UMass Dartmouth Magazine Fall 2011

A magazine for alumni & friends of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

Fall 2011

inside Unearthing the Zoque Archaelogist Bruce Bachand, ‘93 discovers remnants of lost civilization in Chiapa de Corzo, Mexico

MESSAGE FROM

J e a n F . M a c C o r mac k

Dear reader,

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ast month, the senior leadership of the University had an engaging conversation with 65 students on issues that will affect their future and that of the University.

Organized by Student Trustee Peter Schock and Student Government Association President Joey Mello, both of whom will be graduating in May, we came together at dinner for candid dialogue about student aspirations and the challenges that young people face in pursuing their dreams.

Administrators, many of whom often find themselves consumed by the pressing work of the day, had the opportunity to learn first hand about the students’ experiences. We heard students’ concerns about what lies ahead for them in a time of global economic, social, and environmental upheaval.

This was a bittersweet evening for me as just a couple months earlier, in the same Woodland Commons room, I announced that I would be retiring at the end of this academic year, ready to hand the baton to a new generation of leadership after 13 years. Hearing the complicated mixture of optimism and fear, idealism and cynicism, in the students’ voices reminded me that we have built UMass Dartmouth into a powerful engine of learning an discovery.

But, we also know that we must be bolder than ever in building the case to invest in this great institution. These students are the reason that we do what we do.

We all witnessed great pride in UMass Dartmouth and heard from our students lots of praise for our amazing faculty. We heard support for efforts to reduce alcohol consumption, anxiety about the cost of education and frustration at the lack of public financial support for UMass. Above all, however, what I witnessed were nearly 100 people who care deeply about the mission of UMass Dartmouth and are willing to work at keeping the dream of public higher education alive.

On the pages of this magazine, you will meet an anthropologist alumnus who just made a fascinating discovery about an ancient civilization, faculty and staff who just won $3.5 million in National Science Foundation grants to transform science and math teaching, alumni who created an inspirational 9/11 memorial, an upstart championship Cricket team, an artist/entrepreneur, and the founder of our Black Student Union who nearly 40 years ago helped make our community more inclusive.

These are powerful examples of public higher education ROIs— the return on investment of public and private dollars, and the return on inspiration ignited by dedicated faculty, staff, and alumni of UMass Dartmouth.

Jean F. MacCormack, Chancellor

Emily Keohane, Junior

Laurie Gumin, Junior

Jayvon Gomes, Junior

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Student work The work on these two pages was created by design students in digital media one classes.

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ssues of UMass Dartmouth are produced for the 46,000 alumni, 9,500 students, 1,200 employees, and countless partners of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. The information contained in this publication is intended to engage readers in the work of UMass Dartmouth which is critical to the social and economic development of the region.

We welcome letters from our readers and encourage you to email your comments to publicaffairs@umassd.edu or mail them to Public Affairs, Foster Administration, Room 331A, 285 Old Westport Road, North Dartmouth, ma 02747-2300.

3.5 million in National Science Foundation grants

2 A time of transition 3

New dining facility enhances student life

4 UMass cricket team wins big

5 First graduating class of UMass Law scores well in bar exam

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Feature stories

Managing Editor

John T. Hoey ’00 (Boston) Assistant Chancellor for Public Affairs Assistant Chancellor of Advancement

Michael Eatough MA ’09 Katie Carlotto, Junior

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Uncovering a forgotten civilization 8

Blue & Gold Gala

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Alumni Relations

Lori Jacques

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Steeled emotions 14

Design/ illustration

Rachel Cocroft

Alumni profiles: Tara Esperanza and John Arrington

Photographers

D. Confar, Liz Friar ’12, Jennifer White ’07

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Bristol County Savings Bank Freedom Festival

Alumni Class Notes

Nancy J. Tooley ’99

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Hall of Fame Awards 23

Alumni Awards 25

Alumni news Class Notes

Tatiana Armstead, Junior

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John McGowan, Digital Media MFA candidate

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CUSP Director Karen O'Connor and her team have established a comprehensive and innovative program to prepare 21st century school leaders and teachers.

$3.5 million National Science Foundation grants aimed to strengthen science and math education

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Professor Chandra Orrill's research promises to re-invent math teaching at the middle school level.

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he School for Education, Public Policy, and Civic Engagement (SEPPCE) has been awarded $3.5 million to improve K-12 science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. SEPPCE’s Center for University, School, and Community Partnerships (CUSP) was awarded a six-year $2.86 million grant as part of a collaboration with SEPPCE, the College of Engineering, the Ocean Explorium in New Bedford, and the New Teacher Center in Santa Cruz, CA. Under the program, teachers in New Bedford, Fall River and Wareham will undergo intense and accelerated training in the teaching of STEM subjects and be required to serve in SouthCoast school systems with a demonstrated need for improvement.

“With this grant, we will prepare and support STEM educators in engaging their students, fostering higher achievement in the classroom, while also learning new lessons about teaching a new generation of students,” said CUSP Director Karen O’Connor. “Well-informed and inspired teachers can make a difference that has an enormous ripple effect among students and colleagues.”

SEPPCE’s Kaput Center for Research and Innovation in STEM Education was awarded a five-year $600,000 NSF grant to study how middle school math teachers can do a better job teaching complex topics to their students. “Our research will lay the groundwork for developing more effective courses and professional development opportunities for teachers,” said Dr. Chandra Orrill, who will lead the study. “The better we understand how teachers understand the mathematics they teach and how that understanding impacts the experiences students have, the better we can be at creating learning opportunities.”

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A time of transition

This fall, the five-campus University of Massachusetts welcomed new President Robert L. Caret, and UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Jean F. MacCormack announced her retirement after a more than a decade of unprecedented growth for the campus.

“Dream No Small Dreams” Dr. Robert L. Caret was inaugurated as the 26th president of the University of Massachusetts on November 3 at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum. The following are excerpts of his remarks to the UMass community and the Commonwealth’s civic and business leaders.

“Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.”

That is President Kennedy, and his words speak directly to you here…

There is a point you reach as a young man or woman when— in a mill town like Biddeford, Maine, let’s say or— and, I am thinking of Governor Patrick now—in a struggling neighborhood in Chicago—where you say to yourself: “I think I can do more.”

You think…and maybe you don’t tell anyone else, maybe you keep it to yourself, but you think as you lay your head on your pillow at night…“I will dream no small dreams,” perhaps not with those words but definitely with that desire…

No one takes that journey alone. Gov. Patrick and Mayor Menino didn’t. I didn’t. Our Chairman, Jim Karam, whose father labored in the Fall River mills, didn’t. And for the thousands of children from Massachusetts — and from around the globe— who right now are having that moment, that moment when it dawns on them that they will dream no small dreams, we are here today to say, Let’s make that happen. Take my hand. We are here to help. To show you a path to achievement.

We are here as faculty, staff and leadership of one of the best public university systems in the world to help. Because, in my experience, the influence that we can have on a young person’s future can be exponential.

Delivering On The Dream Chancellor Jean F. MacCormack, after a dozen years guiding UMass Dartmouth through a period of unprecedented growth, announced on September 6 at the annual faculty-staff convocation breakfast that she would be retiring at the end of this academic year. Below are excerpts of her remarks calling for a renewed public commitment to higher education.

What I am quite certain about is that we must find our voice in this national debate and become strong advocates for not abandoning our nation's long standing commitment to the clear mission of public higher education…

“The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty and we must rise to the occasion. As our case is new, so we must we think anew.” Abraham Lincoln said these words at the signing of the Morrill Act on July 2, 1862 that established the land-grant colleges and really established the mission of public higher education…

The guiding principle for public higher education was that no talented student—because of modest circumstances—would be denied the opportunities a higher education could offer. In exchange for serving a broad range of qualified and talented students, and for using our intellectual gifts in service of our communities, the public would honor its commitment to sustain and support us with resources.

We simply cannot allow the debate to be dominated by negative voices and allow the spirit and intent of the Morrill Act to be hijacked. We cannot allow the new dogmas of the “stormy present” to prevail. Too much is at stake for our nation and our democracy.

Listen to President Caret at www.Massachusetts.edu and to Chancellor MacCormack at www.umassd.edu / chancellor

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Students enjoy a new dining experience Students were welcomed back to campus this fall with a new dining experience, including a $1.6 million transformation of its resident dining hall.

The remodeling of the dining hall, now called The Marketplace, is among the commitments that new food service vendor Chartwells made when winning the contract to manage UMass Dartmouth’s $11 million food services enterprise. The comprehensive 10-month public bidding process included broad-based feedback from students, faculty and staff who indicated a desire for more flexibility and a focus on environmentally friendly business practices.

Professor’s Afghanistan field manual, written for the U.S. Army, released to public History professor Brian Glyn Williams, one of the nation’s leading experts on the Middle East, was quietly assigned by the U.S. Army in 2008 to write the field manual for troops heading to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom.

