Southern Vermont College Chronicle Fall 2008 by Southern Vermont College

the

September 2008

chronicle news and information from the Southern Vermont-St. Joseph College Community

PROFILE OF A PROVOST:

College names Albert DeCiccio as Chief Academic Oﬃcer

A Provost Al DeCiccio in his Everett Mansion oﬃce, decorated with treasured Red Sox mementoes.

fter a nine-month search, the College has appointed Albert DeCiccio, former Academic Dean of Rivier College in Nashua, N.H., to the newly created post of Provost. The position enlarges the role and responsibilities of Academic Dean. DeCiccio began his tenure in July. DeCiccio earned his undergraduate degree at Merrimack College in 1974, his master’s degree in English from SUNY Albany, and his doctorate in English, Rhetoric and Composition from Arizona State University. “In Al DeCiccio, we have found a person with a remarkably wide range of talents,” SVC President Karen Gross said. “In addition to being a true scholar, he is deeply engaged in thinking about pedagogy and creative and thoughtful programmatic development. He is adept at helping others grow and learn, and he believes in small colleges and their capacity to change lives. The search committee, chaired by Professor Tom Redden, is to be commended for its efforts.” The College replaced the position of Academic Dean with that of Provost in order to emphasize that “academic life is an institution’s primary asset—an asset that must be nurtured and fostered each and every day,” observed President Gross. “The chief academic officer must be an institution’s compelling and inspirational voice about the power and capacity of education, and must effectively engage students, faculty and the wider community in the enterprise of education—expressed through a vision for the essential value of liberal arts colleges in the 21st century.” (Continued on page 2)

inside this issue

Hunter Hall construction project

2 3 4 4 4

Transforming lower campus into a beautiful living/learning center

5 6 7 8 9

Interview with Provost President’s Column Artist-in-Residence WBTN Sold Healthcare Division Grows Sports Hunter Hall Class Notes Alumni Profile Honor Roll of Donors

editor & photographer: David Scribner contributors: Patrick Buckley, Karen Gross, Marion Whiteford

efore an overflow audience of staff, faculty, trustees, alumni and community members, Southern Vermont College officially broke ground on the morning of June 6 on the $6.5 million, Hunter Hall residential complex, slated for completion in January of 2009. The 30,000-square-foot structure will house 110 students in its three wings, provide a communal space for events, and add classrooms and computer and science labs. Originally planned to take place on the site to the south edge of the lower pond and overlooking the Green Mountains to the east, the ceremony was moved instead to Everett Theatre because of inclement weather. There, Wallace Altes, Chair of the Board of Trustees, presided and introduced Mrs. James Hunter. It was her $1 million gift that was key to making the project feasible. Altes then welcomed SVC Trustee Norman Greenberg and his wife Selma, whose $500,000 gift will be forever acknowledged as the name of the atrium and community center in the residence hall. To commemorate the groundbreaking Mrs. Hunter and Mr. and Mrs. Greenberg were presented with ceremonial shovels whose blades were hand-painted by Greg Winterhalter, SVC Professor of Visual Arts. “Mrs. James Hunter provided us with a significant gift which led us to dream about the building we celebrate today, and Mr. and Mrs. Norman Greenberg’s extraordinary generosity moved our dream closer to reality,” he noted. (Continued on page 6)

designer: Leslie Noyes Creative Consulting, Inc. S VC / S JC C HR ON IC L E

Provost, continued from page 1 As Academic Dean for the past seven years, DeCiccio has been responsible for the development of all graduate and undergraduate liberal arts, sciences and professional studies programs at the 2,070-student Rivier College. DeCiccio noted that he is looking forward to coming to a small, liberal arts college, an environment where, as the first in his family to earn a college degree, he discovered the value of education. “I am a product of the small college, and I have thrived in that environment,” he said. “Small, liberal arts colleges are staffed by faculty who love the classroom and the students in it from the first year through the last year. I am so pleased to have the chance to work with faculty who will take their roles seriously in the formation of their students.” In his spare time, the new Provost enjoys reading, live music, traveling and delving into the history of a place, but he’s also a sports fan. “I was thrilled with the Celtics winning the championship, but one of the great gifts of my life is to have seen the Red Sox win two World Series,” he said. Before he arrived on campus, The Chronicle submitted a list of questions to DeCiccio about the role of Provost and about his vision for academics at Southern Vermont College. Here are his answers:

that content to better themselves and others. When students see their learning as relevant, they will be engaged and will prepare themselves for the dialogue that will take place in the classroom.

C: How do you see your relationship with the faculty? AD: I see my role as creating the time and the space for the faculty to develop as professionals. If I am successful in accomplishing this goal for faculty, then I expect the faculty to provide their expertise to ensure ongoing excellence in the classroom and outside the classroom. I will treat the faculty with all the respect they have earned, and I will expect that they will afford me the same respect. We will be colleagues whose mutual goal will be to prepare citizens who will help to make our democratic society a healthy and happy one for our children and their children.

Provost Al DeCiccio talks with students Liz Ward (left) and Kerry Gagniere, on the balcony outside his oﬃce.

the value of a college such as SVC, which aﬃrms the potential and worth of all individuals.

I believe the ﬁrst year should lay the foundation for analytic thinking, critical inquiry, eﬀective reasoning, forceful and eloquent writing and speaking.

C: What role does a Provost play in the life of the college, and how is it different from that of an Academic Dean? AD: The Provost should establish the academic vision of the College for all constituencies and constituents. The Provost should establish systems necessary for acquiring the participation of those in the College’s community who will then help to clarify the academic vision. Also, the Provost should, with the President, broadcast the academic vision in the local civic community and, more nationally, in the higher education community. In the sense that the Provost should seek to work with all of the College’s constituencies all the time, the Provost is very different from the Academic Dean, who is chiefly concerned with academic affairs and matters involving the faculty. C: How has your career, as it developed, shaped your vision of higher education and what it can mean and what difference it can make? In short, why do you want to be a Provost at a small liberal arts college? AD: I have always worked at what you might call small, liberal arts colleges with strong professional programs, not unlike SVC. Except for my advanced degrees, which were taken at large universities, I am a product of the small college and I have thrived in that environment. Now, in each situation, I learned something new that has expanded my vision and prepared me for the responsibilities inherent in a Provost’s position. As Academic Dean at Rivier College, for example, I developed a more comprehensive perspective, learning about professional Nursing programs and about Continuing Education programs. I believe that I have been prepared very well for the rigors of the Provost’s position and I am anxious to work with SVC’s visionary and energetic President as well as with SVC’s dedicated and knowledgeable faculty, staff and students. With them, I hope to tell the world about 2

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C: Is there a future for small liberal arts colleges, given the educational landscape? AD: Absolutely. Small, liberal arts colleges attract faculty who love the classroom and the exchange between students and themselves. Furthermore, at small, liberal arts colleges, these faculty teach all classes, from the first year to the senior year. In that sense, small, liberal arts colleges have an advantage over larger colleges and universities, which emphasize research and, to free scholars for undertaking research, allow well-intentioned graduate students to teach important foundational courses. At small, liberal arts colleges, credentialed faculty teach all the courses. Thus, small, liberal arts colleges can tell the story that faculty must love the classroom and the students in it from the very first year through the last year. C: Regarding student engagement in the process of learning and in the subjects they are studying—two distinct and parallel processes—how do you think SVC can help get students engaged, and what are the strategies you plan to implement? AD: This is about success in the classroom and learning about how to succeed outside the classroom. I think the reason why these seem distinct and separate is because they have been defined that way institutionally. I think that may be one reason why students do not take advantage of the strategies that academic success centers offer. They see those centers as adjunct, auxiliary, separate. They do not see them as central. I think that the classroom is the center of all learning at the college, but I believe that what happens outside the classroom should complement and extend what occurs inside the classroom. Therefore, I believe that both faculty and those who operate success centers will need to enter a conversation that will ensure that students see as relevant both enterprises. I look forward to arranging those conversations to sustain learning in the classroom and outside the classroom. I think that a faculty member is a mentor inherently. Students will look up to the faculty member as a role model for a variety of matters that are outside the faculty member’s area of disciplinary expertise. Teaching at the college level is leadership personified, in the sense that a faculty member gets to tease tender minds into the kind of thought that will bring about positive actions in the future. All faculty members should try to elicit engagement in their classes. They can do this by constantly engendering conversation—about the subject matter and about how the students will use

