Stephen Sarikas, Ph.D., Named Joan Weiler Arnow

F A L L
W h e re t h e C l a s s ro o m
I s T h e R e a l Wo r l d
2 0 0 8
In this issue
Leaves
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Message from the President
Commencement
Connected Learning
Campus Update
Class Notes
Alumni Relations
Major Gifts
Annual Fund
Sports
Recognizing the Importance of Annual Giving
Adelaide Shaffer Van Winkle ’36/H’96
Offers $150,000 Challenge
Showing her firm belief in the future
The Strategic Plan has a goal of
reaching or exceeding $1 million in
annual giving by 2012. With donors
responding in full to the Challenge
BOSTON, MA
PERMIT #51347
PAID
NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE
Adelaide Shaffer Van Winkle ’36/H’96.
of Lasell and her passion for higher
education, Adelaide Shaffer Van Winkle
’36/H’96 has offered a $150,000
Challenge to the FY09 Annual Fund.
“I hope to stimulate new and increased
giving from alumni, parents, and
friends of the College, and to take
annual giving to a new level,” she says.
“With the inauguration of President
Alexander and the Strategic Plan for
2012, we are entering a new phase in
Lasell’s history and my challenge
shows my confidence in the path
of the College.”
Grant, Lasell will take a huge forward
stride towards this objective. An Annual
Fund at this level will propel Lasell to a
new level of excellence and position the
College for future growth.
Unrestricted Annual Fund gifts support
many pressing needs. Student financial
aid has become even more important
in these current economic times as
families struggle to pay tuition.
Campus maintenance requires more
attention as we continue to grow, with
the addition of new residence halls,
faculty offices, and classroom space.
And, as outlined in the Strategic Plan,
additional resources to attract top
faculty to Lasell and to provide them
with the educational tools they need
to educate the next generation of
leaders in our society which remains a
topmost objective.
Under the terms of the Challenge,
Adelaide Van Winkle will match up
to $150,000 of contributions to the
2008-09 Annual Fund to the extent
that each contribution (not counting
third-party matching payments) exceeds
the same person’s contribution from the
prior year, is at least $100, and is paid
by June 30, 2009.
“Lasell is fortunate to have an alumna
show such incredible leadership and
generosity,” says President Alexander.
“Her support of the College reaffirms
her belief in its progress in the
coming years.” ’
Commitment to Teaching
Stephen Sarikas, Ph.D., Named
Joan Weiler Arnow Professor
A
t Commencement in May, Vice
President for Academic Affairs James
Ostrow announced that Biology
Professor Stephen Sarikas would be
the fifth recipient of the Joan Weiler
Arnow Professorship. Established by
Robert and Joan Weiler Arnow ’49,
the three-year professorship provides
support for a scholar-teacher whose
commitment to teaching and personal
interest in students enhances the
learning process and makes a
Continued on page 5
Newly named Arnow Professor Stephen
Sarikas, Ph.D., receives hearty
congratulations from fellow faculty members.
Change Service Requested
Office of Institutional Advancement
1844 Commonwealth Avenue
Newton, MA 02466-2716
Lasell College
First Recipients of Excellence in Educational
Leadership Award Announced at Commencement
The Thomas E.J. de Witt Award for
Excellence in Educational Leadership
was established to recognize the
achievements and extraordinary
leadership of the eighth president’s
19 years of service. Nominations
for individuals who demonstrated
extraordinary leadership and
innovation in education while
supporting the mission of the
College were submitted and the
first awards were granted at
Commencement in May.
Marketing Professor Nancy Waldron
was recognized for her creation of the
College’s first on-line graduate courses,
for her coordination of the Connected
Learning Symposium, and for her
passion for teaching.
For his tireless work to ensure the
security and safety of the entire College
community, Director of Lasell’s
Department of Public Safety Edward
Conlin received the award from
President Emeritus de Witt.
Message from the President
Michael B. Alexander.
Dear Lasell Community,
During our strategic planning process
last year, we spent quite a bit of time
discussing the identity of Lasell College.
How do we want people in the world
outside of Lasell to think about the
College? What is the distinctive place
that we could hold in the public mind
that is not already owned by some other
educational institution?
As a community, we decided that the
factor that separates us from other small
colleges is the consistent application of
our connected learning philosophy
across all of our academic programs,
even to the point of infusing that
philosophy into every single course
possible. Since we made that decision,
we have been inventing different ways to
express that central concept of a
consistently applied educational
philosophy. One way has been through
the phrase you will see on the cover of
the strategic plan, “Where the Classroom
is the Real World.” Through this phrase
we mean to evoke the notion that we
expect students to practice the academic
work of the subject matter not only
through internships, not only through
service-learning, but also in the context
of each and every course.
Our Admission Office, in the
preparation of their new promotional
materials, has found an alternative
way to express this same concept:
“Experience Every Day.” This phrase
has the benefit and strength not only
of being short but also of carrying an
interesting double meaning. One can
think of it in the context of, “We expect
our students to gain experience every
day” or one can think of it as
“experiencing every day to its fullest,”
getting the most out of the opportunities
that Lasell provides for a full and
complete education for its students.