That book, entitled Afghanistan Declassified: A Guide to America’s Longest War was released to the public just as the October 7 tenth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan approached.

“Although many people who have not been there define it in abstract terms as a grim land of opium barons, warlords, Taliban fanatics, and oppressed women,” Dr. Williams wrote. “I know Afghanistan as a land of castles, incredibly hospitable villagers, stunning landscapes, and epic tales of empires and conquest.”

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The new program will be Chartwells’ first “Pulse On Dining” initiative in Massachusetts, which is based on detailed research into the preferences and traits of Millennials and Generation Z students. Features include: service options ranging from self-prepared to restaurant-style, cameras and video monitors showing how food is prepared, a sustainability effort that includes paperless menus and turning grease into bio-fuels; and food grown within five miles of campus.

“This new facility demonstrates that we care about the whole student,” UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Jean F. MacCormack said. “We know that healthy students are better students. And we know that engaged students are better students. By combining the expertise of Chartwells and the feedback from our students, we have created a dining experience that not only meets the nutritional needs of our students but also brings students together in a comfortable place to discuss the ideas they have encountered in the classroom and laboratory.”

Student Government Association President Joseph Mello added, Chartwells “never lost touch with what is truly important—what the customer, in this case students, wants.

I must say it is a beautiful dining hall. I speak for the entire student body when I say we are anxious and excited about all the other plans and improvements Chartwells has coming to our institution.”

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Cricket club scores big The UMass Dartmouth Cricket Club won the Massachusetts State Cricket League Division 3 championship this fall, sharing the title with the Commonwealth Cricket Club. The UDCC

Alum heads Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum John McDonagh ‘76, has been named the new executive director of the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum with a mandate to achieve national status for the monument as a symbol of the creation of the democratic form of government.

McDonagh, who studied English, has more than three decades of experience in museum administration, including serving as head of the Plimouth Plantation and in senior positions at the Smithsonian Institution, Georgetown University, Detroit Institute of Art, and Plimoth Plantation.

“John’s commitment to history will help develop our museum into a cultural center of the Pilgrim experience and the many cultures of Provincetown history,” said Charles Silvia, president of the organization’s Board of Trustees.

“I am honored to be chosen as the new Executive Director of the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum,” said John McDonagh. “This organization and its lasting legacy as the birthplace of democracy is an important part of the history of the Commonwealth and of the nation. There is a great deal of potential here to create a world class cultural heritage destination and I look forward to furthering the tremendous work that has already been done.”

plans to move up to Division 2 next year.

Public Policy student embarks on prestigious fellowship Colleen Dawicki, a master’s candidate in the Public Policy program, was selected to spend the summer working in key state and local agencies as a Rappaport Public Policy Fellows. The prestigious fellowship is funded and administered by Harvard’s Rappaport Institute of Greater Boston, which strives to improve the governance of the region by strengthening connections between scholars, students, officials, and civic leaders.

Dawicki, who is also managing the UMass Dartmouth Urban Initiative, worked with New Bedford’s office of Housing and Community Development to create a plan for strategically directing resources toward a high-need, highopportunity geographic area of the city.

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“In order for the Urban Initiative to be truly effective in strengthening cities like New Bedford, it is essential to understand the context in which policy decisions are made. My time as a Rappaport Fellow provided me with a unique opportunity to explore this context through the lens of neighborhood revitalization, and I now have a better grasp of the history, perspectives, and dynamics that influence policymaking in this city.”

Now in its eleventh year, the Rappaport Public Policy Fellowship gives talented young graduate students from throughout greater Boston the opportunity to help public officials address key problems and, in doing so, to learn more about how public policy is created and implemented.

Innovative Engineering PhD launched A new and innovative doctoral program in engineering and applied science will admit its first students this spring. The new degree, which combines the resources of three colleges— Engineering, Business, and Arts and Sciences—is the tenth PhD program to be offered at UMass Dartmouth.

“The degree will also provide new opportunities for partnerships with industry, government agencies and D a r t m o u t h

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other research universities,” said Robert Peck, dean of the College of Engineering.

“Companies are relying more on university research and less on their own R & D. This is an opportunity to partner and provide the basic research component. Further, the interdisciplinary emphasis of the program will make the graduates uniquely qualified to lead the development of technological innovations to benefit society.”

Provost Anthony Garro noted: “Learning and research opportunities for undergraduate and master’s degree students will also be greatly enhanced by the addition of this doctoral program.

The current talents and expertise of our exceptional faculty have positioned us well to initiate this program.”

Alumna and student serving on UMass Board Margaret “MarDee” Xifaras ’78, who earned her MBA at the Charlton College of Business in 1978, and Charlton College Class of 2012 member Peter Schock, are serving on the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees. Xifaras, who formerly chaired the Southern New England School of Law Board of Trustees, was appointed

by Governor Deval Patrick. Schock, a finance major, was elected by UMass Dartmouth students.

SMAST research raises concern about coastal waters A recent study conducted by School of Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) Dean Steven Lohrenz and an international team of scientists concludes that rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, the compound that is emitted by coal plants and gasoline-burning automobiles, may act together with high nutrient run-off to damage coastal ocean habitats.

“It’s a double whammy,“ said Dr. Steven Lohrenz. “Ocean acidification is a condition that threatens many forms of marine life, including commercially important species of shellfish and other creatures that feed on them.”

The study focused on the Gulf of Mexico and South China Sea ecosystems, but the results have broader implications for other coastal zones, including those in New England.

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decades of confinement.

Albie Sachs, a key figure in the South Africa anti-apartheid movement and former Justice of the South Africa Constitutional Court, participated in a panel discussion on Sept. 26.

Again, we’re best in class in NE Is online communication short-circuiting learning?

Professors Robert Waxler and Maureen Hall have a message for the constant tweeters and texters: read books!

In Transforming Literacy: Changing Lives Through Reading and Writing, Waxler, (an English professor) and Hall (A Fulbright Scholar in education) assert that the growing infatuation with online communication and movement away from traditional reading is damaging students’ ability to learn. Through a number of examples, they show how literature can excite the imagination and stir the human heart to the activity of learning and the adventure of education that involves a continual quest to, in the words of Socrates, “know thyself.”

“There is a long and progressive tradition in education that needs to be rejuvenated,” Dr. Waxler said. “That tradition is rooted in the belief that the goal of education is to create a compassionate community of concerned human beings, a democracy that celebrates wisdom over smartness, the depth of understanding and the patience of critical judgment over the cleverness of manipulation and the speed of production for quick results.”

UMass Dartmouth is once again rated as the top public "regional university" in New England, according to the recently released U.S. News & World Report rankings, and the university's College of Engineering is again listed among the best undergraduate programs in the country.

Regional universities are defined by the magazine as providing a “full range of undergraduate majors and master’s programs.” UMass Dartmouth, which also offers ten doctorate programs and generates $26 million in annual research, is one of 16 public regional universities in New England. There are 626 public and private regional universities across the nation ranked by the magazine.

The College of Engineering, which recently launched the first undergraduate bio-engineering major in the five-campus UMass system, is again listed among the “best in undergraduate engineering” by the magazine. The college is ranked 37th overall —tied with Boise State University and the University of Portland, OR—and 14th among public campuses.

South Africa anti-apartheid struggle focus of exhibit and dialogue The anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa was the focus of a major campus exhibit and panel discussion this fall.

The University hosted the “Kathrada Exhibition” in October. Named for Ahmed Kathrada, who was among those anti-apartheid activists imprisoned with Nelson Mandela, the exhibit included a life-like Robben Island Cell that allowed visitors to experience what Mandela, Kathrada and others felt during their

’87 engineering alum completes astronaut school Scott Tingle, ’87, a commander in the U.S. Navy and a highly decorated pilot, has completed astronaut training. Tingle, who earned a degree in mechanical engineering from UMass Dartmouth, is one of 14 men and women in NASA’s 20th astronaut class.

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Pioneers! - The UMass Law Class of 2011.

The first graduating class of the Commonwealth's first and only public law school.

Strong showing on bar exam for first UMass Law grads A strong 77.8 percent of the School of Law’s first-time takers of the Massachusetts Bar Exam passed the test this summer. These were the first graduates of the school to take the exam.

“These results are a clear indicator that the academic, financial, and student support fundamentals of UMass Law are strong,” said UMass President Robert L. Caret.

“We are all quite proud of our first class of law graduates and look forward to the contributions they will make to their profession and society.”

“This excellent bar pass result, in just our first year of operation, is proof of the talent and work ethic of our students, and the knowledge and dedication of our law school faculty and staff,” said Chancellor Jean F. MacCormack. “Congratulations to these pioneering UMass Law graduates who will now move forward in careers to serve their communities and the Commonwealth.”

“It’s a good, strong score for any school and an outstanding score for a new school seeking provisional accreditation,” added Katherine S. Broderick, Dean and Professor at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, who is serving as the school’s accreditation consultant.

