SPRING 2018
COLLEGE MAGA ZINE
Leading Sustainable Lives Faculty and students lead the College’s hydroponic farming initiative
Training Food Entrepreneurs • Leadership in Business • Healing the Earth
COLLEGE MAGA ZINE
contributors E D I TO R
Patricia Erikson A S S I S TA N T E D I TO R
Emma Deans D I G I TA L E D I T I O N A R C H I T E C T
Susan Johnson GRAPHIC DESIGN
Springtide Studio CO PY E D I TO R
Ann Rosenfield CO N T R I B U T I N G E D I TO R S
Joanne Bean Elizabeth Schran Kelly Webster P U B L I S H E D BY T H E O F F I C E O F I N S T I T U T I O N A L A D VA N C E M E N T Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer
Joanne Bean 2017–18 E D I TO R I A L B OA R D
Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning “sacred cosmogram” or a representation of the universe.
Ellis Baum ‘98 Joanne Bean Chris Callaway, PhD Collin Coppinger ‘18 Emma Deans Patricia Pierce Erikson, PhD Matthew Gregoire ‘18 Jennifer Higgins Corey McCarthy Peter Nielsen Ashton Piers BSN ’10 MSN, FNP ’17 Kimberly Post Michael Sanderl, EdD Opinions expressed in the magazine are those of the authors, not necessarily of Saint Joseph’s College.
ON THE COVER Professor Mark Green, PhD and Emily Quirion ‘18 working in the climate-controlled Leafy Green Machine™, or Freight Farm, generously donated to the College by Hannaford Charitable Foundation. Photo: Sean Harris.
32 MAGAZINE CONTACT INFO Saint Joseph’s College Magazine welcomes your comments, story ideas, and photos. Patricia Erikson, Editor Office of Communications Saint Joseph’s College 278 Whites Bridge Road Standish, Maine 04084 207-893-7721 magazine@sjcme.edu
COLLEGE MAGAZINE VOLUME 14 SPRING 2018 Academics Experiential Learning Through Farming • 3 College Elevates STARS Rating • 4 Center For Sustainable Communities • 5
Faculty Focus Dr. Gulnick’s Sustainability Legacy • 6
Student Spotlight Elyse Caiazzo’s Passion for Local Food • 7 From Sebago Lake to the Capital • 8 Leading in a World of Tension • 9 Shaping a Path • 10 Saving Sea Stars • 11
Core Values Healing the Earth • 12 Coming Together for the Mission • 14
Features Training Next Generation of Entrepreneurs • 16 How the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation will strengthen the region’s economy
12 42
Rising to the Challenge • 20 Professor Mark Green steps into key role as hydroponic enterprise director Business Planning with Purpose • 24 Hayley Winslow ’18 brings business acumen to her new professional role for the College All Roads Lead to the Farm • 28 The Shaw Brothers are awakening Gorham’s agricultural past Student Trio Operates Freight Farm • 30 Students pursue a high-tech job opportunity on campus
Monks News Women’s Basketball Makes History • 32 Return on Investment • 33 Trail Magic • 34
Alumni News
33 24
Alumni Board • 36 Alumni Gatherings • 37 Distinguished Alumni Awards • 40 On Finding Balance • 41 Moving Mountains • 42 In it for the Long Haul • 43 Class Notes • 44
SPRING 2018 | 1
president’s letter
Caring for Our Common Home Saint Joseph’s integrated approach to sustainability
Joining other staff and students, President Dlugos (center) works the soil at the College’s farm for the Beth Auger Day of Service last year.
Photo: Sarah Beard Buckley
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o this day, among the most obvious markers of the College’s commitment to environmental sustainability are the beautifully complicated, multi-phase recycling bins crafted on campus by our colleagues in the Facilities Department. But our collective engagement with “sustainability” has led us to recognize that it’s about much more than recycling. In the fall of 2014, the College’s Board of Trustees approved our strategic plan, Sustaining the Promise: Toward Saint Joseph’s Second Hundred Years. Since that time, our pursuit of the plan’s goals, initiatives, and objectives has challenged us to continue to develop our understanding of “sustainability.” We, of course, have not been the only ones thinking about this. In Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home, Pope Francis wrote: “When we speak of the “environment,” what we really mean is the relationship existing between nature and the society which lives in it. Nature cannot be regarded as something separate from ourselves or as a mere setting in which we live…It is essential to seek comprehensive solutions
which consider the interactions within natural systems themselves and with social systems… Strategies for a solution demand an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature.” This particular understanding of sustainability in the context of an “integral ecology” gives us a new lens through which to consider our traditional commitment to stewardship. And an “integrated approach” is exactly what is emerging at Saint Joseph’s where sustainability encompasses human and ecological health, social justice, secure livelihoods, and a better world for future generations. It is expressed as a deep and holistic respect for the earth through daily practices, decision-making, and stewardship in a healthy and equitable way so that communities now and in the future can thrive. This issue of the magazine pays particular attention to the myriad ways that the College’s commitment to “sustainability” is finding expression today and some of the people leading our effort.
President Jim Dlugos, PhD
academics
Farm Offers Experiential Learning Opportunity Students nurture plants and conduct experiments in hoop house | BY PATRICIA ERIKSON
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hen community members gathered at the Stone Barn for this year’s annual seedling sale, they purchased vegetable, herb, and flower seedlings that were cultivated by Saint Joseph’s College students. Tyler Barrows ’20 of York, Maine, is among the dozens of students who have walked across the street to one of the hoop houses at the College’s farm throughout the semester. As one of the students enrolled in Environmental Science 300: Ecology and the Environmental Challenge, Tyler is conducting his assigned research project on growth rates of vegetable seedlings. Each of the approximately 1,000 students on campus must enroll in ES300 which is a Core course that teaches basic ecological principles, the major environmental challenges facing the planet, and potential solutions to these challenges. ES300 students learn about the adverse effects of the large-scale, industrial form of agriculture that dominates modern food production.
This year’s seedling sale represents the mission of the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation by creating experiential learning opportunities for our students. As a nursing major, Tyler didn’t know how he would benefit from taking the ES300 course. He said, “When I was going into ES300, I thought, ‘why do I have to take this? It’s a Core class, but how am I going to use it?’ But now I have a newfound interest. I’m considering minoring in environmental studies. This subject gets me to think differently. It’s the same with my Human Nature & Ethics class; it makes me a more well rounded person.” As Tyler picked up his clipboard and ruler, he explained the research project. He said, “Professor Teegarden is introducing us to how to design an experiment, how to conduct research, and how to set up control and dependent groups. continued on p. 49 > This is a growing lamp
Tyler Barrows ’20 measures and documents the growth of eggplant seedlings under a sunlamp in order to compare growth rates under varying conditions.
The “hoop houses” at the College’s farm—where students and staff grow vegetables, flowers, and herbs—will soon be joined by a hydroponic greenhouse more than a third of an acre in size. Opening in 2018, the hydroponic facility will offer courses for achieving certification in hydroponic culture. Photos: Patricia Erikson
SPRING 2018 | 3
academics
Academic Programming Elevates College’s STARS Rating Students explore sustainability in business | BY PATRICIA ERIKSON
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Business Ethics students celebrate after completing their Life Cycle Assessment presentations. Photo: Patricia Erikson.
aint Joseph’s College supports the strong tradition of sustainability in Maine, joining the College of the Atlantic and Colby College on the list of higher education institutions who have distinguished themselves with a commitment to sustainability. “People would expect that environmental science courses at Saint Joseph’s College are addressing sustainability issues, but they might be surprised to learn about all of the other departments that are addressing an even broader definition of sustainability,” said Kimberly Post, director of Community-Based Learning and engagement director for the Center for Sustainable Communities.
Saint Joseph’s institutional commitment to sustainability was broadened when President Jim Dlugos signed the Presidents’ Carbon Commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2036.
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With its recent upgrade to a Silver Star Award in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS) from the The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), Saint Joseph’s College has taken significant strides toward its institutional sustainability goals. Developments in academic programming played a key role in elevating the College’s rating in this national framework. Take the Business Ethics course, for example, and the Life Cycle Assessment assignment that students are given by Assistant Professor Mary Engel each semester. “The Life Cycle Assessment helps students to understand the complexity of the everyday products that we use and their effect on the natural environment. When they conduct an objective analysis of a product, they are learning how to help contribute to an organization’s efficiency, bottom line, and social commitments,” Engel said. Justin Karageorge ’18, Zach Glanville ’18, and Danny Fox ’18 decided to analyze the long-term costs of adopting a turf field versus continuing with a grass athletic field as this was a choice that Saint Joseph’s College recently faced. They compared costs, environmental impact, and relation to sports injuries, to name a few factors. With respect to comparative costs, their report concluded, “We have found that the turf field costs more up front, but in the end with all of the maintenance that a grass field needs, turf is cheaper than a grass field. Annually the turf costs around $3,000, compared to the $40,000 in maintaining the grass.” Other student projects assessed the life cycles of food products, office supplies, electronics, and fertilizers that are used on campus. The number of courses in Saint Joseph’s College’s curriculum that addresses diverse aspects of sustainability has grown to include 82 undergraduate courses and nine graduate courses; additionally, the college offers a minor in sustainability. In addition to its curricular development in sustainability, other criteria, including diverting solid waste into recycling and reuse programs at the end of the school year, buying continued on p. 49 >
academics
Kimberly Dodd ’18, Journee Levasseur ’18, Nick Guidi ’20, (currently serving as ILFSI Renewable Energy Analyst), Brandon Smith ’18, and Caleb Gravel ’19 represented Saint Joseph’s College at the 2017 Maine Food Systems Innovation Challenge. The College will again host the Challenge in fall of 2018. Photo: Patricia Erikson.
The Center for Sustainable Communities The College marks an important step in deepening its commitment to sustainability | BY KIMBERLY POST
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t Saint Joseph’s College, “sustainability” encompasses human and ecological health, social justice, secure livelihoods, and a better world for future generations. It is expressed as a deep and holistic respect for the earth through daily practices, decision-making, and stewardship in a healthy and equitable way so that communities now and in the future can thrive. In February of this year, President Jim Dlugos announced that the College had taken an important step in institutionalizing this commitment. He said, “Thanks to the dedication and energy of a coalition of faculty, staff, and students who have served on the various committees, work groups, task forces, and most recently the Sustainability Task Force, the College’s understanding of and embracing of sustainability has grown and deepened. The establishment of the Center for Sustainable Communities (CSC) marks another important step toward making sure that sustainability is a key lens through which we view all activity at the College.” The Center for Sustainable Communities fosters innovation and leadership through the intersection of social justice and sustainability by integrating principles of social, environmental, and economic sustainability into campus operations, academics, engagement, and planning and administration. Some of our current initiatives include stewarding the Climate Action Plan, supporting
active research opportunities and course development, and engaging stakeholders across communities to build sustainable programs and assess opportunities for improvement.
The establishment of the Center for Sustainable Communities (CSC) marks another important step toward making sure that sustainability is a key lens through which we view all activity at the College. The CSC reflects our shared commitment to stewardship, and as such, reflects our Mission, Core Values, and Catholic Mercy heritage. The CSC serves all areas of the College to support sustainability in our current and emerging systems, relationships, environments, and ideas. Based on the servant-leadership model, the CSC is guided by four co-directors who collaborate to: • Achieve carbon neutrality by 2036; • Promote a culture of sustainability among students, faculty, staff, administration, and surrounding communities; • Establish the campus as a living laboratory for sustainable solutions; • Encourage community-wide conversations about equity, civility, diversity, and social responsibility; • Lead through innovation. SPRING 2018 | 5
faculty focus
Transforming Campus Culture Dr. Gulnick’s legacy of sustainability | BY KIMBERLY POST
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As Dr. Jeanne Gulnick finishes seventeen years of service to Saint Joseph’s College, she leaves the College to begin her next career–as a nurse. Photo: Kaitlynn Hutchins ‘20.
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s a chemist, marine scientist, and environmental educator, Dr. Jeanne Gulnick has championed sustainability at Saint Joseph’s College for 17 years, transforming curriculum, campus culture, and operations in very tangible ways. In the process, she has influenced thousands of students, saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in energy and waste expenses, and helped to institutionalize the best practices of sustainability. Although the Sisters of Mercy and their commitment to Critical Concerns provided the backdrop for Gulnick’s impact, almost everything the College has accomplished in regards to sustainability can ultimately be traced back to initiatives that Dr. Gulnick started.
Case and point, consider the changes to academic programming. Upon arriving at Saint Joseph’s, she successfully advocated for the inclusion of sustainability education in the Core curriculum; this resulted in Environmental Science 300: Ecology and the Environmental Challenge, which she teaches with her colleagues in the Sciences Department. Thousands of juniors have enrolled in this course that teaches basic ecological principles, major environmental challenges facing Earth, and potential solutions. Using College agricultural operations as a teaching laboratory (see story p. 3), all students learn about the adverse effects of large-scale, industrial agriculture that dominates food production and, through hours of hands-on farm experience, learn how to produce food with less fossil fuel dependence. Dr. Gulnick also created the Sustainability Studies minor, which allows students to examine sustainability through an interdisciplinary lens. As Sustainability Coordinator, Dr. Gulnick not only fostered a green culture on campus through her creation of the student EcoReps and EcoManagers, staff E-Team, and the Go Green and Go Home program, but she institutionalized it by gaining commitment for sustainability at the highest level. More than 700 students have served as EcoReps, the student leaders in recycling and energy conservation. EcoManagers educate in the residence halls, promoting sustainable behavior while leading entrepreneurial projects, events, and competitions. When students move out at year’s end, the Go Green Go Home program diverts tons of unwanted possessions to recycling, the local food pantry, and Goodwill. And she successfully convinced not one but two Saint Joseph’s presidents to sign the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, putting the College on the path to carbon neutrality by 2036. Jeanne’s infectious passion for the care of Earth inspires her friends, colleagues, and students. The genuine quality of her leadership has attracted like-minded individuals from a range of backgrounds and expertise. She has forged relationships throughout the campus community and beyond to enable progress toward sustainability goals and one is as likely to see Jeanne conceptualizing a new waste management system with the director of facilities as continued on p. 49 >
student spotlight
A Knack for Leadership
Elyse Caiazzo’s passion for local food production leads to multiple awards | BY SUSAN JOHNSON
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he has a passion for sustainability and a knack for leadership. Elyse Caiazzo ’18, a double major in Environmental Science and Political Science, from Scarborough, Maine, has been chosen to participate in the 2018 Maine National Education for Women (NEW) Leadership Summer Institute through the University of Maine’s Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center this summer. Elyse was one of 28 applicants chosen from a large, competitive pool of students internationally. Awardees were chosen based upon their passion for creating change in their communities. “No matter what she does or how she challenges herself, Elyse exhibits seemingly boundless motivation, a strong work ethic, consistent enthusiasm, and a willingness to learn and grow,” said Kimberly Post, in her nomination of Elyse. Elyse’s leadership extends to athletics and student governance. She is captain of the women’s lacrosse team, plays field hockey, and is a twotime GNAC All-Academic Team honoree. She has served as Student Senate vice president and chair of the Green Committee. Her leadership role with the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation (ILFSI) started when she volunteered at the College’s farm and then started a job there. With her experiential learning on the farm, she began to advocate for smallscale farming and develop into her role as student ambassador for ILFSI. In this role, she communicated the benefits of the Institute to students and
An advocate for sustainable farming, Elyse Caiazzo ’18 has transitioned from her role as student ambassador for the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation (ILFSI) to its first assistant director. members of the public. This year, she has been working as ILFSI’s first assistant director. Elyse’s passion for the environment also earned her the Heart & Soul Student Award from Maine Campus Compact, a coalition of 18 member campuses that leads a movement to reinvigorate the civic mission of higher education. Each year faculty, students, campus organizations, and community and corporate partners are recognized. Maine Campus Compact recognized Elyse’s efforts to call attention to issues of local and global importance.
