Fall 2008
A magazine for alumni & friends of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
I can hear it (even) now Sid Martin ‘81 has developed a process to splash-proof electronic equipment
MESSAGE FROM
J e a n F . M a c Co r m ac k
Greetings,
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am writing this letter at a turning point in the life of our country, our Commonwealth and our university. Regardless of one’s political and ideological perspective, the fact that our country made history last month with the election of the first African-American president cannot be contested. The gracious words of our current president about the president-elect showed the world that our nation is an exemplar of the peaceful transition of power, even when that transition represents a seismic shift in policy direction. The election was notable not just for who was elected, but for who elected him. There was a record-breaking turnout, especially among young people. On our campus, 1,500 students registered to vote here in Dartmouth and then swelled the turnout at the neighborhood precinct by four times the usual turnout. Equal parts hope and fear brought people to the polls that day—hope for a prosperous and peaceful tomorrow and fear about today’s severe economic troubles that are affecting jobs and families from Wall Street to Main Street. On the pages of this issue of UMass Dartmouth, you will find more reason for hope. You will read about the amazing Sid Martin ’81 who, in pursuing his passion for keeping sailors safe on the high seas, has invented a process to splashproof electronics, from hearing aids to iPods. Just ask the Today Show’s Matt Lauer. And you will virtually walk through the doors of our new School of Education, Public Policy and Civic Engagement, which is focusing the innovation and public service resources of the university on regional challenges. It is this combination of ingenuity and civic responsibility that was celebrated on election day and is the hallmark of UMass Dartmouth. If we can maintain our confidence and belief that anything is possible; if we share sacrifice; if we choose collaboration as our default response to our most difficult dilemnas; and if we continue to grow; we will not only survive. We will thrive.
“Reverie,” 2008 by Professor Steve Whittlesey
“Untitled,” 2008 by Professor Rebecca Hutchinson
Three wall hangings: “Captivating Ledger,” 2006; “Searching,” 2008; “Ancestry,” 2006 by Professor Marjorie Puryear
Jean F. MacCormack, Chancellor
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n this issue of UMass Dartmouth, you can read about the university’s new School of Education, Public Policy and Civic Engagement, and its potential for improving the area’s quality of life. You’ll also read about the creative capabilities of a group of graduates: one alum has developed a protective shell for devices such as cell phones, and several are forging impressive careers in drawing for comic books. There are also photo features on the special fall events of Family and Friends Weekend, the Blue & Gold Gala, and Homecoming Weekend.
“Threats and Promises,” 2008, by Professor Alan Burton Thompson
We welcome letters from our readers, and encourage your feedback. You can email comments to publicaffairs@ umassd.edu or mail them to Public Affairs-Rm 306A, Foster Administration, 285 Old Westport Road, North Dartmouth ma 02747-2300. Managing Editor
John T. Hoey ’00 (Boston) Assistant to the Chancellor/Public Affairs
Around the campanile Generous gift launches Charlton College addition
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New Corsair logo unveiled
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Indic Studies Center receives large donation
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University teams with groups on estuary protection
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Feature stories New school will offer much to community
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Graduate helps develop “Golden Shellback”
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Detail Assistant Chancellor of Advancement
Michael Eatough
Alums draw kudos for work in comics
November’s artisanry exhibit in the art gallery on campus featured the work of a number of UMass Dartmouth’s arts professors.
Mary Ellen DeFrias ’94
Alumni news
Designer
Rachel Cocroft
Class notes
Writer/Editor
Diane H. Hartnett Contributing Writers
“Brick Door,”2008 by Professor James Lawton.
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Director of Alumni Relations
Lauren Daly, Mike Gelbwasser ’90, Natalie White Photographers
Jeffrey Bogosian ’09, D. Confar, Kindra Clineff, Kate Thornhill ’10, Jennifer White ’07 Alumni Class Notes
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University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (USPS #0015-139) Volume 12, Number 7, November 2008 University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is published once in March, once in May, twice in June, once in July, once in August, and twice in November by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 285 Old Westport Road, North Dartmouth, ma 02747-2300 Periodicals postage paid at New Bedford, ma 02740 postmaster: Send address corrections to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 285 Old Westport Road, North Dartmouth, ma 02747-2300
Cover: Sid Martin ‘81 & the Northeast Maritime Institute have developed an innovative splash-proof protection for devices such as your cellphone. See story on page 15.
Nancy J. Tooley ’99
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A generous gift kicks off the campaign for the Charlton College of Business addition
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he UMass Dartmouth Charlton College of Business announced the receipt of a $3 million gift from the Charlton Family Trust at the university’s annual Blue and Gold Gala on October 4. The gift will help finance an $11.4 million Charlton College addition, which will include an auditorium, technology-enhanced classrooms, and a stock trading floor where students can learn investment skills and strategies. This is the second $3 million gift to the college by the Charlton Family Trust. Ten years ago, the trust provided funds to build the new Charlton College building behind the Claire T. Carney Library. The new structure will be an addition to the main building. Under the terms of the gift, $1.5 million will be used to match other gifts, creating an incentive for Charlton College alumni, friends, and corporate partners to participate in the fund-raising campaign. The Blue and Gold Gala itself was expected to raise at least $75,000. “It has always been my contention that state-operated universities need to go after the large monetary gifts that are
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given so often to wealthy private colleges and universities,” said E.P. “Chuck’’ Charlton II, who has been a frequent visitor to the Charlton College and has supported several initiatives at the school, including a business plan contest based on the lessons of the Charlton family business. “I am excited about reaching the goal and being a part of providing southeastern Massachusetts with one of the finest business schools in New England and the nation. It is truly a vision of the future.” Chuck Charlton is the grandson of Earle P. Charlton, for whom the college is named. Mr. Charlton was the successful entrepreneur who founded the E.P. Charlton & Co. 5 & 10 Cent store, starting with one outlet in Fall River, Massachusetts, in 1890 and developing it into a major chain of 53 stores throughout the U.S. and Canada. His endeavor was an integral part of what would become the worldwide Woolworth’s enterprise. “As I have come to know Chuck Charlton and his family, I have learned that they care most about the students, encouraging their curiosity, sharing wisdom with them, challenging them to be better than they ever dreamed
New s of N ote they could be,’’ said UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Jean F. MacCormack. “The Charlton Family has issued us a very clear and tangible challenge. If we are going to make the dream come true for our students, we need to treat this wonderful gift by Mr. Charlton and the Charlton Family Trust as the beginning, a catalyst to achieve something bigger.’’ Noting that the Charlton Family Trust’s first College of Business gift was, at the time, the largest private gift ever made to the five-campus UMass system, UMass President Jack Wilson said Chuck Charlton’s philanthropy “is not only significant in its own right, but it has proved highly influential, inspiring other donors to give— and to give generously — to public higher education in Massachusetts in ways that had not occurred before.” Charlton College Dean Eileen Peacock said, “The faculty and staff of Charlton are very grateful to the Charlton Trust and to Mr. Charlton and his daughter Stacey for the generous gift which allows us to further our development of the business school. The planned ‘Learning Pavilion’ will provide opportunities to enhance our teaching by allowing us to create community spaces for the students so they can work and learn together in high tech, modern, and comfortable surroundings.” The proposed 22,000 square foot, three-story addition will provide new spaces for technology labs, discussion groups, and “smart” classrooms, all to enhance and broaden education. Among the highlights: > a financial trading room featuring data feed from the markets and state-of-the-art portfolio manage- ment software; > flexible learning spaces to accom- modate various uses, evidence of our philosophy that meaningful education occurs inside and outside traditional classrooms; > five “smart” classrooms, with sophisticated technology in varied forms; > a 160-seat auditorium with advan- ced audio and visual equipment; > dedicated areas for group study, for graduate students’ team projects.
The first football game under the new lights on Cressy Field was played against Worcester Poly Tech in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd.
Corsairs open the season “under the lights” Opening its football season with an evening game at home for the first time in its history, the UMass Dartmouth football team also played what is believed to be its longest game. The “under the lights” tilt against Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Sept. 6 went into five overtime periods before the Engineers beat the Corsairs, 34-28, before a large, cheering crowd at Cressy Field. “It was very exciting to see the great student and community support for our first night football game and also at many of our other athletic events,” said Athletics Director Ian Day. “When fans get together behind a team, very often you see an improved performance in the uniform and that’s what I believe is occurring now. This support has not gone unnoticed by our student-athletes and coaches. It has been greatly appreciated.” The “under the lights” games make
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for spirited contests, said Head Football Coach Mark Robichaud, and “increase the number of spectators. Our players are very excited to play at night.” The Corsairs, who trailed at halftime, 20-6, rallied to score twice in the fourth quarter and send the game into overtime. “We gave it everything we had, we had several chances to win, and we did everything but win,” said Robichaud. The Corsairs’ formidable schedule this fall has included a second evening game at home. UMass Dartmouth triumphed in that contest, beating Fitchburg State, 45-17. Starting the season, Robichaud expected both tough match-ups and improvements in the Corsairs’ record. “With eight seniors on each side of the ball, we’re definitely looking to improve from a year ago.” At season’s end, the team record stood at 6-4.
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1966 when Southeastern Massachusetts Technological Institute President Joseph Driscoll announced the selection of a Corsair as SMTI’s athletics logo. A Corsair is defined as a pirate, especially those formerly of the Barbary Coast, or a fast ship used for piracy. The designers developed more than 30 renderings before arriving on the new, definitive version. Preliminary versions were reviewed by focus groups, especially 18- to 23-year-old demographic groups, for their appeal to college-aged students. Their input led to slight alterations of the design. Several Student-Athlete Advisory Committee members gave thumbs-up to the new Corsair. “Overall, the logo looks competitive and confrontational, which is good for any sports team,” said Morgan Bozarth, a recently graduated equestrian.