The School of Law was established in 2010 to provide a high quality public option for citizens of the Commonwealth. The first UMass Law graduating class received diplomas in May, 2011.

“So all you graduates...when you are charging forward...elbowing your way to the top...overcoming obstacles, don’t forget to pull...reach out and reach back.”

— Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Roderick L. Ireland to the graduate student Class of 2011

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Uncovering a n o i t a z i l i v i c n e t t forgo credits a 3 ’9 d an h ac B ce ru B t is g lo eo h rc A tmouth ar D s as M U l fu er d n o w ... g in g n “challe e adventure lif a g in ch n u la h it w ” ce n ie er p ex

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By Natalie White

widowed aunt’s belief in higher education and a determination to make the very most of his time at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth fueled Dr. Bruce R. Bachand’s drive to become an archaeologist and laid the foundation for his recent groundbreaking discovery of the oldest known tomb found in a Mesoamerican pyramid.

Dr. Bachand ’93, an archaeologist affiliated with Brigham Young University’s New World Archaeological Foundation, recently returned to campus for the first U.S. presentation of his findings last year during a National Geographic Society and Fulbright-sponsored archaeological dig in Mexico. Although the findings had been reported in the popular media, the UMass Dartmouth presentation earlier this year marked the first time Dr. Bachand spoke publicly in this country about discovering the

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Left: A broken and vandalized Maya stela from Dos Pilas, Guatemala.

Bottom left: a polished jade axe from Chiapa de Corzo, Mexico. Bottom right: Jade necklace worn by the male ruler in the Chiapa de Corzo tomb.

(Photographs by Bruce R. Bachand).

remarkable 2,700-year-old tomb in Chiapa de Corzo, Mexico.

He said he chose his alma mater for the U.S. unveiling “to express gratitude to the institution and teachers that gave me my start in anthropology.”

Despite the fact that Dr. Bachand has traveled abroad to remote locations and studied at many institutions, he said the roots of much of his success are local—his upbringing in the nearby town of Acushnet and his time at UMass Dartmouth. In emails and in a wide-ranging telephone interview, Dr. Bachand described growing up in Southeastern Massachusetts, his undergraduate years at UMass Dartmouth, and the challenging career path that eventually led to last year’s rare discovery. Researchers hope the tomb, which for 2,700 years sheltered the remains of what appear to be a ruling couple as well as two human sacrifices, will shed light on the mysterious Zoque civilization.

“We knew right away that it was significant, but it took a little

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time before we knew exactly what we had,” said Dr. Bachand, who led the Chiapa de Corzo project along with Dr. Emiliano Gallaga of Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History, and Lynneth Lowe of Mexico’s National Autonomous University. Although Dr. Bachand said archaeologists often spend more time sitting at the computer than digging in the field— “hardly an Indiana Jones lifestyle”— uncovering the royal burial chamber was an unforgettable moment.

“Discovering a tomb is a very unusual experience even for archaeologists,” he said, adding that many go through their entire careers without documenting such a find. “It truly is amazing.”

At the end of a long, hot, dusty day of excavating at Chiapa de Corzo, located about 100 miles from the Guatemalan border, excavators discovered a row of large, flat stones, which turned out to be the wall of a tomb. Instead of packing up for the day, the team rigged up floodlights and worked through the night, eventually finding the skeleton of a middle-aged man housed in a burial chamber.

“Human cranial bone, a clamshell, a pair of dull black stone disks, and scores of minuscule jade beads began to appear with every stroke of the brush,” Dr. Bachand said.

The skeleton was coated in a powdery red pigment, decorated with intricately carved jade jewelry and wore a pearl-beaded loincloth. The male’s front teeth were inlaid with white pearlshell disks. Nearby were discovered the skeletons of a young adult male and an infant, which were unadorned and believed to be human sacrifices commissioned at the time of burial. Just outside the chamber, they found a female skeleton on a landing, also given the “royal” treatment with decorations of jade, amber and pearls.

“It was surreal,” Dr. Bachand recalled. The lights. The exhaustion. The exhilaration.

The two bejeweled skeletons had clamshells placed over mouths filled with jade and pyrite ornaments. The individuals donned jade spangles intricately carved into gourds, ducks, a monkey, and other animal forms. Offerings to the gods were placed all around: ritual axes, ceramic pots, mirrors and masks.

Featured in the New York Times, the discovery of the tomb offers intriguing clues to a still emerging picture of the formation of Mesoamerican civilizations, how they may have traded and related with each other. Mesoamerica is roughly considered what is now Mexico and Central America.

The findings hint at answers and raise many questions about the Zoque, about whose history little is known. Dr. Bachand said the discovery of the Zoque tomb indicates that

Gulf of Mexico

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La Venta

Tikal

BELICE

Chiapa de Corzo

MEXICO

Caribbean Sea

Map redraw Rachel Cocroft

GUATEMALA Mixe-zoque (Early Formative 1,500-1,000 BC) Zoque (Middle Formative 1,000-400 BC) Trade routes Country borders

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the civilization may have been more influential in the region’s history than previously thought— presenting the possibility that some Mesoamerican traditions may not be Gulf Olmec or Maya in origin but may be traced to Chiapas Zoque influences.

The discovery is not without controversy, challenging the theory that the Olmec and Maya civilizations were the dominant cultures that shaped the region. But this Zoque tomb raises possibilities that other cultures such as the Zoque may also have greater influence than previously thought, and could change our view of how the region developed.

For instance, the pyramid where the tomb was uncovered was paired with a long terraced platform, this layout is known in archaeological parlance as an “E group,” a pattern thought to have astronomical significance as it aligns the structures with the sunrise on solstices and equinoxes.

“It appears to be one of the earliest E groups in all of Mesoamerica,” raising questions about what role the Zoque may have played in the invention of E groups, Dr. Bachand said.

In a New York Times article, Elsa M. Redmond, an anthropologist at the American Museum of Natural History, said the discovery of the tomb supports a growing consensus among Mesoamerican scholars that several contemporary cultures contributed to the rituals, technologies and traditions of the region, more of a “sister model” than a “mother culture”

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model with the Olmec at the center.

Dr. Bachand said researchers have much work ahead of them to untangle the past, and he hopes future discoveries from this time period will shed light on the forces that shaped Mesoamerica.

Growing up in a “working class Catholic home” in Acushnet, Dr. Bachand described himself as “a pretty average kid,” living with his parents Robert and Frances Bachand, and his two older brothers and one younger sister. Early trips led by his pastor Rev. James Nickel helped develop in him an interest in foreign travel and other cultures.

Although his parents “instilled in us wholesome values and selfconfidence,” Bachand said he grew up believing that college was “not a requirement or a financial possibility in my family.” But in his senior year at Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School in neighboring Rochester, Bachand went after a few scholarships and was admitted to Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Michigan to pursue vocational training in architecture. There, he discovered that while he had aptitude for architecture, he was “captivated and literally enthralled by what was being taught in my history, literature, psychology, and philosophy classes.” He knew he wanted a liberal arts education, but had no way to pay for it until his father’s aunt passed away just before his sophomore year and his father decided to pay for Bachand’s UMass tuition.

“My aunt wanted someone in the family to go to college.

I will always be grateful for her vision and generosity and my dad’s decision,” he said.

One of the best decisions he ever made was to use his aunt’s bequest to attend UMass Dartmouth, he said. Bachand credits his mentors and professors at UMass Dartmouth for a “challenging yet wonderful” undergraduate education. “I was the recipient of the best college teaching I’ve ever known—and I’ve since taken classes at Harvard, Brigham Young University

“Discovering a tomb is a very unusual experience even for archaeologists… it truly is amazing.”

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Dr. Bachand said he decided to spend a summer in Guatemala learning Spanish and visiting Maya ruins. To fund this trip, he sold his car and spent his last year and a half commuting the 15-mile roundtrip to UMass Dartmouth by bicycle.

After graduation, Dr. Bachand learned of Gordon R. Willey, Harvard’s Bowditch Professor of Mexican and Central American Archaeology and Ethnology, and wrote him a letter, introducing himself, explaining his interest in Maya archaeology and asking if he might meet with him. He said Willey graciously agreed to meet with him, and when he did, was enthusiastic.

“He responded matter-of-factly, ‘Well then, you need to meet

“I was the recipient of the best college teaching I’ve ever known.”

After six months of digging, Bachand's team finally reached bedrock 40 feet from the top of the Chiapa de Corzo pyramid to record the building’s earliest construction phases (Photograph by Lynneth S. Lowe).

and the University of Arizona,” he said.

