983
DR. EDWARD J. CASEY ’50
Hometown: Thompsonville, CT
Military Service: U.S. Navy, trained at Naval Hospital in San Diego and served at the Naval Air Station in Holtville, CA
Career: Physician in Thompsonville, CT, and New York City, NY
WILLIAM DONOVAN ’50
Hometown: Springfield, MA, and South Windsor, CT
Military Service: U.S. Army, 11th Airborne Division, special training as interpreter of Japanese Career: Founder and president of Flynn & Donovan Recruiting; director of human resources for the Department of Mental Retardation, State of Connecticut 1966–89; adjunct professor at University of Connecticut
WALTER FITZMAURICE ’49
Hometown: North Reading, MA
Military Service: Highly decorated WWII Air Force veteran, received the Legion of Honor from France in 2009 for his participation and bravery during a single plan mission at night into occupied France to deliver supplies to the French Resistance Career: Food scientist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and later Natick Labs, where he led the team to provide the food for NASA’s first moon landing
FRAN MALONEY ’53
Hometown: Manchester, CT
Military Service: Navy veteran, served on the USS Wisconsin Career: Field administrator, Pratt & Whitney Aircraft
LOU MARCEAU ’49
Hometown: Ludlow, MA
Career: Executive at Mercer Paper Tube Corporation
St. Mike’s clubs have been busy with some great regional events, including hangouts at the Fermentary in Hanover, Massachusetts, at Allagash in Portland, Maine, at a Red Sox game in Boston, and at a Phillies game in Philly! Want in on the fun? Email the alumni team at events@smcvt.edu for details.
MICHAEL NARDI ’51
Hometown: Richmond, MA
Career: Sales representative, Mead Corporation
JOSEPH PURTILL ’50
Hometown: Westerly, RI, and Stonehill, CT
Military Service: U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, achieved rank of colonel
Career: Started his own law practice in 1958; served as a representative in the Connecticut State Legislature 1959–61; Stonington Town Clerk 1963–79; appointed to the Superior Court of Connecticut bench in 1979
ED SPEIGHT ’53
Hometown: East Longmeadow, MA
Career: Owner/President Ed Speight & Company, a residential construction firm
BEN WALKER ’50
Hometown: New Britain, CT
Military Service: U.S. Navy, 121st N.C.B. “SEABEE” Battalion, 4th Marine Division
Career: Claim officer and executive at Aetna Life and Casualty for over 40 years
TELL US WHAT YOU’RE UP TO ... SMCVT.EDU/CLASSNOTES
1962
FRANK TWAROG was appointed as “Corresponding Member of the Faculty” (essentially professor emeritus) at Harvard Medical School from September 28, 2022, through June 30, 2025.
1963
BILL “MOOSE” THOMPSON and MIKE SWEENY, classmates and buddies, met for several days of reliving (and embellishing) their college days. (Photo)
See class note and photo of ROBERT W. PARKER in the 1966 class notes from KIM BUFFINGTON ’66
1966
KIM BUFFINGTON shared a photo from the Air Force Missileers meeting along with classmate ROBERT W. PARKER ’63.
1967
RICH FEELY shared an old photo while updating St. Mike’s that he had celebrated his 57th wedding anniversary, and reminisced that he met his wife, Terri, when she attended Trinity. He and Terri have retired to Ocala, FL, and Malletts Bay, VT, after careers in real estate and political lobbying. (Photo)
1968
LOUIS G. GIANCOLA shared a photo after JOE
Class of 1963 buddies met up in Hawaii. Left to right: Mike Sweeny, Bill Thompson (seated) with Bill’s wife, Janet, behind him and Mike’s wife, Nicole.
A throwback photo of Rich Feely ’67 and his wife, Terri, who recently celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary.
BOUTIN ’69 was recognized for his many contributions to the College. (Photo)
1969
JOE BOUTIN was recognized for his many contributions to the College at the Saint Michael’s Medallion Society reception. (Photo)
BILL FISHER was recognized and honored by the American Red Cross with the 2024 Clara Barton Volunteer Award for his exceptional service to both the Central Virginia chapter and the Virginia region. In addition, Bill received one of five pillar awards in the Mid-Atlantic
division for his success through innovation while leading the Red Cross Collegiate Club program. Bill attributes his continued dedication and commitment to community service to his experiences from 1973 through 1977 with Saint Michael’s Fire and Rescue.