The Corsair’s new look More than 40 years after a Corsair pirate became the Athletics Department logo, a new version has been unveiled. Out of the Box Creative, a New Bedford agency, collaborated with UMass Dartmouth officials on the new logo, which made its official debut this fall. It features an original design of a pirate with a long beard draped over the initials “UMD,” and continued use of blue and gold as the university’s colors. According to the designers, the new logo was designed to represent “a worthy adversary and a wall of strength that cannot be scaled...a force to be reckoned with.’’ “It is important for an athletics department to have a recognizable brand and I think that’s exactly what our new logo does for us,” said Athletics Director Ian Day, who spearheaded the new logo’s development. “I am thrilled with the outcome and the fact that we had so much support from several campus departments at the design and approval stage. We have some exciting plans for this fall to merchandise, market, and brand the new logo with our campus and the local community.” During the summer, the new logo was painted on the main gymnasium floor of the Tripp Athletic Center, home court for the basketball teams and volleyball squad. Day, noting the sprited crowd at this season’s opening football game,
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The new logo can be seen all over campus as well as on Campus Store apparel.
said, “What was obvious watching our students that night was how they have embraced the new Corsair logo. It’s on tshirts, signs, posters, and even temporary tattoos. You can’t look anywhere at an athletics event and not see the new logo somewhere.” The logo dates back to December
Marine Renewable Energy Center is collaboration with other schools, energy firms UMass Dartmouth has joined with universities and energy development firms in the region to establish the country’s first offshore test site for technologies that capture energy from the ocean’s waves, tides and currents. The Marine Renewable Energy Center, housed at UMass Dartmouth’s Advanced Technology & Manufacturing Center, reflects a collaborative of New England universities seeking to speed develop-
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Senator Jim McGovern (D-Mass) was one of several speakers attending a conference at the Advanced Technology & Manufacturing Center focusing on the collaborative efforts of New England universities and others to hasten development of the ocean energy industry.
ment of the region’s ocean energy industry. The group is working with Edgartown officials on a possible test site in Muskeget Channel, which is between Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. With public universities in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Connecticut sharing knowledge of renewable marine energy technologies, the group “can push the wheel faster in that direction,” said Chancellor Jean F. MacCormack. The collaborative was announced in October at a conference at the ATMC that drew more than 150 energy developers, government officials, environmental advocates, and others interested in the initiative. Center Director John Miller explained that New England, particularly Massachusetts, is in a prime position to spearhead renewable energy technology development. Funding will be a major challenge, he acknowledged. The center has so far received roughly $400,000 from UMass and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s Renewable Energy Trust.
Anthropology professor’s study of Central American population adds new dimension to immigration debate A study into New Bedford’s growing Guatemalan and Salvadoran populations will likely provide insight into the local and national debate about immigration,
says Dr. Lisa Maya Knauer, an assistant professor of anthropology. Knauer’s study, “Central Americans in New Bedford: Politics, Communities and Identities,” combines participant observation, interviews, informal conversations, and library research, to expand understanding of these immigrants’ lives, their movement to the city, and the communities they are developing. With funding from the Russell Sage Foundation of New York and university public service grant programs, Knauer hopes to shed light on the immigration debate by showing how national and international policies have an impact “on the texture of everyday life” on the local level. About the groups being studied, Knauer notes, “Curiously, these communities are simultaneously invisible—living in the shadows—and hyper-visible. You just need to drive along Route 18 in the morning to see Central American workers walking or biking to the fish houses.” Students Sabra Moniz of Fairhaven, a sociology/anthropology major, and Samuel Adams of Dighton, a Spanish major, are assisting Knauer. Her research team also includes members of the immigrant communities who can help with knowledge about culturally sensitive matters and translations, especially from K’iche, the first language of many Guatemalan Mayans. Under the auspices of Organizacion Maya K’iche, a local cultural and advo-
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cacy group, Knauer is offering an English class to broaden the scope of her relationship with the populations she is studying. As part of the study, Knauer plans a two-week trip to Guatemala’s El Quiche area, the home region of most of New Bedford’s Mayan population. She plans to speak to persons who came to New Bedford and have since returned to their homeland, as well as to individuals deported after the March 2007 Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid on the Bianco factory in the city. She is also organizing a spring 2009 conference on Central American immigrants in New England to bring together scholars, community leaders, labor activists, and others. “This project is very much in tune with the university’s mission and the newly revised strategic plan that calls for us to be embedded in the communities and cultures of the region,” says Knauer, who may develop a book manuscript, an edited volume based on conference presentations, or a collection of oral histories. “When I came to UMass Dartmouth five years ago, I took very seriously the university’s commitment to serve the people and communities in our region.”
Olympic sailing gets guidance from UMass Dartmouth If times at this summer’s Olympic continued on page 6
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sailing competition were faster than expected, a UMass Dartmouth oceanographer could provide the explanation. Dr. Changsheng Chen, School for Marine Science and Technology professor, is the author of an ocean computer model that has come into worldwide use in the past decade. “FVCOM” (finitevolume coastal ocean model) is noted for its ability to simulate extremely intricate coastlines and expanses of open ocean in the same application. Chen last year received an email from Gordon Cook, a member of the Canadian Olympic sailing team. Cook had been racing at Qingdao, China, which had been chosen as the site of the 2008 Olympic sailing events, and observed that “the current is playing a significant role in the racing.” Qingdao is located on Jiaozhou Bay, a large estuary that opens into the Yellow Sea through a narrow passage, and the sailing venue is on the ocean side of the passage. The tides forced through the bottleneck create strong currents whose paths are complicated by the local bathymetry. On the Internet, Cook’s family had found a study by Chen in Jiaozhou Bay and wondered if the oceanographer could provide any modeling or bathymetry data from the area. The information would then be shared with the U.S. Olympic sailing team, which often prac-
Representation of Dr. Changsheng Chen’s computer modeling for ocean currents used in the 2008 Olympic Games.
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Madeleine Kunin, former governor of Vermont, poses with students and university staff involved with the get-out-the-vote campaign on campus this fall. Kunin spoke of her political career and women in politics, and signed copies of her new book Pearls, Politics, and Power. The campaign proved successful, as 1,500 students registered to vote in Dartmouth in time to vote in this year’s historic election.
tices with its Canadian counterpart. Not that simple, Chen responded: the family was studying an old model and data that was no longer relevant. Years of coastal construction had changed the tidal elevation. New data would have to be collected, and a revised model applied to the Qingdao site—which would mean time and money. But Chen contacted the relevant Chinese institutions, many of which use his FVCOM model for coastal environmental purposes. Grateful for the benefits that FVCOM has brought to their coastal programs, they offered to absorb the costs of the data gathering and to collaborate with him on creating a forecasting system for Jiaozhou Bay and environs. In response to the Chinese generosity, and as a gesture of community outreach, Chen donated the personnel time from his SMAST lab and posted the results on his website, making them available to anyone interested, Olympian or otherwise. The forecasts are at http:// fvcom.smast.umassd.edu/research_projects/Olympic_games/Forecast/index.
html. Choose a domain (“Olympic,” “Sailing,” or “Large,” which includes all of Jiaozhou Bay), date, and time.
University to play major role with Cape Cod towns, environmental groups on estuary protection project UMass Dartmouth has made a major commitment to a significant project on coastal protection, in a venture involving an array of public, private, and municipal parties. Chancellor Jean F. MacCormack joined legislators, Cape Cod community officials, and representatives from environmental and planning organizations in September in announcing the project, a collaboration with the state’s Dept. of Environmental Protection. The university has joined with the Cape Cod Commission, Three Bays Preservation Inc., the Lloyd Center for the Environment in Dartmouth, and Applied Coastal Research Inc. to match town and Barnstable County funding of time-sensitive reports which
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Announcement of the Three Rs Foundation’s gift to the Center for Indic Studies was made before an appreciative group of center supporters.
Harwich, Orleans, Yarmouth, Dennis and Dartmouth need to continue wastewater planning efforts under the Massachusetts Estuaries Project. The university has also launched a campaign to establish a multi-million dollar endowment to support the work of its scientists who are devoted to protecting and restoring the Commonwealth’s coastal environment. The goal is to ensure continued support of community restoration efforts throughout southeastern Massachusetts. “Using our scientific expertise to serve the people and communities of the Commonwealth is central to our mission as a university, so we are pleased to make this bold commitment to protecting and preserving our most fragile natural resources,’’ Chancellor MacCormack said. “The Massachusetts Estuary Project is an innovative and important project, providing communities with the consistent, science-based information they need to effectively address nitrogen pollution in their bays and estuaries,” added Dept. of Environmental Protection Commissioner Laurie Burt. “UMass Dartmouth’s investment is a clear demonstration of its commitment to these efforts.”
Prof. Brian Howes, the scientific leader of the Massachusetts Estuaries Project, said, “It is essential that the science that underpins watershed planning to protect and restore the estuaries and ponds of Cape Cod move forward without further delay…. The Cape is now at a crossroads as to what the long-term health of its fragile coastal environments will be. Choosing to restore and protect them will ensure their value for future generations.”
Center for Indic Studies receives prestigious $1 million grant to further links with India The Three Rs Foundation’s recent pledge of $1 million will support the Center for Indic Studies’ effort to strengthen the links between the university, region, and state and India’s growing economy and world influence. Announcement of the Foundation’s gift coincided with a celebration of India Independence Day and featured presentations by students from India. The Foundation is the lead sponsor of the Super Accelerated Learning Theory, a school model that emphasizes whole brain education.
UMass Dartmouth will play major role in the region’s estuary protection project.
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“We are excited to be part of this educational initiative that will allow UMass Dartmouth students to learn about India at a time when the information super highway and global economy are creating important East-West connections,’’ said Pandit Ramadheen Ramsamooj, Foundation director. “Among our highest priorities is to develop innovative teaching strategies, rooted in Indian culture.” The Center for Indic Studies was established in 2001 to further knowledge of India and its peoples. In addition to sponsoring numerous programs throughout the year, the center has been instrumental in establishing the Indic Studies minor at the university. India ranks fourth in Massachusetts as a nation of origin of foreign-born residents in 2006, and an estimated 150 students from India are on campus this fall. “An endowment of this size to bridge the ancient civilization of India to the most modern civilization of the United States through education is a most powerful statement to society,’’ said Dr. Bal Ram Singh, center director and biochemistry professor.