Reference Librarian Paige Gibbs as well as several professors — Dr. Elise Brenner, Dr. Geraldine Gamburd, Dr. Jack Stauder and Dr. Larry Miller among them — encouraged his intellectual curiosity and influenced his budding interest in archaeology. Dr. Miller’s seminar on the Maya so ignited his imagination that

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David Stuart who’s just down the hall and is teaching a class this semester on Maya archaeology.’ Dr. Bachand described Dr. Stuart as “a prodigy who was reading hieroglyphs as a boy and has since become the world’s leading Maya epigrapher,” and also a “down to earth guy, who welcomed me to audit his class.” He later benefitted from Stuart's recommendation when he applied to Brigham Young University.

Bachand refined and deepened his knowledge of Mesoamerica at Brigham Young University, acquiring more field experience and skills, all of which formed a foundation for his later doctoral research at the University of Arizona. He was helped and encouraged by many individuals and mentors along the way, although the journey was rarely predictable or easy.

“Rejection has been a familiar companion,” he said. “It turns out that it is known to anyone who has applied for grants, a job, a research permit, or who has tried to publish.” The trick is not to give up, but also not to lose yourself along the way, he said. “I’ve seen rejection erode some people’s self-worth to zero and make others sacrifice comfort, money, relationships, and even personal integrity in order to overcome it. The challenge is to not lose sight of the bigger picture, the broader trajectory, and the things that matter most.”

On his first day in the anthropology department at Brigham Young University, Dr. Bachand knew he was in a good place for professional success. But what he didn’t know was that he was also in the right spot at the right time for his personal life as well. The first person he met was later to become his wife, now Holly Sullivan Bachand. They live in Salt Lake City, Utah with their two children.

Natalie White is a freelance writer living in Rochester, and a former reporter for the Standard-Times of New Bedford.

Readers can learn more about Dr. Bachand’s discovery in the June 2011 issue of Popular Archaeology magazine, the January 2011 issue of Arqueología Mexicana, and on the National Geographic Society website: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/05/100518-oldestpyramid-tomb-zoque-mexico-science/

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John Freeman ’58, Fred McDonald ’55, Bob Lavoie ’61, Donald Wood ’60, MA ’70

John Xifaras, Otilia Ferreira '87

Jeanne and Bob Leduc ’78, Chancellor Jean F. MacCormack

Atsuko Fish, Mardee Xifaras MBA ’78, Larry Fish

UMass Dartmouth hosted its annual Blue and Gold Gala on September 24 at the Joseph Abboud clothing factory in New Bedford.

Over 225 guests enjoyed a silent auction, dinner, and dancing. This event raised roughly $50,000 in support of student scholarships. The highlight of the evening was the live auction where 25 donors raised their bidding paddles to purchase $500 scholarships for students.

Tony Sapienza, President and CEO - JA Apparel U M a s s

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Steeled emotions Alumni, faculty, community forge a lasting 9/11 memorial

By Lauren Daley

hen Adam Katz ’97 first touched the scarred steel beam, he felt a charge of electricity pulse through his body.

“The beam is alive,” he said.

“That’s the only way to describe it. You touch it, and you feel shaky and weak. You feel sadness and anger, every emotion all at once.”

Katz, of Acushnet, graduated from the College of Visual and Performing Arts with a degree in sculpture as did his younger brother Jeremiah Katz ’99.

The Katz brothers and sculpture Professor Eric Lintala collaborated with Acushnet Fire Chief Kevin Gallagher ’85 to build a 9/11 memorial at the Acushnet fire house, using a massive 2,800-pound steel beam from the twin towers.

This is the story of how these four men came together to make an epic monument to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of 9/11.

In September 2009, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced they would make available parts of the World Trade Center wreckage for 9/11 memorials around the U.S. “I made the request, sat back, and waited. In February of 2011, we were told we could come pick it up,” said Acushnet Fire Chief Kevin Gallagher ’85.

Gallagher— who graduated from UMass Dartmouth in 1985 with a degree in Political Science — drove to JFK airport in New York with two of his men to fetch the massive 2,800-pound steel beam.

“There was a hangar in JFK that was converted to a warehouse of physical remainders of 9/11,” he said. “Beams, the tridents from the windows, police cruisers that were destroyed.

It was a very emotional trip. Lots of tears.”

Gallagher and his men drove the beam back to Acushnet in grand procession: a parade of fire trucks and police cars proceeded down Main Street. A custom-made flatbed truck

carried the beam. Old men took their hats off and stood tall, their hands on their hearts. Men and women bowed their heads.

Children stood in silence. The American flag waved on front lawns and porches and in doorways.

“People had very emotional reactions to seeing the beam,” Gallagher said. “When we came back to the fire station, slowly but surely, folks lined up to touch the steel.”

Simply touching the cold steel beam was an emotional act in and of itself, Gallagher said. When Gallagher laid his hands upon the beam, tears welled in his eyes. Anger and sorrow pulsed through his body. He was “transported back in time” to September 11, 2001.

He vividly remembered that morning, being at St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford.

Then a part-time paramedic, Gallagher was preparing to transport a patient to a Boston hospital when, suddenly, he “heard screams coming from almost all the patients’ rooms.”

As he drove the ambulance into Boston, the roads were eerily still.

At Logan Airport the sky was cluttered with airplanes making emergency landings.

A decade later, Gallagher applied for and received not only the beam, but two more 9/11 reminders from the U.S. Department of Defense: a slab of smoke-scarred lime stone from the Pentagon wreckage, and a stone from the wreckage in Shanksville, PA. Looking at all three objects in the Acushnet Fire House one night, Gallagher thought: “Now what?” He went online and posted a message on Facebook seeking help in building a 9/11 memorial.

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“People had very emotional reactions to seeing the beam” when it arrived in Acushnet.

—Chief Kevin Gallagher ’85

“This is the most joyous project I've ever worked on.”

—Sculpture Professor Eric Lintala.

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Almost instantly, he was contacted by a UMass Dartmouth alum and Acushnet on-call firefighter Adam Katz. He and his brother Jeremiah, 33, arrived at the Acushnet fire station the very next day to take a look at the beam and sketch out ideas.

Gallagher also e-mailed the College of Performing and Visual Arts to ask for guidance. He was quickly contacted by Eric Lintala, former professor to the Katz Brothers.

When Lintala met with the Katz brothers to go over ideas, they had sketches that were, “so similar it was ridiculous. I said, ‘God, I really taught you well, didn’t I?” Lintala said with a laugh.

Lintala, a sculpture professor for the past 31 years, has worked at UMass Dartmouth since 1988. The Wareham resident has also worked on other public monuments, including the Holocaust Memorial and Fishermen’s Memorial in New Bedford, and the Civil War Memorial at Dartmouth High School.

The monument that now stands at the Acushnet Fire House is a large circular brick platform surrounded by three stone benches. In the middle is a stone pentagon to which the 6-foot long, 2,800 pound beam is mounted.

The beam is pointed at an extreme angle to nod directly at Ground Zero. The pentagon is surrounded by sand and nine-bynine inch memory bricks, which people can purchase to engrave.

Amazingly, a project that would have cost an estimated $100,000 to build only cost the Fire Department a fraction of that: $5,000. Almost nobody would take money for a 9/11 Memorial. Companies donated concrete, stone, lighting, marble, brick, landscaping, equipment, machinery, time and effort.

Citizens came up with $21,000 though fundraisers. Lintala and the Katz brothers worked pro bono.

“This is the most joyous project I’ve ever worked on.

Everybody has given freely of their materials and work. We’ve spent almost nothing on this project,” said Lintala. “Doing monuments, you run into some where the organization is a disaster; the whole thing goes into the toilet. But this project

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has been awe-inspiring.”

Adam Katz added, “The other day, we were cementing stones in the heat, and nobody wanted to leave until it was all done, and nobody complained about the work. Just knowing what we’re building this for, it doesn’t feel like work.”

After graduating from UMass Dartmouth, Adam Katz moved to Los Angeles and became a stuntman for the movies.

In 2001, he was working as a teacher at a stunt driving school. On Sept. 11, he woke up, turned on his TV, and watched the second tower fall live. He then had to drive almost two hours through the desert to the stunt school.

“My boss was a Vietnam vet. He was all shook up. All these bomber jets started taking off near us. We thought World War III was happening,” Katz recalled. “My boss called off work, and I drove all the way back home. LA was a target zone; I lived near LAX airport, and everything was at a stand-still. I was on the phone with my family all day, they were saying, 'Come home; move back here!’ It was weird being so far away from my family during a time like that.”

Building this monument has been therapeutic, Katz said.

“I felt a lot of guilt being on the West Coast during 9/11, where nothing was going on, while everyone I knew and loved was on the East Coast. Building this monument, I finally feel like I’m a part of the event,” he said.

He wants people who visit the monument to “connect with their emotions” regarding 9/11, as well. “I want them to use it as their way to connect to that event; I want them to have an emotional connection to the beam,” he said.

While his brother was in California, Jeremiah Katz was working as a TV cable installer in Massachusetts.

“I was at the Bridgewater office picking up my work orders for the day when the first plane struck the towers,” Jeremiah said. “In shock, but, thinking it was an accident, I took my work orders and equipment and headed to my first job in New Bedford.”