MARY BETH HENRY shared an almost unbelievable chance meeting in South Africa of two alumni. “I was traveling on the ferry to visit Robben Island (the prison where Nelson Mandela was held for 18 years) when I met a very nice woman from Saudi Arabia named Ruby. We chatted and then arrived at the island for the tour. On the ferry ride back, I ran into
Abdul Dahlan ’03 and Mary Beth Henry ’77 had a chance encounter in South Africa.
her again and we greeted one another. I also met her husband, Abdul. During the course of our conversation, Abdul casually mentioned that he had lived in Vermont. I asked where, and he said ‘Saint Michael’s College!’ I was flabbergasted and smiled from ear to ear! I said that I had graduated from Saint Michael’s in 1977 and that my father (Edward Henry) had been president. He responded, ‘I graduated in 2002.’ We chatted some more, and I gave him my card to stay in touch. Here is a pic to commemorate the wonderful, incredible chance meeting. You never know where in the world you might run into a St. Mike’s grad!” (Photo)
RICK FRICCHIONE shared that he has finally retired from a 44-year career in high technology, working for Digital Equipment, Compaq Computer, Hewlett Packard, and IBM. “My last position was vice president and chief technology officer for one of IBM’s business units,” he told us. He is now splitting his time between sailing in Rhode Island, swimming and golfing in Massachusetts, and skiing during winters in Vermont with his wife, Bonnie; his daughter and her husband; and his grandson. (Photo)
CORNELIUS “NEIL” SHEA is a candidate for the Massachusetts 2nd Congressional District. He is taking on the former chairman of the Rules Committee and now ranking member, James McGovern. In the twocandidate race, Neil is running as an independent. Neil believes that his 20 years in the Marine Corps, corporate management at AT&T, and helping over 1,000 of the most at-risk students get their diplomas in Worcester, MA, has well prepared him for Congress. (Photo)
GREG HANNOOSH went to Naples, FL, for a long weekend in May to gather with fellow alumni, all friends from fourth floor Alumni Hall in 1977 and 1978. Classmates GLENN BENBENEK and MARC MORRISSEY each have homes in Naples and hosted the group with great hospitality. (Photo)
GRACE HOEFIG was recognized as a Top Woman Leader of New Jersey for 2024. Grace Hoefig is the SVP, director of research,portfolio manager, and analyst at Franklin Templeton. Franklin Resources, Inc., is a global investment management organization with subsidiaries operating as Franklin Templeton.
Photo from the National Meeting of Association of Air Force Missileers held at Vandenberg Space Force Base, October 26, 2024: Saint Michael’s graduates Major General (Ret.) Robert W. Parker ’63 and Captain Kim Buffington ’66. Activities included a tour of missile facilities and winery visits.
Left to right: Kate Moran Cahill, Theresa “Tigger” Barrett Levy, Jen McCann McGinley, Robin Putnam McPartlon, and Chris Cosentino, all Class of 1985, gathered in Watch Hill, RI, to celebrate Tigger’s daughter’s wedding.
Rich Gallerani ’86 presented this canvas print of his recent watercolor to La Fiorentina Pastry Shop in East Longmeadow, MA.
Gathering of classmates in Saratoga, left to right: Susan Opdyke Kominiak ’86, Annmarie Dolan Rioux ’86, Jude Fitzsimmons Williams ’86, and Mary Cowell Shannon ’86.
Classmates gathered in Saratoga for the Travers Stakes. Left to right: Roger Bauman ’86, Paul Hebert ’86, Chris Kenny ’86, Paul Lennon ’86, Susan Opdyke Kominiak ’86, Mary Cowell Shannon ’86, Tim Korbut ’86, Tim Allan ’86, Annmarie Dolan Rioux ’86, and Jude Fitzsimmons Williams ’86.
