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facebook.com/ womensadvancement
04 THE WOMEN’S ADVANCEMENT INITIATIVE uniquely positions women for success through education and leadership programs; research and scholarship opportunities; and career connections and experiences, which open minds and open doors. This distinctive program is proud to continue and celebrate the legacy of Hartford College for Women, and is supported and sustained by a community of women and men who believe that advancing the potential of women is a personal and collective priority.
The Discipline to Survive
Cynthia Puerta ’24 shares her story of empowerment, survival, and healing.
DE PA R TM E N TS 02 HCW FEATURE
M A N AGING E D ITO R Glandina Morris Lyga ’04
08 LEAD PROFILE
CO N T RIBUTING WRITE R Theresa Sullivan Barger
12 DONOR REPORT
D E SI GN Lilly Pereira ’02
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Searching for Her Best Self
Shianne Pazienza ’24 draws inspiration from her sister, mom, and LEAD family.
B OA R D OF F I CERS Pearl Douglas Chair Judy Casperson Treasurer Karishma Pinto ’17, ’18 Secretary B OA R D OF DI R E CTORS Tricia Brunton Moraima Gutierrez Debbie Javit ’83 (HCW) Barry Lastra Karen Gibbs Orefice ’65 (HCW) Katharine A. Owens Debra Palmer ’82 Molly O’Shea Polk Sabrina Streeter ’18 H. Frederick Sweitzer Dr. Nicole Turnbow Bill Webster FOU N DI N G B OA R D CHA I R Lucille M. Nickerson
10 DONOR PROFILE 14 IMPACT 15 ANNUAL REWIND 16 HCW PROFILE
A R T DIRECTIO N Alicia Post Lindstadt E D I TO RIAL ASS ISTANCE Jonathan Easterbrook ’87, M’90 Nancy Simonds P H OTO GRAP H Y Megan Bainbridge ’23 Nicholas DeLeo ’24 Zandria Oliver ’22 Sophia Singer ’23 Timothy Fadek/Redux University of Hartford Archives and Special Collections P R O F E SS IO NAL STAFF Amy Jaffe Barzach, Executive Director Glandina Morris Lyga ’04, Director Sara Cerruto M’18, Assistant Director and LEAD Program Director
H A R T FO RD.E D U/ WO M ENSADVANCEM ENT CO N TACT U S : 200 Bloomfield Avenue, GSU327 West Hartford, CT 06117 womenadv@hartford.edu
DEA R A LU MN A E, PA R EN TS, FR I EN DS, A N D STU DEN TS, As I sat down to write this message, and thought about the 90-year legacy of Hartford College for Women, I asked myself, “What would I want my legacy to be?” A legacy composed of traditions, values, and beliefs. A legacy of strong women, on whose shoulders I stand. A legacy of a supportive community to uplift me quite like the village where I spent my childhood, surrounded by love and support. I want my legacy to encompass all those things, clearly demonstrating who I am as a person, and so much more. Ninety years ago, a “noble experiment” grew into an empowering legacy. Hartford College for Women gave its alumnae and today’s students a heritage of striving to reach one’s full potential, of looking beyond one’s comfort zone to expand horizons, and of appreciating the community of administrators, professors, and staff that encouraged thousands to discover a world of possibilities. This year, we celebrate past successes and opportunities—and everything that Hartford College for Women stands for—and look toward the future with positivity. Since our organization’s founding and with your support, we have facilitated more than 400 practical life skills and leadership sessions for students in the LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) program; coordinated student participation in nearly 7,000 hours of community service; awarded more than 235 scholarships; and assisted more than 150 faculty and staff through professional development programs. The design of the LEAD program was inspired by the way students at Hartford College for Women were challenged and supported. We have witnessed eight classes of students incorporate the lessons learned from LEAD, earn their undergraduate degree, and become successful in their lives and communities. We have seen faculty and staff in the Laura Johnson Leaders program secure advanced leadership roles. Most importantly, we have discerned how a sisterhood across time unites us all. I love that our organization encourages women to be their authentic selves, to live life with intention, and to know that their journey to success is as unique as they are. As we commemorate the founding of Hartford College for Women in 1933 and “90 Years of Educating Women in Hartford,” may we always remember that each of us creates our own legacy. Legacies live on through places, memories, and people. Legacies live on in our hearts. We are proud to continue and celebrate Hartford College for Women!
With appreciation,
PEARL DOUGLAS, Chair, The Women’s Advancement Initiative Board of Directors
A 90-YEAR LEGACY Hartford College for Women’s past bridges into the future by connecting women across decades. We proudly continue and celebrate this important legacy. It is not often that one is granted the privilege of being part of the past and of the future, while still living in the present. In like manner, we shall always be opening new doors as we pass through life. The future will be a series of experiences of which we presently have no knowledge. The ability to respond intelligently to these experiences is one of the goals which Hartford College strives to impart to us. What makes Hartford College such a unique and wonderful institution? In great measure, it is dedication to an ideal—that of helping young women develop their individual capacities to the maximum and assume a responsible role in life equipped with the best education possible.
– Excerpt from the Foreword from 1959 Highlander yearbook.
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T HE PAST, THE PRE S E N T, A N D T HE FUTURE ARE A L L F U L L OF experiences and opportunities that become a legacy. The common thread that connects Hartford College for Women alumnae with today’s students is unique experiences that lead to a sisterhood across time. In 1933, it was a “noble experiment” that led to 90 years of unique experiences. In that very year, Mount Holyoke in Hartford began with the potential for growth. The school opened its doors to 22 students at the YWCA in Hartford. By 1939, Hartford Junior College opened on Highland Street to 34 students enrolled in an expanded two-year program. In 1958, Hartford College found a new home at 1265 Asylum Avenue and Laura Johnson became the first president. In 1963, the College was renamed Hartford College for Women. Locations, names, and leadership changed throughout the years. By 1970, the College was recognized nationally and rated “academically prestigious.”
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Above: Group photo from 1983 Highlander yearbook. Right: 1953 Highlander image.
Groundbreaking programs and organizations were established, like the Counseling Center in 1968, the Women’s Research Institute in 1983, and Academic Express in 1997, an evening program for women seeking to advance their career and earn an undergraduate degree while balancing home life and other obligations. In 2004, the last class graduated from Hartford College for Women. In 2006, The Women’s Advancement Initiative (formerly WELFund) was established to continue the legacy. The year 2023 marks the 90th anniversary of the founding of Hartford College for Women—a commemoration of these shared experiences by an empowering community of women and men. This year we celebrate the past, live in the present, and grant this legacy to the future. On September 9, Hartford College for Women alumnae, faculty, staff, trustees, and friends joined today’s students in The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) program to celebrate the College and “90 Years of Educating Women in Hartford.”