Students’ thoughts on “the art of nursing” published in professional journal Good nurses are more than skillful technicians—they’re also artists. Two recent nursing graduates wrote about that concept during their studies at UMass Dartmouth, and their essays were published in the March 2008 issue of the continued on page 8
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Journal of Holistic Nursing. Nancy Tavares Marques and Paige Baker were featured in the publication, the official journal of the American Holistic Nurses Association, along with Prof. Kathryn Gramling, whose research work focuses on “nursing as art.” The two students wrote their pieces as freshmen taking a special collaborative course taught by Gramling and English lecturer Elizabeth Lehr. The class integrated “Introduction to the Profession of Nursing” and “Critical Writing and Reading II,” enabling students to explore and write about issues within their discipline. The assignment that led to publication asked students to respond to articles Gramling wrote after interviewing patients about nursing care; Gramling detailed instances of care that the patients considered particularly meaningful and reassuring. After reading Gramling’s pieces, the students described their reactions to what both their professor and the patients had said regarding nursing’s artful nature. “Somewhere in a nurse’s career, he or she stops using mere skill and knowledge and begins to work from the heart,” Marques wrote. “The nurse is no longer just working in a particular atmosphere. The nurse is creating the atmosphere, modeling and creating feelings of hope and encouragement in the patient.” For Baker, “self-expression means a nurse incorporates his or her authentic personality into the caring process. In order to use the nursing art, nurses must be professional individuals who care for a patient’s mind, body, and spirit.” That the students were published in a peer-reviewed journal is “cause for celebration,” says Gramling. “Their work is a sample of the reflection and thought processes that students of nursing at UMass Dartmouth undertake as they learn what it means to be a nurse. Using my research stories early in nursing education can provide many opportunities for students to ‘see’ into the nursing situation prior to beginning clinical learning.”
things, creation of the sustainability office; policies on product purchases; recycling programs; and establishment of the sustainability minor.
‘76 alum gets CNN nod as hero
Pedals for Progress founder David Schweidenback ‘76
State recognizes university for environmental initiatives UMass Dartmouth’s initiatives to benefit the environment have been recognized with a “Leading by Example” award by the state’s Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and Office of Administration and Finance. State agencies, public higher education institutions, and municipalities are eligible for the awards, presented every fall. The honors go to those candidates whose policies and programs have led to significant environmental benefits. Other award recipients this year are: Massport; the town of Barnstable; the school system in the town of Shirley; the Bureau of State Office Buildings; and Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Susan Jennings, director of the Office of Sustainability, and College of Engineering Dean Robert Peck represented UMass Dartmouth at the October ceremony at the State House. The state recognized the university specifically for, among other
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Pedals for Progress Founder David Schweidenback, a 1976 graduate, was featured as a CNN Hero during the cable network’s “American Morning, Headline News,” and “CNN International” show this past July. Since 1991, under Schweidenback’s leadership, the group has “rescued” more than 115,000 bikes, 1,000 sewing machines, and $11 million in spare parts from landfills, and shipped them to poor people in 32 countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. More than 116,000 families have benefitted, because their bicycles enable them to travel to a job, attend school, or receive medical attention. P4P’s work with overseas partners to maintain the bikes has helped develop local economies in some of the world’s poorest countries. Schweidenback, a Dartmouth native, and the Pedals for Progress organization were featured in the spring, 2005 edition of UMass Dartmouth, available at www. umassd.edu/publicaffairs/magazine/pdfs/ spring05.pdf.
Former business college dean gives collection on Jordan to Middle East Centre Archive at University of Oxford Dr. Richard J. Ward, former dean of the Charlton College of Business, has donated his collection of papers regarding his work in Jordan to the Middle East Centre Archive at St. Antony’s College, University of Oxford. Much of the material comprises Ward’s firsthand accounts of experiences while in Jordan during the early 1960s, including recollections of personal conversations with King Hussein and other Jordanian officials on matters of state and economics. Ward had served as an economist for the U.S. Agency for International Development. He is author of The Palestine State: A Rational Approach, which is also in the Oxford Library. The archive was suggested as an
New s of N ote appropriate place for Ward’s papers by Dr. John King of the BBC, who contacted Ward after reading of his acquaintance with Hussein in the former dean’s memoir, Grampas Are for All Seasons. At the time, King was developing a biography about Hussein. Ultimately, the correspondence between the two men led to Ward’s selection of the archive for his collection and the archive’s enthusiastic reception.
New partnership aims to educate professionals in behavioral disorders field Responding to the growing number of children diagnosed with autism, UMass Dartmouth, the Evergreen Center, and Behavioral Educational Assessment and Consultation are working together to increase the number of professionals in the field. The university will offer a master’s degree in psychology in applied behavior analysis, and a post-graduate behavior analyst certificate, to Evergreen and Beacon staff and others in the field. Graduates will be eligible to become board-certified behavior analysts capable of offering the high quality services needed by children with autism and other behavior disorders. Field work will be a critical component of the program. Federal data found in 2007 that among 8-year-olds, 1 in 150 children had some form of autism. The prevalence rate has risen dramatically — in the 1980s, the diagnosis was made for 1 in 5,000 live births. Schools in Massachusetts have experienced a significant increase in the number of children with autism who require services, as well as an increase in the number of children with a range of challenging behaviors. “Central to our mission as a public university is responding to challenges here in the Commonwealth,” said UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Jean F. MacCormack. “With this agreement, we are joining with Evergreen and Beacon to increase the number of professionals qualified to serve people with autism. The result will be a better quality of life for individuals and families facing difficult challenges.”
The university has teamed with the New Bedford Oceanarium to enhance science education.
Enhanced science education is aim of university alliance with New Bedford Oceanarium UMass Dartmouth and the New Bedford Oceanarium have forged a partnership designed to enhance science education in the region and across the state. The university will invest faculty, student and staff talent from both the School for Marine Science and Technology and the new School of Education, Public Policy and Civic Engagement, as well as significant financial resources, in the Ocean Explorium. The investment aims to excite K-12 students about education, especially science and math, and inspire in them a desire to attend college. “UMass Dartmouth believes that its educational programs, physical and technological assets, and its intellectual capital are rich resources meant to be shared actively with our region and Commonwealth,’’ Chancellor Jean F. MacCormack said. “We believe the Ocean Explorium has the ability to inspire young people to engage in a life of learning and discovery, and that our investment in this cause will pay huge dividends to both society and our university in the years ahead.” Robert Feingold, chairman of the board of the New Bedford Oceanarium, which oversees the Explorium, said, “Our
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partnership with the university assures that the Ocean Explorium will use stateof-the-art technology and superbly trained professionals in an elegant historic venue to help our citizens, near and far, better explore, understand, and care for our oceans.” To bring science into downtown New Bedford (much as it did with the arts via the Star Store campus), UMass Dartmouth has located its National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration “Science on a Sphere®” technology at the Explorium, and has agreed to support related programs, staff, and exhibits. The SOS is a revolutionary new display that uses high-speed computers, multiple projectors, and advanced imaging techniques to create a 3D image of the planet. A large number of scientific data sets —both historic and real-time—can be graphically displayed, clearly demonstrating important environmental issues on a global scale, such as climate change and weather patterns. Time magazine called Science on a Sphere®”…one of the top 10 inventions of 2006.” UMass Dartmouth will also assign a full-time education coordinator from the School of Education, Public Policy and Civic Engagement to work as part of the Oceanarium team on education programs.
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“Much to give, much to learn” The university’s new School of Education, Public Policy and Civic Engagement is committed to strengthening the educational and social fabric of southeastern Massachusetts By Lauren Daley
ere on the SouthCoast we know the facts: A college graduation rate of 23 percent— 12 percent less than the rest of the state —and the dropout rates in the gateway cities of New Bedford and Fall River exceeding 35 percent. But we also know that these two cities and the communities that surround them have fire in their bellies. They refuse to be written off as “mill cities” whose heyday has long since passed. “Fall River and New Bedford have much to give and much to learn from the university, and vice versa. Further, the complex problems we face aren’t going to be solved with old-school tactics and insular thinking. Hence, the need for collaboration,” said Dr. Matt Roy, Fall River native, management professor, and Charlton College associate dean. That is why Roy enthusiastically joined a diverse group of faculty, staff, administrators, and community partners to help shape the university’s new School of Education, Public Policy and Civic Engagement (SEPPCE), which officially opened in September. The new school— joining the university’s colleges of arts and sciences, business, engineering, nursing, and visual and performing art, and school for marine science —began with 400 students, including 230 graduate students. In four years, it aspires to have 1,245 students, including 800 grad students. “At UMass Dartmouth, we are committed to producing and UMass
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retaining citizens who not only are equipped to compete and excel in today’s world, but who also are actively engaged in improving the profile and health of the region where they live,” said Dr. Ismael Ramirez-Soto, acting dean of the school. “We strive to help shape innovative public policy, provide leadership in educational practice, and play a central role in addressing the chronic educational problems plaguing this region.” To achieve this, the university realigned its various education and public policy programs and centers into a new academic unit, linked them to civic engagement, and subscribed them to an agenda of institutional change. “SEPPCE will be more entrepreneurial, creative and responsive,’’ Ramirez-Soto said. “It will actively elicit collaboration across disciplines, among programs and centers, and between state and local organizations. Its research, teaching and service will inform each other. While its primary focus and emphasis will be on developing solutions to the persistent and acute deficits in educational attainment, the school will also be instrumental in creating opportunities for social and economic development in the region.”. Central to SEPPCE’s activity will be creating the capacity and institutional energy to provide all university students with a “service learning” experience by 2012. Roy explained that, while community service aids the community, service learning also adds reflection and a direct connection to classroom learning. “The combination is a powerful way to empower students to become more civically engaged,” he said. “They apply knowledge in the classroom and then reflect upon further applications.” continued on page 13
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Assistant Dean Arlene Mollo and Dean Ismael Ramirez-Soto discuss the new school with students.