He was high atop a telephone pole connecting cables when he heard a piercing scream from below. He rapidly ambled down the ladder and into his customer’s house, only to see the second tower burning on their TV. “I remember how I felt that day as if it were yesterday,” he said.

Meanwhile, on that fateful morning, Lintala was teaching a class at the CVPA's Star Store in downtown New Bedford when, “everyone was told to evacuate the college.” Lintala drove home to Wareham, and watched the second tower fall live on TV. Working on this project has “resurrected a lot of painful memories,” he said.

“Working on this every day, something always pops up—the steel beam itself was made in Bethlehem, PA, so there’s another Pennsylvania connection. Then seeing the burnt stars, the marble, the encrusted rock—it hits home.”

Looking at the completed monument “brings tears to my eyes” he said. “It’s intense. It brings out a lot of reflection."

Jeremiah Katz said the first time he saw the raw materials for the monument, he felt “sadness turning to anger.”

When it was time to work, he put his nose to the grindstone,

(l-r) Chief Kevin Gallagher, Acushnet Fire Dept., Jeremiah Katz ’99, Professor Eric Lintala, Adam katz ’97.

but once the monument was complete, and was able to step back and really look at what he had helped create, he became emotional.

Since completing the project, Katz has, “cried sporadically, not knowing why, or when. It’s just coming out.”

“My brother and I work alongside each other every day in our normal business, but working alongside him and Eric on this project was something totally different,” said Jeremiah Katz, of Fairhaven.

“Eric Lintala is someone I have looked up to since the first time meeting him at UMass back in 1995. Being able to work alongside someone who you’ve looked up to for 15 years—on a project as emotional as this—is an indescribable feeling,” he said.

Chief Gallagher said that when he was a UMass Dartmouth student in the 1980s, he would often see student art work displayed around campus.

“I didn’t get art then," he said. "It was too abstract for me.

But seeing this, I get it now. I see the emotion art can bring forth.

Looking at this sculpture, I understand.”

Lauren Daley is a freelance writer.

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The many palettes of Tara Esperanza ’95

T

ara Esperanza is the founder of Tara’s Organic Ice Cream based in Berkeley, California. A graduate of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, Tara was originally based in Santa Fe where she won New Mexico’s Emerging

Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006. Tara’s shops recently won the top award for Best Ice Cream flavors from the East Bay Express newspaper and she has been lauded for her inventiveness and culinary flair with dairy. We asked the most creative ice cream maker on the planet if she would be willing to answer our questions about art, life,

Photo by Jennifer Esperanza

and especially ice cream.

Broadening the ice cream horizon Adzuki Black Sesame Avocado Banoffee Pie Black Sesame Chocolate Stout Dark Chocolate Swirl Egg Nog Garam Masala Hibiscus Agave Sorbet Kaffir Lime Leaf Lemon Blueberry Mango Ginger Molasses Nasturtium Oregano Orange Pepper Pink Peppercorn Rosemary Pear Salted Caramel Truffle w/ Carmelized Pear Vanilla Bean White Pepper Chocolate Chip Yerba Santa

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So when did you develop a desire to open an ice cream shop and what were you doing before you decided to create flavors that people never knew they loved?

In 2003, I was working in a restaurant and as a wine buyer. I was painting in my free time…the typical artist story, but kept following the restaurant path. I was making my own organic ice cream at home in flavors that I couldn’t get anywhere else and I started getting requests from friends, and soon it became an underground sensation. I’d get calls from total strangers wanting to buy ice cream. Eventually it evolved into a business and the word of mouth spread fast since there was nothing of its kind. I never had any aspirations to own my own business but sometimes that is how life unravels.

In addition to traditional flavors, your store has some fascinating options such as Adzuki Black Sesame, Chinese 5 Spice, and Oregano Orange Pepper. Where do you find your inspiration and have you ever created something that was just unpalatable?

I love to eat and have traveled frequently, especially in southeast Asia. I’ve always been interested in trying new things and broadening my ice cream horizons. I have a lot of fun inventing flavors and they always just hit me— in the middle of the night, after I eat an incredible meal, or while I’m jogging, etc. I don’t sit in my office and contemplate flavors. That never works.

As for the unpalatable, I usually nail the flavor I’m considering but sometimes it sounds a little better than it tastes. I think I learned well from my mother. She knows how ingredients work together and I’m fortunate to get that from her.

You were originally based in Santa Fe, but moved your shop to Berkeley in 2008.

What was your motivation and what has been the major difference in conducting business in the bay area?

I moved to the bay area to get closer to my resources. Most of my ingredients came from this area so it made perfect sense to move closer in order to reduce my carbon footprint. Santa Fe was great place to start a business but growth is a little limited. When I moved the shop to California, the economy had just begun to shift so it wasn’t the best time to start new, but I’ve found that the residents of California have a greater openness and the ethnic diversity lends itself to more appreciation for certain flavors. Adzuki Black Sesame was a hard sell in Santa Fe but it is very popular in California.

National surveys indicate that vanilla is the most popular ice cream flavor in the United States. What is the most popular flavor in your shops and what are the flavors that have a more specialized, but dedicated following?

People tell us that our vanilla flavors are remarkable, but I find that people are attracted to more unusual flavors. Some varieties have a cult following — Black Sesame and Salted Caramel in particular. Banoffee Pie flies out of store. We don’t always keep it in stock but when we do, it just disappears.

Chocolate Tarragon can sometimes make people cry tears of joy. For some reason, it makes people sentimental.

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Tara’s ice cream shop takes sustainability very seriously. You use compostable cups made from sugarcane, spoons made from potato starch, recycled paper products, and energy efficient lighting and equipment. How much do you reduce your carbon footprint in comparison to other ice cream shops?

In this region, we have the Bay Area Green Business Program that distinguishes small businesses that protect, preserve and sustain the environment. There is a hefty application process, including five inspections in order to obtain our Green Business Certification. Our water is low flow and we have sky lights, both of which allow us to qualify for certification. Also, we don’t create any trash because everything in the store is compostable and recycled. We are very fortunate that the bay area has a system in place for composting and recycling. The area has managed to organize and simplify it. This is one of things that is most attractive about living here. More cities should follow this example because unfortunately there is so much waste in food service.

When you aren’t creating ice cream flavors, what other artistic endeavors do you follow?

Unfortunately, I don’t have much time to paint but I still draw and do some photography. I also enjoy being out in nature. I go hiking in the redwoods one day and then head down to the beach on another. Since they are only 10 minutes away from home, it gives me terrific opportunities. Interestingly, a lot of customers are fascinated by the ice cream flavors and colors.

I’m often told that my display case is like a canvas and I mix flavors like color on a palette.

Do you ever envision a more regional or national presence, and how can UMass Dartmouth students get a scoop of Tasmanian Honey ice cream on a sesame cone? Any plans of opening a satellite in Dartmouth?

My family would love me to open a store in the area. My whole family is back there and they are always begging me for ice cream. For right now though, you would need to visit my stores in California or have ice cream shipped by visiting our website.

More about Tara’s Organic Ice Cream at: www.tarasorganic.com

John Arrington ’73 and the past, present and future of the Black Student Union

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ohn Arrington has always been in tune to the importance of mentoring in the African American community. A founding member of GE’s African American Forum and former Board member of the Urban League of Greater Hartford, Mr. Arrington has achieved significant national recognition, not only for his most recent role as Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Barnes Group, but for his work in promoting conversations about diversity. This responsibility has always been part of Mr. Arrington’s life and was likely a driving force behind the establishment of the Black Student Union in the early 1970s.

“The Black Student Union was established to have a meaningful presence on campus which would enhance black culture and heritage, while mentoring students who needed it,” said Mr. Arrington. “We never really carried signs or demonstrated.

Rather, we worked with the Administration to push for courses such as Black Literature and History, and the hiring of African American professors. They were actually quite receptive.”

Mr. Arrington first arrived on campus after serving five years in the Air Force during the Vietnam era. A New Bedford native, he had returned to the region and planned to get his degree

John Arrington (right) with Keith Wilder, current director of the Frederick Douglass Unity House on campus.

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The Bristol County Savings Bank

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in political science. Arriving at UMass Dartmouth (then SMU), Mr. Arrington noticed that the University had some diversity but lacked a student group that represented his background. He and others on campus including Gene White, Donald Foye, Sandy Rebeiro, Vinny Mello and Student Trustee Errol Brooks worked to create a group that would provide leadership to students on campus and offer educational opportunities to all students. In the first few years, the Black Student Union brought the Tuskegee University Choir and famous poet Nikki Giovanni to campus.

“It’s important to recognize the achievements of the past and perspective that history provides,” said Keith Wilder, Director of the Frederick Douglas Unity House. “We live in a time when there are many more advantages and sometimes we don’t understand the fight that those before us took. I’ve been involved with minority students for a long time and it is only recently that I’m seeing students who don’t know their history.”