Hartford College for Women alumnae greeted each other with smiles and open arms. At the “Then and Now Welcome” luncheon, attendees entered a room full of Hartford College for Women banners with group photos from back in the day. Table displays included Highlander yearbooks, facts from each decade, and images of Hartford College for Women notables, including Laura Johnson, Oliver and Miriam “Mims” Butterworth, Lawrence Scanlon, Rudi Haffner, and Truda Kaschmann. They shared memories with LEAD students and learned about the students’ lives and college journeys. They recounted memories of the varied paths their lives took after leaving Hartford College for Women. Alumnae from throughout the world virtually joined a special presentation on “Women’s Education Leadership” from Valerie “Val” Fleming Lewis ’62 (HCW), proud alumna, assistant director of admissions at Hartford College for Women (1970–84) and commissioner of Higher Education for the State of Connecticut (2000–08). University of Hartford Acting President Stephen Mulready M’77 and Tim Butterworth celebrated the College’s history of breaking down barriers. Members of the 90th Anniversary Planning Committee shared remarks on their Hartford College for Women experience, LEAD students thanked alumnae for leaving their legacy, and the new Women’s Advancement impact video debuted. Next, attendees visited the new Hartford College for Women Reading Room on the upper level of Harrison Libraries on the University of Hartford campus. The Reading Room features the grandfather clock, rug, furniture, and artwork from Butterworth Hall. The day culminated in a tour of the Hartford College for Women archives, which includes treasures such as Laura Johnson’s tea set, photos, publications, historical signage, and beanies. Karen Gibbs Orefice ’65 (HCW) recently added to the collection by donating a Scottish style tam that was inspired by the Highlander mascot. Everyone in her class received one their first year at
PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
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Hartford College for Women. Thank you to all alumnae who have made donations to the archives. It was an incredible day focused on women’s education, the common thread of sisterhood, and reaching our fullest potential. The privilege we are all granted of being part of the past and of the future, while still living in the present, is invaluable, like the 90-year legacy of Hartford College for Women.
GET THE BOOK The Hartford College for Women legacy includes remarkable stories. This commemorative book celebrates the biographical timeline of events and people that shaped this legacy. It includes testimonials and memories from alumnae. All alumnae for whom we have email addresses were sent a link to view a free digital copy. If you would like to purchase a hard copy of this book, or provide your email so you can receive event photos and a link to the digital book, please email womenadv@hartford.edu.
UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD / 2023
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The Discipline to Survive Cynthia Puerta ’24 shares her story of empowerment, survival, and healing.
Cynthia with her son and service dog Gypsy.
C YNTHIA PUERTA ’24 SURVIVED an abusive father, a traumatic brain injury (TBI), sexual assault and harassment in the military, and the loss of triplets born prematurely. Her doctors told her the TBI would prevent her from being able to handle college-level work. So, after serving eight years in the U.S. Marine Corps, she studied to become a pastry chef and opened her own business. But while pregnant with triplets, she learned from the police that her partner was a pedophile. What happened next led her to seek therapy to learn how to set boundaries and heal. Less than a year after that loss, after she and her 10-year-old son received months of intense therapy, every college she applied to accepted her. She chose the University of Hartford, she says, because when she visited the campus, she felt seen and heard. It felt very personal. “At orientation, one advisor told me she, too, was not a traditional student and shared her own story. It gave me more motivation,” says Cynthia, who was 31 at the time.
Cynthia empowers her 70,000 followers as a social media influencer through her @UnspokenSideofHealing posts and as a public speaker. She’s a member of The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) program. She applied to the LEAD program because she thought it would help her achieve her goals. While she has learned practical career skills and discovered personal insights, the experience of being among a group of supportive women has broadened her perspective on people. During the second meeting of LEAD students, she says, “I had a PTSD moment in the bathroom. I was crying.” The next day, Sara Cerruto, LEAD program director, texted Cynthia and said she had something for her. A woman who was in the bathroom at that time, another student in the LEAD program, had left a card for Cynthia. “When I read it, I realized I’m not alone,” she comments. “It felt so good to receive that card. To me, at that moment, it was a big thing.”
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Above: Cynthia with her son and representing her motivational speaking platform, The Unspoken Side of Healing. Lower right: Cynthia (bottom row, middle) with her LEAD classmates.
“ I was able to grow and blossom through the cracks and the trauma. I’m the rose that grew from concrete.”
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Cynthia is the only non-traditional student in her LEAD class, and she’s more than a decade older than her peers, but “they made me feel really welcome,” she says. “It feels like a small little family. … I’m learning from them.” For example, because of her experiences, she did not like being around people. The staff and fellow students made her feel so comfortable that it helped her be more open to meeting new people. She observed that, “Not everybody is bad. Not everybody is out just for themselves,” she remarks. “Surrounding myself with better people was the perfect way of showing me there are positive people who want to
study and succeed.” She gradually felt less of a need to bring her service dog to campus. Now, she brings her dog with her only after having traumatic nightmares. Hearing the young women in LEAD talk about setting boundaries has reinforced what she’s learning in therapy. Given her background growing up in an abusive household and her experiences in the military, hearing young women assert their autonomy to say ‘no’ empowered her. Through an exercise where LEAD students were asked to list 10 personal qualities, she discovered through the process of elimination what word best epitomized her: disciplined.
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She realized that discipline helped her survive experiences that would have derailed others. “I started to explore that side of me. It helped me understand more of me,” she says. Cynthia migrated to the United States from Lima, Peru, when she was 10. Her father was emotionally abusive to her and her younger brother, and also physically and emotionally abusive to their mother. She and her brother were afraid to tell anyone about the abuse. To escape a violent home, she joined the Marines at 17, convincing her mother to sign the required paperwork. She had no idea what she was in for. In addition to learning self-discipline and respect for others, she says, “it also has a down side, which is sexual harassment and sexual assault.” While deployed to Kuwait, she suffered a TBI that made reading and writing difficult. She left the military, started and ran a successful cake business, and got into a new relationship. While four months pregnant, she learned her partner had sexually assaulted a neighborhood girl. Two months later, alone with her son, she awoke in the middle of the night feverish and drenched in sweat. She couldn’t reach any family or friends on the phone at 3 a.m., so she went to the hospital alone. The medical staff told her she had an infection and had to deliver the babies. All three passed away within 10 minutes of being born. “I didn’t know what it was like to feel alone before that specific moment,” she recalls. “I felt like my whole world was flipped upside down. I felt like I have never had a break.” While mourning her loss, she did some soul-searching, asking herself how she could break out of the cycle of abuse. “I needed to completely take accountability. That’s when I started my healing process. I put my son in deep therapy. I put myself in deep therapy. I needed to take time for me and figure out what I need. I learned more about the brain. I fell in love with the brain. That’s when I realized, ‘I need to go to school.’ She learned how to establish boundaries, remove herself from unhealthy
situations, and stop blaming others. She had a frank conversation with her son, who sat her down and told her how he felt. “Your feelings are valid,” she told him. “I’m going to be your steady person.” Her son, now 12, inspires her to always do better. At a young age, he overcame so much and was able to manage it and be resilient and successful. They now have a close relationship, she says, and an open line of communication. In addition to attending college full time and raising her son, she creates and posts videos multiple times a day on several social media channels. She is also writing a memoir and speaks publicly about empowerment and healthy relationships. At one event, an audience member approached her afterward, crying, saying because of hearing Cynthia’s story, she would be able to tell her therapist what happened to her. While in college and after she completes her education, Cynthia wants to help other people feel seen so they can start their healing journey. Despite her early life, “I was able to grow and blossom through the cracks and the trauma,” she says. Quoting her favorite saying, from Tupac Shakur, she says, “I’m the rose that grew from concrete.”
