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The Heckman Center for The Bridgeport Plan IN THIS BAUER HALL INNOVATION CENTER ISSUE: Open for business and more
O, BRIDGEPORT! ARTS FESTIVAL Three days of music, poetry, art, and Bridgeport
UB’S OWN AT NEWMAN’S OWN FOUNDATION Alumnus selected for prestigious fellowship
President’s Line I can’t help it, ever since a minute past midnight on January 1, the lyrics to Johnny Nash’s 1972 hit keep running through my head: I can see clearly now the rain is gone I can see all obstacles in my way Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind It’s gonna be a bright (bright) Bright (bright) sunshiny day I feel this way every new year: positive, optimistic, hopeful. However (and this is where the English professor in me surfaces from her lair of iambic pentameter), with the symbolism that 2020 brings to the table and my sense that we, as humans, are temporarily occupying this very fragile planetary ecosystem, maybe this year is one in which we try and see ourselves and those around us more clearly, more deeply, and more dearly than ever before. We have grown inured to disaster, to injury, to insult, and with the coming of this newest decade, there is a golden opportunity to find better ways to treat ourselves, each other, and our earth. I choose to double down on hope and the better future that our University of Bridgeport alumni and our future alumni will bring us all. UB, after all, is a place where academic ambition and the realization of accomplishment are in our DNA. This coming decennium in human history will see UB’s centennial, and we will celebrate the richness of our faculty and students and the support that everyone who is part of this great place provides to enable student success. To best meet the aspirations and career goals that our current students expect, at the start of this academic year we saw the opening of a new knowledge park: The Bauer Hall Innovation Center. The building is designed to foster entrepreneurship and innovation and to mentor students in business start-ups, ownership, and development, all housed within a beautifully renovated Gilded Age mansion on campus. The Center is also an incubator for STEM and ecosystem-focused innovation and serves the business community with student-run design services, technology transfer, and commercialization, and will function as an economic development driver in the region. Recently, we inaugurated an innovative program and stunning physical space: “The Bridgeport Plan: Connecting Education to Career,” housed in The Heckman Center on the second floor of Wahlstrom Library. The Bridgeport Plan provides students with a one-stop service for advising, tutoring, career development, study abroad, and civic engagement. Connecticut’s first “Equality Lounge,” a women’s center that is a member of The Female Quotient national network, also opened, creating a pipeline of talented women through sponsored leadership programming and paid internships. These are busy days, filled with great work and greater plans, and on behalf of all of us on campus, we thank you for your support—we are loving the double-digit increase in alumni giving—and let’s all: Look straight ahead, there’s nothing but blue skies.
Laura Skandera Trombley
Contents F E AT U R E S 4 O, Bridgeport! Arts Festival UB celebrated three days of music, poetry, art, and the rich history of Bridgeport. 6 Sometimes Life and Work are Like Popcorn: Unpredictable and Amazing The many interests and achievements of David Schneeweiss ’74 8 Inaugural Health Sciences Symposium UB hosts Building Bridges: Implementing Healthcare Solutions to Address Opioid Addiction and Chronic Pain in Connecticut. 10 The Heckman Center for The Bridgeport Plan A new and beautiful space designed to enhance student success 16 UB’s Very Own at Newman’s Own Foundation Juan Muñoz ’19 selected as a Fellow at Newman’s Own Foundation 18 The Brilliants: Bob and Barbara Working behind the scenes, UB alumnus shapes television for generations of viewers. 20 Learning While Serving Physician Assistant alumnus follows his dreams in Japan. 22 UB PhD Candidate Searches for Alien Life with NASA Joseph Bango ’87 proposes methods for answering an extraordinary question. 24 Bauer Hall Innovation Center Open for business and more
D E PA R T M E N T S 2 Word Power 3 UB by the Numbers 27 News Lines 34 Arts at UB 38 Bookplate 42 Side Lines 46 Class Notes
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Knightlines A PU BLI C AT I O N O F T H E U NIV E R S I T Y O F B R I D GEP O RT FA L L 201 9/ W IN T E R 2 02 0 PRE S I D ENT Laura Skandera Trombley, PhD VI C E PR ES ID ENT, M AR K E T I N G AND COM M UNIC ATIONS / UB K NI G HT LI N ES ED ITO R Susan Andrews ART DI R EC TOR Angeline Johnston STAF F PH OTOGR AP H ER Dru Martin STAF F W R ITER S Lisa Boyne Matthew Collins, PhD Tim Goral GRAPHIC D ES IGNER Krista Benson CON TRIB UTING WR ITER
id-i-o-path-ic Stories are made up of words, but sometimes words are a story unto themselves. This UB Knightlines feature is dedicated to logophiles— not those who love logos but those who love words.
George Moore, PhD B OARD OF TR USTEES Robert L. Berchem, Esq., Chair, Mark A. Fries, Vice Chair, Terrance J. O’Connor, Secretary, Ashley M. Perzyna, Assistant Secretary, Diane M. Allison, Esq., Paul Antinozzi, A.I.A, Sean M. Carroll, David F. D’Addario, Mrs. Henry B. duPont III, The Honorable Joseph P. Ganim, Leah Blatt Glasser, PhD, Abraham I. Gordon, Esq., Herman Green, Carol Johnson Green, Thomas P. Haynes, Sara Towe Horsfall, PhD, Barbara A. James, Markus Karr, Ki Hoon Kim, Michael Kolakowski, Michael J. LaBella, Arthur E. Landi, Kevin C. Leahy, David K. Norton, Susan Heckman O’Hara, Thomas M. O’Hara, Ann M. Ryan, PhD, Frederick W. Serra, Lambert C. Shell, Sr., PhD, Bruce T. Silverstone, Phillip G. Soaivan, Joseph Vittoria, Thomas G. Walsh, PhD, Martin F. Wolf, Esq. M AI L Please send address changes and letters to the Editor to: UB Knightlines, 126 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06604 or by email to knightlines@bridgeport.edu. Please include your full name, UB class year (if applicable), and contact information. For additional assistance, call (203) 576-4625. UB Knightlines is published twice a year for University of Bridgeport alumni and friends by the Office of Marketing and Communications. ON T H E COV ER Students study, meet with faculty and staff, and socialize in the newly opened Heckman Center.
B Y A M Y N AW R O C K I Associate Professor of English and Chair, English Department, College of Arts and Sciences
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few years ago, around Thanksgiving, I lost my voice. Though not entirely gone, it was weak and raspy, maybe from a left-over cold, a touch of laryngitis. The end of the semester called for brief lectures and a few speeches about final exams. Even so, my voice strained over students eager for a long winter’s break. I survived for a while, mumbling through holiday gatherings, gargling hopefully with warm honey-vinegar water. I didn’t feel sick; my throat wasn’t sore or painful. I wasn’t contagious, no infections, no white spots or inflammation. In the bare acoustics of the physician’s office, I could speak well enough. Over the din of a crowd, however, my voice seemed hardly more than a whisper, my breath without stamina. It was tiring and frustrating, but not unfamiliar. I’ve been soft-spoken my whole life. A month with a squeaky-hinge voice was long enough before I saw a specialist. He numbed my nose with lidocaine and threaded a camera around the septum of my nasal passage. Humming the alphabet on cue, I watched as a computer snapped images of my vocal cords. The left side didn’t move, so the two flaps couldn’t close correctly, leaving a gap where air escaped without vibrating into clear and steady sound.
The diagnosis was a paralysis of the left cord. Stuck, rather than lost, my voice remained empty, like an echo that forgets to return its own call. A requisite round of tests followed. Wait time, repeated apologies, and awkward socializing tested my patience. I worried about complications and root causes and lingered over a large stack of medical priors. But the scans pointed at nothing in particular. Okay, then, good news. Catastrophe avoided. Even so, I wondered. Why the vocal cord? “We call cases like these idiopathic,” the doctor said. “Which means . . . ?” “We have no freaking idea what caused it.” This was exactly how he phrased it. I thought it was poignant, a little funny, in fact, that the specialist defined the word this way. I’m a sucker for multisyllabic words with long roots that roll off the tongue—even if the tongue is stuck at the top of a half-closed windpipe. I also appreciated that an expert with lots of diplomas admitted that not everything is answerable. I took the wait-and-see scenario, but left the word to steep awhile on the tip of my tongue. Idiopathic: arising from no known cause; of spontaneous origin; untraceable; obscure; absent of source or reason. From the Greek: idios “one’s own” + pathos “suffering.” We are easily struck dumb by words given to us by circumstance and struggle. By translating the mind’s monologue, the writer names the things that hurt and renames the things that please and satisfy. There is never a shortage of words, nor of emotional ailments, and none are uniquely our own. Samuel Taylor Coleridge said of poetry: “best words in their best order.” If idiopathic had entered my vocabulary at any other time, it would have crushed me, as did other words given by other experts: malignant, encephalitis, diabetes, myocardial infarction, asthma, tracheotomy, accident, introverted, tongue-tied, loser. Ouch: that has a nice ring to it. Vocal cords are curious things. An injection of wrinkle-filler cured me and my voice came back, uniquely my own, forty-plus years and many poems in the making. The writer’s job is to love the words, not just a little. Hold them in your mouth for as long as you can. Learn the roots, know the origins, awaken them with the warmth of your breath. Only then can suffering find a trace of reason.
641
alumni who returned to campus for Homecoming Weekend 2019
UB by the numbers
N E WS LIN E S /
600
games played in the bowling alley since its reopening on Homecoming Weekend 2019
$111,575
raised during Homecoming Weekend
150+ statewide experts and healthcare leaders who attended UB’s first annual healthcare symposium Building Bridges: Implementing Healthcare Solutions to Prevent Opioid Addiction and Chronic Pain in Connecticut
0 to 578 nursing program students in four years
1st & 2nd
Military Order of the Purple Heart—the 1st (oldest) military recognition in the nation in which UB became the 2nd CT college to receive this honor
raised at the annual UB Golf Tournament
1st
Martin Luther King Jr. was the first person bestowed an honorary degree from UB (1961)
$105,800
35
years of combined performances by The University Singers (15) and UB Fusion Ensemble (20)
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stairs in Wahlstrom Library
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The University of Bridgeport celebrates the arts with
O, BR ID GE P OR T ! Arts Festival
BY L I SA B OY N E
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celebrated three days of music, poetry, art, and the rich history of Bridgeport in its inaugural O, Bridgeport! Arts Festival on October 16-18. The first of its kind at UB, the event was inspired by a poem of the same name, written for President Trombley’s inauguration last spring by Visiting Professor of Poetry, and Festival Chair, Tom Healy. The festival kicked off with a reading of the namesake poem by Healy, faculty, and students. A four-piece jazz band 4
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and platters of chili added to the festivities as students and eventgoers enjoyed the lively venue on Pedestrian Mall. The celebration continued with the Caribbean steel drum band Vibe serenading diners in Marina Hall to the rhythms of the tropics, bowlers competing on literary-theme teams at the newly opened UB Bowling Alley, and the student club, Sophisticated Love of the Artistic Mind (S.L.A.M.), hosting an open mic event at the Twisted Cafe.
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O’ Bridgeport! How beautiful it is to wake in the chill, grey circle of questions, to come celebrate as this day gives way to the warmth of a new season and new stories, to come and praise all this is and will be — T O M H E A LY blossoming here. There were arts and crafts aplenty throughout the festival. Students, faculty, and staff collaborated on a giant, modern art mural, filling in geometric blocks with bold colors. At the Art of Craft activity, participants created seasonal decor and festive fall wreaths. Attendees at the Make Your Mark, Make Campus Yours event were inspired to show their appreciation for the UB campus by writing a poem or special note on a rock or card. For history buffs interested in Bridgeport’s influence in the arts and commerce, the festival offered a lecture titled “Gramophones, Pressing Plants, and IRCC: Bridgeport’s Role in the Early Recording Industry.” Jeffrey Johnson, associate dean, College of Arts & Sciences, explained how Columbia Records’ original pressing plant in Bridgeport was at the forefront of the music industry, because some of the earliest musical recordings were pressed into records there. Who Knew, A Historical Walking Tour of the South End, led by Eric Lehman, UB English professor and author of Bridgeport: Tales from the Park City, took guests back in time to Bridgeport’s origins as well as its heyday during the Industrial Revolution and the era of P.T. Barnum. A highlight of the tour was imagining where elephants roamed on what is now Waldmere Avenue, the former site of the winter quarters for the Barnum & Bailey Circus. Additional musical acts on Thursday included the UB University Singers and Greater Bridgeport Symphony harpist, Megan Sesma, who played at Marina Dining Hall as well as at an alumni jazz jam session at Littlefield Recital Hall.