Today, the Black Student Union and the Frederick Douglass Unity House have a very strong presence on campus and offer a variety of programs that enhance the experiences of all students by promoting

Mr. Arrington speaks with 2011 Black Student Union President Angela Cadet.

a sense of belonging and inclusivity.

Mentoring and leadership training remain a critical component of their programming.

“In many ways, the foundation that was set by John Arrington and the many others who helped create the Black Student Union still exists,” Mr. Wilder said. “It is both an educational and social group.

Students take on leadership opportunities and help advise younger students, while

socializing in a positive manner. In the future we expect to create a multi-cultural student support center with a focus on greater inclusion and fewer silos.”

“It feels very good to know that in some small way, we were able to lay the groundwork that allowed this organization to take off. It certainly appears to have come a long way,” said Mr. Arrington.

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Homecoming 2011— Proud to be UMD

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2011 Hall of Fame

The Corsair Hall of Fame held its annual induction ceremony on October 14 at Rachel’s Lakeside. The 2011 inductees include, from left to right, former head football coach Bill Kavanaugh, who during his 17 years with the Corsairs posted a 104-64 record and is the longest serving football coach in program history; Emily Valorz ’02, a three-time women’s lacrosse MVP; Helder Braz ’86, an All-American cross country star; and former field hockey coach Barbara Carreiro who has made a major contribution to the development of the women’s sports. The 1989-90 Men’s Swimming and Diving Team, which included multiple All-Americans and won the New England Championship, was also honored.

The permanent home for the Corsair Hall of Fame will soon be completed Twenty-four years after inducting the first group of former athletes and coaches, the Corsair Hall of Fame now has bricks and morter or more correctly steel beams and wall board.

Located inside the Tripp Athletic Center lobby, the Corsair Hall of Fame is actually part of a recently completed construction project which created two glass-walled rooms which overlook the main courts of the Tripp Center along with a new meeting space which will soon house the Hall of Fame. Class plaques recognizing each of the previous Hall of Fame classes will adorn the walls of the main conference room while past trophies and artifacts will be placed in the new display cases.

“We wanted to create a space to celebrate our past and establish a permanent connection with the student-athletes who have made special contributions to our athletic history and success as a department,” said UMass Dartmouth Athletic Director Ian Day. The UMass Dartmouth Corsair Hall of Fame annually inducts a class of former athletes, coaches, administrators and friends. Up until now once the dinner was concluded there have been very few opportunities to recognize those inducted. The new Hall Fame space, which was started earlier this year and is close to

being complete, will now serve that and many other purposes.

“It is important that students feel they have a connection to the university long after they have graduated,” added Day. “We want to build on the connection our former athletes have for their alma mater. Now we have a space which will allow us to do just that though our Corsair Hall of Fame.”

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F ESTIVAL VAL

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alumni awards Celebrating Leadership & Excellence

The UMass Dartmouth and the UMass Law Alumni Associations recently honored eight individuals who have made major contributions to their community. (l-r) The honorees shown above with Chancellor Jean F. MacCormack (center) are: Gregory Tapis ’04 received the Alumni Association Young Alumni Award. Upon graduation he worked as a worked as a staff consultant at an accounting firm but returned to school to earn his PhD in management. He currently serves as an assistant professor in Management at Augustana College in Illinois.

Alicia Brown, JD ’11 was presented the UMass Law Ambassador Award. During her three years at UMass Law, she actively participated in numerous organizations, including the Student Bar Association and the Law Review.

Christopher Markey, JD ’94 was presented the UMass Law Alumni Achievement Award. A recently elected member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Rep. Markey is a trial attorney and former Bristol County prosecutor.

Margaret “Mardee” Xifaras MBA ’78 received the UMass Law Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award. The former chair of the Board of Trustees of the Southern New England School of Law, she was a strong advocate for creating the UMass School of Law. James Karam ’71, Hon. ’01 received the Alumni Association Distinguished Lifetime Service Award. As chairman of the UMass Board of Trustees, he has been a champion of creating and sustaining high quality and accessible higher education opportunities for the citizens of Massachusetts.

Michael Knodler, Jr. ’99 received the Alumni Association Achievement Award. An associate professor in Transportation Engineering at UMass Amherst, his primary areas of focus are traffic safety, operations, design, and education.

Donald Burton ’97 also received an Alumni Association Achievement Award. A creative director and editor in California, he has come home to produce the second season of the “Faces of UMass Dartmouth” video series.

Brian Howes was presented the Alumni Association University Service Award. Dr. Howes is director of the Massachusetts Estuaries Project which is dedicated to wetland restoration and coastal preservation.

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Alumni

NEWS & Notes Robert B. Gaw ’79, management, Tiverton, RI, is president of Physicians Resource Network, Inc., a medical equipment sales and service company which has been selected by DOTmed, Inc. as the number one medical equipment dealer in the United States. Gaw works with his son, Robert M. Gaw ’05, humanities/social sciences, Somerset, who was a member of the 2002 UMass Dartmouth football team that went undefeated in the regular season.

’80s

Alison Wells MFA ’10, New Bedford, a Trinidadian mixed media and acrylics painter showcased her artwork at the Brookline Arts Center in September. Wells has also had solo exhibitions in Trinidad’s Normandie: The Gallery 1234, and displayed her work at the World Exposition in Shanghai, China. Wells depicts the multiplicity of her existence, and the cultural diversity of her two worlds, Trinidad and the United States, in her work. Her color techniques and layered surfaces represent the experience of environmental change and how it affects the human spirit. (above) “Sisters”, Acrylic on canvas, 16"x 20" 2010

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’50s

John M. Canto ’57, textile design, Taunton, writes that his wife, Sophie, and he purchased a home in Florida. They plan on spending the winter months in the sun.

They also enjoy vacationing on long cruises and are excited for their next one which will be a 28-day cruise to Hawaii and Tahiti.

’70s

James J. Karam ’71, Hon. ’01, business administration, Tiverton, was reappointed by Governor Deval Patrick as chair of the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees.

Cheryl C. Furze ’72, art education, Fall River, writes she is enjoying her retirement after teaching in Fall River for 37 years. She is proud to be a mentor for the SouthCoast Mentoring Initiative for

Learning, Education and Service (SMILES) at the Silvia School in Fall River, and is also a wedding calligrapher.

Barry T. Hauck ’74, textile technology, Montclair, VA, works at the Pentagon for the U.S. Army as a deputy product manager, physical scientist, and systems integrator. He is married to Renee Hauck, his college sweetheart, and together they recently celebrated 37 years of marriage. Hauck has two great kids and enjoys scouting, water sports, skiing and wine tasting.

Margaret D. Xifaras, MBA ’78, Marion, was one of seven people appointed to the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees by Governor Deval Patrick. Xifaras is a partner in the law firm of Lang, Xifaras & Bullard in New Bedford.

Donna Cook ’81, medical technology, Swansea, received a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Johnson & Wales University’s Alan Shawn Feinstein Graduate School. Cook, whose dissertation titled “Mentoring New Faculty at a Christian University in the Northeast: Developing a Framework for Programming”, works as the Assistant Vice President for Academic Administration at Salve Regina University.

Dean K. Snell ’82, visual design, Gloucester, owner of The Restoration Works on Rogers Street, crafts fine furniture and restores antiques. He works on multiple projects at a time, clocking in about 30 to 40 pieces per month. Projects range from small repairs to total refurbishing of tables, chests, chairs and cabinets with a provenance from the 1600s.

Snell lives with his wife, Ellen, and three sons.

David D. Gavin ’84, political science, Maynard, was re-elected for a second, threeyear term on the Maynard Board of Selectmen and was subsequently elected Chairman of the Board. Gavin resides

Send us your news— alumni@umassd.edu—we want to hear from you.

Alum ni sn aps

with his wife, Stephanie, and two daughters, Molly and Lily.

markets and other multimodal transportation initiatives.

Christopher Ludwig ’84, visual design, Jamaica Plain, works as the vice president of creative services with The TharpeRobbins Company, Inc., a global leader in managed employee rewards and recognition.

Thomas F. Kennedy ’86, psychology, Plainsboro, NJ, works as the vice president and executive director of TemPositions Health Care in New York, NY. He oversees all operations for TemPositions Health Care and its affiliated SchoolRN.com division. Kennedy joined TemPositions in 1988, and has extensive experience providing staffing gap analysis for clients and developing, implementing and overseeing staffing programs.

John Montigny ’85, mechanical engineering, Dartmouth, works as the chief marketing officer for Honeywell Safety Products, the $2 billion world leader in Personal Protective Equipment.

Montigny will lead HSP’s efforts in developing and executing global growth strategies across all product lines and regions as well as overseeing all communications, branding and overall marketing capability for the business. Montigny serves as a member of the Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School Board, the UMass Dartmouth Center for Marketing Research Board and is also a board member at Maritime International based in New Bedford, specializing in frozen food storage and logistics.