Scholarship grant to university will help boost number of teachers in four critical areas The National Science Foundation has awarded $749,596 to UMass Dartmouth in support of the Robert Noyce Scholarship Program, which aids undergraduates majoring in areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. These “STEM” scholarship participants pledge to become teachers in high-need SouthCoast school districts upon graduating. They also receive additional scholarship money as they pursue a master’s degree through the TEACH! programs of the Center for University, School and Community Partnerships (CUSP), which offers a range of teacher licensure and support programs in accelerated form. The Noyce initiative expects to enroll 28 participants. “The Noyce Scholarship program puts UMass Dartmouth in the unique position of being able to offer STEM majors incentives for teaching in schools where they are needed most,” said Karen O’Connor, director of CUSP. “Not only will we be able to offer substantial scholarships to these students, we will also give them explicit instruction in the teaching profession and continue to offer crucial mentoring support after they become teachers. This combination of preparation and on-the-job experiences will ensure the Noyce Scholars’ success as classroom teachers.” Faculty from the university’s new School of Education, Public Policy and Civic Engagement (see accompanying story) will work with local K-12 educators to improve teaching practices and student attainment. Additionally, they will coach the Noyce Scholars and offer
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enrichment seminars as those students begin their teaching careers. Dean Ismael Ramirez-Soto said, “I am excited to welcome the talented STEM majors into the School of Education, Public Policy and Civic Engagement. The new school is in an ideal position to develop and enhance their teaching skills as they work with K-12 students in the SouthCoast.” Professors Stephen J. Hegedus, director of the James J. Kaput Center for Research and Innovation in Mathematics Education; Frank Scarano, medical laboratory science professor; and Tesfay Meressi, College of Engineering associate dean, will serve as co-principal investigators with O’Connor. The program’s partner school districts include Fall River, New Bedford, Wareham, Brockton, and Taunton. Also, Bristol Community College will promote the program to their STEM students who plan to continue their education at UMass Dartmouth. Prospective Noyce Scholars will be recruited in their sophomore year and will provide math and science tutoring in high-needs area schools during their junior year. In their senior year, the scholars will receive a $10,000 scholarship while gaining teaching experience in high-needs schools by interning with middle school and high school math and science teachers. Upon graduation, they will receive an additional $10,000 in support of their master’s in teaching studies. Robert Noyce, known as the “Mayor of Silicon Valley,” was one of the first scientists to work in that stretch of California, long before it earned the Silicon name. He ran two significant companies, Fairchild Semiconductor and Intel. He also invented the integrated chip, one of the major steppingstones in the development of the microprocessors in today’s computers.
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The School of Education, Public Policy and Civic Engagement comprises the following: The Teaching and Learning Department will have major responsibility for the minor in education, the graduate teacher licensure program, and the Master of Arts in Teaching program. This department will coordinate the state certification process for educational programs and work closely with the art education and music education programs in CVPA. The Education Leadership Department will be responsible for the “Learning to Lead” program done in partnership with the Charlton College of Business and Center for University, School, and Community Partnerships, which is developing the next generation of school leaders. This department will also build inservice, school-based offerings in leadership, and be responsible for a future masters/doctoral program now in development. The Center for University, School and Community Partnerships (CUSP) connects UMass Dartmouth to K-12 schools by providing professional learning experiences for beginning and experienced K-12
teachers in order to strengthen their content knowledge, broaden their teaching practices and curricula, and help them acquire leadership skills necessary to improve schools and student achievement. Key areas of focus for this department include new teacher mentoring, accelerated math and science teacher licensure, school principal licensure, inter-district professional development programs for teachers, school improvement plans, and alignment of curriculum and standards. The Policy Studies Department will continue to offer the Master of Public Policy and the undergraduate policy studies minor, along with the joint program with the Southern New England School of Law. It is also developing an online version of its master’s program scheduled to start in the fall of 2009. The department will also develop a concentration in educational policy to be delivered jointly with the Education Leadership Department. The Center for Policy Analysis is an interdisciplinary research unit that promotes economic,
continued from page 10 Current service learning projects include political science students tutoring New Bedford youngsters in reading, management information students serving as mentors to New Bedford and Fall River children, nursing and sustainability students working on health and environmental initiatives, and Dr. Roy’s own business students teaching leadership skills to urban middle schoolers. Research shows that service learning improves student retention of coursespecific knowledge, and creates a greater
initial or professional license as teachers of math, biology, chemistry, physics, or general science. STEM will also propose a doctoral program in math education research based on the successful work of the late Professor James Kaput and his colleagues. social, and political development. The center provides research and technical assistance to client organizations, including school systems, municipalities, and state agencies. The center offers customdesigned research and technical analysis in the areas of economic development, public management, program evaluation, and public opinion research for government agencies, non-profit organizations, private businesses, and educational institutions. The center also trains students in the techniques of applied social science and focuses on economic development, especially in the gateway cities of Massachusetts. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) will assume responsibility for serving K-12 educators seeking an
sense of social responsibility and citizenship skills. Faculty also find service learning a rewarding pedagogical tool as they connect with community. “At the core of this new school is collaboration,” said Karen O’Connor, director of the university’s Center for University, School and Community Partnerships. “By working together with school districts, we’re better positioned to enhance educational opportunity and academic achievement.” SEPPCE’s initial plans include creation of doctoral programs in Mathematics
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The Center for Civic Engagement will support the goal of requiring that every UMass Dartmouth graduate by 2012 has taken meaningful service-learning courses. Modeled after the successful center at Tufts University, its mission is to enhance students’ learning through the application of concepts, content, and skills drawn from their academic disciplines while also meeting a need in the community. The new school, with support from this center, will develop a new undergraduate minor in leadership/civic engagement with courses and community-based programs focused on community service. For more information, visit www.umassd.edu/engage
Education and in Educational Leadership and Policy, expansion online of its Master of Public Policy, and a revamp of its master in education programs. “It’s a work in progress but the issues won’t wait for us,’’ Ramirez-Soto said. “The school will need to remain nimble and move fast if it is to be driven by the needs around us. It will have to continue evolving while engaged and embedded in the region.” Lauren Daly is a SouthCoast freelance writer.
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Why is Sid Martin drowning his electronic toys? By Natalie White
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hat a difference a day makes. Well, the Today Show really. When Sid Martin ’81 and Northeast Maritime Institute’s new splash-proof invention landed a guest spot on NBC’s popular morning show this summer, Martin knew they’d crossed some sort of modern-day entrepreneurial tipping point. Martin, director of technology for the Fairhaven company, dunked an NBC Blackberry, an iPod, and a VHS two-way radio into a fish tank and pulled them out a few minutes later — still working. Within a few days, the snippet climbed into yahoo.com’s top videos and became a favorite clip on youtube.com. The telephones hummed with interest, ideas, and investors. Martin and the “Golden Shellback” had become a sought-after phenomenon.
“It was amazing. We got 70,000 hits and our servers crashed,” said Martin, who received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, and his master’s in the same field in 1982, also from UMass Dartmouth. Working on ways to help overboard mariners stay in touch with their shipmates, Martin and the Institute developed the splash-proof coating technology last year. For months before the Today Show spot, Martin banged on doors of companies trying to convince people he could dunk cell phones and electronics into watery depths--without harming the devices. Mostly, polite smiles, suspicion, and skepticism chased him on his way out. Few people believed his invention could truly protect the high-tech devices in any commercially feasible way. He was out plugging Golden Shellback on the West Coast with Institute founder Eric Dawicki when the two got a break. Revision3.com, an Internet television site, did a technology tip piece on the product, saying, “We’re usually pretty jaded when people tell us that we ‘won’t believe’ what we’re seeing in a video
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sent to tips— right, right, a cellphone demon, nice one —but it sure seems like the Golden Shellback waterproof coating is the real deal.” A local television affiliate picked up the story, which eventually led to the Today Show invitation on which Martin dunked and dipped electronics, and did no harm. NBC had sent him the Blackberry the day before for the Golden Shellback treatment. Martin won’t talk in detail about the product or the process for Golden Shellback, a name given to mariners who have crossed
Hard as it is to believe, Sid is sitting in the NMI office in Fairhaven, not the bridge of a ship passing through New York harbor. The 360º virtual bridge allows mariners to respond to a variety of simulated situations in a number of ports around the world.
Virtual crisis averted Imagine you’re captain of a ship, and you come upon an oil tanker in New York harbor, on fire. Rescue helicopters are flying overhead, trying to contain the damage and save the crew, some of whom are overboard in nearby waters, being swallowed by stormy swells. How do you help? What can you do? The full mission bridge simu-
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lator at the Northeast Maritime Institute in Fairhaven helps student mariners determine how to handle themselves in such a situation, as well as countless other emergency and standard scenarios they might encounter at sea. And Sid Martin, NMI’s director of technology, helps oversee the state-of-the-art simulator program that prepares
the equator at the 180th meridian. Two patents are pending. Martin said the splash-proof material is applied during a vacuum process and covers the device with a see-through coating. The device doesn’t feel or look much different than before the coating is applied. Although the process has been used on devices that have been submerged for several days, Martin said the Institute is not marketing Golden Shellback as a waterproof product because it has not been tested to international standards. Initially, Martin said his mission was finding a way to
students for U.S. Coast Guard licenses, trains them for Merchant Marine jobs, and provides continuing education for mariners. Using its seven plasma display screens as windows from the ship’s bridge, the Transas simulator can re-create a wide range of ports, weather conditions, and emergency situations that ship captains may face, Martin said. Next June, NMI will use the simulator at an international ship handlers’ challenge. “We’re going to have four different scenarios over a long weekend in which we have licensed ship captains come in from around the world and compete against each other to see who is the best all-around ship’s captain,” said Martin, who is in charge of the project. Judges will score captains in different categories, and an overall world champion declared. “It should be a fun event. And we hope we’ll have a great first prize that will attract some strong competition,” he said. NMI’s trainers rule the world when it comes to the high-technology bridge simulator. “We have total control of current, depth, clouds, size of stars, obscurity of stars,” said Martin. The simulator conjures up the weather, and can even drop the mariner into hurricane conditions. The simulator also can shift location, allowing mariners to experience 16 ports and five river regions, including
Seattle, San Francisco, New York, New Orleans, Houston, and Mobile. “The environment is totally controllable,” said Martin. Well, almost. He cannot simulate whales or giant squid, and the simulators do not deal with weapons. “We can run rescue simulations, including man overboard, assisting other craft during a rescue, and deploying life rafts,” Martin said. NMI’s simulator (one of the few in a private maritime training institution) allows mariners “many opportunities to make mistakes and experience the results of the mistakes, to ensure that those errors aren’t realized in actual operations,” said Martin. The simulator training gives mariners a chance to put their theoretical knowledge into play, giving them situations to which they must react and about which they must make decisions. The experiences are as real as mariners are going to get without actually going to sea and getting wet. The simulators can even cause motion sickness. “When engaged in NMI’s bridge simulation operation, the user interface creates a reaction that provides motion sensation such that mariners will experience seasickness,” Martin explained. The Institute’s simulator is used in several courses including ship handling, radar certification, bridge resource management, and navigation.