On Friday, participants relaxed in the new campus Adirondack chairs and enjoyed views of the Sound while they shared their poetry to open the new UB Poetry Garden on Bauer Lawn. President Trombley joined the group, contributing a poem of her own. Rock poems from the Make Your Mark event were contributed to a fountain to commemorate the garden’s opening. To close the festival, the UB Fusion Ensemble greeted guests to the headliner event with a jazz concert outside the Bernhard Arts Center. Inside, event chair Tom Healy joined author, DJ, and Grammy Award-winning artist Questlove for a sit-down interview and discussion of his new cookbook, Mixtape Potluck: A Dinner Party for Friends, Their Recipes, and the Songs They Inspire. Questlove discussed his inspiration for the cookbook and how food and music were always part of his collaborative journey in music. “In order to have jam sessions, when The Roots were making their fourth album in the late ’90s, we wanted to rewrite the narrative of who we are, and we needed to create the collaborative jam session,” Questlove recalled. “Food has always been that thing that united us and helped us make music, and this is an attempt to replicate and renew that energy.” The book is a compilation of recipes with inspired tracks from Questlove food salons and “a document of the most awesome party I could have ever imagined,” with recipes contributed by Questlove’s many celebrity friends, including Natalie Portman, Q-tip, Martha Stewart, Maya Rudolph, and many more. The University plans to make the O, Bridgeport! Arts Festival an annual event with plans already in the works for 2020. ■
Above: Signed copies of Questlove’s latest cookbook were given to students after his talk. Left: Questlove talks music, food, and his memories of Bridgeport with Festival Chair, Tom Healy.
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Sometimes Life and Work are like Popcorn: BY SUSAN ANDREWS
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rowing up in New Jersey’s Bergen County, David Schneeweiss knew that he needed to attend a university within close proximity. His father owned a string of restaurants back home and he would drive back in his 1962 Ford Falcon every weekend to pitch in on the work that crept into the early hours of the morning. The University of Bridgeport was an ideal location for a regular commute. A 1974 University of Bridgeport pre-med graduate and resident of Rennell Hall, Schneeweiss said that he appreciates the great education he received at UB. ”My studies prepared me for my lifelong interest in medicine and biology,” he noted. Channeling fond memories of UB biology professors, Schneeweiss named several including the late Mike Somers, chair of the department; Iris Cook, a microbiology professor; and the late Hugo James, a biology professor and nature enthusiast. “Dr. James was a great professor who really knew his subject matter, but he was one tough grader,” Schneeweiss said. What is apparent soon into a conversation with Schneeweiss is his remarkable recall, which has served him well professionally and personally. Take for instance his memory of both an advanced high school biology class and a UB course on parasitology. “I don’t know why I still remember minute details, but scientific names such as Ascaris lumbricoides for roundworms and Clonorchis sinensis for Chinese liver flukes are still indelibly inked in my mind,” he noted. A UB botany class led to a successful grant for Schneeweiss. He knew that the coleus plant (think vibrantly colored lush leaves) usually sports two leaves that are perpendicular to one another, but sometimes you can find a three-leaf coleus. “I wrote a grant proposal to the state of Connecticut and received $2,000
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to buy equipment. I then wrote a paper about the banding out of proteins using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis attempting to show distinctions between the two- and three-leaf coleus.” Now splitting his time between Buffalo, New York, and Estero, Florida, with his wife Hallie, Schneeweiss has come a long way in a storied career as a successful investment professional and medical research benefactor. “I was at the crossroads of pursing a medical or business career. I decided in favor of an MBA in accounting and finance from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management.” With his graduate degree in hand and following in his father and father-in-law’s footsteps, he purchased a chain of nine coffee and donut shops in the early 1980s. He began what would lead to a long and successful career in the investment world in 1989. Although he chose business, he never lost his passion for medicine. “In particular, I was entranced at the age of 15 by the field of cardiology that stemmed from a Boy Scouts International Jamboree trip to Kandersteg, Switzerland. There, I purchased a number of books on the subject and vinyl records containing heart murmurs and heart sounds.” Though he never became a physician, he prides himself on helping individuals attain financial health. He has built a strong client base as part of Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. “I work hard to make sure that my clients are financially stable.” His team has reached an impressive business portfolio of half a billion dollars. With a philanthropic mindset, Schneeweiss, a 33-degree Mason, began a long and productive relationship with the Masonic Medical Research Institute (MMRI), a not-for-profit entity located in Utica, New York, dedicated to improving the health and quality of life for all. “I was elected to their board in
P H OTOGRAP H S COU RT E SY OF DAV I D S C H N E E W E I SS
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2000, served as board president from 2006-09 and then again from 2015-18, and as chairman from 2009-12 and again from 2019 to the present.” He works diligently “to get the right people in the right seats on the bus and then get out of the way.” MMRI’s initial focus on cardiac pacing and sudden cardiac death and SIDS has expanded to autism, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, diabetes, Lupus, and more. When Schneeweiss first began volunteering with MMRI, there was only one research team—now there are eleven.
L to R back row: David, Robert; Front row L to R: Carolyn, wife Hallie, Peter, and daughter-in-law, Marisa
“Our research teams work in different directions yet have tremendous collaboration with one another. It’s like popcorn, as you never know when someone will discover something. MMRI is hopeful about a recent patent filed for groundbreaking type 2 diabetes research,” he said. His wife Hallie, a nurse, also shares a passion for medicine. They met while in Boston with their parents at a National Restaurant Association (NRA) annual meeting where their parents were members of the NRA Board of Directors. At the time, Hallie was completing two master’s degrees: one in nursing education and another in nursing administration from Columbia University. “After we were married, I attended Cornell business school and Hallie became a professor, teaching nursing at a local community college while I was the student. After graduating and moving to Buffalo, she became the Director of Nursing at the Children’s Hospital,” he added. Serving on the Greater Niagara Frontier Council Board of the Boy Scouts of America for 20 years, Schneeweiss also chaired The Heritage Society, the fundraising campaign for its Greater
Niagara Frontier Council. An Eagle Scout himself with a palm, he has long lived by the core values embraced by the Scout Oath, Law, and Motto, including honesty and integrity among other notable traits. Not everyone is a Boy Scout, though. During one of his many trips back and forth from UB to his home, his transmission literally fell out of his Falcon at a toll booth on the Connecticut Turnpike. “I asked the individual in the booth if he would help me push my car and he responded with an abrupt ‘no.’ So much
David and Hallie with their first granddaughter, Birdie
for the kindness of strangers,” he added. Like popcorn, the many twists and turns of Schneeweiss’ interests and adventures is always a surprise. For the past few years he has worked with his youngest son, Peter, and his son’s business partner to build a start-up, where they use 5-Axis CNC machines’ cutting parts for the 200-foot windmill blades made from balsa wood, foam, and fiberglass, which are then assembled by another company (soon to be 300-foot blades for offshore wind power). The company has grown to 60 employees and many millions of dollars in sales. His oldest son, Robert, is a pilot. A combination of his son’s occupation and his longtime interest in aviation spurred Schneeweiss’ recent interest in purchasing an airplane to be leased to a flight school to train pilots. In addition to their two sons, the couple also has a daughter, Carolyn, an artist, who lives in Pittsburgh. Schneeweiss’ analogy to popcorn for medical breakthroughs also applies to his life, varied interests, and volunteerism. You never know when or where the next kernel will pop and an opportunity to learn will present itself. ■
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Inaugural Health Sciences
SYMPOSIUM UB Hosts Building Bridges: Implementing Healthcare Solutions to Address Opioid Addiction and Chronic Pain in Connecticut BY L I SA B OY N E
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From left, co-organizer Mark Pitcher, Linda Porter, National Institutes of Health, Carol Papp, co-organizer, and Daniel Tobin, MD, of Yale.
Michael E. Ivy, MD, Interim President & Chief Executive Officer of Yale New Haven Health Bridgeport Hospital
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he number of opioid-related overdose deaths has exploded in Connecticut in the last several years, up to 955 in 2017, or 27.7 deaths per 100,000 people (almost double the national rate), according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). To address this regional and national epidemic, the University of Bridgeport hosted the symposium Building Bridges: Implementing Healthcare Solutions to Prevent Opioid Addiction and Chronic Pain in Connecticut on October 18 at the Arnold Bernhard Arts and Humanities Center. The goal of the symposium was to share knowledge, practice, and legislation surrounding the treatment of pain and address the crisis with evidence-based treatment plans. “The fact that the wind is blowing about 100 miles an hour today is a metaphor for what I think is most important,” predicted UB President, Laura Trombley, PhD. “Opioids are the Civil War of our generation. This is an epidemic of catastrophic proportions that is destroying families, communities, and our society as a whole.” James Gill, MD, Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Connecticut, explained how the rise in overdose deaths is putting a strain on medical examiners in his office. In 2017 his office performed 2,349 autopsies, up from 1,382 in 2016, or a 69% increase. Of those autopsies in 2017, 1,040 were deemed accidental overdoses, up from 357 in 2012, representing a 300% increase. To understand the reasons behind the increase in opioidrelated overdoses, it’s important to delineate which drugs were the cause of overdose death and how the drugs were administered. Jane Ungemack, DrPH, Assistant Professor, Community Medicine and Health Care, University of Connecticut, provided data showing the greatest increase in opioid deaths in the state was seen in cases involving synthetic opioids (mainly fentanyl): a rise from 79 deaths in 2016 to 686 in 2017. Prescription opioids were involved in 273 deaths in 2017, more than a fourfold increase from 60 in 2012.
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The distinction between drug misuse and abuse is important to identify patients who use opioids to manage chronic pain through a physician and those who obtain the drugs through other channels. “Complex pain patients are not prescription opioid abusers,” according to panelist Peggy Compton, RN, PhD, FAAN, who cited data profiling opioid abusers as predominantly younger males aged 16-26, and complex pain patients as older women aged 45-plus. Compton noted risk factors of substance abuse disorder include age, history of drug abuse, family history, psychiatric illness, or childhood trauma. Linda Porter, PhD, from the Office of Pain Policy and Planning at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), addressed some of the risk factors associated with chronic pain, including early trauma, gender, genetics, ethnicity, and patient psychological profiles. In the U.S., chronic pain affects 50 million patients, severe pain affects 25 million, and high-impact pain affects 20 million patients, according to the CDC. The rise in the opioid crisis is an offshoot of the issues for the medical profession as a whole in dealing with chronic pain. While opioids can be an effective treatment for patients with ongoing pain, there are many gaps that have led to the overprescription, misuse, and abuse in inpatient care. In addition, holes in the healthcare system include a lack of coverage for alternative remedies, including acupuncture and chiropractic treatment. “Opioids can be safely and effectively used to manage pain, but strategies to prevent overuse of opioids by patients should be implemented,” cautioned Porter. Preventive strategies include prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) that can prevent overprescribing by checking a patient’s history of opioid prescriptions. Indeed, while Daniel Tobin, MD, FACP, from the Yale School of Medicine, demonstrated that safe opioid prescribing remains an important tool for the treatment of pain, Robert Kerns, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Psychology at Yale University and co-director of the Yale-based NIH-DoD-VA Pain Management Collaboratory coordinating center, showed that integration of conventional and complementary approaches can be a highly effective model of pain management. The symposium panels included a discussion of managing the opioid crisis within the community. Reverend Nancy Kingwood, MA, MS, BC-HSP, addressed the responsibilities within our neighborhoods to deal with the devastation that opioids create on families and their surrounding network, and
This is an epidemic of catastrophic proportions that is destroying families, communities, and our society as a whole.”
-Laura Trombley
how non-profits, community centers, and places of worship are in a good position for intervention and outreach through community mobilization and taking the “village approach.” Also featured were stories of recovery from two former opioid users who shared their journeys on the slippery slope of addiction recovery, relapse and their paths to remission with the help of Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR). A vocal performance from Pivot Ministries Choir, a Bridgeport men’s choral group, fostered a message of spiritual music as a path to recovery. Event co-organizers, Carol Papp, dean of UB’s College of Health Sciences, and Mark Pitcher, director of Health Science Inter-professional Research, look forward to planning future symposia focused on critical contemporary health issues. As President Trombley noted, “The wind will die, but I hope your commitment and energy to this cause will stay strong.” ■
Veena Channamsetty, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Community Health Center, Inc. moderates one of the breakout sessions.