Grace Hoefig ’81 was recognized as a Top Woman Leader of New Jersey for 2024.
Former roommates had a blast on a Greek Islands cruise. Eileen Trachy Hall ’87, Ellen Hartford Adams ’87, and Jodi Megnia ’87.
Classmates Dina Welch O’Connor ’86 and Rev. Brian Cummings ’86 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Sorrento, Italy.
Classmates gathered for the Colleen Ritzer Walk in Andover, MA. In photo: Catherine Briggs Riley ’86, Susan Ritzer Craig ’86, Mark Riley ’83, Bernice Chevalier Salvaggio ’86, Annette Thomas ’88, Eileen Trachy Hall ’87, and Eileen’s husband, John Hall.
Amelia Manning ’69, chief operating officer at Southern New Hampshire University.
Former St. Mike’s swim teammates gathered for lunch on Long Island, NY. Left to right: Sean Crowley ’97, Christi Turnbull Turner ’96, Danielle Nyholm Lutz ’97.
Emily Carley ’96 shared an update on her work.
Tim Lynch ’97, Katie Collins-Thaw ’97, Brian Colfax ’97, and Allison Marino McDonough ’97 at Katie’s wedding.
Former roommates
Matt DeSorgher ’01 of Vermont and Kyle Krasa ’01 of California might live on opposite sides of the country, but they met in the middle at Wrigley Field for a Chicago Cubs game. Kyle’s son, Jonah, joined the fun.
JEN MCCANN MCGINLEY met up in Watch Hill, RI, with classmates to celebrate the wedding of THERESA “TIGGER” BARRET LEVY’s daughter. (Photo)
REV. BRIAN CUMMINGS, SSE ’86 writes: “So, I escape Rome for the weekend, and I am walking around Sorrento in southern Italy on the coast and I see a church door open. I see Mass being celebrated in English, so I grab a seat. Apparently, it is a group from the States and it sounds like New England. A woman in the first pew makes eye contact with me and waves with a smile. ‘That’s Dina Welch O’Connor, my St. Mike’s classmate,’ I think. Sure enough. So, we had a couple of drinks after
John Rigney ’98 was named fire chief for the town of Longmeadow, MA.
Mass. See attached taken at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Sorrento.” (Photo)
CATHERINE BRIGGS
RILEY shared a photo of several classmates and alumni at the Colleen Ritzer Walk in Andover, MA. (Photo)
RICH GALLERANI shared a photo of his recent watercolor for La Fiorentina Pastry Shop. (Photo)
CHRIS KENNY shared a couple of photos of fellow Class of 1986 alumni on a recent trip to Saratoga, NY, for the Travers Stakes. Fun was had by all. (Photos)
ELLEN HARTFORD
ADAMS shared a recent photo of her former roommates from St.
Kerri Robinson Groff ’00 shared her recent promotion.
A small reunion in Freeport, ME, included alumni and family. Top row: Eli Tabaruka, Ashley Tabaruka ’05, Aiden Tabaruka, Katie Hatch ’05, Wilson Skinner, Stella Haynes, Nolen Haynes, Noah Grace Skinner, Gennifer Giuliano ’05, Angela Madonia ’04, Adam Haynes ’06, Haner Mishra, Janet Cody Mishra ’05, Gaurav Mishra. Bottom: Jasper Haynes, Zander Tabaruka, Cosmo Skinner.
Mike’s on a Greek Islands cruise in July. (Photo)
AMELIA MANNING, chief operating officer at Southern New Hampshire University, was recently named vice board chair at Urban College of Boston.
EMILY OUIMET CARLEY, M.ED., Vermont K-6 educator, earned her Vermont professional literacy specialist PreK-12 endorsement. Emily has served as an OrtonGillingham classroom teacher, a pre-service teacher mentor, and an Orton-Gillingham associate interventionist, and currently provides highly effective, efficient instruction as a district-wide public school literacy specialist instructor. Emily
founded the Literacy Spark, an LLC through which she provides literacy instruction for students in addition to consulting, coaching, and training for educators. Emily is also a contributing author to the recently published Educating Children Outdoors (2024, Cornell Publishing). In support of her belief that all children can learn to read, Emily teaches graduate-level courses for educators and volunteers her skills. Currently, she is volunteering on a small team that is working to create a dyslexia-positive tool kit for libraries. (Photo)
CHRISTI TURNBULL TURNER shared a photo from a recent gathering with former teammates from the St. Mike’s swim team. They laughed as they reminisced about all the
Dave O’Connor ’06 and Bryan Wellens ’06 reunited in Lake Forest, IL.