INSTITUTE FOR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS INNOVATION The Institute serves as an innovation hub, promoting sustainable agriculture and local economic development. It will focus on New England’s food security and will support Maine’s food and beverage industry by providing workforce training, facilities for scale-up of home operations, business development, and collaboration of other supporting organizations. Learn more at www.eatgoodlocalfood.org
Elyse Caiazzo ’18 (Scarborough, ME), assistant director of the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation (ILFSI), acted as a student ambassador for ILFSI at the Farm-to-Table dinners at the Stone Barn through summer and fall of 2017. Photo: Patricia Erikson.
SPRING 2018 | 7
student spotlight
From Sebago Lake to the Nation’s Capital Reflections on the annual Poli Sci trip to DC and the desire to restore respect for political office | BY PAUL RILEY ’20 L to R: Marisellia Greenlaw ’18, Matthew Gregoire ’18, Olivia Wilkinson ’21, Paul Riley ’20, Sean Peschier ’20, William Hardiman ’19, Raymond Mosca ’19 (in front), Paul Riley ’20 (in back), Erin O’Brien ’19, Emma Tirrell ’18, and Elizabeth Cummons ’19 visit the statue of Hannibal Hamlin at the Capitol Building Rotunda. Photo: Olivia Wilkinson.
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Paul Riley ’20 of Dedham, Massachusetts shared his reflections on the value of trips to Washington, DC. When he mentions “Ray” and his experience, he refers to Raymond Mosca ’19, who spent last summer as an intern at the Washington Center and also interned for Senator Susan Collins and Representative Bruce Poliquin.
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or many students, we seldom have the finances or means to visit anywhere that isn’t our dorms, our classrooms, or Portland. This trip provided an affordable opportunity for students to visit our nation’s capital in one of the most important and, dare I say, divisive administrative eras in recent memory.
Because Ray Mosca ’19 was at the helm [as Poli Sci Club president], he is someone who has been in the thick of it all before and he was able to give us more than just the usual tourist trip to DC. Ray organized a tour of the capitol building and the Georgetown library, and he even showed us some of his favorite spots to grab food, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Often today, the media will tell us that Washington, DC is cutthroat and divided. We’re told nothing positive gets done there–both inside Congress and out in the streets. But every single person–whether they are an employee of the government or a cashier in We the Pizza– cannot recommend enough working in DC. All of the people knew they had a job to do and they did their best to set aside the current state of Congress and the White House to do what they needed to do and be happy. I am not sure what makes DC so alluring. Each of the three times that I have visited, I felt like Jimmy Stewart in Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I felt like a kid again, bright eyed in wonder of the marvelous works set down by the forefathers. My first trip to DC was with my family when I was probably eight years old (I am the youngest of five). I was not old enough to really appreciate what DC means or remember most of the trip. My father reminded me of it during my senior year in high school, and he knew that his future politician of a son needed to see it again. He and I went to DC together, celebrated my graduation, and saw the sights. It was one of the most transformative times in my life. I was seeing the end of the Obama era and looking at this continued on p. 50 >
POLITICAL SCIENCE covers topics in American government and politics, international relations and globalization, counter-terrorism, and research methods with further specializations in history, international, statistics, or law.
student spotlight
Leading in a World of Tension The Montalvo Corporation promotes MBA leadership student Bryon Williams ’19 to director of sales & marketing | BY EMMA DEANS
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ryon Williams ’19 grabs a pair of safety glasses and walks out onto the manufacturing floor at Montalvo Corporation’s headquarters, located within the industrial park in Gorham, Maine, pointing to various equipment like load cells, sensing rollers, tension controllers, amplifiers, tension control brakes, and clutches. Since 1947 the Montalvo Corporation has specialized in manufacturing, integrating, retrofitting and servicing a wide range of tension control products for the paper, film, foil, plastic, corrugated, medical, and composite industries, among others. The tension in the manufacturing process for all of these materials needs to be consistent. “Take, for instance, a BAND-AID®. A pad needs to be placed precisely on the same exact spot for each and every adhesive bandage,” Bryon explains. That’s where Montalvo comes in. They manage this process to reduce waste and errors, producing quality results. Some of their local clients include Yale Cordage in Saco and Sappi’s Westbrook Mill. Some of their larger clients include TPI (the largest U.S.-based independent manufacturer of composite wind blades for wind energy), Georgia-Pacific Company (an American pulp and paper company), 3M (a conglomerate that produces thousands of products ranging from medical dressings to reflective materials) and Avery Products Corporation (best
known for their labels). Montalvo has representatives in several countries and offices in the United States, Denmark, Germany, and China. In his role as director of sales and marketing, Bryon works closely with the sales force to communicate messages to businesses about Montalvo’s competitive advantages. It’s challenging to write about a subject matter that is so technical, but Bryon enjoys the creative license he is given to make industrial products attractive and engaging. He storyboards ideas, then scripts, shoots, and edits videos for their website and social media. Bryon grew up in Gorham, graduated from Cheverus High School in 2002, and then attended Bryant University in Rhode Island for his undergraduate continued on p. 50 >
THE ONLINE LEADERSHIP MBA is designed for professionals with at least two years of full-time employment experience. Applications are reviewed on a regular basis. Accepted students can start during any of the five, ten-week terms scheduled each year in January, March, May, July, and October. Learn more at www.sjcme.edu/mba
Montalvo CEO Robin Goodwin promoted Bryon Williams ’19 to director of sales and marketing in 2017 and said, “Bryon is highly committed to delivering excellence both internally and externally, directly benefiting our customers and his colleagues. He will bring this commitment and dedication to his new role, to grow Montalvo even further.” Bryon holds up a tension brake disc, which is used in the manufacturing process to help regulate tension. Montalvo’s load cells and sensing rollers measure the tension of materials such as flexible packaging, baby food pouches, paper products, and floor mats. Photos: Emma Deans.
SPRING 2018 | 9
student spotlight
Shaping a Path
Using internship experience to develop a career in the arts BY REGGIE BOURN ’21
Customers at the Portland roastery Coffee by Design can purchase one of the ceramic mugs created by Moira DesRosiers ‘18. Photos: Patricia Erikson (top); Reggie Bourn (bottom).
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he Fine Arts Department is a small but creative place on the Saint Joseph’s College campus; there, students bring their ideas to life through the medium of their choice. One of these students—Moira DesRosiers ’18—met with me and shared her plans to open a pottery studio after graduation. Moira showed me her current project—a series of mugs that she will sell at Coffee by Design, a roastery in Portland. She designed and prototyped the mugs as a project last semester. This spring, she is creating the mugs themselves and finding a market for her work. Moira is currently doing an internship at C&M Ceramics, a pottery studio in Portland. She works directly with the two artists who own the business, Christine Caswell and Meg Walsh. As an intern, Moira’s everyday tasks span different
stages in the pottery process, including: cleaning clay dust and keeping the studio clean, making and mixing the different glazes, and managing the inventory. Currently, C&M Ceramics is creating a series of plates for the New England Made trade show, a showcase of artists from all over the region. Moira is cleaning the unfinished plates, then painting them. The plates are then etched and loaded into the kiln, after which they are sanded, washed and glazed. Finally, she returns the plates to the kiln for another bake, then sands them to completion. This process is then repeated for every piece and takes about a month. “The Arts program has allowed me to shape my own studies, one hundred percent. Both professors Scott Fuller and Chris Sullivan have been extremely helpful throughout my education by providing pointers and support.” Moira’s interest in pottery began when she took an art class at Saint Joseph’s. She “got hooked” on the medium at once and switched to a Fine Arts major. “I created my own brand of pieces and sold them at farmers’ markets and art walks.” These early forays into marketing sparked a desire to make and sell her own work. When it comes to entering the market, Moira said that “dishware is a natural marketplace object,” meaning that pottery can serve a functional use beyond surface appearance. As for the medium itself, Moira said that “it’s finicky,” where success depends on a variety of factors during the creation process. She explained that “every block of clay is different and has its own personality, which means that you have to adjust your method of working with the clay every time. The best part of being a potter is that you’re creating something that is used by others for a long time.” continued on p. 50 >
FINE ARTS majors learn creative problem-solving skills through a curriculum featuring two- and threedimensional design, drawing, painting, art history, graphic design, sculpture, ceramics, photography, and printmaking. Students can also minor in Fine Arts or Photography.
student spotlight
Saving Sea Stars Olivia Marable ’18 BY PATRICIA ERIKSON
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livia Marable ’18 of Buffalo, New York (Marine Science major with minors in Environmental Science and Sustainability Studies), enjoyed an opportunity to conduct research on sea star propagation while working as an intern for ten weeks in the fisheries department at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach. Her research addressed the dying off of sea stars due to the “sea star wasting disease.” Lesions first appear on the sea star, followed by rapid fragmentation of the body that leads to death. The disease has crippled sea star populations, particularly from Baja California to Alaska. Although the cause is still being researched, it appears that bacteria and warming ocean temperatures are contributors. Olivia explained, “The aquarium doesn’t want to take any more sea stars from an already decreasing population; they want to figure out a way to raise them in the aquarium under certain conditions. “My project researched how many sea stars could survive under controlled pH levels, temperature, and salinity levels under the conditions at the aquarium. I had to collect sperm and eggs from mature sea stars, fertilize the eggs, and count hundreds of embryos to then sort into different controlled holding tanks. Sadly, none of them survived, but this was only the first time
that the Virginia Aquarium has attempted this method that has been developed elsewhere.” Not all of her work involved research. Olivia worked long hours for five days of the week in the Cold Water Gallery. Daily, she fed jellyfish (both moon and nettle), baby moon jellies, coral, tang, one female octopus, lion fish, sea urchins, sea stars, conch, a giant lobster, baby cat sharks, and adult cat sharks. She also sent water samples to the lab, performed exhibit maintenance, cleaned protein skimmers, performed octopus enrichments, completed water changes, and helped wherever she was needed. Some of the most exciting opportunities involved watching the release of rehabilitated sea turtles back into the ocean and helping to capture jellyfish in a nearby bay. Olivia said, “I am going to apply to the aquarium for a part-time job soon and hopefully I will be working there once I graduate.” She hopes to eventually work in a place like Hawaii on marine mammal rehabilitation, while also focusing on addressing plastic pollution, rising ocean temperatures and other threats to the ecosystem.
MARINE SCIENCE students investigate the geological, physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of ocean systems and the fresh waters of Maine. Fieldwork is emphasized to ensure that students will spend ample time learning at the rocky coast, mudflats, estuaries, the sea floor, and the open waters of the Gulf of Maine.
ABOVE Olivia Marable ’18 (center) with two other aquarium interns on the beach at the release of a rehabilitated sea turtle. LEFT One of the five mature sea stars that Olivia used to carry out her sea star propagation research at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach, VA. Photo: Olivia Marable.
SPRING 2018 | 11
core values
Healing the Earth Tibetan Buddhist monks are welcomed to campus for the Center for Faith and Spirituality’s inaugural event | BY EMMA DEANS
Hundreds of community members visited the Stone Barn throughout the four-day mandala event. The audience was especially large at this closing ceremony. Photo: John Hufstader.
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n October 2017 Saint Joseph’s welcomed Tibetan Buddhist monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery for the inaugural event of the Center for Faith and Spirituality (CFS). During their four-day visit, the monks painstakingly arranged millions of grains of colored sand into a pattern called a mandala on a raised platform inside of the College’s Stone Barn at Sebago Lake. Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning “sacred cosmogram” or a representation of the universe. It is
Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning “sacred cosmogram” or a representation of the universe. It is an ancient tool believed to heal the earth and its inhabitants. an ancient tool believed to heal the earth and its inhabitants. During the event’s opening ceremony, the monks consecrated the site and called forth the forces of goodness through chanting, music, and mantra recitation. They then drew an outline of the mandala on the wooden platform, before pouring bright colored sands from tradi12 | SAINT JOSEPH’S MAGAZINE
tional metal funnels called chak-purs. Each monk held a chak-pur in one hand, while running a metal rod on its grated surface. The vibration caused the sands to flow like liquid. During the closing ceremony, the sands were swept up and placed in an urn. To fulfill the function of healing, half was distributed to the audience, while the remainder was carried to a nearby body of water. The monks explained that “the waters then carry the healing blessing to the ocean, and from there it spreads throughout the world for planetary healing.” The disassembling of the intricate and beautiful sand painting served as a metaphor for the impermanence of life. The Center for Faith and Spirituality supports the College’s strategic plan and vision to be an exemplary, 21st Century, Catholic, liberal arts college in the Mercy tradition. Led by the Office of Sponsorship and Mission Integration, the Center seeks to provide leadership and resources to develop ongoing dialogue and engage, nurture, and foster faith and spirituality. A planning committee for the Center com-
core values
Tibetan Buddhist monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery visited the College in fall 2017. They arranged millions of grains of colored sand into a pattern called a mandala, an ancient tool believed to heal the earth and its inhabitants. Photo: John Hufstader.
The disassembling of the intricate and beautiful sand painting served as a metaphor for the impermanence of life.
menced in 2014, bringing together College leadership, members of the local community, and members of the Board of Trustees, including Trustee Sister Ellen Turner, RSM. “The Center will provide multiple occasions for individuals and groups to explore their spiritual development. The Saint Joseph’s College campus speaks to the soul because we are surrounded by such natural beauty,” she said. Another member of the Center’s planning committee, Kathy Tosney, brought valuable insight to the College with her 40 years of contemplative practice and studies. She has worked as a retreat team facilitator for Mepkin Abbey’s Contemplative Aging Retreats (a Trappist Monastery outside of Charleston, South Carolina) and has helped direct Ignatian Retreats through the Ignatian Spiritual Partnership in Portland. “I became involved in the Mandala event because as a member of the CFS committee, I felt it important to welcome community guests and visitors,” she said. Kathy enjoyed discussing the Center’s mission
and she gathered feedback from visitors “as to what resources people may be seeking to deepen meaning on all levels of life.” She looks forward to continuing to foster relationships across communities. “Everyone I spoke to at the event was very excited about the opening of CFS and wanted more information on future programs!”
CENTER FOR FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY Rooted in the Mission and Core Values of Saint Joseph’s, the Center for Faith and Spirituality provides the space and opportunities for individuals and groups to explore their own spiritual development in all aspects of life in an expansive and inclusive setting where hospitality is experienced, community is fostered, and relationships are deepened. Learn more about the Center For Faith and Spirituality at www.sjcme.edu/cfs.