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The Heckman Center for The Bridgeport Plan Finding the right people, at the right time, in the right building
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Above: Students enjoy the lively and cheerful atmosphere of The Heckman Center for study sessions and collaborative learning. Below: Students meet with their academic advisors in glass-enclosed offices that maintain the Center’s openness while providing privacy.
F IR ST EN V I SI O N E D during the fall of 2018, The Heckman
Center for The Bridgeport Plan, located on the second floor of the Wahlstrom Library, opened on Tuesday, January 21. Already a popular hub on campus, students increasingly flock to the Center as they hear the positive buzz from friends, faculty, and staff. The Heckman Center, a 20,000-square-foot space, is a one-stop destination offering numerous vital student support services: Academic Advising and Tutoring, Internships, Honors Program, Study Abroad, Civic Engagement and Volunteerism, and Student Leadership. Also part of this amazing lineup is the first Equality Lounge in Connecticut, sponsored by SAP and The Female Quotient—a pop-up where women connect, collaborate, and activate change. “We are proud to offer mentoring and leadership for our female students through the Equality Lounge, a student-run organization that is designed to help create a pipeline of talented female leaders for the workforce,” said Sara Connolly, assistant provost and associate professor of counseling-college student personnel. 12 UB KN IGHTLIN E S FA L L 201 9/WINTER 2020
President Laura Trombley officiated at an event held on Friday, February 7, in celebration of the opening of The Heckman Center that honored UB alumna and University trustee Susan Heckman O’Hara ’84, who generously donated the funds to renovate the space. Heckman O’Hara is married to University trustee Tom O’Hara ’84. “While a host of support services have been available to our students, finding where to go and who to speak to was like a scavenger hunt. Now, our students can find the right people, at the right time, and in the right building,” Trombley said. Heckman O’Hara said that she was glad that students, faculty, and staff enjoy collaborating in one physical open space with no walls, and that they could appreciate the vision. “I am grateful that I have been able to give back as a result of having both studied at UB and having
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worked hard during my career,” she noted. Planning, designing, and envisioning The Heckman Center for The Bridgeport Plan was the greatest gift for UB’s most important people— its students, Trombley said. “When I first began speaking with Sue about this idea, we both agreed that we wish these services had been available to us when we were students,” she explained. It’s more than a space to kick back, daydream, or get your daily dose of people watching. Trombley said that students will learn what their careers look like post-graduation, which aligns with the University’s mission of connecting education to career. “Students who might be thinking of a career as a programmer can find out the average starting salary and potential return on investment from their UB education. You can push the boundaries of what we do here and create a whole new way of interacting with each other,” she said. Trombley gave a shout-out to
Overheard about The Heckman Center for The Bridgeport Plan We asked UB students, “What do you think of the newly renovated space?” Here’s what they had to say.
“The newly opened Heckman Center allows one to focus thanks to the lighting and aesthetics. The open concept instantly connects students to Seaside Park and provides a great study environment.” — M A K AY L A M A R O N E Y M B A S T U D E N T/ S T U D E N T- AT H L E T E
“The place looks amazing. It’s a great space for students to come for appointments with advisors or for career development, or just to chill and do homework. I believe this is the most beautiful place on campus.” — J O S E PA B O N ’ 2 0 MARKETING MAJOR
“I work here as a tutor. It’s a great space to expose students to what a tutoring center can be, because they don’t really know what we do here. Before when we were located on another floor, it had a very formal energy and people were intimidated. But now, with the open floor plan, people can see and hear how we run tutoring sessions, so they are more likely to utilize this resource.” —GIANNA MARTINEZ ’21 C R E AT I V E W R I T I N G M A J O R
“The inspiration for this space was Seaside Park, which you can see outside, and that is reflected in the wood, the carpet, and the bright colors. It’s kind of playful and feels more like college, rather than corporate offices, which it felt like before.” — C A M I LO H E R N A N D E Z ’ 2 0 INTERIOR DESIGN MAJOR
“This is a very comfortable and welcoming space compared to what was here before. It actually makes me want to come here to do my work, instead of being in my room or another study area.” — S H Y L A M U R R AY ’ 2 1 B U S I N E SS M A N AG E M E N T M A J O R
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Board of Trustees Chair Bob Berchem, who “always wants to do what is right by the students and the University.” She also recognized Paul Antinozzi of Antinozzi Associates, a Bridgeport architectural and interior design firm, for bringing the beautiful space to life. Senior Esther Bristol, UB’s president of the Student Programming Board, is pleased that students have a special space to feel welcome and comfortable. Addressing the crowd, Bristol said of Heckman O’Hara and Trombley, “Your work, love, and support do not go unnoticed.” The new space features open sitting areas, staff offices, individual wall cubbies, high top tables, and cozy pillow seats that look remarkably like rocks—bringing the coastal landscape of Seaside Park indoors. The outdoor-inspired decor has a park-like feel that includes boardwalk flooring and grass-like carpeting,
14 KN IGHTLIN E S FA TheUB cubby seats prove toL L be201 a 9/WINTER 2020
favorite student spot.
along with a modernistic twist of hanging ceiling light bulbs. Connolly adds that while similar centers may exist at other schools, The Heckman Center brings together a greater number of services that enhance student success. “We are already experiencing more programming, higher event attendance, and a greater demand for our services,” she explained. “Ultimately this will positively impact student retention and graduation rates.” Infused with technology thanks to a $100,000 grant from the George L. Alden Trust, The Heckman Center is equipped with Microsoft Surface Hubs for video conferencing or job searches. While the “wow” factor strikes visitors as soon as they emerge from the elevator in front of The Heckman Center, it pales in comparison to the amazing work that will take place within the artfully crafted student-centered space. ■
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L to R: President Trombley, Senior Esther Bristol, and Susan Heckman O’Hara ’84
Students pack the floor at the Engineering & Business Career & Internship Fair held at The Heckman Center
“We are already experiencing more programming, higher event attendance, and a greater demand for our services.” — Sara Connolly, PhD ASSI STA N T PROVOST A N D ASSOCI ATE PROF ESSOR OF COUN SELI N G - COL L EGE ST U DEN T PER SON N EL
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UB’S VERY OWN S E L E CT E D AS A FELLO W AT N E W MAN’S O W N FO U NDATION BY SUSAN ANDREWS
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uan Muñoz, a 2019 business administration graduate with a marketing concentration, was on a quest to land a position in a mission-driven organization with a goal of giving back for the betterment of society. Muñoz, a native of Bogota, Colombia, discovered what he describes as an incredible fellowship with Newman’s Own Foundation in Westport, Connecticut. “I feel so fortunate to be chosen along with 13 other Fellows to work and learn from the best.”
Dispersed across the United States, the 2019-2020 Newman’s Own Foundation Fellows bring the foundation’s mission to selected charitable organizations currently in California, New York, Massachusetts, Louisiana, and Connecticut. Muñoz considers it a true honor to be selected for a fellowship in the foundation’s Westport headquarters. “The Fellowship program, designed for recent college graduates planning to work in the non-profit sector, includes five leadership development sessions over 12 months,” he said. “The program is perfect for me as it matches my interest in marketing with that of an organization that gives back in a big way.” Newman’s Own Foundation gives the profits from the sale of Newman’s Own products to charity. According to the organization’s website, all profits since its launch in 1982, totaling more than $550 million, go to thousands of charities
N E W M A N A RTWO RK COURTESY OF NEWMAN’S OWN FOU NDAT ION
and reach millions of people. Muñoz said he did not know who Paul Newman was when he applied for the fellowship. “I did not yet know what he did or what he stood for, but I have learned that he carried himself with a good deal of humility and had a big heart for his community,” he added. So much more than his Hollywood stardom and the world’s most famous blue eyes, Paul Newman was a legendary movie star with a genuine social conscience before it became fashionable. Muñoz noted that Newman is remembered as much for his good works as he is for his standout performances, making him an inspiration for all time. Thirty-seven years ago, when Newman established Newman’s Own along with his friend A.E. Hotchner, he articulated the purpose for giving all the profits away: “I want to acknowledge luck. The benevolence of it in my life and the brutality of it in the lives of others.” The actor and philanthropist established the Newman’s Own Foundation in 2008 to continue using the power of giving to help transform lives and nourish the common good. A typical workday for Muñoz starts early due to a regimen he developed as a soccer player on UB’s soccer team, where he played goalkeeper under Coach Pete Doneit’s direction. “At UB, Juan was a purpose-driven student who continually set high-achieving goals, excelled in and out of the classroom, and enhanced his entrepreneurial skills,” said Elena Cahill, director of the Ernest C. Trefz School of Business. Like his time at UB, Muñoz carries out his fellowship responsibilities with a strong sense of duty. “I understand the priorities of the Newman’s Own Foundation and the significance of continuing to strengthen the brand and Paul
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Newman’s legacy.” Every day he comes to work feeling on top of the world. Muñoz believes that Newman’s Own Foundation is a gold mine for learning the fundamentals of promoting a purpose-driven brand and engaging individuals who seek transformational change through an open heart and generous spirit. “While working in the Communication Department as a Fellow, I have the opportunity to collaborate and brainstorm,” he said. “I love being part of the conversation and helping to impact this powerhouse of philanthropy.” In a communicator role, he works with his supervisor in delivering the organization’s mission across social media channels. “Juan is full of enthusiasm and great ideas, and we welcome his contributions to the communications efforts at Newman’s Own Foundation,” said Jennifer Smith Turner, interim president and CEO of Newman’s Own Foundation. “Our Fellowship program provides great opportunities for the Fellows and host organizations to benefit from the experience, and we’re very grateful to have Juan on board with us.” Crediting UB for preparing him in various ways for this high-level fellowship, Muñoz said, “My studies helped me to build an integrated marketing campaign from the ground up, understand consumer behavior, manage risk effectively, and understand the power behind a strong brand. I was able to apply these skills in different internships while at UB, which gave me the experience to thrive at my fellowship.” Muñoz said that Nikki Wingate, PhD, assistant professor of marketing, challenged him to plan strategically, think outside the box, and use data to make smart business decisions. From homemade salad dressing to popcorn to peanut butter cups and more— Muñoz is part of an organization that changes the world with one quality product and quality person after another. ■
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The Brilliants: Bob and Barbara BY GEORGE MOORE
P H OTOGRAP H COU RT E SY O F T H E B R I LLI A N TS
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D
esperate to find a job, Bob Brilliant ’69 huddled into a phone booth with $15 in dimes and started making calls. Eventually, he reached CBS. That call marked the start of an illustrious career in marketing research for the television industry. In this role, Brilliant has shaped content for generations of viewers. Working behind the scenes, Brilliant has been a sort of professional oracle for the television business, using audience feedback, analysis, and intuition to determine which television pilots have the best shot at ascending to hit status. On the day he made the call, Brilliant wasn’t sure what he was looking for. He just knew that he wanted to make use of his training in social science: He had earned his BS in Psychology from the University of Bridgeport in 1969 and had just completed an MS in Experimental Psychology at the New School in Manhattan. His credentials just happened to fit an opening in market research at CBS. Brilliant impressed his interviewer and got the job, but he had no direct experience in the television industry. He didn’t quite know what he was getting into, but he soon realized he was in the right place. “As it turned out, it was a very good match for me because I was very analytical,” said Brilliant, who resides in Beverly Hills, Calif., with his wife Barbara Brilliant ’69, also a UB alum. Learning on the job, Brilliant found the analytical toolkit of experimental psychology applicable to audience testing. The work involved interpreting viewer response data to understand why audiences respond the way they do. Brilliant quickly learned the nuances of the trade, including the counterintuitive wisdom that lackluster audience feedback does not necessarily mean a bad show. Brilliant recalled a moment early in his career when then-CBS president Robert A. Daly tasked him with assessing an ailing show. The question: Could it be salvaged or should it be canceled? After studying the show and a few audience tests, Brilliant advocated for the former position. He found that the show had strong, compelling characters, but that audiences were often thrown by its moral ambiguity. Viewers, he said, were yearning for some moral clarity by the end of an episode. “When the program is over, the forces of good need to be discernable from the forces of evil,” he said. “The characters, most of them, were a little good or a little bad. I suggested
that they take at least one character and turn them into a clearcut antagonist.” The producers incorporated the notes and the show took off. That was the original Dallas, a series that would go on to win four Emmy Awards and become one of the longest-running dramas in television history. Brilliant worked at CBS from 1973 to 1988, after which he spun off his own television market research company, Robert A. Brilliant, Inc., which he now runs with his son Adam. Brilliant has worked on thousands of shows and has introduced several innovations to the profession, including the computerization of audience feedback systems. Brilliant said UB was the place where he developed the analytical skills he needed to thrive in graduate school and in his subsequent career. As he put it, he chose psychology as his “least objectionable major” but quickly discovered he had a knack for its analytical dimensions. An introductory psychology course provided Brilliant with insight into the workings of human memory, which he then used to develop more effective study strategies. It was also at UB that Brilliant met his future wife, Barbara, who earned her BS in Elementary Education from UB and an MA in Reading from William Paterson College (now William Paterson University). She went on to a four-decade career in education, including 32 years of teaching in Beverly Hills. She has taught kindergarten, first grade, and special education. Barbara Brilliant said she still remembers UB’s picturesque seaside campus and the many interesting symposiums on campus in the late 1960s. Looking to the future, she said, she is inspired by UB’s capacity to expand opportunity for firstgeneration college students. “We know the only way we can accomplish anything is through education,” she said. The Brilliants said they are enthusiastic about where UB is headed after having a chance to meet with President Laura Skandera Trombley and Vice President for Advancement Marie Muhvic. The meeting, they said, demonstrated that the University is well-positioned to grow and to build upon its rich connections with the Bridgeport community. “We’re thrilled with the direction that UB is going in,” Barbara Brilliant said. “We had a great experience there. We came away with a good education and we both continued our education.” ■ U B K NI GH T L I NE S FA LL 2 01 9/ W I N T E R 2 02 0
