Southern Alumni Magazine Spring 2019

a publication for alumni and friends of Southern Connecticut State University

ALUMNI MAGAZINE | Spring | 19

F E AT U R E S

3 Health for All

A five-year, $3.68 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will help Southern address health disparities in the Elm City.

Anthony 14 Fantano, ’08, Gets Loud The founder of the award-winning vlog, The Needle Drop, has a lot to say about music — and his millions of fans are happy to listen.

18 125 Years Bold

There are anniversaries — and there are milestones. This year Southern celebrates both: 125 years of building communities and empowering lives.

Southern |

ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Spring | 19

32 Voice Lessons

Poet, artist, and lecturer, Pat Mottola, ’87, M.S. ’90, MFA ’11, shares her truth — and teaches others to do the same.

38 Cheers for 125 Years

D E PARTM E N TS

Southern’s anniversary celebration is in high gear — and there are more events on the horizon, including a fall gala.

2 ■ From the President 4 ■ Campus News 11 ■ Social Southern 12 ■ True Blue 34 ■ Supporting Southern 36 ■ Owl Update Norbert K. Tavares, ’06: From award-winning undergraduate to an academic fellowship with the National Cancer Institute

37 ■ Spaces & Places in New Haven Welcome to Westville

40 ■ Alumni News 42 ■ Hidden Campus 43 ■ Alumni Notes 48 ■ Southern Events Spring 2019 | 1

DEAR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS...

n my three years as president of this wonderful institution,

comprehensively support this student population.

I continue to be amazed at how transformative a

Last November, we launched the Swipe It Forward

Southern education can truly be.

meal-donation program. This resulted in 166 meals being

Toward the end of last semester, I joined Michael

distributed to fellow students in need. Similarly, a new

Kingan, vice president for institutional advancement, at

website introduced by the Office of the Dean of Student

some very productive meetings in Washington, D.C., with

Affairs shares resources that help students meet their

more than a dozen Southern graduates from varying

basic needs. And for some time now, the SCSU Alumni

backgrounds. All spoke

Association has partnered

warmly about the value of a

with Student Affairs — both

Southern education, and one

assisting with a Mobile Food

— now a senior research

Pantry and establishing

scientist — told me attending

emergency aid funds.

the university had literally

Likewise, the Office of

saved his life.

Sustainability has focused on

The more I get off campus

community gardening and

and meet alumni around the

food recovery, including

state and now around the

a terrific partnership with

country, the more I hear

Chartwells to retrieve unused

stories like this. A Southern

food from Connecticut Hall.

education truly makes

Almost 30,000 meals have

a difference.

been donated to local soup

As we move through our

kitchens since 2016.

125th anniversary year, it’s

Public health faculty are

important to bear this in mind as we look at how our

committed to all of this work and are conducting research

institution has changed over time, especially in recent

to help inform a comprehensive approach to supporting

years. The demographics of our population are changing;

our students. Simply put, when students can’t eat, when

the expectations of students, parents, and employers are

they have no place to sleep, when they have little family

changing; and the competition is changing.

encouragement for bettering their lives through

The campus community must continue to do our best

education, we must do more than offer classes and

to adapt to these changes — and I am confident that we

assignments. We must holistically help them navigate

will. Indeed, our students’ well-being is a high priority as

the complexities and challenges that they face.

we focus intentionally on supporting their capacity to learn and ability to persist to graduation.

As we move forward, it is important to acknowledge the complexities of our students’ lives, specifically, our low-income and working students. We know that the cost of attending college has increased and the availability of

By doing so, our students win, we succeed in changing lives, and our community has gained immeasurably. This is social justice in action.

I thank you for your ongoing support of our mission and our students’ changing needs as we begin the next chapter of Southern’s history.

financial assistance has not kept pace. As a result, we’ve seen an increase in the number of students who are

Sincerely,

not able to meet their basic needs for food, shelter, transportation, child care, and other essentials.

As part of our campus-wide commitment to social justice, a number of initiatives were introduced to more 2 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Joe Bertolino President

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Health for All Southern awarded a $3.68 million grant — its largest ever — to address health disparities in New Haven.

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he Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) combats health disparities in the U.S. through its REACH (Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health) program — and has awarded Southern a grant of up to $3.68 million to improve the health of New Haven residents. The Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE), which is cohoused at Southern and the Yale School of Public Health (YSPH), is [From left] Giselle Carlotta-McDonald, program supervisor, coordinating implementation of the Project Access-New Haven; Sandra M. Bulmer, dean, grant, which will be awarded over School of Health and Human Services; Kenn Harris, five years. director, New Haven Healthy Start; Alycia Santilli, director, CARE; Kathleen O’Connor Duffany, research and “Health disparities among communities of color in New Haven, evaluation director, CARE particularly in low-income neighborhoods, are an urgent public health problem that we must address,” says Alycia Santilli, director of CARE and assistant professor in Southern’s Department of Public Health. Partnerships are a key component of the initiative. A third of the money will be allocated to the New Haven community via local organizations to forward health projects that benefit low-income and underserved populations. The grant will bolster the efforts of programs already making a substantial difference in New Haven, notes Santilli.

Among the plans for the grant are to: • Improve access to health programs in New Haven for individuals at higher risk of developing a chronic disease. This includes expansion of CARE’s New Haven Health Leaders program, which prepares New Haven residents and Southern graduate students who live in the city to address health disparities in their neighborhoods.

• Expand the community health worker model used by Project Access-New Haven to help identify people who might not have a primary care physician and may need social services, such as food and transportation. This work will take place at social service agencies throughout the city.

• Start a nutrition ranking system at food pantries so that clients can more easily determine which foods are healthy.

• Promote community support for breast feeding among vulnerable populations.

• Work with transportation officials to help ensure people can walk/bike to their destinations and have access to bus transportation.

Many constituents are served through the initiative, says Sandra Bulmer, dean of the SCSU School of Health and Human Services. “This grant supports our community partners with their important work, provides resources for New Haven residents, and simultaneously expands practice-based learning opportunities for our undergraduate and graduate students,” she says.

The SCSU Foundation is providing funds to pay undergraduate and graduate students who are interning with the program.

The grant also enhances the partnership between Southern and YSPH. The latter is responsible for evaluation, which will be overseen by Kathleen O’Connor Duffany, CARE’s research and evaluation director, and a member of YSPH’s faculty.

Southern

ALUMNI MAGAZINE n VOL 16 • NO 1

Joe Bertolino, President Michael K. Kingan, Vice President for Institutional Advancement Executive Director, SCSU Foundation, Inc. STAFF

Patrick Dilger, Director of Integrated Communications & Marketing Villia Struyk, Editor Mary Pat Caputo, Associate Editor Kenneth Sweeten, Sports Marylou Conley, ’83, Art Director Isabel Chenoweth, Photographer Jason Edwards, Justin Laing Student Photographers Melanie Stengel, Contributing Photographer Charlie Davison, Alumni Notes OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS

Michelle R. Johnston, Director of Alumni Relations (203) 392-6500 EDITORIAL OFFICE

Southern Connecticut State University Office of Integrated Communications & Marketing/Southern Alumni Magazine 501 Crescent Street New Haven, CT 06515-1355 Telephone (203) 392-6591; fax (203) 392-5083 Email address: StruykV1@SouthernCT.edu University website: SouthernCT.edu Printed by The Lane Press, Inc.

Southern Alumni Magazine is published by the university in cooperation with the SCSU Alumni Association two times a year and distributed free of charge to alumni and friends of the university.

Opinions expressed in Southern Alumni Magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the university or the SCSU Alumni Association. Although the editors have made every reasonable effort to be factually accurate, no responsibility is assumed for errors.

Postage paid at Burlington, Vt. Southern Connecticut State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin, marital status, ancestry, present or past history of mental disorder, learning disability or physical disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or criminal record. Inquiries related to nondiscrimination policies and Title IX may be forwarded to Paula Rice, Title IX Coordinator and Director of Diversity and Equity Programs, 501 Crescent Street, BU 226, New Haven, CT, 06515; (203) 392-5568; RiceP1@SouthernCT.edu.

Spring 2019 | 3

C A M P U S NEW S n

Southern holds two graduate commencement exercises for students receiving master’s degrees, sixth year diplomas, and doctoral degrees.

The next ceremonies are on May 23 in Lyman Center.

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New Name. More Graduate Programs.

he recently renamed School of Graduate and Professional Studies offers advanced degree programs in more than 55 areas of study in the fields of business, education, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), health and human

services, and the liberal arts. Here are some of the newest offerings, designed to meet emerging student and workforce needs: • A new Doctorate in Social Work program — the first of its kind in New England — prepares master’s-level social workers for advanced employment and leadership roles in health and related fields. With this offering, Southern now provides three doctoral programs. The others include an Ed.D. in educational leadership and policy studies, and an Ed.D. in nursing education, which was developed collaboratively with Western Connecticut State University.

• A number of accelerated bachelor’s/master’s programs allow students to complete two degrees in five years. The option is available in athletic training, chemistry, cybersecurity, and therapeutic recreation.

• Southern’s successful MBA program has added new concentrations, which now include: accounting, general, finance, healthcare administration, international business, management, and marketing. Students may pursue the degree full- or part-time, and an accelerated option also is available.

• Pending joint graduate programs in coastal resilience and global management will be offered by Southern and Liverpool John Moores University — the first of a portfolio of joint degrees.

MORE AT:

4 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

SouthernCT.edu/academics/programs

n

n

New Civic Fund Supports Law, Social Justice

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OUTHERN’S INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL JUSTICE

has

been enhanced by a gift from an alumnus and prominent attorney.

Neil Thomas Proto, ’67, who had earlier set up an endowed schol-

arship at Southern for students planning to attend law school, has now established a Scholar and Civic Fund in Law and Social Justice at the university. The fund will support annual scholarly and performance-based presentations throughout the academic year in various media — including lecture, course- and community- based study, theatrical productions, movies, music, and art works. Each presentation, in and out of the classroom, will draw on the themes of law and social justice, while promoting students’ civic engagement.

“Many graduates, myself included, always embraced Southern’s valued place in our lives,’’ says Proto. “I applaud Southern’s ongoing imperative under President Bertolino to educate, inspire, and elevate the meaning of law and social justice.”

Fast Facts. Good News.

• The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system — which includes Southern — added $ in income to the Connecticut economy in the 2016-17 fiscal year, according to a new study

by Emsi. For every dollar of public money invested in CSCU, $11.70 is added in state revenue and societal savings.

11.1 billion

• Southern — in conjunction with its trans-Atlantic partner, Liverpool John Moores University — has formed a with institutions in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Shanghai, China, to promote international student exchanges, particularly at the graduate level.

consortium

646,000

• About $ in scholarships were awarded to Southern students through the SCSU Foundation in the 2018 fiscal year thanks to the generosity of alumni and friends. Students complete one application to apply for more than scholarships.

300

1,545

Neil Thomas Proto, ’67

PHOTO: MELANIE STENGEL

A retired partner with Washington, D.C., law firms, Proto has made his mark in numerous professional fields since graduating from Southern with a degree in history and subsequently earning a master’s degree in international affairs and a Juris Doctor degree at George Washington University. His public service in the United States Department of Justice and private practice in law includes 45 years of experience in land use, environmental, and federal litigation, as well as teaching assignments at Yale and Georgetown universities. Widely held as a leading environmental litigator, he has represented Native Hawaiians, and fought against the construction of highways on civil rights grounds, the use of natural re-

• Southern welcomed first-year students this fall — the largest class in more than 14 years.

The Class of 2022 hails from 145 Connecticut towns and cities, 13 states as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, and three foreign countries — Ireland, Italy, and Norway. The class also includes 91 “legacies,” meaning one or both parents attended Southern.

• Southern again hosted the 2018 Special Olympics Connecticut Summer Games from June 8 – 10, welcoming more than athletes, coaches, and volunteers.

5,300

sources, and harm to Indian reservations.

Spring 2019 | 5

C A M P U S NEW S n

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Southern’s Standout Faculty and Staff

Terricita Sass, associate vice president for enrollment management, was honored as one of the 100 most influential black leaders in the state by the NAACP Connecticut State

Terricita Sass

Conference. [from left] First place goes to business majors Troy Gray, ‘18, Tannor Fontaine, and Stuart Devotie.

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Championship Number Four — and Counting!

IN

Maria Diamantis, professor of mathematics and co-director of

December, Southern won the Connecticut Undergraduate Ven-

Southern’s Center

ture Capital Investment Competition for the fourth consecutive

for Excellence in

year, thanks to the hard work of a talented team of senior business ad-

Mathematics and

ministration majors: Stuart Devotie, Tannor Fontaine, and Troy Gray, ‘18.

Science, received

The annual event, which is open to students from all colleges and universities in Connecticut, is sponsored by the nonprofit Entrepreneurship Foundation. The competition challenges teams of students to review business plans submitted by college students and determine how to success-

the Betsy Carter Memorial Award for Outstanding Mathematics Leadership from the

fully “invest” in those hypothetical companies. The investment plans are

Connecticut Council

then evaluated by a panel of judges, all of whom are investment industry

of Leaders of

professionals. Southern’s team now qualifies for the regional competition.

Mathematics.

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Maria Diamantis

A Historic Look at Leadership On Nov. 3, an enthusiastic crowd packed the Lyman Center to hear

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author Doris Kearns Goodwin discuss her new book, “Leadership in Turbulent Times,” an in-depth look at the administrations of Abraham Lincoln, both Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson.

While Goodwin “found no master recipe for leadership,” she noted that the presidents she researched shared “a family resemblance” of characteristics. These included: humility, empathy, resilience, courage, the ability to listen to opposing ideas and connect with different types of people, and a commitment to keeping their promises. Goodwin also met with undergraduate and graduate students prior to the lecture.

6 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

faculty spotlight

Aukje Lamonica assistant professor of public health

RESEARCH FOCUS :

social determinants of drug use and addiction RECOGNIZED EXPERT:

the National Institutes of Health awarded a $340,000, three-year grant supporting research being conducted jointly by Lamonica and Miriam Boeri, associate professor of sociology at Bentley University in Waltham, Mass. The two scholars are researching the growing epidemic of opioid addiction, including heroin, in three areas: the suburbs of New Haven, Atlanta, and Boston.

WHY HER WORK MATTERS :

On average, 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose, and the number of overdoses has increased in cities and town of all types.

— Centers for Disease Control and Prevention NOTABLE QUOTE :

“Most studies have looked at inner-city drug use and that’s where a lot of the addiction services are located. But we are seeing an increase in opioid use in the suburbs, which are often devoid of these services.

We wanted to see if we could help enhance knowledge and understanding of this societal problem.”

— Lamonica as quoted in the New Haven Register

Spring 2019 | 7

C A M P U S NEW S n

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What’s New? SouthernCT.edu!

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Southern Goes Solar

A SOLAR PROJECT WAS INSTALLED IN THE U.S. EVERY 100 SECONDS IN 2018 *

— among them several new solar ar-

rays on the west side of campus that provide significant environmental and budgetary benefits. The installations include more than 3,000 photovoltaic panels designed to generate over a million kilowatt hours of energy annually — lowering Southern’s electricity bill by an estimated $60,000 a year. The new panels were installed in three arrays located on: a ground mount near Brownell Hall, a carport in the adjacent parking lot, and the roof of Wintergreen Garage.

The project has no capital investment or upfront costs

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HEN IT COMES TO A WEBSITE, you have 50

milliseconds to make a good first impression*— and the stakes are particularly high when you’re in the life-changing, service-oriented field of higher education. On Jan. 30, Southern launched a new website, developed collaboratively by the university’s offices of Information Technology and Integrated Communications & Marketing.