C: Do you believe in a required core curriculum for all first-year students—an expansion of the required Quest for Success approach to other areas—as a way of providing a commonly shared academic experience and a directed introduction to college-level learning? AD: Yes, I do. I believe the first year should lay the foundation for analytic thinking, critical inquiry, effective reasoning, forceful and eloquent writing and speaking. The first year should also demonstrate to students that engagement is the key to learning and to effecting change inside and outside the classroom; indeed, engagement is mandatory for leadership, which I hope we are preparing our students to undertake. I also believe that the first year should help students to understand the responsibility inherent in being an individual in a community of others, an understanding that will be crucial as ours becomes an increasingly more global world. C: Will you be teaching any classes? AD: As I believe that the classroom is the center of the academic enterprise and as I truly love interacting with students, I do plan to teach after I establish myself in the position and in consultation with the President and the faculty. I love to teach writing, fiction, approaches to understanding literature, classical rhetoric, contemporary rhetoric, and writing center theory and administration. But, I will be happy to teach whatever I am asked to teach so long as my background is aligned to the course. I would love, for example, to work with first-year students either in a QFS class or a writing class.

C: What advice would you give to students entering college? AD: Enjoy the gift of learning, but learn how to manage freedom. The difference between high school and college is freedom, and to the extent that students can negotiate that freedom, they will succeed in college. Another difference between high school and college may be stated like this: in high school, one learns how to find answers; in college one learns how to ask questions. When college students learn how to formulate questions that will begin a dialogue, they will be empowered. C: How would you characterize your management style?

AD: I believe that education, like literature, is an ongoing conversation. In that sense I believe that most things involving human beings are social and collaborative. So, in my entire academic career—whether in the classroom or in administrative settings—I have attempted to be relational, collaborative, and collegial. I understand that my oﬃce will aﬀord me the opportunity to present data that others might not readily access. At the same time, I believe that those to whom I present these data must enter a dialogue with one another and with me in order to reach consensus about which actions to take.

We are opening doors to opportunities by Karen Gross, President Wonderful and amazing things are happening on the SVC campus right now. We are truly a college on the move. Construction has begun on Hunter Hall through the generosity of many people, most particularly Mrs. Irene Hunter and Norman and Selma Greenberg. A new soccer ﬁeld—which a newspaper reporter called a Field of Dreams—opened in August, and it has, without equivocation, the best view of any athletic ﬁeld in New England. (Just walk up the hill behind the gym and gaze out—it will take your breath away.) The current residential halls are being renovated, with new carpeting and improved facilities. We have hired several wonderful new administrators as detailed in this issue of The Chronicle. We have also attracted dynamic new faculty to join us, some of whom are also mentioned in this issue of The Chronicle. We are launching several new academic programs, including Build the Enterprise where students design and run businesses while they are with us and Healthcare Management and Advocacy, a program where students learn to help individuals and families navigate the healthcare system when confronting chronic disease, childhood illness or long-term care. Our students and

faculty have received national and regional recognition for their successes. In short, the Academic Year 2007–2008 has by all measures been extraordinary. Our successes this year signal real progress for SVC, and they should be cause for celebration. But, with our success, we need to ask the truly important question: What are we trying to accomplish with new buildings and renovations, new hires within the faculty and administration, and new academic programs? And the answer to that important question is found in the term “door openers.” Yes, really. Let me explain. In referencing “door openers,” I do not mean those electromechanical devices that open garage doors. Instead, I mean the more informal deﬁnition of door openers: We are people who help others gain success and seize opportunity. The reason for our new buildings, new hires and new programs is that all these changes enable us to open more doors for everyone across our campus, most particularly our students. We are creating opportunity, we are creating an environment for true living and learning, we are working to give people the skills they need to lead thoughtful and productive lives and make the world a better place.

When I picture our campus, I see our remarkable physical beauty, and to this day, I am still inspired when I partake of our magnificent setting. But, what inspires me even more is witnessing how we foster opportunity, finding ways for our students to flourish, to realize their potential, to become lifelong learners and contributors. I see people on this campus opening doors for our students each and every day—finding a way for students to pay for their education, admitting a student because we recognize his/her capacity to grow, conducting an in-class discussion that ignites someone’s passion, extending a hand to help or displaying a needed smile or a laugh. Our physical achievements are wonderful. So are our new programs and our new personnel. What is truly wonderful is what these changes enable us to do: open doors for literally hundreds and hundreds of current and prospective students. Everyone who works on this campus is a door opener. So, when next you visit, in addition to seeing all of our amazing physical improvements, keep your eyes out for door openers. We are everywhere—literally and figuratively—opening doors every hour of every day.

College picks entrepreneurship director for Build the Enterprise program Southern Vermont College’s Build the Enterprise initiative, an innovative program to immerse students in the practice of entrepreneurship, gets under way this academic year under the leadership of Charles E. Crowell of Williamstown, Mass., an entrepreneur and educational program developer. Interdisciplinary in scope, Build the Enterprise engages students in developing, testing and implementing entrepreneurial business ventures, with instruction by proven entrepreneurs and advisors and oﬀers students the opportunity to tap into a venture capital fund to underwrite promising proposals. Crowell is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with an M.A. from Goddard College. He is a doctoral candidate in Critical Management at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom. A former CEO and CFO of several corporations, he has been an economic advisor to two governors and operated seven diﬀerent successful businesses. His prior academic experience includes 10 years as associate professor of Management and four years as chair of the Graduate Program in Organizational Management at the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vt. Crowell has been on the faculty at Antioch University New England and several Vermont colleges. He is president of the Institute for Virtual Inquiry, which conducts research on Web-based learning. Crowell describes himself as a “faculty-practitioner,” who draws upon his professional expertise to shape the content of his classes. “What I have done and learned from being a professional and a consultant, goes into the curricula I design. Programs like the Build the Enterprise are therefore infused with current

Southern Vermont

Charles E. Crowell, Director of Entrepreneurship

professional organizational management practices.” Aﬃliated with The McCormick Division of Business, Build the Enterprise will begin its course oﬀerings in the spring. For more information about the program or to inquire about becoming an alumni mentor, contact Crowell at 802-447-6386 or ccrowell@svc.edu.

College oﬀers a transformative living and learning experience that cultivates lifelong learners in a personalized setting, emphasizes active learning and exploration, and encourages empowered citizenship and environmental sensibility. www. svc. edu

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College agrees to sell WBTN to Shires Media Partnership A Bennington-based nonproﬁt

Photographer Alan Nyiri appointed Artist-in-Residence Poultney, Vermont-based photographer Alan Nyiri, nationally known for his architectural studies of college campuses and books recording the landscapes of national parks, has been named Artist-in-Residence at Southern Vermont College for the 2008-2009 academic year. “It is fair to say that I am thrilled for our students, faculty, staﬀ and community that Alan will be SVC’s Artist-inResidence,” observed President Karen Gross. “What a wonderful partnership.”

Celebrated photographer and SVC Artist-inResidence, Alan Nyiri.

