Saint Joseph's College Magazine - Spring 2016

spring2016

COLLEGE MAGA ZINE

Making Mercy Real How the College Is Embracing the Pope’s Holy Year of Mercy

Also: SJC’s Icelandic Adventure • Shea Family Ties • Study Away Takes Off

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COLLEGE MAGAZINE

VOLUME 11 SPRING 2016

Features Bridging the Distance • 11 Jeanne Arnold ’83, a distance learner, finds a personal connection to her alma mater.

Opening the Arctic • 13

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What commerce and climate change in Iceland could mean for the College.

Shea Family Ties • 15 Four decades of SJC history through one family’s eyes.

Departments Monks POV • 4 A look back at some of our favorite online posts, pictures, and tweets.

In Brief • 5

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The College commemorates the Holy Year of Mercy, and other news from SJC.

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History: Celebrating 25 Years of Workfest • 9 Recognizing a quarter-century of alternative spring break service.

Critical Thought: Mercy Farm • 19 Kathryn Cody reflects on the eco-spiritual practice.

Classroom: Beyond Four Walls • 20 Study Away takes off as students seek diverse experiences abroad.

Profile: Making Giant Strides in Tiny Tech • 22

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Ken Marino ’82 of Orbel Corporation talks shop, school, and success.

Legacy: The Campbell Women • 24 How a familial connection to SJC runs through three generations.

Mission: Memorializing Mercy • 36 Sisters Sylvia and Mary George discuss plans for the Jubilee Year.

Alumni Highlights

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2016 Ice Bar • 27 Chapter News • 34

Profile: Noah LaRoche ’06 • 32 Alumni Events • 35

Parent Participation • 33 spring 2016 | 1

contributors COLLEGE MAGA ZINE

Joanne Bean joined Saint Joseph’s College in 2014 as vice president and chief advancement officer, bringing over 15 years of experience in fundraising for hospitals, voluntary healthcare industries, and independent research institutions.

Previously, she served as the senior director of development at The Jackson Laboratory and was Northeast senior director for the American Diabetes Association. She received her nursing degree from Gwynedd-Mercy University in Pennsylvania and her MBA from Thomas College in Maine.

E D I TO R Liza Darvin A R T D I R E C TO R Ian J. Marquis CO V E R P H OTO Mody Botros CO N T R I B U T I N G E D I TO R S Ann Swardlick Robert Coppola Sue Johnson Brent Wooten David Svenson CO N T R I B U T I N G P H OTO G R A P H E R S Dana Robichaud ’16

David Canarie has been an adjunct professor

Mody Botros

at Saint Joseph’s College since 2003, teaching courses on business law and international finance. A graduate of St. Anselm College and Boston University School of Law, he is vice president and managing counsel for the Unum Group in Portland, Maine. His spring 2015 seminar focused on emerging trade opportunities between Maine and the Arctic. This fall, he traveled to Iceland on behalf of the College.

Alanna Conn Jeff Scher Sarah Beard Buckley I N F O R M AT I O N U P DAT E Changes to name, address, phone & email: alumni@sjcme.edu 207-893-7890 or 877-SJC-ALUM TO CO N TAC T M AG A Z I N E Liza Darvin Editor Saint Joseph’s College

Jean Maginnis is the senior director of development at the College. Previously, as founder of the Maine Center for Creativity, she spent eight years advocating for the support and stimulation of Maine’s innovative industries. In July 2015, Maine Magazine named her one of 50 people shaping Maine’s future. She recently traveled to Iceland to explore potential partnership opportunities for the College.

She received her BA in Communication from Boston College and is currently working on her MBA at Saint Joseph’s.

Sylvia Comer ’62, RSM, developed the first campus ministry office at the College in 1991 and presently serves as pastoral minister. After completing her undergraduate studies at Saint Joseph’s, she went on to earn her degree in religious studies from the Catholic University of America and her degree in sacred theology from Regis College in Ontario, Canada. As a member of the Sisters of Mercy and through her role working as pastoral minister, Sister Sylvia offers spiritual direction, meditation techniques, and relaxation exercises, along with online meditations available through the College’s website.

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278 Whites Bridge Road Standish, Maine 04084 magazine@sjcme.edu 207-893-7723 Saint Joseph’s College Magazine welcomes your comments, story ideas, and photos.

Opinions expressed in the magazine are those of the authors, not necessarily of Saint Joseph’s College.

sjcme.edu/magazine

A Catholic college in the Mercy tradition

president’s letter

“As we continue on throughout this Holy Year of Mercy, I’d like to encourage our alums to reach out and reconnect with their alma mater.”

Rooted in Mercy

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round this time last year, we witnessed as Pope Francis called for an Extraordinary Jubilee centered around mercy. The theme felt especially auspicious coming on the heels of our 150th anniversary celebration of the Sisters of Mercy in Maine. This Holy Year of Mercy, begun in December 2015 and running through November 20, emphasizes the need for the faithful, and all who turn to God for compassionate love, to embrace and demonstrate mercy on a daily basis. As a College founded by the sisters and grounded in the Catholic faith, this Holy Year serves as a complement to Saint Joseph’s core values and mission.

It’s only fitting that we take this issue of the magazine to recognize the ways in which members of the College live mercy, both in honoring this Holy Year and in our day-to-day interactions with each other.

Coincidentally, as we celebrate this Jubilee, we also must recognize two milestones for the College: 10 years of service trips to Guatemala and 25 years of Spring Break Workfest. The commitment of our staff, students, and faculty to service work

at home and abroad is echoed in the compassion and camaraderie felt here on campus.

It’s clear this emphasis on mercy that begins during our students’ time at the College has a way of radiating out into other communities as our alums embark on new adventures following graduation. This issue, we had the pleasure of speaking with several families with ties to the College—the Sheas, the Campbells, the Arnolds—many of whom have dedicated their lives post-graduation to professions and careers in service to others. If that’s not a testament to the values we foster at SJC, I’m not sure what is.

As we continue on throughout this Holy Year of Mercy, I’d like to encourage our alums to reach out and reconnect with their alma mater. You have an open invitation to return to campus at anytime and participate in any of our Jubilee events—or even just pop by for a quick tour and a visit. After all, this Holy Year ultimately is about closing distances and coming together as a community. I hope you’ll join me on this journey.

Best wishes,

Jim Dlugos, President

For the cover shoot, we had Thom Johnson, our resident carpenter, pose with his creation. For more on the door’s significance to this Holy Year, turn to page 5!

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Monks POV

• A selection of comments, thoughts & insights from around the web

SJC Love Stories

Lakeside Seat

In February, we asked you to tell us about that time you met your special someone while attending SJC. These love stories, shared on our social media accounts in celebration of Valentine’s Day, can be read again (and again and again) at blogs.sjcme.edu/news. Highlights below:

Laura Morneau ’18 (@Imorneauphoto) captured this stunning sunset shot during a recent photography class outing. Proof that when we arm students with cameras, amazing art happens.

“I often laugh about that night; how Tyler and Alex just so happened to end up in that suite, how we ended up swimming in the lake even though the water wasn’t warm, how crazy loud we were while walking along the roads throughout campus, and then how just the two of us ended up on the roof of the soccer hut talking until 4 a.m.”

—Carley Denis ’14 “Our love for one another, and for the college that made it all possible, has never been stronger.”

—Jeremy Storer ’99 “Frank and I went for a quiet walk around the campus, and when we stopped at the crèche, he reached into his pocket and retrieved a little box.

Holding it out to me, he said, ‘Open it.’ It was a lovely, gold diamond ring.”

—Pauline Mahrt Wilson ’69

Mercy in the 21st Century

“The year was 1961, at a chorus mixer with St. Francis College… One of the songs we sang together was ‘A Hole in the Bucket,’ a spicy, fun tune requiring the gal and the guy to sing parts back and forth to each other. His name was Ed, he was a junior, and I, a mere little freshman, but we had a grand time playing the parts of Dear Willy and Dear Liza.”

The Sisters of Mercy have started a hashtag campaign to unite content across platforms that deals with the Holy Year of Mercy. Share your stories, photos, and experiences of giving or receiving mercy on social media using #MakeMercyReal.

—Carol Trebilcock ’65

Let’s Connect!

Find Us Online

Tell Us How We’re Doing

You can send us notes and pictures by using the hashtag #SJCME on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!

Share your thoughts with us by emailing your comments to magazine@sjcme.edu, or send us a letter at:

Facebook.com /SaintJosephsCollegeofMaine

Saint Joseph’s College Magazine • Attn: Liza Darvin 278 Whites Bridge Road • Standish, Maine 04084

@saintjosephscollege

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@SaintJosephsME

in brief Have Mercy On January 27, students, faculty, and staff gathered for a special ceremony to commemorate the Holy Year of Mercy, celebrating in the same way the Jubilee year was welcomed in Rome and all over the globe: by opening and walking through a Holy Door.

For participants, this emblematic act symbolized the intention to remove obstacles that impair or impede their union with God and with one another. To make this passage not simply symbolic but real, Pope Francis has encouraged everyone to focus on and engage in practicing the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

The College’s own Holy Door, a red door adorned simply with the Sisters of Mercy cross, was built by the College’s resident carpenter, Thom Johnson. Throughout the rest

of this auspicious year, the door will be positioned around campus and at events to prompt the community to meditate on how to “live mercy.”

“The Door is a reminder of the College’s Catholic history, and that personally and spiritually, we’re all rooted in mercy,” says Chris Hughes ’17, one of the students involved in the opening ceremony, on what mercy means to him. “It prompts us to take time out of our day to reflect on our actions and how we can be more merciful.”

Pictured: A Holy Door located in Italy. For the first time, Holy Doors are being opened in single dioceses, either in the main Cathedral or in local historical churches, in order to allow Catholics to gain the plenary indulgences granted during the Jubilee Year without having to travel to Rome.