The site has an intuitive format to enhance the browsing experience, as well as a modern layout that emphasizes photos and video. Other enhancements include: a design that readily adapts to various viewing formats, including mobile devices; improved search capabilities; and greater flexibility when updating information.

The design is comprised of two sites: 1) a publicfacing site for prospective students and their families and 2) an internal site called “Inside Southern,” with content of interest to the existing university community. Please take a look at SouthernCT.edu.

to Connecticut taxpayers thanks to a three-way partnership between the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system, GE Solar Division, and the Connecticut Green Bank. Southern will purchase the electricity generated by the panels at a significant discount compared to previous utility rates.

“The SCSU community can take pride in this project,” says Robert Sheeley, associate vice president of capital budgeting and facilities operations. “Clean renewable energy from the sun means cleaner air and water, a healthier community, and an important step toward reaching our sustainability goals.” * Solar Energy Industries Association A solar array was completed in the main parking lot off of Farnham Ave. Panels also were installed behind Brownell Hall and on the roof of Wintergreen Parking Garage.

*Journal of Behavior and Information Technology

agazine Sierra M view ceton Re and Prin uthern S ly cite o repeated on’s f the nati as one o tally n e m iron most env rsities. e iv n u ble responsi 8 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Southern Students Get Read

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hat’s it like to launch a new student magazine? Co-editors-in-chief Victoria Bresnahan and August Pelliccio — both senior journalism majors — summed up the experience in the fall 2018 issue of Crescent Magazine: “Creating the first edition of a brand-new student magazine [spring 2018] took almost a year of reporting, collecting, sorting, and editing materials. Starting over from scratch, and making a second edition in just under three months was a challenge worth its journey.”

The most recent issue includes articles on students balancing studies and parenthood, and expressing themselves with unique hairstyles. For a lively, student-centric view of the Southern community, see the issue online at CrescentMagazine.org.

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New Elementary School Rises

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onstruction of the Barack H. Obama Magnet University School is in full swing — heralding the arrival of 490 children who will one day attend the elementary school

now being built on Southern’s campus. A true win-win initiative, the school will provide

Thanks a Million!

an exceptional learning environment for children in pre-kindergarten through fourth grade and an opportunity for in-classroom teaching for Southern education majors.

The three-story, 63,000-square-foot school is slated to open as early as fall 2019 and is being built through a partnership with the city of New Haven and its school system.

Formerly known as the Strong School, it was renamed in June 2018 and is the first school in Connecticut named after the former president.

A rendering of the elementary school and a scene from the ground-breaking ceremony.

••• n Southern’s refillable water stations have been used more than

1.166 million times.

That’s a lot of plastic kept out of landfills.

Future Campus Construction

The design phase is underway for a new home for the School of Health and Human Services. The building (right) will be located on the Fitch Street frontage adjacent to Pelz Gym. Design is also set to begin on a new home for the School of Business, which will be located on Wintergreen Avenue.

••• Spring 2019 | 9

C A M P U S NEW S n

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Shooting Survivor Speaks on Campus

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PEAKER DAVID HOGG ,

a survivor of the

shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas

High School in Parkland, Fl., one of the largest in American history, had a message for the crowd gathered at the Lyman Center on Nov. 27. “We in this room have a chance to stand up and speak out against violence and injustice for those who no longer can,” said Hogg, who also shared his message of “active citizenship” at a

•••

separate meeting with Southern student leaders.

More than

Hogg turned his anger into action by co-

80 events

founding the March for Our Lives Movement against gun violence. His grassroots activism and social media mastery mobilized millions of young people to work toward social change. The lecture was one of several signature events held during Social Justice Month in November.

were held throughout campus during Southern’s second annual Social Justice Month in November.

SocialJustice.SouthernCT.edu

•••

Share Southern

WHERE THE OWLS ARE :

Do you know someone who’d be a great fit for Southern? Please share this issue with a prospective student. Thank you!

a few artistically rendered Owls on campus

Engleman Hall

(perched on the roof)

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Owl Landing

THERE’S A NEW OWL IN TOWN: a five-foot wide bronze

Expect more.

Be more.

Southern.

Keep up with Southern on campus and in the community at: SouthernCT.edu.

sculpture installed outside of Engleman Hall. The sculpture

Alumni House

was purchased readymade and cost approximately $10,000,

(in the reception area)

including installation — a significant savings compared to commissioning an original design which can cost upwards of $100,000.

What’s next on the horizon? “Hopefully, we’ll start some new traditions,” says Michelle R. Johnston, director of alumni relations, who foresees students commemorating milestones like commencement by photographing themselves next to the sculpture or touching it for luck.

10 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Engleman Hall

(on the floor tiles in the building entrance)

Look Whooooo’s Talking

Posts, ’Grams, Tweets, and More

Chemistry major Destiney Coward is a national champion — with her sights set on competing in the Olympics. The university touted her accomplishments in a recent TV commercial. Find Southern Connecticut State University on YouTube.

It’s Southern’s 125th anniversary — and what better way to share the university’s history than through the eyes of its graduates? Among them: renowned motorsports announcer Richard “Dick” Berggren, ’65; celebrated actor Dan Lauria, ’70; and Jeannette Palluzzi, ’55, an educator who started an “unbeatable” basketball team. More at 125.SouthernCT.edu.

35.6K+ views for the first videos in this continuing series.

20K+ views

Nursing alumna Alyssa (Wesolowski) Brown, ’11, and husband Zach appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank — and walked away millionaires after accepting a $3 million buyout for their company.

The duo showcased their Moki Step, which attaches to a car to provide easy access to the vehicle’s roof.

President Joe Bertolino tweeted from the nation’s capital: “I had a wonderful meeting in Washington, D.C., recently with a group of young alumni. Their accomplishments and love for Southern were both inspiring and invigorating. . . . Southern alumni — where should we head next?”

Kate Vernon Wieczorek Congrats! Fastest deal ever!

FACEBOOK • SouthernCT • 23,600+ followers

Lisa Rebeschi #scsunursing #scsuproud 43 shares

278+

TWITTER • @SCSU • 7,050+ followers INSTAGRAM • SCSUgram • 3,460+ followers SNAPCHAT • SouthernSCSU

Join the Conversation!

Follow Southern on:

LINKED IN • Southern Connecticut State University

• 47,700+ followers

Connect with President Joe Bertolino:

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @SCSUTopOwl Spring 2019 | 11

TrueBLUE

From the pool to the playing field, a look at SOUTHERN ATHLETICS.

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Men’s Cross Country Crowned NE10 Champs

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Championship Win for Volleyball

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Smart Owls

IT

was history in the making for the men’s cross country team, which won its first Northeast 10 (NE10) Championship. The Owls finished the tournament with a score of 50 points — beating second place Stonehill College by a seven point margin.

Four Owls finished in the top 15: Christopher LeBeau, reigning NE10 Rookie of the Year, and Terrell Patterson, Connor Shannahan, and Jake Mattei. Crowning the achievement, head coach John Wallin, ’00, was named the NE10 Coach of the Year.

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outhern’s volleyball team won its firstever Northeast 10 (NE10) Championship with a sweeping 3-0 victory over second place American International College. This was the second year in a row that the Owls made it to the NE10 finals.

Seniors Alyssa Gage and Leanna Jadus were named to the 2018 NE10 All-Tournament Team.

Gage is the only player in the conference with more than 350 kills and 100 blocks, while Jadus is the only player with more than 350 kills and 300 digs.

Freshman Kailyn O’Neal was named to the AllRookie Team.

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outhern’s student athletes remain standouts in the classroom as well as on the playing field — finishing the 2017-18 academic year with a combined grade point average of 3.06. The Owls also had 403 student-athletes named to the Northeast 10 (NE10) Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll and 14 NE10 All-Academic Team selections.

MORE AT SOUTHERNCTOWLS.COM 12 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Kwadir Delgado-Mcintyre

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Owl Among League’s Best

SENIOR ELI PARKS WAS NAMED THE NORTHEAST 10 (NE10) CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE YEAR ,

after leading the league in numerous statistics, including carries (246), rushing yards (1,240), rushing yards per game (124), and rushing touchdowns (12). In all, 11 Owls earned all-conference honors — the most since 2009.

Parks also was one of only six NE10 student-athletes selected to the 2018 New England Football Writers College Division All-New England Team.

• Junior business administration major with marketing concentration • Owls Football • Hometown: Hamden, Conn.

Before Southern: Delgado-Mcintyre was team captain at Hamden High School, where he was named “Most Outstanding Defensive Player.”

Balancing act: works four days a week in the University Card Office “It’s work, football, and class. It’s busy,” he says.

Not-so-secret weapon: fits in naps whenever possible Pre-game ritual: “After they announce us when we come out of the tunnel, I run down to the opposite end zone and pray for protection and guidance. I do a little dance after I pray. Scream a little bit. Then I’m into the game.”

One great class: “I’m taking a management class with [Assistant] Professor [Laquita] Joyner-McGraw. We have great conversations in the class. Her approach let’s everyone contribute — and you come away understanding more.”

Eli Parks

You’ll often find him at: Connecticut Dining Hall * “There are 90 players, so there is usually someone I know there,” says Delgado-Mcintyre. Other favorite spots include the Academic Quad on warm days and Moore Field House.

On his Owl coaches: “Head coach [Tom] Godek, [’88] isn’t lenient on the field — but he’s understanding. He’s someone you can talk to. On defense, I work with Coach [Chris] Lorenti, [’10, defensive coordinator]. He’s a good match for my personality. He demands a lot from me — and feel I can live up to it.”

IT’S BEEN A SPECTACULAR SEASON FOR KIANA STEINAUER —

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Record Smashing Basketball

in fact, even Sports Illustrated is impressed. The magazine featured the Owl basketball standout in the January edition in the “Faces in the Crowd” section, highlighting her history-making performance.

Steinauer scored 33 points and grabbed 31 rebounds against Concordia College on Dec. 19, helping the Owls to the win. It was only the second 30-30 women’s game in NCAA Div. II history. A psychology major who hails from Ontario, Steinauer led the division in numerous statistics during the season, including double doubles, rebounds, rebounds per game, and defensive rebounds per game as of Feb. 4.

Spring 2019 | 13

The founder of the award-winning popular vlog, The Needle Drop, has a lot to say about music — and his millions of fans are happy to listen.

14 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

A

“They’ll tell me they’ve been watching me since [they were in] sixth grade. That’s almost like being someone’s weird internet dad or something.”

— Anthony Fantano, ’08 nthony Fantano, ’08, describes himself as the “internet’s busiest music nerd.” Spin — the legendary magazine turned webzine run

by Billboard-Hollywood Reporter — offers a different perspective, dubbing him “today’s most successful music critic.”

It’s an apt description. Fantano began posting music reviews on his YouTube channel The Needle Drop in 2009. Two years later, he walked away from MTV’s second annual O Music Awards with the “Beyond the Blog” award. Today, Fantano is a celebrity in his own right, connecting with fans across multiple social media platforms, including YouTube/theneedledrop (more than 1.75 million subscribers), Twitter (473Kplus followers), and Facebook (229K-plus).

Fantano says his college years — specifically time spent at WSIN, the college radio station — expanded his focus on music and media. He majored in liberal studies, with concentrations in journalism, political science, and communication. During an internship at Connecticut Public Radio in Hartford, he proposed and ran The Needle Drop as a podcast — setting the stage for what would eventually evolve into his wildly popular vlog (video log or blog).

Over the course of two interviews, he talked with Gregory Gagliardi, ’18, and Southern Alumni Magazine. In the following excerpts, he shares thoughts on Southern, success, and the meaning behind the flannel shirts he wears in his reviews. (Yellow signifies a great album; red, not so much.)

By Gregory Gagliardi, ’18, and Villia Struyk

HOW DID YOU COME TO ATTEND SOUTHERN? COMING IN , I was thinking radio, radio, radio. So I was

looking for a college with a radio station — a place that was close to me that was affordable. Southern seemed like the best of all of those worlds.

HOW DID SOUTHERN HELP PREPARE YOU TO LAUNCH THE NEEDLE DROP? [SOUTHERN] provided places like the radio station and

the school paper — training grounds to learn the ropes of journalism and broadcasting. In fact, I was there [at the station] even before school started. It was priority number one because that was my career goal.

HOW ACTIVE WERE YOU WITH THE RADIO STATION, WSIN? FRESHMAN YEAR I came in and did a show. I hung out

all the time, put in a lot of effort, and made a lot of friends. They saw I had a passion and interest. . . . That put me on the map for a lot of people and allowed me to go up the ranks at the radio station pretty quickly. I was the general manager for two years; the music director for a year before that.

AND THE SHOW? I HAD A SHOW pretty much the entire time — except for

a span when I was also the general manager and thought it was too much to juggle. But toward my final year at Southern I brought it back. I had gotten control of juggling work, school, the radio station . . .

SO YOU WERE BALANCING EVERYTHING WELL. AT THE TIME, I didn’t feel like I was doing it very well. I

was general manager and there was a lot of turbulence.

The new student center had just opened and every other 16 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

club — every other everything — had moved [to the new building]. We were in the old student center for over a year, if I remember correctly. We were literally the only people in the building. Sometimes in the winter, the heat was not as high as it should have been. . . .

IT SOUNDS VERY REBEL STUDENT RADIO. IT SEEMS VERY COOL in retrospect, but everyone in the

Radio Club was miserable about it at the time. [laughs]

THE PROFILE OF YOU IN SPIN IN 2016 MENTIONED THAT A PROFESSOR HELPED YOU GET AN INTERNSHIP WITH CONNECTICUT PUBLIC RADIO. IT WAS THE [WSIN] ADVISER, Jerry Dunklee, [professor

of journalism]. By the time I finished college, my game plan was to go into radio as a political reporter, which is why I ended up at WNPR in Hartford.

WHAT WAS THAT INTERNSHIP LIKE? IT WAS A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY to learn more

about the technical aspects of the business, since the amount of production they did was far greater than at the [university] station. I also got to see everything I’d learned in my “ethics in journalism” classes applied, sort of rubber to the road — in terms of what they were reporting and how they were reporting. The lengths they went to get an interview or clarify information. . . . Those are all things I still draw on today.

HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED THIS TYPE OF CAREER? WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, my aspirations were either in

radio or in voice acting. [laughs] As my passion for music grew, my efforts started pointing elsewhere. The whole YouTube thing never could have been predicted.

[YouTube formed in 2005.] . . . But as the platform grew, certain aspects like the partner program [which lets creators monetize their content] began to gain steam, and there were YouTubers out there who were actually making a career out of what they were doing. [For me,] it seemed like a last-ditch effort. Because the podcasts and the blog were not really panning out monetarily, so I figured YouTube might be my last hope.

But I had no way of foreseeing that I’d be doing music reviews on YouTube — and not just because of the YouTube factor. I didn’t grow up reading reviews. I wasn’t comfortable considering myself a reviewer or critic when I was doing the podcast initially. Those are two aspects of my career I stumbled into through experimentation.

WAS THERE A SPECIFIC POINT WHEN YOU FELT LIKE YOU’D MADE IT? I WAS ABLE TO TAKE The Needle Drop full time in 2012.

I was making just enough money to move into an apartment with my girlfriend, so it was a ‘real’ job.

Beyond that, what says to me, ‘you’ve made it,’ is the way the audience perceives what you do and how they interact — especially in the internet age. Are you familiar with the website Reddit? [Founded in 2005, Reddit is a huge collection of online forums devoted to different topics.] . . . There is a [sub]reddit with 30,000 people who post about me. . . . [It was up to 44,200 at press time.] They post the most insane stuff — not bad — but insane in their level of devotion to every word that comes out of my mouth. To me, this says that this is a cultural phenomenon — not on the level of Drake or anything like that — but it has certainly brought me to a point where I can sustain myself and my loved ones. That means something to me.