During the academic year, Nyiri will oﬀer a course in digital photojournalism that will, among other projects, have students document the construction of the College’s new residence complex, Hunter Hall. The result will be a book documenting the creation of the building. Nyiri is best known for his images of American colleges and universities. He has published documentation of the campuses of Stanford, Cornell, Georgetown, UCLA and USC. He was commissioned by University of California President Richard C. Atkinson to create a photographic survey of the 10-campus University of California system in order to portray what Atkinson described as the UC system’s “extraordinary architecture.” For the collection, Nyiri produced 500 large-format images from the ground, and another 500 aerial shots. The survey adds to the university’s photographic archive begun in the 1960s that was shot by Ansel Adams. In addition, Nyiri has published ﬁve books of large-format digital images featuring New England landscapes, including Acadia National Park, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the Maine Coast and Cape Cod. His most recent book is Acadia Panorama.

Management program added to Healthcare Division

As if dealing with the vicissitudes of illness were not enough, many patients and their families ﬁnd navigating the healthcare network itself to be a painful experience with an impenetrable bureaucratic maze. Because this environment aﬀects healthcare providers as well as their clients, SVC is introducing a third prong of its Healthcare Division, a course of study to train professionals in how to help individuals, families and organizations to navigate the healthcare system. 4

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The Healthcare Management and Advocacy Program will prepare students for work in hospitals, doctors’ oﬃces, clinics, insurance companies, businesses, nursing homes, pharmaceutical companies and governmental organizations. In addition to learning the basics of the healthcare system and disease management, students will also study associated healthcare issues, such as psychology, economics, management, pharmacy law, dispute resolution and communications. Courses in this program will include Interviewing and Counseling, Medical Ethics, Special Issues in the Law, Psychology of Adulthood and Aging and Health and Stress. Students will also address insurance alternatives, such as Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance programs. The Healthcare Management and Advocacy Program will begin in the spring semester.

consortium, Shires Media Partnership, has acquired the College’s commercial AM radio station, WBTN, in a transaction that relieves the College of the station’s financial losses while maintaining local ownership of a significant media resource. Part of the sales agreement assures continued College access to the station as an educational resource for its students and the SVC Communications program. The sale was ratified by the Board of Trustees on June 30. The Shires Media Partnership is made up of local business leaders, including the publisher of the Bennington Banner and the director of Catamount TV, the public access station in Bennington. The organization will acquire the property, station equipment and broadcast license. “We are pleased, truly pleased, that such a wonderful local group has come forward to become stewards of this important and long-standing community media resource,” commented President Karen Gross. “Our criteria for the sale were that the radio station remain the voice of the area community and that students— from SVC and elsewhere—be able to participate at the station to enrich their educational experience. The Shires

Partnership shares our commitment to these important goals, and this sale is demonstrable evidence of the ways local organizations can work together to reach mutually satisfactory results.” Joann Erenhouse, director of the Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce and spokesperson for the Shires Partnership, expressed gratitude to the College for making sure the station remained in local hands. “We’d like to thank the College for agreeing to our oﬀer,” she said. “We appreciate that the College kept the station alive and available to the community and students for the past six years. SVC deserves credit for shouldering the costs of this eﬀort.” In February, the College announced that it would refocus its resources on the primary mission of developing academic initiatives. The College put the station up for sale but insisted that the buyer maintain WBTN as a community media outlet.

Grant Thatcher named SVC Director of Admissions Grant L. Thatcher, Associate Director of Undergraduate Admission at Northwestern University for the past four years, has been named the College’s Director of Admissions. Thatcher will be guiding the admissions campaign as the College seeks to expand its student body from its current 500 students to around 800. “We are anticipating significant growth in the entering first-year class this year—about 50 more students than last year—but the biggest challenge facing the College is its visibility,” he said in an interview in his secondfloor office in Birchwood. “SVC is an undiscovered gem, and the more people find out about us, the more popular we’ll become. We have good facilities and a terrific faculty—and we’re in Vermont. What more can you ask for?” He suggested that alumni can play an active role in recruiting new stu-

dents. “We need alumni to talk to their friends who have kids, and make sure they know about SVC and encourage them to visit the campus,” he noted. “If each alum talked just one student into applying, we’d easily fill our freshman class—and more.” “My main goal,” Thatcher added, “is to expand the awareness of the College among high school and community college counselors and to build relationships with those counselors.” While earning an M.Ed. and an M.A. in counseling and human development from St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., Thatcher found himself attracted to the work that the Admissions Office undertakes. “I was a tour guide at St. Lawrence, and I loved it,” he recalled. “All through graduate school, I worked in the admissions office as my work-study job.” Thatcher has been in the admissions field for more than 20 years. Prior to his position at Northwestern, he worked in the admissions and financial aid offices of Syracuse University, Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, N.Y., and Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y.

sports

SPORTS NEWS AT SVC

SVC partners with PrestoSports to create a dazzling Web site for athletics

Field House sports a new look The Southern Vermont College Field House will have a new look next time you set foot in the gym. The floor has been entirely refinished and painted and the new SVC Mountaineer logo covers the floor as does the school’s New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) logo. “This is a small part of what we need to do from an aesthetic standpoint,” said SVC Director of Athletics Ben Kozik. “We hope people will come in and say ‘wow, that’s nice’ and leave with a good impression.” In addition, the school will have new sideline chairs for events in the Field House. They are decorated with the Southern Vermont College seal. “The chairs came in and they are sharp,” added Kozik. “It is almost like fine china. You want to put them under glass and not use them they look so good.”

A field with a view When the SVC men’s and women’s soccer teams returned to action on August 31, they had a brand new soccer field to play, one with such spectacular views that it is sure to become the envy of the New England Collegiate Conference circuit. Everett Field was made possible in large part by a donation from the late Sarah Everett McCowan, the daughter of Edward Everett. Everett Field has been carved out of the hillside behind the Field House. “This is the first of several important

The Mountaineer sports teams have a new logo, aﬃxed to the basketball court and highlighted on the masthead of the Athletics Web page. Over the summer, the surface of the Field House gym was reﬁnished, adding logos for the New England Collegiate Conference and the new Mountaineer insignia.

projects we undertook at SVC this summer and fall,” said Southern Vermont College President Karen Gross. “The new field is important to us for several reasons: it shows our deep commitment to our invigorated athletic program, it enables games to be played on campus so the SVC community can cheer the teams on, it allows our student-athletes to practice on campus, and finally it is a wonderful way to start our relationship with our new athletic conference, the New England Collegiate Conference.” Finishing the field was not as arduous an undertaking, requiring the leveling of the so-called “dirt pile” and blasting additional space out of the hillside, as it might have been. The College took advantage of the construction crews on campus to prepare the site for the new residence hall across Mansion Drive to also build the soccer field. “Everett Field will be a great home field advantage,” said SVC Director of Athletics Ben Kozik. “Between the mountains and the sight line to the town of Bennington it will be hard for the players and fans to focus on the game.” “The spectacular views from the field will be a wonderful tribute to the vision of Mrs. McCowan who has passed away since the time of her gift,” said Dean of Advancement Karen Trubitt. “We wish she could have been with us to see students at play on the field, but we will be thrilled to share news of the project’s completion with members of her family.”

In collaboration with PrestoSports, a company providing athletic content management and design to educational institutions, Southern Vermont College has created a sophisticated Web site for Mountaineer athletics that will offer updated news reports, scores and statistics, as well as player and coach profiles. The innovative Web site, www.svcathletics. com, was launched this summer. “We’re excited,” said Director of Athletics Ben Kozik. “When people first hear about SVC sports, they go to our Web site. This new site will leave a lasting impression and increase the chance a prospective student-athlete will choose to be a Mountaineer.” This view was seconded by former Director of Sports Information Tim McCaffrey, who guided the development

of the new site. “At a small school like ours every student has a story, and those stories need to be seen. I have worked with PrestoSports before. The last time, we increased hits on the site, which led to increased applications and greater enrollment. The more people know about SVC, the increased chance more people will come and visit and see what a wonderful institution we have.” The new Web site features a unique design and the latest in online tools tailored for college sports information. The site integrates the D3Scoreboard system for instant score updates from the New England Collegiate Conference site, another PrestoSports client. The staﬀ will use the content management system to create bios, rosters, news releases, scoreboards, StatCrew pages and more.