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Learning While Serving: UB Physician Assistant Grad Follows Dream in Japan BY TIM GORAL
(Okinawa)
VANC E BAUG HM A N had dual career goals. The young
Baltimore native wanted to be a physician assistant (PA) and provide medical care. But he also had a dream of serving in the military, like his grandfather, who served as a Marine in Vietnam. After earning his bachelor’s in biology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baughman found himself at a crossroads. “I briefly considered joining the Marine Corps, but I really wanted to go to PA school,” he said. Enrolling in the University of Bridgeport Physician Assistant Institute (UB PAI) enabled him to pursue both paths. “What attracted me to the UB program was its emphasis on global health,” Baughman said. “I’d like to eventually work in community public health or public health policy.” 20 UB KN IGHTLIN E S FA L L 201 9/WINTER 2020
Baughman applied to the Health Services Collegiate Program, a scholarship offered by the Navy. As a condition of the scholarship, Baughman was obliged to serve as a Navy PA for three years after graduating. He enlisted and commissioned as a Lieutenant Junior Grade in the Navy Medical Service Corps. “Being accepted into the HSCP allowed me to serve and attend PA school at the same time,” he said. Although he was not on active duty during this time, Baughman accrued time in the service and all the benefits it entails, including a salary and a housing allowance. “My only obligations were to remain in good standing and pass a physical fitness test twice a year. Basically, my job was to go to school.” Baughman’s cohort was the seventh graduating class from the UB PAI program. UB has offered the Physician Assistant (M.S.) P H OTOGRAP H COU RT E SY OF VA N C E B AU G H M A N
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degree program since 2011 to address the growing demand for preventative healthcare. It’s a student-focused program, with small classes and a faculty that helps students feel connected. Baughman said the relationship with faculty was very close, and he praised his adviser, Professor Lauren Weindling, who is now the program director. “She was absolutely amazing. I could stop by her office to talk about anything, not just PA school,” he said. “When Vance came into the program, he had an interest in public health, and leadership skills. His decision to join the HSCP is only going to help further his interest and understanding of public health and what that means to healthcare administration,” Weindling said. “Being a PA provides many opportunities in clinical practice and in an administrative public health setting,” she said. “It’s a great way for a student or a clinician to practice in a variety of fields, while gaining more expertise.” UB’s PAI program is well known across Connecticut, and offers many networking opportunities for alumni to work throughout the Northeast. “Because we are a smaller program, we have a personalized educational experience. Each student’s clinical curriculum is set up with that particular student in mind,” Weindling said. Through the program, Baughman performed clinical rotations at a number of Connecticut health facilities, including Patience Pediatrics in Monroe, Affiliates in Women’s Care in Fairfield and St. Vincent’s Hospital in Bridgeport. He even rotated for a time at The Floating Hospital, a family medicine practice in Queens, NY, where he cared for patients from homeless and domestic violence shelters. However, following his May 2019 graduation, Baughman still had a military obligation to fulfill, and attended the Navy’s Officer Development School in Newport, Rhode Island, for two months. After completing the program, Baughman had another choice to make. “My detailer told me I could go to Camp Pendleton in California with the Marine Corps, or I could go to Japan,” he said. “I was really on the fence. Japan sounded
interesting, but I thought going to a new country as a brand new physician assistant would be too stressful.” However, when the time came to decide, another PA graduate had taken the seat in California, so his only option was Japan. Baughman was assigned to the U.S. Naval Hospital in Okinawa, which is the largest Naval hospital outside the U.S. “I’m serving here as a Staff PA in the Emergency Department and as the medical manager of the Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examiner (SAMFE) program at the hospital.” Baughman quickly adapted to his new job overseas and is currently trying to get an apartment off the base. “I bought a car and have been exploring the island and trying to pick up some Japanese phrases. There is a lot of history here, but it’s definitely a culture shock.” As exciting as his time in Japan has been, Baughman looks forward to coming home. He hopes to complete the final year of his rotation in the U.S. to be near his girlfriend and family. “The UB PAI program opened all kinds of doors for me,” he said. “I got a fantastic education from professors who really cared about my success.” ■ U B K NI GH T L I NE S FA LL 2 01 9/ W I N T E R 2 02 0
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UB PhD Candidate Searches for Alien Life with NASA B Y M AT T H E W C O L L I N S
Joseph Bango (left), UB PhD student in Technology Management, and Patrick Conway (right), UB Medical Laboratory Sciences Laboratory Manager, showing their University of Bridgeport pride at the NASA Ames Research Center.
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P H OTOGRAP H COU RT E SY O F J OS E PH B A N G O
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D EC E M BER 2 - 6 , 2 01 9, were not exactly typical days at
the office for UB PhD candidate Joseph Bango. He spent this time, along with UB Medical Laboratory Sciences Laboratory Manager Patrick Conway, at the NASA Ames Research Center testing instruments to search for alien life that may exist on one of Saturn’s moons, Enceladus. This recent visit, however, was not a first for Bango: NASA has awarded his company, Connecticut Analytical Corporation, five contracts totaling just under $2.5 million in funding, all part of this search for life beyond our planet. So how did Bango get involved with NASA on this project? It started with a probe sent to Saturn called the Cassini mission. During Cassini’s voyage, as Bango explains it, scientists noticed “a funny glow around the moon. It turns out this was the visual effect of water jets spraying out into space from cracks in the surface of this moon.” The source of the water is an ocean beneath Enceladus’ surface; it may also be a source of life, as indicated by proteins picked up by Cassini. As a result of this observation, NASA is preparing for a “life finder” mission that will send a probe to gather samples from the water to bring back and analyze. But there is a lot of preparation work before undertaking the mission, and one of these tasks is simulating Enceladus’ projecting ice grains here on planet Earth. Enter Joseph Bango, who successfully proposed the solution: a hypervelocity ice gun that would mimic Enceladus’ water jets. The idea came from his years of working with the late Nobel laureate and Yale chemistry professor John Fenn, who developed a technology called electrospray, which Bango applied to design his ice gun. But Bango didn’t stop there: He also proposed a method for identifying the microorganisms, potentially in the water jets, which does not require NASA to wait for physical samples to return to Earth. The method involves a technology called
mass spectrometry, which measures the mass of molecules to identify them. Adding this technology to the probe headed to Enceladus will help NASA gather information about potential life well before physical samples return to Earth. Bango is also developing a “decision tree” that will establish criteria for determining whether or not what they capture is, in fact, life. Bango visited the Ames Research Center in December to test his proposed methods. Ultimately, when NASA sends out the probe, if extraterrestrial life is found, the first news of it may reach us through imaging generated by Bango’s approach. He is not the only UB student involved in this effort. Under faculty adviser Ruba Deeb, director of biomedical research development and associate professor of biomedical engineering and technology management, Sophia Agostinelli, an MS student in biomedical engineering, and Makayla Maroney, an MBA student, are also collaborating with Bango. Deeb, who fondly refers to Bango as “the Energizer Bunny,” said this project has “fostered multidisciplinary collaboration in a remarkable way. It’s also a very positive learning experience and reinforcement for our students. Important projects are happening right here at UB.” Bango received his BS and MS in electrical engineering at UB and is also a Fellow in MIT’s Advanced Study Program. He is back at UB working on his PhD in technology management. His doctoral project also relates to identifying microorganisms (among other things), but it concerns something quite literally more down-to-earth. For this project, Bango focuses on fighting the intentional release of viruses or bacteria into public spaces as an act of bioterrorism. Mass spectrometric measurements could more quickly determine the damaging compounds, in turn expediting an antidote. He chose to pursue this PhD project at UB for a variety of reasons. “The University is unique in that students can work directly with faculty to pursue academic interests and develop new skill sets,” Bango said. The technology management program permits people like him, well into their careers, to continue their work while pursuing a PhD. “It’s really the only doctoral program of its kind in the Northeast,” he explained. Deeb said the technology management PhD is “a highly sophisticated program that is very attractive to a group of entrepreneurs that are already very successful.” As the CEO of Connecticut Analytical Corporation, Bango is an excellent example of the strengths and possibilities of this program. Here at UB, one can pursue a PhD, run a company, fight bioterrorism, and search for alien lifeforms with NASA all at once. ■ U B K NI GH T L I NE S FA LL 2 01 9/ W I N T E R 2 02 0
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I N N OVAT I O N
CENTER
BY L I SA B OY N E
lue skies, seasonally warm weather and the festivities ecosystem-focused innovation and plans to serve the business of UB’s 2019 Homecoming Weekend were the community with student-run design services, technology backdrops to Saturday’s inaugural ceremony to mark transfer, and commercialization, as well as serving as an the opening of the Bauer Hall Innovation Center. Alumni, economic development driver. faculty, staff, and distinguished guests gathered on the sunThe Center was made possible through a generous gift from drenched Marina lawn as violinist Joshua Bustamante ’19 principal donors George and Carol Bauer and an additional gift serenaded the crowd for the from UB Trustee Mike Kolakowski. ribbon-cutting event. The Bauers are local philanthropists, President Laura Trombley dedicated to paying their success gave the opening address, forward, whose projects in higher B A U E R H A L L I N N O VAT I O N CENTER INCLUDES: stressing the importance of education and health care are Bauer Hall to the student transformative and life-changing. Core work area—offers an office setting, with rental spaces, for local start-ups, with an emphasis on body and the community at The Bauers saw the opportunity technology companies large. “This Center represents to contribute to the Innovation Student Entrepreneur Center—includes access to the a major step forward in the Center as a project that would both maker space UB commitment to studentserve the interests of the University’s Technology Transfer Office—specializes in intellectual property led innovation. The Center diverse student body and help to drive Design Services—where students assist local will serve the business economic growth in the Bridgeport companies with branding, design, and prototyping community and create economic business community. Their gift also Engineering and design maker spaces—for robotics, development benefits for helps carry on the original legacy of artificial intelligence, and other emerging areas of technology the Bridgeport region and one of the great historical mansions beyond,” Trombley noted. “The of Bridgeport’s “Millionaires’ Row,” as Center will also help students painstaking care was taken to preserve to learn and build essential the original architectural integrity in skills in entrepreneurship and the renovation of the 1893 structure enterprise.” by architect and Shintaro Akatsu School of Design faculty The 9,600-square-foot Bauer Hall space was designed to member Mark Halstead. The refurbishment of the building was help foster entrepreneurship and innovation in students and completed by KBE Construction of Farmington, Connecticut. to mentor students in business start-ups, ownership, and The building is a living symbol of Bridgeport’s industrial development. The Center is also an incubator for STEM and boom of the late 1800s, when the city was at the epicenter of
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L to R back row: Kayleigh Zaczkiewicz, Gary Munch, chair and senior lecturer, graphic design, Amanda Nettle; L to R front row: Yiqing Feng, Yang Geng, and Weiyu Zhu review brand identity elements for a client
innovative manufacturing. “The Innovation Center brings us full circle,” Trombley reflected. “This is a space where our students can go to build.” She added, “Instead of iron foundries they will have 3D printers, instead of typewriters they will create software and they will code. The impulse to create is the same as it was a century ago, and this puts us at the forefront of student entrepreneurship in higher education.” George Bauer shared a recent story with the crowd of approaching a student who was taking a picture of the Center as workers were adding the finishing touches to the renovation. “Well, what do you think?” Bauer asked the student. The student said “with great feeling,” Bauer recalled, “‘Simply awesome!’ What we see here today is not just some bricks and mortar but the realization of a dream, of not only an innovation home for the University of Bridgeport but a resource for the entire Bridgeport community.” Tarek Sobh, PhD, PE, Bauer Hall Innovation Center founding director & dean of the College of Engineering, Business, and Education, remarked that the Center will provide students with “creative opportunities to make a difference, to inspire their communities and to become part of positive change. It will provide community-oriented support structures to help our students for careers of the future and careers that don’t yet exist.” Student innovator Mihovil Backovic ’20 shared his experience since joining the Student Entrepreneur Center, which he called “the best decision of his college career.” He has used the Center to start his own business and placed 64th in a national start-
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up competition. “The Center allows students to learn through doing, and getting the chance to work through faculty advisors is truly invaluable,” Backovic said. “Without the Innovation Center, I would just be another kid with dreams. The Center helped make my dreams a reality.” The Bauer Hall Innovation Center is open to all UB students in all majors. For more information, email entrepreneurship@bridgeport.edu. ■ The architectural integrity of the building was preserved during the renovation.
