Salem Statement Fall 2016

Salem

The Magazine of Salem State University Alumni | Fall 2016

STATEMENT

SETTING THE STAGE The “Sophia” Takes Shape for Opening Night FA L L 2 0 16 I S A L E M S TAT E M E N T

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PR ES I DE N T ’S M ES SAGE

editor James K. Glynn ’77 design and production Simeen Brown

In the mission of Salem State University is the commitment to prepare a “diverse community of learners to contribute responsibly and creatively to a global society, and serve as a resource to advance the region’s cultural, social, and economic development.” In this issue of the Statement, we share with you exemplars of how we guide our students to deliver on this commitment.

With a long history of honoring diversity on campus, we remain steadfastly committed to providing our students and community with the nonjudgmental freedom to express their valued ideas. Education is the key and, within these pages, we voice our strong commitment to the programs, the faculty, the administrators and, of course, the students, who make one of today’s most pressing world issues a top priority on campus.

While society’s struggles with diversity and human compassion are well documented in our history books, this issue also reveals in-depth coverage of a major historical discovery. Two Salem State professors were among researchers who located the exact site where 19 innocent people were hanged during the witchcraft hysteria of 1692. The announcement of the results of their research went viral internationally, and our story “Hidden History” details the travails of professors Tad Baker and Peter Sablock as they closed a chapter of history.

Additional topics in this issue touch on the other elements of our mission through stories that provide a telltale sign of the multiplicity of happenings on today’s Salem State campus including: entrepreneurialism, a national rugby championship, spiritual life, and the evolution of the new Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts.

We hope you’ll take a few minutes of your time and enjoy learning how Salem State is playing an instrumental role in shaping young minds.

Sincerely,

Patricia Maguire Meservey President

assistant editor Taylor Mugford copy editors Patrice Buchanan Lauren Carr Cheryl Crounse Speros A. Zakas ’70, ’76G Anna Wolfe p h o t o g r a p hy Simeen Brown Michael Sperling National Small College

Rugby Organization David Sokol illustration Simeen Brown Leers Weinzapfel Associates writing Ann Carlson Ashley Festa James K. Glynn ’77 Victor DeRubeis Natashia Manyak ’17 Taylor Mugford Brion O’Connor Anne-Marie Seltzer Margo W.R. Steiner ’11G owl art “From Cars to Labyrinths” Hayley Thibodeau, 2016 recipient of the Creativity Award for her creation, “Always Watching” t: 978.542.7519 e: statement@salemstate.edu w: salemstate.edu/statement Salem State University, Salem, MA publishes Salem Statement twice a year.

Copyright 2016 Salem State University All publication rights reserved. Send address changes to Alumni Affairs a: 352 Lafayette Street Salem, MA 01970 e: alumni@salemstate.edu t: 978.542.7552 on the cover Students and faculty are anxious to hit the stage of the soon-to-becompleted Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts.

From the left are Meghan McLyman (dance faculty), Jake Crawford ’17 (art and dance double major), Kayleigh Cyr ’17 (dance major), Krystal Hernandez ’17 (theatre arts major), Adrian Peguero ’17 (theatre arts major), and David Allen George (theatre arts faculty).

TAB LE O F C O N TE N T S

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FEATURES

ALUMNI

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48 CLASS NOTES

HAPPENINGS The latest on faculty, students and alumni on campus and beyond

8 RESEARCH

How faculty and students are changing the world

10 ATHLETICS

Vikings are number one in hockey, rugby, golf, and baseball

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VOICES OF OUR STUDENTS An intern sees the light

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VOICES OF OUR STUDENTS Reflections of a volunteer

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DEFINING DIVERSITY University takes action

A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY Rev. Laura Biddle, art and cars

THE ROAD TO VICTORY How the rugby team won a national championship

CUTTING EDGE Entrepreneurial programs put students on the path to employment

34 THE STAGE IS (ALMOST) SET

Excitement builds around the new Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts

What are your old classmates up to?

53 CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

The campus center has an anniversary celebration coming up

57 EVENTS

Photos from alumni weekend, Florida, global days of service and more

60 OBITUARIES

Remembering faculty, staff and alumni

40 UNCOVERING THE PAST Two faculty members help locate where Salem witch hangings took place

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C AMPU S

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News MLK Leadership Awards Presented Rev. Laura Biddle, English professor Keja Valens, alumnus Emmuel Asonganyi ’11 and psychology major Molly Cavanagh ’16 (not pictured) are the recipients of Salem State’s 2016 MLK Leadership Awards. The award is presented annually to “special, innovative individuals” for their outstanding contributions to the “cause of freedom, justice, peace, and equality.”

More information is available at the Diversity and Multicultural Affairs office.

Four New Certificate Programs Offered As part of its continuing mission to enhance the marketability of those in the workforce, Salem State University announced the addition of four new certificate programs in public history, public policy and administration, strategic communications and digital studies. According to Mary Churchill, interim dean of the graduate school and associate provost for innovation and partnerships, “These four new certificate programs are innovative in content, specific to certain career paths and unique in their approach.”

Dance Major Expands Liberal Arts Curriculum The university has added a dance major to its growing liberal arts curriculum. The bachelor’s degree program becomes part of a new department of music and dance, launched this fall. By allying two artistic and performance majors under one umbrella in a new music and dance department, the university expects to provide a solid foundation in each of the two disciplines while concomitantly creating an educational environment that fosters critical thinking, collaborative scholarship and artistic creativity. Salem State’s music major celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. Music is but one of 65 majors at Salem State.

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A Class Act by Geography Alumni During March and April, three successful geography alumni returned to campus, sharing their respective stories with graduate students in professor Stephen Young’s Tuesday night Digital Image Processing class. Tim Howington ’12G uses cutting-edge satellite technology to monitor wildfires for insurance companies. Paul Morelli ’09G works for the Army Corps and models hurricane flooding and natural disasters for the Northeast. And Tommy O’Connell ’14G, pictured here, works for MIT at the Lincoln Labs on satellite-related defense work.

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Intern Seeks to ‘Fix a Broken System’

Grad Accepted into Top Journalism School Mukala Kabongo ’15, who interned in Salem State’s marketing and communications office during his junior year, was recently accepted into a competitive master’s degree program. Kabongo, pictured here interviewing restaurant manager Luis Faria when Salem State reopened the historic Salem Diner in 2014, is pursuing a master’s degree in journalism at Emerson College in Boston.

Student Trustee Elizabeth Cabral ’17 was anticipating a great experience in Washington, D.C., this summer. As an intern in Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s office, Cabral learned the dynamics of implementing change through policy, particularly policy issues stemming from criminal justice reform. “Having a double major in political science and criminal justice, my passion is to explore ways to implement change, and help to fix a broken system,” Cabral said. “More importantly, I want to observe how Senator Warren excels so much in the work she does.” Cabral also interned for two weeks in Rep. Edward Markey’s office.

University Announces New Dean of Bertolon School After serving as interim dean since July 2015, Linda Nowak was named dean of the Bertolon School of Business, effective April 1, 2016. Prior to joining Salem State, she served as dean of the College of Business Administration at California State University at Stanislaus, where she also held the title of professor of marketing.

Dean Nowak holds a PhD in business administration from Saint Louis University.

“Linda Nowak has an impressive track record in developing both public and private partnerships in order to enhance the educational experience and job opportunities for students,” says Provost David Silva.

Colloquium Explores ‘How Emotions Are Made’ Speaking in Veterans Hall in March, Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD, a professor of psychology at Northeastern University, discussed the psychology of emotion and personality psychology. Her primary research focused on the nature of emotion from the perspectives of both psychology and neuroscience, and took inspiration from anthropology, philosophy and linguistics. The event was a part of the Salem State University Psychology Colloquium Series and was co-sponsored by the university’s psychology and biology departments. The presentation was offered free and was open to the public.

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From lef t: Briana Scata, Nazda Alam, Jeramie Silveira, and Anna Wistran Wolfe pose with their awards.

Four Inducted into Civic Engagement Hall of Fame Salem State inducted four activists into its 2016 Civic Engagement Hall of Fame. As part of the honor, each recipient is awarded $250 to donate to a community partner of his or her choosing. This year’s recipients were: BRIANA SCATA ’17 A member of the Salem State University Community Service Group for three years, Scata served as president this past year and, under her leadership, the Community Service Group expanded its offerings to make two alternative spring break trips available this year. A “Service Saturday” program was also offered to give students more opportunities to volunteer.

Scata chose the St. Bernard Project of New Orleans as her community partner.

NAZDA ALAM ’04G As the university’s 2016 alumni inductee, Alam is a 2004 master’s degree recipient from Salem State’s School of Social Work. Born in a small town in Bangladesh, she came to the United States in 1982. Alam believes in core democratic values and fundamental human rights. Her service includes being chair of Massachusetts’ Muslim Voter Registration Project. A delegate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention, she is a past member of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Immigration and Refugee Policy, and an organizer for immigrant workers’ freedom rights. In addition, Alam runs charity organizations in Bangladesh. Alam directed her community partner donation to the Bangladesh Association of New England.

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JERAMIE SILVEIRA A professor of occupational therapy at the university, Silveira is involved with numerous community agencies including the Community Partner Spectrum Adult Day Care Center, which works with and meets the needs of those who are caregivers for persons with Alzheimer’s disease; Empowering People for Inclusive Communities (EPIC), which prepares young people with disabilities to be actively engaged community leaders through education and community service; North Shore Community Access Advocacy Team and the All People Accessible Business Project for the Independent Living Center for North Shore and Cape Ann; and the Department of Public Health Early Intervention Task Force for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Her community partner is North Shore Elder Services.

ANNA WISTRAN WOLFE Raising money and creating a community event gave Wolfe a way to support her father who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 19 years ago. Since 2004, the North Shore Walk for Parkinson’s disease has raised more than $200,000 for The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and Team Fox. This year the three-mile walk in Swampscott will mark its 10th year, a time during which the fundraiser has grown from 20 walkers to more than 200 in 2015. Wolfe is the assistant director of admissions marketing and communications at Salem State. Her community partner is The Michael J. Fox Foundation.

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New Degree in Non-Clinical Healthcare Studies Offered by the College of Health and Human Services, a bachelor of science degree in healthcare studies is a nonlicensed, non-clinical degree, preparing students to work in a variety of settings in the healthcare and human services industry. Healthcare support occupations are included as one of the big four for employment growth and are expected

to see a 28 percent gain. Students will take a core group of classes in the healthcare studies major that will provide a foundation in understanding the healthcare industry.

The students’ choice of healthcare studies electives and the mandatory minor along with workplace observations and a senior internship will further inform career options.

YAR Community Program Is Region’s Largest for Professionals Working with At-Risk Youth Hosted by Salem State on the campus of Endicott College, the 16th annual Youth at Risk (YAR) all-day conference attracted a large crowd of professionals who work with at-risk youth.

With over 20 morning workshops and a variety of afternoon breakout sessions, the event featured a keynote address from former high school basketball All-American Chris Herren. Alcohol and drug free since 2008, Herren shared his harrowing story of abuse, shattered dreams of playing in the NBA and recovery. Gloucester Police Chief Leonard Campanello also delivered an address, speaking of his effort to reach out to people struggling with drug addiction instead of shuttling them into the criminal justice system. Campanello, who was honored at the White House as a “Champion of Change’’ launched the Angel Initiative, which allows addicts to walk into a police station with drugs or needles without fear of facing criminal charges. Instead, they are assigned an “angel” to steer them into drug treatment programs. Attendees included social workers, psychologists, youth counselors, family therapists, educators, school adjustment counselors,

guidance counselors, community and public health workers, program managers, agency and organization CEOs, police officers, juvenile court personnel, lawyers and volunteers.

“We had a record 800 participants,” noted Jane Truesdell Ellis, co-chair of the YAR Committee. “The air was electric as participants networked and learned about new agencies and programs. As we listened to our keynote speakers Chris Herren and Chief Campanello ’16H talk about the current drug crisis, you could feel the sober reality of this critical issue facing all youth and those that serve them. Yet, there was optimism that we all can make a difference in creating a better future, our work does have an impact, and our youth will be successful and reach their potential.” The Essex County Community Foundation established the YAR conference in 2000 as a response to the need for increased collaboration among the many providers of services to at-risk youth in and around Essex County. The Youth at Risk Committee looks forward to YAR 2017, which will be held for the first time on the Salem State campus. Save the date: June 9, 2017!

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Graduating Student Is Among 29 Who Shine In ceremonies at the Massachusetts State House on May 9, Salem State University senior Victoria Chase ’16, right, was honored by Governor Charlie Baker ’09H and the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education with one of this year’s “29 Who Shine” awards. Each year one outstanding student at each of the commonwealth’s 29 public colleges, universities and community colleges is recognized for his or her academic excellence, leadership ability and civic engagement efforts. In addition to excelling academically, Chase coordinated the first-ever Salem State delegation to the National Young Feminist Leadership Conference.

Representing Amnesty International, she spoke at Salem State’s first Social Justice Night about the plight of women and girls under the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan. She also led a 2014 voter engagement project in Salem, and campaigned in 11 Massachusetts communities in support of public water fluoridation. During her time at Salem State, she also completed an internship in the Washington, D.C., office of Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Victoria will attend the Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy to pursue a master’s degree in agriculture, food and environment in the fall.

Alumna Guest of Congresswoman at State of the Union Address Nazda Alam, a 2004 graduate of Salem State’s School of Social Work and a tireless advocate for justice and equality, was the guest of Massachusetts 5th district congresswoman, Katherine Clark, at President Barack Obama’s final State of the Union address on January 12. A community activist, Alam’s efforts to register eligible—but unregistered—Muslim voters nationwide were the impetus for her invitation.

Congresswoman Clark recognized in Alam a Muslim woman who is encouraging fellow Muslims to vote their voices and a progressive Democrat taking on issues such as equal pay for equal work, a higher minimum wage, women’s health care, college affordability for all, debt-free higher education, judicial reform and race inequality.

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Salem State Pride Michael Evans ’76, ’16H, minority chief counsel, U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, is proud (notice the tie) to display his Salem State honorary degree with help from another Salem State honorary degree recipient, Sen. Ed Markey ’14H. Evans said that Markey recalled when his elderly mother was near death he asked her, “Mom, you’ve had a great life. But is there anything you wished you’d been able to do?” She paused and whispered, “Eddie, I wish I had gone to Salem State and become a teacher.”

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Over 500 Middle School Girls Attend W.I.S.E. Conference The annual Women in Science and Engineering (W.I.S.E.) Career Day was held on campus with over 500 middle school girls attending and showing great enthusiasm.

Danielle Niles, a WBZ-TV weather broadcaster, was the keynote speaker.

President Meservey expressed her appreciation to everyone who worked together to make it a success.

“W.I.S.E. is a great example of ‘Forward, Together,’ and Salem State’s collaboration with our community partners,” she said.

2016 Distinguished Teaching Award Recognizes Two Professors Salem State University Provost David S. Silva has announced the selection of professors Julie Kiernan, left, and Reva Kasman, right, as recipients of this year’s Distinguished Teaching Award. Kiernan is a full-time temporary lecturer in theatre and speech communication and is receiving the award for faculty in the non-tenure track. Kasman is an associate professor of mathematics and is receiving the award for faculty in the tenure track. In announcing the winners, Silva noted that, “The award publicly acknowledges the core mission of the university through recognition of those faculty members who have profoundly inspired and engaged our students.

Although only two faculty members are recognized each year—one tenure-track and one non-tenure track—the award is intended to honor all educators at Salem State who are committed to teaching excellence.”

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R ESE A RC H

Graduate Student Presents Research on Climate Change, Violence Lindsay Rogers, a master’s degree student in geography’s Geo-Information Science (GIS) program, recently received a grant from the National Science Foundation to fund her participation in the 2016 International Geographical Union (IGU) conference in Beijing, China. During August, Rogers presented her master’s thesis research on climate change and violence in West Africa. Last summer Rogers, along with undergraduate Fatou Mandiang and geography professor Stephen Young, received grants from the National Science Foundation to support their participation in the IGU meeting in Moscow, Russia.

Nursing Faculty Presents at Development Conference Amanda Shilo, visiting lecturer in the School of Nursing, represented Salem State University at the Elsevier Faculty Development Conference in Las Vegas in January.

Titled “The impact of intimate touch instruction in male and female nursing students,” Shilo, along with faculty members Robin Leger and Paula Burnett, presented the findings of their study at the poster session.

Professor Published in Journal of Biophysical Chemistry Professor Fidelis Manyanga investigated Human Serum Albumin (HSA), a major fatty acid (FA) binding protein in plasma that is responsible for the transport and utilization of many biological adducts. HSA holds the promise for differential disease diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of rare and autoimmune diseases.

Study Benefits Salem Maritime National Historic Site Bethany Jay, PhD, an associate professor of history and the program coordinator for both the master of arts in teaching history and the graduate certificate in public history programs, is involved with research that has allowed her to partner with the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. As the historic site’s scholar-in-residence, she is helping with research and the creation of materials that can be incorporated into the site’s programming on Salem’s enslaved and free black population. She says students in her Historic Heritage of the North Shore class have helped with this project. Jay has also co-edited a book titled “Understanding and Teaching American Slavery,” which provides strategies and resources for secondary and nonspecialist university instructors to incorporate the study of slavery into their classrooms.

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English Professor Pursues Research in China Julie Whitlow, PhD, an English professor and the program coordinator for the Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, received a grant from the Whiting Foundation for research in China. She presented a paper at the International Gender and Language Association Conference in Hong Kong on the subject of a book she co-authored with professor Pat Ould of the sociology department titled “Same-Sex Marriage, Context, and Lesbian Identity: Wedded but Not Always a Wife.” She then traveled to Beijing, Xi’an, Nanjing and Shanghai to visit university English programs “to better understand how English is taught in China so that we can best meet the needs of our Chinese students,” she says. In 2014 Whitlow spent a semester in Nicaragua as a Fulbright scholar where she worked with several university English faculties and taught writing classes. She also provided consultation and professional development on writing program curricula. “It was really eye-opening to see how hungry the students in Nicaragua were to learn English,” she reports.

Biology Department Aquaculture Project Seeks Funds An aquaculture project that Salem State University marine research scientists hope will produce acres of mussels off the coast of Cape Ann has received the necessary permits to proceed. Mark Fregeau, a Salem State marine biology professor, said the project he is managing with colleague and collaborator Ted Maney has been greenlighted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and will begin in earnest once $75,000 is raised. The mussel farm will be located in federal waters, about 8½ miles due east of Cape Ann in Gloucester, at a site the researchers believe will provide the perfect environment for a deepwater mussel farm that would be the first of its kind on the East Coast.

Intern Helps Lay Groundwork for Health Education in African Slum Biology major Natalie Nyambura ’16 inspired real-life victories from classroom lessons during an eight-week internship in Africa. A native of Kenya with a passion for public health, Nyambura jumped at the opportunity to intern in the city of Nairobi with an organization called Kenya Social Ventures. Nyambura was placed at the Seed Academy in nearby Kiberia, one of Africa’s largest slums, as a school health intern. There, Nyambura administered basic health checks to some of the 87 students ranging in age from 2 to 13. She also met with parents to discuss concerns for their children’s health and offered beneficial information to the students. A native speaker of Swahili, Nyambura was an asset to her team of interns from around the globe.