Even our newly-minted mission
statement is built around this central
concept. The core of the mission
statement says that Lasell College
“integrates challenging course work
with practical experience.” This phrase
constitutes a direct and simple
declaration of what our educational
philosophy comprises. This summer
we’ve been putting the finishing
touches on the application for a new
degree program, a Master of Science in
Communications. In reviewing one of
our submissions recently, I came upon
an explanation of connected learning,
written by Vice President of Academic
Affairs Jim Ostrow, that I think explains
well what our connected learning
philosophy is all about and why it
makes a Lasell College education
something special and something to
be cherished.
“Connected learning is a philosophy
that underscores the belief that students
learn best by doing the work of the
field. This philosophy underlies all
instructional activities at Lasell College.
As a result, our students have the
opportunity to practice and prepare for
situations in their later professional
lives through a project-based and
problem-based approach to learning,
through exposure to diverse cultures
and peoples, through the development
of critical skills such as writing and
speaking in front of groups, and
through confrontation with ethical
and moral questions.”
I would like to ask that every person in
the broad Lasell community help spread
the message contained in the preceding
paragraph. It is the consistent and
pervasive application of this educational
philosophy that makes Lasell College
distinctive among small colleges in
America. If we work together to
communicate and reinforce this concept
in every way imaginable, it will help to
raise Lasell College to the level of
prominence that its recent achievements
so richly deserve.
Sincerely,
Michael B. Alexander
President
Lasell College is pleased to announce the election of new
members to its Board of Trustees and Board of Overseers
Trustees
Lemuel S. Lanier has
had over 30 years
experience in the
areas of information
technology, auditing,
and accounting. As
Vice President of Corporate Business
Systems at the Gillette Company, he
gave strategic direction and was in
charge of IT business partner relations
management for corporate entities
including Finance, Human Resources,
Corporate Communications, Legal,
and Treasury. He championed a global
IT reorganization, migrating from
dispersed to centrally managed
resources and, as director of Global
Processes and Applications, he
implemented simplified, consistent
business process in conformity with
strategic technologies.
Mr. Lanier is a graduate of
UMass/Amherst and received his
Master of Science in Computer
Information Systems from Bentley
College. Recently he served as an
adjunct professor in Lasell’s
Undergraduate Business and Graduate
Management Program. He has also
received his Certified Public Accountant
2 Lasell Leaves
and Certified Information Systems
Audit certificates.
Jackie Hoffmeier Lee
’68 is a Director of
BigBad, Inc., an
interactive media
agency located in
Boston that specializes
in building large and
complex websites for both the public
and private sectors. In the past, she has
offered her considerable skills to
Hartford’s Wadsworth Atheneum
Museum of Art, where she was group
visit coordinator for five years, served as
a docent for 14 years, and is now an
honorary docent. Prior to working at
the Atheneum, she was the manager
of the Hartford Seminary Bookstore.
Jackie is an alumna who understands
the importance of giving back to one’s
college. In 1999, she became a member
of the Annual Fund’s Special Gifts
Committee for the Lasell 150 Campaign
and, in 2002, she was elected to the
College’s Board of Overseers which she
served on until October 2008. Jackie
has stayed in close touch with many of
her classmates and has willingly served
as the host for several Connecticut
alumni events.
John “Jack” Maguire
P’09 is an academic
trained in the
scientific method.
He introduced market
research to the field of
admissions when he became the Dean
of Admissions at Boston College.
There he created the first enrollment
management model for the recruitment
and retention of students and he tripled
the number of applications and
transformed the quality and national
character of the student body. In 1983,
he founded Maguire Associates, serving
clients and contributing to the evolution
of marketing in higher education.
Mr. Maguire has authored numerous
papers and has been featured in Money
magazine, The Chronicle of Higher
Education and NPR’s “Talk of the
Nation” and “Morning Edition.” He
has served as a trustee of the United
Cerebral Palsy Association and The
College Board. He holds a Ph.D. in
theoretical physics from Boston College
and received a post-doctoral fellowship
from Rice University.
Overseers
Shirley Vara Gallerani
’53 joined the Education
faculty at Lasell in 1986
and also served as the
director of the Holway
Child Study Center at
Rockwell. She was responsible for
establishing the second child study
center at The Barn and then served as
director of both centers. In 1991, Shirley
received the Lasell Medallion and was
elected a Corporator in 2000. When
Shirley retired in 1999, anonymous
donors established the “Shirley Vara
Gallerani ’53 Teacher Fund” in her
honor to recognize the teachers at
The Barn.
After her graduation from Lasell,
Shirley earned her B.S. from
Framingham State College and a Master
of Science in Management from Lesley
University. She is currently president of
the Falmouth Hospital Auxiliary and is
past president of the Falmouth
Newcomers Club.
continued on page 3
Fall 2008
Commencement
College Grants 281 Degrees at 154th Commencement
President Emeritus
Talbot’s Inc. CEO, Trudy Sullivan,
Speaks to Graduates
Trudy F. Sullivan, the retailing and
merchandising expert who serves as the
CEO of The Talbot’s Inc., gave her very
own blueprint for success at May’s
commencement ceremony. “Whatever
your passion, go after it with wild
abandon. Dare to think big. Don’t ever
feel you’re locked into one career path.
Don’t be afraid to move outside your
comfort zone,” she said, connecting
with her listeners with her easy,
conversational speaking style.
She quoted Abigail Adams, wife of the
second President of the United States,
in a letter she sent her husband during
the tense, pre-revolution fall of 1776,
in which she said, “Don’t let your fears
betray your hopes.”