Kelsey Redden Irving ’13 and her husband, Rob Irving ’12, own a mental health practice together.
Tyler Haynes ’09 and his bride celebrated their wedding in Mallorca, Spain, surrounded by St. Mike’s classmates. Standing, left to right: Kaitlin Koffink Engen ’10, Trygg Engen ’10, Matt Gagnon ’09, Brad Harden ’10, groom and bride, Jedd Ladd ’09, Kate Saunders ’09, Tim Warren ’09, Derek Denning ’09, and Andrew “Driskey” Driscoll ’09. Seated, left to right: Chris Delorenzo ’10 and Sean Malvey ’09.
Gaylynn Wells ’10 and her husband, Arash Afghahi, welcomed a daughter, Liliana “Lily” Wells Afghahi, on July 29, 2024.
Colin Delaney ’13 (pictured with U.S. Ski and Snowboard CEO Sophie Goldschmidt) received an award in his role as head ski jumping and Nordic combined coach for the New York Ski Educational Foundation as Overall Development Coach of the Year.
fun times had at St. Mike’s, but especially with their swim teammates! (Photo)
KATIE COLLINS-THAW shared a photo from her wedding to G. Christopher Thaw in Denver, CO. “Lifelong friends rockin’ out to the tunes of Phish on the dance floor. We haven’t changed a bit. :)” (Photo)
JOHN RIGNEY was unanimously elected fire chief for the Town of Longmeadow, MA, starting in November 2024. He has been with the department for 26 years. (Photo)
DR. WENDY SHEPARD
MEHAFFEY was part of the team of staff members and volunteer medical personnel providing around-theclock care for U.S. athletes, serving as an integral part of Team USA’s success at the Olympic and Paralympic Games last summer in Paris.
KERRI ROBINSON GROFF was recently promoted to the position of operations manager at the Fancy Gap/Blue Ridge Parkway KOA Journey located in Fancy Gap, VA. (Photo)
KYLE KRASA shared a recent photo from his
get-together with his St. Mike’s roommate MATT DESORGHER. (Photo)
For chance alumni encounter with ABDUL DAHLAN ’03, MARY BETH HENRY ’77 note under 1977.
ANGELA MADONIA shared a photo from a recent alumni reunion in Freeport, ME. (Photo)
DAVE O’CONNOR and BRYAN WELLENS, 2006 Student Association vice president and secretary of finance, respectively, reunited in O’Connor’s town of Lake Forest, IL, in June. The two avoided temperatures in the 90s by touring O’Connor’s office in Lake Forest’s Market Square, where he recently celebrated two years of full-time executive coaching (www.heycoachdave.com). (Photo)
TYLER HAYNES shared a photo from his wedding in Mallorca, Spain, surrounded by classmates. (Photo)
GAYLYNN WELLS shared a photo of her daughter born in July. (Photo)
Katie Lanza ’10 married Josiah Bergeron with a reception at Waterworks in Winooski, VT. Back, left to right: Meaghan Jaird ’10, Jolie Frechette ’10, Danielle Segal ’10, Justin Miller, Brian Madden ’09, Matt Sjoblom ’10. Front, left to right: Lauren Levy ’10, Alison Dionne ’10, Katie Lanza ’10, Kristen Fiocco ’10.
Drew Flaherty ’10 recently received recognition from the Stryker company.