In the spring, work began on the new soccer playing ﬁeld, Everett Field, by leveling what had commonly been known as the “dirt pile” behind the Field House. By summer, Everett Field was ready for this year’s soccer competition. S VC / S JC C HR ON IC L E

Hunter Hall, continued from page 1 “Last Fall, when I welcomed the class of 2011 and met their parents, I promised those incoming students that they would see dust fly on the campus during their time here,” Altes recalled. “For the Board of Trustees, this dust is a symbol of progress, of a college on the move, of a college committed to quality education and to enriching our relationship with the community.” In her remarks, President Karen Gross declared that “a real building is taking shape right here before our eyes, and so is a new model for educating the students of the 21st century.” She pointed out that the project could not have occurred without a confluence of support from the College’s alumni, students, staff and faculty. “The friends of this College have seen and believed in the promise and the vision of SVC—and that promise and vision are all embodied in the building project we are officially starting today.” With this new building, she continued, “we are signaling what values our institution holds dear. Hunter Hall is designed to signal our commitment to a living and learning community with many gathering spaces; our commitment to educating the next generation and providing them with the realization that education happens in many spaces and places of which the classroom is but one. “Buildings require extraordinary foundations— literally and figuratively. Without a strong past, a remarkable present and the prospects for a glorious future, buildings do not happen,” she added. “An extraordinary group of individuals have come together to create our future.” Representing the student body, Student Government Association Vice President Zach Garafalo described Hunter Hall as a “turning point in the College’s development and a pivotal indicator of the institution’s success. What this building represents is the College’s commitment to nurturing a community, a community for academic study as well as a community for empowering the human spirit.” The groundbreaking festivities continued with a luncheon for guests in the Burgdorff Gallery. The centerpiece for each table was a reproduction of a historic photograph of the Everett Mansion. The luncheon concluded with the cutting of a large cake decorated with a rendering of Hunter Hall. After lunch, in keeping with the theme of construction of facilities, the groundbreaking program included an architects’ roundtable discussion of “Green Ideas for Your Next Building Project.” Among the panelists were Gary Corey of Centerline Architecture in Bennington, the designer of Hunter Hall, and Joseph Cincotta of LineSync Architecture in Wilmington, Vt., who is teaching a course this fall at SVC in sustainable building practices. The groundbreaking offerings ended with a tour of historic Bennington, starting with the College’s Everett Mansion.

(Top right) SVC Board Chair Wallace Altes opened the groundbreaking ceremonies. (Top left) Associate Admissions Director Jeremy Gibbons was at a luncheon table whose centerpiece was a historic photograph showing an Everett Mansion bedroom that is now the Dean of Student Life and Career Development Oﬃces. (Above) The 14-foot high foundation walls of the West Wing of Hunter Hall were taking shape by mid-July. This wing alone required 80 truck loads of cement. In July, this was the view (left) of the residence hall construction site from the existing dorms, with the pond scraped clear of cattails and the hillside between the pond and Mansion Drive cleared and seeded with grass. As the rainy fall season approaches, the springs which feed the pond will ﬁll it once again. (Left) Mrs. James Hunter, President Karen Gross, Selma Greenberg and Norman Greenberg, and Bennington Selectman and State Rep. Joseph Krawczyk (R-Bennington). (Far left) Student Government Association Vice President Zachary Garafalo.

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Class Notes

Updated announcements can be found on www.svc.edu/alumni. Send your announcements to the Alumni Office today!

Jane Baldwin Bernardone ’86 is teaching 8th grade at the Academy of St. Adalbert in Berea, Ohio. She lives there with her husband, David, and their two children, Talyah and Niko. She is pursuing her Master of Education degree in Elementary Administration.

outhern Vermont College has its origins in St. Joseph College, which was established in downtown Bennington by the Sisters of St. Joseph in

1926. None of SVC’s current successes would be possible without the accomplishments of those St. Joseph graduates, so the College invited alumni who graduated

Erica Saller Williams ’94 is the Environmental Man-

50 or more years ago to participate in this year’s Com-

ager for the City of Moline, Ill. Her husband, Brian, is a civil engineer, and they have a 4-year-old daughter named Reese.

Eight alumni accepted that invitation and joined President Karen Gross and Wallace Altes, Chair of the

Eileen Ackerman Parsons ’95 and her husband, Mike, welcomed their son, Zachary Nolan Parsons, on March 4, 2008. He weighed 8 lbs. 12 oz. Eileen is the Director of Admissions at Valerie Manor Health Care Center in Torrington, Conn.

Board of Trustees, on stage where they received a medal

Deena Smith ’95 has been performing in a duo and

Commencement exercises each spring.

Scott Fruscio ’96 completed the Mooseman International Triathlon in Newfound Lake, N.H., on Saturday, June 7, in 3:55:58. He entered the race to raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, which supports research and aid to patients living with blood cancers.

Beth Unser Heck ’02 worked for a law firm in Schenectady, N.Y., after graduation and then moved to Ithaca, N.Y., in 2003 where she is a paralegal at Thaler & Thaler. She married Adam Heck (who is a teacher and coach) on July 23, 2005, and on October 14, 2007, the couple welcomed a baby girl, Alexis Christine. Amy Moore ’02 has joined the Albany (N.Y.) AllStars Roller Derby League. Amy and her teammates compete at the Washington Avenue Armory in Albany. Tickets are for sale at Ticketmaster and the Armory box office. For more information, visit albanyallstars.com. Jeanette Toro-Linnehan ’04 received a Master of Science degree in Nursing and a Master in Public Health from the University of Massachusetts in May 2008. She also gave a poster presentation at the New England Nurses Research Society on a project that she conducted in three schools on what the children learned in lessons taught on nutrition and physical fitness.

Brett Audino ’05 graduated from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia with his master’s degree in Psychology. He is now pursuing his Ph.D.

Erica Kleckner ’05 earned her master’s degree in

celebrating the anniversary of their graduation. The College hopes that this recognition will become an annual tradition; beginning in 2009, SVC will invite members of the 50th Reunion class to participate in Next year, members of the Class of 1959 (and any Top row (left to right): Lucille Bostwick Cook ’51 & ’72, Edward C. Salmon ’40, Emily Kennedy ’56, Phyllis Cross Ruggles ’52. Bottom row (left to right): Mary Harris Clickner ’48, Louise Harris Gauthier ’45, Lenore Tucker Shewell ’51, Pauline Knapp Granger ’47 & ’84.

alumni who graduated more than 50 years ago but were not able to participate in this year’s celebration) are invited to the College’s 82nd Commencement exercises on Sunday, May 17, 2009.

Lt. Paul Doucette Jr. ’90 of the Bennington Police Department was named the 2008 Lifesaver of the Year by the Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) at its annual “Vermont Highway Heroes” luncheon in June. Doucette was singled out by the program for his sustained activity with traﬃc safety, statewide impact and for going “over and above what could reasonably be expected” in his eﬀorts. GHSP Coordinator Jeanne Johnson, who presented the award, said Doucette was a “perfectionist who is passionate about his work.” Doucette created an innovative anti-DUI campaign where area bars receive pint glasses with the Bennington Police Department logo and anti-DUI campaign logos. It has proven to be highly successful and easily replicated by other departments.