ABOVE Members of the Center for Faith and Spirituality planning committee welcomed monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery to campus last fall. L to R: Fred Brancato, Kathy Tosney, President Jim Dlugos, Dr. Sylvia Comer, RSM, ’62 (Hon. ’18), Trustee Sister Ellen Turner, RSM, Vice President & Chief Advancement Officer Joanne Bean, and Vice President and Chief Sponsorship and Mission Integration Officer Michael Sanderl. Photo: Mody Botros.
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core values
Coming Together for the Mission Mark Swann Hon. ’18 reflects on a life of anti-poverty work BY PATRICIA ERIKSON Preble Street Executive Director Mark Swann sits in front of a mural at the entrance of the Joe Kreisler Teen Shelter, a low-barrier state licensed emergency overnight shelter in Portland offering a safe place for homeless and streetinvolved youth, and access to a full range of services. Photo illustration, based upon photo by Melissa Mullen.
The class of 2018 shared the commencement stage with Executive Director of Preble Street Mark Swann as he received an honorary doctorate for his extraordinary public service creating solutions for some of Maine’s most vulnerable citizens.
M
any families strategize how to keep children busy on long drives, to keep them focused on achieving landmarks along the way. Growing up, Mark Swann’s family practiced an unusual tradition. As they drove from their West Bridgewater, Massachusetts home northward, they awaited the moment when they would reach the Piscataqua River. As soon as they started to cross the bridge, Swann recalled, “we would open the windows to let Maine air into the car.” When his family left Maine, they reversed the process. As they drove southward, they closed the windows to trap the Maine air, as if to steel themselves for re-entry into their regular life. With three Bowdoin alumni in his family, these visits to Maine were frequent for Swann and soon he followed in his relatives’ footsteps. He became a Bowdoin alum and established strong ties to the
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state. That Maine air–and an experience working with at-risk teens in Liverpool, England–set a course for Swann’s career in creating solutions for Maine’s most vulnerable citizens. I visited Swann at the main office for Preble Street in Portland where he serves as executive director. Tall and silver-haired, Swann (also known as “Swannie” to his friends) engulfed my hand in a warm handshake. As he welcomed me into his office, I noticed that he overlooks the historic church where the Preble Street social service agency began. He generously shared not only where the agency began, but where his career as a social worker began: “When I was in college, instead of taking a regular semester abroad, I looked for service projects. I worked at a teen drop-in center in Liverpool, England. It was a tough, gritty city. I spent time with families who were struggling with inner city, multi-generational poverty and I loved the work. Also, I worked with a bunch of people making a life for themselves, a career of working out of their personal values. I thought ‘this may be how I want to spend my life.’”
core values
After graduating, Swann said he returned to Massachusetts and worked with a refugee resettlement agency in Boston, helping people from Cambodia, Laos, Eritrea, Czechoslovakia, and many other countries. Arming himself with a Master’s of Science in Public Affairs from UMass Boston, Swann committed to a career in social work. He said, “I was amazed at how non-profit boards, volunteers, and staff—all these people— came together for the mission. The mission and the belief system bind us in non-profit work.” Here enters the allure of the Maine air again. “I didn’t necessarily plan on returning to Maine, but friends from Bowdoin let me know about the position at Preble Street. So I came back in 1991.” He held both hands up, palm outward, and then dropped them. “I have been here since.” Under Swann’s leadership, what began as a small soup kitchen with two employees in the basement of an old church has developed into a multi-site, comprehensive social service agency for homeless and low-income individuals and families with over 250 employees. Preble Street has won several awards and national recognition for its dual efforts of providing basic, street-level services while also advocating for and building sustainable solutions to end homelessness and hunger. Swann’s receipt of an honorary doctorate from Saint Joseph’s College this year is just the latest award. In 2012, Mark was a Congressional Medal of Honor finalist, chosen for the Citizen Service Before Self Honors recognizing “sacrifice for others through a prolonged series of selfless acts.” None of this service has been easy, especially
recently. Swann admits that, “anti-poverty work has gotten even harder over the past few years. Why? Because of the political environment in the state and nation, because of the opioid crisis, and because of an overall climate of less compassion and more blame heaped on those who need help. We are at a point where people’s worth is defined by their economic status. “What we’re seeing is an absolute and complete failure of the mental health system–nationally and statewide. Forty years ago, there were no homeless shelters. This is a new phenomenon since the 1980s. Now it is part of our urban landscape and it’s tied, in part, to the lack of treatment options for substance abuse. One hundred people per month are turned away from the only detox program in southern Maine. Every day in the Preble Street Soup Kitchen, someone
Preble Street opened Huston Commons on Bishop Street in Portland as part of its Housing First program in 2017. Photo: Preble Street.
“ We’re saying ‘hold on’ when someone says that they are ready for help. All of this flies in the face of stereotypes about the homeless. The reality is that we have a state with almost no treatment.” says to us, ‘I want to get help. I want to get clean.’ This moment is a social worker’s dream! It’s that moment of clarity that you need to seize and connect that person with help. But what do we have to answer? ‘We’ll do our best. It might not happen today, or next week.’ Let me say that again. We’re saying ‘hold on’ when someone says that they are ready for help. All of this flies in the face of stereotypes about the homeless. They are asking for help, but continued on p. 51 > SPRING 2018 | 15
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Training the Next Generation of New England Food Entrepreneurs While growing Maine’s food and beverage industry BY MANUELA ARUNDEL
The Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation will entail growing crops year-round without soil in a climate controlled, state-of-the-art hydroponic greenhouse. The greenhouse will contain five bays, consisting of 16,800 square feet on .39 acres of land across from the main entrance of the College on Whites Bridge Road. Lighting, venting, fans, and nutrients will ensure that food grows consistently and uniformly through all four of Maine’s seasons. Illustration: FarmTek.
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ater this year, Saint Joseph’s College will break ground for the one-third-acre hydroponic greenhouse of the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation, and, soon thereafter, launch its first competency-based courses and certificate programs in hydroponic culture. The Institute consists of five enterprises: a food venture center, a hydroponic farm, a traditional crop and livestock farm, an agritourism event center, and an entrepreneurship development and educational program offering certificates in areas such as hydroponic farming, food processing, and food merchandising. Spearheaded by Peter Nielsen, Saint Joseph’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Executive Director of Mission-Aligned Business, the Institute is a strategic partnership with federal, regional, and local governments, as well as corporations, individuals, and industry supporting organizations. It pursues the College’s long-standing initiatives in sustainability and community engagement, while contributing solutions to Maine’s need to recover manufacturing jobs, develop the state’s food and beverage industry, and meet regional food security goals. “Currently, New England produces 10% of its own food,” says Nielsen. “Food Solutions New England has set a goal of producing 50% of our
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own food by 2060. By helping local farmers and food manufacturers scale up their operations and bring value-added products to a wider market place, the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation will help us meet that food security goal.” Saint Joseph’s College was awarded a $2 million public works project by the U.S. Economic Development Administration to build the infrastructure required for the launch of the Institute, which will be matched by $2 million that the College is raising from other sources, including a $500,000 award from the Hannaford Charitable Foundation. The full project includes the greenhouse, a food venture center, a livestock barn, a wood pellet boiler system, and connection to the
“By helping local farmers and food manufacturers scale up their operations and bring value-added products to a wider market place, the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation will help us meet that food security goal.” municipal water line. Construction is scheduled to run into 2021. INNOVATION HUB
The Institute is being designed as an innovation hub and center of excellence. It will be a collaborative community made up of members with a wide array of knowledge. It will facilitate creativity and collaboration across Maine’s food and beverage industry and seek to localize global entrepreneurial culture. The hydroponic farm, for example, is designed to provide leadership and educational opportunities to develop a workforce for this emerging industry and disseminate knowledge regarding techniques that will accelerate the growth of hydroponic farming and improve its efficiency. The one-third-acre “laboratory” will offer educational programming for undergraduates that include courses in hydroponics, plant physiology, and botany, as well as a Certificate in Hydroponic Culture consisting of approximately 160 hours in training time. The Certificate—
comprised of a core curriculum course and several short courses ranging from plant physiology to managing a commercial hydroponic farm—will attract a diverse body of students and help educate the workforce for the future of the food economy. STATE OF THE ART INFRASTRUCTURE
The Institute is being developed on a 28.61-acre parcel owned by Saint Joseph’s, opposite the main entrance to the campus. The primary production center is a hydroponic greenhouse, which will be located to the north of the Stone Barn, the only building currently on the property. Programming in this space will include the operational farm, as well as year-round educational programming. The structure will consist of a five-bay connected greenhouse, with each bay measuring 35 feet by 96 feet, with a total greenhouse growing area of 16,800 square feet. Production will be year-round and will be accomplished using a mix of three different hydroponic growing techniques: Deep Water Cul-
The greenhouse features a 3,360 square foot mechanical building which will house a series of wood pellet boilers which provide heat for the hydroponic farm. 5 additional 35’ x 96’ bays provide enough growing space for 500,000 heads of lettuce and 40,000 pounds of tomatoes annually. The farm will also offer Certificates in Hydroponic Culture and provide on-campus jobs for undergraduates.
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New jobs on campus will be created for students, and internships are already in place for students to participate in the planning and development of the Institute. ture, Nutrient Film, and Dutch Bucket hydroponic techniques. In a six-week crop cycle, the total yield is estimated to be 6,928 heads of lettuce per week, or 360,256 heads of lettuce per year. A four-week crop cycle, which is the ultimate goal, could produce over 500,000 head per year. Produce will be sold to Saint Joseph’s dining services, to wholesale distributors that deliver to the College’s dining services, and other markets locally. The Hannaford Food Venture Center will be built to the south of the greenhouse and adjacent to the Stone Barn. Visible from Whites Bridge Road, the new 3,632 square feet octagonal building will reflect an architectural design that pays homage to the traditional round barns built in the United States between 1880 and 1920. 18 | SAINT JOSEPH’S MAGAZINE
The Hannaford Food Venture Center will serve as a commercial kitchen designed for the scale-up of home operations, and will include a central community exhibition area, kitchen spaces, cooking lines, prep stations, dry storage areas, large freezer and refrigeration areas, as well as a classroom functionality. The Venture Center will operate on a membership model, and offer certificates in Food Safety, Food Processing, and Food Retailing. Located next to the forthcoming Hannaford Food Venture Center, the Stone Barn is a historical building that was part of the property’s original Verrill estate. In 2016, Saint Joseph’s renovated the early 20th century barn to serve as an event center. An agritourism destination, the Stone Barn is already operational as a premier regional event center, hosting weddings, food industry strategists, and the agricultural community. As part of the Institute, the Stone Barn will be the learning environment for a Certificate in Agritourism. Additional courses and certificates will be offered through the Institute’s Crop and Livestock Farm. Areas around the greenhouse will be available for soil cultivation using traditional
methods and contemporary best practices. The program will also work to develop innovative methods for erosion control, composting, and other farm management needs. The livestock program will be located on the seven-acre pasture near White Bridges Road and include sheep, goats, and rabbits. Access to the new infrastructure, and to the community and industry it serves, will undoubtedly lead to new opportunities to enhance and develop the College’s undergraduate programs. In addition, new jobs on campus will be created for students, and internships are already in place for students to participate in the planning and development of the Institute. ECONOMIC CATALYST
Originally selected as a Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG) catalyst project, the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation has recently entered into a partnership with GPCOG where the Institute will take on stewardship of the Portland Region Food Foundry, a U.S. Department of Commerce-led initiative designed to assist communities in developing comprehensive strategies to strengthen the local manufactur-
The Hannaford Food Venture Center (left) is designed for the scale-up of small scale food processing businesses. Available to local food and beverage entrepreneurs through a membership model, the venture center provides critical infrastructure for start-ups and growing enterprises, as well as an educational environment for industry training.
The livestock barn (right), scheduled to be completed within 3 years, will be home to a small sheep farm. Nursing students have played an active role in the lambing process at the College in recent years, and the new barn is designed to facilitate this and other educational program features.
ing sector and to attract business investment that creates better paying jobs and makes our region more globally competitive. “Our partnership with GPCOG will allow us to become an even greater economic catalyst for the region,” says Nielsen. “The Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation positions the College to play a key role in convening industry and community leaders in Maine to advance the vision of strengthening the region’s economy through the growth of the local food industry. Our leadership here is an extension of our mission to educate and serve the community.”
In 2004 the College purchased the Gowen Farm, across Whites Bridge Road from the main entrance to campus. Students began farming, the Stone Barn was renovated, and now three new buildings and regional partnerships position Saint Joseph’s to be a critical leader in the growth of Maine’s food economy and the development of a well-prepared workforce. Design and renderings by Oak Point Associates.
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Rising to the Challenge Professor Mark Green steps into key role as hydroponic enterprise director for the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation BY MANUELA ARUNDEL
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t all began with a 320-square-foot shipping container. In April 2017, Hannaford Charitable Foundation generously donated Maine’s first Freight Farm to Saint Joseph’s College. Freight Farms, a Boston-based agricultural technologies company, builds fully assembled, vertical hydroponic farming systems inside shipping containers. Professor Mark Green, a professor of sciences at Saint Joseph’s College who has taught hydroponics for several years, spent several days working with Freight Farms experts and other hydroponic growers, such as Corner Stalk Farm, discussing the practice of growing crops hydroponically. Back on campus, Dr. Green began overseeing the Freight Farm, where it found a home behind Pearson’s Café and, where for the past year, it has provided fresh, local greens for over 1,000 students, faculty, and staff.
“ For the past year, Professor Mark Green, Ph.D. has immersed himself in research on hydroponic farming operations.” Soon after the arrival of the Freight Farm, Green began working with Peter Nielsen, Saint Joseph’s College Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Executive Director of Mission-Aligned Business, on the concept of building a hydroponic farm as the centerpiece of the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation. Spearheaded by Nielsen, the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation is the primary initiative in the development of a sustainable agriculture cluster, a key pillar of Saint Joseph’s strategic development of Mission-Aligned Businesses. The Institute consists of five integrated enterprises: 20 | SAINT JOSEPH’S MAGAZINE
a food manufacturing incubator, a hydroponic farm, a traditional crop and livestock farm, an agritourism event center, and an education program offering certificates in areas such as hydroponic farming, food processing, and food merchandising. In July 2017, Dr. Green stepped into the role of hydroponic enterprise director for the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation, and became a key member of the Mission-Aligned Business team. “Mark is highly accomplished and an ideal fit for his new role at the Institute,” says Nielsen. “He embraced the project from the start, attracted student involvement, and became indispensable to the team.” Dr. Green has been a member of Saint Joseph’s Science faculty since 1997, teaching Environmental and Marine Sciences courses, including Aquaculture, Limnology, Chemical Oceanography, Geological Oceanography, Introduction to Environmental Science, and Senior Research. Green is also the recipient of four National Science Foundation (NSF) grants totaling over $1 million, including a prestigious NSF CAREER award to continue his research into ocean acidification and its impact on small bivalves in nearly Casco Bay. He consistently gives his environmental science students valuable experiences as research assistants and co-authors of journal articles. For the past year, Dr. Green has immersed himself in research of hydroponic farming operations. Along with other team members from the Institute, he toured Backyard Farms, a hydroponic tomato farm in Madison, Maine, and Olivia’s Garden, a hydroponic greenhouse located at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Maine. He met with solar and wood pellet
Professor Mark Green, PhD works with Paul Riley ‘20 and Emily Quirion ‘18 in this early phase of hydroponic farming on campus, learning how to operate the high-tech, climatecontrolled system. Donated by Hannaford Supermarkets, the College’s Freight Farm is the first of its kind in Maine and a precursor to the much larger hydroponic greenhouse that will be built at the farm. It uses an adapted body of a freight truck, parked behind Pearson’s Cafe, and currently produces 40 or more pounds of fresh greens for dining services every week. Photo: Sean Harris. The Aquaculture class, taught by Professor Mark Green, is a favorite with students. In the “wet lab” in Mercy Hall they learn how the tilapia and vegetable growing system is designed and they experiment with how to increase its efficiency. Photo: Vinnie Zullo.