Geography Alum Monitors Salt Marshes After graduating with a degree in geography in 2013, Maggie Brown began the first of two 11-month service positions in MassLIFT AmeriCorps. Through MassLIFT AmeriCorps, she has been serving as a land stewardship coordinator with two separate land conservation organizations, Essex County Greenbelt Association and the Town of Ipswich Open Space Program. Greenbelt is a private, nonprofit land trust organization that is based in Essex, Mass., and works to conserve scenic, agricultural and natural resources throughout Essex County. The Open Space Program protects and promotes public open space lands in Ipswich. In this position she has been responsible for monitoring osprey populations in salt marshes throughout the county, leading trail events to remove nonnative invasive plant species from open space properties, and publicly promoting environmental sustainability initiatives—just to name a few projects! In addition, she has recently started supervising GIS interns at Greenbelt to create and edit geospatial data, which will help the organization work more efficiently. Maggie says, “My first year with MassLIFT, Greenbelt and the Open Space Program was such a good experience for me that I renewed my position for a second year.”

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AT H LE T I C S

Vikings Earned One National and Three State Titles MASCAC Commissioner Angela Baumann, third from the right, presents the 2016 conference golf championship banner to, from the lef t, Ryan Swart ’18, Kevin Dyer ’17, Chad Alibozek ’18, Tom MacPherson ’17, Coach Steve Campbell and Cam Moniz ’17.

Excellence at Salem State overflowed onto the fields of athletic competition last year as three Viking teams captured Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) titles. Meanwhile, a relative newcomer, the Viking club rugby team, went all the way to a national championship.

It all started in March when the men’s hockey team won its second MASCAC title in three years.

Then it was time for the golfers. Senior Tom MacPherson captured medalist honors, edging teammate Cam Moniz by two strokes to help the Vikings win the Rich Korzec Invitational and the 2016 MASCAC men’s golf championships at the par-72 Blackstone National Golf Course. The Vikings claimed their 15th conference championship overall and fifth in the last seven years.

And then came late April. The Salem State University rugby club was on a roll.

By the time the team returned from Cheswick, Pa., after defeating Point Loma Nazarene University, 43-17, they had captured the 2016 NSCRO Challenge Cup National Championship (as well as the hearts of the Salem State community). The Vikings went undefeated at 15-0, and senior Marquise Bailey-Dillard was named the MVP of the national championship game.

The Salem State baseball squad, in May, then proceeded to claim its third MASCAC championship in four years. n

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Marquise Bailey-Dillard was named the MVP of the national rugby championship game against Point Loma Nazarene University in Cheswick, Pa. The Vikings won the title game, 43-17.

Richard Fecteau powered Salem State to the MASCAC baseball title, hitting two home runs in the titleclinching game. Fecteau batted .800 (12-15) with three home runs, two doubles, eight runs scored and a 1.533 slugging percentage over the three-day tournament to earn MVP honors. It’s easy to see why the second baseman has since been draf ted by the California Angels. Fecteau is just one of three Division III players from New England to be draf ted.

Goalie Marcus Zelzer backed a 4-0 win over Plymouth State in the MASCAC championship game at Rockett Arena. Improving to 22-5, the Vikings ran their win streak to 13 games and earned a seed in the NCA A tournament. Zelzer, who returns to the team this year, was named tournament MVP as he ran his win streak to 17 games, the longest in the country. He was also named the 2015-16 MASCAC men’s ice hockey player of the year.

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VO I C ES O F OU R STUDE N T S

The Final Semester: On to Graduation MANY OF US ALREADY KNOW THE FEELING OF REGISTERING FOR CLASSES ONE LAST TIME. WE KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO ATTEND THE FIRST DAY OF CLASSES ONE LAST TIME: TO THINK THAT ALL WE HAVE LEFT IS THREE MONTHS OF CLASSES, INTERNSHIPS, EXAMS, HOMEWORK, PRESENTATIONS AND JUST BEING STUDENTS. Graduation is getting closer. What are you thinking about?

Are you ready for a new beginning? Will you miss being a student? Are you ready to be an adult?

Many of us have been in school our entire lives, and now—in the snap of a finger—we won’t be. We get all happy inside, knowing we’ll never have homework again, no classes to attend and no more long nights of studying before that big test in the morning.

Will the work world be better than school? How long will it be until you miss being a student? I have been told, “Stay in school as long as you can.” My response would always be, “I can’t wait to be done with school.”

Why would I not want a steady paycheck? Why would I want to stay in school, live at home and remain a broke college kid?

I wouldn’t. I am ready for a new chapter.

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BY MATTHEW PEDONE ’16

I have paid my dues in the classroom, and we all know the school loans will be a factor in our lives for the next 10 years.

Our very last “assignment” in college is to start applying for full-time jobs before graduation. We have to try to set ourselves up for a job right away, because the job searching process is cutthroat.

I made sure that my final semester was going to be the hardest three and half months of my life. That way, when it’s all over, and my day of graduation arrives, I’ll always remember that I suffered, didn’t get enough sleep, but somehow survived it.

I wanted to earn my degree without any shortcuts. I had three internships, two academic lecture courses (homework and exams) and a part-time job at a gym. I always had something going on, places to be, homework to do, a test to study for and a night shift to work.

From a 5:30 am wakeup time, Monday-Friday, between 12 and 18 hours would pass each day before I was able to return to my bed. Some days I was lucky enough to catch a nap to give me energy. Oh, and I can’t forget coffee. Salem State’s on-campus Dunks (aka “Dunkin’ Donuts” for the nonBostonians) and Starbucks stores got to know me rather well!

Now here is where the struggle kicks in. Some of us get overwhelmed, frustrated, angry and cranky. Some of us are stricken with short tempers as the months drag by. “Why do I have to do all of this now? I’m not going to make it through the day. I just want to sleep!”

This happened to me. I don’t want to arrive on graduation day with any regrets, but, unfortunately, there were a few mistakes I made along the way. I addressed a few of my

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co-workers the wrong way, both at school and work. I would get easily frustrated with a few of the several authority figures around me.

My attitude almost caused me to burn bridges with those who gave me an opportunity in the first place.

I had it in my mind “after graduation, I’ll be much happier than I am now.”

I tried to keep my head during the longest of days. It was almost every day, of every week for those three months where I felt unappreciated, pushed around and forced to do things I didn’t want to do. I know, I know, we all have to do things we don’t want to do.

It may be hard, but you need to push your way through each week. By the time May comes around, you will be physically, mentally and emotionally drained, but you will feel proud.

Whoa! Don’t get ahead of yourselves just yet, though. We’re not done by a long shot. We’ve been putting the work in for a while, and graduation day is the light at the end of the tunnel. However, I’m sorry to inform you that you have a month and half to go, and it’s only going to get more difficult. There are presentations to plan, internship assignments to complete and exams to study for.

Oh, and don’t forget to get home from school, grab a snack and get to work on time. Your already long day is getting much longer. When you’re at work, try not to freak out about finishing your paper, studying for that test and getting enough sleep tonight before the 17-hour day you’re going to have tomorrow. It will all be okay if you keep calm and stay awake. Grab a large iced coffee in the morning and you can make it to the end. n Matthew Pedone hung in there until the end. He received his bachelor’s degree in communications during commencement 2016.

Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children’s Defense Fund

2016 Brings Largest Graduating Class SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY WELCOMED THE 2,156 MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2016 INTO THE NEXT CHAPTER OF THEIR LIVES THIS MAY. In each of three commencement ceremonies, graduates were lauded for their extraordinary achievements and left with words of wisdom for the bright futures ahead of them.

During her introductory remarks, President Patricia Maguire Meservey noted the diverse backgrounds and experiences of the class of 2016, from North Shore locals to international students, ranging from 20 to 60 years old, with academic interests from history to English, business, social work, education and beyond. “Through education, your lives have been changed, and you are newly empowered to make a difference in our community,” she said. “You are absolutely fabulous, and you make us so very proud.”

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES Honorary degree recipient: Michael Evans ’76, Democratic chief counsel of the United States Senate Committee on Finance Also receiving an honorary degree was speaker Marian Wright Edelman, founder of the Children’s Defense Fund. She implored students to use their knowledge and passion to stand up for the nation’s children, many of whom are born into poverty.

“What legacies and values will we stand for?” Edelman asked. “Will our era be remembered by the number of material things we can manufacture, advertise and consume, or by our rediscovery of more lasting, non-material measures of success?”

Student speaker Christopher Porrazzo congratulated his fellow graduates for their willingness to take the next step in their careers and lives.

“We refused to stand idle as the days dragged by. We went out and made great things happen,” he said.

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VO I C ES O F OU R STUDE N T S IN 2015 I PARTICIPATED IN SALEM STATE’S ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK (ASB) TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS, AND WORKED WITH THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION HABITAT FOR HUMANITY TO HELP REBUILD HOMES AND LIVES. Habitat for Humanity believes that

Dedicating Spring Break to Service

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everyone deserves decent, affordable housing and helps hard-working men and women afford their own homes.

Following that trip, I was voted secretary of the Community Service Initiative on campus and had the honor of helping plan this year’s ASB. In March, 11 students, including me, and accompanied by Bruce Perry, director of student life, went to St. Joseph, Mo., to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. Another group of 22 students, along with Neil Andrito, director of residence life, and Kris Nolan, resident director in Viking Hall, returned to New Orleans and spent the week volunteering with The Saint Bernard Project, an organization similar to Habitat for Humanity.

The house I helped build in St. Joseph will soon belong to a single mother and her 6-year-old son. The young mother works the night shift as a patient care assistant and spends her days with her son, working on the house and catching up on sleep when she can. Habitat has a requirement that all homeowners must complete 400 hours of volunteer work on their house before they can move in. The house will be valued at $90,000 when finished, but she will only have to pay a sum based on a $60,000 interest-free mortgage.

The house was only a wooden frame when we arrived. We first attached blue board to the exterior walls and followed that with siding. We then built the interior walls and set them in place.

After insulating some of the walls, we prepared the house for the vent system to be installed.

Although our group of 11 was able to work on the

NEWS

home for just five days, we managed to finish the roof before we had to leave!

We wouldn’t have been able to do so much without the generous workers from Habitat and the many local volunteers. Harlan Woodward, the construction manager, and Paul Davidson, the construction supervisor, were the only two paid employees. In addition, there were men who volunteered regularly for Habitat and helped us all week. Extremely generous, some of them volunteered as much as 60 hours a week year-round. Everyone involved had great personalities, and we were laughing the whole time. Local restaurants provided almost all of our meals, and our hotel stay was donated for the entire week.

When we weren’t working on the house, we got to explore St. Joseph and nearby Kansas City. We went to some of the many museums St. Joseph has to offer and tried as much barbecue as we could get our hands on.

We also helped Habitat move their offices to a new, larger location. As a result, they will be able to expand their chapter as well as their ReStore. The latter is a thrift store run by Habitat; all proceeds directly benefit the organization.

The experience was unforgettable, and everyone I met on the trip was incredible. We were able to work together to make a difference in the community, especially for the young mother and her son who will soon be able to move into their first home. The St. Joseph Habitat for Humanity is an amazing organization that is making the community a better place; so far it has been able to build over 60 homes for low-income families.

I am thankful for the opportunity I had to work with everyone during this year’s alternative spring break and am already looking forward to next year.

Volunteering has always been a hobby of mine, and I think it’s wonderful that so many volunteers from Salem State dedicated their spring break to service. We didn’t just help a family get a few steps closer to living in their first home. We also created friendships, kept connections for future trips and experienced the culture of Missouri firsthand. Although it may sound as though I “gave up” my spring break, the truth is that I gained so much more than I ever could have expected from the experience. n

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COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES AND SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Honorary degree recipient: James Rudolph Esq., managing partner, Rudolph Friedmann LLP Salem State also awarded an honorary degree to speaker Micho Spring, president of Weber Shandwick-New England.

As an immigrant from Cuba who frequently found herself the only female in a corporate boardroom, Spring encouraged graduates to see their own challenges as assets for their successes.

“The fact is that your generation rises into a world of opportunity that is unparalleled, and responsibilities that are greater still. Cynicism will deprive you of both,” she said.

Student speaker Mercedes Slawter ’16 spoke of overcoming the challenges of attending Salem State more than 2,000 miles from her home in Spokane, Wash.

“Every tear and all the stress was worth it,” she exclaimed.

“I met faculty members and administrators who pushed me past what I thought my limits were, because they saw something in me that I couldn’t see in myself.”

COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES/BERTOLON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Honorary degree recipient: Leonard Campanello, chief of police, Gloucester, and innovator of substance abuse help programs In addition to Campanello, Salem State also awarded an honorary degree to commencement speaker Neil Chayet Esq., host of WBZ radio’s “Looking at the Law” since 1976. Chayet acknowledged the conflicts that the graduates would face as professionals in business, health and human services, but noted that conflict can often be beneficial. One of his key tips for managing conflict? Tell others how you feel instead of what they are.

“When you tell people what they are, they are immediately on the defensive,” he said. “When you tell them how you feel, it opens the door to empathy, to feelings instead of accusations.”

Student speaker Michael Crawford ’16 congratulated the many Salem State students who balanced their course loads with jobs, family and other commitments.

“We all took a risk, and today we get the reward for all of the sacrifice and hard work that we put into our education,” he said. n

Jessica R. Lampasona ’18 is a nursing student at Salem State.

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EVERY DAY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY ENJOY THE NONJUDGMENTAL FREEDOM TO EXPLORE NEW WAYS OF EXPRESSING THEIR SEXUAL SELVES, DISCOVER THE CULTURES OF CLOSE TO 60 NATIONALITIES THAT CALL SALEM STATE HOME AND STUDY SUBJECT AREAS THAT INTRODUCE THEM TO NEW WAYS OF THINKING AND UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD IN WHICH THEY LIVE. 16

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FROM DIVERSIT Y TO INCLUSION UNIVERSIT Y TAKES ACTION TO PRIORITIZE AND ACHIEVE INCLUSIVIT Y AT EVERY LEVEL

BY MARGO W. R. STEINER ’11G

THIS YEAR—MORE THAN OTHERS IN RECENT MEMORY—HAS SEEN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION GRAPPLING WITH DISSENT, QUESTIONS, DEMONSTRATIONS, DIALOGUE, and—in extreme cases—the ouster of administrators over issues relating to diversity, equality and inclusion on their campuses.

One need only to look at the senseless shootings around the country and the world and other acts of aggression toward those who are “different” to understand that these are questions that we as a country are struggling to answer as well.

There still is much that divides us.

Salem State, although long recognized as the most diverse of the nine state colleges and universities in Massachusetts, is not immune. We, too, are working to address many of the same questions being asked of our peers: What is diversity, and how do we define it? Is there ever enough diversity? What value does diversity bring to our campuses, our students, our faculty and staff? How do we ensure that our policies, our curricula, our institutional climate and our day-to-day interactions with each other are both equitable and inclusive? Perhaps most important of all, in what ways do we educate ourselves and our community about what it means to be different and yet the same, and how do we learn to celebrate those differences in meaningful ways?

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Salem State University has a long history of honoring diversity on campus—through events that recognize and champion it, in the form of clubs and groups that support it, and via presentations, conferences and initiatives that serve to educate us. Our annual Martin Luther King Jr. observance, now entering its 27th year, seeks new ways each year to celebrate the values and teachings of this extraordinary individual and has, over the past several years, evolved from a single-day event into a week of lectures, conversations, remembrances and community service.

Every day members of our community enjoy the nonjudgmental freedom to explore new ways of expressing their sexual selves, discover the cultures of the close to 60 nationalities that call Salem State home and study subject areas that introduce them to new ways of thinking and understanding the world in which they live. Under the aegis of diversity and multicultural affairs, two faculty fellows annually collaborate on research, retention and student engagement programs while the Latino/a Student Success Task Force, the Men of Color Initiative (The Brotherhood), the Women of Color Initiative (Bold.

Educated. Empowered Sisters) and an LGBTQ Task Force give voice and support to underrepresented students on campus. International students representing countries from Albania to Zambia add a global perspective to their classes and, through the Center for International Education, present cultural evenings that welcome the campus community.

This year, the university’s commitment to diversity education

spread beyond its physical boundaries and into the community. After three years of planning, Salem’s No Place for Hate Committee and Salem State University “enrolled” the first student in their collaborative Diversity Awareness Program when Judge Robert Brennan ordered the 51-year-old perpetrator of a hate crime to participate in classes on tolerance, respect for others and awareness of the consequences of his behavior on others as part of his sentencing. The classes were taught by former Assistant Dean of Students Shawn Newton and are endorsed by Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, who has said, “The program fills a gap that becomes evident whenever there’s a report of a hate crime in Salem.”

Back on campus, staff, students and faculty members had the opportunity to attend similar presentations and participate in dialogue on subjects including “Cultural humility, cultural safety and the interlocking social identities within our classrooms;” an

all-campus, interactive forum on the racial climate at Salem State; the Bayard Rustin Forum on “Inclusion of Queer People of Color;” a Black Lives Matter teach-in; and “Don’t call me that! How words shape identity in lesbian wives, chosen names and gender-neutral pronouns at a time of cultural shift.”

During the week of February 22, social work faculty participated in a campuswide teach-in focused on understanding the #BlackLivesMatter movement.

During the week each faculty member developed a lecture, discussion or classroom activity to highlight injustices and inequities faced by blacks in the United States.

These and other groups and clubs that promote cultural exploration and open dialogue have the university’s unwavering support. Salem State’s “University Institutional Diversity Statement,” prepared in 2014 by President Meservey’s advisory committee on diversity, affirmative action, equity and social justice, clearly continued on page 19

Salem State students march in the annual LGBTQ+ Pride Parade.

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A Broad Background of Intercultural Communication

BY MARGO W. R. STEINER ’11G

In August, Lisa M. McBride, PhD, joined Salem State University as its first vice president for diversity and inclusion. She arrives from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, where she served as chief diversity officer. McBride brings a broad background in intercultural communication, conflict resolution and diversity training. She has a demonstrated skill set that will be of inestimable value to our university in its ongoing efforts to create an inclusive and transformational experience for all.

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transitioning into the role of federal criminal investigator and undercover operative.

Prior to her tenure at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, McBride served as special assistant to the president for social equity and as university ombudsman at California University within the Pennsylvania State University System. Earlier, she held several positions in the Florida State University System, including that of assistant director of the Policy Institute of Conflict, Oppression and Terrorism Studies. She was also institutional diversity coordinator and associate professor of criminal justice.

The university’s new vice president is the recipient of numerous awards that recognize both her work and her leadership. These include the Mentor of the Year Award from the Student National Medical Association, recognition as one of the most powerful and influential women of Pennsylvania by the National Diversity Council, and a Women of Excellence Award from the New Pittsburgh Courier newspaper. In 2015, she received the INSIGHT into Diversity Visionary Award for her development of a transgender medicine symposium for health care providers, developing a science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEM+M) pipeline program to address the dearth of Hispanic health practitioners and raising monies to establish student award funds for LGBT, Hispanic/Latino and Women of Color students seeking graduate medical education degrees.

She was a finalist for the American Association for Affirmative Action’s Rosa Parks Award in 2011.

Lisa McBride is certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a county court mediator in Florida and by the Florida and Arkansas commissions on police officer standards and training to serve as a human diversity instructor. She began her career as a police officer in her hometown of St. Louis, Mo., later

An engaged community volunteer, Vice President McBride most recently served as a member of the Waldron Mercy Academy Board of Trustees’ diversity committee and as a member of the editorial board of INSIGHT into Diversity magazine and the National Diversity Council.