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waterproof devices that could be used to help locate mariners who have fallen overboard. This was a top priority for Eric and Angela Dawicki, who since 1995 have owned and operated the Northeast Maritime Institute, which trains mariners. Often, by the time a ship has retraced its tracks, the mariner is no longer in sight, Martin said. “One of the biggest problems when you fall overboard is that you drift off while the boat turns around. When the boat comes back, it doesn’t know where you are,” Martin said. A life vest with a GPS answers the problem nicely, except for the fact that the Global Positioning Device that is supposed to signal the location of the overboard mariners stops working after immersion in the water. Golden Shellback solved that problem. Martin said he has used the technology to splash-proof laptops, cell phones, radios, ceramics, and even historical documents. “What we’ve done really is splash-proof these devices. This gives you the chance to drop your device in the water, pull it out, rinse it if you need to, and then dry it off. And it still works,” Martin said. He recalls destroying not one but two of his daughters’ cell phones after a ski trip when he unknowingly put them in the washing machine with the ski clothes. Who doesn’t have a horror story about dropping a cell phone in a puddle? Or watching as your phone contacts get flushed when your toddler plunges one into the toilet? What about accidently spilling a drink on your laptop? Leaving it out in the rain? These kinds of accidents happen all the time, said Martin, which is perhaps why the Today Show spot hit an audience nerve. Golden Shellback differs from current technologies used to waterproof underwater cameras in that it does not use seals and suction to keep the water out. Martin believes that fear is part of the reason no one has previously developed and marketed a product such as Golden Shellback. “I think electronics have not been coated like this before for a few reasons,” Martin said. “The major one is how scared people are at the thought of putting an electronic device in the water. We’ve filmed people’s first reactions to the IPod Touch. It’s amazing how far they stand back. Engineers who spend their careers waterproofing devices use gaskets, sealed plastics, water cooling, etc., and don’t seem to want to trust the thin coating. They tell me they want something that has redundancies.” Martin said even he has a hard time believing the coating will hold sometimes. “I get nervous when doing a device for the first time, but I tell myself I have to believe in the process.” Still, Martin admits that when you can’t see the protection, it’s hard to imagine it works. “At first, people were generally disbelievers,” Martin said. “They couldn’t believe what they were hearing at first and then wouldn’t believe what they were seeing. In some instances, I’ve actually had people ask me to take off my jacket, roll up my sleeves because (they think) I’m a magician or something like that, and this is some joke.” Martin, 48, sports a salt-and-pepper beard, a mild manner, and an easy laugh. But Golden Shellback seems to sometimes bring out his mischievous, mad scientist side. Before one demonstration for the Department of Defense,
Martin secretly coated the laptop being used by the Institute’s attorney, Cressence Stafford. As the demonstration was ending, he suddenly poured a bottle of water on her laptop, causing the usually calm and collected Stafford to lose her cool. “I hadn’t told her I had coated her laptop,” Martin said. “At the very end, I picked up my water bottle and I just turned it and dumped it right onto her laptop. Well, she screamed at the top of her lungs. Everybody else jumped back and the laptop continued to work.” A Fairhaven resident, Martin lives with his wife Stacey and their three daughters on West Island. He grew up in southeastern Massachusetts and graduated from Plymouth Carver High School before attending UMass Dartmouth. Over the years Martin has stayed close with UMass Dartmouth. He works with many alums, including two NMI colleagues, Dave Medeiros ‘69 and Charlie Doherty ‘84. He remains an active member of the university’s Society for Human Advancement through Rehabilitation Engineering (SHARE) Foundation Inc., which supports development of computerenhanced equipment for persons with disabilities. Martin was one of the first board members, said Professor Philip Viall, a foundation founder, and Martin continues to act as a board member who works in development and fund-raising. “The SHARE Foundation is very thankful and appreciative of the efforts of Sid Martin to help individuals with communicative disabilities,” Viall said. Martin’s work with SHARE made him appreciate even more other possible uses for Golden Shellback, including splash-proofing devices such as hearing implants or electronic prosthetics. “We’ve had at least three calls from parents whose children wear cochlear implants,” Martin said. Surgeons install the costly intricate hearing pieces, to help enhance sound, but the devices are easily destroyed by water. The beach, rain, sprinklers can send them into a state of electrical haywire and expensive ruin. Institute CEO Dawicki was coaching a youth baseball team when one of his players had to leave the game when it began to sprinkle. “The boy started to panic when it started to rain and he couldn’t keep playing. His piece started to short circuit on him because of the rain,” Martin said. He was sitting at an outdoor party recently when it started to sprinkle. This caused no distress to most of the guests, but one woman became uncomfortable because her electronic knee could be damaged by the rain. Could Golden Shellback help splash-proof such devices? “Maybe,” said Martin. “I’m very excited by the possibilities.” Martin said he hopes that NMI will be able to offer Golden Shellback to consumers by the end of the year, but many details still need to be worked out. In the meantime, Martin continues to work on other projects, such as pulling together an international ship handlers’ challenge using the Institute’s bridge simulators (see previous page) and developing technology to forestall railroad, maritime, and highway accidents. Natalie White is a freelance writer.
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By Mike Gelbwasser ‘90
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hen Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk smashed box offices this year, five UMass Dartmouth alumni were busy drawing. Craig Rousseau, Bob Almond, Dave Tata, Norman Lee, and Bettina Kurkoski have developed solid careers drawing comic books, even as some of the genre’s heroes hit the silver screen. The five artists, all of whom graduated during the early to mid-1990s, primarily work for small, independent publishers. However, Rousseau, Almond, and Lee have done considerable stories for Marvel Comics, which publishes Spider-Man. Rousseau this year pencilled Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, a five-issue mini-series from Marvel. And Kurkosi is a household
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name among fans of manga, a Japanese art style. All five of the artists appear regularly at comic book conventions, and several of them are fast friends. Almond recalls, “Our mutual illustration professor introduced Dave and Craig to me since he knew I was working in the industry, and these guys who graduated after me…were aiming to do the same and could use pointers and assistance if possible.” “They didn’t need it as they soon broke in on their own.”
Craig Rousseau Craig Rousseau has hit the jackpot. Rousseau, who has a ‘93 degree in graphic design/illustration and a ‘94 painting degree, penciled and inked drawings for this year’s Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane Marvel mini-series. Now he is working on new Captain America stories for Marvel. Also,
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that we wanted to read—crypto-zoological creatures, action, adventure, humor. The stories and characters have taken turns we hadn’t planned on, and honestly, that’s some of the fun of working on the book.”
Bob Almond
Image Comics publishes The Perhapanauts, a series he created with fellow comics pro Todd Dezago. Not bad, considering that Rousseau says he “wasn’t planning on doing comics for a living. “I grew up reading comics with a few of my good friends and never outgrew them. I always wanted to get into the art field and my parents were very supportive of that.” Rousseau is most proud of The Perhapanauts, because he and Dezago can do “whatever we want with our characters and not be directed by editorial ‘suggestions.’” The two comics creators met through DC Comics’ Impulse, which is about a teenaged super-speedster. “Todd Dezago and I almost worked on Impulse together (he took over as writer just as I was leaving) and we talked about working together after that,” Rousseau explains. “We share the same sensibilities and wanted to do something
No, the black evening sky isn’t Bob Almond’s work. However, Almond, a 1990 alum with an illustration degree, has inked so many space adventures that it’s an honest mistake. Almond is an inker —he uses ink and related tools to add depth and weight to pencil drawings. Almond is best known for his work on Marvel’s Warlock & The Infinity Watch, and most recently, Annihilation: Conquest– Quasar. Back on earth, he also had a long run on Marvel’s Black Panther. Almond’s recent work includes a 10-page story for Valiant Entertainment’s Archer and Armstrong hardcover compilation, which shipped in September, and a few pages of issue five of IDW’s Star Trek Year Four: The Enterprise Experiment. Almond traces his big break to his alma mater. “In my sophomore year, we had a class where we were supposed to interview an artist and do a piece of work in their style,” Almond recalls. “I didn’t have contact info for anyone. But luckily for me, a student friend of mine was a manager at a local comic retail franchise. He showed me a list of comic artists with their phone numbers. He chose Art Adams and I chose Bernie Wrightson. “After doing a phone interview with him, he invited me up to his annual Halloween party in upper state New York. This led to several parties as well as bimonthly get-togethers where artist friends would bring their recent work to show off. “It was an excuse to eat and drink with friends, but I used that opportunity to bring along a portfolio of sample work. After showing it to Bernie, he had me show it to his pal Jim Starlin (who) had recently returned to Marvel as a writer with Silver Surfer, Thanos Quest, and The Infinity Gauntlet. Jim needed a new inker for his new series Warlock & The Infinity Watch, so he had me ink over some upcoming Angel Medina pencils over vellum and that led to Marvel hiring me in late ‘91.” Almond keeps in touch with Rousseau, Lee, and Tata, and “we all see each other at conventions and signings where we sometimes hook up.” Almond and Tata drew a story for The Perhapanauts last spring. “It was a hoot as I felt honored to be invited to play with their characters and I’d never inked Dave before. “I’ve inked Craig (Rousseau) on some pin-ups and commissions but no official assignments. Craig and Dave draw very differently than other pencilers I’m used to. . . so they’re certainly a fresh and fun experience for me and always welcome.”