Jill Monahan ’12 married Ethan Curtin. Several alumni joined in the celebration. Left to right: Abbie Monahan Sweeney ’12, Sophie Hamersley ’12, Meagan Carhart Monahan ’00, Justine Ozel Monahan ’03, Eric Jaukkuri ’13, Nicole Adach ’13, Greg Monahan ’05, Hannah Pasman ’12, Matt Monahan ’03, Justin O’Keefe Godfrey ’12, Alex Monahan ’08, Annie O’Gorman ’13, Jill Monahan Curtin ’12, Michael Brady ’12, Molly Magner ’12, Kaitlin Kaster McDonald ’12, Kelly McDonald Mihalich ’12, Natalie DiMaria ’12, Ryan Monahan ’00.
Megan Durocher ’12, M’14, and Ethan Masure got engaged during the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.
Kevin McLaughlin ’12 and Lauren McLaughlin were married in June. Several alumni joined the celebration. Left to right: Brian Meloche ’12, Jean-Paul Lagacé ’16, Katie Baker ’13, Michael Brown ’14, Mairead Foley ’09, Matthew Foley ’12, bride Lauren McLaughlin (UNH Class of 2009, give it up for a NE rival!), groom Kevin McLaughlin ’12, Dr. Christopher Dustin ’12, Keith Montford ’12, Jonny Rushfirth ’12, Miranda Montford ’09, Meredith Deffley ’12, Nico Baratta ’12, Alli Verrill ’12.
Emily Carolin ’16 and Brandon Majmudar were married on February 24, 2024, at the Grafton Inn in Grafton, VT. Left to right: Rachel Sanborn ’16, Victoria Barnum ’16, Jack Loomis ’16, Emily Carolin ’16, Brandon Majmudar, Anthony Bassignani ’13, Sarah Carilo ’16, Mike Duggan ’86, Thomas Duggan ’20, and Brayden Duggan ’22.
Ashley Laurent Marlow ’11 with her newly published book.
Sam Fogg ’16 and Nancy Wu were married on March 2, 2024, at the Grafton Inn in Grafton, VT. Alumni in attendance: Michael McNally ’16, Kristen McCarthy ’16, Daniel Hack ’16, Zoe Doucette ’16, Mary Margaret Miller ’16, Harrison Miller ’16, Brianna McKinley ’16, Peter McKenna ’15.
Nicole Corneau ’17 and Mark Higgins ’15 got married in Kennebunk, ME, on May 18, 2024.
Left to right: Jeremy Wong ’15, John Teulings ’15, Eric Robinson ’15, AJ Pieprzak ’15, William Cote ’15, Enny Mustapha ’17, Jane Sclafani ’17, Corina Stack ’17, Margret Doemland ’17, and Erin Burke ’17.
Abbey Brophy ’17 married Tim Lynch ’18 in August 2023. They were surrounded by many St. Mike’s friends!
Molly Roush married Benjamin Leduc at the Lareau Farm in Waitsfield, VT, in September. Brian Donahue ’88, Mike Weber ’04, Lauren Kavanaugh Weber ’04, Rachel Coley ’17, Daniel Kirk ’15, Greg Valentine ’17, Molly Roush Leduc ’17 (bride), Jessica Barnett ’17, Jeffrey Dodge ’17, Alec Caputo ’17, Riley Faszewski ’17, James Baker ’17, Sean Mitchell ’18, Maddy Prevost Kozub ’17, Rachel Persson ’17, Alessandra Santone ’17, Amy Haggerty ’17, Cam Thirkell ’17, Kim MacPhail ’17, Tyler Colbert, Andrew Goulet ’18, Gianna Buonpastore ’17, Lauren Krzaczek Walkama ’17, Sean Walkama ’17, Marcy Daley Bidwell ’17, Kathryn Record Ziegler ’17.
Kristin Funsten ’18 married Thomas Boullier ’18 at Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home in Manchester, VT, on August 3, 2024. There were 32 St. Mike’s alumni at the wedding.
Mercay Reuter ’19 and Christopher Littlehale ’17 celebrated their marriage on June 1, 2024, in New Haven, VT. Alumni in attendance included (left to right): Coral Santos ’18, Sarah Williams ’19, Samantha Orciari ’19, Sam Sansone ’17, Sarah Haggerty Sansone M’21, and Ryan Brogna ’17.