Said Sullivan, “When a great opportunity
comes along, but you think it might be
a bit beyond your skill set or experience
level — don’t let your fears betray
your hopes.
“If you’re dissatisfied with your situation
but are tempted to stay for the steady
paycheck or because the work is easy —
don’t let your fears betray your hopes.
Trudy Sullivan addresses the soon-to-be
graduates.
“And if you find yourself reluctant to
volunteer for a high profile assignment
because there’s a risk of public failure
— don’t let your fears betray your hopes.
Fall 2008
Baccalaureate Service Reinstituted
Trudy Sullivan was awarded an honorary
doctor of humane letters degree. ’
continued from page 2
Tamara Bettcher
Walker ’78, P’10
received her nursing
degree from
Massachusetts
General Hospital
and worked in the
Endocrinology Department for Lahey
Clinic Medical Center before moving
to Middlebury, CT. She then worked
Honorary Doctorate Degree
“Even if you think you’ve got your career
all mapped out, don’t be surprised if
every once in a while life throws you a
curveball. It’s bound to happen. And
when it does, be grateful — even if the
curve ball brings disappointment or
pain — because you’ve just been given
an invitation to learn.”
New Board Members Elected
Patricia Torbron
Geoghegan ’68 is the
owner of European
Manor, Inc., a home
furnishings company
in Wellesley, MA.
Long interested in
retail, she gained experience at Filenes,
a division of May Company. There she
became a Human Resource Specialist
after serving as a department manager
and assistant buyer. While at Lasell,
she was awarded Outstanding Retail
Student and after graduation she
worked directly with Lasell Retailing
Professor Charles Barry at Grover
Cronin, Inc. in Waltham, MA. She
received her B.A. in Psychology from
Ohio State University, graduating
summa cum laude.
For his extraordinary leadership, vision, and service to the College, Board of Trustees
Chairman Eric Turner confers the designation of President Emeritus of Lasell College to
Thomas E.J. de Witt.
for the Women’s Health and Wellness
Center in Cheshire, CT. A graduate
of Westover School, she became
the Director of its Annual Fund and
during her six years there she was
able to increase the Fund from
$650,000 to the school’s first
Million Dollar Annual Fund.
Tami is currently a member and a
past president of the Junior League
of greater Waterbury and is a member
of the Waterbury Hospital Auxiliary.
She also serves on the Elisha
Leavenworth Foundation in Waterbury
and is working on the centennial
committee for Westover’s 2009-10
Centennial Celebration.
Tami and her husband Tom have
three children: two sons and a
daughter, Caitlyn, who is a Sport
Management major at Lasell and
will graduate in 2010.
For her 31 years of dedication and tireless
work, Vice President for Business and
Finance Elizabeth Shurtleff Winter ’70
was presented an honorary doctor of
humane letters degree. She recently
accepted the position of Chief Financial
Officer at Packer Collegiate Institute in
Brooklyn, NY.
Under the auspices of the Center for
Spiritual Life, Lasell reinstituted the
tradition of Baccalaureate Service as part
of Commencement Weekend. Families and
graduates filled Yamawaki Auditorium for
a program that combined music, readings,
and a ceremony of light. Stephanie Kana
’08 made the graduate address.
Board of Overseers Votes
in New Executive Team
T
he Board of Overseers was
established in 1991 to support Lasell
College, the Board of Trustees and
senior management, in the
advancement of the school’s
educational mission with advice,
expertise and resources. Overseers
also serve as ambassadors of the
College, providing a link to the
broader community.
In 2004, the Committee on Trustees
determined that the Board of
Overseers could play a more integral
role in the life of the College. To that
end, for the first time in its history,
the Overseers would elect officers,
undertake a strategic planning
process, and take on a specific
initiative known as “Friendraising to
Fundraising.” This included a series
of events entitled “Life After Lasell”
targeted to graduating students to
encourage them to stay connected
to the College as alumni.
The first executive team was comprised
of Chairman Robin Parry, Vice
Chairman Helena Bentz Hartnett and
Secretary Jackie Hoffmeier Lee ’68.
Their terms, intended to be two years,
continued until their meeting this June.
The new executive team, to take the
helm in October, will be Patricia Beck
Bishop ’97 as chairman, Roger
Moulton as vice chairman, and Joan
Conradi McLaughlin ’59 as secretary.
Robin and her team certainly raised
the bar and made significant progress
during their tenure. They now look
to Patti, Roger, and Joan to carry on
this important undertaking. ’
Lasell Leaves
3
Connected Learning
First Service Trip to Nicaragua
Helping Provide Library Services and Community Outreach
out to 30 remote areas in the
surrounding community three days a
week, visiting three towns each time.
“This means that locations are probably
only visited once a month,” says Dan
Iles ’08. “Both the children and the
adults have library cards and after they
return their books they fish through the
bins to find a new one. There is a real
excitement in the air.”
(L to R) Camille Gilman ’08, Dan Iles ’08,
and Georges Fadel ’08 talk with a teacher at
a rural school.
Books are a rare commodity in
Nicaragua but in 2002, with the
establishment of the San Juan del
Sur Biblioteca Movil, the first free
public lending library in the country,
local people began to have access to
precious reading materials. Eight Lasell
students and three faculty members
traveled to this small coastal town last
May to volunteer their services and
help provide books to both children
and adults.