NEWS LINES
UB BOWLING ALLEY RETURNS UB kicked off its Homecoming ceremonies last September with the grand opening of the newly renovated bowling alley. We wish to thank each of the generous donors below for sponsoring a lane.
In memory of Evelyn Ensign Gerowe who was born and raised in Bridgeport. Her family tree includes Seeley, P.T. Barnum, Ensign, Zisman, and Spencer. –R O B GE R OW E
Dedicated to Louisa Finch, our little bird and the love of our lives. –ASHLEY P E RZY NA & JASON RIVERA, P H D
I’m thrilled to be part of the team that’s bringing bowling onto campus, and hope students can spare some time to split from their studies and bowl some strikes! –H AL T E P F E R
In honor of my son, Spark, and my father John Skandera—the two great loves of my life. –L AU R A S KA N D E R A TR O M B LE Y
For my husband, Thomas O’Hara. –SUSA N HE C K M A N
For the Schneiders, who met at UB, love bowling, and are happy it has returned.
In memory of my parents who made the world a better place. –S U SAN ANDRE WS
To boldly go where no one has gone before! –TAREK S O B H , P H D, PE
LA N E A RT BY TA K AF U M I KOJ IM A ’ 9 9
O’HARA
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New Leadership Team Members Christopher Cassirer, ScD, MPH, Vice Provost for Online Learning, Digital Services & Strategic Initiatives
Chris has served in both non-profit and for-profit environments, overseeing a broad array of liberal arts to professional programs at every major degree level. He began his teaching and research career at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where his work in medical malpractice and patient safety became nationally recognized. After gaining insight and experience within traditional higher education environments, he joined Capella University as faculty director and dean of the School of Human Services, and was appointed president of the university in 2008. Prior to coming to UB, Cassirer served as president of Northwestern Health Sciences University from 2014-18. He was named to the top 100 healthcare leaders in Minnesota by Minnesota Physicians Magazine (2017), and later named “the Face of Integrated Health Care in Minnesota.” He earned a
Bachelor’s in Psychology at Rutgers, a Master’s in Public Health at Yale University School of Medicine, and a Doctor of Science at JHU Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Ethics Rules Revision Committee. The task force was commissioned to “study, evaluate and ultimately recommend forward thinking approaches to the practice of law” in Connecticut.
Desi Imetovski, Esq., General Counsel
Robert Schmidt, Chief Operating Officer for Administration & Facilities
Attorney Desi Imetovski currently serves as General Counsel for the University of Bridgeport, representing and advising on various legal issues. Attorney Imetovski’s experience spans nearly two decades and encompasses over 10 years of private practice, including running her own law firm and practicing with a boutique law firm. She also served as Assistant Chief Disciplinary Counsel for the Connecticut Judicial Branch, where she prosecuted attorneys for ethical misconduct. A strong proponent of ethics and regulatory compliance, she is a regular presenter and panelist at numerous seminars throughout the state. Most recently, Attorney Imetovski has been appointed to serve on the State of The Legal Profession Task Force and chairs the
With a background in civil engineering and landscape architecture, Rob has more than 20 years of experience in university campus master plans, design, construction, real estate development, and healthcare capital plans. In 2002, he began working in the education and healthcare fields, representing universities, private schools, and healthcare providers on their campus and development objectives. Schmidt has executed over $1 billion in capital projects for a variety of clients, including Wesleyan University, Williams College, Rhode Island School of Design, Skidmore College, Choate Rosemary Hall, Berkshire School, Miss Porter’s School, and Community Health Center among others.
Fones Dental Clinic Launches Senior Smiles Program For years, low-income senior citizens in the Greater Bridgeport area have received top-quality care from the Fones Dental Hygiene Clinic at the University of Bridgeport. The clinic offers oral examinations, teeth cleaning, X-rays and more at minimal fees, but for more extensive procedures, patients had to go to off-campus public facilities. Beginning in July, however, the Fones Clinic will be able to provide free basic dental care to low-income seniors on-site through a program called Senior Smiles. “When seniors retire, they lose their dental insurance, thus we have a high population of geriatric patients in our clinic, with age-related conditions such as coronal and root decay, receding gums, and unaddressed tooth loss,” said Marion Manski, RDH, MS, director of the Fones School. Jennifer Boyce, DMD, the clinic’s lead attending dentist, said 28 UB KN IGHTLIN E S FA L L 201 9/WINTER 2020
Senior Smiles will help many low-income seniors. “We’ll be able to provide basic procedures, like fillings, extractions and removable prostheses like dentures and partials,” Boyce said. Future plans include expanding the program with dentists and other dental providers by adding a Dental Therapy focus to the school’s master’s degree curriculum. “Our clinic is the first dental hygiene school in the world,” Manski said. “This pilot program will show that we can provide dentistry as well dental hygiene to further serve this specific underserved population, who cannot afford dental care.” Senior Smiles is made possible by a grant from the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation, with additional support from Centrix, a Shelton, CT-based company that makes dental products for general restorative and preventative dentistry. TG
A L U M N I F E AT U R E : LIZ HEMPOWICZ
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UB Alum Liz Hempowicz Keeps a Close Watch on Washington University of Bridgeport alumna Liz Hempowicz ’10 has been on the front lines of critical policy issues in Washington. She is now more than two years into her tenure as the director of public policy with the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), a nonpartisan and non-profit organization based in the nation’s capital. The core purpose of her work is to advance public policies that fight governmental corruption and promote accountability. In addition to her BA from UB with a major in International Political Economy and Diplomacy (IPED), where she graduated magna cum laude, she holds a JD from American University’s Washington College of Law; she graduated in 2014 and is licensed to practice law in New York. In her current role at POGO, she directly engages with governmental bodies, notably including a recent testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform concerning the protection of whistleblowers; appearances before other legislative committees include the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development. A wide variety of media sources have turned to Hempowicz for her expertise in whistleblower protections and government accountability. In the last six months alone, she has been called on for comment in publications such as The New York Times, Politico, The Washington Post, Newsweek, The Los Angeles Times, Wired, Fox Business and Business Insider. Hempowicz also appeared four times on CNN within the past six months to provide her insights on recent events. In addition, she has been on NPR, CSPAN, and Government Matters.
encouraged her to pursue a law degree, with emphasis on human rights—which has in turn led her to where she is now. Benjamin commented, when recalling Hempowicz’s years at UB, “there’s an awful lot one can say. She was a great student with an outstanding aptitude for a certain type of research and writing, notably related to international criminal law.” As one of Benjamin’s two undergraduate research assistants, she helped him prepare a chapter in an edited volume on the subject. “Her accomplishments speak eloquently to the caliber of student outcomes produced by the then College of Public and International Affairs,” he added. Hempowicz is the member of a family full of Purple Knights. Her mother, Christine Hempowicz, who is UB’s director of corporate, faculty, and institutional grants, received her MS in Education in 1999. In 2010, mother and daughter celebrated together when Christine obtained her EdD at the same time as Liz received her BA. Liz’s brother Nicholas also holds a BA (which he received in 2013) and MA (in 2016) from UB. Her sister Anna is currently a junior at the University, where she is pursuing her BS in mechanical engineering. Keep your eye out for Liz Hempowicz; she’s keeping her eye on Washington. MC
Hempowicz reflected on the ways that studying at UB have directly influenced her career; “Approaching public policy reforms from a nonpartisan angle is much easier when you have an appreciation for different points of view and see value in looking at an issue from different perspectives,” she said. “The diversity represented by both UB’s student body and its professors made it easy to develop that appreciation and incorporate it into my professional life.” An important mentor during her undergraduate years at UB was Dave Benjamin, associate professor of global development. As her academic advisor, he recognized her potential and
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Reconnecting at the annual alumni event Purple Knight Pride was on view around campus the weekend of September 27-29, 2019, during UB’s annual Homecoming Weekend. Alumni, students, families, faculty, staff, and friends gathered on campus for a weekend jam-packed with activities, athletics, and fun.
Displaying some Purple Knight Pride.
Painting bowling pins
to celebrate the newly reopened bowling alley was one of the activities featured at the Alumni and Family Picnic.
Alumni bonded over
shared memories at the Alumni and Family Picnic.
The Black Student
Alliance (BSA) Dinner guests enjoyed a night of food and dancing in the Tower Room.
Before smartphones
there were photo albums, which alumni shared at the BSA Dinner.
What’s better than a
hug from the Purple Knight during the 5K run/walk?
Thomas Hessel ’72
gave tribute during the Purple Heart Proclamation Ceremony to the five from UB who were lost in the Vietnam War.
and Many players
returned for the baseball reunion, which included a friendly game.
The Industrial Design
Alumni Exhibition was the place to share ideas and conversation.
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P H OTOGRAP H S BY STE V E N LAS C H E V E R
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December Commencement Speakers Encourage Graduates to Take the Next Step Arthur E. Landi ’74 delivered the commencement address
A blustery December Saturday was no match for the warmth and good feelings in the Mertens Theater of the Arnold Bernhard Center as students from the colleges of Arts & Sciences; Engineering, Business, and Education; and Health Sciences received their diplomas. University of Bridgeport President Laura Skandera Trombley reminded the audience how rapidly the world has changed in the last decade. “The world and time in which we live is not slowing 32 UB KN IGHTLIN E S FA L L 201 9/WINTER 2020
down—in fact, it is speeding up, but this is exactly what we have prepared you for,” Trombley said. “We have prepared you for your lives and careers after your formal education has reached its end. You have the tools and you have the heart to do great work. Your responsibility now is to take your talent and invest everything you have in the community and the world around you.” The commencement address was delivered by University trustee Arthur E.