Seeing Stars On the roof of the Heffernan Center sits a very fine optical telescope—quite possibly the largest of its kind in Maine. Installed in 1981, the telescope was in disrepair for years. But restoration efforts began in 2014 and now the College’s 14-inch diameter optical telescope is back in action.

“There’s a learning curve before we’ll be able to utilize its full potential,” says Ryan Dorland, PhD, assistant professor of chemistry and physics. The restoration was more challenging than anticipated, and replacement parts were hard to find. But for two years, Dr. Dorland worked with physics students to clean the dome and reinstall the scope. “It wouldn’t have been possible without their help,” he says.

Although more renovations are planned, the observatory is open on a limited schedule and was used in physics classes this spring. Prospective stargazers should contact Dr. Dorland at rdorland@sjcme.edu.

Pictured: The observatory when it was first installed in the early ’80s. It’s now been restored to its former glory, along with a few additional improvements.

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in brief SJC Gets Political Washington, DC, was digging out from a 19inch snowstorm when President Jim Dlugos and Liz Schran, director of corporate and foundation relations, arrived in late January for their annual visit to Capitol Hill and to attend the conference for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU). Every year, our president visits the Hill to provide Maine’s senators and representatives with an update on the College, while at the same time giving input on the legislative issues that directly affect higher education and our students. This year’s docket includes legislation dealing with two issues that are of critical concern to the College: federal student aid and loans.

While in DC, President Dlugos and Liz Schran also took a break from politics to dine with a recent alum and three current students who were interning for their spring semester. The four women, three of whom had just arrived days before, were undaunted by the snow, amazed that an entire city would shut down for such a “normal” event. Pictured from left to right: Dr. Dlugos, Raven Riendeau ’17, Sara Poirier ’15, Whitney Adell ’17, Erin O’Brien ’18, and Liz Schran.

Networking from Day One

(From left to right) Rachelle Messuri ’14, Sydney Mosher ’10, and Andrew Moravick ’10 talked about what it takes to have a career in marketing during a panel on October 27, 2015.

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“The sooner students learn to network, the better off they’ll be,” says Beth Richardson, director of career development, on the mission of Connections, a career networking program intended to get students thinking about their futures from the get-go.

To nail this point home, Connections kicked off the academic year with a fall series of alumni career panels, events open to the whole community but designed with the Class of 2019 in mind. Freshmen were required to attend at least four panels, which focused on human resources, marketing, healthcare, criminal justice, education, government, and entrepreneurship, in addition to many other fields. In total, 67 alumni from all over the US journeyed back to campus to participate in one of 18 panels.

“They loved it,” said Richardson. “Some even ended up with interns as a result!”

The panels are just one of several new initiatives being rolled out under the umbrella of Connections. In the spring, the College sponsored career fairs on campus and in Portland; this summer and fall, the first group of juniors will be eligible for the $2,000 Connections stipend to supplement travel and work experiences. (Read the story on page 20 for more.) And the program will continue to grow. After all, as Richardson puts it, “Connections are everything.”

in brief A Decade of Impact in Guatemala In 2006, the first group of students, faculty, and staff journeyed to Guatemala over winter break to participate in a service trip with Partners in Development (PID), working to build homes and provide medical care for local Guatemalans. Ten years later, this annual tradition continues at the College.

This winter break, travelers to San Bernardino, in the Suchitepéquez department of Guatemala, saw evidence that their short-term service trips were having long-term impacts. They had the opportunity to meet Felipe, owner of the very first house built by PID in 2006.

For Felipe, getting a new house enabled him to make his daughter’s education a priority; she was the first girl from their village to graduate from high school and is now studying at the university level.

He acknowledged two members of the original Saint Joseph’s team that helped construct his home: Steven Bridge, professor of theology, and Dr. Sue Kelly, associate professor emerita.

“The transformation is so dramatic that the original villages are almost unrecognizable today,” commented Bridge on his return, reflecting on the impact PID has had in Guatemala. “There’s still plenty of work to be done, but the progress we’ve made is considerable.”

Professor Bridge is pictured here on his first trip to Guatemala. A decade later, and he’s amazed by how the country has developed.

Walking in Their Shoes In February, 50 pounds of shoes were donated by members of the Saint Joseph’s community to children and families who have fled violence in the Middle East. It was a collaboration between the College’s Interfaith Ministry and members of Portland’s Muslim population.

“I’m pleased that this small endeavor has helped to raise awareness in the College community,” beams Frank Daggett, director of Interfaith Ministry. The idea for the project, Daggett says, came to him after the College’s most recent service trip to Guatemala, and was encouraged by history professor Michelle Laughran and President Jim Dlugos.

“We have sent a message to the local Muslim community that people here care about our Muslim brothers and sisters who are seeking a safe and secure home,” says Daggett.

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in brief Saint Joseph’s now proudly stands with 679 other institutions in their pledge to attain carbon neutrality.

The College is projected to achieve this green initiative by 2036.

As part of its partnership with EcoMotion, a mission-driven sustainability consulting firm, the College is pleased to announce its first Climate Action and Sustainability Plan, which outlines practices, strategies, and metrics for meeting these eco-conscious objectives.

On March 4, the Board of Trustees approved the plan, which includes the below target dates.

2017 Create a comprehensive, campus-wide purchasing policy for cleaning products, paper products, print cartridges, and electronics with a preference for inclusive and local products and services.

2019 Achieve Green Restaurant Association certification.

2020 Develop a Sustainability Certificate Program.

Engage at least 75% of faculty and staff in health and wellness programming.

2021 Promote and deploy five projects from the Green Revolving Fund.

2022 Decrease electricity, oil, gas, propane, and fuel for fleet vehicles by 25%.

2025

Reduce hauled waste by 10%.

Lower potable water consumption as adjusted for population growth.

Create a permaculture design for Pearson’s Town Farm that includes both managed forest land and wilderness areas.

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history

Celebrating 25 Years of Workfest For a quarter-century, SJC students have been trading swimsuits for shovels, sacrificing a traditional spring break experience to perform service work for those less fortunate.

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ister Michele to Sister Sylvia: “Put up a poster. If students sign up, we’ll go. If they don’t, we won’t.” So settled the debate about whether to launch the College’s first alternative spring break program some 25 years ago.

Ultimately, 16 students and four adults ventured to Kentucky in the spring of 1991, where they participated in Workfest, a week of volunteer service with the Christian Appalachian Project.

They slept on camp bunk beds and rose every day at 6 a.m., joining in morning prayer with other student volunteers.

After breakfast, they headed out to their worksites, where they would spend long days building and repairing homes for people in eastern Kentucky. When they returned later in the evening, they gathered to reflect on the day and the powerful experiences they were having.

Throughout the week, participants learned a great deal about Appalachian culture and even more about themselves.

Sister Michele Aronica ’74, RSM, and Sister Sylvia Comer ’62, RSM, recall that first trip to Kentucky. “What struck me,” says Sister Sylvia, “was the joy and the faith of people who had so

little.” In short order, new homes took shape, constructed by teams of students led by experienced carpenters. Sister Sylvia was amazed “to see what we built in just a week!”

“After that first trip,” says Sister Michele, “we came to understand some important things. First, our students are interested in service. Second, they make meaningful connections on these trips.

And third, the experience changes them. They begin to see service as part of their social responsibility.”

Fast forward to the present day and Spring Break Workfest is still going strong. Slots fill up quickly for this annual tradition, which has earned a reputation as an eye-opener. “It’s a journey I went into expecting to help change someone’s life for the better,” says Danielle Charette ’17, “but somehow, every time I go, I find the people I work with only change my life for the better.”

Workfest programs bring students from across the country together, forming lasting bonds through shared experiences. Says Jennifer Deacon ’16, a nursing major and veteran Workfest volunteer, “It’s incredible how complete strangers bond so easily when coming together for the same reasons.”

BY ANN SWARDLICK

Students from Saint Joseph’s College and Waldorf College in Iowa worked together at Love in Action Food Pantry in New Orleans for the 2016 Spring Break Workfest.

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history

Walking the Walk: In The Mercy Tradition Sister Michele believes Spring Break Workfest is perfectly aligned with the College’s mission statement. “Part of our mission is to do outreach to underserved populations. Over the years, I have seen that it really nurtures something inside to engage in civic volunteerism; it’s transformative.”

Kathryn Cody, coordinator of social justice and leadership, agrees. “The connection to Mercy is so real,” she says. “We’re not just talking about it, we’re doing it.”

According to Cody, there has been a growing emphasis on student leadership development.

“These are really student-led trips,” she explains.

Cody works closely with Workfest trip leaders before groups depart in the spring. And she relishes meeting with students upon their return.

“They come back with their stereotypes broken and their eyes wide open! I tell them, yes, this week of service is good, it’s important. But in the grand scheme of things, it’s not the nailing of shingles or renovating of homes that matters, it’s the transformation that occurs within.”

For 25 years, Saint Joseph’s students have been returning to eastern Kentucky, contributing their time to the Christian Appalachian Project, now one of the largest human-services charities in the US. Workfest has also expanded to other sites around the the country.

On Friday, March 4, Bishop Deeley was on hand to bless more than 30 students who were headed off on Workfest service trips. In addition to Kentucky, they were traveling to New York to work with Westchester County Habitat for Humanity; to Louisiana to work with Camp Restore on

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construction and social service projects in New Orleans; and to Pennsylvania to volunteer with Blessed Sarnelli Community, providing resources to the poor and homeless.

A psychology major in her junior year, Charette is a three-time Spring Break Workfest participant.

When asked why the mission trips are so impactful, she counters with a question of her own: “How can you explain an experience that somehow manages to touch your life in such a big way in such a small amount of time?”

From its introduction as an alternative spring break in 1991 (above) to today (below), Workfest has a long tradition of pushing SJC students out of their comfort zones.

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BRIDGING THE DI STA NC E After 30 years, a distance learner comes home.