The group spent most of their time at
the Biblioteca and its Proyecto Movil,
which takes buckets of books by truck
“I was so impressed with how well
behaved the children were as they
flooded towards the books,” recalls
Kristen Augenfeld ’10. “I’m a Fashion
Design major, so I volunteered to help
measure the youngsters for their school
uniforms. No matter how poor the
families are, the students all come to
school in uniforms and the clothing
gives them a sense of belonging.”
Dan and Kristen spent one day helping
ten girls in their late teens with their
English language skills. “As we talked to
them we learned a bit of what their life
is like,” recalls Kristen. “We take so
much for granted. For them, commuting
to school can be a huge problem, many
of them can’t afford lunch and the
teachers, not the school system, are
(Back row, L to R) Georges Fadel ’08, Professor Stephanie Athey, Joey Bitzer ’09, Jessica
Vivona ’09, Ivan Gonzalez-Marte ’09, (Front row, L to R) Librarian Lydia Pittman, Dan
Iles ’08, Camille Gilman ’08, Chelsea Comeau ’08, Professor Sarahbeth Golden, and
Kristen Augenfeld ’10 sit behind the pile of gravel they carefully sifted for use in water filters.
responsible for providing class supplies.
It takes an extraordinary amount of
self-motivation on everyone’s part.”
The unexpected usually happens, and
on this trip it came in the form of a
Category One hurricane. “There was an
amazing amount of rain and wind,”
recalls Dan. “There were waterfalls
running off the hill in town and the
houses, which are open, were
completely flooded. We were hoping to
work that day, but there was no way.”
“Looking back, I think that what struck
me most about our experience was the
fact that the library even exists,” he says.
“Six years ago there was nothing and
now the children are proudly coming
in with their library cards. It was a
privilege to be even a small part of
this endeavor.” ’
Creative Teaching
Learning Accounting by Playing Monopoly
The first requirement in my Financial
Accounting class is to “HAVE FUN!”
says Professor Rick Frederics. “I began
incorporating the game of Monopoly
into my class about six years ago and
I’ve found that if students are engaged
they will learn. As one of them said to
me, ‘Who ever thought that little plastic
pieces and a game board could teach
me how to be an accountant?’”
Professor Frederics first heard about
the concept of using Monopoly at a
conference and it intrigued him.
He went home, bought the game,
and decided to try it out on his family.
“I used them as guinea pigs,” he laughs.
“I thought if I can teach them, I can use
it to teach students.”
Monopoly they spend time learning the
fundamentals of accounting and once
they begin the game, passing Go and
avoiding Jail, they are tested on a
regular basis. At the end of the
semester, they must hand in journals,
T-accounts, cash proofs, income
statements, and more.
The class is not all fun and games. The
students work hard. Before they get to
Fashion and Retail Merchandising
major Jenna Roy ’08 was surprised by
her reaction to the course. “It was a
requirement and I had actually started
to take it before with a different teacher
and dropped it. I wasn’t optimistic about
my second attempt, particularly since
I thought I hated Monopoly and had
never completed a full game,” she says.
“But it certainly worked — when I was
at home I was able to help with my
family’s store’s books. My mother
was astounded.”
Leah Robinson ’08 was equally reticent
about taking the class. “I had put off
enrolling for three years but I fell in
love with it. So much so that now I want
to pursue an M.B.A.
(L to R) Jenna Roy ’08, Rachel Sachs ’10, Nicole Ruggiero ’08 (facilitator), Leah Robinson ’08,
and Sarah Hodge ’08 hard at work around the Monopoly board.
4 Lasell Leaves
“It became more than a game,” she
continues. “I was playing to win. It took
on a life of its own! I was so competitive
that I was nicknamed ‘Game Girl.’ It
was also a lot of work. We played for five
weeks and had to go around the board
12 times, each time representing a
month in the year. At the end we had to
put together a full set of financial
statements. If you didn’t keep up you
were in real trouble.”
In March 2008, Professor Frederics was
nominated and selected to attend a
Principles of Accounting Symposium in
Las Vegas to discuss innovations in
teaching. He was joined by 22 other
faculty from across the country and they
discussed different strategies. After
hearing about Monopoly, a tax professor
from Iowa decided to try using the
game Life in her class. “She told me she
would have never thought of it,” recalls
Professor Frederics.
Professor Frederics now asks some of
his topnotch students to be facilitators,
many of whom are not Business majors.
“I want my students to leave Lasell
with a solid accounting foundation,
remembering what a good time
they had,” he says. ’
Fall 2008
Connected Learning
Alternative Spring Break Educates and Challenges
Students Volunteer to Help those Impacted by HIV and AIDS
before their departure to talk and learn
about HIV and AIDS. They also
did campus outreach by assembling
bags for “A Hug, a Kiss and a
Condom” which they passed out
on Valentine’s Day.
Laura Notarangelo ’09 with her $1000 award.
“Z
ero million cured of HIV and
AIDS. This is a statistic that brought up
short everyone who traveled to volunteer
at Vital Bridges in Chicago on this year’s
Alternative Spring Break (ASB),” recalls
Erica Desautels ’09. “There is no cure
but there are ways of raising awareness
that can lead to prevention. Over the
week we heard speakers who were
incredibly inspiring and also worked at
the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
We put in long hours, learned an
enormous amount, and returned to
Lasell with a mission to motivate and
educate the community.”