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energy experts, and developed a significant relationship with FarmTek—an industry leader in greenhouse design, construction, and hydroponic systems—to design the farm’s hydroponic growing systems, and with Johnny’s Selected Seeds, a major worldwide distributor of seeds located in Winslow, Maine. Dr. Green’s extensive research and previous work in hydroponic culture became especially valuable as he began drafting a comprehensive Operations Plan for the hydroponic farm. In the Operations Plan, Green outlines every necessary detail for a functioning facility, including the overall footprint of the structure and growing area, the height and orientation of the greenhouse, the pitch of the roof and water-capturing systems, crop selection and projected yield, HVAC systems, air-flow fans, and environmental control systems. Green selected three hydroponic growing techniques—nutrient film technique (NFT), deep water/raft culture (DWC), and Dutch Bucket culture. NFT and DWC will be used initially to grow Bibb lettuce. Dutch Buckets will be used to cultivate tomatoes. With each crop and growing system, Green researched best practices for supporting plants, harvesting periods and conditions, as well as pest and disease management.
The hydroponic greenhouse will provide invaluable research opportunities for students. The hydroponic greenhouse at Saint Joseph’s College will be a center for educational excellence for both the on-campus student body and for individuals interested in learning about the science and business of hydroponic farming. Green is developing the curriculum model that will be at the foundation of all the Institute’s educational opportunities. “When completed, the greenhouse will immediately benefit the College and enhance the experience for our students largely through development of hands-on educational opportunities,” says Dr. Green. “Through all the opportunity afforded the College from the construction of the hydroponic greenhouse, I would love to see us introduce new majors and minors into the sciences.” In addition to the expanded undergraduate course programming, Saint Joseph’s will also offer a Certificate in Hydroponic Culture, consisting of non-credit bearing workforce development courses. The program is designed to be completed in approximately 160 hours of 22 | SAINT JOSEPH’S MAGAZINE
training time. Students are required to take a three-day Hydroponics Core Course, four Tier 1 courses, and two Tier 2 courses. Course topics include Hydroponic Systems, Plant Growth Requirements, Plant Physiology, and Starting a Hydroponic Growing Business, and Managing and Operation of a Commercial Hydroponic Farm. “In an industry that will continue to grow at a rate much faster than that of traditional agriculture, it’s important to provide an opportunity for those individuals interested in either beginning or advancing a career in the field,” says Dr. Green. “The hydroponic greenhouse at Saint Joseph’s is being designed and outfitted to be the ‘gold standard’ of hydroponic farms and will be a model showcase and education center to help advance the hydroponic farming industry by educating its workforce for the future.” Dr. Green’s curriculum will be used to develop all further certificate programs at the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation, including certificates in Food Processing and Food Merchandising. Saint Joseph’s College believes that it is of paramount importance for its undergraduate science majors to be involved in scientific research. The construction of the hydroponic greenhouse will provide invaluable research opportunities for students. Green has already identified a collaborative research relationship with FarmTek, in which the College’s hydroponic farm will be available to beta test advanced hydroponic technologies being developed by FarmTek. Testing new technologies dovetails perfectly with Saint Joseph’s desire to provide “real world” research opportunities to its students. Similarly, Green is currently working with Johnny’s Selected Seeds to establish a relationship for hydroponic grow-out experiments of the company’s seed varieties, which could be carried out at Saint Joseph’s through the use of facultyguided undergraduate research. “By design, the hydroponic farm at Saint Joseph’s will be, in part, a research facility where hydroponic farmers and others in the industry can turn when seeking answers to some of their basic hydroponic questions and challenges,” says Green. “One of the principal missions of the College and the hydroponic farm is to not only enhance the hydroponic industry and help its growers, but also provide research opportunities to our students. We can do this best by using our cutting edge hydroponic farm and the intellectual capital provided by the College’s faculty and students to advance this goal.” In addition to his continued on p. 51 >
SUSTAINABILITY AT SAINT JOSEPH’S SJC is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by
On average, recycling at SJC diverts
2036 Even with rising student population and the addition of new buildings, SJC has seen a Each year, students, faculty, and staff contribute over
30,000 HOURS OF SERVICE to sustaining communities
DECREASE IN ANNUAL ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION
51.25 TONS
OF MATERIAL FROM THE LANDFILL
SJC is the
FIRST
50%
college in the state of Maine to have a
FREIGHT FARM ON CAMPUS
of SJC academic departments offer SJC launched the
SUSTAINABILITY COURSES
INSTITUTE FOR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS INNOVATION
52
as a hub for sustainable agriculture and economic development to help address food insecurity in local communities
STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FACULTY
30.45 TONS
made a pledge to make an effort to carpool to reduce their carbon footprint
17,400 GALLONS PER YEAR
Composting stations divert
of food scraps per year. That equals
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Business Planning with Purpose Hayley Winslow ’18 brings business acumen to her new professional role for the College | BY EMMA DEANS
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Hayley picked coffee beans for eight days with Bella Tica Cafe in Costa Rica through a travel experience funded by Saint Joseph’s Connections program. Photo: Courtesy of Hayley Winslow.
ith the warm sun beating down, Hayley Winslow ’18 macheted a path through the forest in scenic Monteverde, Costa Rica. She reached her hands up high and plucked small red fruits from lush, green plants, then plopped the fruits into a wicker basket strapped to her waist. Inside each fruit, called a “cherry,” were two brown seeds, also known as coffee beans. Being able to see, touch, and smell coffee beans straight from their source gave Hayley a better understanding of how much hands-on labor is required to produce a commodity that many Americans consume every morning. She also learned about organic standards, because she was picking beans for the certified organic coffee
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producer Bella Tica Cafe. Hayley funded this volunteer experience with money from Saint Joseph’s Career Development Connections program, which provides up to $2,000 per student for experiential learning and personal growth opportunities. She chose a physically challenging sustainable food production program because,“I need to push myself, to be uncomfortable, to be constantly learning,” she said. Upon her return to the United States, Hayley stepped into a professional role as business services manager for the College’s Mission-Aligned Businesses. She reports to Executive Director for Mission-Aligned Business Peter Nielsen, alongside Assistant Program Director for the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation (ILFSI) Elyse Caiazzo ’18. The agritourism initiatives of ILFSI call for developing the College’s historic Stone Barn as a regional event center. They also include creating a food manufacturing incubator designed to assist local food producers to scale-up production of home operations. Hayley collects and analyzes data so that she can compose the narrative to the business plan for the day-to-day operations and management structure of ILFSI. This means she looks at costs for labor (including farmers and interns), production (like seeds and fertilizer), and operating expenses (such as electricity, heat, and insurance). She pores over spreadsheets regarding capital expenses for the greenhouse (including fans, a boiler system, and sensors) and forecasts the revenue from the lettuce and heirloom tomatoes that the College will sell. Hayley has been learning from sustainability leaders from across the state. She visited Olivia’s Garden, a greenhouse in New Gloucester, to learn more about their farming and business operations. Olivia’s Garden grows a variety of produce including basil, tomatoes, and lettuce, using the same three systems of hydroponic farming that ILFSI will employ. Hayley has also been learning about solar energy by conversing with Revision Energy, the solar power company that will install solar panels for the College’s greenhouse.
It’s a familiar world for Hayley, who grew up bottle feeding calves on her family’s six-generation Marston Farm in Falmouth. She fondly remembers growing zucchini, picking blueberries, and preserving pickles. She learned about finance from her mom (who runs a sign shop), her dad (who rehabs buildings), and her stepmom (who works in financial planning and wealth management). While juggling her coursework with jobs as a coach for a field hockey club travel team and as a nanny, she’s turning concepts into feasible plans for the College. She considers risk management and anticipates problems. “It’s really about creating the story of the business,” she explained. It is this entrepreneurial passion and rigorous business methods which earned Hayley the College’s Social Entrepreneurship Award, which is presented to a graduating senior who has focused on social and/ or ecological value creation and worked to optimize financial value creation for an organization. Beyond her business pursuits, Hayley competed for the Monks as a standout field hockey player and her team won two GNAC Championships. She garnered several awards including NFHCA Division III All-Region 2nd Team (2017), GNAC Defensive Player of the Year (2017), All-GNAC 1st Team (2016, 2017), and GNAC All-Tournament (2016, 2017). She was recognized for her academics through the NFHCA All-Academic (2014) and GNAC Academic All-Conference (2017) awards, served as president for the Student Athlete Advisory Council, and served as the female student representative on the Athletic Academic Committee. “Saint Joseph’s College has done more for me than I could have ever hoped for,” she said.
Through Hayley Winslow’s role as business services manager for Saint Joseph’s College’s Mission-Aligned Businesses, she tells “the story of the business.” Photo: Emma Deans. Hayley Winslow ‘18 discusses business plans for the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation with Nick Guidi ’20, who is a renewable energy analyst intern for the College’s MissionAligned Businesses. Photo: Emma Deans.
“ Saint Joseph’s College has done more for me than I could have ever hoped for.”
MISSION-ALIGNED BUSINESS For the past several years, Saint Joseph’s has developed businesses to enhance and diversify revenue streams through creative, entrepreneurial activities. The Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation (ILFSI) will offer agricultural and food industry programming designed to meet the needs of workers and lifelong learners. Learn more at www.eatgoodlocalfood.org.
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INSTITUTE FOR LOCAL F
Food Security Support New England’s capacity to produce at least 50% of food consumed
E N T E RP RI S E S
MISSION
SAINT JOSEPH COLLEGE’S
Hannaford Food Venture Center a food manufacturing incubator with a commercial kitchen designed for scaling up home operations offering certificates in food safety, processing & retailing
Economic Development Double the region’s food manufacturing employment over ten years
Agritourism Center Education Provide critically needed workforce training by offering hydroponics certificates and undergraduate courses in hydroponics
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operate Stone Barn as a premier regional event center gather together community offer certificates in agritourism
AL FOOD SYSTEMS INNOVATION
Crop & Livestock Farm new 3500 SF barn hosts sheep, goats, & rabbits program grows food in soil using best practices offers certificates in farm management
Hydroponic Farm 0.39-acre state-ofthe-art hydroponics greenhouse & packing facility offering certificates in hydroponic culture
1 Nutrient Film Technology
2 Dutch Buckets
3 Deep Water Culture
wood pellet heat produced by pellet boilers adjacent to greenhouse solar power panels on rooftops provides >100% of ILFSI power needs
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All Roads Lead to the Farm Two of Maine’s leading road construction managers, who support the College’s Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation, are awakening Gorham’s agricultural past | BY EMMA DEANS
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on and Danny Shaw grew up on a dairy farm in Gorham, Maine, where they learned about caring for animals and stewarding the land. They developed a strong work ethic, as all farmers must, and used that discipline to start their own small construction business in 1977. Their company’s origin story describes it best: “Two brothers, a backhoe, and a handshake.” Fast forward to 2018 and Shaw Brothers Construction employs over 250 workers and owns hundreds of pieces of equipment. They have completed thousands of projects across southern Maine, each ranging from $5 thousand to $15 million. Their headquarters on Mosher Road in Gorham features a stunning office with vaulted ceilings and beautiful glass décor. Philanthropy has always been woven into the
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fabric of their business—from sponsoring local baseball and softball teams to donating to Camp Sunshine—and in 2016 they generously donated $100,000 to Saint Joseph’s College toward the construction of the future new livestock barn that will be part of the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation (ILFSI). The Institute will serve as an innovation hub for sustainable agriculture and economic development. It will feature a hydroponic farm, a crop and livestock farm, the Stone Barn as an agritourism enterprise, and commercial kitchen space to help small and midsize food producers scale-up their businesses. Through partnerships with organizations like the Greater Portland Council of Governments, the Hannaford Charitable Foundation, and Shaw Brothers, the College aims to bring
together diverse members to meet regional food security goals and develop the state’s food and beverage industry. Just a few miles down the road from the Institute, the Presumpscot River flows from its source at Sebago Lake. In 2016 the Shaw Brothers Family Foundation purchased 258 acres along the Presumpscot River in Gorham (about twenty minutes from campus) to develop a space for public recreation. They have cleared much of this land of trees that were planted in the 1960s in order to return it to hayfields. They are building trails for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and a skating pond in the winter. Beyond recreating, they want this land to include farming opportunities, especially for young, up-and-coming farmers. “We’d like to help grow local food and help students learn,” said Jon Shaw. The edge of this property is advantageously situated on Route 25—a main thoroughfare for commuters traveling from the Lakes Region into Portland. The Foundation will lease parcels of this prime real estate to a few businesses, with the stipulation that they encompass some sort of a local food, farming, or agritourism focus, and the lease income will go to the Foundation to support its mission indefinitely. The first of these businesses, Sebago Brewing Company, has signed a 100-year lease. Their new brewery opened this past spring and includes a production plant, tasting room, restaurant, and offices. As locals and tourists clink beer glasses and dine on wood-fired pizza, they gaze out at fields that can be traced back to a land grant from 1730 belonging to John Tyng of Massachusetts during the reign of British King George II. Two historic farms—the Rines family’s Walnut Crest Farm and the Mosher family’s Long View Farm—border the Shaw Brothers Family Foundation’s land. The Rines family has owned their farm since the 1890s and can trace their lineage back to Gorham’s first settler, John Phinney, who paddled up the Presumpscot in 1736. The Moshers were the third family to settle in Gorham; Daniel Mosher moved to town in 1738 and his descendants have been farming ever since. In 2013 the Cumberland County Farm Bureau awarded Albert Erlon Mosher with its first Heritage Farm Award, signified by a granite hitching post. It’s a special area for the town of Gorham, which has experienced significant demographic
“ We’d like to help grow local food and help students learn.” changes in the past four decades due to commercial and residential development. As one of the state’s fastest growing towns, the census increased by 1,000 residents between 2010 and 2016. Housing cul-de-sacs and condos have replaced working farms, which begs the question: how can the state’s 14th largest municipality hold onto its agrarian past while continuing to grow as a bedroom community for Portland? The Shaw brothers are doing their part to help by saving a piece of land that once was considered for a waste energy recovery plant. The Foundation purchased the land from ecomaine, which provides solid waste and recycling services to Maine communities, including Gorham. Ecomaine ultimately deemed that developing the land for their business would be too costly and unsuitable for a landfill, given the wetland area by the river. This project is especially close to the Shaw brothers’ hearts, because their grandfather, Herb Shaw, once rented this piece of land to harvest hay. They want to honor his legacy with a job well done. “It will be something that will continue to live on forever,” said Jon Shaw. Pursuing new initiatives like the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation requires strategic alliances with neighboring businesses who believe in the College’s mission. The Shaw brothers are helping cultivate community, literally from the ground up.