STORY BY JOANNE BEAN, VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER

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y any measure, Jeanne Arnold ’83 is a fabulous Saint Joseph’s success story. She was one of our early distance education pioneers, and has gone on to use her degree to advance patient care throughout the course of her career in healthcare administration.

She is a noted philanthropist and continues to engage in cutting-edge health initiatives.

Yet, like too many of our distance-learning graduates, her connection to campus was, well, distant. All that changed in spring 2015, when Jeanne came across Saint Joseph’s College Magazine and was inspired to put a check in the mail.

When I called to thank her for her generous donation, a relationship blossomed. During a recent conversation with Jeanne, I asked her to share how she found her way back to Saint Joseph’s College all these years later.

“It transformed my career.”

Jeanne (Donlevy) Arnold doesn’t remember how she first heard about the Saint Joseph’s distance baccalaureate program for nurses. But she does remember thinking, “This could benefit my career path—an advanced degree on a schedule that works for me.”

As the newly appointed assistant director of nursing

at the former St. Joseph’s Hospital in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Jeanne had come a long way with the RN diploma she received from Rhode Island Hospital School of Nursing. But it was clear that nurses would soon need their bachelor’s degrees to remain competitive. “I had proven myself to be a good administrator and a leader,” she says. “They valued my clinical experience… But, you never know.”

Jeanne wanted to be sure that her lack of a degree wouldn’t be a barrier. However, as she reminded me, there weren’t many options available to single, working moms back in those days.

Fortunately, Saint Joseph’s had recently begun offering a BS in Professional Arts through distance education. It was tailor-made for nurses like Jeanne: “Saint Joseph’s counted a good chunk of my RN diploma credits toward my degree so I could earn my BS in just two years. Plus, I was able to continue working full time at the hospital.”

To speed her progress, she attended two summer sessions on campus. “It was beautiful being on Sebago Lake in Maine, although mostly I spent my time studying,” she recalls. In 1983, she achieved her goal, earning a BS in Professional Arts with a major in healthcare administration.

“The degree transformed my career,” says Jeanne, who was then able to advance steadily in

Pictured: Ed and Jeanne (Donlevy) Arnold visiting campus in December 2015.

“It was beautiful being on Sebago Lake in Maine, although mostly I spent my time studying.”

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Thanks to a generous gift from Jeanne Arnold ’83, current and future nursing and science students now have the use of an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES), a critical piece of laboratory equipment, installed on March 4, 2016.

her field. She held a number of senior administrative positions, culminating with her role as vice president of patient care at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Lebanon. It was there that Jeanne met her husband, Edward H. Arnold, chairman of the hospital board, and CEO of New Penn Trucking, Arnold Industries, and Arnold Logistics.

While very proud of her degree and her alma mater, Jeanne Arnold didn’t return to campus for 30 years.

Reconnecting in 2015 When I first called Jeanne Arnold last year, I discovered how much good she has done—and is doing—in the world. Now retired, she and her husband, Ed, are both dedicated philanthropists and community volunteers, active with Penn State University and the Hershey Children’s Hospital, Lebanon Valley College, Lebanon Valley Family YMCA, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), and many other organizations.

“I support what touches my heart, but I’m not a person who just gives money to an organization,” says Jeanne. “I like to get involved, to know what’s going on.”

Jeanne and Ed have a particular soft spot for the Boy Scouts and have been major supporters of The Summit National Scout Reserve in Bechtel, West Virginia.

“I was very honored when Dr. Robert Gates, president of the Boy Scouts of America, invited me to serve on the BSA board,” says Jeanne.

Recently, she was asked to lead a BSA task force on the prevention of childhood obesity. The only woman on the national board, Jeanne is now drawing on her nursing background to tackle one of the leading health crises facing our country today.

Finding A Common Cause As Jeanne and I talked, we discovered many shared interests. Through my prior experience 12 | saint joseph’s

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with the American Diabetes Association, I was able to introduce her to Dr. Christina Economos, director of ChildObesity180 at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts. Dr. Economos would become an invaluable asset to Jeanne’s obesity prevention initiative with the Boy Scouts.

Jeanne also invited me to join the obesity prevention task force, and in turn, I invited her to visit us on campus. Jeanne was interested in the direction her alma mater was taking in the 21st century, especially in the area of healthcare education.

Jeanne and Ed Arnold visited us in December.

They were welcomed at a reception hosted by Lynne Robinson, dean of admissions, and her husband Larry, both members of the President’s Society. Later, the group gathered for dinner in Portland, where they were joined by trustee Carol Seavor and her husband, Peter. During their visit, Jeanne and Ed toured the campus, met with the leadership team, reviewed our strategic plan, and spent time with the nursing faculty.

“I am excited about the initiatives that are being taken for the future growth and sustainability of Saint Joseph’s,” Jeanne says, reflecting on that visit.

“I continue to be so grateful to this wonderful institution.”

Jeanne subsequently made a significant gift toward the purchase of a high-performance spectrometer, a critical laboratory tool for nursing and science majors. With great excitement and enormous gratitude, we installed Jeanne’s gift on Friday, March 4.

As we re-engage with Jeanne Arnold after all these years, I am hopeful that she can help us build relationships with other distance education alumni who are out there doing great things. In the age of online learning, our aim is to create a tight-knit community that brings our virtual Saint Joseph’s family closer to home.

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Opening the Arctic Q&A COMPILED BY ANN SWARDLICK

Two of Saint Joseph’s own make the journey to Iceland to explore new opportunities for education and trade.

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n October 2015, Jean Maginnis, senior development director at Saint Joseph’s, and David Canarie, adjunct professor of business, traveled to Reykjavík, Iceland, for a meeting of the Arctic Circle Assembly, an international gathering designed to increase participation and global focus on the future of the Arctic in the face of climate change. As members of the Maine delegation, Maginnis and Canarie were among those invited to explore the emerging Maine–Arctic relationship, a partnership that could bring previously unanticipated economic opportunities to the state.

After meeting with leaders at Reykjavík University, they returned to campus excited about potential collaborations. Here, Maginnis and Canarie answer questions about how the Arctic’s changing landscape could impact Saint Joseph’s future.

Q: Why all the excitement about the Arctic now?

What’s going on?

Canarie: The melting of the polar ice caps has focused world attention on issues related to the

opening of new North Atlantic shipping lanes and potential trade routes. As the gateway to the North Atlantic, Maine happens to be in the ideal strategic location. What’s more, Portland is now home to US operations for Iceland’s oldest shipping company, Eimskip, which regularly operates vessels between Portland and Reykjavík. With all of these factors lining up, I knew there would be an opportunity here for our students, so I and other business faculty began exploring the possibilities.

Maginnis: I was really excited to learn that, for the first time ever, the Arctic Council will hold its Senior Arctic Officials Meeting in Maine this coming October 4­–6. This was thanks to the efforts of Maine Senator Angus King, co-chair of the Senate Arctic Caucus. I’ve always been passionate about the potential for growth in our state and the role Saint Joseph’s College can play. The Arctic Council meeting, which will focus on shipping, energy, climate change, and other issues, will give our students and faculty the chance to contribute to this exciting partnership opportunity for Maine.

The melting of Arctic sea ice to record lows in recent years has prompted many nations, principally those with an Arctic coastline like the United States, to reassess their commitments and strategic interests.

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feature England, and Maine Maritime Academy. This group will help provide programs that educate Maine people about the issues and opportunities associated with the North Atlantic–Arctic Circle.

Q: How does our focus on the Arctic advance the College’s mission?

Dave Canarie (far left) and Jean Maginnis (far right) pose for a picture with Robert Barber, US ambassador to Iceland, and Senator King at the Arctic Circle Assembly in October 2015.

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Q: In what ways will Saint Joseph’s students and faculty be involved?

Canarie: From an academic perspective, we began looking at the economic implications of the opening of the Arctic in my seminar on global finance last spring. From there, the business faculty worked with Saint Joseph’s leadership team to develop several initiatives. These include the creation of the SJC Center for Arctic and North Atlantic Engagement—a virtual academic center that will be staffed and managed by students and will become a central resource for information related to business, trade, climate, culture, and other developments in the Arctic —and the Arctic Speaker Series. Jean and I kicked off this lecture series in February, and in September, we’re excited to host Tom Barry, the executive secretary for the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF).

Maginnis: From an institutional perspective, this is an exciting time for Saint Joseph’s.

The College has been asked to join the Maine-North Atlantic Education Consortium, which includes Bowdoin, University of Southern Maine, University of New

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Canarie: I think it aligns perfectly with the expressed mission of Saint Joseph’s College and the Sisters of Mercy. In addition to fostering a strong academic community, the College also encourages all students to explore widely the arts and sciences while they also prepare to live ethical and meaningful lives. Engaging in the Arctic develops a global perspective on a wide range of business, social, and scientific issues.

Maginnis: Saint Joseph’s has never been shy about taking on new and innovative ideas and developing ways to serve the community. We have been invited to join the Host Committee for the upcoming Arctic Council meeting, which will draw hundreds of leaders and experts from eight Arctic nations. This provides a rich opportunity for faculty and students, and elevates Maine’s position on the world stage. It has already increased awareness of Saint Joseph’s College and has created opportunities for our professors to exchange with Reykjavík University, which will ultimately lead to more options for students, as well. I believe engagement in the Arctic is a natural extension of Saint Joseph’s mission and a continuation of our history of innovation and outreach.

The Sun Voyager, a sculpture by Jón Gunnar Árnason located in the center of Reykjavík, symbolizes the promise of undiscovered territory and new forms of travel.

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Shea Family Ties A conversation with a four-decades-deep Saint Joseph’s alumni family.

BY ANN SWARDLICK

T

o talk with the extended Shea family, which includes Brembs, Paladinos, and Fosters, is to glimpse nearly 40 years of campus life at Saint Joseph’s College.