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SPONSORSHIP
Sponsor a LEAD Student Program Gifts to the LEAD program provide unique educational opportunities for young women to experience a life-changing professional development and personal enrichment program. Gifts of all sizes are welcomed and appreciated. For a gift of $2,000, you can sponsor a student’s participation in this transformative program for a year. Your LEAD student sponsorship: • Provides 13 annual interactive leadership training and practical life-skills workshops. • Connects your student(s) to a network of peers and mentors who inspire them to pursue opportunities and persevere through challenges. • Creates an opportunity for your student(s) to attend a leadership retreat and professional conferences. • Helps your student(s) secure transportation to internships and interviews, and participate in community service trips. You can impact a young woman’s life in a meaningful and powerful way. If you are interested in sponsoring a LEAD student, please contact Amy Jaffe Barzach at 860.983.5040 or barzach@hartford.edu.
UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD / 2023
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SHIANNE PAZIENZA ’24
Searching for Her Best Self In 2022, Shianne received her professional headshot at a LEAD mock job interview session.
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SHIANNE’S INSPIRATI ON to get out of bed every day and face life’s challenges lies with three important women—her sister, her mom, and herself. The college senior in the LEAD Class of 2024 is on a unique journey to discover her best self. She was raised in Yonkers, New York, with a supportive family, her rescue dog Harlow, and good friends in a thriving urban community. At the age of 13, her mother revealed that she would soon be a big sister. “I was so excited to see my mom’s ultrasound photo. It was the happiest day of my life,” she recalls. “I always wanted a sibling.” In 2015, her sister Delilah was born. Delilah was later diagnosed with highfunctioning autism. With their 13-year age difference and difficult episodes, Shianne felt like she was a protector and parent. She knew she had to be a role model, inspiration, friend, and the best big sister. “We have the strongest bond and I couldn’t imagine not having her around,” she says. In 2020, at the age of 17, Shianne’s family moved to the small town of Harwinton, Connecticut. As a high school senior, this was a major adjustment that was about to become even more difficult to bear. The COVID-19 global pandemic was new and its uncertain effects caused schools to close, proms and graduations to be called off, and special events she had looked forward to attending her entire life to be indefinitely cancelled. “As an introverted person, I felt isolated and disconnected,” Shianne says. “My own mental health began to suffer and my natural instinct was to further distance myself from others.” In the summer of 2020, she was invited to apply to the LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) program. The program provides undergraduate women with leadership training, opportunity and resilience coaching, resources, and a community of mentors to help them navigate their journey through college and beyond. After submitting her application, Shianne’s self-doubt crept in and she feared being denied a spot in LEAD. “I was ecstatic when I heard back that I was accepted into the program,” she
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recalls. “I knew being in LEAD was an amazing opportunity that I could share with other inspiring, successful, and intelligent women.” At the first-year retreat, Shianne was surrounded by other young women, some were reserved and still finding their voice, and others were ready to mentor and support her throughout her college journey. “LEAD has helped me get out of my comfort zone and taught me how to be confident in what I say, think, and feel. My fellow LEAD peers and program facilitators have taught me that I am allowed to have an opinion (and it matters). I can speak up and set boundaries for myself.” College life has not been easy for Shianne. As a commuter student, she struggles to find a way to balance her fulltime class schedule, a part-time job, and traveling to class while feeling tired and oftentimes disconnected to life on campus because of challenges at home. In July of 2022, her sister, then seven years old, had a medical episode that led to in-patient hospitalization and preventative therapy for 40 days. “It was a rough time for me and my entire family. I wasn’t allowed to see Delilah often. I felt like I lost myself in her,” she recalls. “Once again, I was feeling empty and hopeless, praying for her health every day.” After 40 long days filled with tears and fear, Delilah came back home. Shianne recalls that it was the second happiest day of her life. In those moments, she was once again reminded to be her best self for herself, and for her sister. Shianne also draws inspiration from her mother, Jill. “My mom is truly the bravest, most beautiful and kind-hearted woman I know,” she comments. “I’ve seen her at her most vulnerable moments and witnessed her strength as she overcame life’s obstacles.” As Shianne’s journey continues through her senior year of college, she also credits the LEAD community for helping her navigate these tough times. In LEAD, she can be vulnerable, learn how to take on leadership roles, and rely on her LEAD sisters as a support system.
“ We have to try new things and draw love and inspiration from others, like I do from my sister, mom, and LEAD family.” She remembers her favorite LEAD session where the facilitator focused on mindfulness, intuition, and self-care. During the session, students were encouraged to select a flower that inspires them. Shianne chose a light pink rose which symbolizes gratitude, love, and peace. Students also received inspiration cards that encouraged them to discover their strengths and be their best selves. The session proved to be a brave space for participants to manage the stressors of life and authentically share their feelings. As Shianne looks to her future, she recognizes that her goals are changing every day. She started her college journey as a health science major, became undecided, and then found her passion for criminal justice and psychology. Her career aspirations include addressing stigmas in the criminal justice system by advocating for victims of crime, substance abuse, mental illness, and those wrongfully institutionalized. When asked what she would like her legacy to be, Shianne shares that she wants people to see that she helped others and said yes to opportunities by trying new things. “There are some days I think that I am right where I want to be,” she says. “But I don’t believe anyone is ever truly content with themselves. We have to try new things and draw love and inspiration from others, like I do from my sister, mom, and LEAD family. To me, there is always room for improvement and to learn from others as I search to find my best self each day.”