THAT MUST BE REALLY SATISFYING. BACK WHEN I HAD TO STRUGGLE — not only to make

ends meet but also to see the effect of what I was doing — I’d think, ‘I’m going to have a panic attack or two this month about what I am doing with my life.’ That doesn’t happen these days, mostly because I am too busy.

WERE YOU ALWAYS INTERESTED IN MUSIC? ABSOLUTELY. Collecting cassette tapes with my boom

box. I loved a lot of radio music: pop and rock, hip-hop, whatever was popular at the time. When I got into high school, it was more alternative and punk. College helped expand my focus. We’re talking about the growth of P2P [peer to peer] file-sharing services like Napster, which are obviously obsolete now that we have music streaming.

But at the time it was a music library, since I didn’t have all the money in the world to buy every other CD or album.

The [Southern] radio station and the university also helped. It wasn’t only the CDs and albums flowing into the station, but other resources like [Southern’s Buley] library. . . . I’d take out 15 or 20 CDs at a time. And during my 45-minute commute to school I’d listened to all the jazz CDs I’d illegally burned from the library.

YOU’VE ACHIEVED MAINSTREAM SUCCESS WITH THE NEEDLE DROP. HAS INCREASED EXPOSURE BROUGHT ANY PROBLEMS? SURE, but nothing worth complaining about. All jobs

come with their pros and cons. The only downside is the occasional, unintended creepiness of random people who might say something a little weird online. If you have millions of people watching you every month there are going to be one or two who don’t have any boundaries.

The upsides far outweigh that. Most people have been really cool and respectful.

continues on page 47 Spring 2019 | 17

1893

201

There are anniversaries — and there are milestones.

This year Southern celebrates both: 125 years of building communities and empowering lives.

You only turn 125 once, and when those years are marked by a dramatic evolution and countless accomplishments — including 95,000-plus graduates — it’s time to celebrate. Southern’s story began on Sept. 11, 1893, when New Haven State Normal School (NHSNS) opened in a renovated elementary school on State Street. Almost immediately, the space was too small, heralding Southern’s rapid growth to come. The normal school became a college (1933) and then a university (1983), and in the interim acquired land on a former farm near the Hamden town line to build a campus (1951). The years passed and NHSNS transitioned from a two-year normal school dedicated solely to preparing teachers to its position today: a comprehensive university offering 225-plus undergraduate and graduate programs.

There were, of course, myriad developments and memories made along the way — 125 of which are highlighted in the following pages. There are historical photos (the changing Owl mascot, a retrospective of great hair days); best-of lists (cool campus locales, reasons to brag, standout research); and more. The list isn’t all encompassing: a lot happened in 125 years! But coverage continues on the web (125.SouthernCT.edu) with a timeline, more Southern memories, and a calendar of anniversary events — including the fall gala on Oct. 19. We hope to see you there. In the meantime, let’s kick off the celebration with a look at Southern’s illustrious past and its equally promising future.

Spring 2019 | 19

M OR E OR L E S S :

10

C HA N G E S F OR T HE B E TTE R

Less awkwardness • Southern no longer requires gym uniforms. 1 Less drudgery • In search of a class motto, Arthur B. Morrill, the first principal of New Haven State Normal School, 2 suggested a line from a poem by Richard Garnett: “Blessed be Drudgery.” The students were not convinced.

More men • In 1936, Ed Cleary become the first man to attend Southern. “All

peaches — not one lemon,” said Cleary, commenting on his 300-some female classmates in the student newspaper. The male presence on campus inspired several changes: men’s showers were installed and one professor requested that her desk be equipped with a modesty panel. By 1938, six men were enrolled, prompting the yearbook editor to write: “Men — we want more of them since we like the samples.”

Today’s incoming class is comprised of 38 percent males and 52 percent females.

1 3

More diversity • Few minority students attended New Haven State Normal School

in the early years, and those who did often found it difficult to find work after graduation, prompting then Principal Arthur Morrill to intercede on their behalf.

“Booker T. Washington and other black leaders wrote to Morrill on several occasions looking for persons to fill teaching slots,” notes author Thomas Farnham in “Southern Connecticut State University: A Centennial History.”

As the years passed, Southern failed to attract minority students in any significant numbers. In fall 1984, fewer than one in 20 full-time undergraduates was black and fewer than one in 100 was Hispanic. Among 406 professors, only five were black.

Under the late President Emeritus Michael J. Adanti, the university earmarked $10,000 — half from the Connecticut Department of Higher Education — to recruit minority candidates for teaching and administration. Still, progress was slow.

Benjamin Hooks, the executive leader of the NAACP, spoke during Black History Month, and celebrity Oprah Winfrey 3 came to campus to help raise money for the SCSU Black Scholarship Fund. But by the end of February 1989, minorities comprised only about 7.5 percent of faculty. A month later — on March 11, 1989 — a fight broke out between fraternity members and six black students on the alumni footbridge. Soon after, Southern appointed Gayle Hooker as the first minority affairs director in the Connecticut State University System — and 4 500 students, faculty, and staff came together for a unity walk on campus on April 26, 1989.

In fall 2018, the Southern community again united in solidarity for a walk in support of diversity and social justice. The university also has launched numerous initiatives with this in mind. For example, the Minority Educator Initiative is designed to increase the number of black, Latino, and Asian students pursuing a career in K-12 education. It includes scholarships for minority students accepted in Southern’s education preparation programs, funded by a gift of more than $2 million from the estate of alumna and 32-year faculty member Carol Ann Shea. About 52 percent of the most recent incoming class are students of color. As of fall 2016, almost 20 percent of faculty were minority.

More places for students to rest their heads • Southern felt like home for

4 6

5

7

students in the early days — “felt” being the opportune word. For decades, there were no residence halls, though the student catalog promised the dean would help students find “suitable quarters” at the YMCA, YWCA, or in private homes. Seabury Hall opened in 1958, housing 125 women. That same year housing for men opened in the new College Union. Today, there are nine residence halls on campus, providing a home away from home for more than 2,600 students.

8 20 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

9

More showers

•

Only two showers were available to student-athletes in 1934, inspiring the Women’s Athletics Association to pass the hat at basketball games and organize bridge tournaments to support “the shower fund.” Today, Southern’s athletics facilities include Jess Dow Field (with seating for 6,000), Moore Field House, Hutchinson Natatorium, the Ballpark at SCSU, and Pelz Gym. There are lots of showers.

More to do

2

•

In 1926, students joined one of six clubs, including Parliamentary Procedure, and Advanced Folk and National Dancing. Today there are 150-plus clubs and organizations, which host more than 3,000 events annually.

•

In 1930, the first student orchestra was launched. 5 Today, performance opportunities for students include the University Choir 6, the Symphonic Band, the Jubilee Singers, the SCSU Drumline, and several ensembles.

More music

More fun at graduation • Arthur Morrill, the first principal of New Haven State

Normal School (NHSNS), grudgingly agreed to party. “We are ready to have the ‘blow out’ if you say so,” he wrote to Charles D. Hine, secretary of the Connecticut State Board of Education. The year was 1900 and Hine had insisted that Morrill — ever cautious with spending — start celebrating commencement. It was a big step. Less than a handful of guests were on hand in 1895 when the first-ever graduates completed their studies. Two years later, when Connecticut’s governor was invited to commencement, Morrill set the mood in advance. “We simply stop our work at about eleven oclock [sic] in the forenoon and the seniors receive their diplomas without other ceremony.”

By the 1920s, graduates celebrated with days of festivities, including a tea and “Last Assembly.” For the latter, the juniors bedecked Yale University’s Sprague Hall with flowers and greenery. Through the years, commencement moved to different locations, including New Haven Coliseum in 1975. (It’s recounted as a ruckus affair.)

In 1987, graduates received their diplomas in front of Buley Library for the first time.

Today, Owls earning graduate degrees are recognized at two commencement ceremonies in Southern’s Lyman Center. The undergraduate ceremony 7 takes place in Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn. Recent commencement speakers include actors Sigourney Weaver, Henry Winkler, and Marlee Matlin; journalist and book author Kim Barker; African refugee, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Derreck Kayongo; and, most recently, Hill Harper, an actor, author, and youth advocate. Last year, some 7,870 guests watched 1,354 members of the Class of 2018 cross the stage to receive their degrees. The day was marked by pomp and circumstance, and outright joy.

It included a relatively new tradition: a song sung by President Joe Bertolino. One can only imagine what Arthur Morrill would have thought.

More space for reading, research and more • 8 In April 1970, students, faculty, and staff moved 202,000 books to the newly opened Hilton C. Buley Library, named for the then-sitting president. The move, which took a little more than two days to complete, was coordinated by the late Eula H. Davies, ’48, M.A. ’52, then director of library services. “It’s amazing. Thus far we haven’t found a single book out of place,” Davies said.

Today, at 245,000 square feet, the recently expanded and renovated library is among the largest in the state. 9 Its many special features include: an Academic Success Center, a Learning Commons (complete with a computer lab, reference and information technology help desks, and adjoining private group study rooms), and a cyber café.

Sources: Southern Connecticut State University: A Centennial History 1893-1993 by Thomas J. Farnham and the Laurel yearbooks.

Spring 2019 | 21

L INES FRO M

2

S OUT HE R N S ON G S

1930 Let us sing to Alma Mater! To Connecticut’s true blue.

To the girls we’ve known at Normal, and their friendships staunch and true.

There are greater glories, surely. In the days that are to be — Normal hold our faith securely Founded 1893.

— Laura C. Jones, music and physical education instructor

PRESENT Like an Owl that’s meant to soar, our minds will rise forever to that heaven of knowing.

Teachers strive to guide all students to their heights in hope ambitions keep growing.

Alma Mater wise and strong gives us strength to carry on and guide the light of knowledge.

— Music by Mark Kuss, professor of music; Words by Timothy Parrish, professor of English

1

5

EX C ITING D E V E L OP M E N T S

• An innovative trans-Atlantic

2

3

4

partnership between Southern and Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) 1 offers research internships, study abroad opportunities, faculty exchanges, and soon, the first programs in a portfolio of joint master’s degrees: an M.S. in coastal resilience and an International MBA. With these, SCSU and LJMU will be the only American-Anglo universities offering more than one joint master’s program.

• Southern soon will be home to the Barack H. Obama Magnet 22 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

University School 2, an elementary school serving almost 500 children in pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. The school will provide exceptional inclassroom experience to Southern students. Under construction on Farnham Ave., the school is a partnership between the university and the city of New Haven and its school system.

• More than 3,000 solar panels

3 — with an annual generation capacity of one million kilowatt hours of energy — were installed on the west side of campus this summer. The project is expected

to save Southern about $60,000 a year.

• Launched this fall, the Professional Doctorate in Social Work is the first of its kind in New England. Southern also offers doctorial programs in educational leadership and nursing education.

• Design is underway for a new home for the School of Health and Human Services 4, a $74 million project fully funded by the state. Design also is set to begin on a new home for the School of Business.

5

BE ST SOUT H ERN M EM O RIES “Watching my daughter swim during her first year as an Owl!”

“My botany class was in an amphitheater with students in alphabetical order; I was fortunate to sit next to a boy at a time when the vast majority of the SCSC students were female. I was ‘Phillips’ — he was ’O’Grady.’ . . . We were engaged in 1967 and married in 1968. Now we are celebrating our 50th anniversary.”

— Lorraine O’Grady, president of the Class of 1968 and adjunct professor

— Karen Blakeslee, ’85

“Blizzard of ’78, Ramones at the Arcadia Ballroom, the Keg House, and the great men’s gymnastics teams coached by Abie Grossfeld. Ultimate Frisbie with Coach Pasqualoni. Did I mention the Keg House?”

“So many great memories it’s hard to narrow it down to just one. However, the bonfires on the Neff Hall field (now West Campus garage) tops them all. . . .”

“Our favorite memory was finding each other freshman year. . . .

We now hold so many amazing memories because of SCSU and all of the fun sports events and activities they held for us to go to.”

— Marvin Wilson, ’00, M.S. ‘06

— Claudia Caron, ’17

— John Caceci, ’80

1

C AM P US HOT S P OT T HAT ’ S G ON E B UT N OT F OR G OT T E N

As of Oct. 1, 1972, 18-year-olds could legally purchase and consume alcohol. But in March 1973, the Connecticut House of Representatives took it a step further, voting 118-15 in favor of the sale of beer on university campuses. At Southern, the College Union — affectionately known as the CU — was home to the cafeteria, the student newspaper, and the radio station. But following passage of this legislation, it also housed the “Owl’s Nest Pub,” which served bottled and draft beer and ale, and featured live entertainment. “The Pub is the only of all the state college on-campus cafes which is open from 12 a.m. to 12 p.m. on a daily basis,” boasted the 1979 Laurel yearbook. The state of Connecticut incrementally increased the legal drinking age in the early 1980s — until Sept. 1, 1985 when it became 21. The pub closed in 1981.

Spring 2019 | 23

6

SWE LL (GRO O VY, AW ESO ME, L I T ) P HOT OS

[clockwise from top] New Haven State Normal School’s training school faculty in 1928. Southern’s nursing program was launched in the 1969-70 academic year and is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

The SCSU Reflection Garden was the site of a holiday video featuring Southern’s acapella group NOTEorious, which was founded in 2016. The Astronomy Control Room is located in the Academic Science and Laboratory Building completed in 2015.

A history class uses Buley Library’s special collections this year. Dining in Connecticut Hall, circa 1970.

•

•

•

•

•

24 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

14

C OLLE GE SOUND T RA C K S

Billboard Top 100 began tracking hits in 1940. Here are their topranked songs — plus a few standouts from earlier decades.

1890 Down Upon The Suwanee River Professor Baton’s Brass and String Military Band 1900 A Bird in a Gilded Cage Steve Porter 1910 Ah! Sweet Mystery Of Life From the operetta, “Naughty Marietta” 1920 After You Get What You Want, You Don’t Want It” Irving Berlin 1930

Happy Days are Here Again Ben Selvin

12

REA S ON S T O B R AG

• Southern’s student-faculty ratio is 14:1, tied for the lowest among public universities in the state.

• Sierra Magazine and the Princeton Review have repeatedly cited Southern among America’s greenest universities.

• For the last two years, Southern was lauded for having one of the “Top 50 Financial Literacy Programs in the U.S.” — LendEDU.com

1940

White Christmas Bing Crosby

• Southern is one of only five colleges and universities to receive the 2017 “Excellence in Assessment” designation, recognizing institutions of higher learning that best proactively use assessment data to strengthen undergraduate education.

1950 Goodnight Irene Gorden Jenkins and The Weavers

• Beginning with the Class of 2020, all first-year students accepted into the Honors

1960 Theme from “A Summer Place” Percy Faith

• Southern provides students with 2,200-plus experiential and work-force prep

1970

1980 1990 Hold On Wilson Phillips 2000 Breathe Faith Hill 2010 TiK ToK Ke$ha 2018 God’s Plan Drake

Bridge Over Troubled Water Simon and Garfunkel Call Me Blondie

College receive a merit-based scholarship covering one-half to full in-state tuition.

Student retention rates in the program are historically well-above 90 percent.

opportunities annually.

• In the past four years, 98-plus percent of students in Southern’s accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program passed the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination) the first time — among the best records in the state. (State of Connecticut Department of Public Health, May 2018)

• The university is one of only 22 in the U.S. with graduate programs accredited by the International Dyslexia Association for providing exceptional teacher training.

• Southern is an NCAA Division II athletics powerhouse. The Owls rank among the top 10 nationally with 80 individual titles and 10 team titles.

• Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification was awarded to two campus buildings: the new science building and the home for the School of Business. The certification recognizes construction and design meeting exceptional ecological standards.

• Southern is home to the CSCU** Center for Nanotechnology, the only system-wide center for the field in the state.