There are veiled references to 25-cent beers, Jell-O wrestling, baseball road trips, and bonfires by the lake. But don’t think for a moment that they’re telling us everything.

When Mike Shea met Nancy Brembs at SJC, he was one of only two guys in the junior class.

“Despite the male-female imbalance,” says Nancy, “I was the one he asked to Spring Weekend!” And thus began a relationship that grew into a family legacy.

Here is some of what we gleaned from a recent conversation with eight members of the Shea tribe: The ’70s Mike Shea ’72: “I transferred to Saint Joe’s in 1970, the year the College went co-ed. Most of the

male students were freshmen—I was a rare upperclassman. How the Sisters of Mercy survived is a mystery! What shone forth was their commitment to higher education: they would push us to go above and beyond.”

Nancy (Brembs) Shea ’74: “Everybody knew everybody. I’ve stayed in close contact with so many of my friends from freshman year, including Sr. Michele Aronica ’74, current chair of the sociology department, who I’ve known since high school. After graduation, she decided to become a nun, and I decided to get married.”

Gathered for the 2015 Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner (left to right): Andrew Paladino ‘09, Katie (Foster) Paladino ‘07, Mike Shea ‘72, Nancy (Brembs) Shea ‘74, Chris Shea, Colleen (Shea) Hallee ‘00, Jason Hallee, Dorothea Shea, Jim Paladino ‘81, and Marianne (Shea) Paladino ‘82.

In front: Ian and Lauren Hallee.

Below: Eddie Brembs ‘83, who was unable to attend the 2015 Alumni Awards (pictured above), with his wife and daughter.

The ’80s Jim Paladino ’81: “I have great memories of Monks baseball road trips. My philosophy at the time was: You never get these four years of your life back, so take advantage of everything you can. You’re going to make mistakes, but our teachers encouraged us to open our eyes and spring 2016 | 15

Old yearbooks give a peek into the past: (bottom left to right) Marianne (Shea) Paladino ‘82, Jim Paladino ‘81 (two photos), Nancy (Brembs) Shea ‘74 (two photos), and Mike Shea ‘72.

take risks. One accounting professor, Richard Lamb, had a big impact on my career.”

Marianne (Shea) Paladino ’82: “I remember visiting my older brother, Mike, and loving the small campus on the lake. I also liked the College’s holistic approach to nursing. They taught us to care for the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. It was challenging, but we had plenty of time for fun. It’s not the studying I remember, it’s the great times and friendships I made.”

Eddie Brembs ’83: “I came up to visit my sister, Nancy, and made an instant decision to transfer. I liked the close-knit community and the small-college atmosphere. I met Dino [aka Jim Paladino] right away. We both played baseball and believed in making the best of the time we had in college. (‘Beat the Clock’ and 25-cent beers come to mind!)”

The ’90s (into the aughts) Colleen (Shea) Hallee ’00: “Saint Joseph’s seemed so big and exciting to me when I was young.

Since my father was on the Board, we visited often. I wanted to go to college out-of-state, and I thought playing Division III field hockey would be exciting. So, Saint Joe’s was the perfect fit. As an education major, the professors really pushed 16 | saint joseph’s

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our comfort levels. Right away, they put us in front of a classroom. When I became a teacher, I was really well prepared.”

The Millennials Katie (Foster) Paladino ’07: “I applied on a whim. I wanted to go away to a Catholic college—but not too far away—and it was a privilege to be at Saint Joe’s when Father John Tokaz was there. The education department was amazing. We knew our professors; they helped me get out there and become a teacher.

And another good thing: I met my wonderful, handsome husband, Andrew!”

Andrew Paladino ’09: “With a mom, dad, aunt, and uncle who all went to Saint Joseph’s, it was a foregone conclusion I would be next! As a business major, I liked the nontraditional, project-based approach.

It got us to think outside the box.

My HR management professor, Beth Richardson [now director of career development], was phenomenal. She really helped prepare me for the business world.”

Back to the Future with Mike Shea In 1975, Mike was invited to serve on the Saint Joseph’s Board of Overseers (now the Board of Trustees). It was the first of multiple terms on the Board and marked a turning point in the

feature

Last year, Mike Shea ’72 was honored with the Professional Excellence Award at the 2015 Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner.

“The physical changes are the most startling, but there is also a change in the atmosphere.

There’s a vibrancy here, a lot of exciting things are going on.”

Mike with two members of the Shea expansion team, Ian and Lauren Hallee.

College’s history: the beginning of Saint Joseph’s pioneering entry into distance learning.

“I’ve seen the College grow up,” says Mike.

“We’ve grown in both size and stature. There’s no need to be shy about the quality of our education and our facilities. Saint Joseph’s College is no longer a hidden gem.”

“The physical changes are the most startling,” he adds, “but there is also a change in the atmosphere.

There’s a vibrancy here, a lot of exciting things are going on.”

Mike will continue to play a leadership role as the College moves ahead with ambitious campus improvements and new initiatives as outlined in the President’s strategic plan. He’s a strong advocate for active alumni engagement to help Saint Joseph’s maintain its momentum and reach its potential for growth and stability. And the Sheas will always be here, providing the College with a solid foundation grounded in family history.

“We’ve done a good job, if not intentionally, of creating a Saint Joseph’s legacy,” says Mike. With six in the next generation—soon to be nine—there’s already an expansion team waiting in the wings. spring 2016 | 17

Join us

on beautiful Sebago Lake!

Alumni Weekend 2016 Friday, July 29 – Sunday, July 31

Come see what’s new on campus —and don’t miss the fun! 

Welcome Back Cruise on Casco Bay



Alumni Association Town Meeting



Sisters of Mercy Tea



Alumni Cornhole Tournament



Beer, Wine & Cheese Tastings



Annual Lobster Bake



Dance Party Under the Tent



Jazz Brunch, Silent Auction… and lots more!

For more information, contact Rob Coppola, director of alumni and development services, at rcoppola@sjcme.edu, or call 207-893-7898.

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critical thought

Mercy Farm

and the Eco-Spiritual Practice

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hen we arrived at Mercy Farm in Benson, Vermont, at 9:45 p.m. on a Friday night last October, we had no idea what would be in store for us. Graciously, Sisters Betty and Mary had waited up for our arrival (far past my bedtime) so that they could orient us to the farmhouse and show us to our rooms. We slept quickly and soundly, after a five-hour drive at the end of a long week of work and school for myself and the four students traveling: Aprille Hibbard ’16, Aliyah Gregory ’17, Nhu Vo ’17, and Ben Poisson ’18.

When we woke the morning following our arrival we were greeted by freshly brewed coffee and a spread of breakfast foods to choose from.

We had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know Sr. Betty and Sr. Mary, as well as Sr. Holly (under less exhausted post-drive conditions).

The sisters put us to work, and we were soon weeding and turning the raised beds and digging up roots, getting the farm ready for the long winter ahead.

Every fall, students from Saint Joseph’s participate in a social justice-focused experience. These trips always involve some sort of service, but I have to admit, that’s often not the real motivation, or perhaps, the true output. What happens is not just service or physical labor—it’s transformation.

So upon learning about Mercy Farm’s focus on spirituality, ecology, and sustainability last spring, I was immediately motivated to find some students who would share in the joy of visiting the farm and learning about their program. We hope to be continually molded and remolded, and through that transformed, and Mercy Farm certainly

BY KATHRYN CODY, SOCIAL JUSTICE & LEADERSHIP COORDINATOR

allowed for just that. We were inspired to pursue action that depends on cooperation rather than competition, and our stay left us questioning, “What would the world be like if we all just took care of one another?”

So often we fall into the mental trap of thinking, If I change my lifestyle, it won’t make much difference, or, Someone else will take care of this problem, or, Everyone else is doing it, so why can’t I? But during our stay at Mercy Farm, we were challenged to look at the earth not as a resource that only exists to satisfy human demands, but as a home to be treasured and respected. We have no right to abuse the earth, yet we continue to do so, every day. This skewed perspective was explained to our group by the sisters: “It’s like glasses we’ve worn for so long that we don’t even know we’re wearing them anymore.”

Through our cleaning and weeding, building, and conversations with the sisters and one another, we were reminded that our lives belong to the whole community, and as long as we live, it is our privilege to do for the community whatever we can. It was a reminder, as Aliyah Gregory ’17 put it, that “helping out in any way possible and enjoying the company of others while serving others” is paramount. This is our purpose, to love and serve one another.

We went to Mercy Farm because it seemed like an amazing opportunity and a natural connection.

We stayed because of the hospitality and love that we received and were able to give. And we will always come back to the lessons we learned because of the transformation that has occurred within.

“I am committed to bringing forth an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling, and socially just human presence on this planet as the guiding principle of our times.”

—AWKENING THE DREAMER SYMPOSIUM

Before leaving, Mercy Farm participants pledge to continue to act on the lessons they’ve learned during their stay.

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classroom

beyond four walls Going global gains traction with campus students who are looking to broaden their horizons.

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“This was seriously the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me.”

C

omments like this from Laura Sullivan ’17, who just returned from a semester in Perth, Australia, are the reason Suzanne Murphy loves her job.

“As study away coordinator at Saint Joseph’s, I help students realize their dreams of living and learning in another country,” she says. “Invariably, these crosscultural experiences are transformative.”

For Casidee Couture ’17, who spent last semester studying in London, “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that opens your eyes to so many different things.”

Laura Sullivan would agree: “When you go to a completely new location, you are able to really see who you are as a person... I ended up making the most amazing friendships. I want to spend the rest of my life traveling.”

In recent years, there has been a major push to expand opportunities for experiential learning outside of the classroom. Programs include the Guatemala Service Trip and other service-learning experiences, as well as internships at The Washington Center and immersive education programs like the new Environmental Science

Semester. And, increasingly, more and more students are opting to spend a semester, a year, or a summer studying abroad.