Ways to Give GIVE ONLINE Scan the QR code at bottom right or “Make a Gift” at hartford.edu/ womensadvancement. MAIL A GIFT Send a check in the enclosed envelope. SUPPORT THE ANNUAL FUND Unrestricted annual gifts provide essential support for daily operations of The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s programs, including LEAD, Dorothy Goodwin Scholars, and Laura Johnson Leaders. DONATE TO THE LEAD PROGRAM The LEAD program was launched in 2012 to provide young women with unique educational opportunities through a life-changing professional and personal enrichment program. The program serves 100+ students annually. See page 7 for information on how your gift directly impacts today’s students. CONSIDER A MAJOR GIFT To discuss major gifts or alternative options—including directing a gift from a donor-advised fund, retirement assets, or real estate—please contact Samantha Goemans at 860.768.2448 or sgoemans@hartford.edu. GIVE TO THE HCW LEGACY FUND Gifts to the Hartford College for Women (HCW) Legacy Fund support The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s programs for today’s women, and HCW reunions and events. DONATE YOUR TIME: MENTOR A STUDENT There is nothing more energizing than making a difference in the lives of young women. Share your career and life experiences with students— in person, on the phone, or through a video conference. Enjoy lunch with students. Hire a student as an intern. Or, host a student at your workplace for a few hours or a few days as part of the Express to Success job-shadowing program. To learn more, call 860.768.5961.
UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD / 2023
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G I V I N G B AC K DAVID ESTRIDGE
A Gift Lives On T H OUGH S H E PA S S E D AWAY in 2007, the influence of Dorothy Cheney Goodwin’s life as an educator, legislator, and philanthropist lives on. The University of Hartford and its founding institutions, as well as some of its proudest programs, are shining symbols of that fact. But there was a much more private and little-known aspect of her influence, says David Estridge, a man who long ago crossed paths with this remarkable woman. “Over her long life, in addition to her highly accomplished public endeavors, Miss G. was in a most quiet and unassuming way highly active in improving the lives of many young people,” David says. “Delinquents, run-aways, unwed mothers, the abused, the impoverished, the drug addicted. This was a group I later came to call Miss Goodwin’s ‘Confederacy of Urchins.’ I am proud to have been one of them.” In 1954, David, his mother, and four siblings were crammed into a tiny apartment in Merrow, Connecticut. “My family had lived a nomadic existence for several years, residing in cities and towns in Oregon, Ohio, Indiana, and finally Connecticut,” he recalls. “My stepfather was a job-hopping, irresponsible, and abusive long-haul truck driver. And now, in the following summer after I attended five different schools across the nation during seventh grade, he deserted our family for the final time. And there we were, in little Merrow, Connecticut.” For a brief period that summer, David’s family subsisted on social aid and the occasional grocery offerings of charitable organizations. Fortunately, across the country road from their apartment lived a remarkable woman—Dorothy Goodwin. At that
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time, she was working on her doctorate at the University of Connecticut, and was looking for someone to type her thesis. David’s mom could set a typewriter on fire and she was grateful to have had the opportunity of employment. This opportunity eventually led to a full-time position in UConn’s administrative offices. “I was 12 years old when Miss Goodwin began hiring me to do errands like cleaning her house, tending to her beloved springer spaniels, shoveling snow from her walk, and painting her apartment,” David says. “I was her handy boy, then later in my high school years, I also sometimes worked full time helping clear land for a home she was having built in Mansfield Center.” Over lunch, she would discuss current events, give him books and magazines to read, and then quiz him later about what he had read. Over time, Miss Goodwin began to press David about his plans for the future. “No one in my family had ever gone to college,” he shares. “I think before I met Miss Goodwin, I never even knew anybody who knew anybody who went to college.” However, one day amid these discussions, Miss G. shocked him, “You’re going to college,” she said, and then explained that, “I will pay your way, but at some point in the future you, in turn, must pay for someone else to go and it could be one of your own children.” There was no room for discussion and, thus, the path of David’s life was altered forever. He graduated from UConn with a degree in English and began his career in journalism as a writer and editor, then moved into the field of institutional communications and fundraising. Over his more than 35-year career, he organized
Above: A photo of David Estridge taken during his professional career. Right: A group photo of the 2022–23 Dorothy Goodwin Scholars after they presented their innovative research and creative projects to more than 160 attendees at the annual symposium.
and directed philanthropy and public affairs functions at Boston Children’s Hospital, the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. When he retired, he was senior vice president of development for both Mount Sinai Medical Center and Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. When Dorothy Goodwin passed away at the age of 92 in 2007, David was invited to speak at her memorial service, as was University of Hartford’s President Walter Harrison (1998–2017). “After the service, President Harrison told me about Miss Goodwin’s involvement in, and support of, the University’s women’s programs and he later encouraged me to learn more about them,” David recalls. Since that time, David has become involved in efforts that Miss Goodwin so cherished. He also recently confirmed a planned gift in support of the Dorothy Goodwin Scholars, an innovative program that provides annual scholarships for eight to fifteen women students each year who are engaged in innovative research or completing creative projects in collaboration with faculty mentors. Over the past several years, David has been invited to address the scholars and
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“ I hope you too might look back someday and be grateful for the kind and generous influence of Dorothy Cheney Goodwin. And perhaps you might even seek, in your own way, to return the favor.”
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SCHOLARSHIPS Dorothy Goodwin led a diverse and distinguished life, one that included great accomplishments in academics and public service. She served as a longtime trustee of Hartford College for Women from the 1950s to the early 2000s. As an educator, political leader, philanthropist, and visionary, she inspired women and girls to realize their full potential. As a life regent of the University of Hartford and a life member of the Mortensen Library Board of Visitors, her legacy lives on with the generous bequests she left to support women and the University. Since 2010, the Dorothy Goodwin Scholars Endowed Fund, sponsored by The Women’s Advancement Initiative, has provided more than $235,000 in scholarship awards to women students conducting innovative research or completing creative projects in collaboration with faculty mentors. Every spring, students showcase their work and lessons learned from Dorothy Goodwin’s distinguished life at an annual symposium. The Robert E. Donovan Endowed Scholarship Fund supports women students in engineering fields who need financial assistance to complete their degree. Since 2009, these scholarships have been awarded annually, thanks to the fund that was established by Peg Donovan, Robert’s widow.