Engagements & Weddings Andy Parr ’95 and Sue Santucci are engaged to be married on October 11, 2008. Andy is currently employed as a massage therapist at the Sunday River Resort as well as the Bethel Inn Resort in Maine. Parr is interested in introducing sports massage therapy to disabled athletes. Denise Welch ’97 is engaged to long-time boyfriend Chad Land, and they are planning a summer 2009 wedding. The couple has 2 daughters, Jadyn Kelsey Land, who was born in January 2005, and Makayla Ann Land, who was born in June 2008. Shawn McGarvin ’02 is engaged to Jennifer Morse, and they are planning a September

2008 wedding. Shawn is a state trooper with the Vermont State Police, and Jennifer is an ofﬁcer with the St. Johnsbury Police Department.

Julie Young Poyner is engaged to Joel Nein. They are planning a summer 2008 wedding. Joel works for a car dealership, and Julie owns her own daycare business. They have 6 children between them. Bradley DeRoo ’07 and Kalen Muthersbaugh ’04 were married in Negril, Jamaica on January 8, 2008, with close friends and family in attendance. They are planning a reception for those who could not join them in Jamaica. Bradley works for the Wilmington (Vermont) Police Department as a patrol oﬃcer, and Kalen is an Investment Trader at Dion Money Management, LLC, in Williamstown, Mass.

English from Arcadia University and is now pursuing her teaching certiﬁcation at Arcadia. S VC / S JC C HR ON IC L E

Andy Parr: Photography by Ken Watson

most recently solo in New York and Vermont. She sings folk, jazz, blues, classic rock and originals.

Photo by of Golden Alumni by Jon Kennedy; Doucette: Photography by Peter Crabtree, courtesy of Bennington Banner

mencement ceremony.

New alumni legacy scholarships available for children of alumni The College has established a new category of scholarships to encourage the children, stepchildren and grandchildren of alumni to attend Southern Vermont College. Alumni Legacy Scholarships offer a $5,000 scholarship to students who will reside on campus or a $2,000 scholarship to students who will commute to campus. Both scholarships will be awarded to full-time students regardless of need each year that the student is enrolled in an associate or bachelor degree program. In addition, the College invites alumni to identify students who would benefit from an SVC education through its Alumni Referral Scholarship program. In return, the College will offer a $2,000 scholarship to students who will live on campus or a $1,000 scholarship to commuting students. The scholarships will be granted in the referrer’s name. For more information or to nominate a student for either category of scholarships, contact Joel Phelps, Director of Financial Aid, at 802-447-6306 or jphelps@svc.edu.

ALUMNI PROFILE:

Andy Parr ’95 In 1990, the year before his freshman year at SVC, Andy Parr was diagnosed with a rare vision impairment that left him legally blind. His four years of college were challenging, but he learned the value of self-discipline and resourcefulness. In the spring of his senior year he spent the semester abroad in England as a member of the Oxford program. That experience opened his mind to the rest of the world and gave him a strong sense of purpose. When he returned, he graduated with a B.S. in Resort Management. After graduation, Parr worked at Sugarloaf/USA in Maine during the winter season and the Samoset Resort in the seacoast town of Camden, Maine, during the summer season for about four and a half years.

IN MEMORIAM Cecilia Davis ’33 & ’74 died on April 25, 2008, at the Vermont Veterans’ Home. Born in Bennington, she was a 1933 graduate of St. Joseph Business School and a 1974 graduate of St. Joseph College. She also attended the University of Connecticut and was a graduate of St. Mary’s Hospital School of Practical Nursing in Waterbury, Conn. She was employed as a charge nurse at Putnam Memorial Hospital (now Southwestern Vermont Medical Center) until her retirement and later returned to work at the Vermont Veterans’ Home. Prior to nursing, she was employed as a secretary and real estate agent. Cecilia enjoyed classical music, the theater and often attended the Metropolitan Opera. She traveled extensively in the United States, Canada and Europe. Edward A. Maynard ’47 died on April 2, 2008. Ed was born and raised in Bennington. He served in the Army during WWII in Company I. Aboard the Coolidge Ship when it sank, he was wounded later in the war in Arunda, Africa. Ed worked at Eddington’s and Thurber’s Garage, as a postman at the Bennington Post Oﬃce and was also employed at the Vermont Veterans’ Home. Ed was also quite the athlete, playing professional baseball with a Triple A team in Maryland and at one time held the course scoring record at Mt. Anthony Country Club.

Kathleen W. Harvey ’55 passed away on April 29, 2008. She was 73. Early in her career, Kathy was employed at Sprague Electric Company for nine years. Following her marriage, she worked in the executive oﬃces of Yonkers Raceway in N.Y. In 1976, she was employed at Vermont District Court in Bennington, where she became manager in 1990. She became manager of the Family Court nine years later and retired from the court system in 2003. An avid reader, Kathy also enjoyed knitting, good music and socializing. She was a member of the Women of the Moose and volunteering at RSVP in Bennington.

Pastor Robert E. Lebert ’65 died Saturday, May 17, 2008, following a brief illness. Bob served in the Navy from 1957 until 1961 and attended St. Joseph College, graduating in 1965. Early in his career Bob was employed at the Pennysaver Press and then was a part owner of Star Electric. He later purchased the Southern Vermont Appliance Center in Bennington which he operated for several years. In the early 1970s, Bob and his wife Linda founded Harvest Christian Ministries and began the broadcast of “This Is the Day” on the local cable channel. In 1981, both became ordained ministers by the Independent Assemblies of God International. In 1983, they opened the Harvest Christian Ministries Church and, fulﬁlling a need in the community, opened two Harvest House Soup Kitchens in Bennington and North Adams, Mass. Bob was an avid sportsman all his life and spent several years both

coaching and umpiring baseball in the NorShaft Little League program. He most recently served as middle school basketball coach at Grace Christian School where he was also a member of the Board of Directors.

Susan Wolfe Sanderson ’69 passed away in May 2006 at her home in Indianapolis, Ind., after a long illness. Jeanne Chapman ’76 died on March 31, 2008. Jeanne was born in Bennington and became a successful Realtor, working for Hoisington Realty, Perrott Realty and RT Martins Associates. Jeanne had been very active with the local Girl Scouts and served as a camp director for Girl Scouts at Woodford Lake. She enjoyed arts and crafts and was known for her Victorian dollhouses she handcrafted, as well as her Christmas egg miniatures.

E. Anne Hendee ’77 passed away on June 18, 2008, at age 82. She attended the former Henry Bishop Memorial School of Nursing in Pittsﬁeld, Mass., where she graduated as a registered nurse. Later in life, she returned to college and received her bachelor’s degree in Nursing Administration from SVC. Anne dedicated 40 years of her life to the Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, where she was employed as Vice President of Nursing, retiring in 1985. Many of the nurses who cared for Anne during her ﬁnal months previously worked under her direction.

Michael E. Flanigan ’06, aged 56, died on January 23, 2008. He received a fire science degree from Schenectady County Community College before majoring in Environmental Studies at SVC. He started his career with the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory in West Milton, N.Y., in 1973 as an Incident Prevention and Safety inspector and later became a captain of IP&S. He realized his love of the outdoors in his most recent position as a senior environmental technician. Mike also served as a part-time call man with the city of Watervliet (New York) Fire Department. He loved the Adirondacks, hunting and travel to Iceland and Canada. He was an owner of the Sterno Club in Blue Ridge, N.Y., and a member of the Hoffman Mountain Fish and Game Club in North Hudson, N.Y. Richard F. Garant died on May 2, 2008, in Fairfield, California. He was 78. Born in Bennington, he attended St. Joseph Business College and Solano Community College and held five degrees in business management. Richard retired from the Air Force in 1977 after 26 years of service. An avid sportsman, he excelled in football, basketball and baseball. He also enjoyed skiing and golf. Richard was a member of the Knights of Columbus in Vermont and an usher at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Fairfield, California.

Skiing with guide A.K. Walker in front at the 2006 Paralympic Giant Slalom in Torino, Italy. Parr ﬁnished 8th. He also skied the Slalom and took 9th.