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Lisa McBride belongs to numerous professional organizations, including the American Society of Criminology, the Association for Conflict Resolution; the National Association for Community Mediation; the American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity; and the National Association for Diversity Officers in Higher Education.

Vice President McBride obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminology from Indiana State University and received a doctorate in conflict analysis and resolution from Nova Southeastern University.

Commenting on her appointment, Lisa McBride spoke of how impressed she was during the interview process with the creative, forward-thinking atmosphere at Salem State, the infusion of a social justice perspective into diversity initiatives and the priority placed on civic engagement.

“The most important thing about diversity and inclusion work,” she said, “is social capital. It’s yourability to work with people, and that only comes from being sincere and honest and taking the time to engage with others. By involving ourselves with faculty, staff, students and community constituents, together we will have a unique opportunity to help position Salem State as a leading model for critical thinking across diverse experiences and perspectives.” n

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Students representing Black, Brown and Proud addressed the audience gathered for the Martin Luther King Jr. convocation in January. continued from page 17

outlines community members’ rights and responsibilities toward each other and within a climate of inclusivity.

Under the direction of Rebecca D. Comage, director of diversity and multicultural affairs, and Elisa Castillo, director of counseling and health services, this committee, known as PAC-D, addresses concerns and makes recommendations related to institutional compliance with affirmative action initiatives, student life, curriculum, recruitment, and retention.

In February, an independent and thoughtful group of students formed Black, Brown, and Proud (BBP), presenting to the university’s leadership a list of changes they wish to see within our community, changes they feel will make us more inclusive and more representative of the diversity within our student body. Among their requests are the following: an increase in the percentage of full-time minority faculty and staff, the establishment of a mandatory diversity curriculum, the creation of a structured mentoring program for students of color and regular meetings with university administrators to advance the diversity agenda.

Since then, university leadership and Black, Brown, and Proud representatives have met regularly. Both sides have come to a better understanding of the issues that are divisive and have begun the process of charting a new way forward.

The university has moved forward with its plan to hire a vice president for diversity and inclusion (see related story on previous page), included student representation on the search committee and engaged a consulting firm to conduct a campus climate survey during the coming academic year.

With the arrival on campus of Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Lisa M. McBride, PhD, the advice and leadership of the president’s advisory committee on diversity, affirmative action, equity and social justice, and the active engagement of the entire Salem State community, the university is taking the necessary steps to prioritize diversity, achieve inclusivity at every level and strengthen its efforts to retain and ensure the successful degree attainment of marginalized students.

The university’s diversity and multicultural affairs office is actively cultivating ways to strengthen the institution’s efforts to retain and ensure

the successful degree obtainment of these students.

By taking a proactive approach to strengthening diversity in all its myriad forms on campus, the university will continue to promote tolerance, inclusion, open dialogue and the acceptance of all among its faculty, staff and student body.

Perhaps BBP representative Ajah Joseph ’18 expresses it best when she says that, “A truly diverse community implements a global mindset in each individual, and a global mindset is the key as our world grows to incorporate cultures and backgrounds. Students should leave Salem State University knowledgeable about the world that exists outside their norm and have the courage to acknowledge indifferences and put an end to them. I use this platform to educate myself and, more importantly, to educate others and help the community to gain a global competence; it is my hope that these same efforts are carried out throughout the world.” n Margo W. R. Steiner is the assistant director of public relations at Salem State and a regular contributor to the Salem Statement.

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From Cars to Labyrinths A Spiritual Journey

BY TAYLOR MUGFORD

THE BEST-KNOWN LABYRINTH IN THE WORLD RESIDES IN THE NAVE OF CHARTRES CATHEDRAL,

Laura Biddle writes a regular column “Grief and Comeback” for the Daily News of Newburyport.

She has recently published a 15-chapter book of the same title soon to be available at Amazon.com and other outlets.

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about an hour’s drive southwest from Paris. Sometime in the early 1200s, masons laid out its 272 stone pavers to fill a circle 42 feet in diameter and traverse 11 circuits en route from circumference to center, for what exact purpose no one knows. The engraved copper plaque that once sat at its center was melted down to make cannons for the French Revolution. Chartres has inspired many replicas and spinoffs in the intervening 800 years. At Tofte Manor, in Bedfordshire, England, the turf pathway is outlined in stone and nursed by an intricate network of subterranean copper water pipes, which walkers may also drink from. Boston College has one labyrinth, dedicated to 22 alumni who died on 9/11, and the Relax4Life Center, advertising a fragrance-free environment in Barrington, Ill., has three labyrinths, each of a different size and aesthetic, to cater to the broad spectrum of spiritual appetites. You can buy a silk-screened canvas labyrinth from Amazon.com, download and print a labyrinth from any number of enthusiast websites or hire a specialized landscape architect to install one in your backyard. Most often, though, labyrinths are found at churches. The nearest to Salem State University lies mostly undisturbed in the shadow of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, in Marblehead, less than a half-mile from the Alumni House. There the parishioners have fashioned a seven-circuit labyrinth from rocks tumbled smooth by the surf.

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When I called Reverend Laura Biddle, the university’s resident chaplain, she told me she had a labyrinth in a box in the closet. Laura was counseling a student when her office phone rang, but she answered it anyway, expecting the worst.

“When a minister’s phone rings, it’s usually an emergency,” she said later. For years she slept with a cordless handset beside her pillow. It was in part the opportunity to refocus on the more uplifting aspects of her profession that led her to accept the chaplain job in 2013. Since then she has blessed campus events from convocation to commencement, typically opening or closing the occasion with a prayer for peace that calls on those present to “affirm all traditions, practices and rituals that inspire compassion and understanding.” Walking a labyrinth is said to be one such practice.

A small group of university faculty and administrators, among them professor of sport and movement science Amy Everitt, had wanted to bring a labyrinth to Salem State long before Laura arrived, going so far as to scope locations for a permanent installation. They saw in the notion of meditative walking a way to highlight spirituality separate from religion, wellness separate from physical exercise and the jock stigma.

“Those two things were really lacking on our campus and on most college campuses,” said Everitt. “Pre-Laura, any organized idea of spirituality or wellness here was pretty much limited to counseling and health services. She comes at it in a totally different way.” The group eventually settled on a portable, mail-order labyrinth, embracing the concept of it traveling from location to location, perhaps on a regular schedule, to give the entire campus community a chance to participate. By April of this year they were ready to unveil it, and the reverend was preparing to lead the first walk.

“I was expecting it to be much bigger,” Laura said. The statement betrayed not so much her own disappointment as it did her rare talent for summoning introspection to the task of rallying an audience. Laura’s tidy bob of blond hair sweeps itself upward, taking her features and demeanor with it.

Together they suggest a vast store of potential energy buried just below the surface. “What do you think? I think it looks good,” she said. “I hope it’s not too slippery.” At her feet on the floor of Veterans Hall lay a square of white canvas, at least 40 feet across, depicting in hand-painted lavender a labyrinth modeled loosely after Chartres. It came together in three sections, joined by Velcro. Two maintenance men had spent the morning fussing over the seams. Then they weighted down the perimeter in a half-dozen places with an assortment

of cellophane-wrapped items they’d collected from around the Ellison Campus Center, like the contents of so many drugstore Easter baskets. Laura had also placed a table with a handful of tea lights at each corner of the canvas. One table held copies of her peace prayer, a pile of fliers advertising the labyrinth and a primitive brass gong. On another sat a small Native American drum that was given to her by a close friend. “Listen to this,” she told me, taking the drum in hand. “It’s the most wonderful sound!” When she struck the buckskin head, a deep and satisfying yawp filled the hall.

LAURA BIDDLE WAS CALLED TO THE MINISTRY in the early 1980s, just as the Episcopal Church was beginning to legally ordain women, and arrived at seminary fresh off a BFA in drama and performing arts from New York University. Both the church and the arts had played leading roles in her life from the beginning: The oldest of seven children to Craig and Phyllis Biddle, an Episcopal priest and an art teacher, respectively, Laura grew up in the church, where she absorbed her father’s Sunday services and enjoyed singing hymns. She began playing the guitar as an 8-year-old and eventually parlayed her talents into professional productions, recording both a children’s album in 1998 (by then mother to her own three young kids) and a 2003 benefit concert for the Domestic Violence Project. But as a divinity student at the height of the Reagan administration, Laura was only beginning to understand that she wanted to put her skills and interests— which now included dance, singing and puppetry—to work for social justice. An early assignment for a pastoral counseling course sent her to the Department of Youth Services detention facility in Plymouth. “These were just kids, but they were also rape and murder convicts,” she recalled.

“I didn’t know what the heck to say to them.” Laura was paired with a teenager named Sean and instructed to pastor him. She went with what she did know. “I asked him if he played any instruments,” she said. “It turned out he played some guitar. So I told him, ‘Great! Next time we meet, bring your guitar!’” Sean was polite enough in explaining that there were no such resources available to juvenile inmates, so Laura took it upon herself to raise money for instruments, which she did successfully. Throughout the next 15 years, now installed as director of prison ministries for the City Mission Society in Boston, where she helped to found and FA L L 2 0 16 I S A L E M S TAT E M E N T

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run full-time ministries within MCI Framingham, MCI Cedar Junction and Old Colony Correctional Center, she continued to use music to connect with her pastoral charges; she taught them dance, performance and writing, too, and she introduced puppetry into her routines. Puppets proved an especially handy tool for communicating with the children of incarcerated women, some of whom, as infants, Laura had baptized behind bars.

In the fall of 1998, Laura left her prison post to pursue what seemed, on the surface, like more traditional ministerial assignments, first an associate position in Newburyport, until 2004, and then a decade-long stint at Salem’s Tabernacle Congregational Church, where she led worship as senior minister. In between typical duties such as preaching, Bible study and confirmation classes, however, Laura’s résumé for this time period records an inventory of creative pursuits, including her founding of Progressive Clergy of the North Shore; running an LGBTQ spirituality group; leading artists in worship during Lent; organizing a “U2charist” worship service to benefit world poverty relief; and teaching a course as an adjunct at Wheelock College (“Using Puppets to Communicate with Children”). Along the way she also developed a keen interest in veterans’ affairs, which she attributes to the U.S. military’s increase in deployments after 2001 and the glutted market for grief counseling that ensued. Today Reverend Biddle serves as spiritual advisor to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), which supports grieving military families, and she is a nationally recognized expert in the suicide funeral. She has also amassed a menagerie of some 45 puppets.

Rev. Biddle speaks at commencement.

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I didn’t know any of Laura’s backstory when I followed her into the labyrinth for the first time, but she recalled in me a former teacher’s observation that all people fluctuate on a spectrum of hope and despair, and I sensed in Laura’s voice and carriage—and willingness to light candles all around the room, a violation of campus building policy—that by walking together we would begin a new reckoning of our position between the poles. Her familiarity with this process, she later explained, is something she acquired viscerally, and by accident, as a toddler. When Laura was just 3, playing outside in the yard of her family home, she sat down on a yellow jacket nest and was stung 23 times, a potentially deadly amount for a small child. Her mother dosed her with Benadryl and phoned the hospital. The first thing the on-call nurse said was, “Whatever you do, don’t give her Benadryl.” So, to counteract the drug, Laura’s mother pumped her full of hot black coffee.

“And that pretty much sums up my life since then!” she says.

It’s a joke she’s good at landing, but it also seems to ring true.

MEG, A SALEM STATE UPPERCLASSMAN, HAD JOINED US IN VETERANS HALL. As a member of Active Minds, the student group dedicated to mental health advocacy, she had offered to help market the labyrinth installation to other students. Above sneakers and dark leggings she wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the word SERENITY in a breezy typeface. Laura asked us if we were ready for a test run, and the three of us formed a queue at the entrance to the labyrinth, Laura in front, Meg bringing up the rear. “I’m not entirely sure how to do this,” Laura said over her shoulder. “So let’s just see how it feels.” The canvas was wrinkly underfoot, resembling a slept-in bed, and, to her chagrin, just a bit slippery. I waited for Laura to round a handful of turns.

Then I started in behind her, distractedly at first, focused mostly on my feet: It’s a narrow path, the turns are tight and the circuits are disorienting. But, eventually, I found a rhythm that lulled me near to an internal quiet, which lasted until I reached the center, where Laura stood silently in one of the six petals that make up the labyrinth’s core.

According to Lauren Artress, author of “The Sacred Path Companion: A Guide to Walking the Labyrinth to Heal and Transform” (Riverhead Books, 2006), each petal represents one of six kingdoms—mineral, plant, animal, human, angelic and the unknowable—and you’re supposed to let one choose you.

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PONDERING THE POSSIBILITIES, I WOULD LATER DRIVE TO MARBLEHEAD TO ASK IRA ROSENBERG ’10H WHY HE AND HIS WIFE JUDY ’10H WRITE A $5,000 CHECK TO THE UNIVERSITY EVERY MONTH, TO SUPPORT LAURA’S POSITION.

Rev. Biddle, center, with Ira ’10H and Judy ’10H Rosenberg

Laura occupied the human spot. I had landed with the plants.

Meg shuffled in behind me, and the unknowable quickly snapped her up. “I think we pause and talk and then follow each other out?” Laura said, half-asking. She is very much about dialoguing: You do something; then you share your thoughts about it. Meg and I agreed that we liked the walk overall but were still processing the details. Laura, given the advantage of observing our arrival at the center, found herself fascinated by the differences in our physical movements: Where Meg had squared her heels in the unknowable petal like a gymnast lining up a tumbling run, I had been much more hesitant, my body sliding itself in almost sideways, as if it were rolling on sticky casters. This idea stayed with me as we exited and throughout the afternoon.

By now 11 am had come and gone, and the labyrinth was open to the campus community. There were no walkers yet in sight. Meg had left in search of cushions to place around the labyrinth’s perimeter. I sat down on the floor at one corner of the canvas in order to examine Laura’s personal copy of “The Sacred Path Companion.” It’s a user manual for a mysterious device. In an attempt to make it accessible to the largest audience, the author has peppered it with the choice quotes of wide-ranging thinkers—from Kierkegaard and Jung to Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama, Dr. Phil and Gary Trudeau, James Joyce, Robert Rauschenberg and the late Wiccan priestess Margot Adler. One section offers historical context, like the popular suggestion that the Chartres labyrinth’s 272 stones may each represent one day of the human gestation period.

“She is just a super, super woman,” says Ira. “After we’d talked to her for just a little while, I felt like she must be the nicest person I’ve ever met. Life isn’t fair when a lady like that can’t be paid to work full time!” Their gift indeed enables Laura’s full-time employment. The payments are part of a $180,000 total commitment the couple made that will extend into 2018.

We sat together at the dining table in their newly renovated home, a stone’s throw from Fort Sewall. Ira had chosen a seat that allowed him to see out a picture window and across the harbor to the Marblehead Light. Or he may have been looking at the painting of a lighthouse, his own work in acrylic, that he’d hung beside the same window.

Ira professes an abiding love of the arts in all forms, and particularly glass. If you don’t know him as the namesake and founder of the Ira Motor Group, the hugely successful New England auto dealership, then you may recognize the Rosenberg Institute for Passionate and Emerging Artists, an annual summer residency program within the university’s Glassworks Studio that Judy and Ira launched in 2013. The Rosenbergs see arts programming as an invaluable addition to every student’s education, no matter their field of study.

Likewise, Ira said, “Laura’s work crosses all the lines. She ought to be available to everyone who needs her.” It helps that his philanthropic inclinations are based in a spiritual understanding of his own life’s path. “I never should have amounted to anything,” he said, “but the big guy upstairs blessed me with financial success. For what reason? All I can come up with is that I’m supposed to be charitable in return.”

Ira dropped out of Malden High School at 17 in order to join the U.S. Navy. (He says the principal gave him a diploma anyway, because he was so happy to see Ira leave.) Two days later he was sailing for Italy aboard the U.S.S. Forrestal, the largest ship in the world, tapped to fight in Korea. He survived two years at sea and returned home to attend Suffolk FA L L 2 0 16 I S A L E M S TAT E M E N T

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equal measure, two like quantities simultaneously doubling and University on the GI Bill, but only for three semesters, after canceling each other. Your other’s peripheral maneuvers retain which he took a job changing tires on a used car lot. “Pretty soon I grew sick of coming home every night with dirty hands,” a charge. When you pass shoulder to shoulder, which you will do many times in the course of a walk, the charge builds. It’s no Ira said, “so I asked to be moved to sales. And boy, as soon as I foul tip: more like a ghost running through you. Your persons made that first sale, I was hooked. I never looked back. And I don’t touch, but your presences do. In the center with Shawn, realized that college never would have worked for me unless I I played the role of Laura and asked him if he felt any way in worked for it. Nothing really works unless you want it to.” particular. “ I’m not sure,” he said. “I think good. Different.

Rosenberg’s advice has its applications to the life lived Good? Yeah, good.” I said, “I think so, too.” spiritually in general, and certainly to the practice of labyrinth We left it at that. walking. Back at Veterans Hall, I was still I joined and witnessed a few more walks seated at the edge of the labyrinth when a man on the canvas labyrinth that day, leaving only in a neat, dark suit came in through the far after it became clear that the late lunch crowd door. We hadn’t met before, but I recognized had likely all returned to their deskwork. him from around campus as Shawn Newton, Each new walk showed me a little something then the assistant dean of students. He’d different about what it might mean to be, as had a very tough week. At around 5:15 on Lauren Artress phrases it, “a spiritual being on the previous Wednesday evening, Shawn a human path,” but I was also taking bigger found himself in pursuit of a 24-year-old and bigger steps toward labyrinth fatigue, male suspect whom he had just witnessed which is a real thing. On my way out of the fleeing the scene of a violent assault. To say Ellison Campus Center I stopped into the that Shawn is in excellent athletic shape is an Winfisky Gallery for a dose of other people’s understatement. Still, the assailant managed artwork by Hayley Thibodeau ’16 ideas. Graduating seniors had their portfolios to outrun him for a hundred meters or more, on display. Every piece in the room felt more vibrant to me slip most of his clothes along the way and scale a fence near the than usual, but one held itself forward dramatically, dead edge of campus before being subdued at gunpoint by police. ahead on the center wall: a black-and-gold woodcut of a rather Details of the incident spread across the local news for several omniscient-looking owl, staring me down. I didn’t move and days. Now Shawn draped his suit jacket over the back of a neither did he, yet somehow in that moment I felt—I knew— folding chair, sat down with his elbows on his knees, necktie that none of my previous walks had quite yet ended. dangling, and began to wring his hands.

Later Laura told me that she could tell from witnessing my Between us, Laura had moved into the labyrinth with two walk with Shawn that it was a significant encounter. I wanted fellow walkers in orbit, and I studied their collective motion. to know more about that word—“encounter”—because it stood In spiritual parlance, this is known as “witnessing.” It felt at out to me when she used it once before, at a memorial service first like watching the late innings of a lazy baseball game she officiated for a student, Alex who died very unexpectedly in from high in the stands: You chat, maybe you daydream; then, late winter, shocking his family and his community of friends without warning, the ball screams toward you, and all at once and mentors within the art department. you come alive to every sound and movement in the park. One The memorial was staged in a classroom on the third floor figure swept past me, then another, then another, then the play of Meier Hall. Those in attendance, including Alex’s mother, was dead. When the walk ended, Laura waved me over to meet Shawn, who was her supervisor at the university. But, instead of grandmother and aunt, sat in one-piece pupils’ desks. A ceilingmounted projector washed a soothing landscape onto the small talk, Laura had an invitation for us: “Why don’t you two walk the labyrinth together? I think it will be good for you,” she chalkboard, which was still littered with writing from class. The board also held an art installation piece that fellow students had said. “Give it a try.” produced, and to which visitors were invited to add their own Something is different when you enter the labyrinth with remembrances. Paper, markers and other art supplies lay ready exactly one other walker. It’s not a competition by any means, for their use on a table by the door. Coffee carafes and pastries but it’s not a partnership either. You’re alone and together in 24

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lined two more tables at the front of the room. Laura opened the service with “centering music,” which to my ear is a bit like a very danceable Enya remix. As the track played and we sat still, I noticed that she happened to be wearing cowboy boots.