LEGACY AWA R DS relate his experiences with the recipients. “As a direct beneficiary of Dorothy Goodwin’s kindness and generosity, I am so honored to be involved with this wonderful program that bears her name and to share my experience with the scholarship recipients,” he comments. “Over the years, it has been a pleasure to meet students and read their scholarship summaries and program applications. Their projects and work in the community show a wide variety of talent and the need for a support system that helps them discover and enhance their strengths, develop their personal and professional skills, and find their voice. The Women’s Advancement Initiative sees their potential and exposes these students to opportunities like I had because of Dorothy Goodwin.” Today, all these many years later, after a fulfilling career in senior capacities at several of the nation’s most highly respected institutions, sending two
accomplished daughters through college and then business school, being further blessed with Marjorie (his amazing wife of more than 50 years), and six adoring grandchildren, David says, “I know for certain, and deeply appreciate, how Dorothy Goodwin’s spark lit the fire and brightened the path of my life.” David clearly enjoys sharing that journey and his story with today’s students. As he has told scholarship winners, “Dorothy Goodwin’s influence lives on. It flows through me and it certainly flows through you. It’s yours to appreciate and, perhaps more important, it is yours to sustain. It is amazing to me how one hand reaching out can have such life-changing consequences,” he comments. “I hope you, too, might look back someday and be grateful for the kind and generous influence of Dorothy Cheney Goodwin. And perhaps you might even seek, in your own way, to return the favor.”
Laura Johnson was the third dean and first president of Hartford College for Women. Each year, nearly 150 alumnae of the dynamic two-year Laura Johnson Leaders program for faculty and staff are encouraged to apply for the Laura Johnson Leadership Award. The 2022–23 awardees were: Dawn Ennis, communication faculty; Laura Pence, professor of chemistry; and Beth Richards, director of firstand second-year writing and associate clinical professor of writing. The Alison Gallagher Coolbrith Lastra ’65 (HCW) Leadership and Scholarship Awards, established by her husband Barry Lastra and Alison’s classmates in the Hartford College for Women Class of 1965, are presented annually to LEAD students who honor Alison’s legacy. The 2022–23 recipients were: Benie Kwarteng ’23 and Christina Stone ’24. Debbie Javit ‘83 (HCW), Women’s Advancement board member, presented the 2023 “Javy” Resilience Awards to LEAD students Karyna Cortez Lopez ’26 and Jada Hill ’23. In addition to her annual awards, she facilitates LEAD sessions on resilience.
UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD / 2023
12 / D I MOPNAOCRT R/ E C PU OR RR TE N T
PROGRAMS
THE WOMEN’S ADVANCEMENT INITIATIVE
JULY 1, 2022, TO JUNE 30, 2023
Donor Report
Thanks to the support of donors like you, The Women’s Advancement Initiative is able to make a significant difference in the lives of today’s women. We honor and thank you for helping us advance women’s potential in the Hartford College for Women tradition. $2,500+
$1,000–$2,499
American Endowment Foundation Aurora Women and Girls Foundation
Dr. Elaine Karalus Altman A’64 (HCW) and Edward I. Altman
Barrett Family Foundation
Barnabas Foundation, Inc.
Nancy Kinsley Barrett A’57 (HCW) and Thomas R. Barrett
Frances Finesilver Blumenthal C’60 (HCW), ’62
Estate of Harold C. Buckingham Jr.
Miriam and Oliver Butterworth and Family LEAD Program Endowed Fund
Harold C. Buckingham Charitable Remainder Unitrust Miriam B. Butterworth Charitable Remainder Unitrust Kelly J. Daly ’14 and Kevin R. Daly M’89 Robert E. Donovan Endowed Scholarship Fund
Debra Cerwinski ’85 and Michael Block Marjorie and David Estridge Karen Berner Flowers A’68 (HCW) and John H. Flowers Susan Ellovich Guralnik A’60
Margaret Pearl Douglas and Dr. Montgomery B. Douglas ’83
Perry Daniels Huntington A’71 (HCW), ‘73 and Gregory Huntington
Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund
Janice Zaleski Klein A’70 (HCW) and David M. Klein
Hinda N. Fisher Irrevocable Trust Lois Fisher-Dietzel Ellen Jeanne Goldfarb Memorial Charitable Trust Francine L. and Robert B. Goldfarb Dorothy Goodwin Scholars Endowed Fund Dr. Grace E. Jacobs A’50 (HCW) Debra M. Javit A’83 (HCW) Barry N. Lastra and Cynthia A. Gottlieb Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Endowed Fund Valerie Fleming Lewis A’62 (HCW), Hon. ’08
Kay Kloppenburg and Timothy Butterworth
Karin A. Stahl M’73 and William K. Stahl
Christine M. and Daniel E. Hynes ’96, P’21
Melanie Fisher Tighe A’76 (HCW)
Francesca Decioccio Jones A’67 (HCW) and Trent Jones
Dr. Jane Edwards P’11 and Dr. Humphrey R. Tonkin P’11, Hon. ‘99
Lisa Kish P’23 $250–$499
Brian and Brenda Kruse
Anne Reddy Baldwin A’83 (HCW)
Barbara Cook Langner A’72 (HCW)
Nancy A. Brennan
Jennifer Lavore
Teresa A. Cardona ’19
Francillia LeBlanc
Jennifer B. Fox A’70 (HCW) and Raymond O. George
Dulcy M. Lecour A’72 (HCW) and Charles Fujita
Carol Stern Gendel A’67 (HCW)
Karen Rinaldo Mallin ’94 (HCW) and Richard R. Mallin
Mary Ann Godbout M’85 and Dr. Louis F. Godbout Jr. Moraima Gutierrez
Priscilla Ransom Marks A’68 (HCW) and Kenneth Marks
Dr. Walter L. Harrison Hon. ’18 and Dianne Harrison
Lauren and Gregory Mas
Karen H. Kellerman and Peter Arakas
Susan L. and Robert M. Miller ’72, M’79
Paul J. Krause ’13
Susan Hay McGuire A’82 (HCW)
Linda Kautz Macy A’70 (HCW) and Terrence W. Macy
Annamarie Lavieri A’65 (HCW) and Albert C. Gunther
Michelle M. Ming
Patricia A. McKinley A’72 (HCW)
Glandina Morris Lyga ’04 and Matthew Lyga
Irene M. Oleksiw A’71 (HCW)
Jeanne Marie and Jeffrey M. Novak P’16, ’16
Dr. Bozena M. Padykula ’03, D’15 and Stanley Padykula
Barbara A. Sprague
Lisa Christensen Petersen A’76 (HCW)
$100–$249
Karishma Pinto ’17, M’18
Kim Y. Barberi A’99 (HCW), ’02 (HCW) and Charles F. Barberi
Teesha and Anthony Richardson
Dr. Jane M. Barstow and Norman B. Barstow M’77
Dorothy M. Schwobel A’52 (HCW)
Bobbi McNeil ’94 Laird Mortimer Maria T. Orefice ’72 and David Lundberg Martin C. Parquette Carolyn Perkins Joan M. Pritchard A’74 (HCW) and Edward E. Clark Ina L. Selden A’64
James M. Linton Trust
Sofia Sequenzia A’69 (HCW) and John Shostrom
Dr. Daniel Marshall
Kate Farrow Stoddard A’72 (HCW)
Lucille M. Nickerson Hon. ’22 and Ralph Zegarelli
$500–$999
Karen Gibbs Orefice A’65 (HCW) and Jerry A. Orefice ’66
Amy E. Jaffe Barzach P’21 and Peter Barzach P’21
Paula Tierney Buscemi A’65 (HCW)
Debra A. Palmer M’82
Rev. Beryl Gigle Capewell A’49 (HCW) and Marvin G. Capewell A’50
Gail C. Champlin ’66
Sandra E. Peterson
Susan R. and Peter G. Kelly
Dorothy Mylchreest Redmond Endowed Fund for LEAD
Judy Casperson
Jan Cassells Sweet A’65 (HCW) and Joan Cassells Morgan A’53 (HCW) LEAD Endowed Fund
Dr. Elizabeth S. Ivey and Robert L. Klein
Marcia L. Hincks
Molly O. and Ryan F. Polk Kathryn A. Simison M’20
T H E W O M E N ’ S A D VA N C E M E N T I N I T I AT I V E
Joanne E. Beers A’72 (HCW) and Earl C. Cree II The Benevity Community Impact Fund Tricia Brunton Michael Campbell Althea E. Clarke M’19 Kimberly Muller Farrington A’81 (HCW) and David L. Farrington
Dr. Roberta J. Moss and Michael Isko Dr. Katharine A. Owens
Monica Sadil ’22, M’22 Nancy Simonds Joan Fink Sittard A’81, ’83 and Paul A. Sittard ’85 Roger P. Stauss ’75 Paul Stigliano W. George Viering Nancy Giuffre Willetts A’57, P’82 and William Willets Esther Scheinblum Yeck A’70 (HCW) Nancy A. and Bruce E. Zepke A’69, ’79
Sandra Nowicki Garick A’62 (HCW) Lisa and Judson Hamlin Beth Hirschfeld
UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD / 2022
DONOR REPORT
Up to $99
Ava I. H. Geraci (LEAD)
Georgia Neoh ’23 (LEAD)
Joanna A. Abare ’23 (LEAD)
Lauren R. Gerhold (LEAD)
Kayla J. Newsome ’23 (LEAD)
Joanne Rydel Ackman A’64 (HCW) and Robert S. Ackman
Helen Daley Giunta A’76 (HCW), ’79 and Joseph A. Giunta
Kellie B. Oppenheimer ’19 (LEAD)
Haila M. Allen ’23 (LEAD)
Pavanne C. Gleiman ’23
Patricia Klimczak Andersen A’75 (HCW)
Samantha S. and Michael T. Goemans ’11, M’13
Teresa P. Anello A’85 (HCW) and Salvatore T. Anello
Patricia Katz Goldstein A’59 (HCW) and Arnold Goldstein
Anonymous Student (LEAD)
Maggie Gottlieb
Victoria Rozario C’22, ’23 (LEAD)
Corinne Ansbro ’18 (LEAD) Kelly Moses Axtell ’99
M. Joyal Guertin Gutis A’71 (HCW) and Mark P. Gutis
Alison Heath Rusczyk A’78 (HCW), P’10, ’10
Lakshmi Ayyanki M’17
Shannon L. Hammer A’19, ’22 (LEAD)
Winsome O. Badson P’20
Catherine S. G. Harger ’17 (LEAD)
Jennifer L. Sanborn and Matthew P. Burch
Megan G. Bainbridge ’23 (LEAD)
Ruth E. Harlow A’67 (HCW)
Betsy Schiavone
Meret Bainbridge P’23
Ryan Hegney ’23
Keren Shahverdi
Melanie Bazer A’89 (HCW)
Kylee R. Heyerdahl
Claire L. Bergin C’03 (HCW)
Jada S. Hill ’23 (LEAD)
Diane M. P. and Samuel N. Skinner M’85
Katelyn N. Birdsey (LEAD)
Alissa I. Y. Hoffman ’23 (LEAD)
Sharon W. and Robert H. Smith Jr.
Madeline Blinderman A’20, ’22 (LEAD)
Tessa M. Holt (LEAD)
Emily Spriegel
Dr. Jane Horvath
Christina M. Stone (LEAD)
Yasmine Bonner ’23 (LEAD)
Dr. Jane Anderson Innerd A’62
Erika K. Borja ’23 (LEAD)
Rebecca Jackson A’80 (HCW), C’80
Rev. Elna Lindstrom Stratton A’61 (HCW)
Kaitlin R. Bosetti ’17, M’19 (LEAD)
Astrid E. Jarvis ’86
Sandra Bruggemann A’89 (HCW), P’87
Breanna F. Karabeinikoff ’19 (LEAD)
Elaine Nowicki Camposeo A’69 (HCW) Madison E. Carangelo (LEAD) Sandy N. Quituizaca Castillo ’23 (LEAD)
Dr. Alexandra Wojcechowsky Karriker A’63 (HCW) and Robert J. Karriker Sandra Deborah Katz Patricia Mingace Knox ’74 and David I. Knox
Doh Paw ’23 (LEAD) Dr. Maria J. Qadri ’09 and Thomas G. Barker ’08 Sarah M. Rosenfeld ’22 (LEAD)
Sabrina R. Streeter ’18 (LEAD) Natalie and Sandy M. Suero Nicole A. Suissa ’12 Nancy Powers Tanner A’66 (HCW), ’68 and Craig Tanner Elaina Tarmy Lynne J. Thoren A’69 (HCW) Dr. Diane Ullman and Peter Ullman
Nadine Cedro
Susan Wazorko LaFreniere ’74 and Leon A. LaFreniere
Weaver High School Retired Staff Club
Sara Cerruto M’18
Lisa and Howard M. Langsner
Dr. Patricia B. Charles M’81 Judith Kohanski Christie A’62 (HCW)
Mary Ellen Lansburg C’90 (HCW) and Robert R. Romanowicz
Marcy Bufithis Webster ’02 and William A. Webster II
Autumn A. Collins ’23 (LEAD)
Anna and Wing C. Lau P’16 (LEAD)
Heather J. Corbett and Todd Bamford
Shirley Leong M’03
Margaret Curtis Cornely A’72 (HCW) and Capt. Edward Cornely (Ret.)
Kim T. Ly ’22 (LEAD)
Adrianne A. Cox ’23 (LEAD)
Sydney A. Lyncook ’20 (LEAD)
Kathleen A. Czarnota C’99 (HCW)
Carolyn T. Marchak (LEAD)
Genta Daci ’18, M’20 (LEAD)
Marie Alberici Marks A’66 (HCW)
Esther and Eric W. Danielson Jr.
Thyandra A. Martinez ’23 (LEAD)
Zoe Danon ’87 and Brian Tanenbaum
Olivia R. Mas ’23 (LEAD)
McKenzie L. Davis ’18 (LEAD)
April McBroom (LEAD)
Mary G. Dyjak
Nevaeh D. McKinney ’23
Kelsie K. Facey ’23 (LEAD)
Cheneal T. Ming (LEAD)
Susan M. Filupeit A’67 (HCW)
Patricia A. Moran M’83, M’87
Imani J. Finegan A’21, ’23 (LEAD)
Fiona M. Morrissey ’23 (LEAD)
Heather L. Fraser ’99
Lesley Q. Muchnick
Sarah N. Gada ’23 (LEAD)
Michaela A. Mueller ’20 (LEAD)
Alice Hubert Gardner A’65 (HCW) and David F. Gardner
Kochava Krieger Munro ’17 (LEAD) and Jacob D. A. Munro ’17
Karen Lyga
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Cindy A. and Craig M. Oppenheimer ’79, P’19, ’21
Benedicta A. Kwarteng ’23 (LEAD)
Nicole Castro-Saab
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Joan Beaupre Weiskotten A’72 (HCW) and Eric G. Weiskotten Mary Birtles White A’64 (HCW) and William R. White Hailey A. Zak ’23
Every attempt has been made to record and honor gifts from our donors accurately. If you note any errors, please accept our most sincere apology and contact us at womenadv@hartford.edu or 860.768.5961 so that we can correct our records.
D O N O R SP OTL I GH T This year, as we celebrate legacies, we also celebrate the community of women and men that support today’s students. We honor Dr. Dan Marshall who recently celebrated his 100th birthday. He is a well-respected doctor who was the oldest practicing physician in America when he retired at the age of 96. He was also a diplomate certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. In 2018, Dr. Dan was awarded the Henry Gift Distinguished Internist Award by the American College of Physicians Connecticut Chapter. In 2021, he established the Irene Robinson Marshall Scholarship Fund in memory of his beloved wife, Irene. She was the family matriarch and always ready with a wink or kind word for anyone. Irene was described as, “a class act all the way and simply a legendary lady.” Thanks to Dr. Dan’s generosity and Irene’s legacy, three LEAD students have benefited from this scholarship: Katrina Jakab ’24, Jenn Martin ’24, and Cam-Nhung Quach ’26. Dr. Dan is also a gifted letter writer and over the years has written insightful letters related to historical events and the evolution of medicine in America. In 2022, he participated in oral history interviews with a Dorothy Goodwin Scholar and LEAD student, Kathryn McLean ’22, as part of her “Bringing History to Life” project. Today, he mentors LEAD students who are studying pre-medicine or health sciences. Thank you, Dr. Dan, for all you do to support and empower students.
Donations can be directed to the Hartford College for Women Legacy Fund, which supports The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s programs for today’s women; the Annual Fund; the LEAD program; the Miriam and Oliver Butterworth and Family LEAD Program Endowed Fund; or the new LEAD Endowed Fund.
UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD / 2023
14 / IMPACT
Continuing the Legacy The 90-year legacy of Hartford College for Women is precious and enduring. The Women’s Advancement Initiative proudly continues that legacy by challenging and supporting women to reach their potential and thrive. A “noble experiment” in 1933 has grown into a rich history of opportunity, leadership, and positive impact for this sisterhood across time. Doh Paw ’23 was featured into the 2020 issue of W magazine. From her humble beginnings at a refugee camp in Thailand, to navigating life in America and her college journey, Doh embodies resilience and the Hartford College for Women legacy. She graduated in May with degrees in criminal justice, sociology, and a paralegal certificate. She hopes to work for the judicial branch in immigration law. “LEAD has taught me that growth comes by accepting and then overcoming hardships through goal setting, perseverance, and establishing who I want to become as I step into the future,” she says. “Thank you for leaving your legacy and helping me find my way.”
BY THE NUMBERS
3,570 Hartford College for Women alumnae across the world
205
LEAD alumnae embracing opportunities and careers
T H E W O M E N ’ S A D VA N C E M E N T I N I T I AT I V E
100% Giving from LEAD seniors in support of future participants
90
Years of a “noble experiment” that grew into an empowering legacy
376 LEAD sessions provided to help today’s students navigate college, life, and careers
ANNUAL REWIND / 15
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12 1+2: Our annual leadership retreat was the perfect setting to welcome the new LEAD Class of 2026. First-year students participated in leadership activities facilitated by Outside Perspectives, Inc. 3+4: Throughout the academic year, students volunteered at Chrysalis Center, mentored younger students at Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford, assembled toiletry bags for local shelters, and created
birthday cards for children with life-threatening illnesses. 5+6: Students enjoyed Pasta Making Night and our Holiday “Decades” Party. 7: Seniors in the LEAD Class of 2023 were celebrated at Closing Circle. 8+9: Luminaries from the Aurora Women and Girls Foundation joined students for empowering “Table Conversations” and Patrina Dixon, founder of It’s My Money, presented a session on
13 “Basic Financial Management.” 10: The ribbon cutting of the new Hartford College for Women Reading Room was celebrated in February 2023. 11: Farah Suede ’25 (right) and her LEAD cohort members participated in mock job interviews. 12: Several graduates from the LEAD Class of 2023—Benie Kwarteng, Victoria Rozario, Georgia Neoh, and Megan Bainbridge—stopped in the Hartford College for
14 Women Legacy Garden to take a photo. They are shown with their LEAD graduation cords: (Hartford College for Women blue intertwined with University of Hartford red to symbolize the continuing legacy). 13+14: During our annual symposium, Dorothy Goodwin Scholars and LEAD students presented innovative research, creative projects, and live leadership lessons. Megan Bainbridge ’23 (pictured at right)
displayed some of her work digitizing Hartford College for Women yearbooks and creating a time-based presentation featuring a recording of Laura Johnson.
Celebrating 90 Years of Educating Women in Hartford
On September 9, Hartford College for Women alumnae, faculty, staff, and friends gathered together with LEAD students to celebrate “90 Years of Educating Women in Hartford.” Attendees (in person and virtual) were delighted to see the sisterhood across time reunited. To view the full gallery of photos from the 90th celebration, visit flickr.com/photos/womenadv/albums
Hartford College for Women alumnae.
Amelie Suero ’24 (LEAD) with Karen Gibbs Orefice ’65 (HCW).
16 / HARTFORD COLLEGE FOR WOMEN PROFILE
SAN D I PETERSON
Her Journey to Success: The Hartford College Way I N T H E T H R E E S EM E STE RS Sandi Peterson attended Hartford College for Women, she learned how to write, speak, and be comfortable in her own skin. The winner of several leadership awards and ranked by Forbes as one of the “Most Powerful Women in Business,” she admits to living with impostor syndrome throughout her career. She wasn’t the smartest person in the room, she says, but she trusted her ability to learn and identify experts who knew more than she did. Now an operating partner for Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, and lead independent director of the Microsoft Board of Directors, she says she persevered and didn’t let others’ opinions get under her skin. The time spent at Hartford College for Women, from the fall of 1976 to winter of 1977, taught her lessons she has carried with her from Wall Street to C suites. Public Speaking Professor Christine Lyman taught students how to present themselves in a professional setting and make their voices carry, she says. “It was never about how to show up and be pretty,” Sandi says. Early in her career she was often the only woman in the room. As the only female trader on Wall Street in 1980, the male traders tried to freeze the 21-year-old out with crude language. “I didn’t say anything for the first two weeks. Then I said to myself, ‘This isn’t working.’ I started giving it right back at them. All of a sudden, the guys said, ‘She’s pretty cool.’ ” Her grandmother was a strong woman, she says, and her physician father mentored her and felt that women were as capable as men. He told her there was nothing she couldn’t do.
T H E W O M E N ’ S A D VA N C E M E N T I N I T I AT I V E
With that foundation, her Hartford College for Women dance professor Truda Kaschmann’s lessons stuck. “She told amazing stories about her personal resilience and survival as well as her experiences dancing.” “I learned how to carry myself through life and show up in a room with presence, despite being so short,” she says. Early in her career, as a young, shy, blonde, blue-eyed woman, she found many people underestimated her. “I would sit and listen and pick up on cues and I would speak later,” she comments. She took her time to build respect and have impact. Why did someone who eventually served as group worldwide chair of Johnson & Johnson, and chair and CEO of Bayer Crop Science, and held executive roles at Merck-Medco Health Solutions, Nabisco, Whirlpool, and McKinsey, begin her college career at Hartford College for Women rather than go straight to Cornell, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in government? Because she went to a regional Vermont school, went to college after three years “wasn’t a great student” and wasn’t prepared to be accepted and thrive at an Ivy League university, she says. Skiing often won out over studying. Living near a ski resort, she spent her winters working every job in the family-owned business. “That’s how I learned many things about business,” Sandi says. Hartford College for Women turned out to be just what she needed at that point. The College required students to study a broad range of subjects, so she took biology, German, psychology, and a music survey course. “The mandatory year-long English class was
how I learned to write,” she says. When she began writing essays with a thesis statement reinforced with supporting evidence, she received papers back with lots of red comments. However, over time, the red marks dwindled. “If I had gone directly to Cornell, I wouldn’t have been able to get my head above water,” she says. “I think the English class made a huge difference for me personally.” At Cornell, her undergraduate thesis won the highest social sciences honor, and she later received a master’s degree in public affairs in applied economics from Princeton University. Wisdom from the Top Don’t declare a major too early, she advises. “Take history, art/music appreciation, biology classes, psych classes; and learn statistics and math,” she says. College is the place to “learn how to think, how to learn, and how to be a critical thinker,” she says. Early in her career, Sandi also learned the value of listening and learning, when one of her professors recommended her for a role as a note-taker (rapporteur) for monthly evening meetings of the Council on Foreign Relations. “I learned a ton by watching and listening to these people at the pinnacle of their careers,” she says. Later, when Nabisco’s chief executive officer asked her to run the Research, Development and Innovation Department, she replied, “I’m not a food scientist.” The CEO noted that she listens well, is smart, understands business fundamentals and would be able to synthesize the scientists’ and consumers’ perspective clearly. The CEO had confidence in Sandi’s ability to hire
Sandi was featured in the 1977 Highlander yearbook.
the right experts and ask the questions of them until she understood what she needed to know, she says. Sandi likes helping young women in The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) program and University of Hartford students because of her own experience at Hartford College for Women, where the adults in her life “were unbelievably generous with me,” she says. During that important transition, she remembers Fran, the school cook. “She became the person many
of us would go to and talk with when we were having a good or bad day. She learned what each of us liked and would make these special treats for us.” The mother of two sons in their 30s, Sandi enjoys helping others build their self-confidence and achieve their potential, especially women. Throughout her life, she’s had lots of mentors. As an eager learner, she didn’t hesitate to ask more senior colleagues for their insights. She advises not letting fear stop you from asking role models if they could share their wisdom and lessons
learned. “I think people always like to help other people and they’re flattered that you asked.” Sandi was sad to see Hartford College for Women close, she says, but feels, “the University of Hartford has been working hard not to lose that special sauce that made the College what it was.” She enjoyed living in a quad with three others, and getting to know a bunch of interesting women from all sorts of walks of life, she says. Later, when she advanced into leadership, she prioritized hiring highly qualified women, making sure the right people were in the right roles. Two years after Sandi accepted the position of group worldwide chair at Johnson & Johnson in 2012, the company had doubled the number of women executives overall to 33 percent. She advises students to take full advantage of the LEAD program. The program was inspired by the way students at Hartford College for Women were challenged and supported. In 2019, Sandi attended the 85th anniversary celebration of Hartford College for Women, where she met today’s students and reconnected with classmates. “The LEAD program helps women find their voice,” she says. “There’s value in having lots of empowering friends. It always made a huge difference when there were other women around me,” she says. “Make sure you’re helping each other. If you help other women, they’ll help you.”
UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD / 2023
200 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06117
UPCOMING EVENTS March 28, 2024, 5:30 p.m. Explore The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s programming and impact. Discover innovative research and creative projects from Dorothy Goodwin Scholars, meet Laura Johnson
Leaders, and learn from interactive leadership lessons presented by today’s LEAD students. Fall 2024 The Hartford College for Women Class of 1974 will celebrate its 50th reunion. Event details coming soon.
Nonprofit Org U.S. Postage PAID University of Hartford
COV E R P H OTOS Front: Ava Geraci ’26 (LEAD), Val Lewis ’62 (HCW), and Amelie Suero ’24 (LEAD) at the HCW 90th anniversary celebration. Back: Hartford College for Women group photo from the 1969 Highlander yearbook. LEAD students in the new Hartford College for Women Reading Room.