• The Werth Center for Coastal and Marine Studies is the only CSCU** center dedicated to faculty-mentored student research that addresses environmental issues along the Connecticut shoreline and Long Island Sound.

**Connecticut State Colleges and Universities MORE AT:

news.SouthernCT.edu/owlpride Spring 2019 | 25

T UI T I ON T HR OUG H

1

9

onnecticut residents initially paid no tuition at Southern — even books and “special apparatus” were free as long as students agreed to teach in the state after graduation. In 1933-34, students began paying for their education — $20 annually, which the Connecticut Board of Education waived for the top 10 percent of students.

Affording college is more difficult for students today. The average tuition/fees at the nation’s private colleges was $34,740 in 2017-18, according to the College Board. In contrast, Southern’s tuition/fees are $10,954, demonstrating a committment to access and affordability. While a Southern education remains an incredible value, many students find it increasingly challenging to finance their education. Here’s a look at tuition over the decades.

TOU GH C H A L L ENGE Operating Costs covered by state funds

Academic Year

1893

100%*

Annual Tuition and Fees instate, full-time

1933 – 34

$

1948 – 49

$

20

1958 – 59

$

100

1968 – 69

$

100

$

678

* 1988 – 89* 1998 – 99* 2008 – 09* 2018 – 19* 1978 – 79

2019

35%

* excluding renovation of the initial building (a former

elementary school) paid for by the city of New Haven

8

DECADES

20

$ 1,130 $ 3,664 $ 7,179 $10,954

*Including general fees.

Not including room and board.

GR E AT H A IR DAYS

1967 1927

1986

1969 1945 26 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

1974

8

WAY S ALUM NI A ND F RIENDS MA K E A D I F F E R E N C E

• The Alumni Mentoring Program helped about 600 Southern students over four years.

• Thanks to the generosity of alumni and friends, more than 300 scholarships are available to students through the SCSU Foundation. Students complete one application to apply for all.

• Undergraduate Research Grants are awarded to students to complete research in any academic discipline represented on campus. Each grant recipient is guided by a faculty mentor.

• About 65 Southern graduates annually volunteer at Alumni Professionals Day, sharing career advice with students in a casual, no-pressure environment

• Almost $55,000 was raised during Southern’s 2018 Giving Day — enough for 50 new student scholarships and about $19,000 more than the previous year. Please help us set a new record by making a gift on April 16 — Southern’s 2019 Giving Day.

• Thanks to generous alumni, the number of matching gifts more than doubled last year — increasing by 132 percent. See SouthernCT.edu/ giving to see if your employer will match your contribution.

• The SCSU Foundation oversees several studentsupport funds that provide assistance outside of the traditional financial aid process — covering everything from prescription eyeglasses to books and supplies for students in need.

• The Ad Astra Investment Fund was

2004 2019

Thank You

• dra Lang • Cassan Lorenti Lisa Lancor Christopher Leung • Mann • • • Peter Michelle David Lake Mahon • LaDore • McNamara MariBeth e Lawler ty • Frank • Kevin • Mckenna • Eric Lachari Susan Larson • Michell y Mock • Hollis • Lynn • • Jeffer Misas i Steven Larocco Christopher nte • Sharo n Lynch • Morde McEachern como • Robert • Kathryn Murphy • Gia • Helen Marx elsen • Bennie • Micha Marino Doris • Diane y • ran Gary Morin McVer ry O'Lear es Mo ison • John • Jam • All thaler • ong Pang Moore • JiongD Joyce Diane Morgen Morgan • Wanda Outing Dawn Pello • Nevero w Winnifred • Vara Paul • Nelson li Orciuch • • Nicole • Gerard • A. Robbie • Chris Piscitel ey on Petto e Patters Christin Mariefi O'Mall Quimbaya • Cynthia • • Carlos y Parrish • Carrie Pettit • Timoth Timothy Quill • Paula • Paul Petrie aroli • Jenna Retort Lucille Perry Sue Quagli Reiman • • Anna Preis • hi • Dennis Jillian Rispoli • Deirdra Lisa Rebesc on • Risisky • Raffone • • Debra • Monica • Linda Robins Richmond Robinson Rudne Rice • Andrew Sal Rizza • Mary ki • Megan • e Mark Rozews Rivera-Alfaro • Marlen l Rogers • Ruggiero • Michae Sarah Roe Scibek • ro • Angela r Ruggie Sass • Jessica • • Jennife ro • Terricita • Tim Shea o-Corde Shea l Santiag a • Michae • Rebecc Stanley Seliga • Barbara Shiller y Sinclair • Robert Sheele Meredith Simms • Andrew Silady • Eric Smoyer • Smith • Amy StantonDeborah r • Dawn Spence • Stiles Smyth • Susan • Brigitte Carol Stewart n • Daniel Holmes • • Kari Swanso Talhelm • Cynthia Stretch • Melissa James Tait lt • Angela Swartz • • Jules Tetreau n Rosanne Tejeda ce Tomascak • Stephe l Lawren • C. Michae Todaro • ette Towle Van • Antoin • Joseph Tomczak • Tracy Tyree Aaron Patricia Turner • Maria Vasquez • Tucker • r re • e Vancou Gary Wetmo • Gilder • Michel Watson Yalof • Carlton ne • Kathy Washington ly Xayaso Zipoli • Komma • Richard Marvin Wilson Victoria Zigmont i Yang • • Xiaome

y Facult & Starffs!

Do n o

2018

MEGHAN OLSON PHOTO

established in 2007 by the SCSU Foundation with an initial $100,000 gift. The goal: to provide real-world investment experience to business students. The fund totaled almost $167,000 as of Dec. 31.

Baraw • • Charles • Karen Arborio • Judith Behler lis Aragon e Beason • s • Merrya • Moniqu Blackmer • Imad Antonio • Corinne • Betsy Beacom Bessenoff Samuel Andoh • Nicholas Bauer Broadbridge o • Gayle y Alston • Christine h Barton • Daphne in • Joe Bertolin • Leon Brin • • Debora Rondell Butler Omar Abid e Barrett • John Bergev Vincent Breslin Bulmer • • Christin -Drobish • Caputo k • Sandy Jim Barber • Mary Pat Denise Bentley Phipps • Jean Breny pher Budnic Canning Bennett • son • ti • Christo Bowerhuly • Ian • Therese ci Car y Brunet none • Laura Cammarata-Gil • Dar • Anthon evan n • Doreen n Kristen Borgog Dian Brown-Albert id Ch v a Camero D Carriga • • • ne • Mark tier • Braxton Cleary • Mary Brown • Jennifer Caldero Shawna • Robert Carpen gh • Xiao Cheng th Cook • • Terrell Bynum r d o n e • Cavana Kenne Chucta a • Shirley a C • Nancy • Brad Crerar • • Resh ne Christy u Conley Gregg Crerar • • Catheri Cassel la • Marylo DeMe zzo • Conforti Vincen zo Crawford n-Porteous Rober t co Rosemarie rd • Sarah no Dimic • Karen Christia ell • n • • Gaeta • • Ilene Crawfo • Sandra DeLeo' Cogsw Dooley an Richar d Cota Dilger Joseph Diana Dahlm • Rosalie Patrick Diaz • Diane Cook • rio • • Tanya ni D'Onof Cummings • Giovan o • Karen Ellen DeSist Joel Dodson Drobish • h a r o Robert b • s De Evans • on • Sadia Dougla • Marian ee Dix • Ram Scott Ellis Farrier • Durnin • • Ann s • Faracla Ferrie William Vincent h Fede • • Debora Marybeth • Nicole Fluhr • Flores William Robert Forbus Fopiano • elli • Rachel Flynn • Joy • Kelley Frassin • Adam Ellen Frank Gleifert Nicholas Krystyna Furey • Gordon • • • Phyllis Goldberg Cheryl Green owska • Gorniak-Kocik Dawn Grimes • Alexis y• berg • Jess Gregor line Harden • Wende Krista Haakonsen Hartog • • Martin Hollis Frank Harris s • Shirin Hegedu n • Kurt Hayes • Stephe k • Julia Irwin n• Ingeric le Johnsto • Kaitlin n • Michel Johnso Elizabeth • Brian Kagan • Jagielow • Barbara k • Paula Jordan Jones Kellogg • Robin Kenefic Renee • Ray Klicsu • Kalbfleisch Kim • Janet Kruczek • Hak Joon • Klay Kennedy y Krauss • Timoth Knight

Spring 2019 | 27

10

AT H L ET IC S FEATS T H AT STIL L MA K E HEA RT S SW O O N

• Southern’s Women’s Athletics Association was organized in the 1920s, offering volleyball, basketball, tennis, and baseball teams.

• Hoping to spur enrollment in the 1930s, Southern looked to a largely untapped group of potential students: men. The men’s basketball team was launched in winter 1938-39.

• The Owls football team finished the 1956 season with a perfect record to become the only undefeated and untied team in New England.

• The 1973 men’s gymnastics squad won Southern’s first NCAA Championship in any sport. Team member, John Crosby, ’74, competed on Team USA at the 1972 Olympics.

• Southern was well represented at the 1976

1

G R E AT S P O T T O F I N D LO VE — AN D 1 , 7 4 0 -P LUS AL UM N I M AR R I A G ES

Olympics: gymnast Peter Kormann, ‘78, won a bronze medal in floor exercise. Members of the U.S. women’s basketball team — Mary Anne O’Connor, ’75, and Susan Rojcewicz, ’75 — brought home silver.

• The men’s soccer team won its sixth Division II national championship in 1999 — following up tournament victories in 1987, 1990, 1992, 1995, and 1998.

• In 2003, Benjamin Michaelson, ’11, became a 10-time NCAA Div. II champion. He had the third fastest time in the Olympic trials behind Michael Phelps and Ian Crocker, barely failing to make the U.S. team.

• The women’s basketball team won its first-ever NCAA Division II championship in 2007.

• Swimming sensation Amanda Thomas, ’13, M.S. ’15, ended her college career with four national titles and 18 All-American honors.

• Student-athlete Destiney Coward became Southern’s most recent NCAA Div. II champion in 2018, winning the weight throw at the indoor track and field tournament.

28 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

y stor ove rees: l s ’ mily rn deg , e fa e Dor South .S. ’02 a L The des six (’96, M Frank d u incl Daniela ’09) an 5, Yr. M.S. ’9 h t . , 6 (’92 A ’98) MB

1

12

C O O L C A M P US S P OT S T O V I S I T

1 SCSU Sandy Hook Alumnae Remembrance Garden

4

2 Geological Rock Garden 3 The viewing area behind Buley Library clock 4 50-foot sundial at Engleman Hall 5 Founders Gate 6 The Tiffany Windows in Buley Library 7 H20 Liquid Zone Alumni House End of the Line/West Rock Engleman Hall Owl Science Building Rain Harvester Serie Metafiscia XVII Photos and information at 125.SouthernCT.edu.

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2 6

7

3

Spring 2019 | 29

O TU S GR OWS U P —

5

SNAP SH O TS

5

WAYS W E’V E GRO W N N UM B E R OF S T U D E N T S MORE THAN

84

10,000 N U M B E R OF FA C U LT Y

3

420

TEACHERS – PLUS A PART-TIME PHYSICAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR

FULL-TIME FACULTY MEMBERS —

87%

WITH DOCTORAL AND OTHER TERMINAL DEGREES

AC A D E M I C S

1

225+

TWO-YEAR TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM

UNDERGRADUATE & GRADUATE PROGRAMS

T HE C A M P US

1

38

BUILDING

BUILDINGS

AL UM N I

0 30 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

172 ACRES

95,000+

11

OF THE MA NY A M A ZING S U B J E C T S BE ING R E SEA RC H ED AT SO U TH E R N

y chemistr

biology

• Working with the Secoya indigenous tribe in the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador, James Kearns, assistant professor of chemistry, is investigating two elements present in the bark of a tropical plant traditionally used as a stimulant. The project’s goal: agricultural development of this formerly wild-harvested plant for possible use in energy drinks.

• Miranda Dunbar, associate professor of biology, and alumnus Christopher Wisniewski, ’16, M.S.’18, continue to explore the secrets of bat communication — including bats’ use of different “accents” depending on the purpose of the conversations.

science • What causes states to adopt electoral college reform — and how have these political factors and outcomes changed over time? Honors College member Megan Baker, who history is double majoring in political science and history, tackled the topic for her honors ollege thesis. honors c ication • Professor of Psychology Julia Irwin is studying neural responses associated with commun s audiovisual speech perception in children with autism spectrum disorders. Students disorder from the departments of communication disorders, psychology, and education are gy psycholo assisting with the research — which is being forwarded by a $394,000 grant from the education National Institutes of Health. nology nanotech

• How do processing conditions influence the growth of carbon nanotubes used for energy applications? Faculty and students are searching for the answer at the CSCU Center for Nanotechnology — where they’re also using electron and light microscopes to image biological materials at the nanometer (billionths of a meter) level.

gy • Senior psychology major Emily Velidow studied the relationship between social psycholo support and romantic relationship satisfaction in the LGBTQ+ community for her ollege Honors College thesis, which she defended in December. Among her findings: the honors c more social support one receives from friends and family, the more likely one is to be satisfied in their relationship.

ent, • A team from Southern’s Werth Center for Coastal and Marine Studies — including environm y, students Lauren Brideau (lead researcher), Brooke Mercaldi, and David Bakies, and geograph ine Professor of Environment, Geography, and Marine Sciences James Tait — is accessing and mar the effectiveness of a $9 million beach replenishment project at Hammonasset Beach. sciences The project was completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in December 2017.

y chemistr

• Candy Hwang, assistant professor of chemistry, is researching a potential opioid vaccine designed to inhabit the effects of heroin and fentanyl on the brain.

alth • Opioid addiction is also the focus of Aukje Lamonica, assistant professor of public public he health. She’s teamed up with Miriam Boeri, associate professor of sociology at Bentley sociology University, Waltham, Mass., to study addiction in three areas: the suburbs of New Haven, Boston, and Atlanta. The National Institutes of Health awarded the duo a $340,000 grant. (See page 7.)

logy anthropo

physics

• Anthropology students spent the summer excavating the grounds of the oldest stone home in New England — the Henry Whitfield House State Museum in Guilford, Conn.

— working under the direction of William Farley, assistant professor of anthropology.

• Dana Casetti, an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Physics, was part of a team of experts who used NASA’s Hubble Telescope to research two satellite dwarf galaxies — information that may help explain the birth of stars.

Spring 2019 | 31

Voice Lessons Poet, artist, and lecturer, Pat Mottola, ’87, M.S. ’90, MFA ’11, shares her truth — and teaches others to do the same.

By Joan Wells

W

hether she’s guiding Afghan women toward the right English word to express the pain of oppression or helping Southern students discover their voice, creative writing lecturer Pat Mottola, ’87, M.S. ’90, MFA ’11, is driven by a force beyond her own talent. “My goal in life is to help people and enrich their lives,” Mottola says. “ I guess I’m just a born teacher.”

Mottola — who teaches creative writing, poetry, and composition — has three Southern degrees: bachelor’s and master’s degrees in art education earned in 1987 and 1990, respectively, and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing received in 2011. She began experimenting with writing in about 2007, prompting her return to the classroom. “I thought, I love doing this, but I need to learn how to do it right. I had a lot to write about,” she says.

She originally envisioned taking only a few writing courses at Southern. But she was inspired by her first poetry teacher, the late Professor of English Will Hochman, and as time went on, her professors encouraged her to earn a degree.

After raising her children, Mottola taught art in various settings. When Southern later hired her to teach writing, it was a perfect fit, she says, building on her passion for education. She’s known as the professor who takes attendance — it counts toward students’ grades — and more notoriously as one with a strict policy of no cell phones in class. “I say, ‘If this was a job interview, you wouldn’t have a phone,’” Mottola explains. “I want the best for them. In the real world, their employers are not going to like that lack of respect.’’