During this time, he realized that something was missing in his life. Since the age of six and during his days as an SVC student, Parr has been an avid skier, even though he had suﬀered from loss of vision. During his last couple of seasons at Sugarloaf, he set a goal and trained hard; he wanted to become a member of the U.S. Disabled Ski Team. During the 2000 ski season, he toured the U.S. and competed against other physically challenged athletes, including the USDST. At the U.S. Disabled Alpine Championships at Mount Snow, he earned the overall title by winning the Downhill and Giant Slalom and 8

S VC / S J C CH R O N I CLE

placing second in the Super G. About a month later, he was named to the USDST. During the next two seasons, Parr earned three World Cup podiums (one silver and two bronze). At the 2002 Winter Paralympic Games in Salt Lake City, he podiumed twice, earning silver in the Slalom and a bronze in the Giant Slalom. At the 2006 Paralympic Games in Torino, Italy, he was the Paralympic male recipient of the DHL Olympic Spirit Award. Since retiring from the USDST, he became the head coach of the New England Disabled Ski Team aﬃliated with White Mountain Adaptive Snow Sports at Loon Mountain, N.H. He has experienced great satisfaction in

helping physically challenged skiers of all ages realize and achieve their goals. Last season, one of his younger athletes won the overall title of the New England grassroots race series called the Golden Cup. This, he says, was one of his proudest moments. In early January 2007, Parr attended the Downeast School of Massage in Waldoboro, Maine. He completed the 10-month program and is currently working as a massage therapist at the Sunday River Resort as well as the Bethel Inn Resort in Maine. Parr’s future goals are to introduce sports massage therapy to disabled athletes, continue coaching, and eventually return to New Hampshire.

Honor Roll of Donors

Southern Vermont College gratefully acknowledges our generous donors. Thank you again for your commitment to the mission of Southern Vermont College.

Platinum Mr. and Mrs. Richard Ader Applejack Art Partners Don and Joan Axinn Selma and Norman Greenberg ✣ Karen Gross and Stephen H. Cooper Bob and Cora May Howe Mrs. James H. Hunter Raymond and Katherine Lenoue Estate of Albert & Janet Meder Olin Scott Fund Deryck A. Palmer & Carmen J. Lawrence The Poses Family Foundation Alice Shaver Foundation Mr. and Mrs. John A. Sorel ’67 Tyco Electronics State of Vermont Department of Labor Mr. and Mrs. Ira Wagner ’83 Mr. James L. and Darla Wainscott The Edwin S. Webster Foundation ✣ Ms. Deborah E. Wiley

Gold Jane and Wally Altes Dr. and Mrs. Steven Brody Mr. W.W. Keen Butcher Jon Goodrich & Jan Noyes Robert A. and Anne J. McCormick ✣ Minerals Technologies Inc. Raytheon Trustco Bank Corp NY ✣ State of Vermont Division of Historic Preservation

Dr. and Mrs. William Ketterer Mrs. Fabian W. Kunzelmann ✣ Dr. David and Sue Metzner Pownal View Barn Ms. Andrea Robare Cathy Russell Mr. Stephen Sargent Norma & Ted Thomas ✣ Michael J. Tranchida ’76 Karen & Steven Trubitt

Cornerstone Society Anonymous Bank of Bennington Bennington Furniture Jeanne Coleman ’04 ✣ ✧ Mr. and Mrs. Michael Donoghue ’71 ✣ ✧ Mrs. Bill Epstein ✣ Mr. Daniel Facilla Lana & Ben Hauben Edward and Elaine Imp Mary E. Jones ’92 ✧ Mr. and Mrs. Jay LeBoﬀ Dr. and Mrs. Frank Macchiarola Richard Matasar Mr. and Mrs. Ken Moriarty MSK Engineering, Inc. Mr. Christopher Pedley ’01 Mr. Lawrence Pellerin ’50 Dr. and Mrs. Robert Pezzulich Donald & Angelina Robertson ✣ Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Smith ’77 ✣ ✧ Wassick’s Tire Service Greg Winterhalter

Mount Anthony Society

Anonymous - RT Class of 2005 ✧ Virginia Baldwin ’49 ✣ ✧ Ron & Kay ’00 Bauer Mr. Raymond Bell Jr. William & Deborah Berg Dr. Robert Bergman & Dr. Anna Worth ✣ Ellen and Roy Berkeley Raymond Bolton, Esq. Dr. & Mrs. Michael Brady Mr. Patrick J. Buckley Merritt Burke III Jane Burkhardt Catherine Burns ✣ Steve and Nancy Burzon Cameron’s Floor Covering Justyna M. Carlson ✣ Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth Cestone ✣ Mr. Michael Collins ’95 Robert Consalvo ✣ Sandi Cooper ’94 ✣ ✧ Brooks Creedy Mark and Suzy Donavan Richard & Bonita Dundas Mary Geannelis ✣ Mr. Harry Gold ’92 Ruth Goldstone Mr. and Mrs. Lee Grabner ’95 & ’93 Mr. Richard A. Gray ’68 Jewish Communal Fund Warren and Barry King Mr. and Mrs. Mark Klauder ’03, ’08 ✣ ✧ Ms. Maureen Koch ’81 Randall & Judy Krum Dr. and Mrs. John LaPenta

Recognition Societies Everett Society Platinum: $10,000 and above Gold: $5,000 - $9,999 Silver: $2,500 - $4,999 Bronze: $1,000 - $2,499 Keystone Society: $500 - $999 Cornerstone Society: $250 - $499 Mount Anthony Society: $100 - $249 Mountaineer Society: Up to $99

Key ✣ The Alan H. Morrison Society recognizes donors who have given to the College consecutively for a minimum of ﬁve years beginning in 2000.

✧ The Merritt S. Hewitt Society recognizes alumni who have given a gift to the College every year since 2005 or their graduation (whichever is more recent). If we inadvertently omitted your name or listed it incorrectly, please accept our sincere apologies and contact the Advancement Oﬃce at 802-447-6357 or development@ svc.edu.

Silver Mr. Peter Donavan & Dr. Nancy Scattergood ✣ LaFlamme’s Inc. John Max Miller ’82 SODEXHO

Bronze

Anonymous ✣ Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Buckley Mr. and Mrs. Fred Freije Dr. James Gozzo Merritt S. Hewitt ’85 ✣ ✧ Frances and Tim Holbrook ✣ Mr. Michael Miller Mr. and Mrs. David Newell Dr. & Mrs. Ammon Broughton Peck ✣ Mr. and Mrs. Jay Sheehy Mrs. Peggy Sirvis Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Tanenbaum, Esq. Betty Tange Mr. Albert Togut Mary L. Wicker ✣ John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Dr. Eugene and Janet Winkelman

Keystone Society Mr. and Mrs. James Beckwith Anne Burkhardt ✣ Mr. Robert Dunn ’93 Perez and Elizabeth Ehrich The Gannett Foundation Kelly Fuels

SVC reaches fund-raising milestone by Patrick Buckley Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving

This year, Southern Vermont College has achieved its greatest fund-raising success in the institution’s history. The College received more than $2.9 million in contributions to the Southern Vermont College Fund for the year ending June 30, 2008. There were 274 gifts recorded, which represent a 5 percent increase in the total number of gifts received over the previous year. Fifty-three donors made their first-ever gift to the College. SVC received the two largest gifts in its history— $1 million from Mrs. James H. Hunter and more than $500,000 from Norman and Selma Greenberg, both to support the construction of the new residence hall complex. It is also notable that 34 percent of all gifts were under $100, demonstrating just how important participation is to the College—every gift, regardless of size, has a significant impact. Alumni giving totaled $189,000, which is more than double last year’s figure of $68,000. Many donors chose to contribute to the unrestricted component of the College Fund, giving $463,000, which is up from $252,000 a year ago. The Southern Vermont College Fund is a key component of the operating budget and supports every aspect of the College’s operations, from financial aid and acquisitions for the library to upgrading information technology

capacity, athletic programs, and providing opportunities for faculty innovation. The College received more than $400,000 by year end 2008 from the Estate of Albert and Janet Meder, which will fund a number of educational support services. In addition to private and corporate donations, several foundations and government agencies provided additional funding, including $250,000 from the Axinn Foundation to provide scholarships for first-year students who have demonstrated a commitment to community service; $95,000 from the Poses Family Foundation to support the College’s new Build the Enterprise initiative; $25,000 from the Alice Shaver Foundation for the Student Ambassador program, which gives students the opportunity to accompany President Karen Gross and faculty members to conferences and other professional development events; $36,100 from the State of Vermont Department of Labor to fund an internship coordinator; and $25,000 from the Edwin S. Webster Foundation for technology initiatives. SVC is building for the future—literally and figuratively —and these fund-raising records demonstrate that there is a place in today’s educational landscape for a small, affordable and supportive liberal arts college like SVC.