Vital Bridges is a multi-service
organization that brings food, housing
assistance, nutrition counseling, case
management, and educational services
to those impacted by HIV and AIDS.
The program was selected by Lasell’s
Center for Community-Based Learning
at the suggestion of Erica, Donna
McIntyre ’08 and Laura Notarangelo
’09, who had all taken Biology Professor
Stephen Sarikas’s Honors seminar,
“AIDS in America,” during the fall 2007
semester and were inspired to do
something to assist those impacted
by the virus.
Ten students were selected to go on this
year’s ASB and the group met five times
The group was responsible for raising
money to cover their expenses and
they got a leg up when Laura took
the initiative to enter an essay in the
AlterEdu Alternative Spring Break
Competition. She was one of five
students from colleges across the
country who was awarded $1,000
for travel expenses.
“
At Vital Bridges, the group met with
Todd Williams, the Community
Outreach Manager. “He organized our
days in Chicago and spent an enormous
amount of time with us, sharing his
experiences. It’s a very emotional issue
and he helped us process it all,” says
Student Programs Coordinator
Melissa Martin.
The Lasell team spent two days working
at the Greater Chicago Food Depository,
which provides food for over 600
agencies in the Chicago area. “The first
day some of us sorted bread while
others of us bagged rice,” recalls Laura.
“On our second day we put together
The real story is the selfless devotion of people like yourselves, who are willing
to donate their time to make positive changes. It takes courage, generosity,
and extreme compassion to volunteer for such an important cause.
”
— Professor Stephen Sarikas, Ph.D.
Nyndia Diligent ’08 and Vista Volunteer
Jessica Hill proudly display their bags of rice.
healthy snack bags for their Nutrition
for Knowledge program. We got extra
satisfaction because Vital Bridges
received a food credit for the hours we
spent there, so it was a nice circle.”
“Our most powerful and inspirational
experience was spent at BEHIV (Better
Existence with HIV),” recalls Melissa.
“We went there for a workshop on how
to talk to college students about HIV
and we were introduced to Leigh, a
woman who has had the virus for 23
years. She talked to us about how
HIV/AIDS has affected her life —
her need to take over 30 pills a day and
her inability to take a job, in spite of
having a Masters degree, because she
needs to qualify for Medicare. There
was no sugarcoating.”
“When we left BEHIV, we were
emotionally drained,” concurs Kyley
Dolan ’11. “We needed to take a deep
breath but the day stayed with us for a
long time.”
The entire ASB group. (Front row L to R) Brittany Holmes ’11, Donna McIntyre ’08,
co-founder of Vital Bridges Laurie Cannon, Erica Desautels ’09 and Student Programs
Coordinator Melissa Martin. (Second Row L to R) Jessica Kuczwara ’10, Katherine
Millette ’09, Laura Notarangelo ’09, Nyndia Dilligent ’08, Kyley Dolan ’11, Rachel
Sachs ’10, Katelyn Hammond ’09, and Americorps*VISTA Jessica Hill.
“The trip pushed us outside of our
comfort level,” says Donna. “For me,
having taken Professor Sarikas’ class,
I experienced an interest that grew
into a passion and the trip to Chicago
reinforced the fact that service deepens
academic learning.” ’
Commitment to Teaching Recognized
continued from page 1
significant contribution to the overall
Lasell community.
Dr. Sarikas came to Lasell in 1989. He
has been an outstanding faculty leader
since that time and, among other
responsibilities, he has served for three
years as Chair of the Science
Department. As one peer observer put
it, “Steve has proven himself to be a
master — committed to both excellence,
innovation in such areas as service-
Fall 2008
learning and Honors project
development, and continuous
improvement through reflection.”
teachers and scholars, are deserving of
this award, so I am indeed humbled by
the singular recognition.”
“I am profoundly grateful to Robert and
Joan Weiler Arnow for their generous
and unending support of the faculty at
Lasell,” says Professor Sarikas. “I am
deeply honored to be the fifth recipient
of the Professorship. Many of my
colleagues, who have outstanding
records of excellence and innovation as
One of his principal objectives as Arnow
Scholar will be to analyze and publish a
multi-year study of AIDS awareness
among college students. He will also
be working on the third edition of his
Laboratory Investigations in Anatomy &
Physiology, which was first published in
2006. For both of these projects, he is
committed to providing undergraduate
research opportunities by recruiting
eligible students to serve as research
assistants and to write research papers
and laboratory activities that will be
peer-reviewed and published. ’
Lasell Leaves
5
Connected Learning
Sharing Projects and Research
Nine Students Present at Honors Conference
Lasell’s Honors program fosters
independent thinkers who are
intellectually curious, characteristics
that were exemplified by the nine
representatives of the program who
traveled to Morristown, NJ for the
Northeast Regional Honors Conference.
They came from the senior to the
freshman class and from many different
majors, but all were leaders.
A variety of topics were covered: two
students who participated in the 2008
Shoulder to Shoulder Mexico program,
Molly Fawcett ’09 and Ivan Gonzalez
’09, talked about foreign volunteer work
and poverty in Mexico respectively;
Allison Martin ’08 and Kayla McKenna
’09 discussed campus environmental
issues; Erica Desautels ’09 and Donna
McIntyre ’08 spoke on “Revolutionizing
College HIV/AIDS Awareness” (see
story below); Christina Garafalo ’10
examined prisoner education; Laura
Notarangelo ’09 analyzed genderlect,
the difference in communication
behaviors between males and females;
and Stephanie Ballou ’11 (see story
below) talked about the dangerous
consequences of body image issues.