Will Moriarty ’20 married Marisa Walsh on May 18, 2024. Alumni in attendance: Bailey Carter ’20, Aidan Maron ’20, William Sirota ’20, Jacob Brodbine ’20, Jason Feinberg ’20, Michael Reidy ’20, Kevin Ward ’20, Briana Lavery ’20, Justin Richmond ’21, Nolan Moon ’20, Will Moriarty ’20 (groom), Marisa Walsh Moriarty (bride), Monica Moriarty ’89, Will Meconi ’03, Matthew Cotter ’19, Emily Durette ’19, Brian Loughlin ’18, Connor DiNatale ’19, Marina Campbell ’18, Brendan Morris ’19, Brayden Carney ’20, Carol Walsh ’90, Connor McGuirk ’19, Julia Colasanti ’18, and Hunter Goodwin ’19. In attendance but not pictured: Tara Harris ’91, Anne Sheedy ’91.
Maria Loughran ’20 married William Burgess with many alumni in attendance. Back row, left to right: Cody Flanagan ’19, Melissa Lezama ’20, Katie Tota ’20, Maura Dodge ’20, Claire Scherf ’20, Courtney Dennison ’20. Front row, left to right: Hannah Skibitski ’20, Nell Criscione ’20, William Burgess, Maria Loughran Burgess ’20, Bryn Churchill ’20, Lindsay St. Pierre ’20, Kara Gailiunas ’20, Colleen Straub ’20.
Katie Tota ’20 married Kyle Sheridan at the Mountain Springs Resort in the Poconos. Left to right: Julia Sevigny ’20, Bryn Churchill ’20, Nell Criscione ’20, Ryan Tota ’15, Katie Tota Sheridan ’20 (bride), Hannah Skibitski ’20, Kyle Sheridan (groom), Maura Dodge ’20, Kara Gailiunas ’20, and Maria Loughran Burgess ’20.
Gabby LaRiviere ’21 and Stephen Lajoie ’83.
Left to right: Jack O’Callaghan ’18, Mitch Yahna ’17, Eli Olson ’17, AJ Clemens ’17, Valentina (Rojas) Clemens ’17, Alex Ho ’17, and Danielle Schiestle (former St. Mike’s admission counselor).
KATHRYN LANZA married Josiah Bergeron on August 26, 2023, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, followed by a reception at Waterworks in Winooski, VT. Several alumni joined in the celebration, and Katie is “so grateful for the lifelong connections we have built with people we met at St. Mike’s!” (Photo)
“DREW FLAHERTY was recently recognized by his employer, the orthopedic company Stryker, partially, of course, due … to what St. Mike’s taught him,” according to Bob Flaherty. (Photo)
ASHLEY LAURENT
MARLOW shared that she has authored a new book, Universal Design for Learning in Mathematics Instruction K-5.
MEGAN DUROCHER shared that she got engaged to Ethan Masure. They will be married on July 19, 2025. Megan and Ethan live in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. (Photo)
For an update on ROB IRVING, see KELSEY
REDDEN IRVING note under 2013.
JILL MONAHAN shared a photo from her wedding. She married Ethan Curtin on May 4, 2024, in Meredith, NH, with a great crew of St. Mike’s alumni in attendance. (Photo)
KEVIN MCLAUGHLIN shared a photo from his wedding on June 15, 2024. He says that a huge part of the celebration was his friends from St. Mike’s. (Photo)
COLIN DELANEY received a U.S. Ski & Snowboard Gold Award as Overall Development Coach of the Year. Delaney is the Head Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Coach for the New York Ski Educational Foundation. This honor is awarded to one coach each year across all disciplines covered by U.S. Ski & Snowboard. (Photo)
KELSEY REDDEN IRVING shared that her husband, ROB IRVING ’12, and she own a mental health practice together. She is a licensed mental health
counselor, and he is a psychiatric nurse practitioner. She writes, “We enjoy serving our community and spreading awareness about mental health!” The practice is called Steadfast Psychology Group and it can be found at www.kelseyirvinglpc. com. (Photo)
For news on ALEX IERONIMO, see MORGAN PETERSON IERONIMO note under 2015.