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Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Latif Alice Loos ✣ Dr. and Mrs. Frederick Loy Mr. Stephen Marcoux ’79 Heather & Hardin Marion Ms. Brenda L. Marris ’82 Keith Martin/Paul J. Martin, Inc. Mr. Bob Matteson Mr. Todd J. McKenna ’04 ✣ ✧ Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mier ’97 ✣ ✧ R.K. Miles, Inc. ✣ Jean Miller ✣ Mr. Dennis Noel Mr. George Nolan ’07 ✧ Mr. and Mrs. Frank Orr ’67 Pangaea Mr. James Pirog ’78 Ms. Dorothy O. Pizzano ✣ The Prudential Foundation Kathy Reed ’76 ✣ ✧ Mr. and Mrs. Richard Reynolds ’66 Mr. and Mrs. James Rigby ’94 Mr. Paul Rosengard Dr. and Mrs. Norton Rosensweig Mary & Kerry Ryan Mr. Robert Scerbo ’94 Dr. Barbara P. Sirvis ✣ Mr. & Mrs. Robert P. Smith Hawkin’s House Mr. and Mrs. Robert Steckel Jr. James and Sheryl Stevenson Mr. and Mrs. Frank Stotz ✣ Angelo Stracuzzi ’00 Jay’s Art Gallery & Frame Shop Taconic Plastics Tofel Jewelers C.L. White Glass, Inc. ✣ Whitman’s Feed Store Jennifer S. Winkelman Ms. Henrietta Woodward Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Yorke

Mountaineer Society

Mr. Alfred E. Allard ’42 ✣ ✧ Mr. and Mrs. George Allard ’34 ✣ ✧ Anonymous Dr. and Mrs. Steven Baranow ’82 Mrs. Rosanne Tripp Beauchamp ’68 ✧ Bennington Auto Tech Bennington Bookshop The Beverage Den & Smokeshop Eugena Bourdon ’60 ✣ ✧ Carolyn G. Bratcher ’53 & ’85 ✧ Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Buggee ’01 ✣ ✧ Kim L. Bush Larry and Nancy Callander Mr. Bruce Carnevale ’97 George and Leslie Casey Gene & Betty Clark ✣ Ms. Mary Clickner ’48 Mr. and Mrs. Donald Cone ’60 ✣ ✧ Lucille Cook ’51 & ’72 ✣ ✧ Marylin Cottone ✣ Ms. Donna Marie Coyne ’74 Ms. Sarah Cushman ’88 Diﬀerent Strokes Mrs. Julie-Ann Dipiro Laurie Forfa Mr. Mark R. Gates ’84 Louise H. Gauthier ’45 ✣ ✧ Mr. Jeremy Gibbons Dorothy Guber ’61 H. Greenberg & Sons, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Hecht Mr. and Mrs. Neil Hecht Mr. Scott M. Hecht ’90 Henry’s Market 10

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Janet Hollner ’02 & ’05 Ms. Paula Kautz-LaPorte ’82 Kevin’s at Mike’s Place III Betty Klauder ✣ Kathy Kwiatkowski ’79 Ms. Gloria Lauzon ’85 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Leach ’92 ✧ Alan Leake ’73 Mr. Shane Leonard Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lewitt ’67 Donald LeSage ’68 Ms. Margaret Lillie Marjorie Manning Mount Anthony Country Club Eduardo Nieves Jr. ’97 Larry and Sandra Notch NRG Energy, Inc. Dr. & Mrs. Robert S. Ottinger Robert and Carol Palandrani Mr. & Mrs. William Pearson Ms. Elisabeth Perenick ’55 Patricia Nash Perrotta ’44 Ms. Gladys Pike ’47 Bruce and Liz Putnam Charles R. and Linda C. Putney Eileen Rice Mr. and Mrs. Richard Rossmeissl ’95 ✣ ✧ Madeleine C. Roy ’70 Mr. Peter Ruvolo Sarah and Scott Sanﬁlippo Shaﬀe’s Men’s Shop Shaftsbury Country Store Ms. Loraine Smith Martha Noga Smith ’83 Ms. Joanne Sullivan RN ’84 Ryan “Sully” Sullivan ’01 ✣ ✧ Dr. and Mrs. William Tihen Vermont Country Store Phillip Viereck Evelyn and Stanley Wagner Cheryl Wehrspaun & Sue Kline Marion & Dennis Whiteford ✣ Mr. and Mrs. John Williams Ms. Katherine Williams ’95 Williamstown Savings Bank Kenneth and Jane Wise Miss Darlene Young ’74 & ’91 Your Belly’s Deli

In Kind Donations Applejack Art Partners Mr. and Mrs. James Beckwith Bennington Auto Tech Bennington Bookshop Bennington Furniture The Beverage Den & Smokeshop Cameron’s Floor Covering Diﬀerent Strokes H. Greenberg & Son, Inc. Hawkin’s House Henry’s Market Jay’s Art Gallery & Frame Shop Kevin’s at Mike’s Place III LaFlamme’s Inc. Mr. Shane Leonard Mr. Keith Martin Mount Anthony Country Club Mr. Dennis Noel Pangaea Pownal View Barn Ms. Andrea Robare Shaﬀe’s Men’s Shop Shaftsbury Country Store Tofel Jewelers Wassick’s Tire Service Whitman’s Feed Store Your Belly’s Deli

WBTN Circle of 60 Platinum Plus H. Greenberg & Son, Inc.

Gold The Bank of Bennington The Pharmacy Tofel Jewelers

Silver Bennington Beverage Outlet Henry’s Market Martin’s Exxon Pownal View Barn Wills Insurance

Bronze Advanced Eyecare Barr, Sternberg, Moss & Partners Bennington Furniture Beverage Den & Smokeshop Cameron’s Floor Covering The Chocolate Barn Fox Hollow Restaurant

Hawkin’s House Hertage Family Credit Union Jay’s Art Gallery & Frame Shop Jelley’s Auto Leonard’s True Value EP Mahar & Son McDonald’s-Cough, Inc. Oﬀ the Wall Rehm-Brandt Designs Shaﬀe’s Men’s Shop Shaftsbury Country Store Whitman’s Feed Store Williams Financial Management, LLC

Boston Red Sox 2008 Season Sponsors Bennington Beverage Outlet Diﬀerent Strokes Kevin’s at Mike’s Place III McDonald’s-Cough, Inc.

Program Sponsors Bennington Bookshop Chittenden Bank E-Z Way Rental Center Kevin’s at Mike’s Place III Village at Fillmore Pond

Named Scholarships

Memorial and Honorary Gifts

Southern Vermont College awards annually, to currently enrolled students, several named scholarships to honor or in memory of a speciﬁc individual. Below we acknowledge 2007-2008 donations to named scholarship funds. A complete list of these scholarships is available from the Advancement Oﬃce at 802-447-6357 or development@ svc.edu.