Dave Tata Some of Dave Tata’s super heroes actually speak. Tata, an illustration major who graduated in ‘94, is a fulltime animator for the Public Broadcasting Service’s Soup2Nuts, when he’s not drawing comic books.
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Deadpool, featuring a mutant soldier-of-fortune. Lee inked issues one through three and six through eight. Since then, his credits have included Dark Horse’s Spyboy, to DC’s Supergirl, to Marvel’s Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man. He inked issue 20 of Marvel Adventures: The Avengers, which came out in March. Lee also has appeared at several comic book conventions this year. He and Almond were at the Boston Comic Con in November, more than eight years after they graduated together.
Bettina Kurkoski
Unlike the super heroes of most American comic books, Bettina Kurkoski’s characters, drawn in the manga style, are recognizably human and feline.
His current credits include Soup2Nuts’ “WordGirl,” which this spring won an Emmy for Best Writing in an Animated Children’s Series. The show airs on PBS on Friday. “It was just something that presented itself at the time,” Tata says of entering animation. “Had something presented itself with comics, I think I would’ve gone that way.” Tata started drawing at age five, and collecting comic books in high school. As an artist, he marveled that “someone could tell a story in so many panels and could say so much within that panel. “I knew I wanted to do something in art. I didn’t know where I wanted to go from there,” says Tata, who calls his “bumping into Craig” his biggest career influence. “It was his senior year of illustration, but he was doing a double major,” recalls Tata, a junior at the time. During one class, Rousseau displayed some “Vertigo/Death/Sandman sample pages” he had drawn. Tata was so impressed that he approached Rousseau after class, and they became best friends. “The two of us got into comics pretty much together,” Tata says. Unlike Rousseau, Tata has worked mostly on comic bookrelated products. Marvel Comics gave him one of his first freelance gigs after college: designing “Pogs,” which were trendy then. “It was a cool assignment,” Tata says. He is excited about drawing 150 Marvel Masterworks sketch cards for the Upper Deck trading card company. “I’m going to go nuts,” Tata jokes.
Norman Lee Norman Lee truly clawed his way into comic books. The 1990 illustration/design graduate broke in with inking Marvel Comics’ Wolverine Annual in 1996. Lee snared his first monthly series in January 1997: Marvel’s UMass
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Bettina Kurkoski finds drawing manga, a Japanese art style, as comfortable as a friendly feline. Her Tokyopop series, My Cat Loki, helped make her a rising star in anime (a very distinctive style of animation, developed in Japan). Kurkoski, a 1996 graduate with an illustration major, attended three anime conventions—two as a guest artist—in August alone, including Anime Evolution in Vancouver. She has been a featured artist at Anime Boston’s Artists Alley the last two years. “When I first got into reading and studying comics it was mainly American comics during my high school and college years,” she says. “But as soon as I discovered manga, I was completely hooked by the storytelling and art styles, and have since steered away from American comics completely, finding no real interest in their stories anymore. “Manga in general has so much more appeal to me than American comics, again, as far as storytelling, characters, and art styles.” Kurkoski says she “completely changed” her art style to “incorporate what I loved more so about the Japanese styles in with the American style I was working with at the time.” Tokyopop collected her manga series My Cat Loki in two volumes before cancelling it recently. Kurkoski says the series is about “Have you ever loved a pet so much that they became human to you?” She was inspired by her cat Morris, who died when he was 21, “and I had had him since I was 3 years old. “MCL gave me an outlet to deal with those feelings as well as touch other readers who had gone through, or are going through, the same experience. I’ve received many touching emails from fans letting me know how much MCL meant to them…how it touched their hearts and helped them get through their own grievances.” Kurkoski currently is drawing a story for Tokyopop’s Star Trek: The Next Generation anthology. “The current (piece) I’m working on takes place during the episode in which Captain Picard takes leave on Earth to visit his brother at their vineyard in France, while Worf’s parents visit,” she says. “I really don’t want to spill details on the story as, again, I’m still working on it at the moment.” Michael Gelbwasser, English/writing ’90 and professional writing/ journalism ’92, is a staff writer for the Attleboro Sun Chronicle, where he writes the comic book blog, “With One Magic Word.”
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Homecoming Photo at left shows 1997-98 ice hockey team and Hall of Fame inductees: (front, left to right): Jon Ruel, Nick Siciliano, Brian Keavaney, Coach John Rolli, Jim Egan, Jeramie DiBona, Chris Cunningham and Shawn Alles; (rear, left to right): Athletic Trainer John Burke, Kim Clark, Ryan Sloper, Mark Aguiar, Steve Bartkus, Bob Marrone, Jared DiBona, and Jamie DiBona.
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Chancellor Jean F. MacCormack (center) stands with Alumni Association Award recipients (l-r) Marie Field ’76, William Hogan ’70, Paul Pinault ’73, and Craig Lindell.
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Inductees into the 2008 Corsair Hall of Fame include (l-r) Bill Casey’ 96, Mike Lane ‘02, Maura McDonald ‘99, Steve Camara ‘77 and Dale Whiting ‘85.
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Class Notes ’40s
Francis Wobecky ’42, chemistry, Camden, SC, enjoys the good life golfing twice a week and got his fourth hole-in-one last year. He and his wife Ruth celebrate their 61st anniversary this year.
Alan Mercer ’48, mechanical engineering, Dartmouth, was supervisor of electric distribution at Com Electric for 23 years before he retired. He and his wife Phyllis are enjoying retirement, and have been longtime supporters of the university and Alumni Association.
We want to hear from you —send us your news—www.umassd.edu/alumni/ or Alumni Association, 285 Old Westport Rd., N. Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300
’50s
Harold Isserlis ’54, visual design, Providence, exhibited 21 of his paintings at EPOCH Adult Care in July. For a fall show at Temple Emanu-El in Providence, he planned to show paintings based on his trip to Israel.
Class of 1959
Joseph Berube ’57, design, Swansea, retired in 1990 after 28 years of being self-employed in the graphic arts field. He and wife Tamiko enjoy many hobbies, including watercolor painting of land and seascapes, saltwater fishing, ham radio, and working in the garden.
on the reunion planning
Latest book from ’81 alumna focuses on senses Noted children’s book author Donna Jackson ‘81 focuses on the senses and the mysteries of mind-body interactions in her latest book, Phenomena: Secrets of the Senses, published in September by Little, Brown, and Company. Aimed at 9 to 12-year-olds, Jackson’s book covers a variety of topics: Why do people dream? How is a blind person able to create remarkable paintings? Can people really predict the future? Jackson, a Fall River native living in Colorado, writes about facts, myths, and oft-debated subjects such as psychic powers and animal intuition. The book is already a Junior Library Guild selection. Jackson, who majored in psychology at UMass Dartmouth, has written a number of award-winning books for children and teens, most of which explore and explain science topics in straightforward, engaging fashion. Among them are ER Vets: Life in an Animal Emergency Room; The Bone Detectives, which describes forensics work; and In Your Face: The Facts About Your Features. She has been recognized by, among others, the National Science Teachers Association, National Council of Teachers of English, and the Society of School Librarians. More information is at www.donnamjackson.net
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Your 50th class reunion celebration will be held during commencement weekend in May 2009. If you are interested in being
committee, please contact the Alumni Relations office at 508.999.8031.
’60s
Donald G. Wood ’60, civil engineering, Fall River, writes to members of his class: “In 2010, we will be celebrating our 50th anniversary of graduation. Please contact me if you are interested in helping plan the wonderful milestone. Your input is vital.” Call Donald at 508.675.0680 or email him at donald.wood@bristolcc.edu Edward Kelly ’65, electrical engineering, Taunton, has retired after a career as an electronic engineer with the Federal Communications Commission, most recently in Boston.
Robert C. Goyette ’67, civil engineering, Lake Oswego, OR, is the senior project manager/ construction engineer for Power Engineers, on assignment in Columbus, Nebraska. Goyette and his wife Pauline of 41 years have two children and four grandchildren. John S. ‘Tank’ Sherman ’68, accounting, ’78, MS systems management, of Cocoa, FL, is
retired as a lieutenant colonel from the Air Force. A financial planner, he was tax auditor for the state of Florida. He and his wife Rheta have two children and two granddaughters. He writes that he is now a landlord and frustrated golfer. Joe Augustyn ’69, history, Fairfax, VA, is a principal with the consulting firm of Booz Allen Hamilton in Washington, DC. He spent 28 years with the Central Intelligence Agency and is a consultant on national security and intelligence community issues. He and his wife, Michelle ’71, English are the proud grandparents of a granddaughter. Harold W. McGill ’69, textile technology, Uniontown, OH, retired from Bridgestone/Firestone in April 2005. McGill was the manager of tire reinforcement development, and is now a consultant with the company. He resides with his wife Cheryl.
’70s
Anne Hall ’71, mathematics, Bridgewater, retired from teaching and is enjoying family time. She coaches her former high school’s robotics team, and encourages students interested in math, science, and technology to visit www.tj2.org Edward Lopes ’72, management, Attleboro, writes, “After my marriage to Marie La Porte of Attleboro in 1974, we had three children. Justin graduated from Bridgewater State College in 1997 and is a senior analyst for UMass Medical School in Shrewsbury. Seth was an All-
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State football player, played four years at Assumption College, graduated in 2004, and works for BRA Realty Advisors. Megan was a captain in cross-country (in high school), received a scholarship to Boston University, and graduated with a degree in biomedical engineering in 2005. Megan is a senior analyst for Partners Health Care in Cambridge.” Alan Ferguson ’74, English, Dartmouth, has finished six years on the Alumni Association board of directors. His son Patrick is off to college to study criminal justice. Warren Ide ’75, management, New Bedford, retired as fire chief in New Bedford, and is a realtor with Century 21, Hughes and Carey, New Bedford.