But once the class is underway, students find something more meaningful than texting or the internet — their own voice. The interactive, workshop-style class is conducted in small groups. As the semester goes on, Mottola loves seeing students bounce ideas off one another, gaining confidence along the way. “Students realize they have something meaningful to offer the world,” she says. “They all have something to say.”

In one of her most fulfilling teaching roles to date, Mottola was a mentor for two years to Afghan women through the Afghan Women’s Writing Project. The project produced a book of poetry and prose, “Washing the Dust From Our Hearts,” in which women share details of their lives under the Taliban.

Because education for women in Afghanistan is discouraged, the operation was clandestine on their end. The women met at a secret location and mentoring was done online. Mottola gave the women writing prompts and feedback.

“A mentor can see in the poems/stories when the women are in danger. What can we do? I have often wanted to get on a plane and bring the writer back [to the U.S.],” Mottola says. “The most difficult thing for me is when I read about young girls — daughters or sisters, ages 12-14 — being sold to men who abuse them.”

In the introduction to the book, a woman named Pari, writes: “Writing began for me as an escape from my burqa, an escape from my most painful

continues on page 46

SUPPORTING SOUTHERN ■

Supporting Tomorrow’s Researchers and Innovators

John and Nina Caragianis firmly believed in the transformative power of education. Their daughter — now a celebrated Southern professor and administrator — has established a memorial fund that extends her parents’ legacy by helping Southern students.

By Natalie Missakian

Christine Caragianis Broadbridge, Southern professor, administrator, and donor, shares a photo of her parents — Nina and John W. Caragianis — taken when she earned her doctorate from Brown University.

34 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

W

hen Christine Caragianis Broadbridge was deciding on a college major, it was her father who nudged her toward the sciences — still an unconventional path for a woman in the mid 1980s.

“He said, ‘Pick the most challenging thing you can think of, and I’ll be there for you,’” Broadbridge recalls. “So I picked electrical engineering and physics.”

Broadbridge’s initial exposure to technology came from watching her father repair jukeboxes and pinball machines at the family’s vending machine business. She is a first-generation college student, but earning a university degree was always a given. “My mother and I talked about college every day,” says Broadbridge, who went on to graduate first in her class at the University of Rhode Island (URI), where she was one of a few women engineering majors.

A master’s degree and doctorate from the esteemed Brown University of Providence, R.I., followed. “I had my child by this time,” says Broadbridge, “and my parents were so supportive and proud that I was able to earn my doctorate while starting a family.”

In 1993 — at age 26 — Broadbridge became the first female engineering professor at Hartford’s Trinity College.

Today, she remains a tireless advocate for higher education at Southern, where she’s a physics professor, researcher, and the executive director of research and innovation — as well as a Yale Visiting Fellow.

Broadbridge is also a leader in the groundbreaking field of materials science, which studies the properties of materials like metals, glass, semiconductors, composites, and plastic.

Her research focus is nanotechnology — the manipulation of matter at an atomic level — an emerging discipline scientists say has the potential to revolutionize everything from healthcare to alternative energy. As the founding director of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Center for Nanotechnology at Southern, Broadbridge has helped launch countless students’ careers in the field.

Her commitment to these future scientists echoes her parents. Both cheered her on throughout her career, helping with college expenses so she could travel for research and training opportunities. “Education was so important to my parents,” she says. “It was something they stressed to me from a very young age.”

In 2018, Broadbridge and her husband William, who works in the high-tech electronics industry, established the John and Nina Caragianis Research and Innovation Endowed Fund at Southern. The gift continues the couples’ long-held commitment to education while honoring their memory. John Caragianis passed away in 2006; his wife, Nina, died in November at age 85.

The fund benefits undergraduate or graduate students at Southern with at least a 3.0 GPA who are enrolled in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) or STEMrelated field. The money can be used for books, supplies, travel, conference fees, software — or any academic endeavor that would enhance a student’s education or interest in research and innovation. Preference is given to first-generation college students.

“There are huge opportunities at Southern, and it’s really about encouraging students to seek them out, just like I did as a student,” says Broadbridge. She remembers her father taking her on trips to the bookstore at nearby Brown University, inspiring her to pursue a research opportunity at the Ivy League campus while still a senior at URI. “He always encouraged me to think about what I could do to expand my horizons,” she says. That early work — a partnership between Brown’s engineering department and Rhode Island’s jewelry industry — helped plant the seeds for her future research.

When establishing the fund at Southern, Broadbridge focused on STEM students not only because that’s where her passions lie, but as a nod to her father’s deep interest in science and technology. A self-taught businessman who ran a successful Newport, R.I., vending machine company — Newport Music/Automatic Vending Service — Caragianis chose the Navy over college. But he never stopped learning, says Broadbridge.

“As he got older, he wanted to learn everything he could about technology,” she says. Broadbridge recalls her father devouring science magazines and clipping articles he thought she’d find interesting or relevant to her work. “He was the one who started sending me articles about nanotechnology, way back before it was a hot field,” she recalls.

John and Nina instilled that same love of learning in their three children and eight grandchildren, says Broadbridge, who has a daughter, 22, and a son, 26, who graduated from Southern with a master’s in science education.

“The kids are getting older, but they still talk about my parents and their message,” Broadbridge says of her extended family. “That message was very consistent for everyone they knew: Look for opportunities, work hard, and we will be there to provide encouragement and support.”

Broadbridge says she chose to establish the fund at Southern for the same reason she joined the faculty: She believes strongly in the university’s mission and diversity, and the power of public education to transform lives.

Her life’s work has focused on projects that encourage young people in underrepresented populations — including women and minorities — to consider careers in the STEM fields. At Trinity, she started a program that paired Hartford high school students with research opportunities at aerospace giant United Technologies Corporation. It was highly successful, with 100 percent of participants going on to college, Broadbridge says.

While at Southern, she helped found the National Science Foundation-funded Center for Research on Interface Structures and Phenomena (CRISP) at Yale and Southern. As the center’s education director and a senior researcher, part of her role is helping high school science teachers inspire new generations of STEM students.

Broadbridge says her parents would be proud to know their commitment to education will live on at Southern through an endowed fund established in their memory. “I think they would be happy that I’ve chosen to do something that celebrates their legacy by inspiring and supporting the next generation of researchers and innovators,” she says.

SouthernCT.edu/giving n Spring 2019 | 35

OWL UPDATE ■ Norbert K. Tavares, Ph.D. American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellow National Cancer Institute (NCI)

[from left] Tavares in his new role with the NCI and in the lab as a Southern student.

N

orbert K. Tavares, ’06, recalls first reading about bacteria and being intrigued by everything he learned. Bacteria that lived in hot springs or “breathed” toxic metals. Bacterial blooms that ate oil.

“I grew up spending a lot of time outdoors climbing trees, playing in the dirt and ocean. That coupled with a strong curiosity and wild imagination, there was only one thing I could become — a scientist or a transcendentalist poet,” says Tavares.

The scientist ultimately won out — but only after a lot of soul searching. Tavares first attended college in Florida where he was discouraged from planning a career as a biologist. “I wasted a lot of time pursuing majors that were hot like computer science and pharmacy, but I didn’t enjoy them.”

A move to Connecticut and subsequent transfer to Southern set Tavares on a better course.

Nicholas Edgington, associate professor of biology, was his academic adviser. “He was the first academic adviser I had at three separate institutions who actually gave me good advice specific to my desires. I did exactly what he said . . . ,” says Tavares. That included successfully applying for numerous undergraduate research positions — working in the lab with his adviser at Southern and spending summers conducting research at the University of Wisconsin. Tavares also was awarded a highly competitive grant from Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society — after his Southern professor nominated him for membership. “I owe a great deal to Dr. Edgington,” says Tavares.

He graduated magna cum laude from Southern with a degree in biology and a minor in chemistry — and ultimately earned a doctorate in microbiology from

the University of Georgia. His prior research focus: the genes and enzymes bacteria use to make vitamin B12. (Bacteria are the only organisms that produce the vitamin.)

Today, Tavares is the AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, D.C. — a prestigious two-year appointment.

The fellowships provide opportunities for outstanding scientists and engineers to learn about federal policymaking while sharing their expertise.

“I work in a center that analyzes the cancer research landscape — and builds programs and collaborations to develop technology, standards, and innovative ideas to fill the gaps in cancer research and move the field forward,” says Tavares. The ultimate goal: to help cancer researchers study, understand, treat, prevent, and eventually eliminate cancers. ■

READ THE INTERVIEW WITH NORBERT TAVARES, PH.D., AT: 36 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

news.SouthernCT.edu

S

outhern is visually showcasing its connection to the Westville neighborhood of New Haven with a series of banners promoting the university and its 125th anniversary. The signs are located on a decorative median on Whalley Ave. leading into the business district.

Accompanying banners incorporate the work of artists who live or are employed in Westville, including alumna Katie Kindilien, M.S. ’01.

NEW HAVEN “We thought this was a great way to highlight the positive relationship between Southern and Westville. It’s a nice point of entry to both our communities,” says Patrick Dilger, director of Southern’s Department of Integrated Communications & Marketing.

Reflecting New Haven as a whole, the Westville business district includes something for

everyone and is a popular destination for students. There are seven art galleries and studios; numerous restaurants (among the offerings are Chinese, Middle Eastern, pizza, and American bistro); unique boutiques; and Lyric Hall, an intimate performance space created in a former vaudeville and silent movie house.

SPACES & PLACES IN NEW HAVEN ■

OWL TERRITORY

Spring 2019 | 37

FOR S R EE RS

YEA n 5 2 ion is i n 1 t a r b e l y ce ts o

CH

versar e more even i n n a s ar rn’ .

Southe — and there ng a fall gala t a ar di high ge orizon, inclu ormation are the h tos and inf T.edu. ho C More p 25.Southern 1 “I wouldn’t be an actor today if it wasn’t for the Crescent Players and Constance Welch,” says Dan Lauria,’70, recounting his early Southern mentor. Welch, who died in 1976, came to Southern from Yale University, where she was an acclaimed associate professor for 38 years — she taught Julie Harris and Paul Newman — until reaching mandatory retirement age in 1967.

Fortunately for Lauria, Welch wasn’t the retiring kind. Instead, she began teaching at Southern.

One day, she overheard Lauria, then a star football player, telling a joke on the field. She was looking for “a big guy” to play Caliban in Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” and convinced Lauria to take the plunge. He went on to a celebrated career as a writer and actor, starring as Jack Arnold, the father in “The Wonder Years,” and, recently, in the television hits, “This is Us” and “Shameless.”

On Sept. 8, he returned to campus to appear in “The Guys,” starring alongside Wendie Malick (“This Is Us,” “Just Shoot Me,” “Hot in Cleveland,” “Frasier”). The play by Anne Nelson is based on a true story and is set in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Lauria also presented a master class for Southern students and participated in a meet-andgreet reception. Proceeds supported scholarships for Southern students.

38 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Alumni and friends returned to campus on Oct. 19 for a Grand Reunion celebrating all classes.

President Joe Bertolino honored the 50th reunion Class of 1968 and presented the Alumni Association’s 2018 Distinguished Alumna Award to [right] Carolyn Dorsey Vanacore, ’52, M.S. ’68, 6th Yr. ’73.

On Sept. 24 a 125th Anniversary Kickoff Celebration was held on the academic quad. [below, center] Earlier in the day, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro presented President Joe Bertolino with a plaque from the U.S. House of Representatives recognizing the university’s historic milestone.

The festivities continued with a performance by Southern’s Blue Steel Drumline and remarks by several distinguished guests, including alumnus Christopher Borajkiewicz, ’98, and Mark E. Ojakian, president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system. The presence of 100-year-young alumna Patricia Herbert, ’40, [below left] added to the significance of the day’s festivities.

[above left] The 125th anniversary festivities took a dramatic turn in October with “The Addams Family,” performed by the Department of Theatre and Southern’s Crescent Players. The darkly comic musical was directed and choreographed by Larry Nye, associate professor of theatre.

Homecoming and Family Day, held on Oct. 20, offered something for everyone. Highlights included an alumni “Decades Parade,” a food truck festival and tailgate party, the annual Bob Corda 5K Road Race, alumni athletics events, campus tours, and more. Capping off the celebration, the Owls won the Homecoming football game against American International College with a score of 48-21.

On Nov. 28, New Haven Mayor Toni Harp saluted Southern on its 125th anniversary at the annual holiday tree lighting on the historic New Haven Green.

Spring 2019 | 39

ALUMNI NEWS n

n

Owl Authors Feted

Celebrating 125 Years of

A CELEBRATION OF ALUMNI AUTHORS was held on Nov. 8

BUILDING COMMUNITIES AND EMPOWERING LIVES

in the Hilton C. Buley Library art gallery. Forty-three writers joined other guests at the reception, which was held in conjunction with Southern’s 125th anniversary festivities.

Works by Southern writers also are housed in the Alumni Book Nook, located on campus in the Alumni House. An associated online directory is at SouthernCT.edu/alumni.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Alumni authors are invited to send a copy of their book(s) to: SCSU, Office of Alumni Relations, 501 Crescent St., New Haven, CT 06515. Information also may be sent to Michelle Johnston, director of the Office of Alumni Relations at JohnstonM2@SouthernCT.edu or call (203) 392-6500.

•••

Stay Tuned!

125.SOUTHERNCT.EDU • (203) 392-6500

n

Jahana Hayes, ’05, Goes to Washington

S

everal years

long campaign representing

education program. Years later, she

after com-

teachers, advocating on behalf of

enrolled at Naugatuck Community

pleting her

students, and sharing her inspira-

College, initially telling no one out of

term as the 2016

tional life story in forums ranging

a fear of failure. She succeeded and

National Teacher

from “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”

after earning an associate degree,

of the Year, Jahana

to U.S. News and World Report.

transferred to Southern where she

Hayes, ’05, re-

That story began in Waterbury,

turned to Wash-

where Hayes was raised and ulti-

ington, D.C., to

graduated magna cum laude.

Hayes launched her career in

mately returned to teach. “Like

New Haven, then returned to Water-

assume a second high-profile na-

every teacher, I started as a student

bury, where in addition to teaching

tional post: Congresswoman. On

and like many students I know what

history, she chaired the School of Ac-

Nov. 6, 2018, Hayes was elected to

it feels like to have a dream and exist

ademic Renown program for gifted

the U.S. House of Representatives for

in an environment where nothing is

students at Kennedy High. The com-

Connecticut’s 5th Congressional Dis-

expected to thrive,” she has said,

munity-minded educator also served

trict — becoming the first black

describing her early life in the proj-

as co-adviser of the Helping Out

woman to represent the state in Con-

ects “surrounded by abject poverty,

People Everywhere (HOPE) club, and

gress. She is also the first Southern

drugs, and violence.”

considers “giving back” to be a vital

graduate elected to national office.

Hayes had not previously held

Education provided an alter-

component of the educational experi-

native future. Hayes remembers car-

ence — a belief that remains a driving

public office, but entered the na-

ing teachers who lent books,

force. “Teachers are nation builders.

tional spotlight when former Pres-

provided guidance, and shared

That’s our job. To affect change. To

ident Barack Obama recognized her

stories of their college experiences.

improve outcomes,” Hayes shared in

as the nation’s top teacher. She trav-

She became pregnant as a teenager

a video, Truth to Power. “Isn’t that the

eled the globe, embarking on a year-

and was transferred to an alternative

same job of Congress?”

40 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Alumnae Honored

n

S

outhern alumnae were among those honored by The Perfect Blend, an organization dedicated to uplifting women in the greater New Haven black communities.