Kevin J. Thibault ’85, (above) civil engineering, Tallahassee, FL, works for the Parsons Group as vice president and market development manager for state transportation programs in the United States. Thibault is responsible for developing Parsons’ relationships in strategic

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James P. Sheehan, MBA ’86, Amherst, PA, was named the Interim Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finances at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Previously, Sheehan was the vice president for administration and finance at Towson University in Towson, MD. Maureen Patrolia ’88, visual design, Plymouth, was inspired by a visit to the Black Feather Horse Rescue in Plymouth, to illustrate a children’s book written by Stacey E. Hathaway, titled Murphy’s New Home: Never Underestimate the Power of Love. In addition to book illustrations, Patrolia also paints portraits of children, pets, houses and wedding couples.

Claudette A. Azar-Kenyon ’89, multidisciplinary studies, JD ’94, Dartmouth, works as the vice president of compliance and Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) officer at Community Bank. She has 14 years of compliance and BSA experience, including 10 years with Sovereign Bank and four years with BankBoston.

Alumni gathered at Doherty’s East Ave before a PawSox game in June.

1. Mike Hardman ’82 & Roseanne Felago 2. Kristen Spellman & Patrick Noonan, JD ‘11 3. Gina Regonini ’02 & guest, Jeff Murphy 4. Brianne Straus ’02 & her brother, Brian Straus

John F. Foley ’89, political science, Plymouth, works for Rogers & Gray as vice president of employee benefits.

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Alumn i s n a p s

Alumni gathering at the Star Store before the musical HAIR at the Zeiterion 1. (l-r) Nursing alums, Connie Yates '75, Sue McMahon '10, Pat Keenan '85 and Theresa Brum '76 2. (l-r) Bill and Carol Flack ’76, Zora Valentine ’92 Boston alumni get together at Tia’s 3. (l-r) Colleen Walsh ’07, Caitlin Kenerson ’08, Sarah Kerns ’06, Jaclyn Fortier ’08, Lauren Thomson ’06, and Dana Edwards ’08 4. (l-r) Matt Strafuss ’05, Brian Ashmankas ’09 and Allyson Boyington ’96.

Caroline LaCroix ’88, political science, Middleboro, has been appointed as the assistant to the town manager in Middleboro.

LaCroix has previously held positions in Weymouth as the director of administrative and community services and as

assistant to the executive administrator. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Rhode Island and is active in the South Middleboro Grange and East Middleboro 4-H Club.

D. Robin Gouveia ’89, history, JD ’98, Rochester, has joined d’Oliveira & Associates as manager of the Fall River office.

Gouveia practiced law for twelve years and previously worked in the insurance industry.

’90s

Renee T. Ouellette ’91, art education, Rochester, has her own Website, www. paintpaperinkstudio.com, which currently features works that graphically express addiction and

2011-2012 UMass Dartmouth Alumni Association Board of Directors Standing (l-r): Kaisa Holloway Cripps ’06, MBA ’10; Bryony Bouyer ’86; Maureen Sylvia ’80; Malcolm Riggs ’76; Jennifer Granger ’05; Roger Dugal ’70, JD ’89; Vencelo Mello ’71; Athena Mota ’04; Senior Class President, Melissa Chapelle ’12; Edgar Roth ’10; Julia Golden ’06 Seated (l-r): Donald Wood ’60, MA ’70; Theresa Brum ’76; Judith Lima ’87; Laura DaFonseca ’85; Oliver Cipollini, Jr. ‘78 Missing from the photo: Fernando Garcia ’69, David Gerth ’08, Gina Louis ’07, Steven Martins ’07, Bonnie Nimmo ’06, Kevin Santos ’81

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Send us your news—alumni@umassd.edu— we want to hear from you.

New s & No tes Welcome Back!

A rainy day didn’t prevent students from welcoming in the new school year with a smile. The Alumni Association thanks the North Dartmouth Dunkin Donuts for donating the coffee and donuts.

recovery entitled, “Yes and No.” She was recently invited by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine to submit images for their Addiction and Art project.

Dean F. Robinson ’91, visual design and illustration, North Dighton, works as President of Sassy, Inc., which designs, markets and distributes infant developmental toys, as well as feeding, bath, and baby care products worldwide.

Call for nominations It’s that time of year! The UMass Dartmouth Alumni Association is currently soliciting nominations for alumni to serve on the Board of Directors, beginning July 1, 2012 for a three–year term. The Board meets at least four times annually, with additional participation on subcommittees and at alumni events. Detailed responsibilities for the Board of Directors are located in the Alumni Association by-laws which can be found online at www.umassd.edu/alumni.

To nominate someone, or to self nominate, contact the Alumni Relations Office at alumni@umassd.edu or 508.999.8031.

On behalf of the entire UMass Dartmouth alumni community, thank you for your interest in representing your fellow alumni and guiding the mission of your Alumni Association.

Robinson was formerly the business leader at Summer Infant, Inc., where he led the efforts for toy and licensed product lines. Prior to this, he founded Creative Bonz, Inc., a global consulting business specializing in creating children's consumer products and marketing opportunities.

Robinson has also held various leadership positions in product development at Oregon Scientific, Inc., Aqua Leisure, Inc. and Little Kids, Inc. Michelle Goyette Sylvaria ’92, English/writing and communications, MA ’05, biology, Fall River earned a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from Boston University in May 2011. She is married to Dean Sylvaria ’93, biology, a certified histocompatibility specialist who supervises the histocompatibility lab at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He is also the president of the Fall River Youth Soccer Association and a soccer coach. They have two children, Alyssa and Dean Jr. Glen Bacus ’93, illustration, Wichita Falls, TX, works as the Promotions Director for NBC affiliate KFDX, and FOX affiliate KJTL in Wichita Falls.

Scott J. Soares ’93, biology/ marine biology, East Longmeadow, works as the state commissioner of agriculture. Soares was the commencement speaker in May for the Stockbridge School at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Darren M. Suarez ’93, political science, Nassau, NY, was hired

by The Business Council of New York State as a new director of government affairs. Suarez will foster The Business Council’s advocacy efforts.

Dana Esposito ’94, visual design photography, Shrewsbury, joined the creative team as Senior

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Exhibit Designer at Elevation Exhibits and Events, an awardwinning exhibit design and event-planning firm. She brings over 14 years experience to this role. Esposito is also involved in the Exhibit Designers and Producers Association (EDPA), and mentors college students who are pursuing the field of exhibit design. In addition, she donates her time, in the form of creative leadership, to the National Education for Assistance Dog Services (NEADS), a non-profit organization that improves the lives of people with disabilities through the use of highly skilled assistance dogs.

Roxanne Leone ’94, marketing, Redondo Beach, CA, was named

by Dealerscope.com as one of their 40 Under 40 leaders. This list profiles young leaders who provide the energy, enthusiasm and ideas that drive forward the consumer electronics industry.

Leone is employed by New Age Electronics as the marketing manager.

Nancy G. Flinn ’95, English, writing & communications, MA ’03, professional writing, Oakland, CA works at Holy Names University as the director of enrollment services and student affairs for the adult degree completion program.

Before moving to California, Flinn was the MBA program coordinator at UMass Dartmouth.

John B. Cummings, Jr. ’96, humanities/social sciences, Westport, has written a book titled The Last Fling which is a tale about the day Hurricane Carol slammed into Westport.

The book features first-hand stories from more than 60 individuals. A lifelong area resident, John, was a witness to the events of the day on August 31, 1954. A realtor, and owner of Cummings Group Realtors in Westport, he is married to Paula Francoeur of Somerset and has two sons and four grandchildren.

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u pc omi n g A l u m n i e v e n t s Join us in 2012! * January 19 Third Thursdays * January 21 Alumni Day–Basketball * February 11 Alumni Day–

Men’s Hockey * March 4

Come Fly Away at Providence Performing Arts Center

* April 3

Boston Red Sox at Washington Nationals

* May 26–27 Commencement Marchers Visit www.umassd.edu/alumni or call 508.999.8031 for more information about these and other upcoming alumni events.

Cummings also co-authored, From Little Acorns to Giant Oaks, a history of the Greater Fall River Development Corporation.

Adam Lynch ’98, management, Lakeville, works as the controller and a vice president at CitizensUnion Savings Bank in Fall River. Prior to joining CitizensUnion Savings Bank, he was vice president of corporate accounting for State Street Corporation in Boston.

Joseph P. Lopes ’99, political science, New Bedford, works as a loan officer for the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation, a company that provides capital to small businesses, and women and minority owned businesses in order to promote the creation of jobs in Massachusetts.

Lopes also serve as a New Bedford City Councilor.