Creating Global Citizens Helping students to develop a global perspective is one of Saint Joseph’s institutional learning outcomes. To that end, Suzanne Murphy’s charge is to elevate the visibility of study away programs.

She visits every First-Year Experience (FYE) section in the fall, accompanied by a study away returnee, to raise awareness —and it’s working.

In spring 2007, just three students spent a semester abroad. This coming academic year, at least 25 will venture to countries around the globe, including England, Australia, Israel, Ireland, Germany, Italy, France, Japan, Spain, South Africa, and Costa Rica.

The College’s relationships with organizations such as the Council for International Educational Exchange (CIEE), International Studies Abroad (IA), and the Barcelona Study Abroad Experience, have helped to increase the number of high-quality study abroad opportunities for students on campus.

classroom Now, the College is going further to make these kinds of experiences even more accessible to students.

Cost and Connections Students may not realize that the costs of tuition, room, and board for a semester away are the same as a semester on campus. However, there are often additional expenses associated with traveling abroad that may be a financial hurdle for some students. That’s where the new Connections career development program can help.

Beginning with the Class of 2018, the Connections program enables every student who has attained 60 credits—typically by the time they are juniors —to apply for a one-time stipend of up to $2,000, which can help cover the cost of a qualifying, hands-on experiential learning opportunity.

According to Beth Richardson, director of career development at Saint Joseph’s, “The Connections stipend can pay for airfare, passport, and visa applications, a bus to Boston, even a clothing allowance, making it easier for students to take advantage of study abroad opportunities.”

CIEE Global Scholars Grants New also in 2016 is a remarkable opportunity for six Saint Joseph’s students to go abroad with financial assistance from the CIEE. CIEE’s Global Scholars Grants support students who are attending CIEE Global Institutes in Berlin, London, Rome, and Paris. Four Saint Joseph’s students will receive $6,000 scholarships to study for a semester in one of those four cities.

Two other students will receive $10,000 Global Scholarships to study for six weeks at each of three different CIEE Global Institutes in the cities of their choice. The grants substantially reduce the cost of tuition, room, and board for these cross-cultural experiences.

“These scholarships have created an extraordinary opportunity for our students who will be studying away next year,” says Murphy, adding, “The ‘study away’ culture is starting to permeate the College.”

Sullivan enthusiastically encourages others to embrace the study away opportunity. Her advice for students headed abroad: “Don’t let being outside of your comfort zone be a restriction. Go out, make friends, and experience the world.”

Traveling Monks: Pictured are photos snapped around the globe by our intrepid students. Can you name all the sites?

Answers: (opposite page, left to right) The Blue Mountains, Australia; The Colosseum in Rome, Italy; Hobbiton, New Zealand; (this page, top to bottom) London, England; The Globe Theater in London, England; Auschwitz Concentration Camp, Poland; rural Ireland.

spring 2016 | 21

profile

Making Giant Strides in tiny Tech

BY LIZA DARVIN

Ken Marino ’82 has made Orbel Corporation a big player in the EMI/RFI shielding market, producing small parts that help electronics—everything from cell phones to high-grade medical equipment—function properly.

W

hen Ken Marino graduated from Saint Joseph’s College in 1982, he left to join the family business, then called Orbel Electric. The company, founded by his father, Dan Marino, was a small operation based in Bloomfield, New Jersey, that provided electroplated wire for the emerging electronics and aerospace markets. Under the junior Marino’s leadership, however, what began as a one-employee organization has grown to be an international player, with headquarters in Pennsylvania, a factory in China, and customers all over the world.

“Soon after I finished college, my father was evaluating the viability of a small, highly specialized manufacturing operation,” says Marino. “We discussed the situation and agreed that me getting involved could be good for both the company and myself. So I jumped in with both feet.

Together, we built the business into what it is today.”

But what is that business, exactly? “Orbel’s main market is the EMI/RFI shielding arena,” explains Marino. “Anything that is wireless has an electromagnetic field that needs to be contained. We contain these signals by designing and producing custom Faraday cages that restrict the emittance of radio waves from a given area of a PC board.”

It might not sound like the most exciting 22 | saint joseph’s

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product on the market, but it is one of the most important. That iPhone you keep within arm’s length at all times? Without proper shielding from electromagnetic frequency interference, you’d be challenged to make even a simple phone call during your daily morning commute. In an increasingly wireless world, the relatively inexpensive materials manufactured by Orbel Corporation are what enable $30 million planes to fly safely through digitally-congested airways.

Going Back to His SJC Roots Orbel’s success comes from Marino’s emphasis on respect, compassion, community, and excellence—four of the core values shared by the College. Last year, the company was honored with Pennsylvania’s 2015 Governor’s Small Business ImPAct Award (small only in the sense that it has less than 100 employees).

“It comes down to culture, and a big part of it is quality. And sustainability. The ImPAct Awards program looks for companies that hold the proper values: how they treat their employees, how they treat their customers, how they treat suppliers… the whole nine yards,” says Marino, again echoing tried-and-true philosophies based in the College’s Mercy traditions.

Above: Ken Marino ’82 Sometimes, “thinking small” isn’t so bad.

Right: The Orbel Corporation may not be a household name, but you’ve almost definitely used one of their products in your home. The company produces upwards of three billion small subcomponents each year for products assembled and sold by hundreds of brandname tech and engineering companies all around the world.

Photos courtesy of Orbel Corporation

profile Indeed, Marino, who has remained engaged with his alma mater by serving as a two-term member of the SJC Board of Trustees and actively participating in the Alumni Association, is quick to credit the College as a factor in his post-grad accomplishments.

“Our company’s accountant, we went to college here together,” explains Marino. “I’ve met people here who have been helpful to our business, for sure. There’s always a connection. No matter how far off you think you are, it’s always just seven degrees of separation; you’re never far from an answer.”

Recognizing that who you know is key, Marino is keen on the College’s new Connections program.

This career development initiative pairs current students with alumni working in their fields in order to increase job opportunities and expose students to the all-important concept of networking.

“Colleges used to be the sole keepers of knowledge. But today, I can get that knowledge in a lot of other ways,” admits Marino. “So colleges have to offer a better value proposition, and I think the Connections program is part of that.”

“I graduated in 1982 and come back regularly, so I’m able to see more of the woods than the trees, to speak metaphorically. Right now on campus, you can almost feel the electricity in the air—it feels good.”

Above: These humble parts, pictured above during the manufacturing process, enable everything from your iPhone to aerospace equipment to function properly.

Photo courtesy of Lehigh Valley Economic Development

Thinking Strategically According to Marino, Orbel is currently in the process of reexamining how it addresses client needs, retooling its customer service to be more focused and selective—thinking smarter, not necessarily bigger. Just as Marino is calculating how to thoughtfully grow his company, the College’s President Jim Dlugos is in the early stages of implementing the 10-year strategic plan, his proposal to propel the College to the forefront of higher education. It makes sense, then, that President Dlugos is so excited by Ken Marino’s invitation to help establish the Alumni Association Advisory Board, a group of accomplished alumni who can serve as high-level strategists for alumni development and engagement in accordance with the strategic plan.

“I graduated in 1982 and come back regularly, so I’m able to see more of the woods than the trees, to speak metaphorically. Right now on campus, you can almost feel the electricity in the air—it feels good. It feels like the place is going in the right direction,” says Marino, looking out the window thoughtfully, before enthusiastically bringing the conversation back around to the strategic plan.

“There’s a documented plan, and it looks to me like a dynamic plan.” spring 2016 | 23

legacy

the campbell women Deanna Barry ’16 is a “legacy” student twice over, the third woman in her family to pursue a degree at SJC.

W

hen Deanna Barry ’16 was inducted into the Delta Epsilon Sigma honor society in 2014, she was wearing a distinctive gold medallion around her neck—the very same medallion worn by Constance (Hegarty) Campbell ’52 many years before.

Constance was her grandmother. When Deanna graduates this spring, she’ll represent the third generation of women in her family to claim Saint Joseph’s as their alma mater.

Both Deanna and her mother, Mary Campbell ’85, loved their Saint Joseph’s experience and cherish the history they share with Constance.

When Constance passed away, Mary Campbell found two boxes of Saint Joseph’s memorabilia and donated them to the archives, under the care of Sister Mary George O’Toole ’51, RSM. “Sister Mary George was just a year ahead of my mother in school, and was a great friend of Constance. So it’s very fitting,” explains Mary.

Mary on Constance: “When I was young and growing up in Connecticut, we would visit Portland, Maine.

My mother would drive us around, pointing out all the places she remembered from her time as a student at Saint Joseph’s. When I graduated from high school, it was a 24 | saint joseph’s

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hard time for my family because my mother was sick. But she said to me: ‘You need to go to college!’ So I applied to Saint Joseph’s—it was late, but I got in and I went.”

Mary on Deanna: “Deanna is so much like her grandmother. At Saint Joseph’s, they both majored in English and both were inducted into the honor society. And psychology was a passion for both of them. Constance’s first job was with a psychiatric hospital in Hartford, Connecticut.

When Deanna graduates, she’ll be going on for her MSW.” Deanna on Mary: “I think it’s great that my mother and I are sharing the same experiences in the same places; but, at the same time, it’s unique to each of us. It doesn’t necessarily feel like I’m at ‘her’ school, or even my grandmother’s school, it feels like it’s my school, too.”

Deanna on Constance: “I love having such a rich history with the College going back over 60 years—it gives me a connection that is unique. It also makes me extremely proud that both of these women in my family received a college education, especially my grandmother because that isn’t something all women at the time were able to do.

My experience at Saint Joseph’s has been an amazing journey. I couldn’t have done it without the strong role models my mother and grandmother have been for me.”

Left: Mary Campbell ’85 at graduation.

Above: Deanna Barry ’16 lounging on campus.

Bottom: Constance (Hegarty) Campbell ’52 posing with her daughter.