Jon Shaw’s wife Donna (left) and Danny Shaw’s wife Jackie serve as board members for the Shaw Brothers Family Foundation, which supports recreational, agricultural and other charitable causes. Photo: Jeff Sher. Danny (left) and Jon Shaw stand on the Shaw Brothers Family Foundation’s land in Gorham, which will be used for recreational and farming purposes. Photo: Emma Deans.
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F E AT U R E
Student Trio Operates Freight Farm High-Tech Job Opportunity on Campus
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Kaitlynn Hutchins ‘19 photographs fellow students outside of the Leafy Green MachineTM manufactured by Freight Farm. Generously donated to the College by Hannaford Charitable Foundation, it’s the first of its kind in Maine. Photo: Patricia Erikson.
ily Lamkin ’20, Danielle Martin ’19, and Rebecca Barulli ’20 never thought that they would be seeding, transplanting, and harvesting vegetables between classes or around their homework, but that’s what they’re doing in the 320-square-foot shipping container on campus. Generously donated to the College by Hannaford Charitable Foundation, this self contained hydroponics facility inside the body of a freight truck is the first of its kind in Maine and part of the College’s Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation. Known as the Leafy Green Machine™, the climate controlled unit is built by Freight Farm, a Boston-based agriculture technology company. When Saint Joseph’s College Magazine sat down with three students who operate the Freight Farm, one thing became clear: all three were proud to operate a unique, high-tech growing system that is helping to feed their College community. And they love it. Each student took a unique path that led
| PATRICIA ERIKSON
to working in the Freight Farm—from being introduced to hydroponics in the Aquaculture class to volunteering with lead staff members to conducting a research project on aquaponics for the CASE Scholar program.* Each student was trained by Hilary Lamkin or Sue Wilson, staff members who have farmed the Leafy Green MachineTM on campus since day one. All three students see great value in introducing this sustainable food production initiative (see p. 20 for story on the larger hydroponics facility under development). Lily (Nursing major and Business minor) said she sees the hydroponic growing system on campus as “a unique opportunity that many people do not get a chance to be a part of. As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. It allows me to help grow food for our community, which I find very fulfilling.” Danielle (Marine Science major) said, “I’m interested in growing more sustainable food. I love growing the vegetables. My favorite part is to grow from the little seeds to huge lettuce heads. Most of them take and thrive. I like to see that.” Rebecca (Marine Science and Environmental Science major with Sustainability minor) added, “I like being a part of the food system we’ve created here. I like the new up and coming high tech service of food. I see it in our future, especially urban areas.” Danielle nods, “Hydroponic growing like this could be the future. Our soils are not supportive.” All of them agree that few people know about the Freight Farm yet or understand how hydroponics works. “It’s funny to say that I’m a farmer. I’m growing food, but not getting dirty. This gets me a foot in the door to a real life job,” said Rebecca.
* Each year, Saint Joseph’s College selects two Community and Sustainability Engaged (CASE) Scholars from the incoming freshmen class who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to environmental issues and community service during their high school years and are ready to commit to a progressively challenging, four-year study of and commitment to the emerging green economy.
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Danielle laughed, “Yeah, if marine science doesn’t work out for me, this is another option. It’s a passion. I’m looking for summer internships now. I tell people, ‘I work at a Freight Farm’ and they say, ‘what’s that?’ So I explain that it’s a high-tech growing system that produces food more sustainably. There’s a lot of housekeeping to keep nutrient systems working properly. It all wouldn’t work if we didn’t calibrate the system.” “The best thing about working in the Freight Farm is the people. I love who I work with and I love our shared passion for what we do. I still plan on becoming a nurse,” Lily said, “but life is a crazy thing; you never really know where you are going to end up. I am thankful for all of the knowledge and skills I have gained from working in the Freight Farm. I also love seeing our lettuce served in the café every day!” “It’s relaxing working in there,” Danielle said. “Time passes without notice.” “And the plants enjoy our music. It makes them grow better,” said Rebecca. Lily, Rebecca, and Danielle have grown arugula, radishes, tomatoes, edible flowers, lettuce, and spring mix. After they harvest from the vertical towers, they carry what they’ve grown just a few steps into Mercy Hall and into the Pearson’s Café cooler.
“ I love seeing our lettuce served in the café every day.” (L to R) Lily Lamkin ’20 (Standish, ME), Danielle Martin ’19 (Derry, NH), and Rebecca Barulli ’20 (Tyngsboro, MA) work in the hydroponic Freight Farm on campus, the first hydroponics facility of its kind in Maine. They transplant vegetables and flowers from seedling troughs to the vertical, hydroponic towers behind them and they harvest for consumption in Pearson’s Café. The vertical hydroponics towers can grow a variety of plants, including: arugula, radishes, tomatoes, edible flowers, lettuce, and spring mix. A calibration system controls temperature, moisture, nutrient, and light systems inside the body of a freight truck. Photo: Kaitlynn Hutchins ‘19. Illustration: Denver Bourgault ‘21.
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monks news
Making Program History
Women’s basketball claims first NCAA tourney win | BY COREY MCCARTHY
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ead Coach Mike McDevitt, who earned 2018 GNAC, Maine State, and New England Women’s Basketball Association Coach of the Year honors, led the Monk’s SJC women’s basketball team to arguably the most successful season in program history last winter. Under the watch of the 25th-year head coach, the Monks set a new team record for victories (28) and posted the longest winning streak—27 games—in the history of SJC Athletics. On Saturday, February 24th, Saint Joseph’s defeated Suffolk University, 73-59, to claim the program’s third-consecutive GNAC Championship in front of a near-capacity crowd at the Harold Alfond Center.
Phtotos: David Bates
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With the victory, the Monks earned an automatic berth into the NCAA DIII National Tournament and, in the first round at Amherst College on March 2nd, claimed the first NCAA tourney win in program history: a come-frombehind 61-56 triumph over Little East Conference Champion UMass.-Boston. The following evening, Saint Joseph’s faced off against reigning NCAA DIII Champion Amherst and pushed the heavily favored Mammoths to the brink in a contest featuring five ties and six lead changes, but ultimately suffered a season-ending 53-47 setback. Amherst went on to win the 2018 NCAA Championship with an undefeated record (33-0) for the second straight season.
monks news
Return on Investment
In fitness, business, and life, Tommy Dahlborg ’18 puts in effort and reaps rewards | BY EMMA DEANS
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t 7:30 AM on a Tuesday morning, Tommy Dahlborg ’18 walks into the weight room in Alfond Center and greets Professor Mary Lynn Engel. Normally, Professor Engel instructs Tommy in business coursework but today she is the student and Tommy is her personal trainer. As Professor Engel stretches her biceps and hamstrings she says to Tommy, “Did you see that Loyola game? Unbelievable win!” The two chat about March Madness basketball and walk to the mirrored section of the fitness facility where Professor Engel lifts weights. “Great job, keep it up, just two more!” encourages Tommy. When Professor Engel moves over to a set of ropes to strengthen her triceps, Tommy demonstrates the proper technique of how her arms should extend. Unlike the stereotypical image of a screaming, ruthless trainer, Tommy is soft spoken and patient. He earned his national certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) so that he can train members of the Saint Joseph’s community, including Professor Engel. It’s been a remarkable journey for Tommy, who describes his undergraduate experience as transformational. “When I was a freshman, I was timid. Then I started working as the Welcome Desk Supervisor in the Alfond Center. Being in that environment pushed me to get involved in the weight room. I lost 80 pounds. I became stronger physically and mentally.”
Tommy enjoys being someone who people can turn to for support. “It’s nice to be a mentor, to train others. Customer service is one of my favorite aspects of the job.” His strong skills in customer service have also supported his business interests. Through a sales-oriented internship at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, he sold more rental contracts than any other intern. “The professors at Saint Joseph’s truly care about their students and they want to get their students into the field. Professor Zerillo essentially set up another internship for me with Casco Federal Credit Union. I learned about what determines a credit score, loans, and diversifying portfolios.” Over the past four years he has also strengthened his spiritual life. “I’ve grown in my faith and have pulled closer to God.” He volunteered at food pantries in New Orleans with the College’s Spring Break Workfest program. He also established a Men’s Prayer Group with Resident Minister of the Mercy Center Cole Milazzo ’16. The group of men gather to foster a close connection with fellow students and create a space filled with reflection and support. An opening prayer is followed by open-ended questions about Scripture. While he hopes to pursue a finance career and continue personal training on the side, he said, “I’ll go where God takes me.”
Tommy Dahlborg ’18 trains clients at the Alfond Center, including Professor Mary Lynn Engel, who works on her triceps. Tommy graduated from nearby Gorham High School. Photos: Emma Deans. In addition to personal training, Tommy has served as an RA, as a business department representative to the Academic Senate, and as president of the Business Club, through which he’s volunteered at Catherine’s Cupboard food pantry. He was inducted into the Delta Epsilon Sigma Society, a national scholastic honor society for students, faculty, and alumni of colleges and universities with a Catholic tradition. He was also inducted into Sigma Beta Delta, a business honor society.
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monks news
Trail Magic
Standout field hockey player Effie Drew ’15 pushes her limits and finds adventure as a thru-hiker | BY EMMA DEANS In less than three years Effie Drew ’15 nearly completed the Triple Crown by hiking all of the Appalachian Trail (AT), all of the Continental Divide Trail (CDT), and over half of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Here she is pictured at Montana’s Glacier National Park. Photos: Courtesy of Effie Drew.
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hile classmates were zipping up graduation gowns and walking across the stage at Saint Joseph’s College’s commencement in May 2015, Effie Drew ’15 was embarking on what would become, at the time, the biggest walk of her life—traversing 14 states to complete the 2,180+ grueling miles of the iconic Appalachian Trail (AT). In less than three years she would nearly complete the Triple Crown by hiking all of the Continental Divide Trail (CDT), and over half of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Effie had spent two years at the College as a Business student, after transferring from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She played field hockey for the Monks—a tenacious center forward with a knack for scoring goals. She had always enjoyed spending time outdoors and hiking with her family, but as she neared graduation, she felt a greater urge to test her limits and to go it alone.
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Effie chose a four-legged friend as her hiking partner—an energetic Australian Shepherd named Luna. The American Kennel Club describes Australian Shepherds as “smart, exuberant, and needing a lot of activity and sense of purpose to be truly content.” Effie started to train Luna using the scenic trails that wind around campus and down to Sebago Lake. Scrolling back through Effie’s Instagram feed to 2013, one photo shows Luna as a fluffy young pup with an adorably small nose staring out pensively across Sebago Lake, her paw resting on rocks by the water’s edge. Distinct black spots and light brown streaks blend across salt and pepper colored fur. After the Effie-Luna duo bagged the AT, Effie’s hunger for terrifyingly beautiful landscapes only grew. She embarked on cross country road trips throughout the west, plunged from cliffs into azure waters, and slept in deserts under bowls of
monks news
“ I’ve learned a lot about myself— how I make decisions, how I form relationships, what kind of thinker I am.”
stars. She met friends, hitched rides, and picked up nannying jobs to earn enough cash for each new journey. Mostly, she just kept walking—for over 7,000 miles. In 2017, this included traversing the Wind River Range in Wyoming, which encompasses an area of 2.25 million acres with 40 named peaks over 13,000 feet and seven of the ten largest glaciers in the Lower 48. Dramatic, exposed granite peaks tower above the treeline in this Rocky Mountain range, affectionately known by hikers as “The Winds.” “The West just has this feeling of more space,” says Effie. “You have all this freedom; it’s choose your own adventure—you can truly explore what you want to see.” Even though Effie pored over maps, carefully checking routes and marking where to obtain water, where to resupply, and where to watch for impasses, she learned, “You can’t plan for everything, like trail conditions, or when your body will need a rest, or the weather.” She had to learn when to take the lead and when to hang back and listen to fellow hikers with whom she connected on the trail. “I’m not naturally laid back,” she says. Coming from the world of business where everything is “go, go, go” she has needed to learn to be
more patient, to go with the flow, and to honestly answer, “when is it good to push forward and when is it good to rest?” In California, Effie once walked four days without seeing another hiker. Solitude brought reflection. “I’ve learned a lot about myself—how I make decisions, how I form relationships, what kind of thinker I am.” When she did meet up with other hikers, their colorful conversations and eclectic backgrounds created a camaraderie continued on p. 52 > that forged almost
Effie poses with Luna and a fellow hiker named “Dingo” in Colorado on the Continental Divide Trail.
Team Effort
Saint Joseph’s College Field Hockey Coach Rupert Lewis said that Effie worked hard to transfer to the College and play for the Monks. “She was a very driven, tough contender on and off the field who was very determined.” In 13 seasons with the Monks, Coach Lewis has been named Great Northwest Athletic Conference Coach (GNAC) of the Year three times and has earned two GNAC Championship titles. Learn more at www.gomonks.com.
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alumni news
Getting to Know You An interview with Jeff Yaeger ‘04
| ELLIS BAUM ’98
everywhere from youth clubs to college, including six years as an assistant at Saint Joe’s and three as an assistant at Bates. I mostly work with the goalkeeper and am thrilled with the quality of the goalkeeper tradition that Saint Joe’s has had over the years—although, with each great keeper I move further and further down the record books! I’m also currently coaching for the Gorham Youth Soccer Association. Why did you choose to attend SJC? I’m originally from Presque Isle, Maine and had brothers who attended Orono. When I visited them, I felt that Orono was just too big. I wanted a place where I didn’t necessarily know every person on campus, but I at least recognized them. Saint Joseph’s offered that (as well as the opportunity to continue playing sports). The deciding moment during my visit was when I saw the sun come through the trees that were up where Alfond Hall is now. It was a beautiful fall day and I knew that was the place I wanted to be.
Jeff Yaeger ‘04 and Cheryl Sweetser ‘81 during the 2017 Alumni Cruise in Casco Bay. Photo: Sarah Beard Buckley.