MORGAN PETERSON IERONIMO and ALEX IERONIMO ’14 shared that they welcomed a baby girl, Eliza, in April.
EMILY CAROLIN and Brandon Majmudar were married on February 24, 2024, at the Grafton Inn in Grafton, VT. They met while working in the Institutional Advancement Office at Saint Michael’s College in 2019—Emily as the assistant director of alumni engagement and Brandon as a major gifts officer. (Photo)
SAM FOGG and Nancy Wu were married on March 2, 2024, at the Grafton Inn in Grafton, VT. (Photo)
ABBEY BROPHY and TIM LYNCH ’18, who met in Professor Purcell’s Modern Europe class, celebrated their wedding on August 12, 2023, in Waitsfield, VT. (Photo)
NICOLE CORNEAU and MARK HIGGINS ’15 got married in Kennebunk, ME, on May 18, 2024, alongside many St. Mike’s alumni. (Photo)
VALENTINA ROJAS
CLEMENS shared a photo from her wedding to Alvin “AJ” Clemens ’17, which was attended by several classmates. They were married in Bozeman, MT, and the ceremony was officiated by Jack O’Callaghan ’18. (Photo)
For news on CHRISTOPHER LITTLEHALE, see Mercay Reuter note under 2019.
MOLLY ROUSH married Benjamin Leduc at the Lareau Farm in Waitsfield, VT, in September. BRIAN DONAHUE ’88 officiated! Many alumni were in attendance. (Photo)
Anya Sonwaldt ’22 married Ryan Paquin in a beautiful outdoor ceremony on September 15, 2023, with many St. Mike’s connections in attendance. Left to right: Gabby Gosselin ’22, Molly Shiner ’21, Joanne Nelson ’84, Gunnar Sonwaldt ’21 (brother), Ingrid Peterson (director of Career Education and mom), John Medenwald ’97 (dad), the bride, Grace Vincent ’22, Kaleb Conlon ’22, M’24, Nicole Quispe ’23, Katie Braman ’23, Jose Martinez ’23.
KRISTIN FUNSTEN married THOMAS BOULLIER at Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home in Manchester, VT, on August 3, 2024! Thomas and Kristin met during their first year at St. Mike’s and have been together ever since. A big celebration included lots of family, friends, and loved ones. There were 32 St. Mike’s alumni at the wedding. (Photo)
For news on TIM LYNCH, see ABBEY BROPHY note under 2017.
MERCAY REUTER and CHRISTOPHER LITTLEHALE ’17 celebrated their marriage on June 1, 2024, in New Haven, VT. (Photo)
WILL MORIARTY married Marisa Walsh on May 18, 2024, with many alumni in attendance. (Photo)
KATIE TOTA married Kyle Sheridan in August at the Mountain Springs Resort in the Poconos. (Photo)
MARIA LOUGHRAN married William Burgess in May with many
classmates in attendance. (Photo)
GABBY LARIVIERE recently published a book on the topic of renewable energy and has met with other leading renewable energy experts. She included this picture of herself and STEPHEN LAJOIE ’83, who currently works for Vineyard Offshore. “I wanted to reach out and share this because of how thankful I am for the community that St. Mike’s fosters!” (Photo)
ANYA SONWALDT married Ryan Paquin in a beautiful outdoor ceremony on September 15, 2023, with many St. Mike’s connections in attendance. (Photo)
Saint Michael’s College takes pride in its alumni and joyfully shares the news of their lives and achievements. Publishing these alumni messages does not reflect any endorsements or positions taken by the College.
We are saddened to note the loss of our beloved alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the College. To read their full obituaries, please use the listed URL or QR code below. Our deepest sympathies are extended to their family and loved ones.
1950
J. William King
Howard R. Thompson
1951
Thomas Mayo
1952
Justin Capodilupo
Gerald Heffernan
William J. Keogh
1953
Robert M. Parenteau
1954
Peter Holland
1955
Arthur Charlebois
John P. Cummings
1956
Gerald Kelly
Robert Wilson
1957
John Hooben
David M. Hurley
Edwin Ste. Marie
1958
Philip A. Griffin
George Latimer
Michael J. Ready
Colin E. Bourn
James Shanley
1960
Paul L. Pratt
John Spindler
1961
James M. Dermody
John A. Halpin
Terrance J. Riley
1962
Michael A. Mahovich
Alfred D. St. Hilaire
1963
George Abbott
Peter Manis
Gerald O’Neil, Jr.