“All of the different presentations
resulted in an engaging forum with
remarkable feedback,” says Honors
Program Director Stephanie Athey,
Ph.D. “Lasell students were able to
handle challenging questions that were
asked by members of the audience,
several of whom were professionals
with in-depth experiences on the
various topics.” ’
The Lasell participants at the Honors Conference were (back row, L to R) Ivan Gonzalez ’09,
Stephanie Ballou ’11, Christina Garofalo ’10, Molly Fawcett ’09, Alli Martin ’08, (front row)
Kayala McKenna ’09, Laura Notarangelo ’09, Donna McIntyre ’08, and Erica Desautels ’09.
Promoting Healthy Standards
Raising Awareness
Honors Conference Presentation
Focuses on Body Image
Honors Students Conduct Campus
HIV/AIDS Survey
“Children and adolescents today are
“HIV and AIDS are no longer front
being infected by the media’s ideal of
what the perfect body type should be,”
says Stephanie Ballou ’11 “and, for most,
it’s an impossible goal to reach. I used to
be a dance teacher and a cheerleading
coach, so I’m familiar with the
unhealthy consequences of trying to
attain the ‘ideal’ physique. When I
decided to do an Honors component for
my Introduction to Sociology class last
fall, I knew I wanted to research what I
called ‘The Ultimate Advertisement:
Dangerous Consequences of Body
Image Issues.’”
page news stories, but this doesn’t mean
that the infection rate, particularly
among college students, is going
down,” says Erica Desautels ’09. “Those
of us who were enrolled in Professor
Stephen Sarikas’ Honors seminar titled
“AIDS in America” learned the facts
about this disease and as we absorbed
the information about the biology of
the virus and the methods of its
transmission we wondered what the
rest of the Lasell student body knew.
And so, as a class project, we conducted
a survey with the hopes of using what
we gathered as a basis for educating the
campus, particularly on ways to stay
safe and healthy.”
What Stephanie discovered is that
children as young as fourth and fifth
graders, who have no real world
experience, are already affected by TV
advertisements. Even the toys they play
with send the wrong message. “Barbie’s
dimensions are not physically possible
and GI Joe’s bicep is bigger than
Barbie’s waist. We usually think of
females being trapped by an image
problem, but males are just as
vulnerable today — the use of steroids
to produce muscle and tone is an
example,” she says.
Stephanie did discover a few signs of the
media pulling back. “Oprah is a celebrity
who serves as a fabulous role model and
Seventeen Magazine has shifted its
6 Lasell Leaves
Stephanie Ballou ’11.
stance, now promoting healthy eating
and saying that it’s unrealistic for teens
to try to be impossibly skinny. It’s
important for a different message to
be put out there.”
When Stephanie learned about the
Northeast Regional Honors Conference
she saw it as an opportunity to present
her Honors paper. She applied to be a
Lasell representative and was the only
freshman accepted. “I thought making a
12 minute presentation would be nerve
wracking but it’s a topic that I’m
passionate about. All the upperclassmen
were so supportive of me. I put myself
out there, they gave me confidence, and
I grew from the experience.” ’
The most significant result of the survey
was that over 95% of the students who
participated thought they were not at
high risk for contracting the disease.
“Their attitude seemed to be, ‘AIDS
doesn’t happen to me,’” says Donna
McIntyre ’09. “It’s hard to reach
out to students if they feel that they
are invincible.”
Erica and Donna decided to use the
class survey and expand it. “We wanted
to learn what other colleges have done
to make their campuses safe and we
were offered the chance to present our
research at the Northeast Regional
Honors Conference (see story above),”
To raise awareness, students prepared “A
Hug, A Kiss, and a Condom” packets to
distribute on campus on Valentine’s Day.
says Donna. “It was an opportunity to
talk to our peers about how college
AIDS awareness has grown too slowly
and the importance of moving forward.”
Ways in which to educate the Lasell
student body was one of the focus
points of the College’s Alternative
Spring Break (ASB) trip to Vital Bridges
in Chicago (see story p. 5). “The results
of our survey and our experiences
during ASB have shown us how
important it is to talk to students about
being safe via programs, activities,
posters and more,” says Erica. “With
nearly half of the new infections in the
United States occurring in people aged
13-24 it is urgent that we change old
habits and thoughts.” ’
Fall 2008
Connected Learning
Leadership and Social Action
Sophomore Honors Class Discovers How Service Is Transforming
“I wanted to offer a course that
explores the relationship between
individual and community, particularly
focusing on how our perspectives form
and can change, perhaps dramatically,
through contact with others,” says Vice
President for Academic Affairs and
Sociology Professor Jim Ostrow.
“Service-learning is something I’m
passionate about and have been
involved with for a number of years.
My hope was that the sophomores in
Honors 205, through reading, class
room discussion, community service
work, and constant reflective writing
would discover some things about
human perspectives, community,
and solutions to social problems.”
provides temporary housing for
homeless single mothers and their
families, and decided to volunteer there.
Most of the students were at Warren
Hall, one of the affiliated sites of
Sandra’s Lodge.