Doris Barber, ’74, M.S. ’78, 6th Yr. ’86, taught children with special needs in New Haven for 33 years before retiring in 2007, and remains an active community volunteer.

An active volunteer, Margo Johnson Taylor, ’82, worked at Yale-New Haven Hospital, primarily in the Woman’s Center, and was a nurse manager for 23 years.

Edna Aklin, ’77, retired as the director of social work at the Connecticut Mental Health Center. She remains active as a community volunteer and nonprofit board member.

A former teacher and school principal, Sharyn Ainsworth Esdaile, 6th Yr. ’93, championed educational program development as well as collaborative arts programs and community outreach.

Jeffie Frazier, 6th Yr. ’78, a former principal in the New Haven School System, remains committed to her community with a focus on raising awareness of sickle cell disease.

An educator for more than 40 years, Gloria Chapman, M.S. ’79, also was a high school guidance counselor.

She is coordinator of the Jeremiah 29:11 Ministry, which recognizes youths’ achievements.

Curlena McDonald, ’79, taught for more than 40 years and also was a high school guidance counselor in West Haven and New Haven.

n

A licensed marriage family therapist, Katurah Bryant, M.F.T. ’96, also earned a nursing degree at UConn and is the founding partner of MPACT (Multicultural Perspectives in Assessment, Consultation, and Training.)

After working in personnel administration, Mary Elizabeth Jones, 6th Yr. ’97, launched a second career as an educator, retiring from New Haven Public Schools in 2013. She has served two terms as president of the Ethnic Heritage Center.

Grads Share Career Expertise

N

etworking is critical to career success, according to almost 80 percent of professionals responding to an international survey conducted by LinkedIn. On Sept. 12, Southern students saw the power of networking firsthand at Alumni Professionals Day held on the academic quad. More than 65 graduates participated, meeting casually with students to share advice and expertise. A wide variety of occupations were represented, including education, finance, law, publishing, public health, and more. The networking and reminiscing continued at a reception held at the Lyman Center.

SCSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Robert Felder, ’08, President Teresa Sirico, ’70, M.S. ’73, Vice President Angela Hudson-Davis, ’88, M.P.H. ’97, Treasurer LaShanté Kelley-James, ’04, M.S. ’14, Secretary Teresa Cherry-Cruz, M.S. ’85, 6th Yr. ’06 Kathy Coyle, ’74, M.S. ’78, 6th Yr. ’81 Thomas Dolan, ’58 Paolo Giordano, ’71 Aba Hayford, ’12 Jerry Katona, ’74, M.S. ’88 Benjamin Komola, ’11 Robert Lockery, ’95 Dorothy J. Martino, ’54, M.S. ’69 (Emerita) Patricia Miller, ’69, M.S. ’75, 6th Yr. ’81 (Emerita) Don Mitchell, ’57, M.S. ’61 Sandy Hittleman Myerson, ’69 Dara Onofrio, ’81 Judit Vasmatics Paolini, ’73, M.S. ’79, 6th Yr. ’93 Robert Parker, ’76 Renee Barnett Terry, ’75 Guy Tommasi, ’79 Carolyn Vanacore, ’52, M.S. ’68, 6th Yr. ’73 (Emerita) Southern Connecticut State University Office of Alumni Relations Alumni House 501 Crescent Street New Haven, CT 06515-1355 (203) 392-6500 Michelle R. Johnston, Director JohnstonM2@SouthernCT.edu

Spring 2019 | 41

HI DDE N C A M PU S â–

T

he late Herman Copen had a vision: to teach generations of students about African art and culture.

Forwarding that goal, the Herman Copen Collection of African Art at Southern is comprised of 56 objects donated by the avid collector, who died in 2002. The collection includes works from Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, the Guinea Coast, the Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, and Nigeria. The stunning works are exhibited periodically at Southern, most recently in the Buley Art Gallery in fall 2018.

42 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

PATRICIA “PAT” HERBERT, ’40, cele-

brated her 100th birthday with family and friends in West Haven, Conn. She was praised as a pioneer in the field of social services and is a founding member of the Land Trust of West Haven.

1950s JANET SARNO, ’55, performed in the

movie “To Dust,” which was honored in the “Audience Favorite” and “New Director” categories at the Tribeca Film Festival.

1960s ROBERT MCALPINE, ’60, M.S. ’69, is

teaching U.S. history at Paint Branch High School in Montgomery County, Md. The school art department compiled a history of his career since leaving New Haven in 1969. The video can be seen on YouTube.com (Robert McAlpine Faces of PB).

JAMES A. CONNELLY, ’63, served as

the interim superintendent of the Amity Regional School District in Connecticut.

JOHN COURTMANCHE, ’65, a lifelong

educator, was honored by Saint Martin de Porres Academy at its annual Spring Fling Gala in New Haven, Conn. He is married to BETSE COLLINS COURTMANCHE, ’67.

RALPH M. IASSOGNA, M.S. ’67, is in-

terim superintendent of Regional School District 15. He has worked 47 years in education and lives in Shelton, Conn.

HARRY HOWELL JR., ’68, was inducted

into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He retired after 50 years coaching cross country and track and field, and lives in Wellington, Fla. ROBERTA SHEA, ’69, led a monotype

demonstration at the Watertown Art League. A former art teacher, she is a painter/printmaker who exhibits locally and in New Hampshire.

1970s DOMINIC “JUNIE” VUOLO, ’70, M.S.

’78, was inducted into the Wilbur L. Cross High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

HARVEY COLBY, ’72, M.S. ’76, who was

named the Granite Education Foundation Teacher of the Year in 2013, has retired after 46 years of teaching.

He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.

FRANCINE COPPOLA, ’72, M.S. ’77,

6th Yr. ’92, and husband, Mario, were

BONNIE LEE RABE, ’72, M.S. ’85, 6th

Yr. ’85, is interim dean of Samford University’s Orlean Beeson School of Education in Birmingham, Ala.

Reunion News will be recognized in honor of its 50th reunion at the undergraduate commencement ceremony on May 24, 2019 at the Webster Bank Arena, Bridgeport, Conn.

THE CLASS OF 1969

For more information or if you would like to organize a reunion for your class, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (203) 392-6500.

A L U M NI NO T ES ■

1940s

named, “Italian-Americans of the Year,” in West Haven, Conn., as part of the 20th annual Columbus Day celebration in 2018. She is the former director of West Haven Adult Education.

NATHANIEL GRANT JR., M.S. ’75, cele-

brated his 50-year class reunion from Elizabeth City State College in Elizabeth City, N.C. He lives in Wilson, N.C. JOHN LAWLESS, ’75, M.S. ’95, was in-

ducted into the Wrestling National Hall of Fame in 2016. He and wife, PATRICIA DUNNE LAWLESS, M.S. ’74, live in Oakville, Conn.

RALPH MAYO, ’75, principal of Eastern

Middle School, is also interim superintendent of Greenwich Schools. He lives in Stamford, Conn.

MICHAEL ZUCCARELLI, M.S. ’75, was

inducted into the Wilbur L. Cross High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

CAROLYN COURT, ’76, a former All

American at Southern, was inducted into the Auburn Lewiston Sports Hall of Fame in Maine after four decades of coaching.

MARY MARTINIK, ’76, M.S. ’86, 6th Yr.

’99, competed in the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships, a national tournament held in Naples, Fla. She is a pickleball instructor at Wolfe Park in Monroe, Conn.

JAY M. BROWN, 6th Yr. ’77, was pre-

sented with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who, a publisher of biographical profiles.

DONNA NAMNOUM, ’77, is a ceramic

artist and educator whose work has been displayed at The Underground Gallery in Collinsville, Conn. She lives in Canton, Conn.

EDWARD POLETTI, ’77, M.L.S. ’78,

chief of learning resources at the Veteran Administration Medical Center in Little Rock, Ark., was named the 2017 Federal Librarian of the Year by the Federal Library and Information Network at the Library of Congress.

In 2018, the Medical Library Association presented him with the Lois Ann Colaianni Award for Excellence and Achievement in Hospital Librarianship.

MELANIE SALVESEN, ’77, who has re-

tired from nursing, lives in New Mexico and enjoys hiking, biking, skiing, and outdoor adventures at nearby national parks.

CAROLYN STANWORTH, ’79, president

and CEO of Meriden, Conn.-based BL Companies, received the 2018 Hearst Connecticut Media Top Leadership Award for midsize companies.

1980s GREGG DANCHO, ’80, director of the

Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport, Conn., was a panelist at a forum on conservation held at the Bruce Museum in Connecticut.

WILLIAM SANTARSIERO, ’81, M.S. ’87,

former supervisor of special education in Danbury Public Schools, is interim principal of Scotland Elementary School.

PAM GUNNESON, ’82, M.S. ’89, is head

coach of the boy’s cross country team at Cheshire High School in Conn.

ROLAND JONES, M.S. ’82, was in-

ducted into the Wilbur L. Cross High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

LEE PICCIRILLO, ’82, M.S. ’87, is retir-

ing after 30 years of government service with the Department of Veteran Affairs and the Peace Corps. He lives in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

LINDA WADE, ’82, M.S. ’91, 6th Yr. ’08, a

special education teacher, has served Madison Public Schools for 36 years.

KATHLEEN BONVICINI, ’83, CEO of the

New Haven-based nonprofit Institute for Healthcare Communication (IHC), climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, a 19,000-foot summit, to raise money for the Step Up Centre, a nonprofit school in Moshi, Tanzania, and an IHC scholarship fund.

SR. DOMINIC CORRARO, ’84, M.S. ’89,

is principal of Holy Trinity Catholic School in Wallingford, Conn., and a church deacon.

ROSEMARY HOLOMAKOFF, ’84, M.S.

’89, is the Teacher of the Year of Norwalk Public Schools.

LEAH SECONDO, ’84, was the com-

mencement speaker for Edison Academics School in Bradenton, Fla. WAYNE ALLEN, ’86, was inducted into

the Wilbur L. Cross High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

ANNETTE MCCABE FRANK, ’87, M.S.

’98, was named Teacher of the Year by Emmett O’Brien Technical High School in Ansonia, Conn.

LAURIE KING, M.S. ’87, has retired after

39 years in education, including 30 years at Strong Middle School in Durham, Conn.

JOSEPH BARREIRA, ’88, teaches three

levels of French at Sacred Heart Academy in Hamden, Conn.

MITCH HALLOCK, ’89, who owns

Fedora Marketing, is the producer of TerrifiCon, a Connecticut-based comic convention, which drew nearly 20,000 visitors at its recent show at the Mohegan Sun.

1990s DAWN STANTON, ’90, M.S. ’97, a

former four-time All-American on Southern’s track and field team, was inducted into the university’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017. In June, her daughter, Alexis Holmes, a recent graduate of Cheshire Academy, won the girls 400 meters at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor competition in Greensboro, N.C. Her time of 51.26 seconds is the seventh fastest for a high school girl in U.S. history.

DONALD CASEY, M.S. ’91, received the

Royal Jewel of Honor award from the Pyramid Shrine Temple for dedication and assistance to children receiving medical services at the Shriner’s Hospital.

JOHN R. ALFONE, M.S. ’92, is the prin-

cipal of St. Aloysius School in New Canaan, Conn.

MICHAEL GANINO, ’92, is a member

of the Advisory Council for the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants Scholarship Foundation.

LARA CARLSON MARELLI, ’92, pre-

sented “More Than Just Turning Left: The Physiological Demands of Racecar Driving,” at Southern. The event was sponsored by the SCSU Exercise Physiology Club.

BLANCHE PARKER, M.L.S. ’92, received

the Connecticut Library Association’s Outstanding Librarian Award. She has 40 years of experience at the Darien Public Library.

DAWN PERROTTI, M.S. ’92, is a special

education teacher in Madison, Conn., and is also a member of the Branford Board of Education.

TOM POITRAS, ’92, is the head coach of

the men’s soccer team at the University of Hartford.

Spring 2019 | 43

A L U M NI NO T ES n

ROB MURRAY, ’93, head coach of Dan-

bury High School’s boys track team, won the FCIAC, Class LL, and State Open titles.

DIANE CHIAPPETTA FOX, M.S. ’94, is

the interim administrator of Greenwich High School’s Windrose Program for students in the 11th and 12th grades. Fox has dedicated the majority of her 25-year career in education to Greenwich High School students.

GEOFF LANIER, ’94, is the assistant

coach of Pennsylvania State University’s women’s basketball team.

TOM COLUCCI, M.S. ’95, is the pres-

ident of rental and destination services with National Corporate Housing in Denver, Colo.

VIVIANA CONNER, ’95, M.S. ’00, 6th

Yr. ’04, is the executive director for elementary and middle school grades in Hartford, Conn.

the Bridgeport Police Memorial.

n

In Print and On Screen

Felicia Zera Kalapos, ’75, an educator, tutor, and corporate consultant, wrote “Love on a Shoestring,” the story of her 32-year-old daughter’s recovery from a stroke.

Rick Capozzi, M.S. ’82, is author of “The Growth Mindset — Leadership Makes a Difference in Wealth Management.”

Dom Amore, ’85, a reporter with the Hartford Courant, wrote a book about the origins of the New York Yankees called, “A Franchise on the Rise.” He lives in Branford, Conn.

William “Buck” Biestek, ’85, is author of “Bail Guy: Prose and Convicts.” He also wrote, produced, cast, and starred in the comedy horror, “Room 7.” He lives in Middletown, Conn.

David Ward, M.L.S. ’88, wrote “The 96th Pennsylvania Volunteers in the Civil War.” He lives in Scottsdale, Ariz.

ARIKKA PELLINEN KALWARA, ’95, a

school psychologist at Norwich Free Academy, received the Teacher of the Year award for 2018-2019.

TINA MANNARINO, 6th Yr. ’96, is as-

sistant superintendent for pupil personnel services in Westport, Conn.

JOSHUA SMITH, ’97, M.S. ’04, is the su-

perintendent of Region 15 Schools in New Milford, Conn.

ANTHONY BUONO, M.S. ’98, is the as-

sistant superintendent of schools in Westport, Conn., and will oversee the pre-K through grade 12 academic program.

JUAN CARLOS OSORIO, ’98, was

named coach of the Paraguay national soccer team. Previously, he coached Mexico’s national team and several Major League Soccer squads.

JACK ZAMARY, 6th Yr. ’98, Ed.D. ’12, a

resident of Newtown, Conn., is superintendent of the Monroe Public Schools district.

LEO GUREFF, ’99, is a patent attorney

with Cantor Colburn, a Washington, D.C., law firm. He specializes in domestic and international prosecution and transactions.

KARISSA NIEHOFF, M.S. ’99, was

named executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations. Previously, she spent seven years serving as executive director of the Connecticut Association of Schools-Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference.

2000s VINCENT DENUZZO, ’00, M.S. ’06, 6th

Yr. ’08, the principal of East Haven High School, was inducted into the East Haven Alumni Association Hall of Fame.

44 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Jenn McKinlay, ’89, published her 38th book with Penguin Random House and is a New York Times bestselling author. She lives in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Laura A. Macaluso, ’94, held a book signing in Charlottesville, Va., for her book, “A Guide to Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia.”

Jeff Voccola, M.S. ’98, is author of “Kings Row,” which received the Blue Mountain Novel Award from Hidden River Publishing. He is an associate professor of fiction writing and director of the writing program at Kutztown University.

Tremaine France, ’07, is the author of “How to Grind for Greatness,” with customized nutrition and workout regimens to help make fitness goals achievable. He lives in Meriden, Conn.

Sarah Greco, ’14, M.A. ’17, has published “The Number 43: The Life and Legacy of Wild Bill Greco.” The book, about a stock car driver, is based on her master’s thesis.

AMY B. SMITH, M.S.N. ’00, joined the

Alliance Medical Group, an affiliate of Waterbury HEALTH. She specializes in diabetes and cardiology as well as the treatment of addiction.