This just in: Deanna’s younger sister, Kayla Barry, will be part of the SJC Class of 2020, continuing the family legacy.

Welcome, Kayla!

Plan Your Next Gathering With Us

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hether you’re dreaming of a rustic barn wedding or planning a beachfront company retreat, Saint Joseph’s is your event destination. From Sebago Lake to Pearson’s Town Farm and everything in between, our campus’s varied landscapes and facilities serve as the perfect setting for any function or celebration.

No matter the size or type of gathering, our experienced staff is ready to help ensure your event’s success. Our talented chefs at Pearson’s Catering offer farm-to-table style dining with the freshest ingredients creatively prepared and presented. We can even arrange comfortable on-site lodging to best fit your budget and needs.

For more information, contact: www.sjcme.edu/events 207-893-6617 events@sjcme.edu

spring 2016 | 25

alumninews My Personal Invitation To Get Involved Dear fellow alumni, A lot has been happening within the Saint Joe’s community lately­­—both on and off campus. Let’s start with an update on our regional alumni chapters.

I’d like to introduce Ginny Buckley-Kessler ’77, chair of the New Jersey, New York, and Philly Metro Area Chapter, and Michelle Gasper ’06, chair of the New Hampshire Chapter. Michelle hosted her kickoff event in Portsmouth, and it was a fantastic success. I also can’t go without mentioning the brilliant work that Ryan “RJ” Turner ’98 does as chair of the Boston Chapter. These three regional chapters are always hosting fun events­—and always looking for helpers. (Hint, hint.) It’s a great way to get reacquainted or stay connected on a local level.

Meanwhile, back on campus, the Alumni Association Board held its Fifth Annual Ice Bar on February 6, benefiting the Alumni Endowed Scholarship program. This event just gets bigger and better every year—who knows what will be in store for us at the next one!

While it’s great to spend time reflecting on past fun, I also want to draw your attention to more current alumni celebrations, like: Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner, May 7 As you’re reading this, we’ve likely just spent a night honoring this year’s award winners with an evening of fine dining at the Woodlands Club in Falmouth, Maine. The 2016 honorees are as follows: Marcus Barresi ’76 (Professional Excellence Award), Pam Aliberti ’65 (Monk Spirit Award), Jennifer Taylor ’03, MS ’09, MBA ’17 (Emerging Leader Award), and Sydney Mosher ’10 (Catherine McAuley Award). Congratulations, everyone!

Alumni Weekend, July 29-31 Wondering if you should come? The answer is, of course, yes! Alumni Weekend is your opportunity to reconnect with old friends and meet some fantastic new ones, all while enjoying our alma mater’s gorgeous campus. You won’t want to miss the planned farmhouse and stone barn renovations and improved beachfront, let alone favorite events like the alumni cruise and the lobster bake. Keep your eyes peeled for ticket sales and a schedule of activities.

In closing, please consider this my personal invitation to get involved with the College. I have spoken with so many alumni recently who elected to attend an event or volunteered to help with a project and couldn’t be happier with their decision to participate.

For those of you chomping at the bit to do more, there are new class officer positions available as well as committees on the Alumni Association Board that need members. If any of this sounds appealing, please contact Rob Coppola, director of alumni and development services, at rcoppola@sjcme.edu, and he will point you in the right direction.

I hope to see you in the near future.

Sincerely, Ellis Baum ’98 Chair of the Alumni Board ebaum@sjcme.edu

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2015—2016 S J C A LU M N I A S S O C I AT I O N B OA R D OFFICERS CHAIR Ellis Baum ’98 VICE CHAIR Aubrey Gray ’08 TREASURER June Irvine ’09 S E C R E TA RY Pam Aliberti ’65 AC T I N G S E C R E TA RY Matt Cotreau ’10 B OA R D M E M B E R S Cheryl Brewster ’00 Stephanie (Tutlis) Briggs ’98 Haley Nason ’14 Donna O’Brien ’87 Ray Ruby ’05 Ryan Turner ’98

scene&noted

Out and about with SJC alumni

2016 Ice Bar February 6 • Standish, Maine This winter, the College community gathered together for Ice Bar, the first big event of 2016. An annual tradition now in its fifth year, Ice Bar was a huge success. Over 260 students (age 21+), faculty, staff, alumni, and friends turned out for the event.

Guests were able to enjoy freshly chilled drinks on the custom-made ice luges, tasty treats provided by local vendors and Pearson’s Catering, and warm conversation around the fire pits stationed outside. Following ticket sales and raffle entries, over $3,000 was raised that night to benefit the Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship. Very cool.

spring 2016 | 27

classnotes

Alumni news, views & updates

1940s GLORIA HALL GALLANT ‘49

and her husband, Ed Gallant, of Portland, ME, visited their granddaughter, Esther Kennedy, in July at her residence in Sitka, AK, where she works for AmeriCorps. From there, they traveled to Anchorage, AK, to their daughter and son-inlaw’s home. Last May, they were in the San Francisco-Mill Valley area enjoying other family members. Gloria and Ed feel lucky to still be able to travel.

1960s MARION PENNY ALBERT ‘62 and her husband,

Gilbert Albert, of Belfast, ME, became grandparents to a set of triplets and are busy as can be!

JANICE WHITTINGHAM TAYLOR ‘66 of Silver

Spring, MD, celebrated the first birthday of her grandson, Rory Knox Taylor, in Ohio this past June. Rory has two sisters, Alex (six) and Lora (five).

1970s JOCELYN BLAIS DRUKKER ‘73 of Mount Arlington,

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NJ, received a license as a professional counselor in the state of New Jersey in June 2014.

After receiving an MS in counseling psychology in 2009 from the College of Saint Elizabeth in Convent Station, NJ, Jocelyn was supervised for 4,500 hours before being able to obtain this license. Jocelyn is currently employed as an advocate and counselor at the Jersey Battered Women’s Service Residential Shelter, where she has worked for the past eight years.

NANCY L. KASHLAK ‘75, DNP, CRNP, of Tamaqua,

PA, continues to serve as an instructor and course coordinator at the Pennsylvania State University College of Nursing in Hershey, PA. In October 2015, she presented her research project, “The Acceptability of Imagery-Hypnosis for the Management of Needle-Related Pain, Anxiety, and Distress in Pediatric OncologyHematology Patients,” at the fall conference for the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners’ PennsylvaniaDelaware Valley Chapter.

CHRISTINE GOSSELIN GREENE ‘76 of Saco, ME,

retired from Hermon High School in Hermon, ME, back in 2012. Chris was an English teacher, English Department chair, and Key Club advisor at the school.

Chris is currently still an area advisor and adult committee member for the New England and Bermuda District of Key Club International. She welcomed a granddaughter back in April 2014, and she is now currently in the process of moving from Hampden, ME, to Saco, ME.

1980s FRANK L. DAGGETT ‘80, ‘07

of Harrison, ME, was one of 13 men who were instituted as acolytes by Bishop Robert P. Deeley during a special Mass celebrated at the Notre Dame Spiritual Center in Alfred, ME, on June 20, 2015.

JANET KRAMMERER HILDE ‘86 of Casper, WY, has

been retired from the Natrona County District C School since the year 2000 and is now substitute teaching in the district.

Frank L. Daggett ‘80, ‘07 JOAN HARTSOG BOBEN ‘86 of Lancaster, PA, is

JUNE GILBERT HOFFMAN ‘87, RN, BSPA, of

proud of her granddaughter, Martha Boben, who is continuing the Maine “maniacs” tradition by joining the Class of 2019 at Bowdoin College.

Cochranville, PA, is currently working for an adult day care. She is also a faith community nurse volunteer for Oxford Presbyterian Church.

CAROLYN GRAMBO KEAN ‘86 of Akron, OH,

REGINA DEXTER BOWLER ‘89 of Littleton, NH,

recently retired as the community CEO of the American Red Cross Blood Services after 36 years of service.

became the hospice director at North County Home Health & Hospice Agency Inc., which serves Northern Grafton County and South Coös County.

COL. ROBERT E. BACKMAN ‘88 of Leesburg, VA,

retired from the U.S. Army in May after 25+ years of service.

1990s DR. VICTOR M. BOVE ‘91

of Lancaster, PA, was recently awarded the Lifetime Achievement

alumninews

Award by Council 867 of the Knights of Columbus where he is a fourth-degree Knight.

He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Saint Joseph’s College in 1996 and the Distinguished Service Award from Millersville University in Pennsylvania in 1984. In 2005, he was written about as one of Millersville’s 150 distinguished alumni in its book, 150 Years of MU Faces.

CHERYL MUDGETT BACHINSKI ‘92 and her

husband, Stephen Bachinski, of Northfield, MA, have been married for 36 years. They have a small family farm with large gardens, and they go camping, boating, and hunting as ways to enjoy the outdoors. The Bachinskis have two daughters: Katie, 23, and Heather, 28, who lives nearby. Cheryl has been a school nurse for 11 years in rural New Hampshire.

SUSAN E. WENG ‘93 of

Shelbyville, MI, spends her time doing ministry volunteer work within her community, volunteering weekly at a local food pantry and at the Bronson Methodist Hospital.

JIM CHASE ‘94 of Salem, NH, was promoted to deputy chief of police at the Salem New Hampshire Police Department on September 20, 2015.

2000s

2010s

PATRICIA HARRIS ROGERS ‘01 and her husband,

LILLIAN LIPPMANN DONNELLY ‘11 of Port

David Rogers, Sr., of Penn Yan, NY, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with their extended family on November 6, 2015.

Jefferson Station, NY, recently published an article called “Paying It Forward in Nursing.”

Lillian is also currently a student in the MSN nursing educator program at Saint Joseph’s.

GAIL CASTONGUAY ’05 of Hebron, ME, is working on her 33rd year at Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice. She now has seven grandchildren and lives in Hebron with her husband, Leon.