Landi ’74, who said that, as a freshman, “I expected nothing more than to experience college, graduate, and get a job.” Landi, chief product strategist at Array/New York, said he came out of his shell at UB by taking a public speaking class and filling in as a newscaster and deejay for radio station WPKN. Landi credited a UB professor with guiding him toward his own career path as an industrial designer and problem
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solver. “Your generation will have the largest population to live close to or over 100 years of age. During that time there will be plenty of problems to solve and plenty more that need a better solution. Take what you know and who you are and be a problem solver and an advocate for change.” In all, 55 students graduated from the College of Arts & Sciences, 61 from the College of Engineering, Business, and Education, and nine from the College of Health Sciences. A second ceremony took place in the afternoon to award diplomas to graduates of UB’s Acupuncture Institute and School of Chiropractic. Nineteen graduates earned degrees in Chiropractic, while three earned degrees in Acupuncture. “You are about to join the ranks of a very proud alumni group of the University of Bridgeport not just as graduates, but also as caretakers,” Trombley said. “You are healers. You will be providing comfort to many people, and you will have an enormous ripple effect through people’s lives.” In his commencement address, Stephen Perle, professor of clinical sciences at the School of Chiropractic, said the fields of chiropractic and acupuncture are increasingly accepted by the larger medical community and encouraged graduates to take advantage of that. “Too often, when opportunity knocks, nobody opens the door. Make sure you open the door.” Opportunity is often seen as luck, he said, likening it to a baseball player hitting a game-winning grand slam. “Luck may have brought him the opportunity, but hitting that grand slam is a skill,” he said. “We know, because we taught you, that you have the skills to hit the grand slam.” After receiving their diplomas, the graduates swore their respective medical oaths before the assembled audience. TG
Six Awarded Doctoral Degrees In December Hooding Ceremony
Six graduates of the College of Engineering, Business, and Education were hooded during its first Hooding Ceremony on December 13, 2019. Reem Alattas, who was awarded a PhD in Engineering, was joined by Sandra Ramsay, Casey Cummings, Mary Elizabeth Clune, Yanetsy Diaz, and Leticia Orozco, all of whom were awarded an EdD in Educational Leadership. They are flanked by Dean Tarek Sobh (left), and Associate Dean Khaled Elleithy and School of Education Director Allen Cook (right). Behind them are (L-R) Aresta Johnson, Director of K-12 Strategic Initiatives; President Laura Trombley; Professor Nancy DeJarnette; Linda Paslov, Director of the Hybrid EdD program; and Professor Patricia Buxton.
Six University of Bridgeport students received doctoral degrees in a Hooding Ceremony on Friday Dec. 13 at the Arnold Bernhard Arts and Humanities Center. The six, all women, represented the School of Education as well as the School of Engineering. Earning their doctoral degrees in Educational Leadership were Mary Elizabeth Clune, Casey Cummings, Yanetzy Diaz, Leticia Orozco and Sandra Ramsay. Earning her doctoral degree in Computer Science and Engineering was Reem J. Alattas. Three of the graduates—Clune, Orozco and Ramsay—were also recognized as being part of the inaugural cohort of UB’s accelerated online program in Educational Leadership, which launched during the 2015-16 school year. The program allows students to earn a doctoral degree with a specialization in International Education in as little as three years. Noting that the honorees were all women Tarek Sobh, PhD, PE, executive vice president for Research and Economic Development, and dean of the College of Engineering, Business, and Education, quoted Brigham Young, who said, “You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman and you educate a generation.” Sobh said, “Let us not forget. You will change the world. You will make dreams into reality as engineers and as educators. Let’s start building an amazing future.” TG U B K NI GH T L I NE S FA LL 2 01 9/ W I N T E R 2 02 0
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Schelfhaudt Gallery The Bridgeport Portrait Project January 21-March 28 The Bridgeport Portrait Project is a cultural heritage documentary-style project that is a little bit current events and a little bit history. Jay Misencik and Geralene Valentine have photographed more than 150 people, all with a connection to Bridgeport. In addition to the photo portrait, each person has a chance to tell their story via audio recording.
The Artists Collective April 5-25 | Opening April 16, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The Artists Collective of Westport is a vibrant group of 150 creative individuals who have joined forces to discuss, create, and develop dynamic experiences for the Fairfield County community. The Schelfhaudt Gallery will celebrate the work of The Collective and bring together various creative practices for this large group show. This exhibition will showcase a variety of art, exploring the use of color, composition, and texture.
SASD Senior Show April 30-August 25 | Opening April 30, 4 to 7 p.m. The graduating class of the Shintaro Akatsu School of Design at the University of Bridgeport invites you to the 2020 Senior Design Show. Join us to see the thesis work of the students in the BFA programs in Graphic Design and Industrial Design.
A large, modern exhibit space in the Arnold Bernhard Center on the UB main campus, the Schelfhaudt Gallery is free and open to the public during these hours: Tuesday–Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Music and Performing Arts The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet, by Peter Bloedel Presented by Music & Performing Arts Department & UB Dramatic Society and by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. (www.playscripts.com) Thursday, March 26, 6:00 p.m. Friday, March 27, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 28, 2:00 p.m. Mertens Theatre, Arnold Bernhard Arts and Humanities Center Admission: $2 students; $5 public
Spring Concert All ensembles
Stream or Spin?
ARTS AT UB
I F T H E A N SW E R comes to mind immediately, you are likely an ambassador from the age when music was spun. Turntables, cassette decks, 8-tracks—all involved mechanical processes of spinning analog sources to reproduce recorded music. The revolution crept in when music was translated into digital format then back again to analog sound as it was spun on compact discs. Spinning has morphed into streaming. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), 88% of revenue for the music industry in 2018 was based on digital sources, and 75% of that digital revenue was streamed. Streaming allows us to play specific songs and playlists, and to generate stylistic parameters so that we can hear music we like almost anywhere, at any time, no matter what we are (supposed to be) doing. The RIAA indicates that Americans listen to four or more hours of music every day. Presumably those are the four hours that we are not streaming video on our phones. “High fidelity” was a phrase used to market stereos and recordings throughout the age of spinning. We wanted music to sound during playback as if it were being performed live. Portable was sometimes possible (Walkman circa 1979) but the highest fidelity was relatively fixed, played on machines too heavy to move except for the best parties. In order to streamline our streams, sound is compressed so that file sizes are small and efficient. We no longer hear much about “fidelity.” We stream music like thoughts in our own heads unheard by anyone else. Current UB students are intrigued by old-school ways. They love turntables, LPs, and cassettes, and some of them have told me that their parents used to play CDs. Where do you stand? Have you embraced current trends? Do you stream? Where? When? Or, has the advent of streaming made you recommit to, revalue, older technologies? Are both a significant part of your listening? We will print a collection of the most creative and unexpected responses. In short, do you stream or spin? Please respond by emailing knightlines@bridgeport.edu
Wednesday, April 29, 6:30 p.m. Mertens Theatre, Arnold Bernhard Arts and Humanities Center Admission: $2 students; $5 public
Jeffrey Johnson, DMA, is Associate Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. He has been on the faculty at the University of Bridgeport for 21 years and has published with Greenwood Press and Dover Publications. He has written for the Boston Globe, The Hartford Courant, The Stamford Advocate, The Greenwich Times, and the Connecticut Post. U B K NI GH T L I NE S FA LL 2 01 9/ W I N T E R 2 02 0
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Governor Ned Lamont Visits Campus On October 7, 2019, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont made his first visit to the University, participating in a panel discussion with Elena Cahill, director of the Ernest C. Trefz School of Business, Diter Bitri ’20, Lizanne Cruz ’21, Richard Greo ’20, and
Kay-Anna Pusey ’20. Students questioned the governor about topics such as his higher education policy agenda, gun violence prevention plan for the city of Bridgeport, and efforts to retain college graduates in Connecticut. LB
University Welcomes Donut Crazy to the First Floor of Wahlstrom Library
“Donut Crazy is excited to be a part of the UB family!” —J A S O N W O J N A R O W S K I , F R A N C H I S E O W N E R
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Brand New World Amidst Innovation and Technology,” drew parallels from his career choices and happenstance, as well as how his own apprehensions in life led to some of his greatest achievements. “Life can’t be scripted. Challenges can be the best opportunities,” Sobh offered. “Getting out of your comfort zone extends to education. To do something useful and exciting for humanity, you have to transcend the boundaries of various disciplines.” At the University of Bridgeport, he saw an opportunity to do something truly exceptional, innovating technologies The University of Bridgeport hosted its first-ever TEDx event by combining programs like engineering and music, and on November 12. The event focused on the historical heritage mechanical engineering and computer science. Sobh concluded, of the city of Bridgeport and how it serves as a model for other “Education should be dynamic, experiential, and conducive to communities as humanity confronts a changeful future. The making students lifelong learners. It’s training students for the panel speakers included Craig Lennon, UB dean of students; jobs that don’t yet exist.” Natalie Pryce, founder, Pryceless Consulting; Tarek Sobh, In Nithin Eapen’s talk, “How Can Small Cities Attract People UB executive vice president and Keep Growing?,” he examined the & founding dean, College of growth and decline of cities and how Engineering, Business, and these cities experienced tremendous Education; and Nithin Eapen, growth with opportunities created founder, Belpointe Crypto Index. from innovation and jobs. Tracking an Lennon opened the talks with ‘S’ curve of growth and decline, Eapen “History, Hope, and Humanity: compared the cycle of the growth of Lessons in Building Community,” cities to that of industries. According explaining the importance to Eapen, Apple has sustained its of connecting with people. long-term growth because it was able “Connections should be easier” in this to re-emerge with new technologies, digital age, “but the tech world often while companies like Kodak perished Nithin Eapen delivers “How Can Small Cities Attract leaves us more unconnected as we because they failed to innovate with the People and Keep Growing?” connect with devices and not people.” emergence of digital photography. Emphasizing the South African Eapen made a similar analogy with philosophy of Ubuntu, he stressed the Bridgeport. “The growth peaked after importance of humanity towards others. Lennon noted, “We WWII and the maturity period has been going on for too long,” owe our successes to the families and communities we come he stated. “For cities like Bridgeport to ride the next ‘S’ curve, from. We are bound to them in ways that we can’t always see. If they need to attract capital from small and big businesses, as everyone were treated like family there would be one UB, one well as people. The University can help attract people with Bridgeport, one family.” curriculums that are ahead of the curve and lead to good jobs.” In Natalie Pryce’s talk, “Bridgeport’s Role in the Future The TEDx program was created by TED in the spirit of of Work,” she related her own experience with long-term ideas worth spreading. TEDx is a program of local, selfunemployment and how it led to a career working with job organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like seekers. “Longevity in the workforce is no longer that long, so experience. At the University’s TEDxUBridgeport event, TED we need to start developing new skills and continuously work Talks video and live speakers combined to spark deep discussion to develop them,” she emphasized. “Bridgeport has always been and connection in a small group. The TED Conference provides a city of innovation and a place for immigrants, but we need to general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx reimagine work, education, and how we educate.” Pryce further events, including ours, are self-organized. explained the roles universities have in the communities they TEDxUBridgeport event organizers included UB serve. “They need to tap into the knowledge of informal as students Diter Bitri, president of UB Student Government well as formal training, and be prepared to meet the needs of a Association (SGA), Milton de Castro Mondlane, Amanda global economy.” Nettle, Kayleigh Zaczkiewicz, Matheus Moreira Lima, and Sobh’s talk, “A Journey to the Center of Bridgeport: A Neeta Devilal Parashar. LB
Bridgeport: History and Destiny—UBridgeport hosts First TEDx
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Facing the Challenges: How Principals Can Survive and Thrive in Today’s Schools John T. Fitzsimons ’63, PhD (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2019) John T. Fitzsimons ’63, PhD writes a book to support public school principals as they navigate the challenges of fostering an environment where students can learn and thrive. Based on decades of experience and informed by studies in social sciences, he offers this book as a field manual for today’s leaders in education.
Recently published? We want to know! E M A I L K N I G H T L I N E S @ B R I D G E P O R T. E D U
Faith Changes the Outcome: From Failure to Success LaKeisha J. Cole, PhD (Xlibris US, 2019) LaKeisha J. Cole, PhD encourages readers to maintain a positive attitude during the inevitable ups and downs that life brings us, and to maintain a firm belief that dreams can become realities. Positivity is the key, she writes, and it will change everything, from the big picture to everyday decisions. Cole earned her MS in human nutrition from UB.
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New England at 400: From Plymouth Rock to the Present Day Eric D. Lehman (Globe Pequot Press, 2019) Eric D. Lehman, associate professor of English and director of creative writing, commemorates the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ arrival at Plymouth Rock. He does so by telling stories about how generations of immigrants and natives have transformed this land, on the one hand, and continued its traditions on the other.