JACALYN KREMER, M.L.S. ’01, is dean

of the Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library at Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts.

AMY FEDIGAN, M.S. ’02, 6th Yr. ’05, is

assistant superintendent of teaching with the Milford Public Schools district.

MICHAEL L. MILLER, ’02, recently com-

pleted his Ph.D. in political science at City College of New York (CUNY). He was named one of only 24 Andrew Mellon Foundation-American Council of Learned Societies Public Fellows for 2018.

CHANTELLE PALUMBO, 6th Yr. ’02, is

the middle school special education supervisor for Norwalk Public Schools.

JILL BASSETT, ’03, M.S. ’08, assistant

dean of student affairs and retention at Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire, successfully defended her dissertation and earned an Ed.D. Her dissertation is entitled, “Vicarious Trauma Workshop: Higher Education Professionals Engaged with Sexual Misconduct (Title IX Cases).”

CHRISTOPHER ORTIZ, ’03, is a teacher

at Sacred Heart High School in Waterbury, Conn., and the founder of CO Sports Academy, a foundation serving the community. Ortiz previously played in the NFL. KATEEMA RIETTIE, ’03, a Bridgeport

police officer and physical fitness instructor at the police academy, was recognized for her athletic achievements at a surprise ceremony held at

MARIE JOHNSON, M.S. ’04, is the ex-

ecutive director of SPRYE (Staying Put in Rye and Environs), dedicated to helping older residents live comfortably in their homes, as reported in the Rye Record of New York.

MAEGAN GENOVESE, M.S. ’05, is em-

ployed at The Consultation Center at Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, and was elected to the position of secretary of the Woodbridge Board of Education.

DOUGLAS DEVENY, ’06, is an artist

specializing in abstract expressionism. He was a juror at an Essex Art Association event held at the Gantner Gallery.

CHRISTY A. HENDRIE, ’06, vice regent

of the Connecticut State Daughters of the American Revolution, was the keynote speaker at a recent chapter event.

COURTNEY KELLY, M.S. ’06, a board

member of the Madison Newcomers Club, organized the group’s annual “Touch a Truck” event, which benefits its scholarship program. Kelly is a board certified behavioral analyst with the Region 4 school district.

GLENN LUNGARINI, M.S. ’06, principal

of Pomperaug High School in Southbury, is also the executive director of the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS). He lives in Naugatuck, Conn.

MEGHAN O’NEIL, ’06, is a research in-

vestigator at the Population Studies Center, Institute for Social Research, at the University of Michigan. O’Neil earned a Ph.D. from the University at Albany, State University of New York, in 2018. Her research focuses on poverty, alternative sanctions, housing insecurity, racial inequality, and public policy.

ABBY M. WARREN, ’06, a lawyer with

Robinson + Cole, was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame.

REBEKKAH SMITH ALDRICH, M.L.S.

’07, is the executive director of the Mid-Hudson Library System, which is based in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. PETER LEVINE, ’08, is the vice president

at Evercore Group, a global independent investment bank in New York.

GREGORY JUDD, ’09, is the recipient of

the Andy Thiede Human Resources Certification Scholarship. He is a human resources representative for a publicly held international manufacturer in Connecticut.

LORNA RHYINS, M.L.S. ’09, is director

of the Edith Wheeler Memorial Library in Monroe, Conn.

2010s ABBY OSTRUZKA, 6th Yr. ’10, was

named assistant principal of Lewin G. Joel Jr. School in Clinton, Conn.

NICK PIERELLI, ’10, and sister, Alex,

opened Luci B’s Kitchen and Cocktails in Milford, Conn.

KRISTI SADOWSKI, M.L.S. ’10, is direc-

tor of the Southington Public Library and the executive director of the Barnes Museum in Southington, Conn.

CHRISTOPHER MCKINNON, ’12, was

newly named to the Board of Directors of the Chrysalis Center, which provides support services in Connecticut.

McKinnon is an analyst with Eversource Energy.

CHRISTINE MICHAUD, M.L.S. ’12, is the

library director at the Durham Public Library, where she has worked since 2012.

TIARA WILLIE, M.A. ’12, led a study at

the Yale School of Public Health and found that states that aggressively target intimate partner violence in their health care systems have lower rates of HIV infection among women. Willie is pursuing a Ph.D. in chronic disease epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health.

CHRISTINE LISSITZYN BECK, M.F.A.

’13, poet laureate of the town of West Hartford, led an afternoon of poetry at the Noah Webster House and the West Hartford Historical Society.

ELIZABETH HAMILTON, M.F.A. ’14, a

20-year veteran of Connecticut newsrooms and an accomplished poet, is the editor of The Connecticut Mirror and The Connecticut News Project.

She lives in Old Lyme, Conn.

JOSEPH MACRINO, 6th Yr. ’14, is the

principal of Oswegatchie Elementary School.

PATRICIA WOOTEN, ’14, joined LendUp,

a financial services firm in Richmond, Va. She provides human resources support and guidance as a People Operations business partner.

SABINE JANUSKI, 6th Yr. ’16, was

named Cooperative Educational Services’ Teacher of the Year and is a candidate for the 2019 Connecticut Teacher of the Year award.

ALANNA WAGHER, ’16, was chosen for a

Fulbright Research and English Teaching Assistant Award. She will be a teaching assistant at a college in Amsterdam.

MAI KADER, ’17, is a member of Food-

Corps, which is part of the AmeriCorp service network. She works in New Haven city schools, teaching pupils to make healthy food choices.

LUBNA SPARKS, ’17, is a staff account-

ant at Bailey Scarano in Branford, Conn., where she previously interned.

IN MEMORIAM ANNE CONTE LEVEILLE, ’41, April 19,

2018, Wallingford, Conn.

IRENE GEMERY RICE, ’41, M.A. ’71,

April 4, 2018, Oakland, Maine MARIE BIRGE MINAHAN, ’43, M.S. ’45,

May 20, 2018, Stratford, Conn.

GERALDINE DONOVAN MURRAY,

’43, April 29, 2018, Bradenton, Fla. CHARLES HOFACKER, ’48, April 17,

2018, Hendersonville, N.C. NANCY PERKINS RIDINGER, ’48, M.S.

’55, Oct. 28, 2008, Quechee, Vt. MARGARET C. JONES, ’49, Oct. 10,

2018, Newtown, Conn.

CHARLOTTE GALLUCCI, ’50, April 15,

2018, Phoenix

MARY ELLEN O’BRIEN O’NEIL, ’58,

M.S. ’69, March 24, 2018, Prospect Heights, Ill. ALFRED T. HARRINGTON, ’59, Aug. 29,

2018, Branford, Conn.

ARTHUR J. PERSCHINO, ’59, June 14,

2018, Ocean, N.J. RALPH VENERUSO SR., ’59, June 15,

2018, Monroe, Conn.

JEANNETTE CIARIO BEACH, ’60, M.S.

’71, June 8, 2018, Wilmington, Del. RICHARD E. BRIGGS, ’60, M.S. ’66, Oct.

21, 2018, Milford, Conn.

JAMES F. CONLEY, ’60, May 15, 2018,

Stratford, Conn.

GERALDINE “JERI” GIAIMO, ’60, M.S.

’76, 6th Yr. ’86, Aug. 24, 2018, Cheshire, Conn.

HENRY F. JEMIOTO, ’60, June 12, 2018,

Ansonia, Conn.

DANIEL JOSEPH SHEA, ’60, Sept. 26,

2018, Willimantic, Conn.

ROSEMARY ‘MICKI’ MACHIETTO STRATTON, ’60, Sept. 7, 2018, Strat-

ford, Conn.

SHIRLEY BAUMAN BAIRD, ’61, M.A.

’71, May 2, 2018, Fort Worth, Texas ANN C. PETRO, ’61, M.S. ’71, 6th Yr.

’87, May 26, 2018, Shelton, Conn.

JEANNE MARGARET FLYNN, ’62, Nov.

14, 2018, East Haven, Conn.

PATRICIA PETRILLO MAGAUDDA, ’62,

July 28, 2018, Pine Point, Maine VIVIAN MERANCY, ’63, M.S. ’70, Sept.

8, 2018, Woodbridge, Conn.

LOIS CARLSON MARTIN, ’50, April 13,

2018, Shelton, Conn.

PATRICIA GRIFFIN LOKEN, ’51, Sept.

29, 2018, Folsom, Calif.

BARBARA TORCELLINI, ’51, June 24,

2018, Branford, Conn.

MARY WESELCOUCH, ’51, June 12,

2018, Essex, Conn.

Share your good news WITH SOUTHERN FRIENDS AND CLASSMATES. Mail this completed form to Southern Alumni News, SCSU Alumni Relations Office, Alumni House,

HAROLD KASOWITZ, ’52, Aug. 18,

501 Crescent St., New Haven, CT 06515-1355;

2018, New Haven, Conn.

fax, (203) 392-8726;

JOHN J. PINTO, ’52, M.A. ’54, June 19,

2018, North Haven, Conn.

or email, AlumniINFO@SouthernCT.edu.

JOHN T. GUNTHER JR., ’53, Dec. 21,

2013, Middletown, Conn.

DONALD W. PRATT, ’53, Nov. 2, 2018,

Freeport, Maine VINCENT INGLESE, ’54, M.S. ’59, Oct.

18, 2018, Branford, Conn.

MARY GRANDEL DOW, ’55, Jan. 23,

2006, Stony Creek, Conn.

MICHAEL F. ANGELINI SR., ’56, July 8,

2018, Oxford, Conn.

JAMES G. CARNEY, ’56, May 5, 2016,

Orange, Conn.

GERALD P. CORCORAN, ’56, May 15,

2018, Cheshire, Conn.

VILMA SWANSON HAGUE, ’56, Nov. 9,

2018, Cheshire, Conn.

NANCY HEALEY PARKER, ’56, March

28, 2015, West Islip, N.Y.

Name ____________________________________________________________ Street Address ____________________________________________________ City

________________________________State ______________Zip______

Check if this is a new address.

Phone (

) ______________________________________________________

Email ____________________________________________________________ SCSU Degree/Year __________________ Major ________________________ Name under which I attended college ________________________________ News Item ________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

INA-MAE SCHMIDT, ’56, Sept. 4, 2018,

North Haven, Conn.

ALFRED M. SIGNORE, ’56, Dec. 27,

2017, Boiling Springs, Pa. MARGARET MCKEON SULLIVAN, ’56,

Aug. 1, 2018, Hamden, Conn.

JOAN TETI, ’56, July 9, 2018, East

Haven, Conn.

DONNA M. DOLVEN, ’58, Oct. 28,

2018, Worthington, Ohio CAROL CAVANAUGH GUSTAFSON,

’58, 6th Yr. ’77, May 14, 2018, Sarasota, Fla.

__________________________________________________________________ Signature ______________________________________________Date______ Spouse’s Name ____________________________________________________ SPOUSE'S SCSU DEGREE/YR.

Children’s Names/Ages ____________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Spring 2019 | 45

A L U M NI NO T ES n

STEPHEN W. MROWKA, ’63, June 19,

2018, Cheshire, Conn.

FRANK ADAMS, ’64, M.A. ’72, 6th Yr.

’77, May 28, 2018, Wallingford, Conn.

LEONARD M. GRABOWSKI, M.S. ’62,

April 13, 2018, Avon, Conn.

ROSEMARY CIVITELLO, ’65, Aug. 11,

2018, Branford, Conn.

SANDRA HEBERT, ’65, Oct. 15, 2017,

North Haven, Conn.

MARY MARDEN JEPSEN, ’65, May 15,

2018, Iowa City, Iowa ELAYNE SCHWARTZMAN CANTER,

M.S. ’66, 6th Yr. ’84, Nov. 28, 2018, New Haven ROSEMARY NECIO, ’66, M.S. ’70, Oct.

11, 2018, Seymour, Conn.

PHILIP A. FATICANTI, ’67, M.S. ’68,

Nov. 6, 2018, Andover, Conn.

KAROLYN WEBSTER SIMON, ’67, M.S.

’69, Aug. 21, 2018, Sacramento, Calif.

ERIKA LUISE BEERBAUM, ’68, March

20, 2017, Fort Myers, Fla. CLAIRE MARIE CASEY, ’68, Feb. 5,

2015, Hamden, Conn.

J. EDDY CRAIG, M.L.S. ’68, May 10,

2018, Mt. Jackson, Va. JANIS G. DOLAND, ’68, M.S. ’74, April

12, 2012, West Haven, Conn.

KENNETH H. GEIGLE, ’68, M.S. ’72,

Oct. 2, 2018, Wallingford, Conn.

MARIA M. HALL, ’68, M.S. ’72, May 1,

2018, Marlton, N.J. EVELYN KELLER HINMAN, M.L.S. ’68,

Sept. 2, 2018, Norwalk, Conn.

GEORGETTE SORDELET NEERMAN,

’68, May 16, 2016, Holmes, N.Y. PATRICIA O’LEARY, ’68, M.S. ’86, 6th

Yr. ’98, Oct. 1, 2018, Ivoryton, Conn.

MARTHA YUNGBLUT, ’68, June 30,

2008, Monterey, Calf.

HUGH S. CAFFERTY, ’69, M.S. ’70, 6th

Yr. ’76, June 11, 2018, Guilford, Conn.

ALBERT J. GIODANO JR., ’70, July 19,

2016, Monson, Mass.

SYLVIA BERNARD LARSON, M.L.S.

’70, June 25, 2018, Hyannis, Mass.

THOMAS L. MATTEO, ’70, June 5,

2016, Scottsdale, Ariz.

JENNETTE F. MATURO, ’70, Nov. 20,

2018, Wolcott, Conn.

E. JEAN SUTHERLAND, ’70, June 27,

2018, Fort Myers, Fla. DANIEL R. BIXBY, ’71, M.S. ’77, June 2,

2018, East Haven, Conn.

EMMA H. CAPEN, M.S. ’71, May 15,

2018, West Haven, Conn.

DAVID A. CUNNINGHAM, M.S. ’71,

July 31, 2018, Berlin, Conn.

JULIUS J. NACZI JR., ’71, Sept. 6, 2017,

Wallingford, Conn.

46 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

JEROLD WANOSKY, M.S. ’71, 6th Yr.

’79, Aug. 27, 2018, Milford, Conn.

REBECCA J. YODER, ’71, Feb. 12, 2018,

Cotter, Ark. ROBERT G. KENNEY, ’72, M.S. ’86,

March 15, 2018, Sebring, Fla. ANNA F. LALLA, ’72, Aug. 28, 2018,

Southington, Conn.

CAROLE GRANEY FORD, M.S. ’73,

June 22, 2018, Branford, Conn.

JAMES REYNOLDS, ’73, M.S. ’84, May

8, 2018, Bethel, Conn.

DONNA RISLEY WHELAN, M.S. ’73,

June 25, 2018, Milford, Conn.

ROBERT C. BISSELL, M.S. ’74, April 16,

2018, West Haven, Conn.

MARY ELIZABETH GROVER DOWDELL, ’74, Oct. 1, 2018, Brooksville,

Fla. CARMINE LALAMA, ’74, May 29, 2018,

Voice Lessons continued from page 33 moments. With my pen and notebook, I had a secret place where I gave myself freedoms that were forbidden to me.”

In addition to her work at Southern, Mottola teaches poetry at Calendar House Senior Center in Southington, Conn., where she has taught art for 25 years. The seniors create museum-quality art pieces, she says. She shares that one widow, who is 89, is a marvelous artist who only recently picked up a brush because her late husband doubted her talent.

Mottola is also the co-president of the Connecticut Poetry Society and an award-winning poet and artist who has written two books: “After Hours,” a collection of portrait poems of colorful characters, and “Under the Red Dress,” full of sensual imagery.