Everyone in the class worked with the
young children, except for Jessica Potts
’10, who spent her time with the
mothers. “I went every Wednesday and
was in the children’s playroom,” recalls
Natalie. “They were from just walking to
six years of age. It was difficult to plan
activities because they were all at such
different stages, but I was impressed by
how resilient they were and how much
they enjoyed a hug.
“Professors Ostrow and Thompson said
to us, ’This is your class, you need to
run it, find a way to reach out to the
community,’” says Natalie Thomas ’10.
“When we started some of us were
skeptical, but at the end we all came
away with new understandings.”
“Working at Warren Hall made me
understand homelessness and how
important it is for these families to have
their own community and a place to
live. It was vital for them on their
journey to finding their own homes,”
she continues.
Carole Thompson, community program
director of The Second Step, which
provides transitional housing and
supportive services for survivors of
domestic violence and their children,
co-taught the class and suggested the
students get in touch with the
Middlesex Human Service Agency. The
class learned about Sandra’s Lodge, an
emergency intake family shelter that
Jessica decided to be with the mothers
because she had worked with children
before but never with adults. “I didn’t
know what I’d have to offer the women
but I felt that having an outlet is very
important during traumatic times so
I organized different projects. But, I
wanted it to be collaborative. The
women would decide what they wanted
to do and I would make a schedule and
(L to R) Jessica Potts ’10, Natalie Thomas ’10, Kaitlin Harris ’10, Dustin Foster ’10, and
Villager Lis Drake share a lighter moment in their classroom discussion.
bring materials. It was casual. The idea
was for them to feel comfortable, to
relax, and to have fun.” she says.
Jessica continued her work at Warren
Hall all through June to follow up with
painting and planting. “The building
hasn’t had much visual rejuvenation,”
she explains, “and I wanted to make it a
more pleasant space because I feel that
environment has an undeniable impact
on the experience of these families.”
Jessica did a lot of physical labor and
she continues to look for funding to
complete her projects.
community meant,” says Jessica, “but
all the different components of the class
brought me to an understanding. I
loved our text, The Impossible Will Take a
While, edited by Paul Loeb, and we
had speakers come whose stories
of homelessness were incredibly
impactful, including two Villagers, Lis
Drake and Hilma Unterberger, who
shared their life experiences and who
ended up joining our class (see story
below). We all connected and it was
interactive. I didn’t realize how
passionate I would become and I
know we all felt empowered by
our experience.” ’
At the end of the semester, the class
reflected back on what they had learned
and how they got to this point. “At the
beginning I didn’t know what
Connections
Two Villagers Share Their Stories with Honors 205 Class
“I
remember arriving at a class
Professor Joe Aieta was running at the
College and seeing a new face,” recalls
Villager Hilma Unterberger. “We started
talking and then the woman casually
announced, ‘I’m dressed for prison.’
My antennae began to tingle. For some
reason I asked, ‘Have you ever heard
of CASPAR (Cambridge and Somerville
Program for Alcoholism Rehabilitation)
and she replied, ‘I have stayed at
their shelter.’”
Hilma, a psychologist, spent 40 years
working in mental health. Thirty of
them were in the field of alcoholism
and she was responsible for developing
CASPAR. Lis Drake is a recovering
alcoholic who is a chemical engineer
with a Ph.D. from M.I.T. In retirement,
she continues to teach there and does
volunteer work, including bringing
some recovery meetings into a prison.
“I credit Hilma, CASPAR, and others
for saving my life,” she says. The two
have become close friends.
Fall 2008
environment and was an example of
how much can come from weaving the
Village into the campus community.”
The two entered into the discussions
about the women of Warren House
and how alcoholism is a factor in
homelessness. “The idea of community
and service is a powerful part of
recovery and healing from all sorts of
mental discomforts,” says Lis. “It was
amazing to get to know the students
and to be part of the strong service
ethic at the College.”
(L to R) Friends Lis Drake and Hilma Unterberger.
Both women became involved with the
Newton Human Service Providers
Network and, while attending the
group’s spring conference, they met
Carole Thompson, who co-taught
Honors 205 with Vice President for
Academic Affairs Jim Ostrow. As they
talked and Carole heard their stories, she
asked them if they would be interested
in speaking to the class. “Lis is so down
to earth and talks openly about her
experiences while Hilma understands
how a person can be crippled and still
find recovery. Their decision to not only
speak but actually join the class provided
a rich element to the learning
“We were all inspired by Lis and
Hilma’s special friendship that teaches
the value of taking action,” says Carole.
“These two women, each having
traveled different paths, each having
lived a fascinating life with a multitude
of challenges and choices, became
bonded by the intersection of their
stories which the class was lucky
enough to hear and reflect on.” ’
Lasell Leaves
7
Connected Learning
Lasell Receives $20,000 Grant to Initiate Program
Moving Beyond Book Learning
ACES Educates 5th and 6th Graders
on the Value of a College Education
Psychology Students Opt for
Service-Learning Component
Fifth and sixth graders’ minds are
Four students in Psychology Professor
wide open to ideas and the ACES
(Awareness, Confidence, Education,
Success) Program taps into this
inquisitiveness in order to bring
into focus the possibilities and the
opportunities a college education
offers. The program is the result of a
partnership between Lasell’s Center for
Community-Based Learning and the
Boston Renaissance Charter Public
School (BRCPS), Massachusetts’ largest
public school with students from prekindergarten through sixth grade.
Ninety-nine percent of those enrolled
are from a minority population and 74
percent are from low-income families.