Then she addressed the crowd with the E word: “Welcome to all those of you who encountered Alex…” It had the mark of a very intentional usage. In Laura’s office, more than two months later, she explained that to know doesn’t go nearly as

deep as to encounter. “To encounter,” she said, “is to meet each other on the same plane of vulnerability,” which should not be confused with weakness; in fact, in spiritual terms, the two terms are opposites. Vulnerability is about finding the strength to “step into the world without the masks, to see and be seen, to insist on being seen. Jesus had that,” she said. “MLK had that—it’s how the whole civil rights movement began! And Alex had that.”

I was still thinking about the owl, and I might almost have asked the reverend about my encounter with it if I hadn’t then remembered the line with which she had framed Alex’s entire memorial service: “We spend a lot of time in our heads at a university. It’s important that we also give ourselves permission to feel.”

ON A BRIGHT JUNE AFTERNOON I DROVE OVER TO ST. ANDREW’S. Two days earlier, a gunman had stormed a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., and shot more than 100 people. Nearly half of them would be buried. It felt to me like the continuation of a very old but still very hot argument. I parked in the church’s empty lot, beside a bell tower whose prize possession had been gifted to the town by the British in 1806. Throughout the Civil War, the rector rang the bell each time a crew of local boys shipped out to die on the Rebel front. Now a century and a half later, it looks like it still has its best years ahead of it.

Walking due north from the tower brings you across a broad and rocky slope high above the Forest River estuary, through a garden of evergreen shrubs and purple sage, to the entrance of the beachstone labyrinth. You could be forgiven for thinking it had fallen there from the parish roof, but that’s not to say it isn’t charming: Just be careful to step around the skunk holes. Once inside, the going is smooth, save for the outside edge of the northern quadrant, which is overcome by branches. Many handsome weeds bloom with confidence, and the ants have managed to keep a sizeable tunnel project on schedule. Each turn of the path promises something new.

When you get to the center, there’s only one petal—mineral, plant, animal, human, angelic and unknowable, all in one. No need to choose or be chosen. Just turn to face the water, as I did, and close your eyes. Remember who you’re with. n

The labyrinth at St. Andrew’s in Marblehead

Taylor Mugford is the former associate director of advancement communications at Salem State.

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TOP OF THE SCRUM TOGETHERNESS THE KEY AS RUGBY TEAM BRINGS HOME NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

BY BRION O’CONNOR

SALEM STATE RUGBY COACH DAN SOLOMON ADMITS HE HAD AN INKLING THAT HIS 2016 SQUAD COULD BE SPECIAL MORE THAN SIX MONTHS BEFORE HIS PLAYERS SUITED UP LAST SPRING.

Teammates Connor Marc Aurele, Vinnie Scafcchia and Kyle Lucido are taking the Challenge Cup home to Salem.

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“At the outset of the fall league season, I said to the other coach, ‘We might have something here,’” said Solomon. “We had some fine, and even exceptional, athletes.

We had a number of players with two to three years of experience.

“We had a great group of kids who had bought into the zeitgeist of what rugby is, and the dedication and hard work necessary to succeed,” he said. “We came together very early.”

The Vikings stayed together, and kept winning, reeling off a 15-0 record this spring, capped by a 43-17 victory over Point Loma Nazarene University in late April to take the 2016 NSCRO Challenge Cup National Championship.

“I knew we were going to be good, but I didn’t think we would be this good,” said senior Marquise Bailey-Dillard, a 22-year-old criminal justice major from Mattapan and MVP of the championship finals. “The captains and senior leadership really strengthen this team. We pick each other up and motivate each other.

F E AT U R E S

“The summer of 2015, most of us played in summer tournaments and prepared for this season,” he said. “That’s when I knew it really came together.”

For the Viking seniors, the championship culminated a four-year odyssey after discovering a new sport with an oblong ball that looks like the offspring of a football and soccer ball. Bailey-Dillard, like most of his teammates, never played rugby before arriving at Salem State. Positions like loose-head prop (and tighthead prop), scrum half and hooker, plus uncommon rules, forced players to adapt to a steep learning curve.

“I played football in high school, so I was very disappointed when I saw that Salem State didn’t have a football team,” said Bailey-Dillard. “Since rugby is the closest thing to football, I thought I’d give it a try. From the very first day I played, I knew I was going to love this sport.”

The initial draw for most players was rugby’s brawny, bare-knuckled nature.

In short, the game is a stripped-down version of American football, without the forward pass, and without the padding or protective equipment.

“When I went to my first rugby practice, I actually thought it was going to be flag football,” said senior Connor Marc-Aurele, a sports management major from Leicester and winner of the team’s Heart & Soul Award. “I stuck around because I had heard of the sport, and wanted to give it a go. The game was still foreign to me during my first full season.

“I was attracted to the game by its physicality,” he said. “And that attraction hasn’t changed during my four years of playing.”

Junior Brian Norwood, a 22-year-old from Peabody, majoring in geography, said rugby’s reputation is well deserved.

“Being able to take a beating for 80 minutes made me tougher physically and mentally,” he said.

Much like ice hockey, rugby puts a premium on teamwork. A superstar can’t win without the other 14 players pitching in. That leads to a strong sense of camaraderie.

“My favorite part about rugby is the inclusiveness,” said senior Vincent Scaficchia, a finance major from Fitchburg and a team captain. “Everyone is out there for the same reason, to get better and get on that field. As in every sport, some play more than others, but the work you do off the field defines the type of player on the pitch you’ll be. Everyone pushes each other to be better, no matter what skill level.”

Marc-Aurele agreed. “The team is the ultimate aspect with rugby,” he said.

“I’ve grown up with these boys over the past four years. We do almost everything together. It’s a brotherhood in every sense of the word.”

That teamwork was key to Salem State’s success, since the Vikings were often undersized. “The strength of this team is our quickness, and physical advantage over the other teams,” said Norwood. “We were always the smaller team. We had a couple big guys, but for the most part a lot of other teams were bigger.

“We were able to wear teams out because of (superior fitness),” he said.

“Sixty minutes into a game, the other teams would be gasping for air, and we would still be on top of our game.” continued on page 29

Action from the Challenge Cup Championship

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Be a part of history.

The U.S. Senior Open Championship returns to Salem Country Club in the summer of 2017. The Salem State University Alumni Association is proud to partner with the U.S. Senior Open Championship.

Join us to capture the magic of this historic occasion.

Learn more at 2017USSeniorOpen.com

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2017 U.S. Senior Open | June 26 - July 2 | Salem Country Club | Peabody, MA

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The 2016 NSCRO Challenge Cup national champions continued from page 27

As a club sport, first established in 2012, members of the Salem State rugby team have duties that extend far off the field. Players are responsible for the team’s administrative aspects, including the all-important fundraising required to finance the program. The team raised more than $4,000 through their crowdfunding page, which helped to pay for their trip to compete in the national championship in Philadelphia.

“Obviously, we don’t receive the benefit that varsity sports do, but that’s what gives us character,” said Scaficchia. “We’ve practiced in odd locations into the hours after dark, waited patiently for other teams to be done with the turf fields, just to have the lights turned off 20 minutes into practice.

“We’re a young club, and must prove our potential before gaining respect,” he said. “I think that’s taught us that success must be fought for, no matter what obstacle lies ahead.”

Despite going undefeated, not every game was lopsided.

The Salem State squad showed resiliency, winning tight games against Washington & Lee University, 24-23, to win the East Coast Championship last December, and a come-from-behind 25-22 victory over University of Northern Colorado in the national tournament.

“If there was one word to describe this team, I’d have to say relentless,” said Norwood.

The Vikings coach expects his squad to remain competitive in the coming years. “I’m confident that we’ve built a program

which is for the long haul,” said Solomon. “We’re losing seven seniors and, as a result of our destroying our league competition in the fall, we’re getting promoted to a higher division where the competition will be stiffer.

“However, we’ve retained much of our starting side, have talent waiting in the wings and have a program and certain standards of play and performance in place which will succeed in the long run,” he said.

The seniors can attest to those standards. And they have the memories, and a championship, as proof. “Honestly, after winning the championship, I feel that I can finally say the hard work has paid off,” said Bailey-Dillard.

“I am impressed with the teamwork that the team has displayed all season,” said Peggy Carl, director of athletics and recreation. “If I’ve learned anything in my athletic career, it is that teamwork, more often than not, wins the day. This was definitely the case here. We are so proud of the players on this team for their tenacity, hard work and commitment to one another. They are a great example of what can be achieved when everyone is pulling on the same end of the rope.

Congratulations to each and every member of this team for their accomplishments this season—we couldn’t be happier!” n Brion O’Connor is a local writer from Hamilton and a regular contributor to the Salem Statement.

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WHERE IDEAS BECOME REALITY Center for Entrepreneurial Activity Advances the Spirit of Student Innovation While Providing Key Skills in a Changing Job Market

BY JIM GLYNN ’77

AMERICAN INGENUITY IS RISING TO NEW HEIGHTS. With Millennials taking over as the biggest population of workers, it’s clear that things are rapidly changing. According to Business Insider, “Millennials believe that if their job doesn’t work out, they can always start their own company.”

Yes, but will they be ready? If they attended Salem State, the answer is “yes.” The university’s entrepreneurship concentration has seen explosive growth over the past few years, including evolving the Center for Entrepreneurial Activity (CEA), currently housed within the Bertolon School of Business, from a business school-centric resource to a university-wide one. The revitalized CEA will offer a wide range of activities to all students, including undergraduate and graduate course offerings, internships and broad student-led programming coordinated through groups such as the Entrepreneurship Club.

President Patricia Maguire Meservey comments, “This is a perfect time to develop a broad, holistic vision for entrepreneurship on campus. Such a vision will be rooted in our strengths as a liberal arts institution grounded in career readiness, and will amplify the University’s core mission of being accessible to all.”

Management professor John McArdle, who coordinates both the entrepreneurial classes and the CEA, is working closely with faculty across campus as well as with Provost David J. Silva, Dean Linda Nowak and President Meservey to expand entrepreneurship across all academic disciplines.

“Entrepreneurism takes on many forms and is spoken in many different languages,” McArdle explains. “The music and dance department has a ‘Dance Production’ offering, which has a focus on entrepreneurship. The language is different, but the processes and issues are the same.”

“Whether students are majoring in education, English, theatre or music, we know they will benefit from having entrepreneurial skills in the job market,” adds McArdle, who has firsthand experience in the area. As an undergraduate student, he started a business himself that funded his law school and doctoral education.

One example of these new opportunities includes “Entrepreneurship for non-Business Majors,” a course offered by the Bertolon School of Business, designed for students who do not have a business background.

Cameryn (“Cami”) Tierno—a rising junior in the sport and movement science program who plans to one day open her own wellness center—was among the first to sign up. “I took the class very seriously,” she says.

Tierno completed the course and then reinforced her entrepreneurial skills over the summer by enrolling 30

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A VIBRANCY OF WORKING IDEAS

Cameryn Tierno ’18

in what McArdle called “a very individualized internship.”

Working under the tutelage of Kelly Janos, the director of the Gassett Fitness Center, Tierno undertook responsibility for running various aspects of the center. “She did a little bit of everything,” says Janos.

The internship experience, which requires entrepreneurship students to individually design a field placement under the direction of a site supervisor and a faculty member, is another unique component of the program. Students create an individualized syllabus and identify specific learning goals they want to master in the experience.

But Tierno, an honors student, didn’t stop there. She planned an event she called “Sole to Soul.” “It was a yoga class in sync with (Salem State radio station) WMWM to promote all aspects of wellness—occupational, physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual and social,” she explains.

The event required a dedicated effort that included planning how, where and when it would take place; coordinating several vendors who set up tables surrounding the class; and then teaching the class!

Among the many goals President Meservey has for CEA is a physical presence in the Enterprise Center on Central Campus where participants can feed off what McArdle refers to as “a vibrancy of working ideas that you simply can’t match in the classroom.”

“By collaborating with the Enterprise Center,” he says, “the CEA can provide resources for students with ideas to design business models and determine their feasibility, for faculty to receive entrepreneurial and innovative ideas for the classroom, and to connect to the entrepreneurship community. The goal is to provide a continuum of services and support that impact all of our constituents in a meaningful way.”

Currently within the Enterprise Center is a dedicated space nicknamed “The Hatch,” a centralized area where students can collaborate and transform their ideas into new businesses. Junior marketing major Amari Heywood-Gonzalez is one student who is utilizing those resources to advance his entrepreneurial idea—a better way for students to buy and sell textbooks. “It’s frustrating,” he says, “to spend so much time buying and trying to sell textbooks, especially when you wind up selling a $100 book for $4. At that point, you might as well give it away.”

“My idea,” he explains, “is an app to simplify the process, to make it easier for students to buy and sell while leveraging the best price.”

To discuss the merits of his idea, Gonzalez met with The Hatch creator Laura Swanson, executive director of the Enterprise Center and a 1996 history alumna. She arranged for a free counseling session at the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which is also housed at the Enterprise Center.

During the consultation, Gonzalez received advice to study his competition, determine how he was going to make a profit, and to formulate a business plan to ultimately determine if his idea is feasible.

“What makes us distinctive and provides a competitive advantage,” McArdle explains, “is the ability for students to take entrepreneurship courses that are taught in an applied and practical way, then to have the additional advantage to connect to a business incubator. There are lots of business incubators on the North Shore. Our ability to provide focused and practical educational programming is a competitive advantage.

The relationship is symbiotic,” he points out.

“It’s an a la carte menu,” explains Swanson. “There are various programs to take advantage of.”

A leading force for the development of The Hatch, continued on page 33 FA L L 2 0 16 I S A L E M S TAT E M E N T

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VO I C ES O F OU R FACULT Y

Education Reform Is Not about Learning

BY JOSÉ A. SALGADO, PHD Last year, Congress passed the Every Student Success Act (ESSA), transforming No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

Punitive consequences for low-performing schools and districts have been eliminated, but despite President Obama’s statement that there should be less emphasis on testing, federally mandated standardized tests remain central to this new plan. Though it is a step in the right direction, it is too little, too late.

These reforms do not address the main purpose of education: meaningful learning that challenges students with real tasks, and leads them to succeed in life. The foundations of our system have not changed; we still seem to think that learning is the “transference” and accumulation of knowledge, solving algorithms and answering comprehension questions after reading something. Results show that despite rising standardized test scores and graduation rates, our students have terribly underdeveloped higher-order thinking skills and minimal ownership of their own learning.

The current model of education fails the people it is meant to serve. Our educational system’s abysmal race and class achievement gaps show how poorly the current model of learning and teaching serves most students, especially low-income and global-majority children.

These same students are also overrepresented in lower tracks, disciplinary and special education referrals and suspensions, and attend college at much lower rates than middle-income white kids. We are failing a great majority of students because our youth can’t see the value in sitting in rows, finding the one right answer, filling in a bubble, lining up between classes, and, too often, using significant amounts of time preparing for the next standardized test.

We have been conditioned to believe that doing well on these tests is irrefutable evidence that students have developed the necessary skills for postsecondary education. However, a recent article in The New York Times stated what many college professors and teachers all over the country will confirm: Quite to the contrary, many high school graduates are not ready for postsecondary education.

Our current testing policies are based on the notion that the more we test, the more students learn. By the same logic, if we weigh ourselves often, we will lose weight. It simply isn’t true. For a great many schools, the overriding goal becomes getting students to pass a test, not encouraging high levels of learning, innovation, creativity, analysis and finding solutions to real-life problems. These policies have also sacrificed sports, music, the arts and many essential classes that would benefit the students who are dropping out and failing.

Our 21st-century society does not need workers who have learned to fill in bubbles, raise their hands to speak and find answers in the back of a book. I know of no work environment that requires those skills. A publication of the Educational Services Program states that higherorder thinking skills include “critical, logical, reflective, metacognitive, and creative thinking. These skills are activated when individuals encounter unfamiliar problems, uncertainties, questions, or dilemmas. Successful application of these skills results in explanations, decisions, performances, and products that are valid within the context of available knowledge and experience, and that promote continued intellectual growth.”

For instance, what if students, as they learn science, analyze the different sources of energy and study the mathematics and physics of energy and research changes and trends in energy consumption throughout history?

Depending on their level, students might create radios and other electronics or develop apps to help save energy. Students might write letters to energy companies and to politicians in charge of energy policies, and present proposals to improve energy resources in their communities. This is a more rigorous model, grounded less on the social promotion of grades and more on letting students own their education, thereby finding meaning in what they are learning. Education will improve when politicians and educational administrators begin to focus on the act, the value and the meaningful outcomes of learning, which do not include filling in bubbles and passing tests.

José A. Salgado, PhD, is an associate professor in the School of Education at Salem State University. His op-ed appeared in The Salem News.

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THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT

Amari Heywood Gonzalez ’18 continued from page 31

Swanson was also at the forefront of the Big Idea Video Pitch competition. Students can win $500 by creating a oneminute video about their ideas for a business, nonprofit or social cause.

Linda Nowak, newly appointed dean of the Bertolon School of Business, is overseeing the CEA’s efforts. She points to another benefit—the connection to the community. “When I arrived on campus, I was amazed at the level of involvement the university has in the business community,” she says.

“There is a groundswell of enthusiasm and aspiration among our students in finding a career path in entrepreneurship,” says marketing and decision sciences professor Yu Hu. “And it’s our collective responsibility to identify those students and give them repeated opportunities to nurture their entrepreneurial dreams.”

Feeding off the heightened entrepreneurial spirit, Hu organized “My Startup Idea,” a student business plan competition leading to 54 submissions and paid out $3,800 to the student winners.

The CEA has ambitious goals for 2017-2020. It seeks to implement activities that engage the student, the faculty and the external communities while establishing a governance process; building visibility; and securing funding.

According to Cheryl Crounse, assistant vice president and campaign manager of institutional advancement, “We envision a culture of giving back to the center with the potential for both wider human networks and new financial mechanisms to continue to fuel entrepreneurship.”

Elliot Katzman, a 1974 business administration grad and venture capitalist, is among the alumni supporting the initiative. He stresses the importance of access. “Having grown up in the projects of Chelsea, I was fortunate to be able to attend Salem State,” he reflects. “I was the first in my family to attend college, and Salem provided great preparation— allowing me to compete with students who went to Ivy League schools. It was never just about the classroom. Salem State helped me also develop and refine those unique abilities acquired from the experiences of growing up in the inner city.

Over the years, I have been fortunate to build many companies and serve on many corporate boards—and I know that Salem State prepared me well.”

Gina Deschamps, a ’92 MBA recipient and president of the Salem State University Foundation who runs her family’s 100-year-old business, Deschamps Printing Co. Inc., served on the CEA Think Tank and knows of the importance of an entrepreneurial spirit, even for established companies.

“Having an entrepreneurial way of thinking has allowed our company to make the changes necessary to stay competitive,” she says. “The print business is changing every day, and it’s really important to stay current with new ideas, and make the necessary investments to stay relevant. I can’t imagine not being in an entrepreneurial environment.”