I 2017–2018 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD Ellis Baum ’98, Chair Aubrey (Gray) Baum ’08, Vice Chair June Irvine ’09, Treasurer Pam Aliberti ’65, Secretary Stephanie (Tuttle) Briggs ’98, ’14 Mary Campbell ’85 Matt Croteau ’10 Sue Dearborn ’86 Raquel Delgadillo ’18 Gretchen McKeen ’18 Kaitlyn Morse ’09 Donna O’Brien ’87 Jeff Yaeger ’04
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wanted to showcase some of the alumni who serve on the Alumni Board and so I sat down with Jeff Yaeger ’04 who majored in Finance. You may know him as having played baseball for two years and soccer for four years. He would say that his Monks claim to fame is that he has streaked through the quad twice...both times last summer at Alumni Weekend. But I digress. Jeff is a Channel Sales Manager for WEX and he lives with his wife, Michelle, and their two boys, Lucas (9) and Caleb (6) in their new home in Gorham. I am grateful for his service to the Board. What do you do for fun? Although I enjoy music and movies, right now my hobbies include whatever the boys happen to be into and, at the moment that is mostly basketball, but also baseball and soccer. I share their passion for soccer and have coached
Why did you join the alumni board and choose to stay connected to the college? The College shaped so much of who I am today. I had a wonderful base—a sense of self—when I left home, but Saint Joseph’s is where I really developed my sense of humor, my personality, and the type of friend, father, and husband that I have become. Staying involved with the school has become a way to keep me grounded in those traditions. I want to be a resource and mentor to some of the students who have come through after me. I was looking for a way to grow as a person and as a professional. Historically, the only reason I left my house was to work and to coach. So getting involved with a place that I have such a history with—and that has such an exciting future—seemed like a great way to learn and give back at the same time. What do you enjoy the most about being an SJC Alum? I love the people. Meeting people and continued on p. 53 > talking to them,
scene and noted
Alumni Gatherings Mark your calendars for these fun events
Photo: Jeff Scher
GOLF CLASSIC Friday, September 14, 2018 Spring Meadows Clubhouse in Gray, Maine The SJC Alumni & Friends Golf Classic is one of the Athletics Department’s largest and longest-running annual fundraisers. The tournament is open to everyone and features a delicious buffet banquet.
L to R: Logan Skinner ‘21, Liam Skinner ‘18, Mike Francoeur (former men’s basketball assistant coach), and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Rob Sanicola ‘99. Photo: Monks Athletics
HALL OF FAME CEREMONY Saturday, September 15, 2018 The Stone Barn at Sebago Lake Saint Joseph’s College Charlie Warren ’88, Derek McIntosh ’05, Father John Tokaz, and the 199192 women’s basketball team will be inducted into the 16th Saint Joseph’s College Hall of Fame Class. The evening begins at 5 PM with a plaquerevealing reception and is followed by the induction ceremony.
Photo collage: Monks Athletics
MONKTOBERFEST Saturday, October 20, 2018 The Stone Barn at Sebago Lake Saint Joseph’s College Celebrate autumn with Germanstyle food, music, local beer, and commemorative steins at this popular social event.
Photo: Sarah Beard Buckley
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scene and noted
Monktoberfest and Ice Bar photos: Sarah Beard Buckley
Festive Monktoberfest and Ice Bar Events Support Student Scholarships BY EMMA DEANS
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ederhosen-clad musicians belted out tunes of “Barbara Polka” and “Oktoberfest Ist Heute” as alumni, parents, and friends ducked into the Stone Barn to snack on bratwurst and sauerkraut or hot pretzels and mustard. Alumni Association volunteers served a range of local beers on tap and offered a cold vat of cider. Monktoberfest 2017 drew more than 150 people to celebrate the harvest season together, to make new memories, and to support student scholarships. In February, guests convened once again to laugh with friends and raise scholarship funds at the 7th Annual Ice Bar. Nearly 300 people gathered around
crackling fire pits while watching the sunset over the White Mountains. Servers poured alcohol down an ice funnel for specialty cocktails called the Pink Ice Martini, Snowflake, and Blue Monk. The Alumni Association scholarship was awarded to Brendon Keady ’20 this year. Ellis Baum ’98, Chair of the Alumni Association Board, said: “I would like to thank all of you who have attended Alumni Association events (Monktoberfest, Ice Bar, Alumni Weekend) and have bought raffle tickets or bid on auction items while at those events—you have made this happen!”
CONSIDER SUPPORTING A STUDENT by donating to the annual fund at www.sjcme.edu/donate
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scene and noted
2018 Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner Saint Joseph’s College recognized Alumni Award Honorees at a banquet held at the Stone Barn at Sebago Lake on May 5, 2018. The following alumni were honored for their outstanding contributions to the College, their classmates, their community, and their professions. Maura McMann ’79 Catherine McAuley Award
This award recognizes an individual who exemplifies Catherine McAuley’s strong commitment to service and helping others. To quote her website, “Maura’s Hopeful Mission is a grassroots humanitarian effort that seeks to be a beacon of hope for inner-city individuals.” The members of Maura’s Hopeful Mission bring this beacon to the streets of Boston via food, clothes, blankets, and the warmth of human interaction. By providing life essentials, the Mission strives to eradicate the hopelessness, helplessness, and despair often felt by individuals who are struggling with addiction, homelessness, and other life-changing events. The Mission has sponsored many fundraising and charitable events. Their website features many photos that reflect the love of Jesus and the outreach mission of Catherine McAuley. Steve Gorsun ’09, Board of Trustees
degree in business administration and entered Unum’s professional development program shortly after graduation. The accelerated leadership program placed him in strategic and operational roles within multiple sites and business units over a period of four years. Steve assumed his current position as assistant vice president in 2014. Peter Geiger Hon. ’14, Past Board of Trustees Member
Catherine Hagerman ’79
Distinguished Philanthropy Award
Professional Excellence Award
This award recognizes an individual or business for their continued, generous contributions to Saint Joseph’s College through philanthropic gifts. Peter Geiger is the editor of the Farmers’ Almanac—a publication first printed in 1818—and the executive vice president of Geiger, the largest privately owned promotional products business in the nation. A former Trustee of Saint Joseph’s College, he has devoted much of his life to the advancement of educational and health care organizations.
This award is presented to the alum who has distinguished him or herself professionally in such a way as to positively reflect on Saint Joseph’s College and its Mission and Core Values. Cathy is a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) who has served as the Maine president of her professional association several times. She has also taught dozens of graduated nursing students when serving as the assistant director of the School of Anesthesia at Mercy Hospital, which was transferred to the University of New England. Cathy is a very strong advocate for the nursing profession and certainly one of the most successful and well-respected graduates of the SJC Nursing Program. A true tribute to Cathy is the fact that both of her daughters, her daughter-inlaw, and many other young women have entered the nursing profession because they were inspired and supported by Cathy. See more at www.sjcme.edu/alumni
Emerging Leader Award
Ryan Sullivan ’09
This award is presented to an alum who has made a significant impact in his or her profession and/or community at large since graduation. Steve Gorsun ’09 is assistant vice president for National Client Group Underwriting at Unum. A former Monks baseball player and team captain during his senior year, Steve earned his
Monk Spirit Award
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brain tumor survivor and as soon as he was done with treatments he was back to attending alumni events. He attends 95% of all events in the Boston area and attends every Alumni Weekend. Everyone knows and loves Ryan!
This award recognizes someone who demonstrates the “spirit” of the College through his or her interactions and involvement with the College. As a student, Ryan Sullivan was the biggest supporter of each and every Saint Joseph’s College athletics team. The women’s basketball and softball teams even recognized Sullivan at their final home contests for his fandom. Ryan is a
alumni news
On Finding Balance
Family, work, community, and self | BY LEE KENNEDY ’87
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hen I enrolled at Saint Joseph’s College, my initial impression was that it was an unassuming place that received people very well from all different backgrounds. It didn’t matter where you came from or how you got there. It mattered that you received a good education. It became more and more apparent to me that the Sisters of Mercy mission was real. The mission was carried out by everyone; the students felt that. I felt that. I learned in College how to prioritize things in life because it can get overwhelming. There are four areas of focus for me: family, work, community, and oneself. Trying to balance the four can be challenging at different times. I learned how to prioritize and make decisions that support a quality of life experience. I learned the value of giving back to others in your community. Rather than perceive life as “taking,” I see it as giving back. I credit the Mercy tradition for this. Liberal arts education seems undervalued right now. I was a history major and I strongly believe in a liberal arts education. A liberal arts education helps you no matter what you want to do: arts, science, economics, or—like me—construction. Ninety percent of what we deal with in life is gaining an awareness and understanding of what is happening in our world; we need to understand problems before we can solve problems. Problem solving was the most important thing I learned. It’s all about how to find answers to questions. Also, communication through reading and writing are really important skills developed through a college education. Technical expertise you can get from on the job training or from technical training. For example, I went to night school at Wentworth Institute after Saint Joseph’s to get that type of training. At my company, the key is to maintain an approach that distinguishes us from our competitors (who, in many cases, are large, publicly traded, and international). Our clients know the owner of Lee Kennedy Company. There is a level of comfort associated with that; there’s more attention to quality, more pride. I aim for controlled, organic growth, mostly by hiring young people, mentoring them, and allowing them
“ I’m a supporter of the College’s Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation (ILFSI) because it addresses problems with our food supply.” to grow and not pigeonholing them. Then we promote from within. We add expertise when we need it for special projects or markets, yet grow in a smart way. I’m a supporter of the College’s Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation (ILFSI) because it addresses problems with our food supply. It aims to support the local economy and the local community by creating a more efficient distribution of local food to the table (see story p. 16). I have always loved to cook so I’m very aware of the purest ingredients and what that means to the quality of what you prepare for your family and friends. I met my wife, Maura, at Saint Joseph’s in 1985. She graduated with a degree in nursing and is a practicing RN today. She and I share cooking for large famcontinued on p. 50 >
THE COLLEGE THANKS
LEE KENNEDY ‘87 for his leadership and generous gift of $100,000 to support the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation.
Lee Kennedy ‘87, taking time out to enjoy Portland’s foodie scene. Photo: Sean Harris.
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alumni news Peter Geiger walks through the 105,000 square foot Geiger headquarters in Lewiston, Maine. The company’s massive solar installation of 696 ground-mounted panels are expected to eliminate more than eight million pounds of carbon pollution over the 40-year projected lifespan of the array.
In 1988, Peter established an Adopt-A-School program at Montello Elementary School in Lewiston and has championed similar business/school partnerships throughout Maine. When he visited campus, Peter met Alasia Branche ’20. An alum of Montello School, Alasia remembers trick or treating at the Geiger home as a child. Photos: Patricia Erikson.
THE COLLEGE THANKS
PETER GEIGER HON. ’14 AND GEIGER for their long standing support of the College, including a $50,000 gift to the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation.
Moving Mountains
How Peter Geiger Hon. ’14 is making the world a better place BY PATRICIA ERIKSON
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vid outdoorsman. Champion of education. Tireless volunteer. Editor of the one of the most iconic publications in America. It’s hard to know where to begin describing Peter Geiger Hon. ’14 and his commitment to making the world a better place, but when documenting sustainability initiatives in the Saint Joseph’s College community, Geiger’s name tops the go-to list. As the Executive Vice President of Geiger, Peter Geiger heads up the four-generation family business with his brother, Gene. Based in Lewiston, Maine and employing more than 400 people nationwide, Geiger is the largest privately owned and managed promotional products distributor in the United States. Saint Joseph’s College Magazine approached Peter Geiger to talk about the company’s gold standard in changing corporate culture and daily life with sustainability principles. When I parked at the Geiger facility, one of the first things I noticed was a massive, groundmounted solar installation—696 panels, I later learned—one of the largest private solar arrays in Maine. After meeting me at the reception desk, Geiger walked me through the 105,000 square foot building dedicated to product distribution and office spaces. Characterized by an open
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concept design, skylights high overhead allow daylight to pass through and brighten the facility. As we passed a bank of big-screen monitors, he pointed to the real time display of energy being generated by the solar panels on the property. “It wasn’t always like this,” Geiger confides as we sit down to a conference table. “Working with the City of Lewiston, my father built the original facility in 1954—a portion devoted to manufacturing and another part to offices. There were several expansions over the years. When production ended in 2013, we had a building with old boilers, a leaking roof, and inadequate space for today’s working environment. We renovated it, removed an acre of paved parking to limit impervious surfaces outside, and installed an underground chamber to capture and filter stormwater runoff.” Geiger credits the can-do spirit of the company and its orientation toward the common good to his father, Ray. Stories about Ray Geiger have a Paul Bunyan quality to them. As a child in Newark, New Jersey, Ray was known to earn money by selling the dung of circus animals to farmers when Barnum & Bailey packed up and moved on to the next town. The exposure to the circus must have made an impression; Ray continued on p. 53 >
alumni news
In it for the Long Haul
Lane Hubacz ’09 can be spotted on the Portland waterfront where he is staging shellfish to transport to restaurants and distributors. Photo at left: Patricia Erikson.
Lane Hubacz ’09 works at the cutting edge of aquaculture
The Portland Press Herald’s “Source” featured Basket Island Oysters this winter.
BY PATRICIA ERIKSON
W
hen Lane Hubacz ’09 interned with Professor Mark Green while he studied marine science and chemistry, he probably couldn’t have guessed that it would change his life. “Once in awhile, I would go out on Casco Bay with him. I had never heard of aquaculture before I went to Saint Joseph’s College and met Mark. After college, I worked on National Science Foundation grants with him. This was ocean acidification research and its impacts on shellfish—specifically clams—in the mudflats of Portland, Falmouth, and the Cumberland area. He wanted to scale up his aquaculture production and bring me with him. We would go out on his boat a couple of times a week. I loved being out on the water.” Lane’s experience hasn’t been restricted to one shellfish species, however. “I also worked on a mussel farm for about four years. The past couple of years I have shifted to working full time for Mark and helping to build his oyster farming business.” Lane refers to Mark Green’s business, known as Basket Island Oysters. He said, “We just got into scallop farming, too, last year.
Seafood farmed with aquaculture only makes up a tiny percent of the market in the United States. Most of the seafood we eat in the States is imported. From a business point you don’t know how high it will go. “It can be stressful at times dealing with live creatures; there’s lots of tending and husbandry involved. But when you meet restaurant owners and they thank you for how much they love the oysters, it’s really good to hear. Not only are we helping to establish a sustainable food source, we can grow the business as much as we want to. That’s really appealing to me. I’m in it for the long haul.” SPRING 2018 | 43
classnotes Class of 1950-1959 Theresa (Riley) Morris ’50 was the oldest female finisher at the 2017 Beach to Beacon 10K and received the Johnny Kelley award. She loves to keep in touch with her five great-grandchildren with handwritten letters and birthday cards.
Class of 1960-1969 Marie McMorran Thibodeau ’67 of Biddeford, ME and her husband Raymond just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in November. They were engaged in Xavier Hall during Marie’s junior year in October of 1965.
Class of 1980-1989
Pauline (Feierseisen) Judy ’80 became a grandmother for the first time in September 2016. Kenneth Brownson ’84 writes: “I am retired now but I often reflect on how Saint Joseph’s changed my life and career. I earned my associate’s degree and became an RN. I wanted to continue my education but there was no RN/BSN program in my state. I saw an adver-
tisement about the BSPA program for nurses. I attended the distance program in the early 1970s. I loved it and couldn’t wait for the next course to arrive. The College was great at accepting my associate’s, other courses, and some certificates. The concentration in education enabled me to teach online courses. This fantastic career would not have been possible without Saint Joseph’s innovative distance BSPA degree. Although I couldn’t go on for an MSN, I did earn a master’s in management, a master’s in psychology, a graduate certificate, and finally a doctorate in education. With a BSN, I was able to teach many different subjects as an online professor. I was also able to publish many articles in health related journals.” Dr. Lauren Giustra ’88, an obstetrician and gynecologist with more than 20 years of experience, recently joined the Board of Directors for the Rome Hospital Foundation. She and her husband, Dr. Ankur Desai, moved to Rome, NY in 1996, and co-founded their privatelyowned medical practice, Mohawk Valley Women’s Health Associates.