David Almeida ’76, management, New Bedford, works for Lockheed Martin as a facilities engineer senior staff. Joseph V. Benevides, Jr. ’78, finance, Assonet, is senior vice president of global operations for the relocation company Paragon, which works mainly with Fortune 500 Companies. Benevides oversees the movement of business executives to a new job often in a new state or country. Last year, he logged 120,000 business miles. Joseph ‘Joe’ Hall II ’78, MS marine biology, Washington, DC, is a senior environmental scientist for the Environmental Protection Agency Costal Management Branch, monitoring guidance, workshops, multimedia applications, and quality assurance.
Sharon Chandler ’79, art education, Harvard, is a middle school art teacher in the town. She and her daughter Rachel Manly have opened Art and Cloth, and teach summer art programs at their studio. Paul Kostek ’79, electrical engineering technology, Seattle, was inducted into the Diman High School Hall of Fame in October. Paul is principal systems engineer at Physio Control, Redmond, WA, a biomedical devices engineer. Kostek formerly worked for Boeing Co.
’80s
Jane Carreiro ’80, MS bilingual education, Dartmouth, is chairperson of the World Languages Dept. at Dartmouth High School.
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Cheryl Viveiros ’80, history, New Bedford, is a seasonal park ranger at the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. She is a New Bedford native, attended its public schools, and teaches history at New Bedford High School. She staffs the information desk at the park’s visitors center, and works on developing the park’s first curriculum-based education programs. She also conducts walking tours of the working waterfront and of Underground Railroad-related sites near the park. She and her husband, George, have two children, Derek and Kaelyn. Dennis Vieira ’81, humanities and social sciences, Dartmouth, is a writer whose monthly column “From Animals: Wisdom” debuted in the TAPS-Paramagazine, the official fan magazine for the
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“Ghost Hunters” show on the science fiction channel network. Gary Hunsinger ’82, nursing, Melbourne, FL, was promoted to a teaching position in the associates degree program at Brevard Community College, Cocoa, FL. He will continue to teach in the practical nursing program where he has taught since retiring from the Air Force in 1999. Last year, he completed a master’s degree with specialization in nursing education at Walden University. He was named to the adjunct faculty at State University of New York teaching online for the RN to BSN program. He is married to the former Rhonda Turpel of Acushnet, and has two daughters and a granddaughter.
Edwin Rodrigues ’82, psychology, Dartmouth, a retired deputy superintendent of programs and services for the Bristol County sheriff’s office, enjoys time with family, which includes six grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren. He winters in Florida. He plays the clarinet with the Dartmouth and Mattapoisett Community Bands, and participates in the volunteer program at the Bristol County House of Corrections. Anthony Rose ’82, political science, Dartmouth, is a senior storage consultant with Idexis. He has been married 24 years to the former Doreen Gavigan of Somerset. They have two children, Kevin, a freshman at Roger Williams University, and Kristen,
a freshman at Dartmouth High. They enjoy going out with friends and traveling. Edward Smith ’82, accounting, and ’96, history, and Mabel ’88, psychology, Fall River, are well and enjoying retirement. John Cappelano ’84, visual design, Emeryville, CA, is managing partner of Quantum Pacific Investments, LLC, an asset management division. He oversees operations and portfolios. He was previously chief investment officer and managing director of Riggs National Bank, Washington, DC. Marianne DeSouza ’84, multidisciplinary studies, New Bedford, is the city’s public health director.
David A. Cabral ’85, mechanical engineering technology, Acushnet, is president of Five Star Manufacturing, Inc., a medical manufacturing company in New Bedford, and is a member of the Greater New Bedford Industrial Foundation. He and wife Alina and family live in Acushnet. His interests include automobiles, children’s sports, and ice hockey.
’90s
Maureen Cassidy Walther ’90, management, Jackson, NJ, would love to hear from any SMU alumni. She lives with her husband Brien, daughter Sarah, and son Patrick. Her email address is mhwbcw92@verizon.net
Successful 2007 arts graduate says today’s students “are really only limited by the freedom you
S
ince his graduate student days in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, Brandon Strathmann’s career as both artist and educator has unfolded in impressive fashion: • two of his works, done for his graduate thesis, are part of the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s permanent collection; • he is an assistant professor of animation and entertainment art at California State University in Fullerton, which offered him a position during his final year at UMass Dartmouth; • he is committed to his work as an artist, creating computer-animated films and planning a series on environmental issues. “My proudest achievement is having created a comfortable lifestyle as an artist and an educator,” says Strathmann, who earned his MFA in 2007 in drawing. Teaching strengthens his art, and vice versa. “Teaching forces me to understand animation at a far higher level than I had to while working at a studio. The questions I’m asked cover subject matter that I never before thought about, sending me scrambling for data and advice from all sources.
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“Any of my students will suddenly come up with the best idea, and I have the pleasure of seeing students conjure new ideas out of sketchbooks and computer screens.” Strathmann grew up in Maryland and received his bachelor’s degree in film, animation, and video from the Rhode Island School of Design. He worked for 10 years before returning to school, with stints as a storyboard artist and revisionist on the “Family Guy” television show, and at Fox Animation, Walt Disney Television Animation, and the Discovery Channel. His interest in education had a somewhat accidental beginning. When his daughter turned one, Strathmann feared she might chew on, and become sick from, his collection of preserved animals. In donating the animals to the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History, he saw that budget cuts had eliminated most of the teaching scientists. He volunteered to teach art, and “working with kids awakened my love of teaching. I decided to become an educator a year later.” For graduate study, UMass Dartmouth was appealing because of its fine arts tradition,
“which offered me a chance to hone my compositional and drawing skills while simultaneously expanding my creativity.” Professor Alma Davenport, with whom he talked extensively before enrolling, “made me very excited about the program.” Later, Davenport “worked hard to help me find opportunities to improve myself as an educator,” and Strathmann taught her nature drawing course during her sabbatical. Other professors had a similarly positive influence. Bryan McFarlane, for example, “advanced the path of personal development by taking graduate students on trips to New York galleries.” Memory Holloway, learning of Strathmann’s interest in community outreach, initiated a meeting with Whaling Museum administrators that resulted in his appointment as artist-in-residence there. With access to the museum collections and the scientists who were then reconstructing a whale skeleton, Strathmann expanded his research into whale bones “into an academic adventure that fueled my artistic growth.” At UMass Dartmouth, “I learned a lot of basic skills I hadn’t picked up working as an
Cl ass N otes Kathleen Murray Bien ’91, marketing, has her MBA from Assumption College, and is director of provider relations for Fallon Community Health Plan, where she had been a contract manager in network development and contracting. Bien previously was a regional business consultant at Harvard Community Health Care. She, her husband, and two sons live in Millbury. Peggy Lutfy Edwards ’92, nursing, Bellingham, celebrated her 15th wedding anniversary this year. Formerly a nurse at Marlboro Hospital, she is now a stay-athome mom with three children. She is an avid runner who is involved with sports programs in her community.
Donald Freitas ’93, accounting, Plymouth, is Invention Machine’s vice president of global finance and administration. John Graham ’93, management, Abington, and wife Noelle had a son, Connor John (CJ) on September 11. He writes, “Noelle and the baby are doing great! John made it through just fine also.” Denne Arruda Ziegler ’93, mathematics, Rutland, is married and home full-time with her two children, Zoe and Logan, after working for 10 years in the pharmaceutical industry. She enjoys yoga, knitting, and cooking. Keri Borba ’94, political science, Fairhaven, is the vice president, head of human resources, design, and development for Citizens Financial Group in Fairhaven.
James E. Boyle ’94, political science, New Bedford, is the assistant director of economic development for the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. He helps drive the Chamber’s public policy and legislative agenda at the State House and in Washington, D.C. He earned a law degree in 2002 from the Massachusetts School of Law at Andover. He and his wife, Maureen ‘92, human resources management, have two children, Aileen and Donovan. Roy Nascimento ’94, political science, Taunton, married Maura Ann Estaphan of Shrewsbury in 2007. He is president and CEO of the New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce.
Jason Faro ’95, humanities/ social sciences, Townsend, MD, is business sales producer for the Milford area of Murphy Insurance Agency, which he joined in 2006. He has more than nine years of experience in the insurance industry. Faro and his wife, Kimberly, have a daughter, Olivia. Steven H. Jones ’95, accounting, has joined the firm of Mary Louise Nunes, CPA, PC, in New Bedford. He brings 12 years of professional experience to his new position. He was previously a senior internal auditor at Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Rhode Island, and has held positions with several other organizations. He resides in Swansea with his wife Kim and son.
give yourself to dream” animator. The drawing program is top-notch… drawing is treated as an art onto itself” and not solely as preparation for other art forms. And “I found great inspiration in my backyard at the Star Store. Looking out from my fourthfloor window in the graduate painting studio, I became engrossed in the beauty of the historic whaling city of New Bedford. I bring this love of research to developing myself as an academic.” As he did as a grad student, Strathmann today travels continually to museums, zoos, aquariums, and public spaces, always with camera or sketchbook in hand. “I draw every day to increase my speed and accuracy (to) draw anything I may have to in order to explain something to my students.” His graduate studies, Strathmann says, served as a conduit to the ecologically-themed work he has embarked upon. Collaborating with his wife Carlene, he has completed a film on ocean pollution; he hopes that the series of environmentallycentered films he plans to create in the future “will appeal to people with causes who want to get their message out.