Nor can Dino Di Palma, a highly successful entrepreneur who has more than 20 years of experience leading high-growth technology organizations. According to Di Palma, who lives in Swampscott, just around the corner from the university, “It’s exciting to see President (Pat) Meservey’s commitment to entrepreneurial students being carried out, right here in our own backyard.”

“There’s real value in those courses (being offered),” adds Di Palma, CEO of Benu Networks, an innovative provider of solutions for network operators deploying Wi-Fi and cloud services.“The American entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well,” he says. “And Salem State is paving the road to its success.” n Jim Glynn ’77 is editor of the Salem Statement.

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Above, top lef t, inside the Gordon Center, theatre-goers will get a close-up view of the performers on stage.

Above, bottom lef t, Sophia Gordon and President Meservey at the groundbreaking ceremony.

Above right, an illustration reveals the exterior of the Gordon Center.

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A NATIONAL AWARDWINNING THEATRE AND ARTS PROGRAM GETS A NEW HOME The “Sophia” will open its doors in spring 2017 with a presentation of the gala Broadwayhit musical, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” directed by professor David Allen George. “With this building,” says George, “Our nationally recognized growth as a highly respected and awarded program of professional theatre training will have the major focus it has worked so hard to attain. Right there on one of Salem’s busiest streets the ‘Sophia’ will appear as a centerpiece of the new and exciting future of not only the Salem State Theatre but of all the arts at Salem State University.”

In anticipation of the big moment, we present the sentiments of faculty, friends, students and alumni who have been a part of the magic.

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The Gordons’ extraordinarily generous commitment to the 10,000 Reasons Campaign made possible the renovation of the university’s Mainstage Theatre into the state-of-the-art Sophia Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts. Salem State Foundation executive director Cynthia McGurren is quick to recognize that the Gordons’ impact on this university extends far beyond one facility. “They strengthen the community that strengthens our entire region,” she said in nominating the Gordons for a CASE award.

“The context in which we all operate is richer because of their long-standing work and philanthropy, and that richness is a profound advantage to all of us in higher education.”

The following is excerpted from theatre professor William Cunningham’s address at the groundbreaking for the Gordon Center.

THANK YOU, DR. AND MRS. GORDON Art happens in the moment. It is alive. In the same way, the Sophia Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts will be alive with theatre, dance, music and all of the arts at Salem State University. On the wall of the Kennedy Center is this quote from JFK, who was reflecting on the legacy of the Greek culture. He said, “I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we too, will be remembered, not for our victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.”

The human spirit is creative, and it is creativity that leads to innovation. We are building more than just a performing arts center. We are building the largest classroom on campus, a classroom that teaches us to dream. Because, if we can dream it, we can do it.

Thank you to Dr. and Mrs. Gordon for your generosity of spirit, as well as many others for making the dream of the Sophia Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts a reality.

THE REVIEWS ALUMNI, STUDENTS, FACULTY AND THE COMMUNITY WEIGH IN ON WHAT TO EXPECT AT ‘THE SOPHIA’ “Shakespeare said, ‘We are such stuff as dreams are made on.’ For the Salem State Theatre faculty and students—our dream is being made daily on the stage of ‘The Sophia’ as we watch cement being poured and panes of glass being put in place. This is the dream we’ve shared for decades with our alumni, our students and our current and retired faculty. We are ecstatic!

Next spring, ‘The Sophia’ premieres with our gala Broadway-hit musical directed by David Allen George, ‘The Drowsy Chaperone,’ replete with the magic of Tony Award–winning music, hysterical comedy and joyful tap dancing—a dream come true.”

—Celena Sky April, professor and chair, theatre and speech communication

“The new center will have a great impact on the dance program by providing a space for the choreography to come to life on a stage enhanced by sophisticated lighting technology and supported by a technical crew. Dance majors and minors will experience the workings of a state-of-the-art theatre like they have never had, and it will provide hands-on learning that bridge the gap to the professional world. Faculty, students, the audience, and the North Shore community will benefit from the impact of this space.”

—Meghan McLyman, associate professor of music and dance more reviews on page 36 FA L L 2 0 16 I S A L E M S TAT E M E N T

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TA K E YOUR SEAT! With the opening of the Sophia Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts comes an opportunity to make your mark on every performance! Simply make a tax-deductible gift or pledge of $1,000 and claim your honorary seat in our new state-of-the-art theatre. Your name or that of a classmate, family member or friend will be engraved on a plaque set in your seat’s armrest.

Choose between a one-time gift or a gift in two installments. Please note that seat-naming reservations are first come, first served. To reserve multiple seats, please complete this form or call the number below for assistance.

Take Your Seat donors must still purchase admission to the Sophia performances and cannot be guaranteed that their sponsored seat(s) will be available for their use at those times. For all inquiries, please contact Erica Bourbeau at 978.542.2264.

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“The most significant technical change to the theatre is the redesign of the audience chamber. The new, more intimate, seating and the addition of the balcony will fundamentally change the relationship between the audience and the performers. The addition of two new catwalks and a flexible system for on-stage lighting positions will provide lighting designers opportunities for much greater creativity. The new state-of-the-art sound system will not only provide crystal-clear audio for the spoken word and singing, it will also allow sound designers to create immersive worlds that surround and move throughout the theatre.

In addition to the changes to the performance space, new technical classrooms are part of the renovation. A lighting laboratory and computer design lab have been added to the building, providing design and technical theatre students cutting edge technology to learn and hone their craft.” ­—Michael Harvey, assistant professor of scenic and lighting design

“With the new theatre, Salem State students will have a home that matches the quality of the work we put out. It will be a place where artists and patrons will continue to experience thought-provoking art in a high-quality venue.”

—Maritza Bostic ’14, theatre arts, recipient of the VASTA Award at the KCACTF in 2014 and the Greater Boston Theatre Community’s Bob Jolly Award in 2016

“How exciting. We now have a new theatre within the Gordon Center where wonderful performances can unfold. The visual and performing arts are so important. They shape our culture. Plays of ideas open our eyes to things we may not have considered. Hopefully, this new theatre will not just be used for those who are geared to a future in the performing arts but will be used to get as many students as possible up on the stage, learning how to compose themselves and how to communicate.

This skill is important in any future job they may have.

It will help to make them leaders—no matter what profession they choose.”

—Lucy (Sweeney) Conboy ’64, of Washington, D.C., a fan of the Kennedy Center and a former resident of Marblehead

F E AT U R E S

“The new Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts will offer students the opportunity to work in a state-of-the-art theatre to enhance their artistic skills, collaboration and passion. This goes for all concentrations. Likewise, this also gives alumni the possibility of being a part of something new and exciting and opens up the possibility of coming back and being a guest designer or performer. For me the most exciting and thrilling part of the new theatre is to work in a more developed and complex sound system that will prepare me for other venues in design and audio engineering.”

—Ryan Blaney ’17, theatre arts, KCACTF winner of Elite Sound Training at Cirque du Soleil

“As an alum of Salem State Theatre, I couldn’t be more thrilled the program is finally getting the facilities it has long deserved. The training I received from Salem State’s B.F.A. program was every bit as specialized and rigorous as any of the outstanding conservatory programs found all over New England. Acting faculty like David Allen George and Celena Sky April ran a tight ship for budding artists honing their craft. They demanded honest, moment-to-moment exploration of character and text and would not suffer a single word from an actor who drew a false breath. This professional-caliber faculty has spanned every discipline for decades with the masterful, technical expertise of Whitney ‘Whizz’ White. It is high time for a performing arts complex that reflects the powerhouse talents of the students and teachers who work tirelessly for their craft and for the loyal theatregoers who have supported hundreds of productions, many of which have reached national acclaim. Upon the opening of the new theatre complex, I know the days of moving the second act of the spring musical to the front lawn of the Mainstage because of old, faulty wiring triggering the fire alarm are long gone (though some of my fondest memories)!”

—Nancy McNulty ’01, winner of a national Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship

“The Gordon Center is a building that will serve as the hub for the performing arts on campus. As an alumna, I can say that all of the performing artists on campus put so much time, effort and pride into every ounce of their work.”

—Katie Pustizzi ’15, sport and movement science

“The Sophia Gordon Center will provide a unique and really special opportunity for students, faculty and audience alike to experience live performances at their biggest and best—in a well-funded and supportive environment with the kind of amenities that enable enhanced spectacle. As a leader in our local arts community, and a graduate of the Salem State Theatre department, I take great pride in this new space, and I’m excited to share in that wonderful experience as an audience member.”

—Catherine Bertrand ’06, artistic director of Salem Theatre Co. and Irene Ryan finalist for directing in 2003

“I am very excited for the Gordon Center to open because it means we will have a stage for our dance concerts! As part of the theatre and dance departments, it will be a very nice home for our shows, and better space for audience members to come support the arts. I cannot wait for the new stage to be finished.”

—Kayleigh Cyr ’17, dance

“Having the new theatre on the horizon is very exciting for the dance department. Once it is finished, we will have a professional place to rehearse and perform, as well as a place for guest performances that will broaden our experience and thoughts on dance. The new theatre will be a place where students can learn the fundamentals of performance and be ready for the professional world upon graduation.”

—Jake Crawford ’17, dance, winner of the Allied Crafts KCACTF Region 1 Award in 2015

“I am extremely excited (and a little jealous) of Salem State’s new theatre.

The passion and love from the faculty and school has always been there, and now they have a space to match.

I, alongside many others, was able to hone my craft into a professional career thanks to the guidance and education I received at Salem State. I hope they’ll let me come back and perform on it one day.”

—Stephen Laferriere ’05, winner of a national Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship more reviews on page 38 FF A A LL LL 22 00 11 66 II S SA A LL EE M M S S TTA ATT EE M M EE N N TT

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A MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT! In appreciation for the level of excellence exhibited by Salem State Theatre over the years, the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) has granted the university $23,000 toward a scholarship to benefit undergraduate students studying theatre arts.

This gift supports the Irene Ryan and Kingsley Colton Scholarship, funded by a one-time charitable gift from the Irene Ryan Foundation to support Salem State’s Theatre program, “in recognition of the many decades of success by Salem State theatre majors.”

The scholarship was fully endowed to $25,000 by the additional donations of professors Celena Sky April and David Allen George, who have coached Salem State actors for more than 30 years.

Salem State Theatre has won numerous national and regional awards through its involvement in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF).

In the past 25 years, the university has had 12 student actors win the Region 1 competition and move on to the KCACTF nationals in Washington, D.C. Three student actors have won the national Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship, making Salem State one of only a few colleges or universities in the country to have three national winners.

Salem State Theatre has sent a student—whether actor, director or designer— each year to Washington, D.C., for the past decade. Regionally, Salem State actors have placed in the final round for 28 straight years.

Salem State University’s theatre program is one of only three in New England that is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre for meeting or exceeding its rigorous national standards. With an average of 160 students in the program, students can graduate with either a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of fine arts degree. Both programs offer a concentration in performance, design, technical theatre, stage management and secondary education—and attract competitive and committed students. n

“The ‘Sophia’ opens the door for an immense amount of growth and change. On a practical level, the new theatre will allow for so many new spaces to inspire student work.

Something major I will take away from Salem State Theatre is how to be an artist who makes bold choices. Having the ‘Sophia’ at our disposal will push us into making bolder choices and taking bigger leaps. Having a new, bigger space calls for us to tell new, bigger stories. The ‘Sophia’ is a gateway for change.”

—Adrian Peguero ’17, theatre arts 38

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“The new Gordon Center is a thrilling, long overdue new classroom and tool for the award-winning Salem State Theatre department. I cannot wait to see the finished product and have no doubt that it will be utilized to its full potential right from the start.

The productions that were created on the former Mainstage were always very strong, both artistically and technically, and it’s exciting to imagine how much more enhanced future productions will be in this new state-of-the art theatre house.”

—Jenney Dale Holland ’13, theatre arts

F E AT U R E S

“After so many decades of ‘making do’ with facilities that were never intended to serve the many functions of a legitimate theatre space or attempting to reconfigure and reconstruct to accommodate teaching and creating productions, we now move into the future with a state-of-the-art professionally appointed theatre.”

—David Allen George, theatre arts professor

“Salem State’s Theatre program has gradually grown to rival New England’s top theatre schools. The department and the school will now have a stateof-the-art facility that will properly reflect the quality of its students’ exceptional work. The artistic staff will have a creative space that enhances, rather than hinders, their artistic vision. The students will have an arena to highlight their best work as actors, designers and technicians. The university will gain a theatrical forum it can champion with pride. For alumni, like myself, we gain a beautiful, new home that honors our past achievements and looks forward toward the future...to take center stage and shine.”

—Alex Portenko ’15, theatre arts, received a KCACTF Merit Award for Exemplary Creative Process of a Devised Work in 2015

“As an alum, I honestly had to Google search the Gordon Center because I was so used to it being called the ‘Mainstage Theatre.’ It is bittersweet to hear about the project because there were so many great memories that helped shape my years at Salem State University. I am so excited to see this new development transform into the creative and performing arts center that Salem State deserved when I first started here almost eight years ago!”

—Emmanuel Encarnacion ’13, dance and business

I’m thrilled to hear about the continued growth of the theatre arts program at Salem State University. My theatre career began at Salem State in the ‘70s.

I acted in the newly built Callan Studio Theatre as well as on the Mainstage.

What a joy it is to hear about the creation of the Sophia Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts. Congratulations to all!”

—Kathy St. George ’74, elementary education, winner of Elliot Norton Award for “Best Actress,” Tony Award “Fiddler on the Roof “ (best revival) IRNE Award for “Best Solo Performance”

“The Sophia Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts will be a gateway to the robust creative life of Salem State University. The Gordon Center is a physical reflection of the depth, breadth and quality of our arts programming. It will expand opportunities for the greater North Shore community, and beyond, to experience the transformative power of the arts.”

—Karen Gahagan, Director, Center for Creative and Performing Arts

“In my 37 years as a faculty member, chair of the theatre and speech department and founding director of the Center for Creative and Performing Arts, the theatre faculty and students have won numerous theatrical and technical awards. To mention only two, twice they won the Moss Hart Award, the highest honor given by the New England Theatre Conference, and three times a Salem State student was selected as the best college actor in the nation at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.—all of this was accomplished in a 1950s auditorium. Our alumni are on Broadway, on cruise ships, on TV, in movies, have started their own theatrical and technical companies and are college professors. We are eternally grateful to Bernie and Sophia Gordon, not only for their extraordinary financial gift, but for their faith in the arts at Salem State University. Based on the past, we can all only imagine the great heights that will now be achieved due to their vision and generosity.”

—Patricia Zaido, founder of the Center for Creative and Performing Arts

“What better way to nurture the minds of possibly the next great designer, director, performer or technician, than to arm the best teachers with the tools and environment to help those students reach their maximum potential. I’ve seen some of the best theatre of my life at Salem.

One in particular was a scene with Jeremy Flynn and Heather Parady in a David Allen George class on mask work. The scene was from “Macbeth.” Amazing work in a fluorescent-lit little classroom with low ceilings, desks moved to the sides for work space and a supporting beam in the middle of the room. The student will now more easily transition into a professional environment. Now, they will walk into the Delacorte Theater in New York; The Alliance in Atlanta; The Goodman in Chicago; The Mark Taper in L.A.; Berkeley Rep in Berkeley, Calif.; or even A.R.T. in Cambridge, Mass., and feel right at home.”

—Tom Silcott ’93, theatre arts, first national Irene Ryan winner FF A A LL LL 22 00 11 66 II S SA A LL EE M M S S TTA ATT EE M M EE N N TT

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F E AT U R E S

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F E AT U R E S

HISTORY Shedding

Light on

Dark Times

BY VICTOR DERUBEIS

When you were a student at Salem State, you might have passed this spot every day. If you’re driving northwest on Boston Street toward Peabody, you turn left onto Proctor and up the hill that doglegs left to a neighborhood of wellkept but modest colonials, capes, Victorians and duplexes. As you round the corner, on your left is a vacant lot with about 200 feet of frontage that looks ripe for development. As late as 1980, it was. Now it is studded with spindly maples whose roots cling to the vegetation-hostile ledge. Its appearance is almost numbingly ordinary. Its history suggests it is anything but. continued on page 42

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Salem Myth vs. Fact

MYTH: Salem was the only place in the world that had witch trials.

FACT: Salem’s trials were at the very end of an era that began in Europe around 1450, during which more than 100,000 people were put on trial for witchcraft and half that number executed. Salem was not the only site of witch hunting in New England, but it does have the most extensive documentation.

MYTH: The Salem witchcraft hysteria of 1692 occurred in what is now downtown Salem.

FACT: The hysteria began in what is now Danvers, Mass., then called Salem Village, when reports surfaced of young females behaving strangely.

MYTH: People accused of witchcraft in Salem were burned.

FACT: Nineteen people accused of witchcraft were hanged; one was pressed to death. Five died in jail awaiting trial.

MYTH: Those who were executed were hanged from a gallows.

FACT: The accused were hanged from a tree, likely one with branches just high enough to allow someone to hang until dead and just low enough for their corpse to be cut down easily. There is no eyewitness or geological evidence that a gallows was ever built.

MYTH: There are probably bones on the site of the hangings; it’s just that nobody’s telling us.

FACT: There is absolutely no evidence of any bones on the site of the hangings. Once the victims were dead, their bodies were quickly cut down and thrown into shallow graves because of the stench from the summer heat. Eyewitness accounts say families of the accused came under cover of darkness to remove the corpses to other burial sites.

SOURCES: Salem State professors Peter

Sablock, geologist; Emerson “Tad” Baker, historian; Donna Seger, historian.

You are now at Proctor’s Ledge, which locals also call Lower Gallows Hill or, simply, the Lower Hill. Thanks to history professor Emerson “Tad” Baker and now-retired geology professor Peter Sablock, as well as the relentless combing of primary historical documents and the technological tools of the geologist, this small strip of vacant land has been positively identified as the site where 19 innocent people were hanged during the Salem witchcraft hysteria of 1692. It began with the wrongful assumption that young women were under the influence of the devil and spread to include accusations against 172 people, 20 of whom were executed, plus five of whom died in jail.

The announcement of the results of their research in January this year went viral locally, nationally and then internationally. And the curious have already shown up, from a couple in a car with Nebraska license plates to the busloads of schoolchildren who stop on Proctor Street, where signs warn, “No Parking Either Side.”

Longtime neighbors know to expect this sort of thing.

Tom Brophy, a retired deputy fire chief for the City of Salem, still lives in the house on Proctor that his parents bought in 1912. It’s right next to the hangings site. He referenced the many articles he had read that threw the location into doubt. He was relieved that the Salem State University professors finally confirmed what he had known in his heart for years.

“I personally thought, ‘It’s about time that they nailed it down,’” he said.

Brophy seems to take his neighborhood’s latest notoriety in stride, as he’s used to strange occurrences in this part of the city. In 1914, nearly 30 years before he was born, the Great Salem Fire, fueled by a westerly wind that bypassed the neighborhood, destroyed a large swath of Salem from Boston Street to the North River. And in 1998, the immediate neighborhood was turned upside down when a fugitive held a family hostage, the drama playing out as TV news helicopters whirred overhead and the region held its breath until the matter was resolved peacefully.

Despite, and even because of, the most recent revelations about what he calls the Lower Hill, he wants to see the site receive a dignified treatment, like the much-praised Salem Witch Trials Memorial in downtown Salem. It was dedicated with solemn fanfare in 1992, complete with a visit from “The Crucible” playwright Arthur Miller.