Sister Sylvia Comer ’62, Hon. ’18, RSM received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters at the Saint Joseph’s College Commencement on May 12, 2018. Known for her warmth, humor, and deep passion for serving the people of God, Sister Sylvia demonstrates all of the College’s Core Values through her words and actions. Sister Sylvia worked at the College through several teaching, directorial, and pastoral roles for 29 years. She founded the College’s Office of Campus Ministry, and years later, the Office of Pastoral Ministry. She started many of the College’s beloved traditions, including a Blessing of the Hands for nursing students and the Spring Break Workfest program (alongside Michele Aronica ’74, RSM).
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Class of 1990-1999 Curtis Smyth ’91 was inducted into UNE’s Hall of Fame on October 20th. Smyth, currently UNE’s Director of Athletics, has served as Sports Information Director since 1997, and as the head coach of three different sports (women’s basketball, men’s golf, and softball) prior to moving to solely an administrative role in 2007. Under his direction, the women’s basketball program won a total of 142 games over a ten-year period, including the Nor’easters’ first CCC title and NCAA Championship appearance. Smyth has held the position of interim director of athletics on two occasions.
Class of 2000-2009 Joan Kimani ‘01 is working toward her PhD at the United States International University-Africa. Mary Minshall Rowland ’03 welcomed her 4th grandchild, Landon Herbert Rowland on March 13, 2018. Mathew Salch ’03 co-founded the nonprofit County Behavioral Medicine, an outpatient Mental Health Agency located in Presque Isle, ME. Susan Byrne ’05 has worked at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, CA for the past four years on a Surgical Intermediate ICU team. After completing a year-long rigorous professional development program, she was recently promoted to Clinical RN III, and served as Charge RN, Mentor and Preceptor on her unit. Theodore Doucette ’05 graduated from Galen College of Nursing in Louisville, KY in October 2016 and was the recipient of the Kathryn Mershon Emerging Leader in Healthcare Award. He successfully passed his NCLEX exam in December 2016. Theodore is currently employed as a staff nurse RN for Lifecare Center of America in New Albany,
class notes
IN and will be pursuing his RN-to-BSN at the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville, IN starting January 2018. Kristen (Jewett) Crawford ’05, ’11 of Dover, NH recently launched a personal brand strategy business focused on providing people with direction in authentically telling their brand story and embracing a visual brand strategy. www.kristencrawford.com Jennifer Michel ’06 now holds the position of Library Assistant-Bibliographic Services at Ladd Library, Bates College, in Lewiston, ME.
Class of 2010-2017 Maureen Orkwis ’12 published her first Class of 2010-2017
Rhonda Curry ’03 has been named Vice President for Membership and Communications at Washington State Hospital Association. She has more than two decades of experience as a public affairs executive and holds a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration from Saint Joseph’s. Partnering with leadership, media, government and community, she has led health care communications and advocacy for hospitals, and health systems including Olympic Medical Center, PeaceHealth, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Curry also earned a master’s degree in communication from Gonzaga University. “Rhonda brings a deep knowledge of public policy and how it affects our membership, as well as a wealth of experience in communications,” said Cassie Sauer, WSHA president and CEO. “We’re so excited to have her insight as we seek to increase the public’s understanding of the massive changes in health care.”
book: Murder Con. It is available on Maureen Orkwis ’12 published her first Amazon and Barnes and Noble. book: Murder Con. It is available on Amazon andJunior Barnes and Noble. Lieutenant Grade Taylor Allison Training course in Los Angeles, where they worked in the Emergency Department, ICU, and Operating Room. They then completed training in the field, became certified in Tactical Combat Casualty Care, and were temporarily stationed on an Army base. Sarah is an ICU nurse stationed out of Guam, and Taylor is an Emergency Room nurse from Camp Pendleton in California.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Taylor Allison ’13 writes: “In July of this past year, I ’13 writes: “In July of this past year, I began my pre-deployment training for began my pre-deployment training for the Navy in order to leave for Afghanithe Navy in order to leave for Afghanistan in the fall. To my surprise, out of all stan in the fall. To my surprise, out of all the nurses in the Navy, I found another the nurses in the Navy, I found another SJC alum in the mix of my training. SJC alum in the mix of my training. Lieutenant Sarah Cadorette ’12 and I Lieutenant Sarah Cadorette ’12 and I attended Saint Joseph’s College together attended Saint Joseph’s College together and I felt it was extremely rare and and I felt it was extremely rare and quite amazing that we found each other quite amazing that we found each other again through this journey.” Taylor and again through this journey.” Taylor and Sarah attended various types of trainSarah attended various types of training together including the Navy Trauma ing together including the Navy Trauma
Eric N. Balli ’13 is a Master Sergeant in the active duty Air Force. He was recently accepted into the full-time Master of Science of Strategic Intelligence (MSSI) program at the National Intelligence University (NIU) in Bethesda, MD for the 2018-2019 academic year. This is a highly competitive school and program for military personnel and other government employees. He will be a full-time student for the one year program and will have a follow-on assignment after graduation in July 2019.
Lauren Chouinard ’14, RN, was presented the DAISY Award at Addison Gilbert Hospital in Gloucester, MA. This award celebrates the clinical skill and compassionate care nurses provide. “Lauren is wise beyond her years,” her colleague said. “She is so compassionate. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, or the road you have traveled.” Davis S. Tucker ’16 of Winston Salem, NC is starting Physical Therapy School at Winston-Salem State University in January 2018.
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class notes
After earning a doctorate in educational psychology with a concentration in cognition, instruction, and learning technologies from the University of Connecticut, Lindsey Gervais ’10 joined Partner In Publishing (PIP) as a senior learning designer and digital marketing manager. PIP specializes in the educational services industry, offering a unique blend of marketing, sales, technology, instructional design, and editorial expertise to some of the biggest company names in educational publishing and technology. Lindsey earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Saint Joseph’s with a concentration in education and a minor in classics. She is married to her SJC sweetheart, Jeremy Gervais ’10, and they have two children, Owen and Finley.
Jenna Chouinard ‘17 launched a business called Everlasting Escape, which donates a portion of its proceeds to Land For Maine’s Future. The purpose is to support preservation efforts around Maine so future generations can experience its beauty. She believes her time at SJC gave her the knowledge and passion to start this initiative. Learn more at EverlastingEscape.org!
Kara (Squillonte) Base ’09
Wedding Bells Jeremy Porter ’05 married Kathryn Porter on September 23, 2017 at Saint Joseph’s College. The ceremony was held by the lake and the reception was held in the Stone Barn. Back row (left to right): Pat Mileski ’07, Kyle Benner ’07, Jeffrey Peterson ’07, Luke Chouinard ’07, Jeremy Ackroyd ’07, Chad Pouliot ’07, Leanne Pouliot ‘06, and Matt Vasil ’05. Front row (left to right): Sarah Vasil ’08, Sarah Smith ’05, Harrison Smith ’07, Don Thibodeau ’07, Kathryn Porter (Bride), Jeremy Porter ’05 (Groom), Gary Hinkley ’07, Kerry Palleschi ’07, Steve Palleschi ’06. Jennifer Taylor ’03 married Billy Henderson on October 21, 2017 in Hingham, MA. Many from SJC were in attendance including: Christopher Taylor ’10, Michael Taylor ’11, Aimee ’03 and Mark Fellows ’00, Ali Morin ’13, and Fr. John Tokaz.
Colin Gordan ’17 (left, Falmouth PD) and Eric Young ’17 (right, South Portland PD) graduated from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. They are pictured with Dr. Dale J. Brooker (center), Saint Joseph’s College professor of criminal justice.
Nicki Hicks ’08 married David Ong on December 15, 2017 in Rockledge, Florida. Kara Squillante ’09 married Nick Base on October 7, 2017 and celebrated with fellow 2009 alumni. From left (all class of 2009): Sarah Turgeon (Banks), Andrea Russell, Mallory Buff (Clark), Megan Willette, Kara Base (Squillante), Ryan Prescott, Nicole Prescott (D’Atri), Fr. Paul Dumais, Kelly Emerson, and Sarah Dennison (Francoeur). Natalie Conway ’11 married Kannyn Coerper on September 23, 2017 on Vinalhaven Island, ME.
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class notes
Jennifer (Taylor) Henderson ’03
Nicki (Hicks) Ong ’08
Natalie (Conway) Coerper ’11
Jeremy Porter ’05
STAY IN TOUCH!
New Additions Jennifer (Cleasby) Johnson ’08 and husband, Dean, welcomed their son, Dean, in August 2017.
New job? New adventure? New baby? Share your news of marriages, births, condolences, and other milestones with us by sending an e-mail to alumni@sjcme.edu! Please also send us your most up-to-date contact information so that we can keep you informed about events and news at the College.
SaintJoseph’sCollegeofMaine @SaintJosephsME @saintjosephscollege @Saint Joseph’s College
SPRING 2018 | 47
class notes
Photo: Jon Hufstader
Condolences The College offers its condolences to… The family of Gloria Gallant ’49. During her 25-year career at King Middle School teaching foreign languages, she developed creative and innovative ways to spark a love of learning in her pupils and found ways to make every student feel they could succeed. She met her husband, Edwin, on a blind date during her junior year at Saint Joseph’s College. Her beautiful smile, wit, and zest for life won his heart and launched a 70-year love affair full of dancing, adventure, family, and service. The family of John Bernard Beston (husband of Rose Marie Beston ’59), who passed away peacefully on February 1, 2018 at Baringa Hospital at age 88. He formerly resided in Santa Fe, NM and Rochester, NY. He was the much loved husband of Rose Marie Beston for 48 years.
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The family of Daniel Paul Roy ’78, who passed away on March 21, surrounded by family and friends, following a valiant and determined battle with cancer. The family of John Daggett ’08. John was a loving and devoted husband, a good son and brother, a loyal and supportive friend, and an inspiration to all who knew him. The family of James Kneeland, South Portland, ME, brother of Sister Mary Kneeland ’73, who passed away on March 17, 2018 at home in South Portland. Jimmy was raised in Worcester and honorably served his country in the United States Marine Corps in the Pioneers during WWII.
GIVING IN HONOR AND IN MEMORY OF Gifts to the College can be made in memory or in honor of someone special to you. Giving is a personal decision and we want you to be passionate about your choice. The College makes it easy to give meaningful gifts in recognition of a deceased loved one or an important person still in your life. Maybe you want to acknowledge someone’s love of sports by donating to The Royal Blue Club, or else honor their commitment to education by contributing to our scholarship fund. Whatever your preference, the Institutional Advancement staff can help ensure that your donation to the Annual Fund pays proper tribute. Visit www.sjcme.edu/donate.
Hoop House Continued from p. 3 that mimics solar UV light and heat.” Tyler pointed to the dome-shaped shade directing light down toward a table covered with potted seedlings. “Our process is to come over each week and pick— randomly—ten plants from the dependent group and another ten from the control group. We measure the height of the plant from the bottom of the stem to the top of the highest leaf. At the end of the semester, we plot all of the data and interpret the results.” Although Tyler is committed to nursing and already works as a licensed nursing assistant at Wentworth Douglass Hospital, this learning experience has transformed how he sees the world around him. “Growing up by the ocean, I lived near multiple ecosystems. Once
I came to college, I realized how lucky I was to have had this rare exposure. At Saint Joseph’s, I have the opportunity to learn and then make a difference in my hometown. Something as simple as trash collection on the beach can make a big impact. The town of York’s population triples in the summer and the beaches can accumulate trash. Now, I see this. I’m really concerned with it. I’m interested in sustainability in my own town. Dr. Teegarden’s class has made me realize these things.” Hands-on student involvement in the hoop house has not been limited to getting their hands dirty with the seedlings. Elyse Caiazzo, graduating senior and assistant program director for the Institute for Local Food Systems Innova-
tion, worked with ES300 faculty to integrate the Saint Joseph’s students into the agricultural experience. “This year’s seedling sale represents the mission of the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation by creating experiential learning opportunities for our students, connecting with our community with sustainability and wellness, and giving the students a chance to be entrepreneurial and build our own business,” said Caiazzo (see story p. 7). In addition, fellow student Hayley Winslow ’18, Business Service Manager for ILFSI and other College enterprises (see story p. 24) developed the business plan for the seasonal enterprise.
The commitment then expanded into a campus-wide Civic Action Plan in which the College commits itself to deepening civic and community engagement and enhancing its public purpose. About the College’s new STARS designation, Kimberly Post said, “We began using STARS about five years ago when we joined AASHE and realized that using this tool could help us to assess and further institutionalize our sustainability initiatives across our campus. Our first submission, which we completed over three years ago, earned
us a Bronze rating based upon sustainability efforts that were already in place. We since have used the guidelines and standards from STARS to enhance our sustainability work at SJC and engage a broad cross section of the campus in these efforts. The adoption of the STARS standard to guide us has been a key strategy of our sustainability, in addition to our Climate Action Plan and commitment to carbon neutrality by 2036.”
STARS rating Continued from p. 4 green electricity, and operating a hydroponic freight farm also led Saint Joseph’s College of Maine to earn a Silver Star Award. As a Sisters of Mercy institution, the College has grounded itself in both the Sisters’ Critical Concern of Care for Earth and their Mercy Taking Action, a commitment to social justice and advocacy. Saint Joseph’s institutional commitment to sustainability was broadened when President Jim Dlugos signed the Presidents’ Carbon Commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2036.
Dr. Gulnick Continued from p. 6 dumpster diving with students for a trash study. Her influence has been felt at an operational level as well, in Facilities. After obtaining a Dorr Foundation grant, Dr. Gulnick examined energy use on campus, encouraging students to use their surroundings as a living laboratory to learn about the energy use of appliances and equipment and assist in creating solutions and implementing changes. Working with the Waste Management Committee resulted in the replacement of trash bins with recycling and composting stations around campus. Supporting students resulted in the successful “Take Back the Tap” campaign in
which five gallon water dispensers were replaced with eco-friendly bottle refilling stations. And to encourage accountability, she pushed the College to adopt AASHE’s STARS, the transparent, selfreporting framework for colleges and universities to gauge relative progress toward sustainability (see story p. 4). This year, Saint Joseph’s earned a Silver Stars rating, one of 211 colleges and universities to do so across the United States. Rarely does an individual come along with the tenacity and conviction needed to have such a lasting influence. Dr. Gulnick will be missed.
Saint Joseph’s College students, faculty, and alumni represented Maine at People’s Climate March in Washington, D.C. in April [L to R]: Christina Young ’20, Caleb Gravel ’19, Maria Liberti ’17, Aliyah Gregory ’17, Erin Wright-Little ’16, Nhu Vo ’17, Alana Dougherty ’17, Kyle O’Keefe ’20, Courtney Couture ’17, Pamela Gully, Jeanne Gulnick, and Nancy Kristiansen.