1964
Robert S. Corriveau
John Durkin, Jr.
1965
Robert P. Carroll
A. W. Courchesne
Robert F. Etherson
1967
Michael A. Carrano
William L. Mancini
1968
E. David Smith 1959
John Ficociello
William Longenecker
James M. Connor
Albert U. Liberatore
R. Lalli
Altieri
Robert R. Paquette
James H. Schweitzer
James W. Upton
Judith A. Yurgalewicz
A. Gregory
R. Cadigan J
Warren A. Stebbins III
Patrick R. Small
Taylor K. Maus MASTER’S ALUMNI M1964
Lawrence E. Lecours M1968
Donald Culver M1973
Francis J. Leary M1975
Sr. Rita Bray M1980 Richard Vann M1982
Sr. Catherine Griffiths
Maureen Murphy Tessier M1990
Brian R. Searles
M1996
Sandra R. Lewis
M2010
Courtney Baker Daffinrud
M2012
Georgette R. Coleman
FACULTY, STAFF, AND FRIENDS
Dr. Thomas B. Anderson
Mark “Birger” Benson
Gregg N. Blasdel
Lawrence E. Lecours
Richard K. Leggett
John McDonald
Daniel P. Reilly
Daniel P. Riley
hat do you want to be remembered for?”
My answer has been, “I want to be remembered for how I made others feel.” I have always believed that my calling in life is to be of service, and each career in my life has exemplified that.
In my first career as a trial attorney, I advocated on behalf of the State as a prosecutor, or on behalf of the individual when doing defense work, making sure due process of law was applied in each case. I committed 10 years to that career and ultimately left it because the tragedy I witnessed on both sides weighed heavily on me, both in the office and at home. I could never mentally and emotionally leave work at work when I left for the day. I also realized that although I have a competitive side, I do not enjoy channeling that side of my personality relentlessly and arguing daily as a vocation.
In time, I recognized that collaboration is an essential part of my nature. In 2018 I followed my interests in marketing, and for the next several years I worked for an agency, and then in-house, for a running brand. I enjoyed the team environment, which aligned with my passion for helping businesses reach their consumers. I also started remotely coaching runners across the U.S. and internationally. I found that coaching was much more than just helping someone achieve their running goals. I work closely with amazing people, and I get to know them beyond the data that uploads every day from their watch to our shared calendar app. Running, balanced with demanding careers and family obligations, brings us joy, builds confidence in life, and is the most wonderful thing for physical and mental health. I transitioned in 2022 to full-time coaching, and my third career is without question my happiest. It is where I am living most authentically in helping others.
My own personal running career has kept pace with the shifts in my professional career. Since 2015, I have raced 16 road marathons, taking my time from 3:39 to 2:36, and qualifying for two U.S. Olympic Team Trials–Marathon (2020 and 2024). I made the switch to ultramarathons in 2024, winning the Leadville 100 in my debut 100-mile race. I ran the second-fastest women’s time in the event’s 41-year history (18:23) and placed in the top 10 overall. I also won the Leadville Marathon and the Silver Rush 50, setting a new course record and finishing in the top 10 overall in both events. I am also excited to share that in 2024, at age 37, I signed my first professional running contract.
I’ve had an interesting career trajectory, and I credit St. Mike’s for a liberal arts education that instilled the curiosity to explore different options rather than feeling stuck because I chose a particular path in my early 20s. We have one life to live, and if you are not fully satisfied and happy with the choices you’ve made, you can change them.
I am grateful to continue to feel very connected to St. Mike’s through my time as a student-athlete back in 2005–09 through present day as an ultramarathoner. I am so proud to be a Purple Knight,, and as we always said on the cross-country team, “all it takes is all you got.”
by
Saint Michael’s College
One Winooski Park, Box 6
Colchester, VT 05439
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