By this time next year, the 325th anniversary of the trials and the executions, city officials and memorial planners are hoping a similarly subtle memorial will be in place on the site where the wrongfully accused were executed using the low-hanging branches of a big tree in the hot summer sun of 1692.

“Red oaks were famous for hanging because the first, lowest branches would have been 10 to 12 feet above the ground and about 15 feet across,” continued on page 44

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HISTORY F E AT U R E S

Transitioning from Insurance to Geology Professor Sablock Embraced Science

BY ANNE-MARIE R. SELTZER When he was in his early 30s and working for a large Boston insurance company, Peter Sablock never planned on becoming a geologist. But when his wife Jeanette, a 1983 Salem State alumna, suggested they “sell everything, pack up the two kids and go to some place really exciting to do geology,” he didn’t hesitate to make the move that would change his life.

“Jeanette earned her bachelor’s degree in geology from Salem State,” explained Sablock, professor emeritus in the department of geological sciences and its former chair. “We enrolled in the College of Mines at the University of Idaho, and I earned my bachelor’s degree in 1987 with support from my geophysics professor. In 1991, we both earned doctorates.”

Transitioning from insurance to geology wasn’t that much of a stretch for someone who always loved the outdoors. “I embraced geology later in life and have Jeanette to thank. I would read her textbooks for fun,” explained Sablock. “My research has taken me to the most beautiful places on earth—Bolivia, Chile, British Columbia, Alberta and parts of the American West. I love understanding the earth and how it works.”

Sablock took classes at Salem State while working in Boston, so he was familiar with the institution when he was hired in 1992. “Tenuretrack positions were hard to find,” he

said. “I also wanted to engage with students and do research.” His wife joined the faculty in 1993; they both retired last year.

As an educator, Sablock lives for developing “a group of thinkers.”

But his “most challenging, fun and rewarding experience” was taking undergraduates to Montana for a six-week field camp. “These kids had never slept in tents, seen grizzly bears or been surrounded by danger,” he explained. “It was a life-changing experience.”

Since 1985, Sablock has been involved with geophysics, “an art form and a hard science and wicked fun.” He uses ground-penetrating radar to study the ground below without breaking the surface.

His work has included projects for Historic New England, Acadia National Park and Popham Colony in Maine, and Gridley’s Fort in Massachusetts, and often involves finding graves and cemeteries. This fall, Sablock planned a trip to Jamestown, Va., to help locate the burial sites of the original 1607 settlers.

He worked on the Gallows Hill Project on and off for three years with his friend and colleague, history professor Emerson “Tad” W. Baker.

The project sought to clarify where the victims of the Salem Witch Trials were hanged.

His work for towns and nonprofits is pro bono. “It’s important to give back. Massachusetts paid my

salary, allowed me to do research in something I love, and think independently,” said Sablock.

“I approached Gallows Hill as I did any other project, but after working at the site and talking with academics and authors, I realized that this project moved people in a very visceral way,” explained Sablock. “I read the literature and tried to analyze the trials. I became very involved.”

In the end, Sablock “took the historians’ hypotheses and provided firm evidence for the existence of areas with enough soil to accommodate a burial. It is a good day when I can provide results on that level.”

Now the grandfather of four, Sablock keeps busy doing “geophysics continuously” and rejuvenating his Latin by reading ancient authors. “I always want to know more,” he said. “There isn’t anything I don’t find interesting.”

The Melrose native who now calls York, Maine, his home, operates a drone so he can observe vegetation over the course of a year to find possible buried structures. And there’s also 22 miles of linear data to analyze and write up.

“I’ll never run out of things to do,” he added. n Anne-Marie R. Seltzer is a local writer who lives in Arlington.

She writes regularly for the Salem Statement.

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said Sablock, who noted he has a similar tree in his backyard in Maine.

But what about the gallows for which Gallows Hill was named?

Sablock, who researched the geology of the area using methods known as electrical resistivity and ground radar, concluded that there is no geological evidence that gallows would have been built on this area. Baker, who with his team sifted through extensive eyewitness accounts and financial records of the period, found evidence of a different kind: Massachusetts Bay Colony at the time had “a perfectly good gallows down in Boston, which was where executions usually

took place. Salem was used just this once, so they probably did not see the need,” said Baker. Besides, as the trials wore on, it became apparent that the prosecutors had made colossal errors. If anything, those in charge wanted to make sure the public knew as little as possible about what was going on.

And why is there no evidence of corpses on the site?

Baker, who is careful to credit the work of early 20thcentury Salem lawyer/historian Sidney Perley in broadly identifying Proctor’s Ledge, cites accounts that the bodies were quickly buried in shallow mass graves and removed by their families “under cover of night.”

‘It’s all About Digging In’

Professor Baker’s Infectious Enthusiasm

BY ANN CARLSON What’s in a name?

Professor Emerson Woods Baker II, of Salem State’s history department, bears a distinguished one. Yet most of the time, it’s his nickname—Tad—that’s used by his colleagues, family and friends. Where did it come from?

Was he connected to Abraham Lincoln, who called his youngest son, Thomas, by that affectionate name? I was curious to find out.

It was a question that Tad Baker was happy to answer. “My parents were looking forward to my birth. Every day when my father came home from

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work, he would greet my expectant mother and say, ‘How is the wee Tad doing?’ I had this strong bond with my parents before I came into the world. The name stuck, and today my colleagues, friends and family still call me Tad.” While growing up in Leominster, Tad learned that he did have a family connection to Abraham and Mary Lincoln. “One of my ancestors was a nursemaid who had taken care of their four children, including Tad. As a child, I was eager to hear all I could about our origins.”

He never expected that one day he would specialize in Early New England history, especially in Southern Maine, the Massachusetts Bay Colony and Salem. Or that he would become a renowned authority in his field—public history—and add many significant archaeological explorations, reviews

and consultations to his résumé.

Before becoming a professor, Tad earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Bates College, a master’s degree with a concentration in historical archaeology from the University of Maine and a PhD from the College of William & Mary. From 1981 to 1994 he held various positions in the public history field: archaeologist, project director, historian and executive director at several sites in Maine and Virginia.

While enjoying these assignments, he sought to realize another longtime dream: teaching at a university. “But openings for history professors don’t come along very often. Around 1990 I was director of the Saco Museum and Dyer Library in Maine when I learned about an opening for an assistant professor of history at Salem State. I jumped at the opportunity.”

HISTORY F E AT U R E S

The Research and Discovery Process

Baker began the journey to pinpoint the hangings site in 2010, as he was researching his book, “A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience.” Published in 2014, it details the political, economic, military, religious and social conditions that made Salem ripe for the events of 1692.

He said he and Sablock “set out to confirm what Sidney Perley had figured out a long time ago. The location has been lost before, and we want to make sure it’s not lost again.”

The result was the Gallows Hill Project, with a team of scholars that included Elizabeth Peterson and Tom Phillips

of the Corwin House (Witch House), who assisted in the research. Rounding out the effort were author and witch trials expert Marilynne Roach and religion professor Benjamin Ray of the University of Virginia.

The first year, Baker said, was spent amassing pertinent documents from the period that confirmed Perley’s theories about the location of the hangings. One of the key documents was a statement attributed to Rebecca Eames on August 19, 1692, the date of the third round of executions. Five innocent people were put to death that day.

The statement, taken before she testified in court, speaks

continued on page 46

A few years later, he became chair and then acting dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Eventually I decided that I liked teaching better, so I returned to the classroom.”

While Tad’s genial personality, sense of humor and infectious enthusiasm for teaching make an office visitor comfortable immediately, he expects that his students—both graduate and undergraduate—will take their courses with him very seriously. He publishes an online syllabus with reading requirements, term paper instructions and other essential details. He urges students to follow blog posts that relate directly to matters under consideration in his classroom. He insists that they produce quality work and contribute to discussions.

Joining the Salem State faculty did not mean that Tad abandoned his public history activities. If anything, he has expanded them over the years.

During the summer, his passion for archaeology comes to the fore at locations in Maine, Canada and New England. At one site more than 40,000 artifacts have been uncovered. Among his specialties are the French and

Indian Wars, the subject, he says, of his next book.

“Archaeology, and life itself, are really like putting a puzzle together.

Many of the pieces are missing or broken. You must do tedious work and wash off what you find. You get bitten by insects, brush against poison ivy, receive a sunburn, have a backache.

But most of the real discoveries are made in the most challenging moments.

“Important findings come from digging: tombs, wells, cellar holes and privies. You learn what people ate, what they used and broke, what tools and materials they had to work with and the money they had. Sometimes you even find out who they were,” comments Tad. Living in southern Maine with his spouse and three daughters, Tad is close to the location where English, French and Native American cultures collided during King William’s War. One example is York Village, not far from his home. On January 24, 1692, a combination of French and Indian forces killed or captured more than 100 people in the Candlemas Raid.

York had ties to Salem, as many Salem residents had invested heavily in the

community. I was interested in talking with Tad about this, as some of my ancestors had perished there.

Tad told me about the front section of the village cemetery, where there is a wide green lawn. He believes the location is of a mass burial: unidentified villagers, natives and soldiers killed in a raid.

The hardcover version of his book “A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience” published by Oxford University Press, has sold upward of 6,000 copies and gained wide exposure through his discovery of the exact location of Salem’s Gallows Hill this past spring.

This summer he presented lectures, critiqued film and television projects for historical accuracy and returned to some archaeological sites to learn more about the people and events of New England’s past.

“Archaeology is all about digging in,” he adds. “Like life, it’s one part art, one part science and one part magic.” n Ann Carlson is a local writer from Marblehead. She writes regularly for the Salem Statement.

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of being able to see the hill from a house on what is now Boston Street. Meanwhile, Ray used a geographic information system analysis of the area, which was able to electronically strip away layers of development over the centuries to determine what people in the surrounding area would have been able to see in 1692.

What they saw, Baker said, was not pretty. It was also widely visible from what was then the outskirts of Salem Town, roughly what we know of as downtown Salem today.

Although the area is now thickly settled with homes and trees, anyone who lived to the east of Proctor’s Ledge would have a largely unobstructed view of the executions.

Preserving History, Honoring The Dead

The challenge for memorial designers is twofold: maintaining the dignity for the wrongly executed while taking into account that people will want to visit the spot.

“We want to be respectful to the neighbors, whose lives are being changed forever because of this site,” said Baker.

The first steps include efforts to keep visitors safe.

Crosswalks will be installed and parking provided at the Gallows Hill Park parking lot, Baker explained.

There will also be one important omission, Baker said.

Proctor’s Ledge will not be on official literature or websites or used to promote tourism in the city in any way. “The overwhelming local concern is just how Proctor’s Ledge will be marked—and what access will be granted,” Professor Donna Seger, head of the Salem State history department, wrote in her blog, Streets of Salem, earlier this year. “This concern is coming from various perspectives, principally that of the abutting neighbors, of course, and that of people who are opposed to the intensifying witchcraft ‘schlockiness’ of Salem.”

Baker said the memorial planners are trying to disassociate the memorial as much as possible from Haunted Happenings, the city’s annual October-long Halloween celebration. They are planning for a dedication date of June 10, 2017, which will be the 325th anniversary of the first execution.

“It’s important to remember that the Salem Witch Trials resulted in the first and worst mass wrongful executions in American history,” said journalist Anne Driscoll, a 1976 Salem State graduate who won this year’s Salem Award, which was established at the witch trials tercentenary in 1992 to promote “awareness, understanding, and empathy in support of human rights, tolerance, and social justice.”

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Driscoll was honored for her work exonerating the wrongly accused, including a Lynn, Mass., man wrongly convicted of murder in 1994. Her current effort is the Irish Innocence Project at Griffith College Dublin, which has helped restore the name of a man wrongly convicted of murder and hanged in 1941 and continues investigating other suspected innocence cases.

The significant factors that contributed to the Salem Witch Trials and executions are very much present in today’s wrongful convictions, Driscoll said in an interview from Dublin. “The six most common,” she said, “are police or prosecutorial misconduct, ineffective counsel, snitch evidence, faulty science, eyewitness misidentification and false confession.”

Certainly, faulty science was at play during 1692 and into early 1693, when so-called “spectral evidence” was used to convict people who literally swore to their graves that they were innocent.

Which is why, in 2016, there are groups on campus such as No Place for Hate, which sponsored a film series on racism earlier this year. It’s why Salem State University student intern Ayana Green has been working on promoting awareness of wrongful convictions and innocence organizations around the world, through her work with Driscoll and the office of Rep. Seth Moulton.

And it’s why there still needs to be education on witch hunts nearly 325 years after the real-life horrors of Salem. n Victor DeRubeis is a local writer who lives in Weymouth.

He writes regularly for the Salem Statement.

Links GALLOWS HILL PROJECT: salemstate.edu /~ebaker/Gallows_Hill PROCTOR’S LEDGE: salem.com /proctors-ledge-memorial-project SALEM WITCH TRIALS MEMORIAL: salemaward.org /sw tm /about-memorial / SIDNEY PERLEY HISTORY OF SALEM: catalog.hathitrust.org / Record / 006784546 TAD BAKER’S BOOK: salemstate.edu /~ebaker/books_& _apps DONNA SEGER’S BLOG: streetsofsalem.com /2016 / 01/12/this-time-with-dignity/ ANNE DRISCOLL IRISH INNOCENCE PROJECT innocenceproject.ie /Speaker/annedriscoll /

CLASS NOTES

ALU M N I PR ES I DE N T ’S LE T TE R

I am pleased to be writing to you in my new role as president of the Alumni Association. Salem State has given so generously to me and my professional career, that I feel it is only fitting that I, too, should give back. Over the next two years I look forward to working with a very talented and dedicated group of Alumni board members to continue to advance the great successes that have been accomplished under the leadership of our Immediate Past President Pamela Sartorelli Doherty ’92.

One very significant achievement over the past several years has been the development of the first-ever Alumni Association Strategic Plan, created by the board’s Strategic Planning Sub-Committee, and adopted by the Board of Directors in November 2015. The Strategic Plan establishes a mission, along with objectives and methods to guide us in the years ahead.

Additionally, the plan encourages us to promote the educational, professional, economic and social interests of the university by incorporating these interests into Alumni Association–sponsored events and programs that are intended to benefit the entire university community. To learn more, feel free to peruse the strategic plan online at: salemstate.edu/alumni.

Over the past year a number of alumni members expressed an interest to serve as board members of the Alumni Association.

I am pleased to share that seven of these individuals have been elected to join the current board and to serve two-year terms as at-large board members. It’s my pleasure to welcome the following new members: Stephen Daly ’84; Carol DiMento ’65, ’67G; Grazia Crivello ’09; Joanne Mendes ’79; Kathryn D’Amour ’63, ’67G, ’81G; Josue Flores ’12, ’15G; and Linda Power ’90. We look forward to working with these new members with the different skill sets and contributions that each member will bring to the table.

We have some amazing events and programs planned for this year, and I am looking forward to seeing many of you at these events. Below is a list of some key events, so please save the dates to reconnect and reunite with fellow classmates and friends.

•

Educators Weekend: November 4–5, 2016

•

2017 Florida Winter Alumni Events are offered January through March. (Stay tuned for dates.)

•

Naples, Florida St. Patrick’s Day Parade: Saturday, March 11, 2017

•

Alumni Weekend: June 1–4, 2017

As this greeting comes to a close and a new academic year begins, I want to extend a special welcome to the 2,156 individuals who attained alumni status this past May. You are Salem State University’s newest emissaries. We look forward to getting to know you in the days ahead.

Sincerely,

Joseph Wamness ’00G President Salem State University Alumni Association Members of the 2016-2017 alumni board of directors FA L L 2 0 16 I S A L E M S TAT E M E N T

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C LAS S

CLASS NOTES

CLASS NOTES

Notes

CALLING ALL ALUMNI We want to hear from you! Send us your news all year round and we’ll be sure to get it into the next issue of the Salem Statement. Email us, message us on Facebook or give us a call to let us know what you’re doing. Your photos are more than welcome, too! Please note that marriage and birth announcements can only be printed after the event has occurred.

alumni@salemstate.edu // 978.542.7530 And be sure to keep your personal contact information updated so you don’t miss an issue!

SALEMSTATE.EDU/ALUMNI

’46

LUC ILLE ( MEUSE ) BE AN retired from the Chelmsford school system where she was an elementary school teacher, and has also retired from the International Produce Journal, where she was a copy editor.

’48

DOROTHY FOLEY has been named

as the 2016 recipient of the Dr. Edna Mauriello ’44 Lifetime Achievement Award. Congratulations, Dorothy!

’63

K ATHRYN D’AMOUR ’67G, ’81G was recently elected to serve on the Salem State Alumni Association Board of Directors. Congratulations on your new role, Kathryn!

’65

CAROL DIMENTO ’67G was

recently elected to serve on the Salem State Alumni Association Board of Directors. Congratulations on your new role, Carol!

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’67 SAVE THE DATE FOR YOUR 50TH REUNION, ALUMNI WEEKEND JUNE 2017!

’68

SUSAN HARTMERE ’ 72G visited Guyana along with 12 other members from the Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Club. On their humanitarian mission, Susan helped construct a playground filled with swings, seesaws, a basketball court and a jungle gym adjacent to a school. They also visited two orphanages and a pediatric hospital where children were given stuffed animals.

’69

ELLEN FINNER AN ’0 0G has retired

after teaching for 45 years in the North Andover Middle School.

GER ALDINE LUKE was awarded the Veronica M. Muzic Master Teacher Award in 2013 while she was the professor of Business Administration/ Management and Marketing at Pennsylvania College of Technology.

The following year, she was asked to take on the leadership of the School of Business and Hospitality and currently serves as its dean.

ROBERT WALSH, JR . ’ 73G retired in

June from Our Lady of the Assumption School, where he was the assistant principal. He and his wife Joanne moved to Danvers this past February.

’71

JOANNE WALSH ’ 75G retired in

June from Our Lady of the Assumption School, where she was a guidance counselor. She and her husband Robert moved to Danvers this past February.

’72

JACQUELYN MALONE ’ 73G recently

had a chapbook of poems published by Finishing Line Press. The poems are about Alzheimer’s disease, and the book is titled “All Waters Run to Lethe.”

’73

CHRISTINE SA ZIN happily renewed

her vows with husband Steven Sazin in 1995.

CLASS NOTES

’75

ANDRE A LIF TMAN ’ 75G, thank you

for your dedication and service to the Alumni Association Board of Directors.

THOMAS PAGE ’ 76G , thank you

for your dedication and service to the Alumni Association Board of Directors.

’79

PAMEL A BARBER is retiring from St.

Vincent de Paul School in East Haven, Conn., after 28 years of teaching there and 32 years of an overall teaching career. Pamela has taught a variety of age groups in elementary school over the years, and she has taught all subjects.

She looks forward to moving to Georgia for her retirement.

BRUCE POT TER

was recently named the chief operating officer at Salem Five Bank. Bruce, who has been with Salem Five for more than 20 years, was previously an executive vice president at the bank. Bruce has more than 30 years of experience in the financial industry. He is an executive board member at Essex Agricultural Society—Topsfield Fair as well as an executive member of the Salem State University Foundation Board.

JOANNE MENDES was recently

elected to serve on the Salem State Alumni Association Board of Directors. Congratulations on your new role, Joanne!