“I do not expect to get rich doing this work but would like to leave some sort of legacy to our children.” Strathmann is optimistic about the continuing importance of drawing: “drawn animation is thriving and studios like Disney are reopening their previously shuttered studios. Whether drawn on paper or directly into the computer, there is no substitute for conveying one’s ideas than a drawn image.” And arts students should be optimistic, he
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believes. “There are countless ways of making a living as an artist. You really are only limited by the freedom you give yourself to dream.” Develop a career plan, and embrace continued study, he advises. “Appreciate the opportunity to grow. Don’t look at others’ success to judge yourself. Take joy and pride in the process of your own development and love being an artist.” —Diane Hartnett
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From CEO to author— ’82 graduate makes major career shift Diane Kozak has done what a lot of people fantasize about: shucked a well-paying, corporate career to write fiction full-time. And she’s actually had her first novel published. Until two years ago, the 1982 accounting graduate was the successful president and CEO of the Taunton Federal Credit Union. The Acushnet native and Westport resident, whose career in banking spanned 22 years, had overseen the credit union’s growth into a $122 million enterprise. While not unhappy, Kozak had always wanted more time to write. That desire, coupled with events in her personal life, made her realize, “I had to leave this career path. “I always had a vivid imagination and would make up stories when I was young. In college, I took the sensible route and wound up in banking.” Both of Kozak’s parents died within a nine-month period; their comments while she cared for them were instrumental in her decision to go from banker to author. “Both of them said to me, ‘don’t wind up saying that you wish you had done this or that.’ My mother said she had no regrets about
any of her decisions. I knew I didn’t want to be saying someday, ‘I wish I had taken the opportunity to write.’” So she left the Taunton institution in the spring of ‘06, committed herself to writing, and this fall saw Full Circle 911 published by Sunpiper Media Publishing, a small Alabama publisher for authors who focus on social change and awareness. While intended mainly for teens, Kozak’s book has attracted readers of all ages. The 236-page novel centers on Abby Haddad, a Muslim teen living in the Massachusetts town of “Ashland,” which Kozak acknowledges is based on Acushnet. Abby uncovers a frightening connection between world events and Islamic extremist philosophies. Issues centering on love of country and love of family surface when Abby learns her brother heads a terrorist cell that is planning attacks in America. Kozak chose her storyline to educate young people about the war on terror, world politics, and cultural differences. “My hope is to give young people a view of this war from a different perspective. My overall goal was to tell a story in an interesting, instructive way.” She says sales have been excellent, due in large part to her travels to bookstores and schools. “I get all sorts of questions, from ‘Are you a Republican or a Democrat?’ to ‘Where did you get your shoes?’” Brian P. Tinkham ’95, marketing, Philadelphia, was appointed vice president of marketing for the company Cellvisio, Inc. a leader in cellular imaging. He has his MBA from Northeastern University, and was previously with Boston Scientific. Tony Giampa ’96, his wife, and two daughters live in Chelmsford. He is a product specialist for Kronos Inc, a time management software company where he has worked for seven years. Holly Jensen ‘96, English/ communications, ‘05, professional writing, was one of three winners in the Perishable Theater’s International Women’s Playwriting Festival this fall in Providence, where she lives. Her play, Lizzy Izzy, was presented for four days in October. The drama centers on two friends whose stories are told through flash-
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backs. It was drawn from the one-woman show Jensen wrote for her thesis. Now writing a play about a woman obsessed with online child predators, Jensen is senior public affairs manager for Fidelity Investments. Tara Quirk Kohler ’96, psychology, is the Fairhaven High School principal. She earned a master’s degree in school administration from Cambridge College, and is pursuing her Ph.D. in education from Lesley University. She was previously a New Bedford High School housemaster. Robert ‘Bob’ McCarthy ’97, history, Whitman, published a novel entitled More than Tom Jones, with further information on his website, www.bobmccarthybooks.com. McCarthy’s novel was illustrated by Darren Bourque ’97, visual design, North Cambridge.
Cl ass N otes Deaths March–September ’08 Kenneth R. Padelford ’24 Annie R. Cygan ’33 James J. Fleming ’34 Alfred J. Mikus ’39 Wesley Gardner ’50 Frank J. Civilikas ’52 Cornelius J. Murphy, Jr. ’52 Theodore P. Murphy ’54 Frank Fyans ’58 Edward B. Dean ’61 Robert J. Dolan ’68 Frances Richards ’71 Carol J. Ruest ’71 Walter A. Frost, Jr. ’72 Patricia L. Miller ’72 Hazel B. Smith ’72 Joseph S. Oliver, Jr. ’74 Myla A. Martin ’75 Ellen P. Healey ’76 Bryon Barboza ’77 Robert J. Toole ’78 Mary E. Lawson ’79 William Gonsalves ’80 Jane Zezula-Nagi ’85 June E. McEntee ’89 Dawn H. Wheeler ’97 Eurosina Rose O’Brien ’99 *Faculty/Staff/Friends of UMass Dartmouth Theresa L. DeCosta Frances L. Charlton Joseph Sauro
Amy-Lynn Goodrow ’98, nursing, is married and has two daughters. She has worked at Charlton Memorial Hospital’s Family Centered Maternity Unit for eight years. Ian R. Lemieux ’99, medical laboratory science, Cambridge, is the clinical trial safety manager for ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Ian returned from a trip to Swaziland where he helped with setting up laboratories and the education of individuals doing the testing.
The university’s women’s tennis team took first place in this fall’s LIttle East Conference tournament, and earned a berth in the NCAA Division III championship competition next spring. The squad beat Bridgewater State College 5-3 in a match played at UMass Dartmouth. It was the team’s first championship title since 1998, and the first under current coach, Ralph Perry. The Corsairs came back from a deficit to take first place. After the contest, sophomore Amy Lopes (fifth from left, back row) was named LEC Player of the Year. With the victory, the team compiled a 15-1 record. The women will learn their NCAA opponent on May 4 when the field is announced, and play will begin on May 8.
Dawn Meehan Meola ’99, biology/marine biology, Auburn, is senior research technician at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Dawn is married to Jeffrey Meola.
’00s
Jesse M. Green ’00, sculpture/3D studies, Ashland, is an award-winning self-employed wood sculptor, illustrator, and muralist. He teaches a cartooning class at the Danforth Museum of Art. He fronts for the rock band “Fever Dream,” and tours with the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack shows.
Lisa Coelho Lassiter ’00, accounting, Wareham, has been promoted to accounting manager at Bristol County Savings Bank, and works at the Taunton headquarters.
Eva Moran Nencioni ’00, biology, Genoa, Italy, is married to Alessio Nencioni and works as a cancer genetics researcher. Amanda Kline Lique ’01, finance, and Mark Lique ’00, chemistry, had a daughter, Maya Jayne, on February 6. Vanessa Ferreira Williams ’02, psychology, Dartmouth, earned her doctorate from Brandeis University. The executive director of the Mattapoisett Council on Aging, she has published “Objective and Perceived SES in the Self-Reported Health and Well-being of Lower Income Older Adults,” drawn from her dissertation. Beth Ann Varone O’Brien ’04, sociology, and Michael O’Brien had a daughter, Molly Anne, on January 27.
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Kaisa Holloway Cripps ’06, humanities & social sciences, Fairhaven, is the editor of The Advocate, the community newspaper of Fairhaven and Acushnet. She was featured in Business Week’s August 25 edition, as part of the article,“Generation Gaps: What’s Eating Gen X.” She is enrolled in the Charlton College’s post-baccalaureate management certificate program. She is celebrating her ninth anniversary with husband Terence this year, and is the mother of Foster and Shea. Kerrie Burrer ’08, marketing, Dartmouth, is programs and events coordinator for the New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce. She had been the marketing coordinator for LaFrance Hospitality Company for 14 years. She is also a veteran of the US Navy and graduate of Bristol Community College.
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Your days as a student may be over…but your connection to UMass Dartmouth isn’t >
Want to stay connected to
your university? Become a member and enjoy all the benefits of belonging to the Alumni Association, including discounts at the fitness center, varsity games, and the Campus Center. Find out more at www.umassd.edu/alumni or call 508.999.8031.
>
Better yet — serve on the
Alumni Association board of directors. The 21-member board collaborates with the alumni office to develop programs and activities and make recommendations on policies that affect UMass Dartmouth grads.
>
If you’d like to nominate your-
self, or another alum who would be a good representative, you can go to www.umassd.edu/alumni or call 508.999.8031.
Wear your colors proudly…order online at www.umassd.edu/campusstore/
What’s coming
up at UMass Dartmouth in 2009
Make a commitment to UMass
Check www.umassd.edu for the updated calendar of events details.
Dartmouth… Make a contribution to the Annual Fund
Jan. 26–Feb. 17 Exhibit: Practice Love 2009 by Professor Yoon Soo Lee
When you make a contribution to the Annual Fund,
Jan. 31–Mar. 10 Exhibit: The George & Helen Spelvin Folk Art Collection
you’re helping UMass Dartmouth maintain and expand the
Jan. 31
Observatory open for public viewing 7:30pm (Also open on Feb. 28, March 21, April 18)
programs and projects that make it a world-class university.
Feb. 6
7th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast and Drum Major Awards
Your contribution supports scholarships, additions to
Feb. 7
College NOW Banquet
Feb. 26–Mar. 12 Exhibition: African Women in Pictures March
Alumni Trip to Florida (date to be determined)
April 4–May 12 Exhibition: 2009 MFA Thesis Exhibition Mid-April
Sam Stone Awards Dinner
April 23
Center for Marketing Research Dinner featuring Carlton Fisk
April 29
Concert: Singin’ & Swingin’ UMass Dartmouth Jazz Voice Studio
May 6
Retirement Association Annual Dinner
May 7
UMass Night at the Boston Pops
May 23
Commencement: Master’s & Doctoral Degree Recipients
May 23
Dinner for honorary degree recipients
May 24
Commencement: Bachelor’s Degree Recipients
the curriculum, research ventures by the faculty, and activities that benefit both students and the community— those features that make UMass Dartmouth a vibrant, distinctive university. Tuition and state funds don’t cover all of the costs involved in making this a superior university where students grow and flourish. UMass Dartmouth needs you for that— please give to the Annual Fund. www.umassd.edu/ institutional_advancement/donate.cfm
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