She loves to write about people of all walks of life, in all situations — people in bars, family, veterans, and male/female relationships.

“Everyone I meet is fascinating to me,” she says. n Homeless ––for Dorothy Z.

Plainville, Conn.

SUZANNE BILLMEYER LEWIS, ’74,

M.S. ’82, Sept. 22, 2018, Bradenton, Fla. DENNIS L. NESTA, ’74, May 25, 2018,

Wethersfield, Conn.

ROY J. NIRSCHEL, ’74, April 16, 2018,

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam DEIRDRE BRAY, ’75, Sept. 5, 2018, Port-

land, Conn.

JANIS LEE PIZER KAHN, ’75, Jan. 22,

2018, West Haven, Conn.

ROBERT F. LUCIANI, ’75, M.S. ’94, July

8, 2015, Woodbridge, Conn.

CHARLOTTE SCHENDEL MACGREGOR, ’75, M.S. ’77, July 16, 2018, Oro

Valley, Ariz.

SHERMAN MALONE, ’75, M.S. ’84,

April 11, 2018, New Haven

In those days your parents didn’t always keep you –– or your sisters. In the 1930’s they gave you away like cheap dishes doled out in movie theaters. Ten cents for a movie and a porcelain plate. Forgotten on laps, they often fell, cracked or chipped, got left behind. Odd pieces everywhere.

Disposable –– like you, shipped to aunts, uncles, or the Klingberg Children’s Home, New Britain, someone who could afford to put food on your plate. No questions asked. Poverty spawning an incomplete set, siblings were separated, sent away by bus or train –– Maine, Connecticut, Kansas –– no yellow brick road, no wizard, no ruby slippers to click together, wish yourself home.

— Pat Mottola

FERN HOHMAN ROBINSON, ’75, M.S.

’78, Aug. 29, 2018, Guatemala DONNA L. SCOTT, ’75, Nov. 24, 2018,

East Hampton, Conn.

HEIDI R. STOBBART, ’75, Sept. 2, 2018,

Keswick, Va. CYNTHIA OBLON ULRICH, ’75, M.S.

’79, June 10, 2018, Madison, Conn.

JAMES J. GARTHWAIT, M.S. ’76, May

10, 2018, Las Cruces, N.M. RUTH LINDEGREN, M.L.S. ’76, Sept. 6,

2018, Greenwich, Conn.

GEORGE MARR JR., M.S. ’76, July 17,

2018, Monroe, Conn.

MARY JANE TYLEC BARRY, M.S. ’77,

May 11, 2018, Branford, Conn.

CLAUDIA M. FERRARA, ’77, Oct. 16,

2018, Wallingford, Conn.

MIRIAM GOLDSTEIN SOMMER, M.S.

’77, May 9, 2018, New Haven JOAN T. NOVARRO, ’78, M.S. ’85,

M.S.N. ’92, June 14, 2018, Clinton, Conn.

LOIS JEAN PECK, M.S. ’78, 6th Yr. ’00,

Dec. 1, 2018, Seymour, Conn.

LISA ROBERTS-CHAKROFF, ’78, April

26, 2018, Worthington, Ohio LORI F. SHERMAN, M.S. ’78, July 6,

2018, Clinton, Conn.

FAYNE KOWALSKI, M.S. ’79, April 19,

2018, Wallingford, Conn.

SHARRON MCCLEERY, ’79, Sept. 23,

2018, Ridgefield, Conn.

MARIA PAPPAS VEREB, ’79, Aug. 3,

2018, Stratford, Conn.

HARRIET F. LORENZ, M.L.S. ’81, Aug.

24, 2018, Hartford, Conn.

DOLORES C. ROME, M.S. ’81, Oct. 25,

2018, Westmore, Vt. CHARLES ‘CHUCK’ SEIPOLD III, ’81,

Sept. 17, 2018, Hampstead, Conn.

FAITH SCALISE CHURCHILL, 6th Yr.

’82, May 21, 2018, Berlin, Conn.

PATRICIA A. FORTE, ’83, Oct. 6, 2018,

West Haven, Conn.

CECIL L. HAWKINS, ’83, Aug. 27, 2018,

Concord, N.H. MARY GRACE LADESTRO, ’83, Aug.

29, 2018, Incline Village, Nev. PATRICIA A. NIECE, 6th Yr. ’83, July 18,

2018, Wallingford, Conn.

CURTIS W. PISTEY, ’83, Sept. 30, 2018,

Stratford, Conn.

MARIE MULDOON STILES, ’83, Sept.

27, 2016, Windsor, Conn.

PATRICIA C. BOYLE, M.S. ’84, June 13,

2018, Shelton, Conn.

JEFFREY S. DAWSON, ’84, Sept. 14,

2018, Watertown, Conn.

DAVID C. FROST, ’85, July 5, 2018, Put-

nam, Conn.

THERESA L. JONES, ’85, May 15, 2018,

New Haven

RONALD P. D’AMATO, ’86, Dec. 18,

2012, Stratford, Conn.

Anthony Fantano, ’08, Gets Loud continued from page 17

ANNELEE J. DESJARLAIS, 6th Yr. ’87,

Aug. 4, 2016, Bellevue, Wash.

PETER BURBRIDGE SERVOSS ICAZA,

’87, April 30, 2018, Sarasota, Fla. SR. LUCY SCATA, 6th Yr. ’87, Nov. 4,

2018, Waterbury, Conn.

ROBERT H. WATTS, M.S. ’87, 6th Yr. ’90,

Nov. 3, 2018, Seminole, Fla. MARCIA L. WEAVER, ’87, May 6, 2018,

Middletown, Conn.

ROSELYN FAY ZACKIN, 6th Yr. ’87,

Sept. 20, 2018, Waterbury, Conn.

LINDA MCGILL SCHNEIDER, M.S. ’88,

Sept. 13, 2018, Groton, Conn.

ALINE CONSTANTINESCO DENNISON, 6th Yr. ’89, July 23, 2018,

Southbury, Conn.

GRACE M. SCHAEFER, M.S.N. ’89, Nov.

3, 2018, North Branford, Conn.

DALE REVZON, M.S. ’90, June 19, 2018,

Marshfield, Mass.

GLADYS DEYOUNGE, M.S.W. ’92, Nov.

24, 2016, New Haven COREE SANTILLO-PARKOSEWICH,

’93, M.S. ’95, Nov. 23, 2018, Shelton, Conn.

THE INTERNET CONNECTION MUST TAKE THINGS TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL. YES. BUT I DON’T BLAME ANYONE. There

is a very friendly conversational tone to my videos. And a lot of people have been watching me for a long time. When I do speaking engagements, they’ll tell me they’ve been watching me since [they were in] sixth grade. That’s almost like being someone’s weird internet dad or something. At that point, you’ve become part of this person’s life — and their emotional and mental ecosystem.

LOOKING BACK AT YOUR TIME AT THE NEEDLE DROP, WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? I HAVE MY NOSE to the grindstone so often

that it’s hard to take a breather and think back on all the crazy things that have happened over the past 10 years. While an interview with Mick Jagger and a laundry list of endorsements from a variety of artists look good on paper, the best thing about it is just being a growing part of a greater conversation about music.

JAMES J. CURRIE, ’95, Aug. 18, 2018,

Branford, Conn.

KATRINA ANN TORRES, M.S. ’96, 6th

Yr. ’99, May 2, 2018, Wallingford, Conn.

DOREEN C. DECERBO, M.P.H. ’97,

April 21, 2018, East Haven, Conn.

MARY RINDFLEISCH, M.L.S. ’97, April

5, 2018, Sherman, Conn.

DANIEL B. GOLDSTONE, 6th Yr. ’01,

May 13, 2018, Wolcott, Conn.

ROBERT A. HELD, ’09, April 14, 2018,

Cheshire, Conn.

AIMEE L. REED, M.S. ’12, Aug. 29, 2018,

Pawcatuck, R.I. AMANDA WILLIAMS-TAYLOR, ’14,

Aug. 18, 2018, Branford, Conn.

BRIAN C. GABRIELE, ’17, Nov. 10, 2018,

Wallingford, Conn.

PHYLLIS GELINEAU, professor emeritus

of music, Oct. 2018, Milton, N.H. BARBARA PFEIFFER PARRY, assistant

professor emeritus of foreign languages, July 3, 2018, New Haven WILLIAM S. PORTER, professor emeri-

tus of physics, July 6, 2018, Westbrook, Conn.

VERN WILLIAMS, assistant professor of

journalism, Dec. 29, 2018

Class notes are compiled from alumni submissions, as well as announcements made in newspapers and magazines.

TAKE US INSIDE THE REVIEW WRITING PROCESS — FROM THE ONSET TO THE FINAL VIDEO. THE PROCESS is pretty much like watching

paint dry: listening, re-listening, note taking, researching, drafting, re-drafting, recording, editing. It’s all very quiet, patient, introspective.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON CRITICISM DIRECTED AT YOUR REVIEWS? AH, THE CRITICISM is what it is. It would be

ridiculous for me to state my opinions on new records so openly and not expect to get criticism in return. It comes with the territory. If you go into this line of work expecting to have every one of your opinions praised, you’re in it for the wrong reasons. It’s more about stirring the pot, getting people thinking, sparking discussion, planting seeds for the listening audience to mull over. It’s not about being liked or being right. Sure, it’s nice when those things happen. But if that’s all you’re looking to achieve, you’re failing in your role as a critic.

WHICH IS? ONE OF THE MOST important things you can

give your audience when talking about content you’re passionate about — is to give them pause. A reason to think about what they are listening to or consuming. To get them to think about why they enjoy it or why they don’t.

IS THERE ANYTHING NEW ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEEDLE DROP? I HAVE A SECOND YOUTUBE CHANNEL

[YouTube/fantano launched in 2017] where I talk about music news. . . . I am grouping the videos together to a podcast series so you can listen from there. A goal is to find ways to creatively repackage content so people can consume it in different ways.

There is someone I’ve been talking to about [the possibility of] a record label. I am considering it, but there are potential major journalistic ethics issues there. I couldn’t review people on the label. . . . So it creates a weird conundrum that I’m not sure I’m ready to dive into. Someone else approached me recently about helping put together a charity compilation of artists who I’ve reviewed over the years — and money would go to children’s cancer research. There’s a guy I’ve been talking to — trying to work out how to expand merchandise.

I EXPECTED YOU TO BE WEARING A FLANNEL, LIKE IN THE POSTS. THE FLANNEL THING IS FUNNY. When I first

started, they were in regular rotation in my wardrobe, which is why I was wearing them in the first place. Now the flannel has become a signifier. When people see I’m wearing a red flannel in the thumbnail of the video, they know it’s a negative video. When they see a yellow flannel, they know it’s a positive review.

I rarely wear one casually now. It’s like wearing my work clothes.

SPEAKING OF WORK CLOTHES, IS DOING THE NEEDLE DROP STILL FUN? YES. It comes to those times when it’s 9 to 5

like anything else — but it’s better than 9 to 5 in an office. Even though it’s a lot of work. A lot of extra effort. One thing this generation doesn’t really appreciate is the quality of the workplace — that they are always connected with their job. As a result, they are never not working. If I am going to be in that position, I’d rather be doing it for me. n Spring 2019 | 47

S O U T HE R N E V E NT S ■

Spring Career and Internship Fair

It’s ture u your•f•• it makpeen! p ha

March 20 | 1 – 4 p.m.

Michael J. Adanti Student Center Ballroom

Explore career and internship opportunities.

(203) 392-6539

Lean On Me: José James celebrates Bill Withers

Graduate Commencement

with special guest Grace Kelly

School of Health and Human Services)

April 12 | 8 p.m.

A contemporary take on Withers’ top ten hits like “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Just the Two of Us.” $35 for general admission; $30 for Southern active alumni, faculty, and staff; and $20 for Southern students. (203) 392-6154

May 23 | 2 p.m. (School of Business and 7 p.m. (School of Arts and Sciences and School of Education) Honoring students receiving master’s degrees, sixth year professional diplomas, and doctoral degrees.

SouthernCT.edu/commencement (203) 392-5240

The Rippingtons featuring Russ Freeman

Undergraduate Commencement

March 23 | 8 p.m.

May 24 | 8:45 a.m. (doors open), 10:15 a.m. (academic procession begins)

Enjoy an evening with the legends of contemporary jazz, fresh off the release off their new album.

Webster Bank Arena, Bridgeport, Conn.

Celebrating Southern’s graduates and the 50th reunion Class of 2019.

(203) 392-6586

$35 for general admission; $30 for series and Southern active alumni, faculty, and staff; and $20 for Southern students.

(203) 392-6154

Grover 75 featuring Gerald Albright, Everette Harp, Gerald Veasley, Bill Jolly, Pablo Batista, Donald Robinson, Richard Steacker, Steven Wolf

The Mary and Louis Fusco Distinguished Lecture A Conversation with Michael Phelps

March 29 | 7 p.m.

Out Sold

The most decorated Olympian of all time talks about competing on the world stage and advocating for healthier lifestyles through his namesake foundation.

May 31 | 8 p.m.

Sax to the Max Michael Lington, Paul Taylor, Vincent Ingala

May 4 | 8 p.m.

A triple threat of jazz talent comes to Lyman. $35 for general admission; $30 for series and Southern active alumni, faculty, and staff; and $20 for Southern students.

(203) 392-6154

The original members of Grover Washington’s last touring band celebrate the music of the late jazz great. $40 for general admission; $35 for Southern active alumni, faculty, and staff; $30 for series; and $20 for Southern students.

(203) 392-6154

Tom Segura: Take it Down Tour

Homecoming 2019

March 30 | 7 p.m. | Sold Out

Oct. 19 | on campus Save the date for Southern’s biggest celebration of the year. Enjoy the road race, tailgating, the Homecoming football game, parade of floats, and so much more — including the 125th Anniversary Gala (see below).

10 p.m.

Comedian/writer/actor Tom Segura is one of Hollywood’s most in-demand talents, with celebrated appearances on Netflix, “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” and Comedy Central. $65 for gold circle seats (front of main sections 16); $45 for premium seats (back of main sections 16); $35 for regular seats (upper 1-12); and $30 for Southern students.

(203) 392-6154

Owl Classic Golf Tournament

125th Anniversary Gala

May 20 | 12 p.m. tee time Lake of Isles at the Foxwoods Resorts and Casino Proceeds benefit Southern’s studentathletes and programs.

(203) 392-5518 | SouthernCTOwls.com

JSEaRzIEzS

(203) 392-6500

Oct. 19 | evening Save the date! More information to come on what promises to be a night to remember. (203) 392-6500

Center at Lyman One ticket to Four Great Shows for $120 The Rippingtons • José James • Sax to the Max • Grover 75

All events held in John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts unless otherwise noted. Southern students must have valid identification to receive their ticket discounts. A limit of two discounted tickets may be purchased by Southern active alumni, faculty, staff, and students for most performances. Students are limited to one discounted ticket for several shows. For tickets and additional information and listings, visit LymanCenter.org.

48 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Burlington, VT Permit No. 19

Alumni Association 501 Crescent Street New Haven, CT 06515-1355 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

125 years

—and still making history

IN

2018, Southern won its first-ever Northeast

10 championships in women’s volleyball and men’s cross country. [This page] Representing the cross country team, sophomore Christopher LeBeau earned 24 college credits while still attending high school. He’s a legacy student — mom Deirdra LeBeau, ’90, is also an Owl — and he’s made the Dean’s List every semester at Southern. [Front] Volleyball co-captain Leanna Jadus is a California native and member of the Honors College. The senior interned with “Big Four” accounting firm KPMG this winter — and received an offer to work in their Los Angeles office after graduation in May. They’re paying for her to attend graduate school.

2

Southern’s 125th anniversary coverage begins on page 18.