Mouthbrooders Amy Nawrocki (Homebound Publications, 2019) Amy Nawrocki, associate professor and chair of the English Department, offers her sixth book of poetry in Mouthbrooders. Her poems, some of which draw from her battle with a nearfatal illness, are marked by contained depths of reflection on subjects ranging from gardening to DMV visits.
B OOKP L AT E BY AN G E LI N E J O H N STO N
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University of Bridgeport students volunteer at the Lifebridge Community Closet, assembling packages of food and household items for families in need.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Honored by UB The University of Bridgeport honored the memory of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. with a series of events to foster community engagement during the week of January 20. Dr. King holds a special place in UB history, noted President Laura Skandera Trombley, having been the recipient of the first honorary degree awarded by the University in 1961. Dr. King visited the city of Bridgeport five times between 1961 and 1966 to deliver speeches on civil rights and racial injustice. “The legacy of the great Dr. King continues as the most commemorative
moment to take place on our campus,” Trombley said. “This year, we expanded our celebration from a single day to a week of events and activities.” On Tuesday, January 21, community members and local high school students heard author and UB lecturer Stephen Balkaran present “Chasing the Dream: The Story of Dr. Martin L. King and the Civil Rights Movement: Reflections in the 21st Century.” Other events during the week reflected the tradition of the “MLK Day of Service,” intended to strengthen communities and create solutions to
social problems. For example, on Friday, January 24, the University volunteered at the nearby Lifebridge Community Closet, a space where families can get clothing and other household items. Also on Friday, UB hosted a downtown Bridgeport community clean-up. On Saturday, the University participated in training workers for the 2020 Census Canvassing operation at B:Hive, a local coworking office space. A second community clean-up took place later on Saturday, this time in UB’s Seaside/South End neighborhood. TG U B K NI GH T L I NE S FA LL 2 01 9/ W I N T E R 2 02 0
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UB Nursing and Beyond Sally (Landis) Laufer ’76 knew early on that she wanted to become a nurse. The University of Bridgeport was a very fitting choice; it was, after all, the first university to open a nursing program in the state of Connecticut. She was also able to stay pretty close to home, as she grew up just across the Long Island Sound in Valley Stream, New York. From the day she arrived at UB to the day of her graduation, Laufer remained resolutely focused on her goals. She remembers best what she did most: studying and preparing for her career. “As a nursing student I really had to work hard,” she recalled. “Between clinical hours, lectures, other classwork, and a job in the dining hall, my plate was more than full.” Not that she didn’t find the chance to appreciate other campus highlights. Beyond the books, she was an avid sports fan, as she still is to this day. “I really enjoyed going to the football and basketball games, attending as many as I could,” Laufer said. There was also quite a music scene on campus, including major acts that came through during her UB years. “We had some great concerts,” Laufer recalls. “I remember going to see Loggins & Messina,” who performed at the Arnold Bernhard Center in 1975. She also frequented the Carriage House, then a social event venue located on the grounds now known as Cortright Hall, where more local musicians, such as the Rick McDonald Group, would perform on weekends. One especially memorable UB course for Laufer was a two-week session that took place in Puerto Rico. It was a graduatelevel marine biology class with nine fellow students, taught by Robert Singletary, a 40 UB KN IGHTLIN E S FA L L 201 9/WINTER 2020
professor of biology (today a UB professor emeritus). Exploration was fundamental to the course. “We were able to travel around the entire island of Puerto Rico,” Laufer recalls, “including the tropical forest and the phosphorescent bay. That was a really fun experience.” After graduating from UB, she began work as an RN at Mount Sinai Hospital in Hartford. There she met her husband, Erel, who was in the area for his medical residency. They soon moved together to New York for Erel’s residency in general surgery at the Long Island Jewish Hospital, and then they headed to the University of Florida, where he undertook his residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery. They have remained near Tampa in Palm Harbor ever since. Laufer shifted her focus from nursing to raising three daughters while Erel began his career. But, when she had the opportunity to return to her field by joining her husband’s practice, working right alongside him in his office recovery room, she was glad to do it. Now retired, she looks back on her career with satisfaction. “I really liked working as a nurse,” she said. Laufer has spent extensive time volunteering. She was the president of several organizations, including the Jewish Federation of Pinellas County, the Kent Jewish Community Center, and a local chapter of Hadassah, where she also served as a member of the Hadassah Nurses Council. In 2018 she ran for state representative in Florida against the incumbent State Speaker of the House. Spurred to public action by the Parkland tragedy, she focused her campaign on issues including gun control, the environment, and, of course, healthcare. Appreciative of the past, Laufer is also enthusiastic about UB’s future, including exciting new directions under President Trombley. She looks forward to seeing the positive impact of these new innovations on the lives and work of UB students and alums. MC P H OTOGRAP H COU RT E SY OF SAL LY L AU F E R
UB’s Chiropractic Program The first North American Universitybased chiropractic program and the only U.S. program that is a member of The International Chiropractic Education Collaboration. The only U.S. chiropractic program to have three faculty named American Chiropractic Association’s Academician of the Year. Stephen Perle, D.C., M.S, was the 4th individual and first chiropractic educator to deliver the American Chiropractic Association’s McAndrews Leadership Lecture, 2018. UB’s chapter of the American Chiropractic Association was honored as the Chapter of the Year by the Student Chiropractic Association (SACA), 2019.
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Accolades Abound at UB’s School of Chiropractic Add another feather to the cap of UB’s School of Chiropractic (UBSC), which has recently been honored as the chapter of the year by the Student American Chiropractic Association (SACA). The School’s students previously received two awards from SACA as the most improved chapter of the year. They’ve been on a steady trajectory from great to greater. This was not the only recent success for UBSC students: three of this year’s four SACA Standard Process Scholarship Awards—a recognition for outstanding essays that were submitted as part of a competition—went to UB students Alex Eckert, Celeste Holder (who is also the National Vice Chair of SACA), and Alexis Radulic. Richard Saporito, associate professor of clinical sciences, who joined the students on their recent trip to Washington, D.C., where they won their individual and chapter SACA awards, spoke about how these successes represent the outlook of the program’s faculty and administration. “While our primary mission is to develop outstanding, evidence-based, patientcentered, compassionate physicians, it is also essential that we help create strong leaders for the future of our profession. Our students not only rise to the challenge but embrace that role.” Radulic, a first-year student, is especially appreciative of the opportunity to learn from UB faculty. “We have these great professors who are extremely passionate and deeply knowledgeable. It is a major benefit of studying here at Bridgeport.” UBSC faculty members are hardly strangers to major recognition themselves. The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has named three of them as Academicians of the Year: Anthony Lisi (adjunct associate professor of clinical sciences) in P HOTO GR A P H CO U RTESY OF RICHARD SAPORITO
2015, James Lehman (associate professor of clinical sciences and director of community health clinical education) in 2010, and Stephen Perle (professor of clinical sciences) in 2004. In 2017 Lisi was also named ACA Chiropractor of the Year, and in 2018 Perle delivered the ACA’s prestigious McAndrews Leadership Lecture. These honors are only the tip of the iceberg: UBSC faculty is full of field-defining practitioners and administrators. For example, Perle was the first chiropractor in the U.S. to serve as medical director for a major Olympic sport’s national championship—that of track and field. He also shapes chiropractic scholarship as an associate editor of the journal Chiropractic & Manual Therapies. Lisi is another important figure in the field. As chiropractic program director for the Veterans Health Administration, and Chiropractic Section Chief in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, he has been instrumental in introducing the practice of chiropractic into VA hospitals across the country. Lehman, too, has been at the vanguard by integrating chiropractic care into 21 Federally Qualified Health Centers in Connecticut and New Jersey. His work has become a nationwide model, as well as an exciting opportunity for UBSC students. He explained, “Students can go on to a three-year full-time residency in neuromusculoskeletal medicine that leads to board certification within a federally qualified healthcare system—there is no other residency like it in the world.” From faculty with wide-reaching influence and cutting-edge insights to award-winning students and an award-winning school chapter, UBSC continues to define and advance the field of chiropractic medicine. MC U B K NI GH T L I NE S FA LL 2 01 9/ W I N T E R 2 02 0
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UB’s classic scoreboard was updated in September 2019 with the addition of the NCAA Women’s Soccer National Champions banner.
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Softball Earns Nation’s Highest 2019 NCAA Division II Team Grade Point Average The 2019 University of Bridgeport softball team, under the direction of head coach Dawn Stearns, has posted the top grade point average in all of NCAA Division II as the Purple Knights turned in an impressive 3.776 team GPA to top second-place Eastern New Mexico University at 3.717. The announcement came on October 2 from the National Fastpitch Coaches
Association (NFCA) as part of the Easton/NFCA All-American Scholar-Athletes and Team Top-10 GPA Program. A total of 17 members from last year’s East Coast Conference Championship and NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament UB team earned individual All-America ScholarAthlete honors by posting grade point averages of 3.5 or better. —CHUCK SADOWSKI
Basketball Team Setting Records
As of February 20, the UB men’s basketball team ranks eleventh in the nation and first in the NCAA Division II East Region. The team has its best start in school history, and with its seventeenth straight win on February 19, the Purple Knights have set a new school for consecutive victories.
SO F TB A LL TE A M PHOTOGRAPH BY KAZUHIRO SHOJI ’ 9 8 , ’ 02
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Maegen Doyle Named National CoSIDA Academic All-American for the Second Consecutive Season
For the second year in a row, University of Bridgeport women’s soccer standout Maegen Doyle has been honored for her outstanding play on the pitch and her fine work in the classroom with her selection as a national CoSIDA Academic All-American, as this season she earned a spot on the 2019 National NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer Academic AllAmerica Second Team selected by CoSIDA (The College Sports Information Directors Association of America). A two-time First Team All-East Coast Conference selection and the ECC’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2018 and 2019, Doyle, a senior from Harwich, England, wrapped up her undergraduate studies with a 3.77 grade point average as a Marketing/Analytics and Systems major. In 2018, Maegen was named the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer National Player of the Year, as she helped Bridgeport to the NCAA National Title. Last season, she was also a member of the First Team National CoSIDA NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer Academic AllAmerica squad.
To be nominated as a CoSIDA Academic All-America, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at his/her current institution. Doyle’s selection marks the 14th all-time national Academic All-America team member selected from the University of Bridgeport, joining softball’s Cathleen Meade (Second Team in 1993), women’s soccer’s Julia Hansson (Second Team in 2012 and First Team in 2013), women’s soccer Tabea Rauschenberg (Second Team in 2014), men’s swimming Ruben Jimenez (First Team and National Division II Men’s At-Large Academic AllAmerican of the Year in 2014 and 2015), men’s swimming Oscar Pereira (Second Team in 2014), women’s volleyball Ying Shen (Third Team in 2014), women’s soccer Nicola Worthington (Second Team in 2016), women’s gymnastics Christine Liautaud (Third Team in 2016), women’s swimming Annagrazia Bonsanti (Second Team Women’s At-Large in 2018), plus Doyle and teammate Jennifer Wendelius, who earned First and Second Team honors for women’s soccer last season. —CHUCK SADOWSKI
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H E ADS H OT BY KAZ U H I R O S H OJ I ’ 9 8 , ’ 02
S ID E LIN E S /
Fall Sports Wrapup BY CHUCK SADOWSKI
IT WAS AN OUTSTANDING Fall Sports season for the University of Bridgeport Purple Knights in 2019, as the UB women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer teams combined for an impressive 46-17-5 record. Highlighting the successes of the Bridgeport Fall Sports programs this year was the volleyball team’s impressive run to the 2019 NCAA Division II East Regional, under the direction of Head Coach Gary Mullin, as the Purple Knights wrapped up the season with a 26-8 overall record after going 14-13 overall in 2018.
VOLLEYBALL After taking second place in the East Coast Conference regular season, UB, making its seventeenth consecutive conference tournament appearance, advanced to the ECC Championship Final with a win over Daemen College before falling to top-seed and ECC Tournament host Molloy College in the finals in four sets. With their excellent body of work during the 2019 season, the Purple Knights received an at-large bid to the 2019 NCAA Division II East Regional, marking the first time since 2015 that Bridgeport would participate in the National Championship Tournament. UB earned the number-three seed in the 2019 NCAA Division II East Regional hosted by ECC Champion Molloy College in Rockville Centre, N.Y., and the Purple Knights did not disappoint their fans, advancing to the Regional Finals with wins over Georgian Court University in four sets in the quarterfinal and a straight-sets triumph over Holy Family University in the Semifinals before falling in four hard-fought sets to season nemesis Molloy, as four of the Purple Knights’ eight losses in 2019 came against the Lions.