Christine DeMelo ’00, art history, Florence, Italy, writes as an art historian who has been living, researching, working, and writing in Florence for several years. DeMelo wants fellow alumni to know she has created an informative website offering free insider tips, where to eat, 99-cent iTune tours and more for anyone visiting Florence, Italy. Check it out at www. florenceinsider.com Howard ‘Howie’ Mallowes ’01, accounting, Dartmouth, is the manager of operations, and strategic sourcing at iTek recruitment in the greater Boston area. He is also the owner and treasurer of Rose Alley Ale House and Pizan’s Pizza in New Bedford.

’00s

Rebecca A. Smith ’02, history and art history, Worcester, works as the assistant curator of the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center, a brand-new museum on Cape Cod devoted to the history

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of wireless technology. Smith develops exhibits ranging in topic from U-boat transmissions during WW II to mobile phones and networking. Smith is writing a thesis on corporate philanthropy to complete her master’s degree in museum studies at Harvard.

Pichai ‘Joey’ Chairatthanawanit, MBA ’04, Jamaica Plains, became the new owner of Thai Moon Restaurant in Arlington on January 1, 2011 after spending time as a financial analyst.

Jarrad Douglass Plante ’04,

Send us your news umassd.edu/alumni

sociology & criminal justice, Fall River, a graduate student of policy studies with a concentration in environmental policy at UMass Dartmouth, was among 29 public higher education students statewide to be honored as the “29 Who Shine.” Plante developed and implemented food pantries at two middle schools while engaging university service organizations to collect food to stock the pantry shelves.

Maura McGurk, MFA ’07, New York, NY, exhibited her paintings in July 2011 at the Wauregan Gallery in Norwich, CT, in a show titled Lavender Menace: Paintings

by Maura McGurk in Response to Gay Bullying. McGurk donated 10% of proceeds from sales of her artwork to the It Gets Better Project to support their work with gay youth.

Send us your news—alumni@umassd.edu— we want to hear from you.

World Class. Within Reach.

Where do you want to go next?

We have the programs to get you there‌ Doctoral programs Biomedical Engineering & Biotechnology Chemistry Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Electrical /Computer Engineering Engineering & Applied Science Law Luso-Afro-Brazilian Studies & Theory Marine Science & Technology Mathematics Education Nursing

Master’s programs Art Education Biology & Marine Biology Biomedical Engineering & Biotechnology Medical Laboratory Science (option) Business Administration Business Administration/Juris Doctor

Chemistry Civil & Environmental Engineering Computer Science Electrical & Computer Engineering Fine Arts (artisanry, fine arts, visual design) Marine Science & Technology Coastal & Ocean Administration, Science & Technology (COAST) (option) Mechanical Engineering Industrial & Systems Engineering (option) Nursing Physics Public Policy Portuguese Studies Professional Writing Psychology (app. behavior analysis, clinical, research) Teaching Textile Technology /Textile Chemistry

w w w.umassd.edu/graduate / 508.999.8604 / graduate@umassd.edu

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in MEMORI A M March 2011 to November 2011 Roger J. Gentilhomme ’33 Bradford Winslow Sherman ’56 Frank Cook ’61 Susan C. Gurganious ’68 Stanley M. Waclawik ’63 Robert F. Reed, Jr. ’70 Roland J. Dumont ’73 LuAnne Wohler ’73 Dorothy Desrosiers ’73 Marion Henderson ’75 Thomas J. Almeida ’76 Karen Machado ’78 William Taylor ’79 Nicki Murray ’88 Barbara Cassiani ’90 Lynne E. Plante ’93 Mary Alice (Keaveney) Sawyer ’94 Frank Sousa HD ’00 Eric Fernandes ’04 Walter O. Einstein, Ph.D. LTC USAF Ret., faculty

Mary Alice (Keaveney) Sawyer ’94 College of Nursing; R.N passed away on Sunday, July 31, 2011. A nursing leader, wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend, she was a nurse at the Children’s Hospital, Boston for the past fifteen years. Mary was known as a nursing leader in her specialty of pediatrics. Her enthusiasm, knowledge and expertise in pediatric nursing were exemplified in her career.

The patients and families she cared for will remember her smile and insight as she soothed sick children and their families with

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her warmth and compassion. She resided in Wilmington since her marriage eleven years ago. She is the beloved wife of Jack Sawyer and the devoted mother of Kaitlyn E. Sawyer and Bridget R. Sawyer. Memorial donations may be sent to the Trust Fund for the Education of her daughters, Kaitlyn and Bridget Sawyer, in care of The Rockland Trust Company, 405 Washington Street, Braintree, MA. 02184.

Walter O. Einstein, Ph.D. LTC USAF Ret., St. Petersburg, FL — October 20, 2011 Colonel Einstein served 22 years in the U.S. Air Force as a B-52 navigator, retiring from the 416th bomb wing in Rome, NY where he served as Deputy Wing Commander. In 1972, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross while flying a mission over North Vietnam.

He received his M.S. degree in systems management from the University of Southern California in 1975, and upon retirement from the Air Force, earned his Ph.D. in organization and management at Syracuse University.

Walter had a passion for sailing and the move with Jackie to Dartmouth in 1985 was prompted by the rich sailing grounds. He taught management with a specialty in leadership and strategy at the University until his retirement in 2008 and was awarded Professor Emeritus.

He was a passionate educator and skilled raconteur who loved being on stage in the classroom.

His storytelling is famous well beyond the classroom walls.

A memorial service to celebrate Walter’s life was held on November 13, 2011, at UMass Dartmouth. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Foundation, c/o Walter O. Einstein Scholarship Fund, 285 Old Westport Rd., North Dartmouth, MA 02747.

Lama Hassoun ’08, biology, New Bedford, graduated from Harvard University School of Public Health with a Master of Science in Global Health and Population.

Andrew Milian ’09, economics, Plymouth, earned the Massachusetts Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Chapter’s title of 2011 Man of the Year. Milian works as a personal insurance agent for Liberty Mutual in Hingham. His fight against blood cancers began with a 2008 Light The Night® Walk — a nationwide evening walk to celebrate and commemorate lives touched by cancer. Andrew played center on the UMass Dartmouth football team from 2003-2007.

James Reid Pace ’09, criminal justice, Sharon, graduated from Bridgewater State University with his masters in criminal justice.

Pace plans to pursue his doctoral degree in criminology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

BIR T H S

Vanessa Passaro Ring ’04, art education, MAE ’10, Wareham, and her husband, Patrick, announce the birth of a daughter, Natalie Dorothy Ring on April 8, 2011. She weighed in at 7 lbs., 12 oz. and was 19 1/2" long. Everyone is doing well! We couldn’t be happier!

Joseph T. Schlieff ’10, history, Middleboro, is a managed print specialist at the Rockland-based Bay Copy. Schlieff assists clients in creating cost control strategies for their document solution needs while also developing new business. He is an avid baseball fan and a devotee of the Red Sox in particular. A self-identified “politics junkie” he has a passion for keeping up with the news.

Sandra Sevigney ’09, business administration, Assonet, works as the vice president and trust officer at Plimoth Investment Advisors. Sevigney was awarded the accredited investment fiduciary designation from the Center for Fiduciary Studies.

Eric J. Mateer ’10, visual design/ illustration, Northbridge, a writer/ illustrator and lifelong mystery and horror story enthusiast, wrote a book titled, Paint Me Terrified for a new generation of young mystery and children’s horror fans.

Allison Looney Straker ’03, psychology, and Andre Straker ’04, economics, Malden, announce the birth of their daughter, Cameron, on May 19, 2011.

SAVE THE DATE 50th Reunion – Class of 1962 May 26-27, 2012 For details, contact Alumni Relations Office 508.999.8031

Send us your news—alumni@umassd.edu— we want to hear from you.

New s & No tes UMass Law Alumni Association celebration

(l-r) Strates Frangules, Ryan Benharris, JD ’05, and David Berger, JD ’95 gathered at the UMass Club in Boston to celebrate with fellow alumni who just finished taking the Massachusetts Bar Exam in July.

(l-r) UMass Dartmouth Assistant Chancellor Michael Eatough, MA ’09, Amber Cohen, JD ’08, and Thomas Cleary, JD ‘07 also joined the party.

Class of 1961 Celebrates 50th Reunion

Classmates from Bradford Durfee College of Technology and New Bedford Institute of Technology class of 1961 returned to campus May 20-22, 2011 to celebrate their 50th reunion. In addition to a welcome reception and reunion dinner, alumni were recognized during the undergraduate commencement exercises. A subset of the reunion classmates is shown here wearing their official medallion and keepsake gold regalia. Front row: Bob Lavoie, Daniel Berthiaume, Edward Cusson, Donald Carvalho, John Furtado, and David Gavigan. Back row: Richard Pires, John Bowen, Charles Messier and James Souza

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285 Old Westport Road, North Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300

Join us for the 112th UMass Dartmouth Commencement—May 26 and 27, 2012

Non-profit Org. US Postage Paid New Bedford, MA Permit Number 149