NANCY PRESTON DAVIS ’05 of Annapolis, MD,

completed her PhD in Nursing at the University of Kansas in August 2014.

KATHLEEN B. JOHNSON ‘07, ‘12 of Avon, CT, is

currently the operating room manager at Connecticut Surgery Center, a freestanding ambulatory surgery center in Hartford, CT. DR. ANDORRA “ANDI” VIERCK FOLEY ‘09 of Maple

Valley, WA, graduated from the University of South Alabama with a DNP as a clinical nurse specialist. She was also named the 2015 Educator of the Year by the Emergency Nurses Association.

JULIA THOMAS COX ABEL ‘09, ‘14 of Shillington,

PA, was named the new director of Cancer Care Services for Nanticoke Health Services in June.

KAYE PEABODY ‘15 of Warren, ME, was hired in July 2015 by Dream Local Digital in Rockland, ME, as a marketing strategist.

She will be working with clients nationwide, developing online communities and building brand awareness with social media and online marketing.

Pictured, back row: (L-R) Kimberly Glynn ‘10, Michael Giampetruzzi ‘07, Timothy Ryley ‘08, and Ryan Kelly ‘08; front row (L-R): Jaimee Brett Smith ‘10, Robert Smith ‘09

Wedding Bells ROBERT SMITH ‘09 and JAMIEE BRETT SMITH ‘10

of Bridgton, ME, were married on October 17, 2015, at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Fryeburg, ME. The reception was held at the Jordan Grand Resort at Sunday River. The wedding was officiated

by Father John McHugh, and FRANK DAGGETT ’80, ’07 served as the acolyte.

Also in attendance were MATHEW OLIVER ’09 and HEATHER HACKEMAN OLIVER ’09.

CAITLIN DOWLING DECANDIA ‘11 and BRIAN DECANDIA ‘10 of Salem,

Caitlin Dowling DeCandia ‘11 and Brian DeCandia ‘10

MA, were married on September 12, 2015, in

spring 2016 | 29

classnotes Boston, MA. Caitlin is a paralegal at a financial company in Boston, and Brian is a customer operations analyst at an insurance company north of Boston.

JESSE D. RAPOSA ‘12 and SAMANTHA A. EATON ‘12

of Waltham, MA, are pleased to announce their engagement.

Both are 2012 Saint Joseph’s graduates; Jesse acquired a BS in communications, while Samantha acquired a BA in criminal justice. The couple lives and works in the Boston area. The wedding is scheduled for summer 2016 in Vermont.

RACHEL NEALES ‘12 and TIMOTHY LIRA ‘12 of

Baby Rosalie Grace Pyne

Baby Madison Jane Adams

Westbrook, ME, got engaged on October 25, 2015.

Rachel Neales ‘12 and Timothy Lira ‘12

New Additions J.P. PYNE ‘01 and wife, Sarah, of Old Town, ME, welcomed their daughter, Rosalie Grace Pyne, on December 21, 2014. J.P has also recently been named the head baseball coach at Clark University in Worcester, MA. CARRIE NELLIGAN RICCARDI ‘03 and her

husband, Nick, of Wilmington, NC, welcomed their second child, James Stephen, on January 26, 2015.

He joins his big sister, Lenox, who is three years old.

Baby James Stephen

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MICHAEL R. DOUGHTY ‘03 and his wife, Erin,

of Poughkeepsie, NY,

Baby Connor McAlister welcomed their first son, Chase Daniel Doughty, on June 2, 2014.

JOSH ADAMS ‘07 and NICHOLE LONG ADAMS ‘10

of Windham, ME, welcomed their first child and baby girl, Madison Jane Adams, on April 10, 2015.

LINDSEY PELLETIER RAMSDELL ‘08 and her husband, DARRIN

RAMSDELL ‘06, of Portland, ME, welcomed their second child, Callie Marie, on June 2, 2015.

She joins her big sister, Claire, who is three years old.

MARK HAMLIN ‘08 and KAYLA SOUCY HAMLIN ‘10 of Pickerington, OH,

welcomed their son, Matthew James Hamlin, on July 30, 2015.

alumninews

Baby Rosalie Grace Pyne MALLORY CLARK BUFF ‘09

and her husband, David Buff, of Ipswich, MA, welcomed their son, Connor McAlister, on March 29, 2015.

Condolences & Prayers The College offers its condolences to…

ELIZABETH SNOW THOMPSON ‘60 of

Standish, Maine, whose husband, Lester, passed away in April 2014.

Since his passing, Thompson has returned to Saint Joseph’s as a French teacher, an

Baby Madison Jane Adams

opportunity for which she is very grateful.

The family of CYRILLA

The family and classmates of GERTRUDE SERAFIN DOWNS ‘61 of Rumford, ME. Gertrude passed away on August 29, 2015.

of Westbrook, ME, who passed away on January 15 after a long battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

HELEN SMALL ‘63 of

Brunswick, ME, whose brother, Arthur A. Small, Jr., a former Iowa legislator, passed away on October 3, 2015.

PAMELA ALIBERTI ‘65 of Saco, ME, whose mother, Concetta “Connie” Aliberti, passed away peacefully on January 23 at the age of 100.

PELLETIER DOBKOWSKI ‘70

THOMAS CUSUMANO ‘76

and PATRICIA SMALL CUSUMANO ‘76 of Danville, CA, whose mother, Carmela M. Cusumano, of Edgewater, NJ, passed away on November 19, 2015.

The family of PATRICK J. SINIBALDI ‘90 of Windham, ME. Patrick died peacefully in his home on August 23, 2015.

The family of BRUCE LERCH ‘95 of Boston, MA. Bruce passed away on December 6, 2015, after a brief battle with cancer.

IRMA LAAKSO GREGORY ‘05 of South Windsor,

CT, whose father, Olavi Laakso, of Leesburg, FL, passed away in March.

ARLENE-LENA TEBBETTS ‘06 of Farmington, MA,

whose husband of 29 years, Bill Blaisdell, passed away on November 25, 2014, after a long illness. Bill was Lena’s inspiration in life.

What’s New With You? We want to know. Send us news of your accomplishments and life changes.

Contact the Office of Alumni Relations by emailing alumni@sjcme.edu, calling 207-893-7890, or mailing updates to the Office of Alumni Relations, Saint Joseph’s College, 278 Whites Bridge Road, Standish, Maine 04084.

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Risk and Reward in Life and Basketball Noah LaRoche ’06 takes a big leap of faith What would impel a young college graduate to leave a perfectly good job in his field with no real prospects in sight? For Noah LaRoche ’06, it was a passion for basketball.

L

aRoche’s story begins in 2003, the year he transferred to Saint Joseph’s. “Noah was one of my early recruits,” says Rob Sanicola, who was in his first year as head coach of men’s basketball. “Coach took a chance on me,” recalls LaRoche, who hadn’t played basketball since high school. The Monks acquired a hard-working point guard, and Noah acquired a lifelong mentor.

LaRoche graduated with a degree in finance and took a job with Traveler’s Insurance. But some of Coach Sanicola’s risk-taking must have rubbed off.

After months of soul-searching, LaRoche left his job to focus on a player development program called Integrity Hoops, based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Although it was “more of a hobby at that time,” he took a chance that it would get him where he wanted to be.

Fortunately, Coach Sanicola still had his back. “Coach has always been there for me,” says LaRoche. “He supported my decision, and through his connections, things began to fall into place.”

Path to the Pros Shortly after LaRoche quit his day job, Coach Sanicola introduced him to Hank Smith, head coach at Emerson College. That was the foot in the door that he needed.

Smith linked LaRoche to Mike Procopio at Attack Athletics in Chicago, and for two summers he worked under world-renowned trainer Tim Grover, whose elite client list includes Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Charles Barkley, and other NBA stars. This experience earned LaRoche a job at Tilton Academy in New Hampshire, followed by a stint with a successful Chinese Basketball Association team. The next year, he made it to the NBA, working with the coaching staff of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Today, LaRoche splits his time between the East and West Coasts. As a player development consultant for the Wasserman Media Group, an agency that represents over 50 WNBA and NBA players, he flies each spring to Los Angeles, where he helps college players prepare for the draft. In the summer, he works with pros like Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, and Diana Taurasi.

And in the fall and winter, it’s back to Portsmouth and Integrity Hoops, where he helps players develop skills, character, and “basketball IQ.” The mission of Integrity Hoops is to positively transform lives through basketball, which sounds a lot like Noah LaRoche’s own life experience.

“Noah pushes himself to grow mentally, physically, and emotionally,” Coach Sanicola explains. Whatever risky decisions face him in the future, LaRoche knows he can count on the support and friendship of the coach who once took a chance on a rookie player.

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Nothing But Net: LaRoche’s days as a Monk (top and bottom photos) helped get him to where he is now (middle photo).

alumninews

4 Ways

to Pitch in as Parents

PHOTO CREDIT: JUDITH BELBEN

Paula Foley and Rand Currier, parents of Joe Divico ’19, are not content to watch from the sidelines.

W

hen Joe Divico accepted Saint Joseph’s offer of admission, the College gained a talented freshman, plus two parents eager to support their son’s future alma mater.

From the start, Paula Foley and Rand Currier of Weymouth, Massachusetts, were big fans of Saint Joseph’s. “We feel this incredible sense of family and belonging here,” says Paula. “It’s a great community.”

They were further impressed by the vision for Saint Joseph’s future as laid out in President Dlugos’s strategic plan. “It’s a really exciting time to become involved,” says Paula. “It’s an honor to be included at the launch of such a critical phase in the school’s development.”

Rand agrees. “We want to help,” he says emphatically. And they are, here’s how:



Become College Ambassadors Paula and Rand are actively involved in Parents Association activities, hosting gatherings for prospective students and families in the Greater Boston area and participating in campus events.



Offer Internship Opportunities Rand plans to work closely with the College to coordinate student internships at his company, Granite Telecommunications, located in Quincy, Massachusetts.