’82

JOE BARCA recently

published his first book, “A Picnic Moon,” which is a

small collection of micro-poems. His daughter created the cover, and his wife helped with the logistics. It is for sale on Amazon and Kindle. It has been purchased by people around the world, including Australia and England.

GIR ARD HE ALY became the managing

director at Accenture upon Accenture’s acquisition of his company, Beacon Consulting Group. Girard is in the Capital Markets group, focused on asset management.

JANET MER RIMAN was recently

elected to serve on the Salem State Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Congratulations on your new role, Janet!

’83

JIM MUSE and

Jeanne Paré Muse celebrated a beautiful wedding in May 2016 at the Mount Washington Hotel and Resort in Bretton Woods, N.H. They had an intimate ceremony with their parents, children and grandchildren. Congratulations to the newlyweds! Additionally, Jim has been named as the 2016 recipient of the Elizabeth Williams Wade Award.

Congratulations, Jim! TIMOTHY SHE A ’8 3G was recently elected to serve on the Salem State Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Congratulations on your new role, Tim!

’84

STEPHEN DALY was recently

elected to serve on the Salem State Alumni Association Board of Directors. Congratulations on your new role, Stephen!

HILL ARY SCHR ANK has been married for 21 years to her husband, Brad Schrank, who is also a Salem State alum. Their son recently graduated high school as a nationally ranked long-distance runner, and is headed to URI in the fall. Hillary has been a paralegal for 24 years, and recently bought a condo!

’85 DOUGL AS A .

TAMILIO

became the permanent director of the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development, and Engineering Center this past June, and was inducted into the Senior Executive Service on July 26, 2016.

By joining the Senior Executive Service, Douglas joins an elite group of men and women chosen for their leadership qualifications and tasked with leading ongoing transformation of the government. Douglas’s brother and fellow Salem State alumnus, John Tamilio ’90, pastor and visiting associate professor at Salem State, performed the invocation at the ceremony.

In his role as director of the NSRDEC, Douglas is responsible for the planning, programming, coordination and execution of the research, development and engineering program dedicated to the sustainment and protection of the nation’s combat forces from the stresses of war through functionally suitable food, clothing, airborne and airdrop equipment, tactical shelters and organizational personal equipment.

Douglas is a native of Beverly, Mass., and he has served in the U.S. Army for over 27 years.

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Enjoy social media’s photos of commencement at storify.com/salemstate/commencement-2016

WELCOME 2016 GRADUATES TO THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION! AFTER COMMENCEMENT YOU AUTOMATICALLY BECOME A MEMBER OF THE SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. THERE ARE NO DUES TO PAY OR FORMS TO COMPLETE. AS AN ALUMNUS/A, YOU HAVE ACCESS TO: • Lifetime use of the Career Services department and resources • Liberty Mutual Insurance benefit for home and auto • Exclusive alumni rewards card program with St. Jean’s Credit Union • Viking travel opportunities • Use of the Salem State library • Access to the Harold E. and Marilyn J. Gassett Fitness and Recreation Center • Discounts at the Salem State bookstore during any major alumni programs • Save $50 on your college ring purchase through Jostens • Subscription to the Salem State alumni magazine, Salem Statement • $5 off Friday CCPA ticketed performances 50

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VISIT SALEMSTATE.EDU/ALUMNI/ BENEFITS TO LEARN MORE! Stay connected to your community!

Facebook: SSUalumniassoc or Salem State Alumni Association Twitter: @SalemStateAlum LinkedIn: Salem State Alumni Network Web: Salemstate.edu/alumni Alumni Events: Salemstate.edu/alumni/events

CLASS NOTES

’86 MAJOR THOMAS CULLINANE ,

thank you for your dedication and service to the Alumni Association Board of Directors.

’87 ROBERT PRIOR

has been promoted to associate teaching professor for the Sports Leadership Master’s Degree program at Northeastern University. He has been the lead faculty for the program since 2010.

Prior was also elected as Chair for the Board of Commissioners for COSMA, the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation. This will be his second three-year term with the organization. COSMA is a specialized accrediting body whose purpose is to promote and recognize excellence in sport management education worldwide in colleges and universities at the baccalaureate and graduate levels.

Previous to working in higher education, Prior spent 20 years as a practitioner in the professional and collegiate sports sectors. He has been Director of Media Relations for the Boston Celtics, Director of Information and New Media for Major League Soccer, a Venue Manager for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator for the Atlanta Braves.

He later spent six years as the Associate Director of Athletics Communications and External Operations at Nova Southeastern University, where he earned a Doctor of Education degree in Organizational Leadership.

Prior received a bachelor’s degree in Sport, Fitness and Leisure Studies from Salem State in 1987. He also holds a Master of Science degree in Sports Administration from Saint Thomas University.

’88

’92 L AR RY GIUNTA is currently

serving his second term as Ward 5 City Councilor in the City of Newburyport.

’93

AMY COX is pleased to share that her

daughter Christina will be attending Salem State University School of Nursing this fall.

’89

PAMEL A ANGEL AK IS ’0 5G has

been named as the 2016 recipient of the Dr. Marilyn E. Flaherty ’54 Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Congratulations, Pamela!

GUY CLINCH was recently elected

to serve on the Salem State Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Additionally, Guy has been named as the 2016 recipient of the George Ellison Sr. Volunteer of the Year Award. Congratulations, Guy!

’90

LINDA HAYES POWER was

recently elected to serve on the Salem State Alumni Association Board of Directors. Congratulations on your new role, Linda!

SUZ ANNE SMITH has started a 501(c)

(3) registered nonprofit organization called the Amazon River Dolphin Conservation Foundation (ARDCF).

Suzanne acts as the executive director of ARDCF, based in Florida.

’94 JEFFREY CAMENKER ’9 4 G is the

senior vice president of compliance and risk management at East Boston Savings Bank. His Risk Management Group consists of 18 team members, four of whom are Salem State graduates!

It is wonderful to have Salem State alumni working together and helping to advance each other in their careers.

Jeff is an inspiration to the Salem State Community for his career accomplishments and for his role in supporting our college graduates to achieve success in fostering a community of professionals.

’91

SUSAN SULLIVAN received her

MEd from Suffolk University and received her doctorate in education with a concentration in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University in April 2016. Since 2013, she has been the director of financial aid at North Shore Community College.

Pictured from lef t: Shannon (Driscoll) Crosby ’10, Bryanna (Rosenblatt) O’Brien ’12, Jeff Camenker ’94G, Elizabeth Pua Mae’ole Birtodaso ’13 and Phillip Crotts ’09.

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ALUMNI

R EC O GN I T I ON

A

Michael Harrington ’81H A: In honor of his outstanding support of the 10,000 Reasons Campaign, Michael Harrington ’81H, center, accepts a handsome glass art version of his honorary degree created by art professor John Volpacchio and presented as a surprise by President Meservey at the Haw thorne Hotel in June. Trustee Jacob Segal, who is a close friend of Harrington’s, participated in the presentation.

B

C

Pamela Angelakis ’89, ’05G B: Pamela Angelakis ’89, ’05G, second from the lef t, is this year’s recipient of the Dr. Marilyn E. Flaherty Distinguished Alumna Award, presented by President Meservey, Andrea Lif tman ’75 and Alumni Association President Joe Wamness.

D

Jim Muse ’83 C : Jim Muse ’83, second from the right, accepts the Elizabeth Williams Wade Award for 2016. Joining the celebration are, from the lef t, President Meservey, Vice President of Institutional Advancement Cynthia McGurren ’83 and alumni board president Joe Wamness.

Guy Clinch ’89 E

D: The winner of this year’s George Ellison ’54 Volunteer of the Year Award is Guy Clinch ’89, second from the lef t, joined by President Merservey, Director of Alumni Affairs Mandy Ray and Alumni Board President Joe Wamness.

Tina Giarla ’15 E : The Rising Star Award goes to 2015 grad Tina Giarla, second from the right, who is joined with President Meservey, Debra Lee Surface ’05 and Alumni Board President Joe Wamness.

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ALUMNI

50 Years and Going Strong Built in 1966, the student union, now the George H. Ellison Campus Center, has been, and continues to be, the center of activity. It has housed a cafeteria, the snack bar, a bowling alley, the “rec” room (where table tennis ruled in the ’70s), veterans hall, lectures, concerts and student offices, just to name a few. Renamed in 1988, the building is celebrating a big anniversary. Join us for the ECC’s 50th anniversary celebration on Saturday, Oct. 1, as part of Homecoming and Family Weekend. To learn more or to register, visit salemstate.edu/homecoming.

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CLASS NOTES

DIANE HAR RISE s is excited to be starting in her new role as assistant professor in Early Childhood Education and Special Education at Southern New Hampshire University.

Mass. Ema is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at Boston Children’s Hospital. They reside in Arlington, Mass.

’96

STEPHANIE SPILL ANE was married on November 7, 2009, and has three lovely children: Madison Sophia, born in 2012; Samantha Marina, born in 2014; and Jackson Daniel, born in 2015.

HOPE WAT T- BUCC I ’9 6G was recently elected to serve on the Salem State Alumni Association Board of Directors. Congratulations on your new role, Hope!

’97

BRIAN VINAGRO has joined the

Peabody Wealth Advisors as a financial planner. Brian, a certified financial planner practitioner, brings a great deal of experience and knowledge that he has acquired since the beginning of his career in financial services in 1997.

’00

C INDY K ING ’0 0G was recently

elected to serve on the Town of Townsend Board of Selectmen.

’04

’06 JEREMY FL AGG

has written his fourth novel, “Nighthawks,” which is a science fiction superhero story.

It was released by Limitless Publishing in March 2016. It is currently available for purchase on Amazon.

ALBA KULIAN L AMBOY ’14 G

has purchased a home and had two beautiful children in the time between receiving her first and second degrees from Salem State.

MAT THEW SILVA

’01

L ANCE E ATON, thank you for your dedication and service to the Alumni Association Board of Directors.

ERIN ( MCNAMEE ) HOULIHAN

was married to her husband Eric Houlihan on August 8, 2015.

Congratulations to the newlyweds!

’03

ADAM RUSSELL ’03G and his wife

Ema Rodrigues welcomed their second child, Claudia Amanda Russell, on March 22, 2016. Adam is a software engineer at Optum Labs in Cambridge,

recently launched his second successful business in Salem.

He started franchising with Quiznos upon graduation and now owns one of the country’s top kitchen remodeling franchises, “Kitchen Tune-Up.” It serves homeowners in Salem, Peabody and other surrounding communities.

’07

JOHN GAMBINO has completed his

second year as tenure track faculty in May 2016 at North Shore Community College, where he is an assistant professor of mathematics. He visited

Israel in 2015 and New Mexico and Amsterdam this year.

NOREEN LIVINGSTON ’10G was promoted to Manager of Events and Operations at MIT’s Campus Activities Complex. She married Eric Livingston on October 4, 2014.

NATALIE PAINE

’12G was named Swampscott Public Schools educator of the year for 20152016. Natalie teaches computers at the Swampscott middle school.

In addition to her undergraduate degrees in middle school education and history, she earned a master’s degree at Salem State in technology in education. She is in her eighth year with the Swampscott schools.

CHRISTINE ( SULLIVAN ) STEWART was recently married to Mr. Gregory Stewart. Congratulations!

’08

TOMOYA UCHIMUR A is graduating with a PhD in developmental biology from Tufts University.

MICHAEL WE AKLEY has retired

from the Air Force after 21 years of service. He is currently employed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a safety and health inspector.

’09

HANNAH C R ANTON moved to

New York City three years ago, where she has been playing original singer-songwriter music regularly.

She continues to pursue an acting career in New York City.

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CLASS NOTES

GR A ZIA C RIVELLO was recently elected to serve on the Salem State Alumni Association Board of Directors. Congratulations on your new role, Grazia!

’10

DAPHNEE GEORGES was recently

elected to serve on the Salem State Alumni Association Board of Directors. Congratulations on your new role, Daphnee!

K YLE ME ADOWS and his wife

welcomed their first child, daughter Sydney, on October 28, 2015.

Congratulations to the new parents!

PRISC ILL A SWAIN and her husband John Strom ’13 met when they were both students at Salem State. They have recently opened a brewery in Lynn, the Bent Water Brewing Company, notable as being the only brewery in the city!

As head brewer, John’s degree in geological sciences has been instrumental to his success in brewing science. Priscilla’s English degree with a concentration in technical writing has afforded her the skills to develop PR, marketing and communications content for their new business. You can learn more about their brewery and beer selections here: bentwaterbrewing.com.

Cilla and John would love to be in touch with students and alumni of Salem State to share their experiences as entrepreneurs! Congratulations to you both for being such shining models of success!

MELISSA TOR RES moved to Washington, D.C., to attend dental school in 2012. She graduated from dental school this past May 2016 and received her degree in Doctor of Dental

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CLASS NOTES

Surgery. She will be working as a dental resident at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine starting in July 2016.

’11 Z AYDA GONZ ALEZ was recently elected to serve on the Salem State Alumni Association Board of Directors. Congratulations on your new role, Zayda!

DE ANA MANFR A , thank you for your dedication and service to the Alumni Association Board of Directors.

MAT THEW TR APENI graduated

with a JD from Vermont Law School in 2015 and will be receiving his master’s degree in Environmental Law and Policy this summer. In April, he founded an environmental consulting firm, The Spring Network, LLP. The Spring Network provides management and sustainability consulting services for public and private projects navigating the new frontiers of environmental compliance. The firm takes an integrative approach to sustainability planning, with an aim to avoid negative externalities that affect the health of the human environment.

’13 MARY BERTR AND was

recently elected to serve on the Salem State Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Congratulations on your new role, Mary!

KEIL A LOR A , thank you for your dedication and service to the Alumni Association Board of Directors.

MOLLY P. MADIGAN was

nominated for “songwriter of the year” in this year’s “Big Reds” awards by Red Line Roots. Also, her most recent album, Wildwood Bride, is up for album of the year.

NELSON MASSARI

has been working as a loan officer for three years. In January 2016, he began working at Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA) as a nonprofit loan officer. NACA is a nonprofit organization committed to righting the wrongs of institutional racism and redlining in the banking industry.

JILL PR ANSK Y moved to

Tennessee four days after graduating from Salem State. She landed her first social work job two weeks after moving, thanks to Salem State! She began her dream job working as a long-term care and hospice social worker for NHC in September 2014.

’12

COURTNEY RUSSO married

JOSUE FLORES ’15G was recently elected to serve on the Salem State Alumni Association Board of Directors. Congratulations on your new role, Josue!

husband Michael Russo, also a Salem State University alum, on September 18, 2015. They met at Salem State in Bowditch Hall in 2010. Congratulations!

ALUMNI

Upcoming Events

Thank You, Sponsors!

Save the date and plan to join us at these upcoming Events!

To learn more and to register, visit salemstate.edu/alumni/events

Sponsoring an event with the Salem State University Foundation and Alumni Association is the perfect opportunity for your company to make an impression on one of the largest Greater Boston alumni and friend networks—more than 70,000 strong. We offer several special events for you to network at and advertise your products and services to the Salem State community of alumni, faculty, staff, donors and friends. Event sponsorship packages for 2016-2017 range from $500 to $25,000. We can also customize a package at any level to include multiple events of your choosing. Contact Taylor Dunn at 978.542.7560 or tdunn@salemstate.edu for more information.

Homecoming and Family Weekend 2016 September 30–October 1 Sponsored by Chartwells

2016 Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

YOUTH AT RISK EDWARD S. & WINIFRED G. MOSELEY FOUNDATION

September 30

Salem Haunted Happenings Parade October 6

National Coming Out Week Flag Raising Ceremony October 17

ESSEX COUNTY

COMMUNITY F O U N DAT I O N JOHN W. ALDEN TRUST

Belinda Fund of

2016 Salem State Series with Ed Davis and Richard DesLauriers November 3

2016 Educators Weekend

Margaret M. Collins Charitable Trust

November 4 and 5

2016 Northeast Regional Educators Hall of Fame Induction November 4

POMP16

2016 Educators Best Practices Conference November 5

2017 Naples St. Patrick’s Day Parade

FRIENDS OF SOCIAL WORK WORKSHOP

March 11

2017 Alumni Weekend June 1–4 FA L L 2 0 16 I S A L E M S TAT E M E N T

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E V E N T SH I GH L I GHT S

2016 Alumni Weekend This year’s celebration on a perfect summer evening included reunion tents, lawn games, food trucks, beer, wine, and live entertainment by the Lisa Love Experience. Public and families were welcome. Reunion Row at POMP16, was comprised of tents with hundreds of alumni spanning many different affinity groups celebrating their reunion. In the spirit of friendly competition, each tent was decorated to showcase the individual group’s school spirit. Reunion Row was the primary social area of POMP16 providing alumni a chance to gather with their peers and most importantly, have fun! The weekend also included the reunion celebration of the Class of 1966 as well as the nursing class of 1986.

Pride District Salem State President Patricia Maguire Meservey joined her fellow presidential colleagues from the nine state colleges and universities of Massachusetts and fellow alumni and friends from the Washington, D.C. area for a celebration of pride in their alma mater, in the Commonwealth and in public higher education. This event was held in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in downtown District of Columbia. Thanks to all our Vikings who made the trip!

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UN MI N I A LAULM

More photos of these events and many others are always available on our Flickr page! flickr.com/photos/ssualumni

Green to Be Seen!

Once again a strong Salem State contingent of alumni and friends marched in the famous St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Naples, Fla. Join us for the 2017 parade festivities on March 11. Visit salemstate.edu /alumni for updates on all Florida 2017 programming.

Honoring Our Veteran Graduates At the annual veterans stole ceremony held prior to the 2016 commencement, graduating veterans gathered to receive a decorative stole to be worn at their respective graduation ceremonies.

Sponsored by the Salem State University Veterans Affairs office and Alumni Association, the event took place in Veterans Hall at the Ellison Campus Center and was the perfect opportunity for alumni and student veterans to come together to continue collaborating, connecting and networking.

The university’s Global Day of Service mobilizes the thousands of Salem State alumni, students, parents, employees, and friends who improve their community through service. It offers a unique opportunity for alumni to connect with fellow alumni while giving back to their local, national and international communities.

With over 59,000 alumni residing all over the world, the potential to affect communities worldwide, in a positive and meaningful way, is enormous.

Global Day of Service

Pictured during a local cleanup are, from the lef t, bottom row: Jay Carey ’04, ’06G, ’14G; Sean Morrow and Mike Gormalley ’73. Back row: President Meservey, Rick Meservey, Elizabeth Geoffroy ’12G, Sharon Gendron ’13G, Stef Howlett, JoAnne Wahl, Tim Brown and Mikki Wilson ’09.

Thank you to all of our volunteers, community partners and site leaders for another amazing Global Day of Service on Saturday, June 3! We hope to see you all again next year. # SSUReasons FA L L 2 0 16 I S A L E M S TAT E M E N T

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O B I T UA R I ES

Faculty and Staff From November 1, 2015, to June 30, 2016 ELIZABETH P. BATES, known to many as Betsy Buffington Bates, died at home in Rockport on March 14, 2016. A lifelong journalist, Betsy served as senior editor at many notable publications, including Boston magazine, Newsday, The Boston Herald, The Miami Herald, and was an adjunct professor at Salem State University and at UMass Lowell, retiring last year at 85.

REV. ROBERT A. CRUICKSHANK, a 37-year professor of psychology at Salem State University, died on December 12, 2015.

“Dr. Bob” was a graduate of Bob Jones University, Andover Newton College of Theology, and received his doctorate in ministry from Gordon College. He was a former pastor of Greenwood Union Church in Wakefield and former chairman of the Wakefield Housing Authority.