Leonard Black Memorial Fund Merritt Hewitt ’85

In honor of Lindsey Jory Brooks ’86 Heather & Hardin Marion

In honor of Madeline Brunina Anonymous

In memory of Fred Burkhardt Richard & Bonita Dundas

In honor of Marylin Cottone Michael P. Donoghue ’71 Scholarship Award

Karen Trubitt

The Gannett Foundation

Mrs. Bill Epstein

Bill Epstein Scholarship Award George and Leslie Casey Mrs. Bill Epstein

In memory of Bill Epstein In honor of Richard Fonteneau Anonymous

In honor of Karen Gross Amy Bess Williams Miller Scholarship Mr. Michael Miller

Lawrence Kelton Miller Scholarship Mr. Michael Miller

Genrik S. Sirvis Scholarship Fund

Anonymous Edward and Elaine Imp Jewish Communal Fund Dr. Eugene and Janet Winkelman Jennifer S. Winkelman

In memory of Anne Hendee Cheryl Wehrspaun & Sue Kline

Dr. Barbara P. Sirvis Mrs. Peggy Sirvis

In honor of Brennan Holland

Olin Scott Fund

In memory of Phyllis Morse

Olin Scott Fund

Rob Smith ’98 Scholarship Alice Loos Mr. & Mrs. William Pearson Mr. & Mrs. Robert P. Smith

John & Carol Sorel Scholarship Minerals Technologies, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. John A. Sorel ’67

Anonymous Margaret Lillie Loraine Smith Mr. and Mrs. John Williams

In memory of Norman Robare Ms. Andrea Robare

In memory of Rob Smith Mr. & Mrs. William Pearson

In memory of Violet Snow Gladys Pike ’47

Daniel Tange Memorial Scholarship Fund Betty Tange

In honor of Ira Wagner ’83 Evelyn and Stanley Wagner

Patten ’84 named Distinguished Alumnus

Board of Trustees

Ira Wagner ’83 President European Private Finance American Capital

Wallace W. Altes, Chair Executive Consultant Joan Axinn Axinn Foundation Trustee Community Leader

Mary Wicker Retired Former COO, Hospital Administrator Southwestern Vermont Health Care

Steven Brody Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon Greenwich Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates Clinical Professor, Columbia Medical School

Deborah E. Wiley Senior Vice President Corporate Communications John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Jon Goodrich (leave of absence until November 2008) President Mace Security International

Administration President Karen Gross, J.D.

James J. Gozzo President Albany College of Pharmacy of Union University Norman Greenberg President H. Greenberg & Son, Inc.

Dean of Students Anne Hopkins Gross Chief Operating Oﬃcer/ Chief Financial Oﬃcer James Beckwith

Karen Gross President Southern Vermont College

Dean of Advancement Karen Trubitt

Merritt Hewitt Jr. ’85 Retired Business Executive Former Vermont State Senator

Director of Admissions Grant Thatcher Director of Human Resources Sue Metzner

Robert Howe Retired President & CEO K&H Industries

Faculty Chairs

Randall B. Krum Faculty Association Chair Southern Vermont College Richard Lavariere ’08 President Student Government Association Southern Vermont College Raymond D. Lenoue President Educational Resources Network, Inc. Scott McEnaney ’01 Eastern Director Orvis Endorsed Lodge, Outﬁtter, Expedition & Guide Program The Orvis Company, Inc. Nancy Scattergood Physician Southwestern Vermont Medical Center

Provost Dr. Albert DiCiccio

The McCormick Division of Business Robert Consalvo (acting) The Hunter Division of Humanities Lynda Sinkiewich Division of Nursing Patricia Wrightsman The John Merck Division of Science and Technology Anne Myrka

ing four years as vice chair. He was inducted into the College’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003 and was the “voice of the Mountaineers,” serving as PA announcer for the men’s and women’s basketball games for more than nine years. We are now accepting nominations for the 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award. Please send nominations to the Alumni Oﬃce, 982 Mansion Drive, Bennington, VT 05201; e-mail them to alumni@svc.edu; or fax them to 802-447-4695. Please include a few sentences explaining why the individual is deserving of this award. The deadline for nominations is February 1, 2009. The winner will be recognized during the College’s 82nd Commencement Exercises in May 2009.

Veteran radio announcer Ben Patten of Hoosick Falls, N.Y., received the Southern Vermont College Distinguished Alumni Award during the College’s 81st Commencement Exercises on Sunday, May 18. The Distinguished Alumni Award is given at Commencement to an alumna or alumnus of Southern Vermont College or its predecessor, St. Joseph College, in recognition of a combination of career, community service and personal achievements. In 1984, Patten was the valedictorian of his class and graduated from Southern Vermont College with a bachelor’s degree in Communications Management. During his time at SVC, Patten was a tutor; a member of the baseball, basketball and soccer teams; and a resident assistant before residence halls existed on campus. For the past 20 years, Patten has been in the communications industry. Currently, he is the co-host of WKLI’s “Jay and Ben Magic in The Morning Show” on Magic 100.9 FM in Albany, N.Y. Patten is a former member of the Village Board of Trustees in Hoosick Falls, N.Y. He has been a religious education teacher, a lector at his church and is the administrative assistant for the Executive Oﬃce of Catholic Charities Central Oﬃce for the Diocese of Albany. Patten currently serves as the Bennington Battle Day Parade emcee in August for the Bennington Fire Department and has coached local youth in soccer and girls’ softball. He also donates his time to worthy organizations including the Ronald McDonald House of Albany, The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and Vanderheyden Hall in Wynantskill, N.Y. Patten has been a member of the SVC/SJC Alumni Association, includ-

Ben Patten ’84 Receives Distinguished Alumni Award

SVC partners with the Potters Bennington Potters is partnering with Southern Vermont College on a special promotion for all SVC/SJC alumni. Order

The Donald Everett Axinn Division of Social Sciences Scott Stein

any item from the Potters collection, and they will donate 15 percent of the proceeds to the College. When David Gil founded Bennington Potters in 1948, he envisioned producing handmade stoneware pottery that was both functional and artistic. The Potters Yard has fulﬁlled

SUPPORT SVC Academics… Athletics… Scholarships… Mansion Preservation… Visit www.svc.edu/support to make your gift today!

that goal and more, becoming a destination for thousands of visitors every year, including many generations of Southern Vermont College and St. Joseph College students. In fact, many alumni make a point to visit the Potters every time that they visit Bennington. Why not treat yourself or a friend to a gift of ﬁne pottery while also supporting Southern Vermont College? Watch your mail for a Bennington Potters catalog and a special code to use while placing your order. Southern Vermont College is very grateful for the support of Bennington Potters in presenting this opportunity.

S VC / S JC C HR ON IC L E

Southern Vermont College

Fall Open House Saturday, October 18, 2008 Prospective students and guests are invited to the College’s Fall Open House. Tour the campus, enjoy lunch, participate in information sessions, and meet our faculty, staﬀ, coaches and students. SVC representatives will be on hand to answer your questions. 8:00 - 8:45 a.m.

Registration

8:45 - 9:15 a.m.

Welcome

9:30 - 11:00 a.m.

Academic Sessions

11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Admissions and Financial Aid Sessions 12:30 - 1:15 p.m.

Lunch

1:15 - 2:00 p.m.

Student Panel

2:00 - 3:00 p.m

Activities and Services Fair

Reservations are requested. Please call the Admissions Oﬃce at 1-800-378-2782 ext.6304 or visit http://www.svc.edu/admission/openhouse.html.

address service requested 802-447-6357 www.svc.edu/alumni 982 Mansion Drive Bennington, VT 05201-6002

SOUTHERN VERMONT COLLEGE Office of Development and Alumni Relations

Bennington, VT 05201 Permit No. 85

PAID Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage