The University of Vermont Magazine, Spring 2025 by University of Vermont

Mapping

THE BUZZ ON THE BRAIN

Researchers untangled every neuron in the tiny head of a fruit fly. Co-led by UVM scientist Davi Bock, this first-ever brain map provides insight into how animals—including you—think.

| BY JOSHUA BROWN

Two centuries ago this summer, General Lafayette helped dedicate the centerpiece of UVM life: Old Mill.

| BY ED NEUERT

TICK... TICK... BOOM

Researchers across UVM work to understand the spread of tick populations, and to help develop a vaccine against Lyme disease.

| BY KRISTEN MUNSON

FRONT COVER: Color-enhanced Scanning Electron Micrograph of Drosophila melanogaster, also known as the common fruit fly or vinegar fly. Live, unfixed specimen; natural state. Magnification: 210X

David Scharf / Science Source

CATS KICK IT

An estimated crowd of 4,000 joined the Vermont men’s soccer team on the Church Street Marketplace on Sunday, January 26, to celebrate the Catamounts 2024 National Championship. The Catamounts processed up Church Street to the top of the block, where fans and invited guests gathered around the stage to hear from the National Champions. Director of Athletics Jeff Schulman’89, UVM Interim President Patty Prelock, Burlington Mayor Emma MulvaneyStanak, and Vermont Governor Phil Scott spoke to the crowd about the Catamount’s achievements and their lasting effect on the state of Vermont.

Mulvaney-Stanak concluded her remarks by reading a Burlington proclamation declaring January 26, 2025, “University of Vermont

Men’s Soccer Team Division I National Champions Day.”

Head Coach Rob Dow and players Nick Lockermann, Adrian Schulze Solano, Yaniv Bazini, and Zach Barrett addressed the crowd, thanking Catamount Country for their support all along the way to the championship.

“The support you have given us throughout this whole season, throughout this whole tournament especially in the Final Four, was just outstanding. It was amazing,” said Schulze Solano. “It lifted us up and it pushed us in every moment. It meant so much for the team. Playing in front of the green wall in North Carolina–we will never forget it our whole lives.”

A New Season

Spring, when it finally arrives in Vermont, is a time when we start to make new plans, and make room for change. It is at this time of the year that our seniors look forward to commencement and the beginning of a new journey. And in a few weeks Dr. Marlene Tromp will join UVM as its 28th President. I know our entire community looks forward to welcoming her.

President Tromp will be joining an institution that in February gained the prestigious R1 designation from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching—the highest research classification in the Carnegie system. This is a recognition of our extremely robust research enterprise, and is a designation earned by less than 3 percent of higher education institutions in the nation. It reflects not only our commitment to academic excellence but also our role as a driver of innovation and opportunity for Vermont and beyond.

The scope of UVM research can be seen throughout this issue, including in the work of neurological scientist Davi Bock’s groundbreaking brain-mapping, and in our faculty and staff across our campus who are developing an understanding of the drivers behind the spread of tick populations, and are spurring the development of a Lyme disease vaccine to mitigate the effects of that tick migration—a clear example of our Planetary Health Initiative in action.

At the same time, we have had to adjust to an unprecedented amount of uncertainty and concern over federal actions originating from our nation’s capital. We are working closely with our faculty and staff, as well as our congressional delegation and other leaders in the state, to plan for any research or other implications, while continuing to promote and advocate for our work as a university, and to ensure our continued compliance with all federal laws. Throughout this time, we have emphasized our steadfast commitment to the values of Our Common Ground. Our longstanding commitment to these values, our dedication to the success of our entire community, our land grant mission, and our continued focus on impactful research guide us as we navigate through this evolving landscape in higher education.

Amid this uncertainty, our student-athletes continue to make us proud. The campus is still buzzing

about the incredible success of our men’s soccer team capturing the soccer program’s first-ever NCAA championship. You can read more about that in this issue, as well as the success of our field hockey and women’s basketball teams. And away from the field, our Army ROTC program, for the third time in a decade, received the General Douglas MacArthur Award for Leadership as the best program in the Northeast. We’re so proud of the accomplishments of all our students.

This season is also a time of change for me. I have accepted a new role as Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of Arizona. While this new opportunity is truly exciting to me—especially the chance to spend more time with my grandchildren in Scottsdale, Arizona—it will be bittersweet for me to leave UVM. I have dedicated the past 30 years of my life in service to this institution, and I have made innumerable connections with colleagues and students who are dear to me. It has been an honor to serve as interim president, and I will forever treasure my time here and all that we accomplished together. UVM will always have a special place in my heart. I know this great university will continue to thrive because of the incredible faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and students who are the heartbeat of our community.

—Patricia A. Prelock Interim President , University of Vermont

When Dr. Jeffrey Rubman M.D. ’71 and Carol Rubman look back on their decades of service to Burlington’s New North End, their story isn’t just about practicing medicine—it’s about ensuring care endures for generations to come.

From Jeff’s decision to open a primary care practice in an underserved neighborhood in the 1970s to their extraordinary act of donating that very practiceand later the building - to UVM, the Rubmans have built a legacy of changing lives.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

GOOD MEDICINE

Thanks to a medical innovation led by UVM alum and Associate Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Sean Diehl, Ph.D.’03, thousands of babies this past winter in the U.S. and abroad were spared hospitalization for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). RSV affects children—in general, the younger the child, the worse the effects—and is particularly dangerous for infants under 6 months. The antibody pioneered by Diehl and his colleagues was approved for U.S. use by the FDA in 2023 and has proven more than 90 percent effective in preventing hospitalizations.

LEADING EDGE

The Vermont Gallium Nitride (V-GaN) Tech Hub—a consortium led by UVM and including GlobalFoundries and the State of Vermont—has been awarded nearly $24 million in funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration—the largest research award in UVM history. The Tech Hub plans to train over 500 new employees in the semiconductor workspace and engage over 6,000 K-12 students across Vermont in STEM participation in the next five years.

A HEALTHY ‘A’

Thanks in great part to the efforts of UVM pediatricians, Vermont has earned distinction for its commitment to maternal and infant health, becoming the only state in the nation to receive an “A” grade on the 2024 March of Dimes Report Card. The study evaluated maternal and infant health in all 50 states, using such key indicators as preterm birth rates, access to prenatal care, and the availability of resources for maternal and infant health.

TOP NOD

The UVM Alumni Association named Allan Strong ’83 the 2025 recipient of the George V. Kidder Outstanding Faculty Award. Strong is director of the Wildlife and Fisheries Biology Program within the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. The Kidder Award honors one full-time University of Vermont faculty member for excellence in teaching and extraordinary contributions to the enrichment of campus life. Established in memory of Dr. George V. Kidder, UVM Class of 1922, this award has been presented annually since 1974. The late George Kidder served the university for more than 70 years, including many years as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

HIGH HONORS

Acting Provost, Senior Vice President, and Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Linda S. Schadler has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), one of the highest professional honors accorded to an engineer, for her “contributions to the fundamental understanding, property control, and commercial application of polymer nanocomposites.”

Members are elected to the NAE by their peers in the Academy, recognizing outstanding achievement in teaching, research, and engineering practice. She follows in the footsteps of her late father, Dr. Harvey W. Schadler, a leading metallurgist at General Electric who was elected to the NAE in 1991.

VERMONT INTELLIGENCE

Maybe the best antidote to anxiety about the rise of Artificial Intelligence is a bit of humor? Vermonters awoke on April Fool’s Day to find a UVM “news” story hitting the university’s website and local media announcing the creation by fictitious researchers of CatGPT–the world’s first AI chatbot trained on pure Vermont wisdom. “Unlike conventional AI models that rely on vast datasets from the entire internet,” read the piece, “CatGPT was trained exclusively on Vermont-centric sources, including town meeting minutes dating back to the 1700s, weathered diner-counter wisdom, and a classified archive of debates over the proper spelling of ‘creemee’.”

Read more, and see a video of CatGPT in action: go.uvm.edu/catgpt

WOLFGANG MIEDER RECEIVES GERMANY’S HIGHEST CIVILIAN AWARD

UVM Distinguished Professor Emeritus awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

When asked for his favorite success-related proverb, Wolfgang Mieder demurs. “I do not have one—I am not hung up on success. I’m just trying to do the best I can.”

His best is clearly exceptional. In April, at a ceremony at UVM, Mieder, University Distinguished Professor of German and Folklore, Emeritus and the holder of a UVM honorary degree, was awarded the Order of Merit of his native Federal Republic of Germany.

“It is my immense privilege to bestow the Order of Merit upon Professor Wolfgang Mieder in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to education, to the study of language, and to the friendship between our nations,” said Dr. Sonja Kreibich, Consul General of Germany to the New England states, who presented the award. “Through decades of work on proverbs and figures of speech, Professor Mieder has enriched our understanding of

how language shapes thought, how wisdom is passed down through generations, and how cultures connect through shared expressions. He has given meaning to the idea that words are more than just words—they are windows into history, society, and the human spirit.”

The Order of Merit—Bundesverdienstkreuz der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in German— was established in 1951 and is the highest civilian honor awarded by the Federal Republic of Germany. It is given to recognize outstanding political, economic, social, and intellectual achievements, as well as exceptional social, charitable, and philanthropic work. For Mieder, it’s a recognition and celebration of his lifelong commitment to the study and teaching of Germany’s cultural, literary, linguistic, and folk traditions.

Mieder’s career is a testament to longevity and dedication. He taught at UVM for 50 years,

including 31 years as the chair of the former Department of German and Russian (now the Program in German, Russian, and Hebrew in the School of World Languages and Cultures), and retired in 2021. During his noteworthy career, he has written and edited over 200 books and over 500 articles in his primary areas of expertise: proverbs, fairy tales, and international folklore.

“To get this recognition from my former homeland means a lot,” said Mieder. Born in Leipzig, Germany, he has lived in the United States since he was 16 and has received dozens of other honors and awards, including the Lifetime Scholarly Achievement Award from the American Folklore Society and the European Fairy Tale Prize. Having the Order of Merit added to that list “still blows me away,” he said. “It isn’t necessarily common that a professor gets this type of award, so it was quite unexpected.”

ANDY DUBACK

Former chair of the University of Vermont Board of Trustees Ron Lumbra ’83 introduces Marlene Tromp at a community open forum.

Marlene Tromp Appointed 28th President of UVM

LEADERSHIP | On March 20, the UVM Board of Trustees announced that Marlene Tromp, Ph.D., will become the university’s 28th president. She will formally assume the post later this summer.

A humanities scholar with three decades of experience in teaching, research, and higher education administration, Tromp is currently professor of English and president of Idaho’s Boise State University, a position she has held since 2019.

“The leader of UVM is also a vital leader for the community and state, and Tromp brings with her the experience and ability for great success that will benefit all three,” said Cynthia Barnhart, Board of Trustees chair and co-chair of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee. “She has demonstrated excellence as a leader and a scholar who can foster deep and meaningful connections across the university and beyond.”

“I came to Vermont with a clear feeling for UVM’s strength in research, its focus on student success, and the fulfillment of its land grant mission to Vermont and the nation,” Tromp said. “This is a university that has the power to truly lead the nation and even the world on several fronts, and I’m so excited to work with my colleagues, the students, alumni, and friends to improve individual lives and the life of the community.”

In her six years as president of Boise State University (BSU), Tromp successfully guided the institution through the challenges of the pandemic and led efforts that significantly increased student enrollments and affordability. Under her leadership, BSU achieved record graduation rates and levels of philanthropic funding, while also expanding its research funding. She also led the formation of strategic industry partnerships and programs to deepen BSU’s engagement with its surrounding community. She has won numerous awards for her teaching, scholarship, and community service, and currently serves on the NCAA Division I

Board of Directors and consults on higher education with the Federal Reserve Board of San Francisco.

A scholar with a concentration in Victorian literature and culture and its relationship to current society, Tromp has published widely in her field, including nine books and dozens of peer-reviewed papers. Prior to her tenure at BSU, she was campus provost and executive vice chancellor at the University of California at Santa Cruz; vice provost and dean of the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University; and chair and director of women’s studies and chair of the faculty at Denison University.

This is a university that has the power to truly lead the nation and even the world on several fronts.

The selection of Tromp follows an extensive global search process that began in September of last year. A Presidential Search Advisory Committee co-chaired by Ron Lumbra ’83 and Cynthia Barnhart and including members of UVM’s faculty, students, staff, and alumni, sought input from across the university community and examined more than 100 candidates who expressed interest in the position.

Raised in Wyoming, Tromp earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Creighton University as a first-generation college student, a Master of Arts in English from the University of Wyoming, and a Ph.D. from the University of Florida.

Tromp will succeed Suresh Garimella, who led UVM as the institution’s 27th president from 2019 until October 2024, when he became president of the University of Arizona. Provost Patricia Prelock served as interim president of UVM from October through May 18, when she became provost of the University of Arizona.

Scan the QR or visit go.uvm.edu/tromptalks to hear Dr. Tromp talk about her thoughts on joining UVM and the opportunities ahead for higher education.

UVM Achieves Prestigious Carnegie R1 Designation

University joins the highest level of U.S. research institutions

RESEARCH | The University of Vermont has joined the ranks of the nation’s toptier research institutions by achieving an R1 Research Activity Designation, a recognition reserved for universities with the highest level of research activity as designated by the prestigious Carnegie Classification, a program of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching administered by the American Council on Education.

This accomplishment, announced February 13, marks a transformative moment for the university and is a result of decades of investment in cuttingedge research and development, faculty excellence, and academic innovation.

“Attaining R1 status will extend UVM’s ability to attract the best talent, secure groundbreaking grants, and contribute to solving global challenges,” said UVM Interim President Patricia Prelock. “This milestone reflects not only our commitment to academic excellence but also our role as a driver of innovation and

Achieving R1 status is a transformative step for any university, signifying a leap into the highest echelon of research institutions

an institution-wide effort to explore the inextricable linkage of human wellbeing and the health of the environment and find solutions for greater global health.

opportunity for Vermont and beyond. It is a testament to the extraordinary dedication of our faculty, staff, and students who have worked tirelessly to elevate our research enterprise and expand its impact.”

The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education is a framework used to categorize U.S. colleges and universities based on their research activity and institutional characteristics. Established in 1973 by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education, the classification has become a key benchmark for assessing the research impact and academic mission of institutions.

UVM attracted over $260 million in extramural support for the 2024 fiscal year—more than doubling the university’s annual research funding in the last five years—led by the Larner College of Medicine, which garnered over $100 million for life-saving research.

Much of UVM’s research enterprise is related to its Planetary Health Initiative,

For a flagship, land-grant university such as UVM, achieving R1 status carries special significance, as it strengthens its foundational mission to serve the public through education, research, and broad engagement with the community. R1 status allows UVM to build on its success to pursue new areas of funding and expand its capacity for cutting-edge research. R1 status will also enhance the university’s recruitment in the years to come of new undergraduate and graduate students and new faculty members.

“Achieving R1 status is a transformative step for any university, signifying a leap into the highest echelon of research institutions,” Vice President for Research Kirk Dombrowski said. “For UVM, this achievement not only demonstrates how much we want to accomplish but recognizes the innovation, discovery, and scholarship our investigators and students have achieved over the years.”

Read more on R1 designation’s significance, and the opportunities it presents, on page 24.

JOSHUA BROWN

Assessing Federal Actions

Even as UVM’s status as a research institution has been recognized with R1 Carnegie classification, the university has, along with colleges and universities across the U.S., been intensely engaged in interpreting the current federal government actions around higher education.

In this atmosphere, university administrators have listened to concerns that have arisen from across the campus community, continued their commitment to free expression, and worked to support individuals and groups who may feel vulnerable.

A federal actions website has been created to offer information and access to resources. And to help plan for and stay up to date with the latest developments, Operations Teams for Federal Response began convening weekly in March. Comprising faculty, staff, administrators, and deans, these groups focus on four key areas: research, immigration, UVM’s Our Common Ground values, and faculty affairs. The efforts of these groups support a core team of senior leaders to help shape strategy and policy as UVM navigates the changing landscape for higher education.

New Idea? UVM Gives it Serious Backing

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

| Young entrepreneurs are getting substantial support from two UVM initiatives, including the largest undergraduate prize for a business pitch competition in the nation.

UVM Innovations hosted the final presentations of the second annual Joy and Jerry Meyers Cup in March at the Alumni House’s Silver Maple Pavilion. Chip Meyers and his wife, Louise, fund this effort, representing the Meyers Family Trust, in honor of his parents, Joy and Jerry Meyers, who met as undergraduate students at UVM. Out of the three UVM undergraduate teams that presented their business ideas to a panel of judges, Campus Storage Solutions won the grand prize of $225,000 in cash.

“Winning feels amazing. We prepared so long for this and to have everything come to fruition is just incredible,” Ethan Israel ’26, Campus Storage Solutions’ founder, said. “My team and and the advisors we’ve had made this possible and made it a wonderful experience.”

Israel, who served as the company’s CEO, was inspired to start Campus Storage Solutions with Logan Vaughan ’27 after facing their own personal challenges with storing and moving belongings over the summer while away from college. Campus

Storage Solutions, team includes Israel, Vaughan, the CFO, and Ally Updegrove ’25, who serves as the company’s CMO.

Also in March, Matthew McPherson, a high school entrepreneur from Flemington, N.J., was named the winner of the 2025 Vermont Pitch Challenge, a Shark Tanklike competition for teens. McPherson was awarded the competition’s top prize—a full-tuition scholarship to UVM—for his business venture, Boxer Breeze, after presenting his innovative plan to a panel of judges at UVM. McPherson, a high school senior, will be attending UVM this fall.

Boxer Breeze is an eco-friendly underwear brand that combats textile waste by using sustainable materials like bamboo fiber and organic cotton. The business plan also implements a closed-loop recycling system, where customers can return used pairs for discounts on future purchases, promoting sustainability in the fashion industry.

“This opportunity has been one of the most life-changing things to ever happen to me,” said McPherson. “Any of the finalists could have won today, and to have this feeling of being in first place and being a winner in this amazing competition is something I’ll hold near me forever.”

Something Old

Grace Glynn G’20 in the field. Inset is the elusive false mermaid weed, not seen in Vermont for over a century until last year.

AGRICULTURE | Grace Glynn G’20, the Vermont state botanist with the Department of Fish and Wildlife and a graduate of UVM’s Field Naturalist Master’s Program, received a flurry of media attention last June when she rediscovered false mermaid weed (Floerkea proserpinacoides), a plant not seen in Vermont for over a century. She was interviewed over 20 times and appeared in a lengthy story in the New York Times.

Glynn says she jumped up and down and shouted in excitement when she discovered the plant. It all started when a colleague, turtle biologist Molly Parren, sent Glynn a photo she’d taken in the field of another endangered plant.

“Something caught my eye in the corner of the photo,” says Glynn. “And it was Floerkea!”

False mermaid weed is what’s known as a spring ephemeral plant. It emerges in April, produces a small, white, radially symmetrical flower head less than a centimeter wide, and is dormant again by June. Its seeds resemble tiny seashells. The common name derives from its resemblance to marsh mermaid weed, an aquatic plant that can also grow on muddy riverbanks. For four years, Glynn had been searching for false mermaid weed during its short spring growth window in the hopes of finding it.

“I just could not believe it,” says Glynn. “I had imagined finding this species many times in my head. But this wasn’t the way that I ever thought it would happen.”

Something New

AGRICULTURE

Weston “Wes” Testo G’18, center, works with colleagues José Nicolás Zapata and Deli Heal ’25. Inset is the new fern species they identified.

| For more than six years, Assistant Professor of Plant Biology Weston “Wes” Testo G’18 has worked with a research colleague, Sonia Molino, a fellow fern specialist from the Department of Biosciences at the Universidad Europea de Madrid, to study Parablechnum—the most diverse genus in the fern family Blechnaceae, with about 70 species known globally. They have published several related research articles, frequently drawing from the important collection of fern specimens at UVM’s Pringle Herbarium. With nearly 400,000 plant specimens from around the world, the Pringle Herbarium is one of the largest in the Northeast. Nearly 40,000 of Pringle’s specimens are ferns, helping make UVM a hub of global fern research. Many of the specimens in the collection represent species that remain undescribed to science.

The team, which included UVM doctoral student José Nicolás Zapata and undergraduate Deli Heal,

focused on a fern from the Cordillera del Cóndor, a mountain range along the border of Ecuador and Peru, home of the indigenous Shuar people, that is famous among tropical biologists for its many endemic species. This isolated and geologically distinct area is home to a remarkably unique flora. The diminutive fern they focused on only grows upon sandstone cliffs along small rivers in the cordillera, and had been collected on two different occasions in 2006.

In an article published this February in the journal Brittonia, the team provided the first complete description of the new species. They also had to decide what to name it, and settled on Parablechnum shuariorum, in honor of the Shuar people and their efforts to conserve the habitat of this and other rare Cordillera del Cóndor species.

REN DILLON

UVM People

CHARLIE MEECHAM ’25

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY TO SERVE YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES

“I had kind of a hard time in school when I was younger,” recalls UVM senior Charlie Meecham. “It was really challenging socially.” But in third grade, her teacher made a lasting impression. “I definitely think about her when I think about teaching,” Charlie says. “She was an adult outside of my family that really listened to me. I could tell she believed in me and the other students in the class. She is still a huge inspiration for me and my teaching aspirations.”

Story by Doug Gilman

Charlie Meecham is just one of the extraordinary individuals who make up the Class of 2025. Use a mobile camera or visit go.uvm.edu/ meet2025 to meet more.

On her journey to become an early childhood educator, Charlie navigates the challenges associated with her physical disability – a genetic connective tissue disorder known as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. “I’ve had to work super hard,” she explains. “It affects my whole body, my mobility, and my energy.”

Despite the challenges, she is well on the way to her goal. In the culminating experience of the program, Charlie was a full-time student-teaching intern with a classroom of first graders at Allen Brook School in Williston.

Before that, she completed practicums at Pine Forest Children’s Center and Burlington Children’s Space, and civic learning at the Greater Burlington YMCA.

“She takes the time to listen and understand what the students are saying and thinking,” says Maria McCormack, Charlie’s mentor teacher at Allen Brook. “As she takes on more curriculum-planning and lesson-building responsibilities, she always considers the students’ unique needs and preferences.”

Inquisitive young minds give Charlie an opportunity to educate the students about her disability: “They are so curious and ask the best questions. It’s a magical thing.”

When she was 6 years old, Charlie’s family moved from England to Rhode Island, and then to Washington, D.C., when she was 12. Though still a U.K. citizen, she just passed the U.S. citizenship exam. During her senior year of high school, she started working at a preschool where her mom worked. “It was during

COVID, so things were kind of crazy,” she remembers. “It was also during the Brood X cicadas emergence that occurs every 17 years. Watching the kids and the teachers explore and learn about the cicadas was incredible, because I had never seen anything like that.”

Entering college, Charlie planned to study biology. But as a first-year student she took Assistant Professor Kaitlin Northey’s Child Development class.

“And I thought, this is so cool, so I transferred into Early Childhood Education,” she says. “I have not had a moment of regret since. You can really see the learning and the wheels turning in their young minds minute-to-minute. And the family connection is so strong. Relationships with the families—that’s been so rewarding for me.”

Educator preparation programs at UVM pride themselves on “early and often” field placements beginning in the first year and continuing throughout the program. Students engage in service-learning, practicums and teaching internships in a variety of inclusive learning settings—fully supported by dedicated faculty and experienced mentor teachers.

Charlie received the UVM Presidential Scholarship for each of her four years. As a senior, she received the Joan Greening Student Teaching Award and the MP McDaniels Scholarship Award. For her junior year, she earned the APEX Scholarship and the Burack Family Scholarship.

“She is the type of student you always want to have in your class because she gets others excited about learning,” Northey says. “Having her as a teaching assistant in my Child Development course has been an absolute joy.”

Throughout her journey in early childhood education, Charlie’s sense of purpose has been clear and unwavering. “It just always feels like the right thing to do,” she says.

Passing It On

Vermont’s Teacher of the Year helps launch the next generation of educators

EDUCATION | “Let’s spend a couple of minutes breaking the ice a bit,” says UVM Lecturer Caitlin MacLeod-Bluver, as the low hum of pre-class conversation in the Waterman 426 classroom settles down. It’s 4:30 on a Tuesday afternoon in November. Outside the classroom windows the sunlight is fading, but inside the two dozen or so UVM education majors and nine guest students from Winooski High School are just getting started. For the Winooski students, a mixture of 9th and 11th graders, this may be their first time in a college class, but they’re already very familiar with the instructor.

To them she’s Ms. MacLeod-Bluver, their teacher at Winooski High, whose innovative skill was recognized this fall when the Vermont Agency of Education named her Vermont Teacher of the Year for 2025.

Impact on future educators is what’s on display in Waterman 426. As the class—EDSC 2160, Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, quiets down, MacLeodBluver and her co-instructor, Jenn Keller, review the schedule for the next hour. The UVM students have been working in groups to create project-based learning assessments for high school learners that can engage them in an active way. Through this approach, says MacLeod-Bluver, the targeted students will “not just be writing essays that get stored in a file cabinet, graded and moved on from, but an authentic piece of learning that high school students would care about.”

The UVM students found the interaction valuable. “This was honestly really fun,” wrote one UVM student in a post-class assessment. “The [WHS] students were super-engaged, and I really appreciated their honest feedback…. Having a tangible audience

I’ve always loved working with students. I have always loved working with young people... I truly just fell in love with teaching

helps us guide our work better and create something that is ultimately more student-centered.”

For MacLeod-Bluver, fostering these kinds of inventive approaches in students who will soon become the next generation of teachers is a driving force in her career. It began for her during her undergraduate years at Wesleyan University.

“I’ve always loved working with students. I have always loved working with young people. And then when I was a junior, I did a summer teaching program. And I truly just fell in love with teaching.” She later earned a master’s in education at Boston University and taught in the Boston Public Schools for eights years. Later she and her husband moved to Vermont, and she has taught in Winooski for the last six years.

MacLeod-Bluver’s role as a combination high school teacher/UVM adjunct instructor is an outgrowth of the UVM Department of Education’s broader plan to develop deeper partnerships with local Vermont schools, according to Katie Revelle, director of community collaboration for the College of Education and Social Services’ Department of Education. “I sit on the University Outreach Council, and I think this type of partnership represents the kind of work the council hopes to support,” says Revelle. The Outreach Council’s stated mission is to “expand access of traditionally marginalized and under-represented populations throughout the state of Vermont to higher education through intentional programming and outreach.”

Teaching high school all day and a UVM class in the evening is a big effort, but one that MacLeod-Bluver clearly sees as a calling. “I teach at UVM because I want better teachers everywhere,” she says. “So I was really excited to teach at UVM. It was my first time working with aspiring teachers and really helping them. And it was so rewarding…. I truly realize how sacred this job is. That’s why I’ve been doing it for so long.”

A Career Change Inspired by Vermont’s Needs

PRE-MED | Autumn Polidor’s path to medicine began with a realization: Vermont faced a shortage of family doctors, and she wanted to help. That decision led her to a major career change, on to medical school, and ultimately to a specialty in addiction treatment.

Autumn’s career path began far from the world of health care. As a studio art major at UVM, she explored her creative passions and graduated in 2003. “I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do,” she says. “I had this very rough idea of becoming an artist, but I couldn’t figure out how to make it feasible.”

After graduation, Autumn worked in a bakery and pursued small creative business ventures. Despite these efforts, the businesses’ seasonal nature and inconsistent income led her to search for different work. Her turning point came when she read an article about Vermont’s shortage of family doctors. “I thought, ‘Oh, I could do that.’ And I started looking into pre-med programs,” she explains, ultimately deciding on UVM’s Post-Bacc Pre-Med Program.

Autumn’s story is one of thousands made possible by the Post-Bacc Program, which for 30 years has provided the education and mentorship necessary for aspiring healthcare professionals to pursue careers in medicine, dentistry, nursing, and more. With an 83 percent medical school matriculation rate, the program remains a vital pathway for those seeking to make a difference in health care.

“The Post-Bacc Program gives you support with an advisor,” Autumn recalls. “I felt like I could trust the guidance I was getting. It was a big change in terms of my identity, going from artist to scientist. But we were all making this transition and change and doing it in our own ways. It made it feel more manageable and doable.”

Surrounded by peers with diverse backgrounds, Autumn found the support and confidence to pursue medical school. “Most people [in the program] didn’t have a straight-up science background,” she says. “That was confidence-building.”

The program provided the prerequisites for medical school and a strong support system, helping Autumn navigate the next steps in her career–attending medical school at UVM and then completing a family medicine residency at Oregon Health and Science University. Autumn, who grew up in Vermont, returned to the state in 2022 and now serves patients remotely through Rogue Community Health.

“The Post-Bacc Program was a huge turning point for me,” says Autumn. “It gave me the confidence, guidance, and community I needed to take this leap into medicine. I’ll always be grateful for that support.”

Use a mobile device to scan this QR or visit go.uvm.edu/postbacc30 to read more about UVM’s PostBacc Pre-Med Program.

Got Sustainability?

UVM Researchers Test Ways to Green-Up Dairy Farming

By Kristen Munson

Joshua Faulkner squats in a corn field, scooping out the insides of a hole. He holds a handful of dark gray soil and squeezes it like a sponge. Beside him, a row of yellowed winter rye shakes in the wind.

“It’s a little dry,” Faulkner says. “… But not bad. Everyone is crossing their fingers that we don’t have a repeat of 2023. It really didn’t start raining last year until mid-July.”

He’s referring to the statewide flooding July 10-11, 2023, that devastated feed and vegetable crops and caused about $69 million in agricultural damages. (Despite crossed fingers, flooding occurred again on the one-year anniversary.) A 2023 survey conducted by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets found that nearly 34 percent of respondents said their most significant

losses were to feed crops, with the average suffering $61,000 in losses.

After the 2023 floods, water gauges along three Vermont rivers Faulkner monitors indicated phosphorus levels three times higher than the previous two summers. With leakage from agricultural fields common after heavy rains, could there be alternative ways for dairy farmers to limit nutrient runoff and increase their resilience to extreme weather events?

“Can a dairy farm sequester as much carbon as they emit in their production system? Can a dairy farm be net zero?” asks Faulkner, a research associate professor at the University of Vermont. “In order to [answer] that we have to measure a lot of things.”

Scan this QR code with a mobile camera or visit go.uvm.edu/ faulknervid to watch a video of Joshua Faulkner’s field work or

That is why Faulkner is gathering soil samples in the middle of a corn field in St. Albans one morning in June. He is part of a team of UVM researchers investigating how to make Vermont’s dairy production more sustainable. They are midway into a six-year study, called the Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration project, administered by Dairy Management Inc. and the Soil Health Institute, that involves seven universities and a U.S. Department of Agriculture research site, and spans farms from Vermont, New York, Wisconsin, Texas, Idaho, and California. The idea is to test how methods such as cover cropping, no-till planting, and different fertilizer applications affect water quality, crop yield, economics, and greenhouse gas emissions.

“A lot of the public thinks that greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture are mainly diesel fuel and electricity, and they are not,” Faulkner says. “They come from soil emissions and from manure. So, we are measuring gas emissions from these systems to see if we can determine if this new approach to growing feed and managing soil not only helps with resilience but helps with mitigation at the same time.”

Faulkner pounds a slide hammer into the soil and pulls a long tube of earth from the ground. The sample will be used to test the soil’s bulk density, water-holding capacity, and carbon concentration. Higher compaction means less space for air and water and organic matter. It means less healthy soil.

agricultural runoff, and soak up excess moisture. Practices such as reducing tillage and implementing crop rotation provide additional benefits, reducing erosion and adding nutrients back into depleted soil. But how do various fertilization and drainage techniques affect water quality? How do soil health and various management practices impact carbon emission and sequestration?

Scan this QR code with a mobile camera or visit go.uvm.edu/ greenupdairy to read an expanded version of this story.

“Low-bulk density—that is a really good thing,” Faulkner says. “It means the management practices of the farm are working.”

“There is no question that soil is the most valuable resource on the farm,” Faulkner says. “If we lose our soils, they take years, in some cases, hundreds of years, to build back. How do we conserve those soils and really maximize [their] health … so that they are sustainable in the long run, but they also maintain productivity for the farm?”

Building soil health can improve resilience from extreme weather events, as living roots in the ground hold soil in place, reduce

Can a dairy farm sequester as much carbon as they emit in their production system? Can a dairy farm be net zero? In order to [answer] that we have to measure a lot of things.”

“It takes a tremendous amount of data to help answer those questions,” Faulkner says. “So that means a lot of time in the field. A lot of sampling work. A lot of runoff water quality measurements.”

While they are still a year away from having hard numbers to share, Faulkner is interested in what the study will more broadly reveal about the sustainability of dairy farming.

“This is the first time we’ve taken a wholesystems look at dairy forage production,” he says. “The other thing is the soil’s ability to sequester carbon. And some people have taken measurements here and there, but this is the first rigorous documentation of that in our dairy systems. And it may be different in Wisconsin than it is here in Vermont and different in California or Texas. We need that local information.”

King Noir

University Press of Mississippi

By Tony Magistrale and Michael Blouin

go.uvm.edu/kingnoir

Professor and former Chair of English Tony Magistrale, along with coauthor Michael Blouin, explores Stephen King’s deep ties to crime fiction, shedding new light on the iconic author’s influences and storytelling through a hard-boiled lens—complete with a never-before-published essay by King himself.

Recovery from Schizophrenia

Oxford University Press

By Courtenay Harding go.uvm.edu/recoverschiz

Alumna Courtenay Harding ’76 G’81,’84 shares groundbreaking

research from decades-long NIMH studies revealing that recovery from schizophrenia is not only possible but common—challenging long-held assumptions in the field of psychiatry.

Dead Below Deck

Harper/HarperCollins

By Jan Gangsei

go.uvm.edu/deadbelowdeck

Jan Gangsei ’92 brings a fresh twist to teen mystery with Dead Below Deck, a reversechronological thriller set aboard a spring break cruise. As secrets unravel from end to beginning, the novel explores themes of privilege, identity, and family, earning praise from Kirkus Reviews for its inventive structure and compelling, well-supported final reveal.

Goldenseal

Counterpoint Press

By Maria Hummel

go.uvm.edu/goldenseal

UVM English professor Maria Hummel explores themes of friendship, betrayal, and healing in 1990s Los Angeles. Praised by the Los Angeles Times as “haunting and tragic” yet ultimately hopeful, the novel was longlisted for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize and is a finalist for the 2025 Vermont Book Award for fiction.

Good Girl

Penguin Random House

By Aria Aber

go.uvm.edu/goodgirl

In her acclaimed debut novel, Good Girl, UVM Assistant Professor Aria Aber follows the coming-of-age journey of

Published a book?

Launched a podcast? Working on a film, show, or digital project?

Let us know at magazine@uvm.edu

an Afghan refugee’s daughter through Berlin’s glittering, destructive nightlife. Praised by the New York Times for its poetic power, the novel is a finalist for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction.

On the Shoulders of Giants

Directed by Peter Sanders go.uvm.edu/onshoulders

Filmmaker Peter Sanders ’92, known for award-winning documentaries like “The Disappeared” and “Altina,” explores 150 years of medical innovation in his latest film, “On the Shoulders of Giants: The History of NYU Langone Orthopedics.” Continuing a family legacy of documentary storytelling, Sanders’ newest work is available on YouTube and Amazon Prime.

Stirring the Pot

Whales are not just big, they’re a big deal for healthy oceans. When they poop, whales move tons of nutrients from deep water to the surface. Now new research co-led by Joe Roman, a UVM biologist, reveals that whales also move tons of vital ocean nutrients thousands of miles—in their urine.

In 2010, scientists revealed that whales, feeding at depth and pooping at the surface, provide a critical resource for plankton growth and ocean productivity. Roman’s study, published in the journal Nature Communications, shows that whales also carry huge quantities of nutrients horizontally, across whole ocean basins, from rich, cold waters where they feed to warm shores near the equator where they mate and give birth. Much of this is in the form of urine—though sloughed skin, carcasses, calf feces, and placentas also contribute.

The study calculates that in oceans across the globe, great whales—including right whales, gray whales, and humpbacks—transport about 4,000 tons of nitrogen each year to low-nutrient coastal areas in the tropics and subtropics. They also bring more than 45,000 tons of biomass. And before the era of human whaling decimated populations, these long-distance inputs may have been three or more times larger.

Use a mobile camera or visit go.uvm.edu/joeroman to read more about Joe Roman’s study.

CHINH LE DUC

From Research Papers to Comic Panels

Anthropologist Luis Vivanco’s work highlights the power of comics to illuminate complex stories and reshape how research is communicated.

STORY BY JOSHUA DEFIBAUGH

Use a mobile device or visit go.uvm.edu/vivanco to read more about Vivanco’s work and view his comics at The Illustrated Wheel.

RESEARCH | What do bicycles, anthropology, and comics have in common? For UVM professor Luis Vivanco, everything. Swapping research papers for hand-drawn comics, he’s bringing history, culture, and even 19th-century bicycle ailments to life—one comic panel at a time.

On a frigid afternoon in January, students and community members in Billings Library aren’t poring over primary documents or using the space to study. Instead, they’re drawing comics. At one table, a student draws peacocks. Another student, a quick study of faces. Across the room, Luis Vivanco discusses drawing and comics — and leads this monthly meeting, called Working Wednesdays, part of his Comics-Based Research Lab at UVM.

of the Department of Anthropology in the College of Arts and Sciences — is a latecomer to the illustrated medium. But he’s come to realize that, just as the pen is mightier than the sword, so too is the comic often more resonant than the research report.

And he’s discovered other researchers across campus embracing comics too. The Larner College of Medicine’s Dana Health Sciences Library, for instance, hosts many examples of “graphic medicine,” like comics and illustrations on vaccines, how children cope with war in Ukraine, and the cost of diabetes care in New York City.

“The more conversations I have on campus here, the more I realize people are interested in comics,” Vivanco said. “For example, I hadn’t known about Jeremiah Dickerson, a psychiatry professor in the medical school who teaches this one-credit

comics course to medical students, using graphic medicine to tell illness stories in comics form.”

Knowing that colleagues across the university are interested in comics — while some faculty members are already using comics to teach and translate research — inspired Vivanco to start the Comics-Based Research Lab. To spread the word, he participated in the Office of Research’s Faculty Activity Network, which encourages faculty members to share and experience each other’s laboratories, studios, or other research spaces. Last October, faculty members from the Rubenstein School, Larner College of Medicine, College of Education and Social Services, and others showed up to learn about comics-based research and Vivanco’s approach.

Vivanco’s trajectory into comics began in 2017, when he was the director of the UVM Humanities Center. “Someone asked me if they could organize a comics conference. People were taking comics and graphic novels seriously, and I didn’t have much awareness,” Vivanco said. But during one of these conferences, the Pulp Culture Comic Arts Festival, inspiration struck. “I sat in on a panel discussion that featured history professors from around the country, and one of them recently published a graphic novel through Oxford University Press. That was his research.”

Vivanco’s work as an environmental anthropologist lately revolves around bicycles. For more than a decade, he’s studied the history of urban bicycle culture, the political debate over bikes in past centuries, and how green urbanism adopted bicycle culture and why.

“I wrote a book about the anthropology of bicycles and one small piece of that book was on the history of bicycles in Vermont in the 1800s, when there was this huge bicycle craze,” Vivanco said. After awakening his love of drawing and establishing his grounding, he started taking his lecture material and archival sources on the history of bicycles and turning it into mini-comics.

Ultimately, for Vivanco and others, comics help people see. After drawing — both doodling and seriously producing comics — for years, comics have become more than a useful ethnographic tool for him.

“When you’re in the field, drawing, you might be paying very close attention to details that the typical training in cultural anthropology might ignore,” Vivanco said. “And when you pair the traditional ethnographic report with the comic, they reinforce each other.”

Joe Joins the Family

VERMONT | This winter UVM added its 11th property to the Natural Areas Program with the acquisition of Joe’s Pond, a protected sanctuary in Morrisville, Vt., with a rich history. Lifelong Morristown, Vt., resident and UVM alumnus Ron Stancliff ’63 donated the property, which is held by a conservation easement through the Stowe Land Trust and has been conserved since 2005. The easement ensures that the forest, wildlife habitat, natural communities, and native flora and fauna will be protected, the water body and adjacent wetlands will be conserved, and the property will remain undeveloped for present and future generations. It contains a breathtaking 11.3-acre pond bordered by a 19-acre mixed hardwood and softwood forest filled with hiking trails. The natural pond acts as a home to numerous species of birds, snapping turtles, and fish, including bullpout, suckers, and grass pickerel.

Joe’s Pond – Morristown and the nearby Molly Bog Natural Area trace their names to early settlers, both Micmac tribe members. UVM’s Molly Bog, acquired over 50 years ago, remains a protected sanctuary, dedicated only to research and monitoring to protect its delicate plant communities. Stancliff’s generous donation allows both properties to now be integrated into the UVM Natural Areas system. Unlike Molly Bog, Joe’s Pond – Morristown is open to the public, offering opportunities for non-motorized recreation like hiking, kayaking, skiing, and snowshoeing. The pond also presents a rich environment for research and monitoring. The property is already utilized by the State of Vermont for bat monitoring, and it holds potential for studies on recreation management, forest health, wildlife communities, and more. The property shouldn’t be confused with Vermont’s other Joe’s Pond, in Danville, that is well known for its annual ice-out competition.

JOSHUA BENES

THE CATS COME THROUGH

BY NATE SCANDORE

THE BIGGEST GOAL IN VERMONT MEN’S SOCCER HISTORY PROPELLED THE CATAMOUNTS TO THE FIRST-EVER NATIONAL TITLE BY AN AMERICA EAST TEAM.

It was a moment that left Vermonters everywhere jubilant, with hearts racing and tears spilling down joyful faces. For the first time in the history of the University of Vermont’s athletic programs, the UVM men’s soccer team did what was considered the unthinkable, being crowned the 2024 Men’s Soccer Division I National Champions. This was no ordinary victory—it was the culmination of years of grit, hard work, and a mentality that nobody—no one—saw coming. They’re not underdogs. They’re just dogs.

Many may have speculated that this team was written off from the beginning. “Not good enough. Not big enough. Won’t sustain success long enough.” Those were the doubts that swirled around the Catamounts, the noise they had to block out every time they stepped on the field. But this team, led by Head Coach Rob Dow, wasn’t here to prove people wrong. They were here to show that Vermont never backs down.

UVM’s regular season was a statement. Finishing 10-2-6, never surrendering a loss at home from Virtue Field or on any neutral fields, they were relentless—never losing their will to win. Their ability to score 22 goals in the 76th minute or later—17 of them in the 83rd minute or beyond throughout the entirety of the season—was a testament to the never-say-die mentality that defined this team. They weren’t just playing and winning games. They were making history.

defied every expectation, tearing through the toughest fields in college soccer. Vermont became the first team in America East history to make it to the NCAA National Championship game, and with every step forward, they proved the doubters wrong. They beat four different seeded opponents—#7 Hofstra, #2 Pittsburgh, #3 Denver, and #13 Marshall—each one more formidable than the last. But the Catamounts kept coming, unrelenting and unstoppable.

“THEY ALWAYS DOUBTED US. WE ALWAYS COME OUT ON TOP. THAT’S VERMONT.”

– UVM FORWARD MAXIMILIAN KISSEL

DON’T CALL THEM CINDERELLAS—CALL THEM NATIONAL CHAMPS!

After clinching a share of the America East Regular Season Championship, the Catamounts opened the conference tournament with a seat-gripping nail biter against UMBC from Virtue Field, witnessing Yaniv Bazini score the golden goal in the 106th minute for the Catamounts, securing UVM the 2-1 victory over the Retrievers in overtime, punching Vermont its ticket to the conference championship match. Bazini registered both Catamount goals for Vermont in the semifinals of the tournament, building hefty momentum for what was still to come.

An exhilarating America East Championship game took place on a crisp November evening, when Vermont defeated Bryant 2-1 with a go-ahead goal from Maximilian Kissel in the 86th minute of action, securing the program’s second conference championship in the last four years. Head Coach Rob Dow spoke on what it meant heading into the NCAA tournament. “I’ll tell you; this championship game puts us in the echelon of ready. We’re ready for the NCAA Tournament.”

And then came the NCAA Tournament. The Catamounts

The National Championship game itself was nothing short of cinematic. Down by a goal with 9:34 on the clock, just when it seemed like all hope might slip away, the Cardiac Cats did it again. David Ismail connected with Marcell Papp for the equalizing goal, sending the championship game into overtime. Kissel, who demonstrated his clutch abilities all season long, stood tall and delivered the most iconic moment in Vermont men’s soccer history. Scoring an overtime goal 4:53 into extra time, sending the crowd and fans at home into a frenzy, Kissel sealed UVM soccer’s first-ever team National Championship. The goal wasn’t just the culmination of a match—it was the culmination of a season defined by perseverance, heart, and unity.

“First of all, super proud to be this coach for the University of Vermont men’s soccer team,” said Head Coach Rob Dow at the post-game press conference. “This team played phenomenal tonight, put in the center of a lot of pressure, had an amazing season, and I’m just really excited about going home and celebrating with all of our fans that we could hear from afar.”

(Continued on next page.)

“IT’S OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, THE STATE OF VERMONT THAT MAKES THIS SPECIAL.

–

But it wasn’t just Kissel. Every player stepped up when it mattered. Redshirt senior Yaniv Bazini, who led the team with 30 points (14 goals, 2 assists), scored in every NCAA Tournament game leading up to the final. His equalizer against Denver in the semifinals was a moment of pure magic, reminding everyone that the Catamounts were never out of it.

The heart of the team, though, was its defense. First-year goalkeeper Niklas Herceg was nothing short of heroic. After coming into the season injured, he didn’t just find his form—he became the backbone of Vermont’s defense. He posted six shutouts, three of them in the NCAA Tournament, including a legendary penalty-kick save to go along with a five-save performance against #3 Denver in the semifinals. His .855 save percentage was the best in the NCAA, and in a season where every save mattered, he was the rock the team leaned on.

Defenders Max Murray and Zach Barrett, both graduate students who sit atop the record books for most games played in UVM men’s soccer history over their college careers, held the line in the back, blocking attacks with the ferocity of players who knew this was their time. The team’s collective defense was a wall that never wavered. Together, they became a fortress that other teams simply couldn’t break through.

But what made this team special wasn’t just their talent—it was their belief. There were no underdogs on this team. Just dogs. When people doubted them, they showed up and they fought. The Catamounts didn’t need anyone’s validation. They knew who they were. “They always doubted us,” said Kissel. “We always come out on top. That’s Vermont.”

VERMONT IS HERE. AND VERMONT ISN’T GOING ANYWHERE.

From start to finish, from the very first whistle of the season to the final goal in the championship match, this was a team that never gave up and never let the pressure of the moment get to them. The constant roadblocks and the doubt? That fueled their fire.

And let’s talk about their journey—their incredible, almost surreal journey. Traveling nearly 9,000 miles throughout the NCAA Tournament, playing through adversity, overcoming every challenge in their path. This team was unseeded going in, yet they made history. UVM became the first unseeded team to reach the National Championship game since Akron in 2018, and now, they’re the first America East team ever to win a National Championship.

Throughout the NCAA Tournament, this team led all other teams in goals scored, putting up 13 goals in total—a testament to their offensive dynamism. And they did it all with a mentality that was as unstoppable as the men on the field. They were more than just a team—they were a movement. They were the embodiment of what it means to be from Vermont: hardworking, tough, and resilient.

Head Coach Rob Dow summed up what makes Vermont soccer stand above the rest: “It’s our entire community, the state of Vermont that makes this special. As we’ve all identified, we’re a small state, but a state that’s built on family values within our community, working hard, having a resilient culture, and appreciating what you have,” said Dow. “It doesn’t have to be a lot but really appreciating what life is about, and that’s the people around you. I’d like to win a national championship every year, I want to repeat next year, but you know, some years it may not happen, and I know our fans are so loyal through difficult times and this is how we got here, and those are the things we see and feel within Chittenden County and the state of Vermont.”

For Vermont, this championship isn’t just a victory—it’s a legacy. It’s a story of a team that believed in themselves when not a lot did, that defied the odds and walked away as the best in the nation. They’ve set the bar for what’s possible and, in doing so, have inspired generations of athletes to come. The first-ever National Championship for Vermont men’s soccer will be remembered not just as a title, but as a symbol of everything the state and its people stand for—resilience, pride, and the unbreakable spirit of the Green Mountains.

This team didn’t just make history— they made us all believe.

HEAD COACH ROB DOW

UVM FIELD HOCKEY: AMERICA EAST CHAMPIONS!

It was a moment of pure triumph that no one in the University of Vermont’s field hockey program will ever forget. After years of pushing for greatness, this November the Catamounts made history by winning their first-ever America East Championship, earning a place in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

The road to the title was nothing short of dramatic. In the semifinals, Vermont took on the #1 seed UAlbany Great Danes—a powerhouse that had dominated the conference all season. It was an intense battle that tested every ounce of Vermont’s strength, but they held their ground. Goalkeeper Merle Vaandrager was a brick wall in the cage, earning two shutouts during the tournament, adding to her six shutouts on the season, leading every goalie in the America East Conference. Her six shutouts tied a program record, and her semifinal performance was crucial as UVM held UAlbany to zero goals, securing their place in the conference championship game.

“This is one gritty team. To give up only three shots on goal and secure a shutout against UAlbany in a semifinal was no

small feat,” said Head Coach Kate Pfeifer. “I’m so proud of the way they battled, executed our game plan, and got it done.”

The America East final saw Vermont go head-to-head against second-seeded New Hampshire in a battle that tested their heart and resolve. Things didn’t look good. Down 2-0 at halftime, the Catamounts found themselves staring down an uphill battle. It was only the second time in a month they had given up more than one goal, and the first half felt like it might just slip away. But this team had something different. They had grit and belief.

Vermont wasn’t going to let their season end without a fight. As the second half began, the Catamounts roared back to life.

In just 12 minutes, they scored three goals, overturning the deficit in a stunning display of determination. Meg Weyer, a player who had worked tirelessly all season, scored the first multi-goal game of her career, including the gamewinner in the 46th minute. The comeback was nothing short of spectacular, as it set the tone for future UVM field hockey teams to look up to for years to come.

“I just had full faith in the team that they could rise to the

moment, and I think that’s what they have done all tournament,” said Head Coach Kate Pfeifer following the championship win. “They have risen to the occasion and not lost belief in themselves just because it’s a top-ranked opponent or an opponent we have lost to before. We have been able to really face it and execute when it matters.”

Throughout the tournament, the Catamounts showed exactly why they were worthy of their title. They entered the championship match ranked in the nation’s top 20 in numerous categories: shutouts per game (7th), goals per game (17th), scoring margin (18th), and defensive saves (19th). But it wasn’t just their stats that spoke to their power— it was their will to win.

On offense, first-year Marie Dijkstra led the charge with 29 points (11 goals, 7 assists), finishing the season as the team’s top scorer. Junior Sophia Lefranc was instrumental, contributing eight goals and four assists, including three total goals in the first two playoff games, and let’s not forget the legacy of Sophia Drees, who finished her career as the program’s all-time leader in assists, with eight on the season and a total of 74 career points.

This victory wasn’t just about scoring goals or racking up stats—it was about something deeper. It was about believing. Vermont wasn’t just playing for a championship; they were playing for their place in history. Every player, every coach, and every fan knew that this was a moment of destiny. From being underdogs to being crowned champions, the Catamounts had proven that they belonged among the nation’s elite.

—Nate Scandore

MORE MARCH MADNESS

UVM’s women’s basketball team headed back to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in the last three years after defeating top-seed UAlbany in the conference title game on March 14, capturing its eighth America East championship in program history.

The Catamounts, who won nine of their last 10 games in the regular season, faced No. 2 North Carolina State in the first round in Raleigh, N.C. on March 22. In a game broadcast live on ESPN, the Wolfpack of N.C. State bested the Catamounts, 75-55.

“We really felt like we played really well for three quarters,” said Mayer Women’s Head Coach Alisa Kresge. “We lost some momentum in the fourth, and we made some errors defensively and, of course, N.C. State and their outstanding team capitalized off of that and really made that push at the end…. I think our play today really spoke volumes about our program and where we’re at. I couldn’t be prouder of this group, just showing so much fight and poise in an incredible environment. It was outstanding and this is what it’s all about.”

What does R1 mean for—and about—UVM?

Dombrowski: UVM has always prided itself on a teacher-scholar model, and if we are going to be serious about that, then scholarship is half of that work. So R1 is a measure, fit to modern university systems, asking: what’s the mass of scholarship happening at your university? And it measures surrogates for that, like how much time are we paying people to spend on research or scholarship? And how big is our investment in the next generation of scholars, in producing Ph.D.s? Getting to R1 is partly about scale—we have a lot of research going on across campus! And achieving R1 status is a validation of our robust teacher-scholar model that’s hard to validate in other ways.

What could R1 allow UVM to accomplish that we haven’t been able to do in the past?

The big question is talent. How much talent can we attract? R1 puts us on a more equal footing with our peers in recruiting that next generation of highly talented faculty and

students. Scholars, graduating today with a Ph.D., see an R1 designation as a sign that a university is serious about research and scholarship. For many graduate students, the belief is that if you want to work at an R1, you have to graduate from an R1. There are other knock-on benefits too. Being an R1 is an advantage for opening doors to certain large foundations, like the Ford Foundation, or others that are invitationonly, that provide major funding. R1 makes us credible as an applicant in that space to say: we have the kind of infrastructure, partnership programs, and scale that would allow us to succeed with very large grants.

When you imagine UVM’s best flight path, in terms of our research endeavor, over the next, say, five years, what are you seeing?

The big outcome is that we should see more large-scale projects—like centers and major infrastructure grants—that bring more interdisciplinary science and scholarship to our campus. This will provide greater levels of support for our graduate students. We’ll

have a larger, more competitive, vibrant, scholarly space on campus. It won’t turn the grass blue or suddenly put skyscrapers on our campus. We’ll look like we look, but we should feel different over the next 10 years in in terms of opportunity and excitement. And that trickles down directly to the undergraduate experience. If you get the best faculty, with a great scholarly ecosystem, you get the best students.

Step back from the higher ed space for a minute and imagine some smart ninthgrade kid who asks, “what is the point of research? Why should I care?”

You know, “research” polls terribly among high school students. If you say to students, “Do you want to go to a research university?” they’re like, “Oh no, I don’t think so.” And that’s because they went to high school, right? In high school, we taught them that research is writing a 15-page paper that has to have 35 sources cited in some particular way. Then they get slaughtered because their thesis statement wasn’t like the one

on the worksheet. Or we taught them: go to a chemistry lab and you’re going to have to repeat this set of facts and draw this diagram in this pre-set way—about an experiment whose outcome has already been determined. Who wants to do that?

But if you say to students, “Would you like to go to a college where you sit, listening in class all day? Or to a college where you’re part of an R&D team trying to cure cancer?” Then they say, “I will do the R&D any day.” We’ve introduced them to research! If you say to them, “Would you like to work in a behavioral pharmacology lab? We’re going to be working with rats in a series of experiments, trying to figure out how cognition works. This will help us understand emotional development that we can translate into improving things from AI to early childhood education.” Students will do that in a second.

Did you as a young scholar have a moment where you realized that research was exciting for you? As a kid, I was constantly building things. In my backyard, we tried to build a hydrofoil surfboard for behind a boat; it must have been the late ’70s or early ’80s. It never worked, just for the record! I nearly broke my neck, but we wanted to figure out: can we make something that would, in theory, rise up out of the water? Now you look out on Lake Champlain, they’re all over.

What’s in UVM’s research enterprise that is compelling to a traditional chamber of commerce perspective, or a fiscally conservative state legislator who’s saying, “Okay, research is nice, but show me the money.” We’ve added a hundred million dollars a year in university research spending since I got here. We were at about $120 million; now we’re above $220 million. That’s economic impact. Research brings in high-paying jobs, highly educated people, and economic energy. Research lays the groundwork for Burlington and Vermont to be the kind of high-tech, high-impact space that every community is trying to attract. We know that our business and engineering students are snapped up by tech companies around here. And if we could make more, they would take more! OnLogic, Beta, and other fast-growing companies here are eager for our graduates. They just keep saying to

me, “How can you make more?” That’s a way that keeps those companies here, makes them viable here, and creates innovation.

We want to help build up Burlington as a “knowledge town.” Everyone knows what a country town looks like, or a university town, an industrial town, a company town, or post-industrial town. What we are trying to think of is: what is a knowledge town? When I was a kid, Cambridge, Massachusetts, was a parking lot. It was one of the most economically depressed areas in the world. But Cambridge leaned into the work that was going on at Harvard and MIT and brought that out to build a biotech industry that is unprecedented in the world. It’s created prosperity; it made Boston functional. Now the economy that’s around those universities is ten times the size of the universities themselves.

“Would you like to go to a college where you sit, listening in class all day? Or to a college where you’re part of an R&D team trying to cure cancer?”

You suggest that research and scholarship are largely synonymous. Let me push back on that a little bit. When you think about “research,” how much is that defined by a STEM vocabulary—science and engineering? And how much of “scholarship” is the domain of the humanities—history, English, art?

I’m a cultural anthropologist by training. There’s a classic called Laboratory Life, by Bruno Latour, an anthropologist. The book is an ethnography of Jonas Salk’s lab. Latour treated Salk and other scientists like the primates that we all are. He went in and he wrote down what they did. He just sat and studied the work and the workers of the lab the way you would as an anthropologist.

Latour’s conclusion is that this lab is a place that takes lab coats, paper, chemicals, ink, typewriters, mice, human help, and coffee—and turns them into sentences. Salk objected, saying, “No, we don’t make sentences here; we make knowledge, we make science.” And Latour said, “Well, no, really, you make sentences. They come out as papers and lectures.” And in a way he was right: at the end of the day, what comes out of the university? We don’t make vaccines here. We don’t make cars here. Every car in our parking lot, none of them were made at UVM, right? What we make here is understanding of the world— published in articles and books and studies. Our engineers write papers and books, and our anthropologists write papers and books, and our English professors write papers and books. That’s what we do.

I don’t think the chasm between the sciences and the humanities is real. It’s an easy target. It’s a scapegoat for different levels of different funding and market forces within the university, right? There are subjects that fall out of favor in a student market sense. And there are things that become popular, and it’s easy to give them labels and see one as some higher calling. And I just don’t buy it. More Americans buy history books than buy engineering books by far. There’s a lot of rhetoric about how these things are opposed, and there’s a lot of hurt feelings about the way that market forces are working within universities. I get that piece, but I don’t think it’s because somehow there’s something so different going on one side than on the other.

Anything else that we should know?

I have no idea what we should all know, but I’m glad I work at a place dedicated to that idea. Achieving R1 is a great moment for us. This is a celebration of the work of hundreds of people in all kinds of spaces at UVM. The recipe was simple: make it fun to go after competitive grants; build the infrastructure around folks who want to do research and scholarship; support the people who are dying for this chance; then get out of the way of the people who have been hungry for this bigger stage, these new opportunities to learn and explore. This is why they became professors.

Story by Joshua Brown

Thoughts Fly

There are no fruit flies in Davi Bock’s kitchen.

But head down into the basement of his 1850s farmhouse, on the end of a dirt road in Glover, Vt., and you’ll find them by the millions. Well, not really. But—in one corner, on a laptop computer linked to the wider world with high-speed, fiber-optic cable—you can surf and plunge into 21 million photos of one fruit fly’s brain.

Bock points to a spectral gray image, roughly the shape of Princess Leia’s hairdo. “This is the optic lobe,” he says, pointing to one side of the picture that sticks out like a bun. “You’re seeing hundreds of images mosaic together to encompass the whole fly brain from tip to tip.” On a large monitor, the brain appears about a foot wide. In an actual fruit fly, the brain is smaller than a poppy seed.

Color-enhanced Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM) of Drosophila melanogaster, also known as the common fruit fly or vinegar fly. Live, unfixed specimen; natural state. Magnification: 130X.

Photo by: David Scharf / Science Source

Inside that speck, some 140,000 neurons are linked together—hundreds of feet of microscopic, living spaghetti—to form more than 50 million connections called synapses. Bock—a biologist who grew up in Jericho, Vt., and joined the faculty of UVM’s Larner College of Medicine in 2019—co-led an effort, over the last 12 years, to photograph, trace, and label every neuron and synapse in a fruit fly’s tiny head. His work, which yielded the first complete map of the neural wiring in the brain of a complex organism, made the cover of the journal Nature in October 2024—and was reported by news outlets around the world, including the BBC, which described it as a “huge leap to unlock the human mind.”

“Now we’re going to zoom in,” Bock says, leaning forward with the hint of a smile as his finger moves over the trackpad. The gray image grows larger and soon we’re plummeting down toward the surface of some monochromatic planet and plunging below the surface. We’re passing through the fruit fly brain from front to back as the scale grows finer. “This is the esophagus,” Bock says, pointing to a wedgeshaped hole in the center of the image, “it passes through the fly’s brain.” Rushing ever deeper into the stream of images is dizzying and topographic. Another Star Wars image presents—I found myself thinking about Luke Skywalker roaring through an abstract canyon on the Death Star, except we’re flying through layers of photos of a real fly in the real world.

“You might think, ‘fruit fly, whatever; it’s just this little dot floating around your compost,’ but actually they’re pretty sophisticated.”

“Now you can start to see individual cell bodies. These are called tracheae; they’re tubes that supply the fly’s brain with air,” he says, pointing to what looks like black-and-white salami. Soon we reach the finest scale—the whole screen now shows just a single micrometer, a hundred times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. We are deep within a single brain cell. “These are individual synaptic vesicles, forty-nanometer-diameter spheres containing neurotransmitter,” he says pointing to bead-shaped dots. “Oh, these are mitochondria, the energy sources of the cell,” he says, pointing to some darker, beanshaped masses. “And this is a synapse,” he says, pointing to where the cell forms a link, connecting this neuron to another, an infinitesimal gap where molecules of neurotransmitter jump, carrying a packet of information. And these bits of chemical information—launched by electrical signals that move up and down different types of neurons, each one splitting into a starburst of microscopic threads that connect with many other neurons, forming bunches and bundles and long highways, all gathering in layers and knots of increasing complexity— result in a fruit fly that can sing to attract a mate.

Yes, fruit flies sing. Those pesky critters that drown themselves in your glass of wine, or swarm on your

bananas, have complex courtship behaviors. The males serenade females, choosing between songs— distinctive vibrations with their wings—and deciding in the moment when the best moment for romance has arrived. (Patience, young fruit fly, females take fully 8 to 10 hours after hatching to become sexually mature.) “You might think, ‘fruit fly, whatever; it’s just this little dot floating around your compost,’ but actually they’re pretty sophisticated. They do this thing called ‘visual place learning,’” says Bock, leaning back in his chair. If flies are put in a hot cage with visual cues showing one cool tile that’s comfortable to stand on, they form and retain memories of where to run to, following the cues when they’re moved. “They fight, they learn, they forget,” Bock says.

In other words, fruit flies are not that different than people. They can get drunk, figure out how to navigate from one point to another, get jacked on coffee, and respond to dark and light fruit fly research led to the discovery of circadian rhythms, the 24-hour cycle that regulates sleep patterns, hormone release, and body temperature. We share many of the same genes—75 percent of the genes involved in human diseases are also found in fruit flies, including two-thirds of human cancer genes. When scientists insert a human gene associated with Parkinson’s disease into fruit flies, they display symptoms like those seen in humans with the disorder.

Those similarities are one of the reasons that thousands of researchers dig into the inner workings of these tiny creatures. A so-called model organism (along with E. coli bacteria, laboratory mice and rats, zebrafish, and a few others), the biology of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has been studied intensely for more than a century, revealing principles of physiology, development, genetics, diseases, and evolution. It was the first animal to be launched into space, in 1947. And today, hundreds of lines of medical research rely on fruit flies—including efforts to understand and treat diabetes, neurological disorders like Huntington’s disease, drug addiction, eating disorders, and cancers. The newly completed brain map—what scientists call a connectome—is helping to advance understanding of how pathways in the brain link to diseases and behaviors.

Bock clicks on the computer and the trip continues through the millions of stitched-together photos, zooming back out to the composite image of the whole brain and then diving down into another area. “I remember when I got the software put together to view images of this scale—I believe I was the first person in human history to be able to do this,” he says, “to go from the resolution of individual synapses to seeing all layers of the brain’s cortex in a single image.”

Bock studied biology, and taught himself computer programming, at Brown University, graduating in 1997. “I love biology, but I had a really hard time in college. I just hated—and I still hate—being told what to do with my mind,” he says. “You lock in on a class and you have a syllabus and there’s a schedule, and you have to learn this by then and so on.” After college, he went to work as a software consultant, made some money in the dotcom boom, and, a few years later, returned to Vermont, where he “reconnected with old friends, played D&D, went to life drawing classes, learned some banjo, and basically screwed around,” Bock recalls. “But then, of course, you get tired of screwing around and the savings starts to run down.” So, in a fateful decision, he went to work as a technician in the UVM laboratory of neurobiologist Rae Nishi. A beloved professor, Bock credits her with giving him the support and confidence to pursue a research career of his own. “I started out washing glassware and making stock reagents and placing orders, but she gave me a project and taught me skills—and I started working day and night,” Bock says. He reluctantly left Vermont in 2007 to start a Ph.D. at Harvard, where he outfitted a custom high-throughput electron microscope that let him gather microscopic images of portions of a mouse’s brain at a scale never before achieved. This work was published on the cover of Nature in 2011. “I got to see the brain in a way that nobody else ever had,” he says. “It was like landing on the moon.”

The mapping of the whole fruit fly brain began in 2013. Bock, then a scientist at the Janelia Research Campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Virginia, and his colleagues extracted the brain of an adult fly and dipped it into a bath of heavy metals and other chemicals, allowing it to harden. Once they had a solid block, they cut it with a diamond knife

into 7,062 ultra-thin slices. Then they used a pair of custom electron microscopes with robotic loaders and high-speed cameras—created by Bock with help from a few consultants and Janelia staff—to scan each slice, producing 21 million pictures. In these images, each pixel represents “a crazy level of resolution,” Bock says: a bit of brain tissue no wider than a few dozen atoms. This first-of-its-kind snapshot of an adult fruit fly brain was published in 2018 in the journal Cell

Associate

Professor of Neurological Sciences

Davi Bock does most of his work in the basement of his 1850s farmhouse at the end of a dirt road in Glover, Vt., linked to the world with high-speed, fiber-optic cable. Here, he looks at a portion of a fly’s brain just a single micrometer across, a hundred times smaller than the diameter of a human hair.

“I got to see the brain in a way that nobody else ever had...it was like landing on the moon.”

But years of hard work lay ahead to transform Bock’s photographs into a digital model. That work was completed by a project called the FlyWire Consortium—an unlikely global effort of hundreds of neuroscientists, citizen volunteers, gamers, and professional tracers—housed at Princeton University and led by two professors there, Bock’s collaborators Sebastian Seung and Mala Murthy. Using an AI system and other algorithms, the blobs and lumps in the images were turned into a rough-draft, three-dimensional map. Then human proofreaders painstakingly went through the map, correcting and refining it, checking every synapse, annotating every neuron, and finding others that the computers had missed. Along the way, Bock—with his close collaborator Greg Jefferis at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology and University of Cambridge, and other scientists—identified more than 8,400 different types of neurons in the fly’s brain.

A view of just one section of the connectome, the comprehensive map of the neural connections in the brain of Drosophila melanogaster, the common fruit fly.

Scan this QR code or visit go.uvm.edu/ flybrain3d to see this neuronal wiring diagram in motion.

With map in hand, researchers around the world are now exploring how the wiring in the brain connects to behaviors and diseases. “It’s turned out to be helpful to understanding how the fruit fly processes sensory information,” Bock says, and then he calls up the 3-D model of the entire fly connectome on the screen. The black-and-white images are swept away by a gorgeous, rotating tangle of multicolored threads and neon masses. It looks like Princess Leia’s hairdo on LSD. In the special issue of Nature where this new map was published, one team of researchers describe a computer model they built testing how the fly brain interacts with sensory inputs—based on the map. “Detection of appetitive substances,” they write, “results in proboscis extension.” In other words, when given a tasty treat, a brain circuit in their simulated (and hungry) fly sends a signal to stick out its tongue. The map works.

I’m eating lunch with Davi Bock in the cafeteria of Given Building at UVM’s Larner College of Medicine, interviewing him over tacos, while a slow stream of surgeons and medical students pick up sandwiches to go. He’s a research professor here, in the Department of Neurological Sciences, but spends most of his time at home, on 192 acres of mixed forest and meadow in the Northeast Kingdom, where he plants apple trees and skis to his woodlot when he’s not on his computer. “I’m really not a conventional academic scientist, for better and for worse,” he says. “I grew up in Vermont on a dirt road with five farms, all of them failing. The Eighties were not a kind time for agriculture of that scale, but I fell in love with it. I was imprinted by that landscape and the natural world resonated. I have what E.O. Wilson calls ‘biophilia’—a deep love of nature. I have a severe case of biophilia, arguably crippling.”

So—when Bock left the world-renowned Janalia Research Campus, leading a large laboratory group

outside of Washington, D.C.—he decided to come home to Vermont with his wife and two children. “I just don’t want to live in cities ever again,” he says, “and UVM welcomed me back.” The interview is almost over and he wants to know if I have any more questions, so I slide my list over the table to him and point to this one: “Will you ever be able to upload your brain?” He doesn’t say a word, but just pulls out a black felt-tip pen and writes, in all-caps, “NO.”

The connectome of the fruit fly is complicated compared to the previous biggest brain map of an adult animal—a roundworm called C. elegans which has a Homer Simpson-worthy 302 neurons. The brain of the fruit fly is many orders of magnitude more complex and moves scientific understanding of neurobiology closer to a long-imagined goal: a complete map of the neurons in the human brain.

“It’s like you have a new kind of flashlight and can point it around at whatever you like.”

“But the problem is that our brains are too big, and so we start with the fruit fly,” Bock says. “The whole-brain connectome of a fruit fly is a demonstration of how circuits work at a basic level and reveals patterns across different kinds of brains. Take epilepsy. How does a focal seizure— that starts at one spot in the brain—propagate and kindle activity brain-wide? These kinds of questions are deeply informed by wiring diagrams. It’s like you have a new kind of flashlight and can point it around at whatever you like.”

Illuminating the human connectome is going to take a mighty bright flashlight. If fruit flies are a lot like people in some ways, they are also deeply, maybe radically, different too. For one thing, they’re a lot better at flying than we are. But it also seems safe to assume that we’re a lot better at thinking and reasoning and wondering about how we think. At the foundation of this difference is the profound reality that a fruit fly has millions of connections in its brain while the human brain may be the most complex structure in the universe. “You can estimate how many neurons there are, and it’s roughly a hundred billion,” says Bock. Inside your head, these neurons create some hundred trillion synapses, far more than all the

stars in the Milky Way—a fact, discovered by human brains, that you can contemplate while looking up into a dark night sky, aware of your awareness.

“You know, for a while, I was becoming a neuronihilist. I spent 20 years trying to build these wiring diagrams—and began to wonder whether they would really help us understand,” Bock says, “but I have some cause for optimism recently, and it’s really motivated by these integrative simulations that are starting to happen.” One of Bock’s colleagues at Janelia used the wiring diagram to model part of a fly’s eye and the simulation reconstituted what the cells do in a living animal. “The simulations seem to capture the essence of what brain circuits do. And, importantly, that didn’t work without the connectome, without the map.”

“Consciousness arises from matter. There’s just a profound mystery there.”

Bock’s colleague at Princeton, Sebastian Seung, has a TED talk in which he asks the audience to chant, “I am my connectome.” Bock is not so sure. If his work on uncovering the wiring of the fly brain has promise in helping us understand some human behaviors and diseases, it’s not because the full explanation of identity or consciousness comes from a brain map, no matter how intricate. If you want to explore New York City, a map sure helps. And walking First Avenue, checking out Google Maps is great for finding any building, subway entrance, or juice bar you need to find. But even a map that identified every person, taxicab, smell, and pigeon flying by—would not be a full explanation of the city. The same is true of a connectome. The hundred trillion synapses in your brain are but the scaffolding for a vastly more complex set of interactions in which the strength of electrical signals, the amount of neurotransmitter, the inputs from the bloodstream, the quarkish patterns of information at the atomic scale, are a constantly shifting cascade. The map is not the territory.

“Consciousness arises from matter. There’s just a profound mystery there. Matter has organized— seven billion times on the planet right now—to become aware of itself. That’s just bizarre,” Bock says. Most people agree that our brains are the basis for our consciousness, and they’re how we

can perceive and remember and control our bodies, and they’re part of where our emotions come from. “So it’s natural to wonder how our brains work the same way we wonder how our heart works or how our skeletal system works,” Bock says. “If you don’t believe in supernatural causes for consciousness, you start to wonder, well, how did it happen?”

Bock pushes his chair back and gathers his bag to leave. “What fraction of the explanation is the wiring diagram? And the answer is a small fraction,” he says with a rueful laugh—then he makes himself stop laughing. He fell down skiing and broke a rib and laughing hurts. His brain senses pain, so his brain stops him from laughing. Or his brain creates pain, so he uses his brain to stop laughing. Or something. “We may not understand this stuff yet, but there seems to be a path to getting there. And that path is, I think, greatly facilitated by having these wiring diagrams. So that’s reduced my neuro-nihilism.”

“The fact is that even with these wiring diagrams, consciousness is still a mystery, but at least we’re closer to it, sitting next to it,” he says. “You’re sort of consciousness-adjacent. You start to get a sense of how it might work, even if you don’t really know.”

As I head out of the building, I think about going back in to ask him more about uploading our brains. In our conversation, he said that, even if we could, he wouldn’t want to, afraid that the digital copy of his brain would be low-fidelity. “It’s very likely to be some weird, altered thing that just doesn’t have much to do with me,” he said. I want to ask him if he’d like to make a copy of his brain if he knew that it would be a perfect copy—but then I think the better of it and keep walking out into the sunshine. His reasoning seems clear, and he’s made up his mind.

“I grew up in Vermont on a dirt road with five farms,” says Davi Bock. “I was imprinted by that landscape and the natural world resonated.”

JOSHUA

The Cornerstone

By Ed Neuert

This summer marks the bicentennial of the building that has been the centerpiece of life at UVM for generations—Old Mill.

began, as do so many stories of destruction and redemption, with fire. First the kiln that formed 300,000 bricks by the shores of the Winooski, then the fire that brought down a building and rendered those bricks to a smoking pile, nearly ending the prospects of a young university in the north woods.

Ira Allen had given land to found Vermont’s state university on the hill overlooking Burlington Bay, but for years, while the “university” was more an idea than a reality, the only things on that land were the ancient trees that covered what would later be University Green. That began to change in the late 1700s, when UVM’s first president, the Rev. Daniel Clarke Sanders, began felling trees from the Green to clear land and furnish the lumber for the framework of the President’s House, a simple wooden structure that sat for about 50 years near the present site of Williams Hall. The first class of students, four in number, lived in that house with Sanders, who constituted the entire faculty.

The university was tiny, but it engendered an outsized sense of pride in the Burlington community. Even though the town at that time had barely more than 800 residents, they managed to raise over $2,300 to begin funding the construction in 1802 of the first true university structure, University Hall.

John Johnson knew how to take in the lay of the land. Born and raised in New Hampshire, by his 25th year, in 1796, he decided to put his surveying skills to use in the wilderness to the north, and he began making his living measuring, dividing, and marking plots of property throughout the north woods. He also knew how to read a river, gauge where its flow was of greatest use, and he developed a specialty, designing mills—the long, thin structures that hugged the sides of rivers and streams throughout early New England, transforming the “free” energy of falling water to grind grain and cut lumber.

Johnson also designed and built structures, and in 1800 the university trustees contracted with him to build University Hall. From clay along the Winooski (or, what was then commonly called the “Onion River”) were fired those 300,000 bricks, which were then dragged on sleds over the snowy ground to the building site by the Green. More trees were felled from the Green and surrounding acres. The wooden frame of the structure was held together mostly with pegs—iron or steel nails were precious. By 1802 University Hall was finished: 165 feet long, 45 feet wide, with a protruding center gable, a center tower, and a belfry. Its design was loosely based on Nassau Hall at what was then known as the College of New Jersey—now Princeton. It contained everything that then constituted the university—student rooms, recitation hall, library, laboratory, and chapel.

It all began with a few wood shavings used one night in May 1824 by a young scholar to feed the wood stove in his room...

University Hall lasted for some 22 years, while the institution limped from crisis to crisis, caused by the waxing and waning, mostly waning, of its student body. The structure probably reached its population height during the War of 1812, when classes were suspended and the hall was taken over for military use. By 1821, when the Rev. Daniel Haskel was appointed the university’s fourth president, enrollments were down, and the trustees were about to declare an indefinite suspension of activity. Haskel managed to recruit students and turn things around, briefly, until fire changed the narrative.

It all began with a few wood shavings used one night in May 1824 by a young scholar to feed the woodstove in his room at University Hall. The glowing shavings were wafted up by the draft in one of the building’s brick chimneys, and settled back down onto a corner of the roof. Soon the roof’s support structure was aflame, then the whole building was consumed. There was no substantial stream or water supply on the hill, so high above the lake. By the morning of May 28 the University of Vermont was, effectively, a smoking ruin.

The devastation was too much for the Rev. Haskel. He suffered a mental breakdown and fled Vermont.

This could have spelled the end for UVM, but the university trustees and the Vermont community had other ideas. As UVM’s history of its early presidents notes, “At a meeting on June 1, 1824, at Mr. Gould’s Hotel in Burlington, the corporation bravely voted that measures should be immediately taken to erect suitable college buildings, and to raise the necessary funds for that purpose. By this time, Burlington had become more prosperous as a result of lumbering, boat building, and small manufacturing operations, and its population had grown to 2,500 people, who were once more prepared to come to the rescue of the university. In August 1824, a committee representing the citizens of Burlington announced that the sum of $8,362 had been subscribed for rebuilding a new college edifice.”

Once again, John Johnson, who by now had built himself a handsome wood-framed house on a northern corner of University Green, was employed to design and build. And this time, Johnson’s experience constructing long, thin mill buildings was put to use. The 300,000 used, charred brick from University Hall were gathered and cleaned. In barely a year more materials were ready, and construction was about to begin.

On the night flames devoured University Hall, 3,000 miles away, in France, a hero of the American Revolution, the Marquis de Lafayette, now well into his 60s, was preparing to set sail for America to tour the country one last time. Lafayette had been taken in as a protégé of General George Washington partly because he had passable English and came from a military family and had some training in the art of war. And he was also a member of the Masonic Order, as were many of the United States’ founders, including

University Hall, 1802-1824: Architect/ builder John Johnson designed UVM’s first home, based loosely on Nassau Hall at Princeton.

Washington. By 1824 Lafayette had managed to survive the French Revolution with his head still firmly attached, and had become a respected French elder statesman. But he longed to see what had become of the nation across the Atlantic he’d helped to found in his youth. In late June 1824 he set sail, landing in New York City in mid-August. He then, over the course of the following year, completed a monumental tour, travelling more than 6,000 miles through all the then 24 states, via horseback, carriage, and riverboat. One of the last states he visited was Vermont, and the organizers of his visit clearly intended to honor Lafayette’s position as a proud Mason.

Lafayette travelled by coach from New Hampshire over the bridge at Windsor, and was joined by Governor Cornelius Van Ness, who rode with him to Montpelier, where they stayed the night. The next day the group rolled northwestward in their carriage to Burlington, arriving in time for a formal dinner in the town. With evening setting in, the dignitaries travelled up the hill to the worksite on the edge of the Green, and Layette troweled mortar underneath a cornerstone of local redstone, watched by the assembled students, town officials, and UVM’s new president, the Rev. Willard Preston. Night was falling, so the company retired to Governor Van Ness’s attractive house, Grasse Mount, a short walk from the Green, for a late banquet. (John Johnson had designed and built Grasse Mount in 1804.) Lafayette never slept in Burlington; after dinner he rode down to the waterfront, boarded the Phoenix II, an early Lake Champlain steamboat, which saluted him with 13 cannon blasts before conveying him overnight to Whitehall, N.Y.

an 86-foot-long structure with an arched-windowed central gabled projection, a tin-roofed dome, and a cupola in which hung a new bronze bell, cast by the Holbrook foundry in Massachusetts. (The bell now sits on a wooden mounting on the ground to the north of the building.) Legend has it that the dome was designed by UVM mathematics and natural history professor George Benedict, although John Johnson, with his intricate working knowledge of trusses, undoubtedly also contributed practical adjustments.

“The drab, flat, long, severe façade and windowless north and south ends earned the building’s nickname of the ‘Old Brick Mill’...”

For about 15 years after the completion of Middle College, the three separate buildings sat in a row atop College Hill, with an eight-foot gap between structures as a precautionary fire break. In the mid-1840s, with memories of the destruction of 1824 fading, the three buildings were joined together to form one single 250-foot-long brick structure, roofed with slate. Historian Karen Dillenbeck notes that “the drab, flat, long, severe façade and windowless north and south ends earned the building’s nickname of the ‘Old Brick Mill’ or ‘Old Mill.’” The unified structure contained the whole of the university—its students’ lodging, lecture halls, chapel, museum, library, and laboratories. The only other buildings of any note at the university were the College of Medicine, then a quasi-independent entity on the north end of the Green, and the old wooden President’s House, which was struck by lightning in 1844 and burned to the ground.

The stone Lafayette laid was at the base of the northwest corner of what was known then as “South College,” one of three structures that would rise on the site through the 1820s, with South and North Colleges built in 1825. The gap between these buildings was filled in 1829 with the construction of Middle College,

Today, few people realize that UVM once had a domed central structure that stood prominently above Burlington, visible to all who approached by boat from Lake Champlain, and from miles away in the western countryside. But as commanding as the dome was from outside, it’s interior was equally impressive. By some accounts the inside of the dome was painted black and shrouded from any outside

The cornerstone General Lafayette laid on the evening of June 29,1825, originally marked the northwest corner of “South College.” It was reset in its present location during the 1882-84 Old Mill renovation.

light, so that faculty and students of what was then termed “natural philosophy” could conduct galvanic experiments with electrical apparatus—one imagines Frankenstein-like sparks arcing through the darkness.

This original Old Mill would remain virtually unchanged for the next 40 years, with just some interior renovation in the 1860s to fashion more comfortable student suites. It would take the fortune, generosity, and will of a man who never actually attended UVM to bring about the next significant chapter in Old Mill history.

“The old College dome is no more. This morning the last vestige of the ancient landmark and surveyor’s beacon disappeared.”

there’s a dramatic shift in color and texture in the brickwork. There’s an almost geologic feeling of viewing a faultline, or the meeting of two layers of rock in a highway roadcut. It is, in fact, the meeting of two architectural eras, the Federal on one (lightcolored) side, the High Victorian on the other.

High Victorian came to Old Mill courtesy of John Purple Howard, a Burlington-born merchant who made a fortune in New York hotels and, in the 1880s, began giving away much of his fortune to improve his old hometown. He endowed an opera house in the Queen City, supported his sister Louisa’s Ladies Aid Society (precursor of today’s Howard Center), and looked to the top of the hill to make his most visible donation. Howard provided some $50,000 to expand and remodel the building in the style of the day, employing architect J.J. Randall of Rutland. All the floors were raised by four feet, a fourth floor for student lodging was added, with dormered windows, and the long, flat façade that earned the structure its affectionate nickname gave way to an expanded frontage in new “Winooski brick,” with new projections in the Victorian Gothic style at the ends and center, and ornate lintels of gray Isle La Motte stone above the windows. In the center of the building was an expanded chapel, one of whose stained windows, donated by the children of Professor George Benedict, depicted the dome their father designed.

Stand today facing the northwest or southwest corners of Old Mill, with Lake Champlain off in the distance across the Green, and you’ll take in, in one glance, two separate versions of the building. To one side are the old, light-colored, hand-made bricks of the old back wall – some perhaps survivors of the 1802 University Hall. At the edge of the corner

The most obvious change from afar was the replacement of that dome with an ornate octagonal tower crowned with a golden finial. Howard was praised for his support of the university, but the dome was mourned through the community. The Burlington Free Press of May 18, 1882, reported: “The old College dome is no more. This morning the last vestige of the ancient landmark and surveyor’s beacon disappeared. Verily, the glory of the hill has departed.” The paper returned to this theme

Upper left: Old Mill as it looked in the 1830s, with eight-foot fireproofing gaps between its three component structures. Below: The unified domed building in the 1860s, fronted by the young elms of University Green.

a few months later, writing that “numerous and sometimes pathetic have been the requests from distant and long-absent graduates of the College, that, whatever might be done with the rest of the ‘Old Brick Mill,’ its shining dome, the great landmark of the valley, might be preserved in its integrity.”

It would take years, but the “new” elaborate tower (more accurately, a belfry, since it contained the Holbrook bell that, until 1941, rang out class changes) would come to be, with passing generations, its own beloved landmark. The Old Mill of the 1880s would remain virtually unchanged until 1918, when fire again interrupted the narrative. A blaze that may have begun in a student room threatened to destroy the building, but was extinguished in time. But the fourth floor was gutted by the fire. The dormers were removed from the roof and the fourth floor was largely sealed off.

By the 1940s, Old Mill was showing its age, and the student body, due in part to World War II, had dwindled to under a thousand students. Old Mill was shuttered for two years. In the late 1940s plans began to form to “renovate” the structure. Fundraising for this effort took years, but in the late 1950s the work finally began. A new International Style building, named Lafayette Hall in honor of the cornerstone layer, rose to the east of Old Mill. The interior of Old Mill was drastically revamped, with narrowed hallways and cinderblock staircases.

“All of the UVM correspondence came from a magical place called Old Mill. I pictured it as an ivycovered brick building beside a river with, I don’t know, a water wheel on the side.”

The bell was removed from the belfry and with it, in a way, went most of the building’s old charm.

It would take another renovation effort 35 years later to restore that charm and functionality. In the late 1980s planning began on a full-scale structural restoration of Old Mill. Thomas Visser, now a UVM Professor of History, served as the preservation consultant. Visser, aided by a cadre of students interested in historic preservation, examined nearly every inch of the building, crawling under floor beams to inspect the foundation and scraping paint from the exterior of the belfry to find samples of the original coloring. Visser produced an 82-page “historic structure report” that served as a guide to the renovation. “The whole strategy was to try to acknowledge its multiple layers of history and come up with a plan for the rehab,” Visser says. “We wanted to come up with a strategy for preserving it as much as possible, and what ended up was, in essence, a tradeoff, a sort of mitigation strategy, working with the state preservation office, to deal with the significant structural problems of the building. The result was that the interior had to be gutted. But the mitigation for that loss of layers of historic fabric was that the university agreed to restore the exterior to its appearance as it was when it was converted into the present High Victorian Gothic style.” That preservation project, completed in 1997, resulted in a completely rebuilt Lafayette Hall, a four-story Old Mill Annex, and the functional, charming Old Mill UVM students, faculty, and staff know today, the Old Mill that Professor of English Philip Baruth, who has occupied an office on the third floor for most of his UVM career, recalls having a magical pull even from afar:

The once and future Old Mill: This postcard, circa 1910, shows the building as it looked until the fire of 1918 led to the sealing off of the top floor and the removal of the roof dormers.

An Old Mill made “new,” with the addition of $50,000 worth of brickwork and structural alteration, including the replacement of its dome with a filigreed belfry tower, and a dormered top floor.

“I went to grad school in Southern California, and when my Ph.D. program was ending, I applied to 35 schools around the country,” writes Baruth. “One of those schools was the University of Vermont, and all of the UVM correspondence came from a magical place called Old Mill. I pictured it as an ivy-covered brick building beside a river with, I don’t know, a water wheel on the side. And my mother in New York, who’d married my stepfather in Arlington, Vt. — and who’d forever after kept a

‘Vermont is for Lovers’ sticker fixed to her bumper — was over the moon at the prospect. ‘The Old Mill,’ she whispered over the phone when I told her I’d landed an interview, ‘can you imagine going to work every day in the Old Mill?’ I could imagine it. And I did. Turned out there was no water wheel, but it’s been a romantic journey still and all, every day for the last 32 years.”

Layers of Time

Today’s Old Mill, home to departments of the College of Arts and Sciences. The east side of the building, its “back,” shows the original flat profile of handmade brick. The roof sports violet-hued slates placed during the historic renovation of 1995-97, when dormers that were absent for nearly 80 years were also reinstalled.

In earlier days, when writing materials were extremely rare and precious, a document was often reused, with text partially scraped off and written over, creating a ghostly combination of old writing and new that was known as a palimpsest, from the Greek word for “scraped.” The interior of the Old Mill belfry that, remote as it seems, has been visited regularly by generations of students, has become its own kind of structural palimpsest, with layers of initials, names, and class years running over each other. The oldest are carved into the beadboard planked walls, and many date from just after its construction in 1884. More recent students have climbed the six flights of rickety stairs to add their marks with Sharpies and ballpoint pens.

SAM YANG (TOP); BRUCE GIBBS (BOTTOM)

By Kristen Munson

Until 2004, a black legged tick had never been found in Vermont. By 2017, with winters warming, the Green Mountain State led the nation in Lyme disease infections per capita. Researchers across UVM work to understand how that happened, and how we can fight Lyme and other tick-borne diseases that plague humans and other animals.

A DOSE OF PROTECTION

When Kristen Pierce, principal investigator and faculty director at UVM’s Vaccine Testing Center and a 2003 UVM medical graduate, began practicing medicine in Vermont, her patients never contracted Lyme unless they’d left the state. “Fairly quickly, that changed,” she says.

The first blacklegged tick in Vermont wasn’t discovered until 2004. The first documented case of Lyme disease in the state followed a year later. By 2017, Vermont led the nation in Lyme infections per capita.

“Warmer winters have really changed the geographic distribution, and it’s now in Canada in places like Labrador and Nova Scotia, places that you never see it. … Scandinavia is now endemic,” Pierce says. “And I guess by the same token, there are some places that will climate change out of the distribution because it’s too hot or too dry—but not us, not right now.”

The first time I saw a blacklegged tick—the primary vector of Lyme disease in the United States—was in 2020, when I noticed one engorged with blood and attached to the base of my toddler’s skull. It was a sickening feeling, and an experience that rarely happened in the Green Mountain State just two decades ago. So, what changed? Seemingly everything, thanks to us.

Lyme disease is caused by spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria and has been present in North America for over 60,000 years. The bacteria are carried by hoof, paw, and wing across the landscape and were here before humans settled the continent. Only recently have we routinely encountered this disease.

Since the 1960s, blacklegged ticks (and the pathogens they carry) have migrated northward from pockets in the Southeast and along the eastern seaboard as humans segmented the landscape and displaced predators that kept wildlife populations in check. This concentrated where ticks are dispersed. Climate change has worsened the problem, allowing tick populations to overwinter, migrate—and thrive—in new regions.

Lyme cases have ballooned since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began national surveillance of the disease in 1991, and so has public interest in a potential vaccine. Last fall, the Vaccine Testing Center was inundated with inquiries from people hoping to participate in a phase three trial of a Lyme vaccine developed by Pfizer. There are 9,400 participants enrolled in sites across North America and northern Europe, including 232 individuals in UVM’s arm of the study, which Pierce oversees. The trial tests the vaccine’s efficacy and involves a series of three shots followed by a booster administered this spring.

While attrition is a concern in any clinical trial, Mary Claire Walsh, a nurse and research coordinator at the testing center, suspected it wouldn’t be a problem with the Lyme study.

“Pfizer asked us to complete paperwork with each volunteer to assess their [true] risk of contracting Lyme, and it was a bit comical,” she says. “… If you live in Vermont and you’re walking to the mailbox to check your mail you are at risk for Lyme. So, you can see where the interest comes … and I think it is part of the reason why it’s just so darn important to get a Lyme vaccine here in Vermont.”

The prevalence of Lyme in the region motivated Nina Ridhibhinyo, director of exhibits and education at ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, to participate in the study. Not long ago her husband contracted Lyme disease and over the years, Ridhibhinyo has pulled ticks off herself, her toddler, and her pets.

“The constant vigilance is really hard,” she explains, adding that a Lyme vaccine would help reduce the worry of the kids contracting a lifelong illness. “But you still have to manage for ticks. I know other people that have gotten other tick-borne illnesses.”

This is not the first time Ridhibhinyo has participated in a vaccine trial. In her 20s she participated in one for dengue fever because she needed the money. Later, she completed a dengue booster study out of a sense of “scientific duty,” she says. “The Lyme study was a little more out of self-interest.”

But Ridhibhinyo also believes in the work of the Vaccine Testing Center and efforts like it.

“I really believe in the scientific process,” she says, “and I also believe vaccines are important for public health and for individuals.”

I DON’T NEED TO CONVINCE ANYONE THAT WE ARE LIVING IN AN AGE OF EMERGING AND RE-EMERGING DISEASES

UVM’s Vaccine Testing Center was founded by Beth Kirkpatrick, chair of UVM’s Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, and focuses on diseases of global importance. The center’s research portfolio includes vaccines for polio, flaviviruses such Zika, West Nile, and dengue fever—a mosquito-borne illness that poses a risk for nearly half of the world’s population.

“We don’t tend to do large industry-sponsored studies unless we think they have [local] community benefit,” Pierce says.

However, in 2020, the center tested the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine and recruited participants from across New England in the search for an effective treatment.

“It was such a dark time, and I remember when they agreed to let us participate, it felt like this ray of hope—we can do something,” Pierce says. “And I think the same for the Lyme vaccine study.”

The UVM arm of the Lyme study closes in December, after which data analysis can begin to determine its efficacy. However, bringing the vaccine to market requires FDA approval, which can take months—and often years.

“I’m hoping I get the vaccine,” Ridhibhinyo says, referring to the chance she could be part of the control arm of the study. “If not, I’ll just get it when it comes out.”

SEARCHING FOR SPILLOVER

Carlos Amissah is puzzled. The UVM doctoral student in the Department of Biology investigates how ticks, their hosts, and their pathogens are influenced by environmental factors.

“It’s very complex,” he says.

Ticks aren’t born infected with pathogens that cause Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, or babesiosis; they acquire them during blood meals taken over their lifespan. Whether a blacklegged tick becomes a carrier of disease depends on what species they feed upon.

Not all mammals carry pathogens, Amissah explains. “Just the competent ones,” meaning hosts the pathogens can colonize with immune systems they can evade.

In Vermont, the reservoir species for tick-borne pathogens include a diverse, and largely unstudied, set of mammals with different and overlapping habitats. Figuring out which species play a role in disease transmission is further complicated because both blacklegged ticks and their hosts are mobile, with habitat needs that may change throughout their life cycles. For instance, blacklegged nymphs, the first stage of a tick’s life cycle after hatching from an egg, are vulnerable to desiccation and prefer shaded areas or under leaf litter, whereas adult ticks need vegetation to climb when questing for hosts. But even this is not so simple.

“Is the height of the vegetation consistent?” Amissah wonders. “Does native versus nonnative vegetation matter?”

That is just the tick side of the equation. Are pathogens more likely to be present during different seasons?

“I wish I could get a tick to tell you what it’s doing, what the height of a plant is doing, what climate conditions are doing to that tick,” Amissah says. “… There are so many gaps [in tick research].”

He works with Ellen Martinsen ’00, Ph.D. ’09, a parasitologist and head of UVM’s Wildlife Pathogens Lab, to unravel the conditions that make the transmission of pathogens most likely. Amissah’s research involves visiting seven sites in Chittenden County, from farm fields to forest floors, in search of blacklegged ticks. Wearing a permethrin-treated suit and gaiters, he swishes a thick drag cloth across leaf litter and vegetation, checking it every 10 to 15 meters for ticks. Sometimes, he will drag over 100 meters in prime habit and come up empty.

Nymphs tend to cluster, Amissah explains, but a site with robust numbers one summer had only a handful of adults in the fall. Where did they go? Did they attach to hosts? Become food? Was the timing of collection off? These questions churn in his mind.

Tick densities are low since the summer floods, Amissah says. “The numbers are low now, which is not good for my research, but it is good for public health … But low [tick] numbers doesn’t mean low pathogens.”

That is why testing wildlife to see what is lurking inside is critical. Because when the right biological conditions come together it can result in spillover—zoonotic diseases that jump between species—often from wildlife to domesticated animals and to people. And that is happening now.

In mid-January, when Martinsen presented preliminary findings from her team’s tick research to UVM graduate students and faculty members, the H5N1 avian flu strain, first detected in the United States in 2022, had infected more than 900 American dairy herds and domestic cats, and caused the loss of more than 138 million birds across the country.

“I don’t need to convince anyone that we are living in an age of emerging and re-emerging diseases,” Martinsen tells the audience.

studying malaria parasites in wildlife species to tick-borne pathogens and small mammals.

“Ticks are responsible for 95 percent of vectorborne illnesses in the United States,” she says. “Ticks have become a plague across the United States and across the world. … It really is a One Health issue as well as a planetary health issue.”

Martinsen aims to determine which small mammal species in Vermont are hosts for pathogens that can cause severe illness in humans including Lyme, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. While Lyme is the most common pathogen transmitted by blacklegged ticks, about 5 percent of ticks test positive for all three and it remains unclear how these pathogens affect each other. Does having one pathogen make a tick more likely to contract another?

She points to a slide showing diseases that spilled over from wildlife to wreak havoc on human health including malaria, HIV, monkey pox, EEE, Chagas, and SARSCoV2. It works the other direction too—pathogens we unknowingly collect and trek across the globe can harm wildlife. For instance, since 2006, white-nose syndrome, likely transmitted by human foot traffic, has decimated domestic bat populations, which are voracious eaters of insects and potentially reduce insecticide use by farmers.

In recent years Martinsen’s lab has pivoted from

Martinsen tested coinfection dynamics to find out. Using both adult and nymph populations of blacklegged ticks collected in Chittenden County, her team found that adults were nearly twice as likely to Borrelia burgdorferi. However, the same percentage of nymphs and adults had Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia (9 and 4 percent, respectively), indicating they pick up those infections as nymphs.

And if a tick has Babesia, they are way more likely to have Anaplasma, Martinsen says. “We found co-infections in all seven sites. We even found ticks that have all three infections.”

Curiously, of the 147 white-footed mice her team examined—a known reservoir for Borrelia burgdorferi—55

Winter ticks cluster together by the thousands in the fall when they quest for a host—ideally a moose.

Blacklegged ticks were first documented in Vermont in 2004.

Now, they are the most dominant tick found on the landscape and are the primary carrier for Lyme disease.

percent tested positive for it, but none had Babesia or Anaplasma, suggesting that ticks are picking up those pathogens from other hosts. But from which ones?

Martinsen’s team of undergraduate and graduate students have turned to small mammals to find out. To test for pathogens, she readily collects roadkill and utilizes small mammal “bycatch” from the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas’ studies, which sometimes find drowned mice, voles, shrews, and moles inside their watery traps. These samples are provided to UVM’s Natural History Museum, where interns prepare them as specimens for the collection and collect tissue samples. From this collaborative work new culprits have surfaced. The meadow jumping mouse had all three pathogens present. Woodland voles tested positive for them, too. Same with northern short-tailed shrews.

Many of these species are under-represented in tick-borne pathogen studies and therefore as potential reservoir hosts for pathogens in part because of how we trap small mammals and bait traps, Martinsen explains. When traps use peanut butter or seeds, it inevitably attracts the species that eat those foods and not the insectivores.

Sometimes we miss what we aren’t looking for.

“The system is so stupidly complex,” she says. “We are really lucky that some pieces we found fit together to tell a story … There is still so much work to be done.”

VECTOR, MEET HOST

Cheryl Sullivan ’03, ’12, Ph.D. ’21 peers into a microscope, tuning a knob to bring the contents of a clear container into focus. She gestures for me to look. A brown tick, nearly translucent, with lavender markings and wisplike hooks on each leg, crawls into view.

Without magnification, the month-old blacklegged tick larva resembles a graham cracker crumb.

“They are very soft when they hatch,” says Sullivan, an entomologist in the Department of Agriculture, Landscape, and Environment and member of UVM’s Entomology Research Laboratory. “It takes a few days for their exoskeleton to harden.”

Sullivan studies entomopathogenic fungi—fungus that cause disease in insects and other arthropods, like mites and ticks—and tests their efficacy as biological control measures for pests. Some species are found in soils around the world, including Vermont, and have evolved to exploit arthropods. The fungi produce spores that germinate and penetrate arthropod exoskeletons and slowly kill the ticks from the inside.

They can be quite effective, Sullivan says, but the fungi take longer to kill ticks than a chemical pesticide that doesn’t distinguish a pest from a beneficial insect. Timing is key.

“You have to really get them at the right stage of their life to be effective,” she says. “For me, targeting the larval stage is prime time.”

That is when ticks are most vulnerable to environmental conditions and have a greater chance of encountering fungi on the forest floor. There is only one fungal biopesticide available for ticks in the United States and limited for residential use. Part of Sullivan’s research involves hunting for more biocontrol agents. She collects samples of Metarhizium found in Vermont soils and develops a solution from the isolated spores to see how they perform against ticks. The arthropods are rinsed with the mixture and observed for mortality.

“Fungi are very widely used against pests in agricultural production and forestry,” Sullivan says. “But for ticks, for some reason, it has been kind of slow to catch on.” At least, in the United States. In parts of the world where cattle ticks have developed insecticide resistance, fungi are frequently deployed. The time and expense of conducting research on ticks may be prohibitive from developing new fungal products, too. Ticks are not like fruit flies, with incredibly short lifespans—some tick species take years to complete their life cycle.

“It takes years of research to demonstrate things actually work,” Sullivan explains.

She swaps containers and readjusts the microscope to show the results after a biopesticide application. The remains of 10 larvae are mostly just clusters of spores and some legs.

TICK LIFE CYCLES

Not all ticks are created equal—different species have unique life cycles, feeding habits, and seasonal patterns that can heighten their risk of transmitting dangerous pathogens.

WINTER TICK (~ 1 YEAR LIFE CYCLE)

A. Newly hatched tick larvae climb onto local vegetation and await a passing host.

B. Larvae attach to a moose where they feast on their blood and continue to mature and mate.

C. Engorged, a mature tick drops off to lay eggs, die, and begin the cycle again.

BLACKLEGGED TICK (MULTI-YEAR LIFE CYCLE)

Many of the ticks Sullivan tests are collected from the landscape or shared from state surveillance programs and big game check stations run by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department that collects biological data to inform their management plans. These efforts feed into a regional One-Health approach to tick surveillance and management launched last year with researchers from the University of New Hampshire and University of Maine. The aim is to establish long-term surveillance sites and identify emerging threats to humans and wildlife.

A. Tick larvae hatch and await a passing host in undergrowth.

B. Larvae find a host, often a small mammal, and feed on its blood where they may pick up pathogens.

C. Once engorged, the tick drops off and grows into its nymph stage.

D. In the fall, the nymph quests for another host for its second blood meal. This is when humans become at risk of acquiring diseases from pathogens in ticks.

E. The tick matures into its adult form and mates. An adult female finds another host for her final blood meal before laying eggs.

Tick surveillance has to be done in an all-hands-on endeavor, Sullivan says. “Right now, … it’s funded primarily by the CDC and run by the state departments of health, and they only have so much funding. … We should all be working together collectively to forecast tick-borne diseases and get more of a baseline as to what ticks and pathogens are circulating. A lot of times we are going to find those in wildlife before in humans—hopefully.”

FUNGI ARE VERY WIDELY USED AGAINST PESTS IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND FORESTRY.

BUT FOR TICKS, FOR SOME REASON, IT HAS BEEN KIND OF SLOW TO CATCH ON.”

In 2018, New Hampshire documented the arrival of the Asian longhorn tick on a dog visiting from out of state. They are an invasive species that reproduces by cloning and quests for hosts in clusters. Sullivan is also watching for the lone star tick, which has been found in growing numbers in parts of Maine.

“Who knows what other sort of ticks we might find?” she says. “Not all ticks like to hang out on the ecotone. Some like fields. Some like different habitats that we are just not checking.”

New ticks may be found with additional surveillance, but not all ticks pose threats to health. There are 15 known species of ticks in Vermont, but only about half cause illness in humans. Vermont’s Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets and Department of Health conduct annual surveillance for five disease-causing pathogens— the big three—as well as hard tick relapsing fever and Powassan virus, a rare but potentially fatal illness.

“Ticks are classified as being either one-, two-, or three-host ticks, and it depends on how many hosts that they use throughout their life cycle,” Sullivan says. “It really is like an apple and orange.”

Winter ticks are one-host ticks that typically complete their life cycle on a moose. In the fall, larvae latch onto moose and overwinter under a protective thick coat of fur with adult females taking a final blood meal in the spring before dropping off to lay eggs. Blacklegged ticks switch hosts between blood meals, increasing their chances of collecting and passing pathogens to other animals (and humans). Climate change has pushed frost dates later in the fall and thaws earlier in the spring, giving ticks more time to quest for hosts and hatch in ideal conditions. It’s a numbers game—and the ticks are winning.

“That is why you are starting to see more cases [of tick-borne illnesses] popping up in wintertime, because people are getting bites all the time,” Sullivan explains. “If it is above freezing, and especially if there is no snow cover, those ticks are going to be active.”

Sullivan herself was bitten by a tick last January.

“Me of all people!” she says.

“There is no one silver bullet to tick control,” Sullivan admits. “Integrated pest management is a collection of strategies that work together, and a lot of these strategies … focus on detection and personal prevention. Because first and foremost, tick bites are preventable.”

A DEADLY PROBLEM

“I could talk for hours about moose,” says Joshua Blouin, ’15, M.S. ’21, a wildlife biologist at Vermont Fish and Wildlife, with a smile.

At UVM, he studied how winter ticks affect the health and mortality of Vermont’s moose population to understand the factors influencing moose survival in the Northeast. In 2017, Blouin and a team of researchers began tracking calves and female moose in Essex County, where the ungulate population is the highest—and most vulnerable— to succumbing to winter ticks. The first and most crucial data point collected was the animal’s live weight.

“That live weight was pretty telling,” Blouin explains. “If we collared a calf in January and it was already fairly small, then it’s chances of withstanding blood loss from winter ticks is pretty slim.”

Moose calves are typically born in May and may weigh about 350 pounds by January. If a calf survives its first 60 days, its survival rate goes up exponentially, Blouin says. “Pretty much nothing messes with a full-sized moose.”

At least, this used to be the case. By April, moose calves can lose a third of their body weight as they lose conditioning over winter and sustain severe blood loss from ticks. During epizootic years when calf mortality is greater than 50 percent, the winter tick load is almost unfathomable. Blouin’s team estimated one calf in the study had 70,000 ticks embedded in its skin. In New Hampshire, some moose have been found with over 90,000 ticks.

“A lot of people think that moose are dying from a disease related to ticks, something like Lyme disease,” Blouin says. “Because most people’s interactions with ticks is human-related health. … But that is not what’s happening with moose.”

They are dying slow anemic deaths because they can’t replenish their blood fast enough. Winter tick nymphs, the size of pepper flakes, cluster by the thousands on the tips of vegetation in the fall and wait until an animal—ideally a moose—passes by if a hard freeze or snow doesn’t come first. When filled with blood, they swell to the size of small grapes.

“Most people think a tick is a tick in Vermont,” Blouin says.

But winter ticks are specialists. They likely evolved with moose since other species such as deer and bear tend to groom them off.

“Moose don’t,” Blouin explains. “Moose are really their primary host—that is what drives that winter tick population.”

Size matters. Young moose are particularly vulnerable to dying from winter tick infestations. Some moose have been found to have upwards of 70,000 ticks on them.

Winter ticks don’t move far on their own; they go where moose go. And ideal moose habitat is a patchwork of older forests that provide cover in warmer months and younger forests offering forage. Using GPS data from calves and their mothers, Blouin fleshed out the geography of the animal’s first year of life. A telling pattern emerged. The survivors weren’t often congregating in high-trafficked areas—“in areas where we would expect moose to be,” Blouin says. “They were kind of on the fringe of optimal moose habitat.”

THE MOOSE WINTER COAT IS THICK. WOULD A FLEA COLLAR EVEN WORK?

More moose typically means more winter ticks. But how many are too many? And what, if anything, should we do about them? Unlike blacklegged ticks, winter ticks are not new to Vermont. And scientists are uncertain what their role is in the ecosystem.

“They have had an interaction and a coexistence with moose for a long time as far as we know, which makes that complicated as well in terms of how we’re dealing with it,” Blouin says.

CYCLES OF CHANGE

know moose populations are able to rebound quickly.”

And as moose have thrived, winter ticks have too. Now, their populations are regulating moose numbers—but it’s a long and painful process.

“It might take 30 years,” Blouin says. “Because we are talking about densities of moose that were over five per square mile. … A normal moose density across North America is less than one moose per square mile, so, our numbers of moose were way too high.”

People often ask why we don’t spray the forests with insecticides or equip moose with tick collars, Blouin says. “At this point in time, it’s not feasible, and that is for a variety of reasons.”

Not only would it be expensive to target moose calves each winter, but these interventions could have unknown repercussions on water quality or on scavengers like fox and bald eagles.

“The moose winter coat is thick. Would a flea collar even work?” he asks. “And at what dose?”

Cheryl Sullivan’s research on biopesticides is intriguing, he continues, but far from implementation in forests. And unlike the Lyme vaccine for humans, there is not one for winter ticks in development. That leaves wildlife managers with few options. Since moose numbers drive winter tick infestations, wildlife agencies across the Northeast harvest moose to reduce densities of both species and return to a healthier baseline.

The story of Vermont’s moose is one of fluctuation. During the 1800s, sheep grazing deforested much of the state, pushing moose out of the region. Predators including mountain lions and wolves (and hunters) kept the moose population in check before that. As Vermont reforested, moose returned to a landscape without apex predators and flourished in their absence.

“We went from 25 individuals in the 1960s to 5,000 individuals in the early 2000s,” Blouin says. “So, we

PROTECTING YOURSELF AGAINST TICKS

Integrated pest management is all about awareness and action. By focusing on early detection and personal protection, it’s possible to stop tick bites before they happen. Simple behavior changes can reduce your chances of crossing paths with ticks in the first place.

Vermont’s moose population has stabilized but remains greater than one per square mile, Blouin says. “That is kind of the magic number.”

In the meantime, the department continues to gather health data over camera traps and during the fall harvest, including gathering ticks for Sullivan’s research.

“I’ve really enjoyed working on the moose project because I love moose,” Blouin says. “But I also enjoy working with moose because people care. … People want to see them on the landscape, and people want them healthy.”

PERSONAL PROTECTION

Conduct daily tick checks.

Wear light-colored clothes outside.

Use a lint roller to roll ticks off yourself when you are outside.

Put your clothes in the dryer — ticks can survive in adverse settings, but do not like hot, dry conditions.

REDUCE TICK LOADS OUTSIDE

Remove brush piles that harbor rodents. Keep grassy areas trimmed short.

Reconsider building stone walls, which can house rodents.

As a last resort, pesticides will kill ticks, but be aware you may not actually be spraying where you are exposed.

At 100 years old, Rose Eisman Boyarsky shared her memories of and reflections of UVM life with staff members from the UVM Foundation. Read her story at go.uvm.edu/rose44.

47 Send your news to –Mrs. Louise Jordan Harper louisejordanharper@gmail.com

Gloria Russell and husband Edwin Russell ’50 celebrated 75 years of marriage together. See their story and wonderful pictures online at go.uvm.edu/russell75

Matthew Baigell is still researching and writing. His latest book, Heritage: Jewish Artists in America since 1900, is slated for publication by Syracuse University Press next fall. Robert L Merchant G ’74 sends greetings from Graniteville, Vt., and says that though he and Mary do not get out much, they would welcome hearing from other alums in the neighborhood.

Class Secretary Jane Battles writes, “Hi ’55ers, all. Checking in, although I have little news to share this time around, but I have seen several younger UVMers proudly sporting sweatshirts vacationing hereabouts in the Florida Keys… all of which tell me how ‘wicked’ cold it is there back in Vermont! How well I remember that in dashing to and from classes…here I go gang… 70 years later as your class secretary! Liz Melloon Tobi and fellow Tri Delt, writes from Buffalo, Wyo., that she is leading a peaceful life there, enjoying beautiful views and spending much time tending her gardens... a lovely message indeed… I send you all warm greetings and do hope to receive a bit of news from you soon…” Bradley Gordon says he “can’t believe that my wife, Barbra, and I reached our 65th Anniversary yesterday. Still in contact with Hal Greenfader, Ken Weinstein and others. Must be something special about the genes of this group.” He also sent in wonderful pictures of his granddaughters Lauren and Eden, his surfer grandson Brandon, and Bradley and wife, Barbra, taken at their beach home in Newport Beach, Calif., in summer 2024. (See Bradley's photo with online notes.) Harmon Graves has written an historical novel, Beer Burlocks and Whiskey Chasers: Rumrunning on Lake Champlain In Defiance of Prohibition, published by Ewings Pub -

LIFE BEYOND GRADUATION

lishing in 2024. He offers , “This is familiar territory to Vermonters. It invites the reader into the WWI era, to enjoy the uncertainty of a war romance, adventures on moonlit choppy seas, and ultimately a trial in federal court that puts Prohibition itself on trial.” This joins his previous works, a light-hearted children's book, I'm Only Three: and Look at All the Things That I Can Do (original music withillustrated text), and the luxuriously illustrated art book, Passionate Landscape: The Painting Journeys of Buffalo Kaplinski. He adds, “To all with whom I have not coresponded, I'm still paracticing law in Denver, and can't seem to give it up.” Peter Katz ’78 shared the sad news that his dad, Robert Alan Katz, passed away in December 2024. Among his large surviving family are also his wife, Joan Aronsohn Katz ’56, and children Bruce David Katz ’81, Wendy Katz Nunez ’85, and Andrew Jay Katz. Jay Selcow MD ’59 shared the sad news that his wife Gayle passed away shortly after the couple’s 33rd anniversary. He also had the chance to visit son, Ben, and family in Burlington, and spend a lovely afternoon with old UVM friends, Dave and Judy Hershberg ’56. He would love to hear from other alumni friends.

Send your news to –Ms. Jane Morrison Battles janebattles@yahoo.com or Mr. Hal Lee Greenfader halisco7@gmail.com

Send your news to –Ms. Jane K. Stickney stickneyjane@gmail.com

Rhoda Beningson writes: “After 30 years in Sarasota, Fla., I am now at the Residence in Shelburne Bay, Vt. My husband of 64 years, Herb, died two years ago. My sons, Marc and Dave, are both married. I have seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren! My life has been truly blessed.”

Ronald Downer sent in a wonderful winter picture, saying: “The recent 11-inch snowfall in January here at the retirement campus in Culpeper, Va., reminded me of earlier years at UVM when such conditions were normal! A shout out to my classmates!” (See Ronald's photo with online notes.) Arthur Tauber wrote in with memories of his friendship and long professional relationship with Eugene Kalkin, remem -

bering getting to tell students just who UVM’s Kalkin Hall was named for. “I always felt that if you were going to the school, and it was named after someone, you should at least have an idea of who that person was.”

Bob Wiener says he is“not sure how many of us are still alive and functioning but would love to hear back from others in the class of 1960.” (See Robert's photo with online notes.) Alfred Peterson and Jackie Flick Peterson ’62 have moved from Colorado Springs to Carolina Bay in Wilmington, N.C. Carol Lee Gunn writes: “George Gunn ’61, G’67 and I met in front of the Waterman Building in the summer of 1958. We had no idea that we would marry a few years later and be happily married for 64 years. We live half of the year in Scottsdale, Ariz., and the other half in Stowe, Vt. Come and visit - we would love to reconnect with old friends. On another note, George was playing golf with a friend and another golfer joined them with the first name of Tom. When the game was finished, they retired to the clubhouse for a drink and small talk continued. They soon realized that they had both graduated from UVM and graduated in the same year. That Tom was Tom Hackett ’61 who was a Delti Psi, and George was a Sigma Nu. They realized that they had known each other. The fraternity people all seemed to know each other in those days. Hopefully there is more golf in the future for these two in Scottsdale. It is a small world!”

Class Secretary Steve Berry wrote in with news from several classmates: George and Gail (Wagner) Butterfield are “still hanging out together after 62 wonderful years. Now in Tallahassee and enjoying the youngest three of our 16 grandchildren in all their activities. Unfortunately, no greats yet. Health seems pretty good. Just the ubiquitous stents, knees and hip replacements. Fortunately, we are still active. We have our older campervan that we’ve driven 320,000 miles in all the lower 48 and from Newfoundland to B.C. in Canada, plus numerous trips to the Northeast. Like most of us, we mourn the loss of friends and family. Many fond memories with all. We wish all our UVM friends well and look forward to maybe catching up sometime.” Carole Demas is still performing, and reports, “Plan’s afoot for a show I‘ll do to celebrate my 85th birthday, hopefully in May.” Richard Falk reports, “Retired Washington, D.C. reproduc-

tive endocrinologist, alive and well and enjoying life with Carole, wife of 61 years, at our home in Annapo lis, Md.” Jamie Jacobs related his 2024 experiences: “January and December found Jean (Pillsbury) '62 and me in Patagonia and the Argentina Andes fly fishing for wily trout. Early December was particu larly beautiful with the wild roses, ‘broom bushes,’ and lupines all in bloom along the riverbanks and roads. Our sons and daughters-in-law accompa nied us on safari in South Africa during April, with Jean and I returning to Botswana in September on safari again, and to fish for tiger fish in the Okavango delta. In between trips, we both continue to enjoy golf, and Jean plays some tennis while I hunt, mainly wing shooting. Like most our age, we're taking life a day at a time but feel truly blessed.” Jan Mashman comments, “Susan and I continue to live in the lap of luxury and culture in Charleston.” Martin Sonkin emailed: “I have been living at Moorings Park Continuing Care Community in beautiful Naples, Fla. Moorings is a fabulous facility. I recently moved from independent living to assisted living on the same campus. I am wondering if there are other UVMers living in the area who would like to get together on a regular basis.” Marvin Vipler emailed: “My wife and I reside in Manhattan, where we have lived for the past 60 years. We spent Thanksgiving with our daughter and grandchildren in Pleasant Hill, Calif. After retirement, I got my real estate license and now help clients buy and sell their homes in the New York City area. Playing pickleball is my current passion and I play as often as my body will allow. Our lucky lifestyle has allowed us to travel and spend our summers on Fire Island. To get away from New York for the colder months, we will be spending February and March in St. Petersburg, Fla., visiting friends and relatives. Hope my fellow classmates are well and are enjoying playing with ‘House Money.’” Roger Zimmerman writes: “It is Dec. 11, 2024, and a day of hard rain in E. Bethel, Maine. Our winters are nothing like they used to be. I've been measuring the moisture content of our snowpack for close to 40 years. Snow water equivalent has gone up steadily. The handwriting is on the wall. Maybe our climate-change-denying incoming president will get the message at some point (but don't hold your breath). Spouse Lynne is active with the local senior college, while daughter Heather continues working with the ACLU, and has been instrumental in the fight against criminalization of homeless people in Portland. In a week, we are heading to Finland for real snow and Nordic skiing. I've wanted to spend some time in Lapland and learn more about the indigenous Sami people. I'll be in Iowa in July, at the National Senior Games, having qualified in both track and cycling. Hopefully I'll avoid injury, which occurred at the Nationals in Pittsburgh two years ago. Hello and good wishes to all.” In an exchange about skiing with Tom Hackett over Christmas, Tom reported that he has many great memories of skiing at such places as Purgatory, Telluride, Deer Valley, and many trips to Big Sky over the years. Eventually two knee replacements forced him to give up skiing, but he still plays golf a couple of times a week. And a sad note via Steve as well: “I received an email from Rolly Allen’s son-in-

Rose Eisman Boyarsky ’44

Rose Sophie Eisman Boyarsky ‘44 was the first in her family to go to college. Born in Jersey City, N.J., in 1924, Rose spent a comfortable childhood alongside her parents and one younger sister.

When it came time for college, Rose felt the weight of being Jewish under the global rise of antisemitism. At the time many colleges and universities had a 10 percent quota on admitted Jewish students. As she watched her gentile friends get whisked away by other universities, Rose felt her college dreams slip away. But then UVM came through.

“UVM took me in when no one else would,” she recalls. “Oh, I couldn’t be happier.”

Rose recounts in vivid detail how her aunt and mother saw her off at Camp Abnaki as she began her UVM journey. It would lead to a rich and colorful career as a clinical psychologist—including work with the renowned sex research pioneers William H. Masters and Virginia E. Johnson—and eventually her own private practice.

At 101, she now lives independently at a retirement community in Durham, N.C., where she reflects on her remarkable life, shaped by the tumult of the 20th century.

Rose met her husband, Saul Boyarsky ‘44 M.D.’46, during her Catamount days, after a friend played matchmaker. Saul had grown up in Burlington and would eventually become a urologist. He passed away in 2019 after 73 years of marriage.

Her bachelor’s in chemistry—and passion for science—led Rose to a master’s program at Columbia University. There, she encountered the adversity of a woman in a male-dominated field.

“There were three women and two men. Until the head of the department, or the head of the new graduate students, stood up and looked at us very sternly and said, and I quote, ‘You women better behave yourselves, the only reason you’re here is because there’s a war on and we can’t find men.’ I will never forget that.”

After Saul completed his medical degree at UVM, the two married and would welcome three children. Rose set her career aside and devoted herself to her children. Saul’s medical career would take them to Nuremberg while he served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps. A urology residency would land them at Duke through the early 1950s. There would later be moves to New York, back to Durham, and St. Louis.

Years passed. Somewhere in the mix, with the children out of the house and the in-laws moved in, Rose decided to get a Ph.D. She graduated in 1969 from Duke with a doctorate in Clinical Psychology. In St. Louis, Saul was Urologic Surgeon-inChief at Barnes Hospital and Washington University. Rose began her work alongside Drs. Masters and Johnson before starting her own practice. Now retired for 30 years, her life stands as a testament to perseverance in the face of adversity. Whether navigating a male-dominated field, balancing familial obligations and back-burner passions, or living through some of the most defining moments of the 20th century, Rose continues to move through it all with grace and eloquence.

See a video of Rose Boyarsky recounting key moments in her life before, during, and after her time at UVM.

| CLASS NOTES

law with the information that Rolly passed away on Oct. 2, 2024.” Mimi Portnoy Davis-Neches writes, “I'm comfortably living in an independent retirement community in Simi Hills, Calif., close to my daughter and her family. Miss my husband every day. Planning to retire at the end of January.” (See Mimi's photo with online notes.) We received the sad news from William Gersten ’65 that his brother Jerome Gersten passed away in January 2025.

Send your news to –Mr. Stephen L. Berry steveberrydhs@gmail.com

62

After almost nine wonderful years living and sailing in the Caribbean, Steve Burzon and his wife Nancy are returning in April to live in Vermont for eight months per year. Other months will see them in the south of France and back again in Sint Maarten. They say, “Life has awarded us the opportunity for a great mid-life adventure on the water and on land in both France and in the French and Dutch Caribbean. We are so grateful and yet eager to get back to Vermont and our New England family. Find us in Manchester in our renovated home in the Depot.” (See Stephen's photo with online notes.) Edward Freedman sends a note from Arizona, “New UA president hired from role as president at the University of Vermont. Quite a few Vermonters here and, like me, several UVM grads. Dr. Suresh Garimella will be the next president of the University of Arizona, following a unanimous vote by the Arizona Board of Regents.” He also sent in pictures of some Vermont-proud license plates he spotted around Green Valley, Ariz. (See Edward's photos with online notes.) Jules Older writes that has has recently published two very different arti-

cles; one is 'The 18 Best Places to Experience Six Kinds of Travel in Auckland, New Zealand' and the other is about using AI to create a book cover in a hurry. Send your news to –Mrs. Patricia Hoskiewicz Allen traileka@aol.com

Class Secretary Toni Mullins writes: “Sixty-six years ago we sat at our freshmen orientation dinner and we were told, ‘Look to your left, look to your right, one of you won’t be here in four years.’ I thought, it’s not going to be me!! My parents worked hard to send me, the first person in our family to attend university, to UVM. And, fortunately, none of you were sitting next to me and we all made it graduation in 1963!” Tom Lang writes: “Thought I would finally take a moment to update you on myself and first wife Shaun Louise Lang ’62 . Shaun and I married in August 1962 and lived in Richmond, Vt., while I finished my senior year. At UVM I was a dorm counselor along with my good friend Frank Bolden Kae Gleason Dakin was a friend of my wife. In my junior year, I became superintendent of transmission and distribution at the Washington Electric Co-op in E. Montpelier, a position I held for 19 years before becoming manager of purchasing at Burlington’s Green Mountain Power, until I retired 13 years later. During this time, Shaun and I started a Christmas tree business at my old homestead in Worcester, Vt., where I was raised as a child for 10 years, and bought the property back in 1966. The business was quite successful and was sold in 2019, though we still retain a financial and physical interest in it. Shaun died of cancer in 1997. I remarried in 1998 to Judy Larence of Johnston, R.I. Judy was a Bryant University grad with a degree in Eco -

THE POWER OF UVM CONNECT

“UVM Connect provides the perfect platform to connect with fellow classmates, alumni and students to explore career opportunities.”

– Adam Levy ’98 Chair, UVM Alumni Association Career Committee

Students journey from curiosity to capability through job shadows, internships, and wisdom from our dynamic alumni network.

UVM Connect serves as a bridge to the professional world –explore profiles, understand career trajectories, and connect with Catamounts who can provide career perspective and guidance. 18,000 members strong!

nomics. Judy and I continued the wreath and centerpiece business, along with her sister, Norma. It, too, was quite successful, as we not only sold locally, but shipped nationwide. We quit that business in 2021 and are now fully retired.” Toni also heard from Don Noble, who “Just wanted to touch base to both report some old news and remark on new news. Also thought I’d muse on the many changes in the vibes at UVM. Several years ago Sigma Nu brothers Dick Lawson ’64, Jerry Smith ‘65, Scott Severance ’65, Skip White, Bob Greco, Paul Hurley ’65, and Yvon Bergevin all got together at my house in the Hamptons on Long Island. Quite a meeting of old friends with lots of good food from restaurants, catering and game food by Dinky Smith all the way from Texas. Much water under the bridge for all of us including the Vietnam Era where several of us served straight out of UVM ROTC. A nostalgic time remembering Waterman, our house at 57 S. Williams and Dimey Beers with Phil and Julie at The Old Mill in Winooski. Those were the days, my friend. So fast forward to the last year where in a moment of inspiration I offered to speak to the UVM ROTC class about making a transition from where they stood to suddenly combat in Vietnam. I’d gone from UVM graduation to two tours as a Ranger Airborne Special Forces Captain in the middle of it all. Such is my update and best wishes to all.” And Toni goes on: “As for me, I continue to love an active life filled with likeminded (yet much younger!) people. I teach classical, comprehensive Pilates in private studios and recently added teaching ARORA Pilates and barre at the local Life Time Fitness Center. I’m dancing Pro/Am International Latin Ballroom, competitively, now in senior open level divisions, although once again, most of the dancers are younger than I! I love the outdoors and all that living in Highlands brings! Ocean, bay, rivers; biking, walking, swimming, and many memories. And of course, there’s Breckenridge, Colo., where I ski and enjoy seasonal activities with daughter Kelly and son-in-law, Chris. And my N.J. family, daughter Karen and my two grandsons, Evan and Drew, also.” (See Toni's photo with online notes.) Ronald Stancliff writes: “Over the years I have contributed to UVM money, not a lot, but what I thought could be afforded. On December 20 of last year my wife and I donated a 32.2-acre parcel of land with a natural pond to UVM for their environmental classes. In Morristown, it is named Joe's Pond. It is related to Molly's Pond that is owned by UVM, also in Morristown.” (See page XX for more on the Stancliffs’ gift.) Judith Shea says she “moved to Florida eight years ago and lived in a villa, played golf, mahjong and bridge. But finally bit the bullet and moved across the road to Freedom Plaza, a lovely independent facility with three-tiered health care.”

Send your news to –

Dr. Toni Citarella Mullins tonicmullins@verizon.net

Class Secretary Susan Griesenback Barber wrote in after an exciting night watching soccer: “I awoke this morning with such pride for our Catamount men’s soccer team. We watched until the end - a nail-biter for

MAIL YOUR CLASS NOTES: UVM Alumni Association 61 Summit Street, Burlington, VT 05401

SUBMIT YOUR CLASS NOTES: alumni.uvm.edu/notes or class.notes@uvm.edu

sure. I see why the team has been called the Cardiac Catamounts. What a game! Catamount pride once again. National champions! I cheered in front of the television even though no one could hear me. Wishing you all a wonderful spring. Took me back to my cheerleading days at UVM. Always fun, win or lose. Go Cats Go!” Effin (Ethelyn) Lawes Older now lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband Jules Older ’62 . She has published a new kid’s book, set at the North Pole. The book is Help! Santa is in Trouble It’s the first of her HELP! Trilogy, and her next two books will feature the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. Marilyn Keith Rivero writes: “Good news for me. I'm in remission after two years of treatment for multiple myeloma. Now enjoying retirement and trips with my family. In August, I went on a cruise to Newfoundland and Greenland with my daughter. For Thanksgiving, another daughter and I traveled around Vermont to see my relatives. We also visited the Lincoln family homestead, Hildene, and ate at Ye Olde Tavern in Manchester on our way to see my 99-year-old aunt. We went to Montreal, visited the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, and the Chittenden Cider Mill in Waterbury. Last year, I finished my autobiography. I now have five children and 11 grandchildren (10 girls aged 28-19; and one grandson, 6 years old!) Hope to see some of you at a future reunion.” Loretta Schwab wrote, “Our whole family spent Christmas in Corvara, Italy. Blue skies and great skiing were enjoyed by the kids and we parents cheered them on. Susan Weatherby Engbrecht and her husband joined us there for two days. Their permanent home is north, near Aviano, Italy. We were happy to share time together and the conversation went on and on.”

Send your news to –Mrs. Susan Griesenbeck Barber suebarbersue@gmail.com

We received the sad news that College of Arts and Sciences alum Chan Chuongvan passed away in October 2024. Regina Robicheau Ralston and her husband moved back to a family home in Hyannis, Mass. She says: “We met some of the neighbors, one of whom is Paul Arnold who was in my Shakespeare class with Betty Bandel back in the day! We did not know each other then, but we are having fun reminiscing now!”

Class Secretary Kathleen Nunan McGuckin and husband Ken McGuckin met Judy Claypoole Stewart and her friend in Lyon, France for a delightful lunch in early September. She says: “We were on our way to meet a barge for a vacation on the canals of the Burgundy

region – a wonderful time. In October we spent a few days in Saratoga, Calif., with Nancy Castellanos Miller and her husband, Chris. We all attended a college swim meet in Santa Cruz where my grandson, Luke, was competing.” Warren Kaplan and Julie Leach Kaplan ’68 have been living in Lake Worth, Fla., for three years and would love to hear from any UVMers!” We received the sad news that Iris Resnick, wife of Dr. Robert Resnick , passed away in September 2024 from complications of a stroke. (See the photo that Robert sent with our online notes) Helen Keith, Susan Gorman Kiniry, Nancy Lichter, Barbara Trencher Obrentz , Julie Spang Redfern and Jean Sahlman Seline spent three days together in Vermont to jointly celebrate their 80th birthdays and the friendships that began at UVM in 1962, and are still going strong 62 years later. They saw Eve Rapport Tarre briefly, were sorry to miss Linda Prouty Cunningham, Nancy Mills Merrill, and Susan King Zoia who were unable to join. (See the photo that includes Nancy, Helen, Barbara, Jean, Susan Gorman Kiniry and Julie Spang Redfern standing outside the Alumni House with online Class Notes.) Megan Sciera shared the sad news that of her father’s passing. Paul Sherburne received his master’s degree in 1966.

Send your news to –Mrs. Kathleen Nunan McGuckin kathynmcguckin@gmail.com

John G. Morse reports that he and his wife, Betsey, seemed to forget all of their present nonprofit obligations when they accepted a request from the MaineHealth Mid Coast Parkview Hospital to co-chair an $8 million capital campaign to enlarge the Cancer Care Cen -

ter and enlarge the Behavioral Health Ambulatory Care Center. So far they have had incredible success. Donna Baraw Wheeler is “happily retired and living in Stowe, close to family and friends. Also enjoying two daughters and granddaughters who live in Connecticut but we visit often.” Paul Simpson and Rick Farnham, along with Rusty Brink ’66, recently attended the memorial service for teammate and Sig Ep fraternity brother Dick Hebert in St. Albans, Vt. Rick shares: “Upon entering the church Paul, placed a UVM football hat that we had made a few years ago up near the altar. As the service ended and they carried his ashes on a table beauftifully flowered, someone had placed the hat on top of his urn. It was a very moving tribute that demonstrated the real value of sport. The relationships it develops among teammates last forever!”

Send your news to –Ms. Jane Kleinberg Carroll jane.carroll@cox.net

Curt R. Tobey writes, “I live in Boston and continue to oversee a family investment office. I have five loving grandchildren. The big news was that my San Diego son, Lorin Tobey, recently climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. Lorin works in San Diego at Athletic Brewing Company, which is an exciting non-alcoholic beer.”

Send your news to –Ms. Diane Duley Glew ddglew@gmail.com

Anna Maria Pfeiffer Barnum’s daughters wrote to share the sad news of her December 2024 passing. (See Anna Maria's photo with online notes) Jim Betts MD’73 writes:

In high school, Justin Parent wished for rain. Rain meant being spared shingling another roof in his construction job. The first-generation student came to UVM with an interest in psychology. Parent found his calling in helping at-risk kids and their families at mentor Dr. Rex Forehand’s UVM lab. Now he teaches at the University of Rhode Island where he runs his own lab. Parent has also just garnered the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists early in their career.

Lois McClure Community Reflections on her Impact

To be in northern Vermont is to be surrounded by evidence of the visionary generosity of Lois Howe McClure and her husband, J. Warren (Mac) McClure.

UVM and the UVM Medical Center are among the many recipients of that generosity. And it is no exaggeration to say that her support positioned the university to serve its campus and broader community of learners in richly diverse ways over the years.

Lois’s interests were broad, and her commitment to having a meaningful impact was profound. Through personal experience, she knew the impact and importance of assuring that medical students were equipped to put the needs and experiences of patients first. Knowing that Vermont faced a shortage of experts in gerontology, she helped establish the Center on Aging to anchor Vermont’s efforts to provide the best possible supports for the state’s seniors. She committed to learning and art access for both campus and the broader community by supporting UVM Special Collections (the university’s main library bears her father’s name) and the Fleming Museum.

When Lois passed away at age 98 in February 2025, staff and faculty from across campus shared their thoughts about her enduring impact, and what it was like to work with her to achieve great things with an extended community in mind.

“

You can’t walk anywhere in the hospital without seeing and feeling the impact of the McClures’ philanthropy. The McClure Building, which was named for their gift, is the most obvious example. They also made significant gifts to the ACC project and the Miller Building. Over the past 45 years the McClures have made a lasting impact on where and how we are able to deliver care at UVMMC. We are forever grateful for their generosity and vision.”

– Stephen Leffler, M.D., President and Chief Operating Officer, UVM Medical Center

“

Lois McClure was an exceptional friend of the University of Vermont, and a patron of the Larner College of Medicine, the UVM Medical Center, and the community. I first met Lois about 25 years ago after she and her husband “Mac” experienced a negative medical event in Philadelphia during a trip back to Burlington. We met at a geriatric conference, and she shared the details of the episode in the context of what we, as a medical community, were doing to support the medical needs of our older folks with respect and dignity. Following this encounter, we stayed in touch, and in 2006 I asked Lois to join a working group that had been charged by UVM senior leadership to assess the status of agingrelated research at the University of Vermont, the organizational structure needed to support this endeavor, and to investigate the revitalization of an Aging Center on campus. [Lois subsequently made] a gift to UVM of $5 million to endow a Center on Aging… and I was honored to be named its inaugural director. In the years since, Lois and I maintained a close relationship that resulted in many conversations regarding aging issues in our Burlington community. Lois was an intelligent, gracious, and passionate woman who in my mind will always be remembered as the person who jumpstarted aging research and education at UVM and the Larner College of Medicine.”

– William Pendlebury, M.D., Professor Emeritus, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

“

The McClures’ actions have always spoken far louder than their words, and this was demonstrated through their contributions to and support of the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation at the University of Vermont. The McClures established the McClure Musculoskeletal Research Center in the Larner College of Medicine and created the McClure endowed Professorship of Musculoskeletal Research in the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation. The extensive contributions by the McClure family have been highly significant in providing support that has allowed the members of our department to educate countless students and trainees with diverse backgrounds at various levels of their training. In addition, their support has made it possible for us to conduct novel and innovative musculoskeletal research that has allowed our department to make advances on local, national, and international levels and become a shining star in the field of orthopaedics and rehabilitation.”

– Bruce D. Beynnon, M.S., Ph.D., McClure Professor of Musculoskeletal Research, Director of Research Department Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation

“

Lois McClure was such a force for good and pillar of the community in every measurable way. At the Fleming Museum, we use art in all its forms to encourage dialogue and expand understanding of our shared human experience. We remain forever grateful for Lois’ generous support through the years, reflecting her lifelong commitment to those same values by uplifting arts and culture here at UVM and around the state.”

– Sonja Lunde, Executive Director of the Fleming Museum of Art

Lois is remembered for the joy she brought to her philanthropy, and for her partnership in not only funding good work, but in assuring its effectiveness and meaning. Though she will be missed, UVM’s extended community is forever richer because of her involvement.

“It's February 10th as I pen this note to all. California is transitioning from our "winter" to spring and summer "seasons". As many of you are aware, there has been devastating destruction from ravaging fires in the Los Angeles area with thousands of homes and buildings destroyed and many lives lost. "Fire Season" is year-round both here in California, and many other locations throughout the United States and worldwide. As a volunteer firefighter with the Big Sur Fire Department, we were placed on high alert to assist the thousands of firefighters in Los Angeles. As of this message, we have not yet deployed. Our university continues to be one of the premier small research institutions in the nation. I am taken with the significant scientific and overall academic accomplishments by students, faculty, and staff. I am forever grateful that I had the opportunity to receive both my undergraduate and College of Medicine studies at UVM. There are many new programs, buildings and services which would benefit from our donations. Among others, new athletic facilities are moving forward. They will provide "space and support" for the mental and physical health and wellness of the entire student body, along with the intercollegiate and recreational sports activities of all students. UVM Class of 1969, and College of Medicine Class of 1973, I hope you’ll consider joining me in making a donation. For now, I’m looking forward to this July, my Bennington High School Class of 1965 is celebrating our 60th high school class reunion. (I'm sure all others will have celebrated theirs, as well.) Our College of Medicine 50th class reunion in October 2023 was well attended. I'm looking forward to our 55th. I continue to practice pediatric surgery at UCSF Children's Hospital Oakland. It's been a wonderful 41-year presence, only made possible with the opportunity UVM provided me for my education. I hope our paths will cross again in the not-too-distant future. Be well.”

Send your news to –Ms. Mary Joan Moninger-Elia maryeliawh@gmail.com

71Class Secretary Sarah Sprayregen heard from Annie Viets about her wonderful trip: “Annie told me she’d hiked the western section of the Lysian Way that winds through the mountains along the Mediterranean in southern Turkey this fall. It was a trek she’d always wanted to do and it did not disappoint. At home in Burlington, she’s a nana to her daughter’s (Anna Viets ’11) two little girls and loving every minute with them.” Nancy Blasberg shared news from Gretchen Whitney, who wrote the following, “ I just returned from a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the continent of Antarctica. It was summer there and not any colder than here in the northeast. Jumping into the Antarctic does take your breath away! I highly recommend going to the end of the world. It's very humbling and awesome.” Eugene Heiman writes: “Hello classmates and dear friends, I am now retired from my practice of Orthopedic Surgery for eight years. Still living in The Woodlands, Texas. My wife, Guyanne, and I travel as much as we can, visiting as many new places as possible. I missed the 50-year reunion due

to a medical issue, now resolved. I remain in good health for a septuagenarian. I would love to hear from the special people with whom I shared those formative years.”

Send your news to –Ms. Sarah Wilbur Sprayregen sarahsprayvt@gmail.com

72Class Secretary Deb Stern shared a note from Philip Lahar looking back and considering changes: “What a different world UVM was 1968-72 when I attended. Drs. Gregg (Chem) and Bromley (Bio) chalked notes; we scribbled wildly in our notebooks. References to cell phones, Facebook, and chats didn’t exist. We sat in large lecture halls — no online programs. Students carried books to classes — no backpacks. There were more UVM guys than girls, unlike today. UVM was a far cry from nearby Dartmouth, though, where there were just a handful of girls. Dormitories were either guys’ or girls’ with some co-ed my last year. My middle-class parents didn’t have to go broke to pay tuition. There was a hard-copy picture book of students by class to see who you might want to date. Dorm rooms were tiny. Girls’ floors had monitors. When students graduated from UVM, they often pursued a career correlated to their major. Ice hockey was not a major UVM sport and there were far less girls’ teams. Each dorm floor only had one or a couple of phones and it was a long distance call to most parents.” Robert Nickelsberg writes: “In September 2024, Kehrer Verlag released my book of black-andwhite photographs and essays, “Legacy of Lies, El Salvador 1981-1984.” The book illustrates the four years I spent in San Salvador covering the country's civil war for Time magazine. The book's images of the violence form the foundational period that forced many Salvadorans to flee north to the U.S. creating the chaos and gridlock along the U.S.-Mexican border.” (See Robert's photo with online notes.) Patty Thomas G ’76 writes: “The UVM Men's Hockey team chose me as their Super Senior Fan for the 2023-2024 season. That was my 55th season following the team. I hold a VERMONT banner that is 100 years+ behind the goalie during warm-ups. I was able to attend one of their practices and honored on Senior Night. The photo is from a Meet and Greet we attended. Our license plate is UVMHCKY!” (See Patricia's photo with online notes.)

Send your news to –Mrs. Debra Koslow Stern debbie2907@gmail.com

Wadi Sawabini writes: “Mary and I celebrated our 50th Anniversary in September. We met in the parking lot on the north side of Waterman. It was love at first sight.” David Suitor shared, “We are pleased to announce that John and Gail (Follett) Suitor ’89 will become the third-generation directors of Camp Timanous, our summer boys’ camp in Raymond, Maine. They succeed John’s father John Suitor Jr. ’68 and uncle David Suitor and grandparents, John and Martha (Rist) Suitor ’38, continuing the Suitor directorship that began in 1940.” Ann Bannister shared that she and Gary Miland Bannister ’74 cele -

brated their 50th wedding anniversary in September with a Rhine River cruise.

Send your news to –Ms. Deborah Layne Mesce dmesce@icloud.com

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Jane Bradbury is busy in “non-retirement” continuing to promote and raise funds for performing and visual art projects. She serves on a Board of a small historic performing arts center in the foothills of the Adirondacks where the latest storm dumped close to five feet of snow! She has also been working as the publicist for sculptor and UVM alum, Christopher Curtis. Last May, she was thrilled to join fellow Royall Tyler Theatre alumni to celebrate the 50th anniversary of UVM’s beautiful theater. She and her husband live in Upstate New York, but spend a lot of time in Cincinnati, where their three grandchildren provide a lot of fun and laughter! Christopher Aldrich Brown, Ph.D. ’83 writes: “Had a great time at our 50th catching up with Robin Outwater and John Kiely. Got to share a link to UVM's fantastic game with Hofstra with him last month. Enjoyed catching up on outstanding UVM athletic accomplishments at the Hall of Fame dinner. Had a good Zoom with Richard Goldstein ’75. It's been nice having David Gould Wilder G’78, Ph.D. ’85 and Kathy Wilder ’78 back in Vermont. It was good to see so many UVMers honoring Carl Ettlinger at the Vermont Ski Hall of Fame induction in Killington. I'm still at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, teaching my course on Technology of Alpine Skiing with a lot of what I learned from Carl, Mickey Cochran, and John Outwater.” Melanie Choukas-Bradley shared a photo and sweet caption this winter: “Rock Creek Park is blanketed in snow, with ice forming in the creek. A scene of rare winter beauty with perfect cross-country skiing conditions!” Christopher Curtis is still creating sculptures from stone and steel more than 50 years since his formative art classes at UVM. Chris has two solo exhibits in Vermont on view, from now through spring 2025. Stone and Snow includes five stone sculptures at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, and “That Place in the Stars,” a large 24’ x 21’ stainless steel sculpture, is on view at Technology Park in South Burlington. He is grateful for his beautiful studio in Duxbury, Vt. where he works alongside an inspirational waterfall. See where his art has gone since his UVM launch at christophercurtis.com Edward Cymerys traveled to Cary, N.C. to watch the UVM soccer team with the National championship. Teammates from the 1971 10-2-0 team, Peter Bernhardt ’72 and Chuck Davis ’72, were also in attendance, sharing stories and the incredible experience! He adds, “Thank you, Rob Dow, for bringing soccer alumni along for the ride!” Cathleen Doane-Wilson MD ’80 shared: “Finally retiring. Moving from Delaware to a retirement center in San Antonio, Texas, with plans for frequent trips to New Hampshire and New Jersey to spend time with the grandkids.” Paul Kenny wrote over the winter from Sun Valley, Idaho that, “The snow has been falling so the skiing and boarding is fantastic. Two new high speed 6-pack Doppelmayr chairlifts added

this winter.” He is looking forward to the World Cup Finals scheduled for March 22-27. Frank Luisi wrote that he is “continuing to work at Oceanside High School as an Advisor for NCAA-college-bound student-athletes, still trying to give back what I received from my coaches, Rick Furnham and Athletic Director Denis Lambert, and my teachers, such Bill Stephany and Charlie Rathbone. Their influence on me has been an inspiration, as was the work of Newman Center chaplain Fr. Francis Holland. In working with students over the past 48 years, each day I remember the life lessons these teachers and coaches and priest taught me and I share them with the many wonderful young people I have known at Oceanside in my career and my life.” Keith Rice shared: “I met my best friend growing up and a classmate at UVM, Steve Coulman, in Columbia, S.C. last August. I hadn't seen Steve in 45 years and we did lots of catching up.” Loretta Schwab shared: “Our whole family spent Christmas in Corvara, Italy. Blue skies and great skiing were enjoyed by the kids and we parents cheered them on. Susan Weatherby Enbrecht ’64 and her husband joined us there for two days. Their permanent home is north near Aviano, Italy. We were happy to share time together and the conversation went on and on.” William Spina MD ’78 is “living off the grid in the Kingdom, growing apples and trees on my 150 acres of land. Still doctoring in St. J. Love to hear from classmates and friends at groovy UV.” (See William's photo with online notes.)

Send your news to –Mrs. Emily Schnaper Manders esmanders@gmail.com

Class Secretary Dina Child received a note from Petter Kongsli ’75, in which he shared: “50 years have passed since graduation! As all of us many stories can be told from these years. The most important thing for me is to say that the four years at UVM gave me the foundation for all the years after. After a master’s of architecture degree from the University of Idaho, I’m still working full-time as an architect, civil engineer, and building supervisor in Oslo, Norway. The last 40 years, running my own (small) firm. I have been fortunate also to have contact with a small group of fellow students and ski team members, the La Casse family and Mr. Denny Lambert. I would love to come back to our reunion and to meet UVM friends this fall.” On her own behalf, Dina shared: “It looks like our 50th reunion will be a 51st Reunion celebrated with the Class of ‘76. The date will be announced in June, so be on the lookout. My husband, Ted Child ’74 and I, and Whitney Watts ’74 and Lori Watts just returned from a trip ‘down under’ to Australia and New Zealand. We share a lot of old and new memories.” Pauline Liese shared: “I am so thankful in 2025 for success with rehabilitation progress from a 2018 double stroke. The 2024 highlight was regaining the privilege to drive, which has greatly increased independence. In July, a memorable gathering of family and friend supporters were thanked with catered fare, jazz ensemble, and comraderie. My college years are remembered with historical times and impact for ensuing years.”

Send your news to –Mrs. Christine Dwyer Child dinachild@aol.com

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(Stephen) Mike Astle shared: “We are residents of Scottsdale, Ariz. and Lake Arrowhead, Calif. I have two kids, one married and one trending toward marriage. Still in the investment management business as owners of a privately held advisory firm. After 40+ years, we're thinking about retirement but not quite there yet. I have only been to Vermont a half-dozen times since ’78, when I moved to California. Best wishes to the gang from Buckham Hall '72-'73.” Cameron (Cami) Davis shared a photo of the set design for the “Emergent Universe Oratorio,” composed by Sam Guarnaccia, to be performed by Albany Pro Musica at Zankel Hall in Skidmore College on July 18, 2025. Learn more at camerondavisstudio.com and see Cami's photo with online notes. Glenn Fay G’98 published his third book, “Ambition: The Remarkable Family of Ethan Allen.” It describes the lives and relationships of Ethan Allen's aspiring extended family of brothers, sisters, wives, children, grandchildren, associates, and employees. (See Glenn's photo with online notes.) Laurel Merrill shared the following: “After UVM, it was Vermont (6 mo.), then California (5 yrs), then Vermont (18 yrs), then Florida (3 yrs), back to California (3 yrs), and again Florida (21 yrs). This year made my last move — to Leland, N.C.! Two

VIEW CLASS NOTES PHOTOS ONLINE AT go.uvm.edu/cnphotos

OR SUBMIT YOUR OWN AT go.uvm.edu/submitnote

kids, several dogs, widowhood, six grandchildren, a medical crisis, and fixed-income reality forced a relocation away from home insurance hikes. Making a new and final home. Phew! Love to see notes of class — and sorority-mates.” (See Laurel's photo with online notes.) Kenneth Simmons is excited to share the announcement of Miriam Harper Simmons of Stratham, N.H., born in October 2024. Her proud grandparents ensured there was a UVM onesie on hand. (See Kenneth's photo with online notes.) Christopher Williams shared: “I have had a great career as a mostly residential architect, restoring and rehabilitating historic properties in the U.S. and internationally. Our main residence is in Colorado, but my wife, Elaine Mariner, and I have a condo at Sea Oaks in Vero Beach, Fla., where we have been spending most winters recently. Ran into a classmate (that I didn't know was a classmate at the time) Richard Eyre, who bought a house in the same neighborhood. We teamed up for a tennis tournament and we won! Go Cats Go!” (See Christopher's photo with online notes.) Edward Sall wrote from a winter trip away: “Hey everyone, I am in Asia for three weeks with my wife, Elaine. Been married 41 years! I saw Souf and Dickie Sears last April in Vero Beach and we were planning a get together in Scottsdale this spring! NCAA Soccer champs! Wow! Go Catamounts!” Allyne Zorn shared a photo of herself with Bob Zorn, Jackie Levine, Laura Schriesheim, and Pat Kennelly at their annual UVM reunion in Sarasota this past December of 2024. (See Allyne's photo with online notes) Send your news to –Mr. Peter Andrew Beekman pbeekman19@gmail.com

Mark Aeschliman graduated with a triple major in Studio Art, Art History, and English, and went on to a 45-year career teaching at The American School in Switzerland. He shared with us a wonderful tribute that TASIS Today magazine published in recognition of the extraordinary impact of his many years of service. One grateful former student shared: “You know a professor is special when both troublemakers and rule-abiding students have respect for and cherished their time with that person. Mr. Aeschliman/Mark is all of that and then more, especially for me.” Pat Boera continues to enjoy her role at Champlain College connecting students with employment opportunities and internships to move their careers forward. You can also find her volunteering for Lyric Theatre Company's 2025 productions of Disney's “The Little Mermaid” and “A Chorus Line” at the Flynn, and for the award-winning Middlebury Festival on the Green (July 13-19, 2025). Michael Mangum retired as

Director of Ocean County Parks on April 2024, after almost 47 years there. (See Michael's photo with online notes.) Ronald C Nye observes: “Sub-zero wind chill for multiple days as this is written and for the week ahead. Hoping for warmer weather to enjoy my 53 acres of trails and woods. Looking forward to traveling west by car this summer to visit friends (especially Dave Markey) and family (son and two grandsons near Denver). Daniel Ryan “retired in 2020 after 33 years as a Vermont school principal. In 2021 I had a life-saving liver transplant at MGH in Boston. My health challenge now is Parkinson’s. God blessed me with a grandson this summer! Please consider being an organ donor.” (See Daniel's photo with online notes.) Rob Waxman “went to San Diego to visit relatives for winter break. Lots of fun, including the Sarari Park and Balboa Park. I joined a second band called The Flowers. Interesting covers and some originals. My Allman Brothers tribute band, Idlewild West, is still going strong. I have money from the grant I received, which I originally thought was going to pay for a new prosthetic foot, but Kaiser insurance came through, so I've been buying new tennis rackets, shoes, balls, and, now, tennis lessons. It's good for anything sports-related. I have until the end of January to spend what is left or must send the rest of the money back. A nice problem to have. We're going on an Alaskan cruise in May. Ha-cha!” (See Rob's photo with online notes.)

Marjorie Cohen shared: “The highlight last summer was getting to see my dear friend Libby Carney Manahan after many years. The lowlight of the year was losing my husband in November after a long illness. Being in touch with special friends from UVM always lifts my spirit!” Karin Tilberg shared a trifecta of good news: her December 2024 retirement after a long and successful career in conservation in Maine, the publication of Loving the North Woods: 25 Years of Historic Conservation in Maine, and receipt of the prestigious Austin H. Wilkins Forest Stewardship Award, an annual recognition for individuals and organizations demonstrating exceptional and sustainable management of Maine's working forests.

Inspired by Carolyn Andors, Bill Miller checked in to say: “I also live here by the lake, in Mallets Bay. I'm a contractor mainly in the islands, a beautiful place to work, restoring homes and barns. Spent my years on Maui, and in California and Colorado as well.” Teressa Valla shared a photo of a painting included in the avant-garde Women Artists of Rivington Street, in New York City and notes that the exhibit traveled to Paris in April and early May, where it was presented at the Mémoire de l'Avenir gallery. (See Teressa's photo with online notes.)

Send your news to –Mrs. Beth Nutter Gamache bethgamache@burlingtontelecom.net

After 30 years as founder and then executive director, Megan J Humphrey has retired from HANDS. HANDS is a nonprofit whose mission is to fill gaps in getting healthy food

to older adults who struggle with food insecurity in Chittenden County, Vt. She’ll continue to produce Sweet Basil Cards as well as volunteer for a number of local nonprofits. Her husband, Terry T. Hotaling ’75, still works at Shelburne Orchards, and “is always building a boat or a building.” Megan and Terry send their very best to the UVM community! Maryellen Murphy has been living, working, and exhibiting in the St. Paul and Minneapolis area as a teaching artist and educator since 2006, following a 2011 master’s in art education degree from Pennsylvania State University. Maryellen has enjoyed art-based work across the metropolitan areas, developing both arts and STEM-to-STEAM K-12 curricula. In 2016, she co-developed A Hand 4 Change, a 501(c)(3) with a mission of designing programming for students and families across the metro-working area alongside nonprofits and foundations. At onset of the Covid pandemic in 2019, Maryellen relocated to Red Wing, Minn., and continues in the field of arts education. She is currently co-developing a climate-literacy-focused curriculum using children's books, design methods, and book-arts formats.

Send your news to –Mrs. Kristen Yonker Hazen Hazenkristin@gmail.com

Maura Schwartz writes in to announce that “ Laura [Callan] Fortmeyer ’s daughter was married in Vermont and in Tamil Nadu, India. We celebrated this milestone together with her other daughter, friends, and the groom’s family. Laura and I are childhood friends, UVM roommates and College of Ag graduates.” (See Maura's photo with online notes.)Donna Loso Hayes happily retired this past Fourth of July (“went out with a bang!”) after a very rewarding 44 years as an RN, the last 16 years of which she worked as a certified hospice and palliative care nurse. After retirement, Donna didn't have to pick up and go elsewhere -she continues to live in beautiful South Florida with her husband Dave.

Katy Abrams shares: “Having worked as a National Park Ranger at the Grand Canyon, and as a Registered Nurse for 23 years, I recently retired and live in Flagstaff, Ariz. My husband and I have two sons, aged 25 and 28, who live and work in Salt Lake City and Telluride, Colo. We recently enjoyed a three-month bikepack trip from Italy to Greece, and continue to run and backpack whenever possible. Looking forward to a bike ride in Vermont next fall.” Jamie Campbell Fagan and spouse Katie Bliss Fagan celebrated their 40th anniversary alongside family, including four grandchildren. They also enjoy visits with Katie’s cousin, Bill Bliss ’83, and his spouse Kat deCaracena Bliss Jamie has no retirement plans, as a wealth partner at JP Morgan. He continues to ski a lot, but “not without injuries!” Skip Gilbert writes in about the incredible night he spent watching UVM claim the Men's D1 National Championships in Cary, NC. “It was a proud moment for those of us who played for the Cats over the past 60 years,” he shares. “While I've been to many championship sporting events, nothing compared to what we watched that night.” Skip

“Bridging Gaps” for Justice and Equity

Camara Stokes Hudson ’16, J.D.

Camara Stokes Hudson ‘16, J.D., is deeply committed to justice. As the current Racial Justice Counsel at the New York Civil Liberties Union—a state affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union—her work encompasses litigation, public education, and policy initiatives aimed at dismantling systemic injustices affecting New Yorkers of color.

Stokes Hudson’s professional journey is deeply rooted in her experiences at UVM, where she majored in Human Development and Family Studies, an experience that, she says, “has always driven my interest in working to improve systems which touch the lives of young people and their families.”

Stokes Hudson’s career has given focus to issues of education equity including exclusionary discipline, school governance, student freedom of speech and expression, and issues related to bullying and harassment. Recently, she’s begun working on infrastructure justice issues as well.

Prior to studying law at NYU, Stokes Hudson advocated and lobbied at a Connecticut child advocacy organization, where her work centered on education issues. In 2019, Stokes Hudson was named Woman of Inspiration by the Connecticut Women’s Legal and Education Fund for her work with Connecticut Voices for Children; in 2020, she was named the Derrick Bell Scholar for Public Service by NYU Law Alumni of Color Association. Just this past year, Stokes Hudson was recognized as a 30 Under

30 Alumni by the UVM Alumni Association for her professional contributions.

She was initially drawn to UVM by the university’s Lawrence Debate Union, a group recognized as one of the premier college-level debate teams, that has been training UVM students since 1899. It proved a vital training ground for her then-burgeoning passion for advocacy. Through the LDU, Stokes Hudson cultivated fundamental skills in argumentation and public speaking – skills she still leans on daily. Through the LDU, she also participated with the SPEAK Vermont Initiative, a program that teaches incarcerated people professional public speaking and presentation skills.

“Debate is really good training to be a lawyer,” Stokes Hudson reflects. “Very often I work with people and have clients who have wholly different experiences and beliefs from me, and debating prepared me really well to bridge those gaps and see things from multiple perspectives.”

Although Stokes Hudson had several beloved classes and professors, those who stand out the most include the late Professor Alfred C. “Tuna” Snider, director of the LDU for the majority of Stokes Hudson’s time. Professor Sue Dinitz’s work at the Writing Center also made an impact during Stokes Hudson’s time as a student. And HDFS Professors Lawrence Shelton and Jackie Weinstock not only provided important personal support but gave her “an incredible foundation in human development,” which she uses to this day.

sends his congratulations to Coach Rob Dow and his staff, and the men's soccer team. In March 2024, Col. Timothy Gerard Goddette officially retired from the Army after 43 years. He plans to spend more time with his three grandkids and to make a difference through volunteering. He looks forward to reconnecting with the UVM baseball team. (See Timothy's photo with online notes.) Deb Sussman Mignucci writes in with a wonderful family update: “I'm excited to share that our daughter Melanie married her partner, Peter Paul, at the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in fall 2024, and a good time was had by all! They live on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, where he is a psychotherapist. She is finishing her law degree at Columbia.” (See Deb's photo with Jennifer A. Smith Gilbert, Chris Morrison '84, Skip Gilbert , and Chris Kaisand ’83 with online notes) Michele Moretzky shares the sad news that her husband, M. Evan Moretzsky, passed away in September 2024 after a long battle with cancer.

Send your news to –John Peter Scambos pteron@verizon.net

Class Secretary Lisa Greenwood Crozier shares: “Life has been good! Jim and I spent two weeks in Europe — a cruise and extended stays in Rome and Madrid. Madrid has changed since I graduated from high school in 1979 and my family moved back to the States. It was a nice visit and going to meet a high school classmate for lunch in the area where we lived brought some tears to my eyes! Our older daughter, Dr. Caryn Greco, was appointed as an assistant music professor, tenure-track, at Wake Forest University. Unfortunately, she and her husband are following a Crozier tradition of a commuter marriage, but hopefully he will be here soon. He is a professor at a small university in W.Va. Our younger daughter, Dr. Colleen Crozier, got engaged to a wonderful young man and the wedding will be in July. We gave my Dad a three-month 90th birthday celebration with our visits spaced out over those three months. We also have learned to play pickleball and participated in a league this fall. We’re not very good, but enjoy the time together and the exercise. Jim continues to enjoy retirement and I continue to enjoy teaching Pilates and my clients. I love the challenges they bring to me! I’m also continuing to knit -- a lot of color work, like Fair Isle.” (See Lisa's photo with online notes.) Julie Carkin, M.D. sends greetings to her classmates and shares that in June 2024, she travelled from her home in Seattle, and connected with Christine (Smith) Cotter who lives in Marshfield, Mass. Together, they enjoyed the hospitality of Eileen Ahern who co-owns and runs Dandelion Acres Garden Center in Bethel, Vt. During this visit, "the three of us also toured the beautiful UVM campus” and shared “lots of laughs and good memories of UVM and UVM friends.” Julie Anne Collier enjoyed two longer visits back to Vermont in 2024. This allowed for a wonderful time catching up with fellow Physical Therapy graduates Laurie J Austin and Mary H Grunvald ’80. “We continue to work within the healthcare field in the clinic, community,

COURTESY CAMARA STOKES HUDSON

and employer-based worlds,” Julie writes. “We wish we could turn the clock back to the more holistic and compassionate healthcare times...”

Send your news to –

Mrs. Lisa Greenwood Crozier lcrozier@triad.rr.com

Natalie Marie Ciccariello visited Craftsbury on a Vermont trip this New Year’s, (See Natalie's photo with online notes.) “Lots has happened since graduation 40 years ago,” reflects Lucille Marie O’Neil . "After completing my Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy (tDPT) in 2020, my daughter followed in my footsteps, getting her doctorate in physical therapy in 2023, then completing a neurology residency in August of 2024. Passing the baton to her as I retired after over 33 years in my most recent position, managing a pediatric therapy clinic associated with a major Virginia hospital system. 2024 also saw the tragic loss of my husband after 34 years of marriage. Looking forward to what 2025 might bring, as I’m retired from PT work, but continuing to coach a paracycling team and working in adaptive sports in Virginia, continue to cycle through many states and countries, and enjoying my two adult children. Wishing all my 1984 PT class a happy and healthy 2025.” (See Lucille's photo with online notes.)

Send your news to –Mrs. Abby Goldberg Kelley kelleyabbyvt@gmail.com or Mrs. Shelley Carpenter Spillane scspillane@aol.com

In November, Susan Morgenstern Garbutt (as part of attorney Jennifer Johnson’s practice), was presented with the Street Fighter of the Year Award from the Consumer Attorneys of California. Her 88-year-old mother traveled to San Francisco to join her for the celebration (See Susan's photo with online notes.) Four UVM grads from the 1980s played in a golf tournament at the Myopia Hunt Club in Hamilton, Mass. in October: Kevin Luke Hannaway, Giff Wigglesworth '86, Richard Kowalski ’86, and Chris Twomey ’90. Kevin shares: “Sigma Nu brothers. Chris and I live in Beverly, Mass., Giff in Marblehead, Mass., and Richard drove down from Burlington, Vt., where he has lived for the past 30 years. We didn’t win a prize, but we won the 19th hole!” Suzanne Bokat Stone is living in Exeter, N.H. with her son and her longtime partner. She says: “During the growing season my life revolves around my gardening business, Stem and Petal. In the off-season I try to go sailing in warmer climes — this year I was in Panama.”

Send your news to –Ms. Barbara A. Roth roth_barb@yahoo.com 86

George Anderson Payne, his wife, and their teen-aged children have lived in southern Sweden (Lund) for four years. George continues to enjoy his work for Oxford University Press, while his wife Matilda has been in marketing with IKEA for almost 10 years. Their son, Len -

nart, plays basketball for the Swedish U18 National Team. They wonder if he’ll be a Catamount one day. Send your news to –Mr. Lawrence Gorkun vtlfg@msn.com

Andrew Alter Buerger wrote: “What a thrill to have two of my UVM friends, David Walsh ’89 and Patrick Couture ’89, join me on one of my Jodi's Climb for Hope expeditions in July 2024. David's son (Cam Walsh '24), also joined the climb. The non-profit I started raises money for promising MS and breast cancer research by climbing mountains around the world. The four of us UVM alums, along with seven others, climbed Mt. Olympus in Washington. The five-day climb was spectacular, and it was made even better by sharing the experience with them. While I was out there, I also had the chance to grab coffee with another psych major, Julie Perkins Quamma.” (See Andrew's photo with online notes.) William B. Jaffee sent news of his 60th birthday celebration of a tour of some of Vermont’s finest breweries. Among the group was Mike Doolittle, Matt Day, Larry Feinberg ’79, Bill Jaffee, Jeff Holdsworth ‘86, John Crock ‘89 and George Tellides. (See the group’s picture with online notes.) Greg Erdman joined for dinner in Burlington, Vt. William adds: “It was wonderful to ring in a new decade with some of my favorite people in one of my favorite places!” Leah Gaynor Leavitt and Thomas D. Leavitt are thrilled that their daughter Liana Leavitt will be graduating with the May 2025 class. Liana began UVM as a freshman member of the liberal arts scholars program. She is the second direct descendant of Ira Allen to attend UVM. Leah is the first and only

direct descendant of Ira Allen to graduate from UVM, but will now happily share that distinction with her daughter. Sheri Baraw Smith writes: “After selling our family’s resort, Stoweflake, in December 2021, had the opportunity to work with the new owner, consult, and eventually transition into an exciting role as Chief Operating Officer at the historic Basin Harbor Resort in Vermont. This position allows me to stay rooted in Vermont, splitting my time between Stowe and Vergennes. On another exciting note, both of my children are pursuing master’s degrees at UVM—one in the Master of Education program and the other in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program. This makes us a proud three-generation UVM family!” (See Sheri's photo with online notes.)

Send your news to –Mrs. Sarah Vaden Reynolds sarahreynolds10708@gmail.com

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Tracy (Fay) Stolese invites UVM alumni to attend the 14th annual edition of Burlington Wine & Food, happening Saturday, June 21, at HULA Lakeside in Burlington, Vt. Tracy and her husband, Mike, created the event in 2010, and it has since grown to be the largest celebration of wine, food, and spirits in Vermont, featuring hundreds of wines from around the world, dozens of Vermont's top restaurants and specialty food producers, educational seminars, live jazz, and more.

Send your news to –Mrs. Maureen Kelly Gonsalves moe.dave@verizon.net

Kunal Parekh sent the following note: “Chance meetup with Deb (Leach) Riell and Frank Ross, in Boise, Idaho.

I firmly believe that none of the many marvelous things that have happened to me over the course of the last 50 years could have occurred without the academic education, support and encouragement I received during my UVM experience.

I am truly, truly grateful for it all. I hope that my annual contributions to the UVM Foundation can be utilized to help other students find their way in life, like UVM helped me.

Great catching up with both of them and remembering good times at UVM. Frank and I both live in Boise, and Deb was visiting to give an invited talk to Women in Engineering.” Suzanne Wilson writes: “I'm enjoying life in the land of tall trees near Olympia, Wash. My time is spent with my two — soon to be three — grandchildren and volunteering with conservation and community groups.”

Send your news to –Mrs. Tessa Donohoe Fontaine tessafontaine@gmail.com

Wellesley Chapman is “thrilled to share that I've become a proud UVM parent! Even though we live way out west in Seattle, my daughter, Zoë, looked way east and started her first year at UVM this past September. Over winter break, we had a blast cheering on the UVM soccer team together as they won the NCAA championship. It’s been an exciting journey watching her start this chapter, and I’m looking forward to following her experiences as a Catamount!”

Send your news to –Mrs. Karen Heller Lightman khlightman@gmail.com

Wendy Frazier wrote in: “This year is a big year for our family of six. Jeff and I celebrated 29 years of marriage and plan to travel back to Burlington to celebrate. Our twins, Sarah and Kyle, will be completing their first year at Stony Brook University, where they are psychology and biology majors. I will be wrapping up my 33rd and final year of teaching elementary school in June. I’m looking forward to hiking, skating, and just sit-

ting on the beach in my retirement!” (See Wendy's photo with online notes.)

Send your news to –Mrs. Lisa Aserkoff Kanter jslbk@mac.com

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Ashley Wood writes: “I wanted to take a moment to share some exciting updates from our family, particularly regarding my son Owen’s journey at the University of Vermont. Owen has settled into his freshman year in Hamilton dorm and is absolutely loving his experience at UVM. Watching him enjoy his college life has brought me closer to the university community, especially after the thrilling victory of the Men’s Soccer team in the NCAA National Championship. I had a fantastic time watching the final game with Owen during his winter break—what an unforgettable experience! As a family, we live in Marin County, Calif., where I also have twin daughters who are 16. One of my daughters faces the challenges of Dravet Syndrome, a life-threatening and medication-resistant form of childhood epilepsy. This journey has inspired me to combine my professional background as a psychotherapist with my personal experiences to support families navigating similar challenges. I recently launched an iOS app called Life Support, designed to assist those newly diagnosed with epilepsy. If you know anyone who might benefit from this resource, please feel free to share my information or visit our website at thelifesupportproject.com. I look forward to spending more time in Vermont over the next four years and continuing to connect with the UVM community!” (See Ashley's photo with online notes.) Tracy Peterson has been promoted to principal at Braverman Greenspun, a Manhattan law firm dedicated to the practice of coopera-

tive and condominium law, real estate and litigation. Tracy is a highly-trusted advisor to condominium and cooperative boards.

Send your news to –Ms. Gretchen Haffermehl Brainard gretchenbrainard@gmail.com

Send your news to –Mrs. Cynthia Bohlin Abbott cyndiabbott@hotmail.com

Wade Johnson G ’97 delivered a presentation at the 2024 Vermont Emergency Preparedness Conference entitled, ‘Emergency Management Considerations from Critical Incidents.”’ (See Wade's photo with online notes.)

Send your news to –Ms. Valeri Susan Pappas vpappas@davisandceriani.com

Daniel Whitaker G ’96 lays claim to being one half of “Mainland China's only (to my knowledge) Catamount Couple.” Dan and Jenny Whitaker are living in Beijing — Jenny is the HR Director at the International School of Beijing (ISB) and Dan is SVP of International Business at Warp9 MicroSolutions, a boutique San Francisco-based eDiscovery provider. He adds: “Any Catamounts visiting Beijing or mainland China, please let us know so our family can do our best to give you a proper welcome. Go Catamounts!” (See their photo with online notes.)

Send your news to –Ms. Jill Cohen Gent jgent@steris.com or Mrs. Michelle Richards Peters mpeters@eagleeyes.biz

Dennis Teravainen is excited to announce the recent opening of Teravainen Law, LLC, a personal injury law practice in Easton, Mass. He represents clients with injury claims in the courts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

Send your news to –Mrs. Elizabeth Carstensen Genung leegenung@me.com

Jeremy Palmer writes: “After many years working professional theatre in NYC, my family returned to Vermont in 2018. In 2025, I started work as the technical director for the Middlebury College Theatre Department. Looking forward to sharing my knowledge and passion for the arts with the next generation.” After many years of working for others, Rebecca Schubert decided to jump into the world of entrepreneurship. In January of 2024, she launched her insurance-based, private practice as a registered dietitian. Her business, One Step Nutrition Coaching, is based in N.H. and she works with clients via telehealth in Mass., Maine, N.H. and Vt. Learn more at onestepnutritioncoach.com and see Rebecca's photo with online notes.

MAIL YOUR CLASS NOTES: UVM Alumni Association

61 Summit Street, Burlington, VT 05401

SUBMIT YOUR CLASS NOTES: alumni.uvm.edu/notes or class.notes@uvm.edu

Send your news to –Mr. Benjamin Eldridge Stockman bestockman@gmail.com

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Jamie Cudney celebrates 25 years at UVMMC in April working as a pediatric nurse. She is also happy to share that her son, Cole Cudney, is in his first year at UVM and studying nursing. She says, “Nurses inspire nurses!” Nicholas Meyer shares that he and brother Taylor Meyer ‘97 have turned their old milking parlor into an on farm distillery called High Drive Distillery. Determined to save the family farm, the two brothers are using their lifelong farming skills to turn grains grown on the farm into small batch spirits. He invites all to “discover our fresh, crisp, floral gin and soon-torelease whiskies from the fields of Hardwick, Vt. Come for a visit!” (See Nicholas's photo with online notes.)

Send your news to –Mrs. Sarah Pitlak Tiber spitlak@hotmail.com

25th Reunion Celebration September 26 - 28 go.uvm.edu/uvmwknd25

Sara Desilets G’02 writes: “My oldest son, Zach, has joined the UVM Class of 2028 and is deciding whether to major in engineering or business. There have been so many changes to the campus since we graduated 20+ years ago!” Rachel Imbrogno writes: “Sisters and UVM graduates: Michelle Imbrogno Miller ‘92 and I have launched a new tour company called Culinary Wine Camp! We partner with a wine store to bring guests the most incredible experiences in food, culture and wines. The first trip will be September 2025 to Piedmont, Italy and we have partnered with Craftbottlz in New Canaan, Conn. Join us as we visit renowned wineries, meet and taste with the winemakers in their cellars, and experience everything the region has to offer. Learn more on Instagram at Culinary Wine Camp!” (See their photo with online notes.)

Kimberly Bacher was sworn in on August 12, 2024, as the chief United States bankruptcy judge for the District of New Hampshire. In attendance was her favorite UVM professor, Kerin Stackpole, as well as many federal judges, including Supreme Court Justice Souter. (See Kimberly's photo with online notes.) Todd Papianou was chosen as Maine High School PE Teacher of the year for 2023.

Send your news to –Ms. Jennifer Khouri Godin jenniferkhouri@yahoo.com

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The family, friends, and students of Mindi Wimett G’09 proudly shared that Mindi was selected by the White House for a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching 2022. They say: “Mindi Wimett has made a mark in the Vermont education system. She has served on a variety of committees in her supervisory union, and has participated in multiple professional learning communities (PLC), such as the supervisory union’s anti-racist PLC and book study for Fostering Resilient Learners. Mindi has attended the Middle Grades Institute for several years and presented at the Middle Grades Collaborative annual conference three times. She has also served as a mentor to new teachers. She earned a B.S. in elementary education and an M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction through UVM’s Vermont Mathematics Initiative. She is a certified elementary school educator and a middle grades mathematics educator.” (See Mindi's photo with online notes.). After a lengthy hiatus, Cameron Bradley reignited his passion for theatre by portraying the role of Florindo, one of the leads in Shelburne Players’ two-week engagement of The Servant of Two Masters. Having ‘caught the bug again’, he is looking forward to trying out for future Vermont performances. He is also happy to announce his engagement to Cody Silfies ’09 - something may or may have happened as prep for his aforementioned role as a passionate romantic.

Send your news to –Mrs. Korinne Moore Berenson korinne.d.moore@gmail.com

Send your news to –Ms. Kelly Marie Kisiday kelly.kisiday@gmail.com

Robert Duguay is celebrating the tenth anniversary of jazzgeneration.org, a NYC based non-profit, sharing the joys of music from New Orleans all the way to Burlington, Vt.! He writes, “As a musician, I released a new album entitled ‘Looking Up Through the Trees,’ under my concert band SONGEVITY. I hope you dig it.” Katie Oxman welcomed her third baby in 27 months in March 2024. She writes, “Two girls (ages two and three) and now a little boy. Life is busy but amazing!”

Send your news to –Mrs. Kristen Dobbs Schulman kristin.schulman@gmail.com

Send your news to –Mrs. Katherine Kasarjian Murphy kateandbri@gmail.com

Send your news to –Mrs. Elizabeth DiPietrantonio dipietrantonioe@jgua.com

Carmen Lagala happily reports that she headlined Vermont Comedy Club on April 11 and 12. Her full special, Sweet Batch, is on YouTube and she feels she's come a long way from being afraid to raise her hand in class to doing stand-up comedy full-time. Come say “hi” to

her at her shows! (See Carmen's photo with online notes.) Melissa Cabral-Seabury earned her Master of Library and Information Science degree from Valdosta State University and aspires to become a youth services librarian. Aaron Tolbert G’10 began the role of provost and vice president of academic affairs at Tompkins Cortland Community College in January 2025. Jonathan Crowder started a job as export sales manager for Tootsie Roll Industries, based in Chicago, Ill. He manages sales for the Asia-Pacific region.

Send your news to –Ms. Elizabeth S. Bearese ebearese@gmail.com or Ms. Emma Maria Grady gradyemma@gmail.com

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During the spring of 2024, Aubrey Carpenter (formerly Aubrey Edson) opened a private practice in the heart of Richmond, Vt., focused on providing psychological support and community events for caregivers navigating parenting stress and postpartum mental health challenges. Drawing from her background in child and adolescent clinical psychology, the practice supports parents seeking one-time consultation or short-term support to cope with all of the growth edges and challenges that parenting can bring. She writes: “We have now grown to a group of three clinical psychologists serving women's health and child mental health needs. Check us out at ittakesavillagevermont.com. I live in Richmond with my husband and three young kids, where we love our community and spending lots of time at Cochran's these days!” (See Aubrey's photo with online notes.) Josh Neirman was recently promoted to immersive experiences senior program manager at Moishe House, which is a Jewish community-building non-profit for young adults in their 20’s and early 30’s. Julius Rempe-Night writes: “Hello from Oklahoma! I wanted to send a quick note about a new creative endeavor! Creating has always been an important outlet for me, and recently I’ve launched a business creating quilt patterns. I would love to invite anyone interested in quilting (even if you’re just starting out) to check out my website: juliushandmade.com and join my community. I hope everyone is well and look forward to reconnecting!” (See Julius's photo with online notes.) Emily Tufaro had, “a big change last summer — our family moved from Brooklyn to Summit, N.J. We are all enjoying the community, schools and more space!” This past fall, Cody Silfies was awarded the UVM President’s ‘Our Common Ground Award’ and celebrated a self-described ‘venmo engagement’ to his partner Cameron Bradley ‘03.

Phil Harrington married Kristen Fiocco, in Waterbury, Vt., at St. Andrew Catholic Church last year: “We built an off-grid house in Bolton, Vt., where we live with our Alaskan Malamute.”

Send your news to –

Ms. Daron Lynn Raleigh raleighdaron@gmail.com

| CLASS NOTES

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We send our warm congratulations to Justin Parent ’11, PhD’17, on faculty at the University of Rhode Island, who was selected by President Biden as an outstanding early-career scientist through the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. Send your news to –Ms. Troy Elizabeth McNamara troy.mcnamara4@gmail.com

Sydney Lucia writes: “ Brendan Sage ’13 and I are loving life with our now twoyear-old daughter, Adelaide. 2024 was a big year for us — we traveled to St. Lucia, Cape Cod, Washington, D.C., California (for Jen Dell ’14’s wedding), and finally to Toronto, Canada to see Taylor Swift! We're looking forward to our next trip to Curaçao this January and then off to Croatia in September.” Casey Manning Willis and her husband Owen of Brooklyn, N.Y., welcomed their first child — son Dashiell (Dash) Willis — on December 3, 2024. Send your news to –Mr. Patrick Wayne Dowd patrickdowd2012@gmail.com

In late fall of 2024, Charles Bowden self-published The Observer's Guide to Japanese Vending Machines, a design-oriented photography book about Japan. Matthew Channen '12 wedded June Claughton in Danvers, Mass. in September 2024. There to celebrate with them were fellow Catamounts Matt Sleeman '11, Grant Olear '12 , Jacob Smock '12 , Zach Setian '12 , Maria (Cayia) Cunningham '18, Amy (Esterkes) Channen '82 , Toni (Viola) Grossenbacher '16, Alana (Luttinger) Allan

’15, Hannah Rosen ’15, Teresa (Claughton) Booth ’17, and Robert Cunningham ’10. Matt and June currently live in Danvers, Mass., with their golden retriever, Huckleberry. June also provides “a little context about Matt and I! We didn't know each other at UVM, but I happened to attend his graduation from the Business School back in 2012. We met via a dating app and we clicked over our love of UVM! Matt's mom also went to UVM and all love and reflect on our time at UVM with the fondest memories.”

Christopher McCloud writes: “In recent years, I have managed to advance a number of personal goals, particularly doing one long-distance hike per year. I managed to do the Arizona National Scenic Trail in 2019, Vermont’s own Long Trail in 2020, the Uinta Highline in northern Utah in 2023, and am currently working on the Hayduke Trail across Utah. I write about my experiences on these trails under my trail name, Aspen, at Aspen’s Tracks. Professionally, after eight years of seasonal work with the National Park Service at Wind Cave, Wolf Trap, Grand Canyon, the George Washington Memorial Parkway, Craters of the Moon, and Katmai, I secured a permanent park ranger position with the Bureau of Land Management’s Arizona Strip District in St George, Utah, and have been attempting to develop more educational opportunities at our campground in the Virgin River Gorge between Las Vegas and St George. My move out west from Vermont took me through my final continental state that I had not yet been to: Oklahoma. Only Hawai’i now remains, probably for next fall or winter — maybe part of a celebration when I complete the Hayduke?” (See Christopher's photo with online notes.)

READ AND SUBMIT CLASS NOTES ONLINE

alumni.uvm.edu/notes

Send your news to –Mrs. Grace Louise Buckles Eaton glbuckles@gmail.com

Louis (Luke) Dodge and Jamie Herold ‘17 were married on September 1, 2024 in Killington, Vt. Jamie and Luke met at UVM through their participation in the Integrated Social Science Program. They returned to Vermont for their wedding to share the place where they fell in love with their family and friends. Azulena (Royer) Godeck and her husband welcomed their first child, Aidan Godeck, last fall. They recently moved back to Vermont after living in other states since Azulena graduated. Azulena is looking forward to reconnecting with her fellow Catamounts. Jared Hammer G ’17 writes, “Sofia Fierro and I got engaged under the northern lights above the Arctic Circle in Sweden on Christmas Eve 2024! We are excited to share the news with all of our UVM friends.”

Mallory Honan G’19 joined the Environmental Defense Fund as a livestock methane scientist in late 2024. Robert Parris writes: “Hi, Class of 2017! Can you believe it’s been almost eight years since we walked across that stage? Time flies! Since leaving UVM, I’ve been on quite the journey — teaching, writing, and finding my way through life’s twists and turns. This year, I’m excited to share some big news: I published my debut poetry collection, Lay Me Down to Sleep. The book is deeply personal, written during the pandemic, and explores themes of loss, memory, and healing. It’s a reflection of the lessons life has taught me since our days on campus, where I wrote so many poems and so many of us began finding our voices and passions. My book is available on Amazon. Looking back, I’m grateful for the moments at UVM that shaped me — those late-night talks in the dorms, BSU meetings, and the encouragement from professors and faculty like Emily Bernard and Bev Colston. They all helped me realize the power of storytelling, something that continues to guide my path. I’d love to hear what everyone else has been up to! Whether you’re in the same field you imagined back then or forging a completely different path, let’s keep the conversation going. You can find me on Instagram or drop me a message if you want to reconnect @robsstorie.” (See Robert's photo with online notes.)

Trent Buckham ’16 and Alaina Bucknam welcomed their baby girl, Margot, on June 10, 2014. They are enjoying life as a family of three in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Zelda Dively G ’20 writes: “I began the year by being a recipient of a company-wide RISE Award as the New England Region Culture Champion for the work I’ve done to provide resources and support to the younger professionals within my office and the New England region (at VHB). I also presented on one of my projects at the Maine Stormwater Conference. Lastly, I passed my Principles and Practice of Engineering exam and am now a licensed professional engineer.”

Jessica NeJame recently began a new position as the land trust stewardship coordinator for the H. L. Ferguson Museum on Fishers Island, N.Y.

Samantha Hojnowski and Oliver Pomazi were married in Stowe, Vt., in September 2024. They are grateful that UVM brought them together! (See their photo with online notes.)

Sydney Melfi writes: “I graduated from New England Law School, Boston in May of 2024. I accepted a job with the U.S. Navy as a JAG officer. I am very excited to start my journey as a Naval attorney in New London, Conn.” Emma Spitzer recently began working for the University, at the Department of World Languages. She is excited for this next adventure.

Will Jeffries shares that he: “got engaged to my finally-discovered soulmate, my fiancée Ell Longnecker, with plans to celebrate our wedding in 2025. In other news, I appeared in Vermont Business magazine this past year for my work in helping innovators transform their ideas into successful businesses.”

Kristin Darby G ’23 and her fiancé, Casey Kimball, are pleased to announce the August birth of their son, Wyatt Michael. Isabel Martine writes, “I began a new position in October as the assistant technical director for the Department of Theater at Colgate University!” Eric Scharf, son of Jonathan Scharf ’90 and Liz Scharf ’91, dutifully followed the men’s soccer team’s historic playoff run with UVM buddies Charlie Cribb ’24, Charlie Shapiro ’24, and Will Tessmer ’24 from Boston and says, “What a thrill! Congrats, Cats!”

Send your news to –

Mr. Han Naung Tun annasxhan@gmail.com

Fiona Duckworth has started veterinary school. Ally Shepherd has been working “as a water resources scientist for an environmental consulting company in Burlington and traveling all over Vermont! I love living here and have been getting outside more than ever before! I hope to through-hike the Long Trail in the future!”

Ray Allen ’59 passed away in October 2024. His one-of-akind involvement with UVM included service as a volunteer trustee, induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 1983 for his excellence in track and field and cross country, partnership with UVM Extension, and welcoming NR1 classes to tours on the family’s much-loved Allenholm Farm in South Hero.

Roland J. “Rolly” Allen ’61 passed away in October 2024. Active and dedicated as a student and as an alumnus, he was involved in student government, Sigma Phi, and as a member of the Boulder Society. As an alumnus, he served on numerous class reunion committees, the Ira Allen Society fundraising committee, which he chaired, regional alumni club committees, the Alumni Council, and as president of the UVM Alumni Association. In 1985 he was honored with the Alumni Association’s prestigious Distinguished Service Award. He is survived by his bride of 63 years, Katherine Ann (Brother) Allen ’61, his children, David Allen ’90 and Robin Lee Parmenter, and a loving extended family that includes niece Tina Allen ’03.

Celebrated classics professor Z. Philip Ambrose passed away in February 2025. He joined the faculty in the Department of Classics in 1962, where he made his career and served as chair (1973-1992; 2001-2006) until retiring in 2006. An inspiring and demanding teacher, he won the George V. Kidder Outstanding Faculty Award in 2006. His teaching of Greek mythology was legendary and attracted students from a wide range of interests and disciplines. He worked tirelessly to build and maintain high school Latin and foreign language programs in the state, establishing Vermont Latin Day in 1977, an annual event that still brings hundreds of secondary school students from around Vermont to the UVM campus. In 2021, he personally established the Ambrose Graduate Fellowship in Classical Languages to ensure the durability of the program. He is survived by a large circle of family and friends that includes his wife, professor Gretchen Van Slyke, and daughter Lisa Ambrose Meyer ’90, and was predeceased by his first wife, Professor Jane Perlis Ambrose G’63

Much-loved English professor Mary Jane Dickerson passed away in October 2024. She contributed tirelessly to the English department during her 34-year career at the University of Vermont. Mary Jane developed courses in women’s autobiography and African American literature (UVM’s first) on the undergraduate and graduate levels. In 1997, she was awarded the George V. Kidder Outstanding Faculty Award and was thrilled to be invited in her final years of teaching to Japan and South Africa as a visiting scholar. She is survived by her children, Ann and Albert Dickerson, and their families.

Bob Katz ’55 passed away in December 2024 and is remembered as an active and kind community member. In his time on campus, the College of Arts and Sciences alum was part of ROTC and a brother in Phi Sigma Delta. Part of a large Catamount family, he is survived by wife Joan Aronsohn Katz ’56, and children Andrew Jay Katz, Bruce Katz ’81, Peter Katz ’78, and Wendy Katz Nunez ’85

Aulis Lind was a Professor of Geography from 1970 until retiring in 1994 and was the director of the UVM Remote Sensing Laboratory. Among her notable achievements were the first uses of NASA satellite imaging to discover and document pollution from the International Paper plant in New York spilling into Lake Champlain, which case settled after expert testimony to a special master in the United States Supreme Court in 1974; and the first uses of NASA Landsat imaging for continued environmental monitoring. She was a two-time Fulbright scholar and served in many capacities in her field and at UVM. She is survived by sons Karl Lind, Eric Lind, and Peter Martin Lind ’88.

English professor R. Harry Orth passed away in January 2025. He was a prolific contributor to his field and to the university during his career; he taught 23 different undergraduate and graduate courses, served on numerous college and university committees, chaired the Faculty Senate in 1973-74, was selected as University Scholar in humanities for 1987-88 and became the English department’s Corse Professor of English Language and Literature in 1992. His four children are Steven Orth, Carol Orth, Thomas Orth, and Leah Orth Rowe ’94, and their families.

Patricia Pizzagalli ’55 passed away in December 2024. There were few areas at UVM that she didn’t enrich as a volunteer, donor and fan – from welcoming other alumni back to campus for Homecoming events to supporting the Lane Series to Men’s Hockey to volunteering with the Parents Fund. Her support for scholarships and equipment will benefit many lives, for long years to come. She is survived by a wide circle of friends and family that includes children Lisa Pizzagalli, Mia Pizzagalli, and Jon Pizzagalli ’96

Sean-Mazeika Patricio Sullivan G’00 passed away in May 2024. He earned his M.S. in Biology and Ph.D. in Natural Resources at UVM. He is remembered as a devoted husband to his wife, Gabriela, and father to Adela, Joaquin, Santiago, and Gael. Professionally, he is especially remembered for his important work in coastal ecology, and his passion for equity, inclusion, and diversity in ecological studies.

Dr. Robert O. Sinclair ’44, G’55, Dean Emeritus of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, passed away in February 2025 at the age of 102. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in animal husbandry, his early career included positions as an agricultural extension agent in Washington County and an instructor in agricultural economics at UVM. He culminated his distinguished 34-year career as dean of the College of Agriculture and director of the Agricultural Experiment Station before retiring in 1987. While at UVM, he taught or advised hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students, many of whom went on to prominent positions in agriculture in Vermont and throughout the country. He conducted research that was fundamental to the formation of Vermont’s Act 250 and was influential in the passage of Vermont’s Use Value Appraisal Program. In 2006, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences established the Sinclair Cup to recognize retired faculty who had outstanding careers in the College and/or UVM Extension.

He was the first recipient. He is survived by a loving family that includes sons Robert W. Sinclair ’70 and Steven J. Sinclair ’75

John Tampas ’51, MD’54 passed away in December 2024 at age 95. John served as the Department of Radiology chair for 26 years in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. He was a talented and deeply respected radiologist whose care and concern for both patients and colleagues shone brightly. His unwavering dedication to his department and to UVM meant he was one of the College of Medicine’s most loyal alumni, serving as a class agent and on the Larner Alumni Executive Committee for decades. He cherished the alumni community and helping to keep alumni connected to each other and to their alma mater. In 1995, he received the A. Bradley Soule Award, the Medical Alumni Association’s highest honor. He is survived by children Andrea Tampas Yucknut, Christiana Tampas-Williams ’95, Jessica Tampas, and Peter Tampas.

Harold D. Woods, teacher and advocate of UVM’s service learning programming, passed away in November 2024. In 1969, he was hired as coordinator of fraternity affairs at UVM, and then became director of the Office of Volunteer Programs. At his suggestion, students Brian Doubleday and Jim Taylor created a compelling film called “Do Nothing WITH Someone” to show the potential for community service by students. The huge student response to this film gave great momentum to service learning at UVM, and Hal’s passion and leadership were instrumental in its growth and success.

Ed Zuccaro ’64 passed away in December 2024. After graduating from UVM, he went on to earn a Juris Doctor degree from New York Law School and had a long and rewarding legal career that touched many. The University was a grateful beneficiary of Ed’s energy and focus, benefiting from his service as a Trustee and Board Chair, among many instances of volunteering and support. He is survived by his beloved wife, Carol, and children Rev. James Edward Zuccaro ’95 and Gina Zuccaro.

Going, Going… Saved

Photographer and interviewer Peter Miller, who died in 2023 at age 89, had a wide-ranging career in Europe and America as an assistant to the great Canadian portraitist Yousuf Karsh, and as a photographer for Life magazine in the 1960s before returning to Vermont, where he’d first moved during high school with his widowed mother. Over several decades he documented rural Vermont’s people and places during a period of cultural and economic change that, in Miller’s opinion, threatened Vermont’s spirit and way of life.

In 2024 the Miller archive became a part of UVM’s Silver Special Collections, where its prints, negatives, and other materials will be available to shed light on past lives in the Green Mountain State. Lives like that of Willis Hicks (above) owner/auctioneer of Hicks Commission Sales (livestock—upwards of 180,000 cows by his count—farm equipment, the occasional antique) in Hyde Park from 1946 to 1969. Miller captured Hicks and this photogenic heifer in 1969, as he prepared to call his last auction and retire.

On behalf our 131,000 alumni the UVM Foundation congratulates our Vermont men’s soccer team on becoming the 2024 NCAA College Cup Champions.

Instructions: Cut along the white dotted line above to cut out your photo, and then place it in your favorite frame to display for all to see your Catamount Pride!