Senior Amanda Hennemann led the Bridgeport offense all season, slamming a total of 356 kills. Hennemann and sophomore Amanda Keller earned First Team All-East Coast Conference honors this season, as well as All-Region honors from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CAA). Keller was also named an All-East Region pick by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). Four more Purple Knights earned All-ECC accolades in 2019, as seniors Emily Burford and Makayla Maroney plus sophomore Breanna Jones made the Second Team All-ECC squad, and junior Klein Johnson was an Honorable Mention All-Conference selection. Bridgeport volleyball also finished the 2019 season as the national leader in service aces per set, as UB baffled the opposition to the tune of 300 aces, which led all of NCAA Division II, working out to an average of 2.48 per set.
MEN’S SOCCER Head Coach Peter Doneit and the University of Bridgeport men’s soccer team turned in an excellent 2019 campaign, advancing to the ECC Championship Final after posting an 11-5-2 overall record and a 5-2-1 East Coast Conference regular season mark. The 11 wins combined with 10 victories in 2018 mark the first time since 2009 and 2010 that the UB men’s soccer program has posted back-to-back double-digit win seasons. Senior Leandro Avila, a First Team All-East Coast Conference selection and an All-Region pick, led the Purple Knights’ offense this season, netting 11 goals with three assists for a total of 25 points. Leading the UB defense this past season was ECC Goalkeeper of the
Year selection sophomore Carlos Tofern, who earned nine wins with eight clean sheets and a minuscule 0.72 goals-against average. Joining Avila and Tofern as First Team All-Conference selections in 2019 were senior defender Marlon Montanella and sophomore midfielder Oscar Facey. UB Head Coach Peter Doneit was also named conference Co-Coach of the Year this fall.
WOMEN’S SOCCER The UB women’s soccer team, coming off their magical run to the 2018 NCAA Division II National title, had another winning season in 2019, as the Purple Knights, under the direction of long-time Head Coach Magnus Nilerud, captured the regular season East Coast Conference crown with a 5-1-2 record and went 9-7-3 overall. The Purple Knights dominated the voting for postseason conference awards, winning four of the five major conference accolades, as senior Maegen Doyle was named East Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, junior Rebekka Skaasheim was selected as ECC Defensive Player of the Year, Helen Klos was named ECC Rookie of the Year, and Magnus Nilerud earned East Coast Conference Coach of the Year honors. Doyle closed out her stellar University of Bridgeport career with 56 goals and 15 assists for a total of 127 points, earned postseason AllAmerica and All-Region honors for the second straight season for her play on the field, and was recognized for her prowess in the classroom with her selection as a national CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) Academic All-American for the second consecutive year.
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class notes
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1957 1962
Arthur Cooney passed away on January 29, 2019. Yvonne Demery responds to President Trombley’s invitation in the last issue of Knightlines to tell her UB story. “Back in the day I attended Weylister College majoring in Secretarial Studies. I graduated in 1962 with an Associate of Arts degree. I also had the opportunity to be the first (and only) Afro American head majorette of the school band. From that meager beginning, I was fortunate to be around when diversity in the entertainment industry was receiving a nudge from the Justice Department and, through time, I was chosen to be the recipient of various production positions.” Now retired, Yvonne resides in North Hollywood and is continuing to perform her passion—singing. 1
1970
Eugene and Roberta (nee Storino) Bauchner ’68, celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary on December 21, 2019. The couple met in third grade and went through school in Bridgeport, graduating Bassick High School together in 1964. Eugene obtained a BS in business economics from UB and Roberta received an associate’s degree from UB Weylister. Eugene worked in global corporate real estate at Perkin Elmer, United Technologies
and WPP Group, a British global advertising conglomerate. Roberta worked for several Fortune 500 company CEOs as an administrative assistant until starting a family. Eugene and Roberta have two sons, Joshua and Jonathan, and four grandchildren. Joshua is a Manhattan litigation attorney and Jonathan is an RN working in cardiac surgery and CCU.
1977
Donna C. Maheady, Ed.D., APRN, CPNP, writes “I graduated in 1977 from the (then) College of Nursing and live in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Over the years, I have practiced and taught nursing in various settings. In 1986 my daughter Lauren was born; she has autism, OCD, and epilepsy. I quickly became an advocate for her and over time expanded my advocacy efforts to include nurses and nursing students with disabilities. In 2001, ExceptionalNurse. com was born: a nonprofit resource network for nurses and nursing students with disabilities. I’ve also published three books and many articles about the experiences of nurses and nursing students with disabilities. My latest is a coloring book: I am a nurse: Color me Exceptional! I want children and adults with and without disabilities to know that, a nursing career is possible for everyone!” 2
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1979
Paulette S. Goll, M.A., President of Global Vocabulary LLC, was awarded Patent 10,373,516: “Method for Facilitating Contextual Vocabulary Acquisition Through Association.” SMART Vocabulary (SAT/ACT) and GRE UPGRADE Vocabulary iPad apps offer audio/visual/ kinesthetic stimuli to learn and retain standardized test vocabulary using this patented method. Janice Daponte, RN, passed away on June 25, 2019. Ms. Daponte worked as a registered nurse on the staff of the Student Health Center. She earned her BS degree while working full time at UB. She went on to earn her MSW when she was 60 years old. She was a strong advocate of education and encouraged all to become as educated as possible. Janice believed that our worth in life is determined by the good we can do for others.
1984
Christine Komenda shares a photo of alumnae celebrating their 35th anniversary with a trip to Washington, D.C. They get together once a year and meet in a different city for a long weekend. They’re still fast friends after all these years. Top Row: Michele (nee Anthony) McCarthy ’84, Laurie Monroe, Diane (nee Steidel) Perez ’84, Eileen (nee Mullarkey) Cashman ’84, Nancy (nee Krausse) Rackham ’84. Bottom
Row: Laurie (nee Manzella) Torromeo ’83, Christine Komenda ’84, Carolynn (nee DeCillo) Baldwin ’84. Missing from photo: Vicky (nee Dickson) Seksinsky ’83 and Ellen D’Amore ’84. 3
1986
Constance R. McDonaldGomes chose Montauk as the destination for her 60th Birthday Bash. McDonaldGomes addes “that a splendid time was had by all (especially me!)!” 4
2011
Xiao “Toby” Han and wife Xue Wang celebrate two months of parenthood to baby Luna. Toby received his MBA from UB. The couple reside in San Ramon, CA. 5
2016
Dominick Pereira and his wife Katharine welcomed Francesca Michele Pereira on April 15, 2019 in Cary, NC, weighing in at 8 lbs 11 ounces and 21 inches long. The couple cannot wait to bring Francesca to UB so she can see why it holds such a special place in their hearts and meet their UB family. 6
2019
Chiara Askew-Oliver is currently pursuing an MBA with a concentration in analytics. She works for Stamford Health and has recently been promoted to strategic sourcing analyst. She has great hopes and aspirations and is looking to learn as much as she can to be a future executive director.
CLASS NOTES
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Remember when? Yvonne Demery, 1962 Yvonne was the first African American head majorette of the UB school band.
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IN MEMORIAM Francis Poisson Francis “Fran” Poisson, former director of athletics at the University of Bridgeport, passed away on Saturday, December 14, from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was 89. An alumnus of the University, Poisson became the school’s first full-time athletic trainer and intramural director in 1956. As an undergrad, he founded the “Bumps and Bruises” acrobat trio that performed on the Ed Sullivan Show. He later became the director of athletics, a post he held until his retirement in 1991. Poisson co-founded the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) and served as its commissioner. Known for his “integrity first” approach, Poisson also championed high school athletics and mentored student college athletic trainers. Poisson is survived by his wife Angela “Chickie” Poisson, three sons, and six grandchildren.
Edward V. Geist Edward V. Geist, associate professor of English and director of general studies in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Bridgeport, passed away on Tuesday, December 17. He was 76. Geist joined UB in 1986, having taught at Hofstra University, Rutgers University, and York College. He quickly earned a reputation as a compelling instructor, leading one student to remark, “Prof. Geist’s readings of Chaucer are worth the price of admission alone. He should have been an actor.” Geist was an active member of the University’s faculty governance, serving on the University Senate, the Faculty Council, and the Academic Standards Committee among others. In 2006, he became chair of the Department of English and Humanities, a role that he held until 2012.
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/ NE W AT UB
Introducing New Artificial Intelligence Master’s Degree TODAY, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ALGORITHMS
and techniques are embedded in nearly all aspects of life, including medical diagnostics, data analytics, forensics and security, customer behavior prediction, robotics, factory floor automation, human assistance, self-driving vehicles, drones, and beyond. The University of Bridgeport is pleased to launch the first and only Master of Science program in Artificial Intelligence in the state of Connecticut. Instruction is exclusively face-to-face and includes web-assisted courses. It is a vibrant time in higher education—from global grand challenges to ever new and exciting discoveries to practical applications, the opportunities to make a significant impact by transforming society and improving quality of life have never been greater. The new AI Master of Science degree program prepares its graduates for in-demand commercial or research positions in industry and academia. The program prepares students for jobs titles that do not yet exist. Ten years ago, no one held jobs entitled autonomous car engineer, cybersecurity expert, forensic accountant, social media marketer, data analytics specialist, blockchain developer, or augmented reality designer. These jobs require expertise related to design and analysis within AI frameworks. A wide range of future employers engaging with existing and emerging professions will need employees who are comfortable with AI programming and algorithmic designs. The Artificial Intelligence program requires students to complete a total of 34 credit hours prior to graduation. Students may select one or more areas of specialization, taking at least three courses in their selected area(s). Specializations within the program include robotics and automation, data sciences and data analytics, deep learning and computer vision, and cybersecurity. The program prepares students for exceptional employment opportunities, rewarding distinguished professions, and eminent careers in an ever48 UB KN IGHTLIN E S FA L L 201 9/WINTER 2020
B Y TA R E K S O B H , P HD , P E Executive Vice President for Research and Economic Development Dean, College of Engineering, Business, and Education Distinguished Professor of Engineering and Computer Science
evolving futuristic economy. The instruction within the program is highly interdisciplinary, dynamic, flexible, hands-on, experiential, global, and service-oriented. Students should expect to complete co-ops or internships within companies or industries in the following fields: automation and robotics, software development, insurance, financial services, machine learning, analytics and data sciences, computer vision, healthcare informatics, cybersecurity, the internet of things, cloud computing, digital and accounting forensics, and biometrics. The education and research opportunities within the program focus on acquiring fundamental knowledge in a wide range of Artificial Intelligence areas and an application-oriented approach to real-life implementations that are progressively more interdisciplinary. The program aims at producing eminent AI professionals who are comfortable with a very rapidly changing economy that needs employees and entrepreneurs who are cross-trained and are able to function on projects/teams that transcend traditional academic and professional boundaries. Embracing interdisciplinary approaches utilizing AI to solve real-world challenges is crucial. We educate our students in a way that encourages them to ask “why” and “why not?” The toughest problems to solve often do not fit neatly into a single discipline but lie at the intersection of multiple disciplines, requiring communication and collaboration. An MS degree in Artificial Intelligence provides a great opportunity to learn innovative and creative methods for solving these challenging problems that humanity faces in the technology-oriented 21st century. Graduates of the AI program will possess broad knowledge, receive professional training, and develop skills and leadership abilities that will ensure their success in an evolving global economy. Our students will also contribute to the betterment of the communities in which they live. ■
Philanthropist’s Corner At UB, you don’t need to be a life-long philanthropist to leave your mark. Every dollar helps to change the lives of our current and future Purple Knights. Whether your gift is $10-$20/month, or a $1,000 Founders’ Gift—
YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
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THE ANNUAL FUND
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These gifts allow UB to flourish by funding operational expenses and special programs.
The Heckman Center, a newly renovated space in Wahlstrom Library, helps students connect education to careers, and was made possible by a major gift.
SCHOLARSHIPS Allows students access to the high quality and personalized experience of a UB education.
UNRESTRICTED POSSIBILITIES DONATIONS TO DATE*
THE ANNUAL FUND
Raised $327,923
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Raised $344,000
Goal $ 500,000
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