EVA M. (FOURNIER) DAILEY, 86, who retired from Salem State University in 1995 following 15 years in custodial services, died on May 30, 2016, at the Hunt Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Danvers following a long illness. She worked for Shetland Industries from 1962 through 1972 and was a member of the former St. Joseph Parish of Salem.

M. VIRGINIA “GINNIE” (MURPHY) DUNN, 66, who worked for Salem State University for 40 years, retiring in 2014, passed away peacefully on February 5, 2016, at Beverly Hospital, following a brief illness. Born and raised in Peabody, Ginnie went to school at St. John’s in Peabody, Bishop Fenwick High School and Suffolk University.

DANIEL GORDON of Brookline, a professor emeritus at Salem State University and adjunct professor at Northeastern University, passed away on January 12, 2016. An avid follower of Boston sports, and an avid reader of history and stories of war, he recently traveled to Normandy. Daniel’s favorite place was Rockport, Mass., where he spent many summers swimming, vacationing and enjoying the ocean.

FLORENCE F. GRAHAM passed away on November 23, 2015, at Care Dimensions in Danvers at the age of 85. After acquiring her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Salem State University and then her coveted doctor of education from Nova Southeastern University, she launched into her second career as a professor of history at Salem State, from where she eventually retired. Travel to the UK and into Europe with her husband on his various assignments was an added joy in her life. Additionally, Florence cherished her time and effort in support of the Navy Nurse Corps Association along with her involvement as a member of her beloved Corinthian Yacht Club.

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JEFFREY V. KELLY, 69, passed away on January 23, 2016, at the Kaplan Family Hospice House, surrounded by his family.

Jeffrey grew up in Pleasantville, N.Y., and was a graduate of Pace College, where he was recently inducted in the Pace College Basketball Hall of Fame. He then received his master’s degree from Lesley University in Boston. Jeffrey worked as a professor for various ages and many schools. He most recently taught English at Salem State University and for the past seven years, Endicott College in Beverly. Jeffrey was a very smart and talented man, having written four children’s books. He was an avid reader, a lover of sports and most of all, loved his family.

RICHARD P. KEVILLE, 83, of Salem, died on June 27, 2016, at his home surrounded by his loving family. Raised and educated in Revere, he continued his education at Boston University earning his bachelor’s degree in biology in 1959 and his master’s degree in 1962.

He earned his doctorate in Biology from the University of North Dakota in 1974 and earned a second master’s degree from Harvard University School of Public Health in 1982. A lifelong learner, Dr. Keville pursued numerous career paths over the course of his life: US Postal service, Plant Quarantine Inspector, stuntman. An honorably discharged veteran, Richard served his country as an aircraft radio operator in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. He was stationed in Germany for much of his active duty, and he immersed himself in the culture that surrounded him, fluently speaking German. He enjoyed many return trips to Germany.

Doctor Keville was a tenured professor of biology at Salem State University from 1962 until the time of his retirement in 1996.

MARTHA A. (O’NEILL) LOMBARD, 76, of Georgetown, passed away on April 24, 2016, surrounded by her loving family.

Martha graduated from Boston College with both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in nursing, and received a second master’s degree in education from Salem State University. She worked at Salem State for many years as a professor of nursing.

JOHNES K. (JAY) MOORE, 84, of Marblehead, died March 13, 2016, at Beverly Hospital from the effects of Parkinson’s disease and pneumonia. He was a professor emeritus at Salem State University where he was a member of the biology department.

He taught courses in ecology and environmental science. An avid birder, he was a member of the Essex County Ornithological Club where he served as president and, for many years, kept the books as treasurer. After earning his bachelor of arts from Bowdoin, he accepted a commission in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Japan as commander of a tank corps in the interval between the Korean War and the war in Vietnam. He continued his military service in the Marine Corps reserve and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

More educator than soldier, Jay developed a keen interest in the importance of healthy estuaries. A member of the New England Estuarine Research Society, he was instrumental in bringing that group to Salem State for its first organizational meeting. He devoted considerable time and effort to the activities of the Salem Sound 2000 environmental science group. The Forest River and its environs were of particular interest to him, and he helped raise the

ALUMNI

consciousness of numerous students about the importance of the local watershed. Drivers on Route 114 could spy him leading a group of students to the Forest River to observe the habitat. Lucky groups got to go to Chandler Hovey Park and witness the activities of the tide pools at Lighthouse Point. For him, the most significant “lab” was outdoors. Retiring after 25 years of service at Salem State University, Jay relaxed into his hobbies of sailing, birdwatching and traveling. He built several boats and was a member of the Salem Willows Yacht Club. He and his wife Claire joined Elderhostel (Road Scholar) and ventured to admire the birds in Costa Rica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Greece, Italy and numerous locations in the states.

MILDRED (AIROLA) TAMMINEN, 93, of Gardner, died peacefully on November 6, 2015, in Wachusett Manor Nursing Home. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston University, a master’s degree from Salem State University and A PhD from Boston College.

Mildred pursued a career in scientific education and was the chair of the chemistry department at Mass General Hospital School of Nursing. She then joined the faculty of Salem State University as a chemistry teacher and was the author of a chemistry book for nurses. In 1987, Mildred and her husband returned to Gardner to spend their retirement years.

LOUIS J. THERIAULT, JR, 81, passed away on March 9, 2016, in the Masconomet Healthcare Center. Lou was raised and educated in Danvers and graduated from Holten High School in 1952. He went on to receive both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Salem State University. Lou spent 13 years as the continuing education director at Salem State, where he was instrumental in initiating a scholarship program for student nurses in need. He was also a professor at Salem State for many years for the business education department. Louis loved opera, and spent many hours listening to the arias of great artists.

He had a beautiful baritone voice and had been a soloist at Saint Mary of the Annunciation for 38 years. He also had a dry wit, which everyone enjoyed.

WINSTON EDNA (WEST) THOMPSON, 82, passed away on March 26, 2016, at Devereux House Nursing Home in Marblehead Massachusetts. Dr. Thompson worked in the field of higher education for many years. She was a guidance counselor at Essex County College in Newark, N.J., and then became associate dean of student affairs at Livingston College in New Brunswick, N.J. After that, she became the dean of student development at Tombrock College, Paterson, N.J. Later, she moved to Massachusetts, to take the position of vice president of student services at Salem State University, and finally retiring from the position of executive officer—academic affairs and research at Connecticut State University, Hartford, Conn.

ROBERT G. TURNER, 88, passed away peacefully on February 26, 2016, at Care One at Peabody with his family by his side. Robert served with the U.S. Marine Corps at the close of World War II. Following his tour of duty, he worked in the personnel office for the University of Connecticut. He and his family moved to Salem In 1969, when he began working in the financial aid office for Salem State University. He retired from Salem State in 1994. Robert was a quiet, good natured man, with a dry sense of humor. He enjoyed reading and sitting outside, and enjoying fine weather. He also loved travel and over the years had traveled to Japan, Hawaii, England and France, as well as the Panama Canal.

REGINALD JAMES ZWICKER, 91, died on May 19, 2016, at the Monadnock Community Hospital following a brief illness. Born in Salem, he was a graduate of Salem High School. An honorably discharged veteran, he served his country as a member of the United States Navy during World War II. Mr . Zwicker began his professional career with the former A.C. Lawrence Leather Company of Peabody. He was a dedicated and faithful employee who saw the company through its last days. He then matriculated to Salem State University and Salem Hospital where he was employed as a custodian until the time of his retirement.

Alumni From November 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016 Dorothy Depietro Mastronardi ’37, ’60 Florence Bradbury Flanders ’38 Miriam Lyons Tremblay ’38 Janet Parker Deneault ’39 Mary Koroskys Bulmer ’40 Clara Madian Jaffe ’41 Norma Cogswell ’45 Mary Wood Callahan ’46 Frances Briggs Gilday ’46 Georgia Pappas Sawyier ’46 Martha M. Moran ’47 Marjorie Livingston Pratt ’47 Elaine Centracchio Heil ’48 Geraldine Buckley Moulaison ’48 Evelyn Mason Barnett ’51 Heleneahern Rogers ’52 Marilyn E. Flaherty ’54 Gertrude H. Cares ’55 Joan Smith Crowther ’55 Louis J. Theriault ’56, ’61G Shirley Terminiello O’Donnell ’57 Jean P. Perron ’57 Lorraine Belle Prendible ’58 Charles A. St. Paul ’58, ’61G Richard R. Burns ’59, ’66G Johannah Carroll York ’60 Dorothy Holmes States ’61 Ronald E. Leary ’62 John J. Reynolds ’62, ’66G Marie Gonyea Blair ’63 Barbara T. Rizzo ’63, ’73G Marion Ruddock Swiniarski ’64 Maureen O’Neal Bolognese ’65 James D. Considine ’65G Marcia Foley Hersey ’65 Robert L. Sampson ’66G Suzanne Dey Schlegel ’66 Miltiades Vorgeas ’66G Martha O’Neil Lombard ’66G Donna Nathan Thomas ’67, ’71G Paul M. Troy Esq. ’67 John C. Coggin Jr. ’68G Linda Arakelian Curtis ’68, ’73G Janet Hollan Gainey ’68 Dana L. Walker ’68 Michael J. Hanrahan ’69 Donald A. Bernier ’70 continued on page 63

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Remembering Marilyn ‘MOTIVATED TO ACTION FOR THE GOOD OF THE SCHOOL’

BY ASHLEY FESTA

For someone who didn’t drive, Marilyn Flaherty surely got around, especially when it came to anything Salem State related.

“There were no more than a handful of events that she missed,” said Eileen O’Brien ’01, ’09G, associate vice president of institutional advancement.

Flaherty, a prominent member of the Class of ’54, lived in Arlington, Mass., and traveled by train and bus to and from the university, sometimes several times per week to attend board meetings and events.

In more recent years she was often transported by a driver, but the story begins back in the early ’50s when she was a young commuter. In 1954, Flaherty earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the university back when it was Salem Teachers College. Her career centered around public schools in Arlington, where she taught third grade, consulted with a dozen schools about reading programs and spent nearly 30 years as a principal in several schools. In all, she spent more than 50 years as an educator.

Salem State was the center of it all. Flaherty spent nearly 60 years on the board of the Alumni Association, where she served as president twice. She also served on the board of directors of the Salem State University Foundation and the Friends of the School of Education. As part of the Friends board, she helped organize the Best Practices in Education Conference, a biannual event helping teachers stay current and prepared for the ever-changing classroom environment.

To honor her many years of service to the university, the alumni board voted to rename one of its awards the Dr. Marilyn E. Flaherty Distinguished Alumnus/a Award in 2006. “The ideal person selected for the award would, in essence, be like Marilyn—passionate, loyal, hardworking; someone who has distinguished themselves through their outstanding professional accomplishments,” O’Brien said.

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In Flaherty’s mind, though, giving back wasn’t just about giving her time.

She also supported Salem State financially as a member of the Sullivan Society for more than 30 years. “Marilyn gave because it was in her heart to do so, and because she knew that through giving she was a power of example. What is more inspirational and persuasive than that?” O’Brien asked.

Flaherty also founded the Mary, Marilyn and James Flaherty Scholarship Fund, given every year to a student in financial need, preferably to an education major from her hometown. She donated more than $25,000 to establish the endowed scholarship fund and “set a tone for excellence and advocacy for students,” O’Brien said. “Marilyn believed that education was the key to the future for all young people. She truly believed in the mission of Salem State.

That’s why she remained actively engaged with the university for decades.”

One of Flaherty’s favorite events was the Annual Scholarship Recognition Reception held by the Foundation to bring together more than 400 student scholars, family members, benefactors, and university employees.

“Marilyn was so committed to ensuring each student received the financial support necessary to graduate that she assumed the job of lead volunteer,” said Cynthia McGurren ’83, vice president of institutional advancement and the executive director of the Foundation. “She became one of the Foundation’s most vocal advocates.”

Jim Muse ’83, president of the Foundation, affirms Flaherty’s enthusiasm.

“She was tireless, loyal and ever-focused on the students of Salem State,” he said.

“When I joined the board in 2007, she was an unofficial ‘ambassador,’ showing me why the work is so important and helping me see how I could help make a difference, all with her trademark wit, friendliness and smile!”

O’Brien was a new administrator in the alumni affairs office when she met Flaherty many years ago. At the time, Marilyn was an alumni board member, and she spent time teaching O’Brien the ropes. She would become not only a resource and guide for O’Brien, but also a good friend.

“She was all-in,” O’Brien said. “She knew all of the staff, and even remembered our kids’ birthdays. I learned a lot about humility from Marilyn. She was motivated to action for the good of the school, not for the recognition. We knew we could depend on her. I cannot recall a single time that she declined an opportunity to get involved.”

Early this year, Flaherty suffered a stroke and never fully regained consciousness. She died on February 29 at the age of 83. It was a tremendous loss.

“It’s not easy to encapsulate all my feelings about Marilyn,” McGurren said.

“Our foundation board meetings since her passing have been somber. However, we have very wonderful memories of her and know we will carry on her work.”

“She will always be remembered by those of us who had the privilege to know her,” Muse said.

“We all loved Marilyn,” O’Brien added, choking up. “She was always there for us. It was like she was woven into the fabric of Salem State. She was so subtle that I honestly didn’t fully realize how much I relied upon her until she was gone. It has been very hard for all of us, and she is sorely missed.”

Ashley Festa is a professional journalist who has written for a previous issue of the Salem Statement.

Alumni From November 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016 (continued from page 61)

Thomas G. Ottavi ’70 Joan M. Cardile ’71 Albert J. Foster Jr. ’71G Carol Ferrone Mastromauro ’71, ’75G Florence F. Graham EdD ’72, ’77G Kathy-Ann Samia Bateman ’73 James R. Lyons ’73 David R. Richard ’76 Robert F. Pierce ’77 Barbara M. Sosnowski ’77G Thomas W. Burns Jr. ’78 Neil F. Farren ’78, ’96 Karen L. Hovanasian ’78 Carleen Altobelli Johnson-McEvoy ’78 Jane Porter Potter ’79 Paul M. Hanson ’80 Althea Bennett Hatch ’80 David F. Arrington ’81 Michael J. Fraser ’81 Richard C. Dolan ’83 Marie Callahan Brown ’84 Patricia Morris Toomey ’84G James E. Deady ’85 Virginia Mann Whipple ’86 Steven W. Staffiere ’87 Lisa Serteridestaylor ’87 Debora Dawkins Costello ’88 Kathleen Pacheco Salter ’88 Karen A. Pecci ’89G Mary Anne Crowley ’90 Karen Mccarthy West ’90G Barbara A. Steele ’91G Glen A. Drabinowicz ’91 Lisa Hiltunen Stepanick ’93 Benneville N. Strohecker ’93H Scott B. Lais ’98 Tania Diachisin Weymouth ’98, ’07G Virginia L. Thompson ’00 Laurel J. Chernoff ’01 Jody Casiello Carregal ’02, ’04G Jill P. McKeown ’02 Margaret Kowa Freeman ’05 Marc P. Ceccarossi ’08 Ms. Alma F. Lee ’09 Ralph Kaplan ’11H Natacha Benoit ’13 Hollie L. Bernard ’14 FA L L 2 0 16 I S A L E M S TAT E M E N T

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CLASS NOTES

’14

CLASS NOTES

NICOLE CHASE tied the SAR AH LOPEZ is

excited to continue her teaching career in Springfield, Mass. She will be a part of the restart team at UP Academy Kennedy as a founding history teacher. UP Academy Kennedy is a tuition-free, boundary enrollment, Springfield public school.

’15

COREY A . AMIR AULT is the newest

member of the Amirault family to receive a degree from Salem State University. He received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in May 2015, following the footsteps of his father, Mark Amirault, class of 1984, and his mother, Barbara J. Yee-Amirault, class of 1989.

knot on October 10, 2015, with Richard Chase, also an alum of Salem State University.

Congratulations to you both!

TINA MARIE GIARL A has

been named as the 2016 recipient of the Alumni Rising Star Award.

Congratulations, Tina!

MU’MINAH SABREE ’15G

interned last year at the DCF Central Office in Boston while working toward her Master of Social Work degree, and now holds a position there as a program coordinator in the Department of Children and Families.

’16

LILLIAN

MAT THEW FORD recently

BL ANKENSHIP

obtained his first full-time job, only a few weeks after graduating from Salem State. He is satisfied to be working as a mental health worker at Arbour HRI Hospital, utilizing his psychology degree.

is very happy to be working at Wayside Youth and Family Support Network as a youth and family support worker.

Leaders Wanted!

The Alumni Association Board of Directors seeks to fill new alumni member positions for the 2017-2018 term. Nominations are due by March 15, 2017. As a board member, alumni serve Salem State University and the greater community through a plethora of volunteer opportunities. Elections are to be held in April 2017. Those who are intrigued by this grand opportunity please visit salemstate.edu/alumni/ association. The mission of the alumni association board of directors is to promote professional, educational, economic and social interests of Salem State. Efforts of the Alumni Association foster camaraderie among participating members, as well as individuals within the Salem State community.

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2016-2017 SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Joseph Wamness ’00G, president Debra Lee Surface ’05, vice president of administration Christopher Corrente ’10, ’12G, vice president of outreach Mikki Wilson ’09, secretary Alyce Davis ’75, alumni trustees Pamela Doherty ’92, immediate past president AFFINITY GROUP PRESIDENTS Patricia Libby ’71 Friends of Education Kelly Quinn ’08, ’10G Friends of Social Work Barbara Baggs ’13G Bertolon School of Business Alumni Network MEMBERS AT LARGE Mary Bertrand ’13 Robert Callahan ’72 Guy Clinch ’89 Grazia Crivello ’09 Stephen Daly ’84 Kathryn D’Amour ’63, ’67G, ’81G Carol DiMento Esq. ’65, ’67G Josue Flores ’11, ’12, ’15G Joanne Mendes ’79 Janet Merriman ’82 Linda Power ’90 Timothy Shea ’83G Carol Vara ’85, ’92G Hope Watt-Bucci ’96G LEGACY MEMBERS Erik Champy ’89. ’94G Eileen Smith Connolly ’59, ’77G Richard Durgan ’69 Dorothy Foley ’48 Judith Josephs ’63, ’65G Josephine Kennedy ’72, ’76G Frank Lillo ’64, ’69G Jane Moroney ’60, ’62G Gary Roach ’80 Frederick Sannella ’64 Deirdre Sartorelli ’83 STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES Elizabeth Cabral, student trustee Daniel Veira, Student Government Association representative

ALUMNI T R AV E L PROGRAM salemstate.edu/travel

Dublin Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day March 15-19, 2017 5 days/3 nights Visit salemstate.edu/travel.php to see the full itinerary for this fabulous vacation destination!

352 Lafayette Street Salem, Massachusetts 01970-5353

MIT police officer Sean Collier, who was killed in the days following the bombings, is a 2009 graduate of Salem State.

A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit a scholarship named in his honor by his family, friends and the Salem State University’s criminal justice department.

ED DAVIS AND RICHARD DESLAURIERS WILL SHARE THEIR STORY OF THE

BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING RESPONDING TO TERRORIST ATTACKS, TRACKING DOWN THE OFFENDERS, AND REBUILDING COMMUNITY CONFIDENCE. LISA HUGHES: MODERATOR

PRESENTING SPONSOR

Thursday, November 3 978.542.7555 O’Keefe Complex salemstate.edu/series 7:30 pm