Help Raise Funds Invited to join the new Parents Leadership Council, Paula and Rand are helping the College meet its fundraising goals by donating and educating others on the impact giving can have.

Parents Welcome Parents are encouraged to contribute in any way, at any level. In Paula’s words, “I’m hoping that other moms and dads who have an interest will get involved. There’s an open door here—and parents are an asset!”

New Beginnings At the start of the fall semester, Paula Foley and Rand Currier dropped off their son, Joe Divico, at Saint Joseph’s for the first time and experienced a pang familiar to all parents of freshmen: Would he make friends? Would he do well in his classes? Would he like it here? They needn’t have worried. “We held our breath until first semester grades showed he was doing fine,” says Paula. “He had friends, he was comfortable, and by the time Christmas break was over he had his bags by the door ready to head back to Maine.”

For more information on how you can participate as a parent, contact Michelle Howard, development officer, at mhoward@sjcme.edu.



Lend Strategic Support Paula serves on the Mission Aligned Business Committee, which is charged with identifying resources to support the College’s goal of enhancing and diversifying its revenue stream.

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Turning the Page to a New Chapter Michelle Gaspar ’06 is on a mission to instill New Hampshire with some Monk pride.

Dear former classmates and peers,

A

s I approach my 10year reunion and reflect back on my time at Saint Joseph’s College, the thing that stands out above all else is its community. What makes the College so special are the connections we form with everyone on this campus (and for our distance learners, online).

We are all bonded together as Saint Joseph’s alumni, and we’ve all come to appreciate how we’ve been shaped by our college experiences.

I wanted to give back to this community and this place that I called home for four years. My hope was to work on something that would help bring people together. And since alumni chapters are all about reconnecting and making new connections, it felt fitting to start a new alumni chapter in the state where I currently reside: New Hampshire.

Since graduating from SJC in ’06, I’ve built a career in human resources, and I plan to utilize the skills I’ve learned in the workplace to successfully lead the New Hampshire Alumni Chapter forward. As I often tell prospective employees, it’s important to find people—whether at work or elsewhere— who serve to enrich your experiences; personally, I can think of no better people to surround myself with than fellow Monks! I therefore invite you all to please join me in coming together as a local community once again.

I’m pleased to report that the official Chapter kick-off took place in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on January 29. Over 30 of you turned out for the event—thank you all for your support! We look forward to growing our numbers at the next gathering, which will be held in Manchester, New Hampshire, in the early summer. Please check out our Facebook page for updates on this event and others: www.facebook.com/sjcnhchapter.

See you soon!

Michelle Gaspar ’06 Sr. Human Resources Representative, Putnam Investments mgaspar@sjcme.edu

Buddies, Beer, and Bar Food: A Winning Combination Michelle Gaspar ’06 (above) chose the relaxed atmosphere of The Portsmouth Brewery for the New Hampshire Chapter’s inaugural event, which saw a turnout of over 30 people.

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Launching One in Your Area Boston, New Hampshire, New Jersey… You can decide where a chapter pops up next!

On the heels of another successful chapter launch, the Office of Alumni Relations is eager to continue expanding its network of regional chapters. Ultimately, the goal is to serve all areas where alumni live. And where, exactly, do you all reside? The Association’s reach includes all 50 states. (Yes, Alaska and Hawaii, we’ve got you covered.) Whether you’re one of the 902 alumni living in Florida or one of the 134 in Washington, there are plenty of grads in your state to organize a regional chapter. If Michelle’s story inspired you to want to start a chapter of your own, email Rob Coppola, director of alumni and development services, at rcoppola@sjcme.edu to begin the conversation.

alumninews

Call Out for Class Officers

J

uly 29, the official kick-off date for this year’s Alumni Weekend, will be here before you know it. And for alums approaching a reunion year, there’s no better way to help your fellow classmates celebrate than by stepping up and becoming a class officer.

In addition to assisting with reunion planning, class officers are responsible for the overall leadership of their class and act as liaisons between the class and members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Office of Alumni Relations. Some benefits to being an officer include free admission to designated events, a shout-out in this magazine, and input on other alumni marketing materials, such as the monthly newsletter. All alumni are eligible to become a class officer, and the selection process has begun.

We are still looking for officers for the reunion years, including: 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, and 2011. If you are interested in being involved or would like more information, please e-mail Rob Coppola, director of alumni and development services, at rcoppola@sjcme.edu, or give us a ring at 207-893-7890.

Remember when: The upcoming Alumni Weekend marks five years for the Class of 2011, pictured here celebrating graduation.

Do we spot a potential class officer in the crowd?

Upcoming Alumni Events Hang with your SJC family. Reconnect with your alma mater.

Network with your peers.

Alumni Boston Chapter Golf Tournament Saturday, June 4 at 11 a.m. • Granite Links Golf Club, Quincy, Massachusetts Hit the green, tee off, and give back. It’s that simple—and that fun!

Alumni Weekend Friday, July 29—Sunday, July 31 (all day) • Saint Joseph’s College, Standish, Maine The Welcome Back Cruise and annual lobster bake are the fun you know to expect; the chance to explore the recently renovated Pearson’s Town Farm and Sebago Lake beachfront is the fun you have yet to experience.

Alumni Golf Classic Friday, September 9 at 9 a.m. • Spring Meadows Golf Club, Gray, Maine Support the College’s student-athletes by participating in one of the longestrunning alumni events. With a cause this good, everyone ends the day a winner.

Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Saturday, September 10 at 5 p.m. • Saint Joseph’s College, Standish, Maine Take a walk down memory lane and help the College celebrate some of its best and brightest Monks.

For full details on all events, please visit us online: sjcme.edu/alumni.

Pictured: Scenes from Alumni Weekend, our biggest annual event, in years past.

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mission

Memorializing

Mercy

BY SISTER SYLVIA COMER ’62, RSM & SISTER MARY GEORGE O’TOOLE ’51, HON. ’90,

“I thought the fire was out, and stirred the ashes…

I burnt my fingers.”

—ANTONIO MACHADO, PROVERBS AND SONGS

P

ope Francis’s call for a Holy Year of Mercy is what stirred the metaphorical ashes here at Saint Joseph’s College, causing an intense fire to burst forth, igniting energy and renewing fervor in the hearts of those who read the the Papal Bull, Misericordiae Vultus (in English, “The Face of Mercy”).

With the formation of a special committee, the Mercy Task Force, at the start of 2016, this fire has continued to burn evermore brightly, generating ideas and activities that flow from the corporal and spiritual works of mercy which are so deeply rooted in our College mission and tradition.

The first event to commemorate this Jubilee Year is now a warm memory; on January 27, members of the College community gathered around our very own Holy Door of Mercy for a ceremony to bless the erected entranceway. (For more on the Door’s christening, turn to the “In Brief” section on page 5!)

Happily, the Door continues to be utilized at many other special events throughout the year, including Commencement, as a call to our staff, students, and faculty to receive mercy, to extend mercy, and to live mercy. Since the opening of the Door of Mercy, there is a whole renewed emphasis on the College’s core values. Presently, throughout the campus, one sees the first of many posters that serve to celebrate our value of compassion, another word for mercy. Other posters will follow throughout the months ahead.

If you have a chance to visit Pearson’s Café, you might also notice that the doors you enter through have been painted red, the same red as our Holy Door. Why this color? Red is always

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connected with the quality of mercy. (Christ shed His blood for each of us in the ultimate act of love and forgiveness.) These doors therefore remind all who pass through them of this Jubilee Year.

The task force has further concluded that the Year of Mercy is a fitting time to revive a Collegesponsored Day of Service for all faculty and staff, to take place following graduation. Such an occasion not only provides a great opportunity to serve others in their need, but also enriches the community aspect of our life together here on campus.

In the fall, we’re excited to share that plans are in place to again present the Values In Practice (VIP) academic programs which gather together faculty, staff, and students for inter-disciplinary presentations and discussions tying into our core values and the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. These gatherings serve to again bring the community together and enhance our understanding of the essential components that make us who we are.

This article only identifies a few of the projects that have emerged thus far to remind and encourage our community to live mercy, but we hope that, wherever you are reading this, you’ll join us in serving as signs of God’s mercy, always and especially during this Jubilee year.

Sister Mary George O’Toole ’51, RSM (left) and Sister Sylvia Comer ’62, RSM (right), co-chairs of the task force, are pictured participating in the inaugural ceremony for the College’s own Holy Door, which took place on January 27.

Make a Special Gift for our Future Generations

“I believe planned giving is a wonderful way to help the College and students who want a great education but feel more comfortable in a smaller venue. Large colleges are impersonal and teachers don’t even know most of their students. I can honestly say all my teachers knew my name and my needs.”

—ROSANNE BOTTO ’78, ’91, PLANNED GIFT DONOR

Above: Michelle Howard (left), development officer, with Rosanne Botto ’78, ’91 (right) meeting in Florida in March.

RIght: Rosanne’s 1978 graduation photo.

As a member and supporter of the Saint Joseph’s College community, you have demonstrated your personal commitment to our core values. Now, we hope you will consider a different type of gift––a special gift to the College through your estate plans.

For more information, please contact Senior Director of Development Jean Maginnis at jmaginnis@sjcme.edu or 207-730-0694. spring 2016 | 37

Saint Joseph’s College 278 Whites Bridge Road Standish, Maine 04084-5236

sjcme.edu/magazine Change Service Requested

Make Your Claim to Fame

Friday, September 9 Tee off for the College’s 26th Annual Alumni & Friends Golf Classic to support our studentathletes and their scholarship fund.

Recall the glory days and prepare for new victories with an athletics-packed weekend.

Save the following dates:

Saturday, September 10 Take a trip down memory lane and reminisce on what it means to be a Monk at the 2016 Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

 Mark your calendars and visit gomonks.com for more info!