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Sebago Lake to Capital Continued from p. 8
Bryon Williams Continued from p. 9
place thinking to myself ‘someday…’ I cannot put into words how influential that was for me when I was set to come to college. It helps me keep my focus on the end goal. Last year, I went on the College’s Inauguration trip, once again a benchmark in shaping my political philosophy. Finally, the third trip, this year with Ray. This reminds me of a quote from John F. Kennedy: “Mothers all want their sons to grow up to be president, but they don’t want them to become politicians in the process.” There tends to be a certain aura around politicians that is similar to that of lawyers and used car salesmen. People don’t trust them. People think that they are in their career for their own self interests. This distrust of politicians isn’t necessarily justified. They are thinking of just one type of politician. My calling in life is to be the voice of young people in politics and to restore respect to the office.
degree in business administration. At first, Bryon wanted to pursue a master’s degree just for professional advancement—to earn a promotion and higher income. But as he started researching schools, he realized his desire and need to acquire leadership skills ran much deeper than a title change. “I compared the curricula of programs at Saint Joseph’s College, the University of Southern Maine, and Husson University. The MBA in Leadership at Saint Joseph’s was different for all the right reasons. The other programs are focused on the ‘how?’ Saint Joseph’s focuses on the ‘what?’ and the ‘why?’” He explains that stepping into a managerial role requires a significant change in how he thinks about operations. “You don’t need to know how to do each job, but you do need to know how to manage those positions, which means understanding personality types and
effective decision making processes... You have to change how you think. At the beginning of your career everything is about you. As you advance into management it becomes about focusing the shift to everyone else,” he says. He can directly relate his graduate coursework to his current role at Montalvo. Assignments for his Systems Thinking class led Bryon to deliver a presentation to Montalvo’s CEO Robin Goodwin about looking at workflows, identifying potential breakdowns, and streamlining processes. Bryon was also drawn to Saint Joseph’s because of the flexible, online program that allows him to juggle classes with the demands of a full-time job and raising his two young children, Grayson Stark and Scarlett Rogue. He smiles after mentioning their names. “My wife Nicole and I are big fans of Game of Thrones and Marvel Comics.”
Moira DesRosiers Continued from p. 10 Her advice for fellow artists looking to invest in their craft as a career? Moira said that the cliché saying of ‘if you’re willing to put in the effort required, you can make it happen’ is true for any artist. She also mentioned a phrase from one of her classes where the professor would ask them every week what they had done to get closer to their “dream.” This process of setting a goal and sticking to it every week helped keep the students focused on their art.
Lee Kennedy Continued from p. 41 ily gatherings and holidays. In an economy that encourages locally-sourced, healthy food, more people could decide to stay in Maine rather than move away. Ultimately, the valuable outcome of ILFSI will be how it impacts the local economy: helping people prosper on their farms (whether vegetables or animals), helping people stay in Maine, and helping people access a better quality product. Saint Joseph’s created my connection to Maine, but now I still visit three or four times per year. I love Portland. It’s a great city with such fantastic restaurants. It’s a beautiful part of the world. 50 | SAINT JOSEPH’S MAGAZINE
Mark Swann Continued from p. 15 the reality is that we have a state with almost no treatment.” I shared with Swann how last fall I had won a “dinner behind bars.” Jail bars, to be exact. I was attending a fundraising gala to support families in need of heating fuel, hosted by Saint Joseph’s College. Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce had donated a rare opportunity to tour the Cumberland County Jail and meet a few staff and inmates. He donates only a few of these each year and he knows what he’s doing: not only supporting a good cause, but busting open myths about criminality and homelessness in Maine. Along with five close friends, I toured the prison facility. Sheriff Joyce and his staff patiently showed us how the jail worked and, more importantly, how people ended up there. What I learned there turned upside down what I thought I knew about homelessness. Like a lot of people, I assumed that the prison would be full of criminals. Instead, Sheriff Joyce explained that the majority of the inmates in the jail are suffering from mental health and substance abuse problems. “The good people of Cumberland County are paying taxes for us to serve as an expensive social service facility. Eighty percent of the inmates arrive in jail due to mental health or substance abuse issues, as opposed to intentional criminal activity. There are very few criminals here.” Joyce told the group. I left with the image of the county jail as a revolving door where people, predominantly those living on the streets, spend a few nights and then are released to start the cycle over again. I couldn’t imagine how staff members there, or at Preble Street, coped. I asked Swann how they managed what seemed like an endless cycle. “Like the jail, we are not a licensed
clinical treatment program. Yet, we’re serving hundreds and hundreds of people with serious mental health issues and substance use disorder. And we have an overdose every eight days. Every eight days. I was in the Resource Center this morning and we had an overdose. This is not abstract for me. We have been looking at each other here at Preble Street and asking: what can we do? What is the systems work we can do as non experts? The answer was helping to organize all of the right people with the right expertise around a table, such as Maine Behavioral Health, Maine Medical Center, Mercy Hospital, and many others. We pooled together knowledge, expertise, and experience, and asked what could we learn from what they did in Boston? In Baltimore? Then we put a bill into the legislature. It’s called HOUSE or homeless opioid users service engagement. In essence, we advocate for solutions.” Preble Street, he explained, is a social services agency with three parts. Best known is their direct, emergency services: the soup kitchen, the health clinic, and a shelter that offers warmth, safety, and compassion. But the solution-oriented work and the advocacy work—the second and third prongs—are what keeps him going, year after year. “Housing First for the chronically homeless is an example of solution-oriented work, as is helping vets before they become homeless. We have a great responsibility to speak up about systems that either don’t work or are detrimental. For example, we pushed for and wrote the first hate crimes legislation for people targeted for violence because of their economic status. We have pushed against efforts to reduce access to food stamps. We are working on medicaid expansion because medicaid is the primary funder of mental health and substance abuse. “There are always successes to cel-
ebrate, and those are what we live for! We can celebrate the agency’s successes, such as the recent opening of Huston Commons, a 30-unit apartment building for the chronically homeless. We have also passed a bill to focus resources on Housing First.” Swann added that this bill was then vetoed by the governor. “We are one of the only states to not identify Housing First as the solution to chronic homelessness. Ironically, we were one of the first to do it! Nationwide, cost-benefit studies are no longer needed for housing first programs because it’s been so well demonstrated how effective it is. It’s common knowledge. But we can’t get the state to embrace it.” After returning to my office, I received an email from Swann. It’s addressed to all those on Preble Street’s Advocacy Alert email list and it explained how, for the last 30 years, at the recommendation of the City of Portland, Preble Street has received federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. This year, unless the Council decided to overturn the City Manager’s recommendation, a vital Preble Street program—the Resource Center—would receive zero CDBG funds for the first time. Swann and his staff clearly have an ongoing battle at hand. When announcing that he would be conferring the Honorary Doctorate of Public Service Degree to Swann, President Dlugos said, “As an innovative leader, Mark’s work at Preble Street balances the needs of individuals with efforts to change the social structures that disadvantage those individuals. At a time when much of the world seems ready to dehumanize many of our sisters and brothers, Preble Street’s work offers us all the gift of inspiration.”
Businesses. A key player on the MissionAligned Business Advisory Council, which is co-chaired by Governor John Baldacci and Saint Joseph’s Trustee Ron Philips, founder and past president/ CEO of Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI), Dr. Green has been invaluable in the
conception of the hydroponic farm. He will undoubtedly continue to play an essential role in all the enterprises of the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation and likewise hopes to see collaboration as well from other faculty members.
Mark Green Continued from p. 22 work with the hydroponic farm’s curriculum and operations, Green remains involved in all aspects of the Institute, including marketing, sales and distribution, as well as the staffing plan. He is a passionate supporter of the College’s strategic direction and Mission-Aligned
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Effie and her Australian Shepherd Luna loved the challenge and beauty of the Wind River Range in Wyoming. Photo: Courtesy of Effie Drew.
Effie Drew Continued from p. 35 instantaneously. “You form bonds quickly because there are no distractions...It’s like pre-filtering through friends because you share a similar ethos and drive. You’re working towards the same goal.” Hikers, Effie explains, have their own lingo. They abbreviate mountain ranges and gear and bestow trail names upon one another. Some of Effie’s companions have included “Killer,” “Still Smilin,’” “Diva Dan,” “Sunrise Chatterbox,” and “Pounds.” Effie’s trail name “Baby” comes from Baby Wipes that she carried on the AT. It’s also fitting because of her small five-foot frame and how young she was when first setting off alone. The nickname can be misleading, however, because Effie has certainly faced her share of adult challenges. Take, for instance, the blizzard she encountered on the CDT in Colorado. Wind whipped ferociously at her face, blurring her vision. Her drinking water froze. During moments like these, she says, “It was hard not to fall into a dark place in my mind.” She explains that she and her hik52 | SAINT JOSEPH’S MAGAZINE
ing companion during that stretch, a carpenter named “Dingo” from Connecticut, “got through that tough day because we stayed light, optimistic, and humorous...Having a partner makes it sometimes easier to keep bouncing that positivity off each other.” Beyond the physical resilience needed to overcome adverse conditions, Effie also practiced mindfulness. “To go out you need to be ambitious, but to finish you need a different level of mental toughness.” How did she dig deep and push through the pain of bloody, blistered feet, long nights enveloped in cold, and the frustration of setbacks as harrowing as blizzards? TRAIL MAGIC.
Trail magic occurs when something happens when you need it to—a stream appears, a brilliant sunset sweeps across the sky, a stranger offers a ride or food or a bed for a night. Trail magic can also be savoring special snacks or taking goofy photos or seeing grizzly bears, bobcats, elk, and pronghorn. Effie often tries to live completely in the moment, enjoying each breath in and each breath out. Hiking is about delayed gratifica-
tion, she says, and that can be especially difficult to accept, given the instantaneous gratification that pervades most of modern American life. “The outdoors are not exclusive. That’s a huge reason I decided to blog. At first, when I was hiking the AT I didn’t want people to know where I was. After two major trails, I realized that was a bit selfish.” Effie feels like it’s a responsibility to share her experience with others, so as she walks she thinks about the greater meaning of her journey and she will sometimes jot down notes in her phone throughout the day. Later on, she will write in her tent and when she gets “into town” she’ll hook up to wifi and post via her phone on her website, babygotbackwoods.com. Her posts range from lyrical ponderings about emotional discovery to practical advice about gear, food, and shelter. She’s utilizing the business acumen acquired while at Saint Joseph’s and even gaining sponsorships that cover gear for Luna like Sojos dehydrated pet food and VetriScience® food supplements. Effie says her adventures in the wild are not so much about what’s she doing; it’s how she’s doing it. “I get so much out of what’s new and uncomfortable. The act of going alone was a risk—it tested my confidence.” Anyone can have a great adventure, she explains. He or she could try a new job or move to a new place or pick up a new hobby. It doesn’t have to be as extreme as tenting out at 10,000 feet. So what’s up next for this intrepid traveler? She’s dating Dingo—they ended up walking most of the CDT together, finishing at the Mexican border. They’re brainstorming trips for the summer—maybe a thru-paddle on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, from New York to Maine. Maybe they’ll check out the Green Mountains of Vermont’s Long Trail. Wherever she ends up, Effie plans to trust the journey and keep moving forward.
Jeff Yaeger Continued from p. 36 learning from them, and continuing to develop myself are things I truly enjoy. In all honesty, my interactions with SJC have been more with current students than with Alumni. But attending Alumni weekend and Monktoberfest opened the door for me to some wonderful people. Additionally, I feel like life is moving so fast around us that respecting tradition has become a lost art. I think if we forget the roots of the school and the spirit of service under which it was founded we can easily lose our direction. So talking to some of the older alums has opened my eyes to history that I wasn’t even aware we had. Why do you think alums who are not involved with the college should get involved? I think this varies from person to person. It could be to reconnect with the people
that you sat with at lunch, talked to, and laughed with so hard that you realized you’d been hanging out in the cafeteria for two hours and didn’t even realize the passage of time. For others, it could be to learn what direction the school is heading and provide ideas on ways we, as alumni, could help. Or, maybe you’ve been very fortunate in your career and you can help a student find what their passion is or provide them with an opportunity to start out their career on the right foot. At the end of the day, my goal is engagement. Everyone’s college experience was different. Some people pine for the opportunity to recapture a little of the magic of those years. For others, it was the most challenging and difficult time of their life. Either way, college life developed the person that you are today. Honoring where you come from is an important part of life.
Where would you like to see the college in 5-10 years? I want to see leadership that can grow Saint Joseph’s brand—regionally and nationally—while understanding and respecting the College’s founding spirit. We have some very exciting things happening on campus—from elite athletics facilities and teams to plans for environmental and organizational sustainability. It’s not the same school that I went to 15 years ago, or in fact others went to five years ago. But we all chose Saint Joseph’s for a reason and my hope is that at least one incoming student in the class of 2024 or 2032 chooses the College for the same reason each of us chose it back when our biggest worry was making friends with the person on your floor that had a car.
Trustees, but by becoming the seventh Editor of the Farmers’ Almanac (founded in 1812). “The Farmers’ Almanac was my father’s great love,” Peter said with a smile, “When I was seven, my father told me that no Almanac editor had ever died under the age of 86. That sounded like a good enough reason to me. We just celebrated its 200th anniversary. Two million copies are given away by businesses annually and its social media following counts 1.2 million. The Almanac, by its nature, is about America and doing things well—empowering people to ‘do it yourself,’ and sharing stories on how to grow things (even pineapples in the kitchen) and on the advantages of life before air conditioning and toilet paper.” Empowering people and “doing things well” undergird all of the projects that Peter Geiger tackles. From sponsoring the Montello Elementary School in Lewiston in the Adopt-a-School program to assisting in the redevelopment of the Bethany Baptist Church School in Portau-Prince, Haiti to supporting the Ray Geiger Endowed Scholarship at Saint Joseph’s College, Peter focuses upon
how to build a better, more sustainable future. His philanthropic generosity and his humanistic devotion have garnered numerous honors, including the 618th Point of Light Award, presented to him by former President George H.W. Bush in 1991 and the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Saint Joseph’s College in 2014. Peter recently visited campus to attend a presentation by students who had traveled to Haiti and Guatemala on Service Trips and to locations around the country on Spring Break Workfest. After listening to several presentations, he stood and shared with the group, “We all have our responsibility—internationally—to make the world a better place. Find your passion because passion moves mountains. It’s what makes a difference in the world. If you can dream it, you can achieve it.” When Peter returned to campus in May, the College honored him with the 2018 Distinguished Philanthropy Award. This award recognizes the continued, generous philanthropic contributions to Saint Joseph’s College made by businesses and individuals (see story, page 40).
Peter Geiger Continued from p. 42 garnered his own reputation as a showman. Art Linkletter named him “the most interviewed man in America” (apparently he gave more than 30,000 appearances and interviews). Inclined toward using billboards to wish a happy anniversary to his wife, Ray once escalated it further and borrowed the Goodyear Blimp to emblazon it with “Thank you Ann for 25 Good Years.” It’s clear that Ray’s larger-than-life personality and irrepressible spirit continue to inspire the Geiger family company. Peter said, “My father moved from New Jersey to Lewiston in 1955. He had a love affair with Maine. He liked the family friendly environment, the work force, and work ethic here. He said, ‘We are going to give back to the community and share the successes with our employees.’ He was talking about profit sharing. This was my father’s commitment from the beginning. At night he talked about his business at the dinner table. He was passionate about everything he did, including being on the Board of Saint Joseph’s College.” Peter followed in his father’s footsteps not only by serving on the Saint Joseph’s College Board of
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