Sidney Trantham’s Abnormal Child
Development class took the opportunity
to learn outside of the box during last
spring semester by selecting a 20
hour service-learning component at
the Newton Parks and Recreation
Department. “Part of the purpose of
this service-learning project was to give
students an opportunity to understand
material in the text and from the course
in a new way, and to deepen their
knowledge,” he says. “They worked
with adolescents and adults who have
“Jessica Dugan, the director of Partner
Relationships at Boston Renaissance,
and I have worked together for several
years through the America Reads and
America Counts tutoring programs. We
repeatedly discussed the fact that the
majority of the parents of BRCPS
students never attended college so there
is little or no knowledge of what it takes
to get to there,” says Director of the
Center for Community-Based Learning
Sharyn Lowenstein. “We wanted to
educate both the parents and the
children about the process and the
value of a college education so we
decided to submit a detailed proposal
for the ACES project to the College
Board Greenhouse Program and were
thrilled when we received $20,000.”
Laura Cressotti was the ACES project
director for 2007-2008 and really got
the program rolling. “I had a core of 15
students who were heavily involved,
took on leadership roles, and made it all
happen,” says Laura. “They ran in-class
and afterschool workshops at BRCPS,
organized full-day and half-day class
Mathematics Professor Neil Hatem works
with a young ACES student.
Allie has had coaching experience with
elementary and middle schoolers and
it was interesting for her to see how
visits to Lasell, put together a College
Night for the parents and children, and
saw that students who needed extra help
got it through the America Reads and
America Counts programs.”
For the BRCPS workshops, the Lasell
students created lesson plans and
had the children research topics and
make displays. “One fun project asked
the young students to invent their
own colleges,” recalls Laura. “They had
a great time drawing campus maps
and deciding what type of classes would
be held.”
“ACES gave the Lasell students involved
the chance to apply to a real world
situation the communication and
leadership skills that they have acquired
and the values they have developed in
the classroom,” says Professor
Lowenstein. “And four students,
Andrew Mayer ’11, Seth Mantie ’10,
Jessica Olivier ’08, and Donna
McIntyre ’08 took their experiences
off-campus, making an hour and a half
presentation, titled ‘Equal Expectations,
Equal Access: Early College Awareness,’
on their ACES experiences at the
national IMPACT Conference at
Northeastern University.” ’
ACES students and their Lasell mentors gather on the steps before a campus tour.
8 Lasell Leaves
Rachel Craft ’09, Amanda Esposito ’09,
and Jamie Kelley ’09 are all specializing
in elementary education so being with
this adult population was something
new for them as well. “I never have
given much thought about what happens
after high school,” says Rachel, “and I
found that I really liked working with
adults and would like to do more of it in
the future.”
(L to R) Jamie Kelley ’09 and Allie Cammarata ’09 go bowling with two of their new friends.
chronic cognitive, emotional, and
behavioral impairments and they will
be the first to admit that the experience
broadened their horizons and
challenged their preconceptions about
people with such impairments.”
The program the Lasell students
worked in was recreation-based and
they became particularly involved with
the basketball and track programs.
Some of the participants were higher
functioning than others, but what the
students discovered was that they all
helped each other out and were very
appreciative of the time the Lasell
group spent with them.
“I worked with infants and toddlers
at the Perkins School for the Blind,”
explains Allie Cammarata ’09 who is
an Interdisciplinary Studies major, “but
I’ve never worked with adults before.
At Perkins, the kids have an enormous
amount of energy and you have to be
with them every minute. At Newton
Parks they have verbal skills and
they don’t want to be treated as if
they are five. I had to develop new
communication skills and learn
to work with a broader age range.”
important in-depth instruction and the
modeling of good behavior was to the
group they were working with. “They
were practicing for the summer track
and field games at Harvard in June and
they were all very conscious of rules and
their consequences. They knew they had
to stay in their lanes and they were
concentrating all the time.
“If it’s a team sport they make sure they
split everyone up evenly. They don’t pick
the best first and they make sure to pass
the ball to everyone, not just to the most
skilled person. We can learn a lot from
their behavior.”
“They love playing basketball against
Newton North High School,” recalls
Jamie. “They say, ‘Don’t play us easy!’
and they always want to end a game with
a tie. That way it’s a positive experience
for both teams.”
“Having these Lasell students made a
big difference to the quality of our
program,” says Newton Parks Special
Needs Coordinator Mark Kelly. “We
depend on volunteers and we have
found a great partner in Lasell.” ’
Fall 2008
Connected Learning
Learning Together
Through Compañeros de Conversation Students Become Teachers
“What better way to serve the
community than to help some of our
own better themselves?” asks
Compañeros de Conversation
participant Cody Jones ’11. The program
began as part of Sociology Professor
Jenifer Drew’s fall 2007 freshman
Honors Colloquium class where 11
students met with 19 Spanish-speaking
Lasell employees and they studied
together to take the workers’ language
skills to the next level.
(L to R) Evelin Fuentes and Melanie Costa
’11 have formed a successful conversation
partnership.
“I was inspired by Niños de Veracruz,
Lasell’s student-run charity that
supports children’s education in
Veracruz, Mexico, and our Shoulder to
Shoulder Program to Mexico,” explains
Professor Drew. “I wanted to expand the
notion of thinking globally and working
locally. With limited English speaking
ability, Lasell’s housekeeping and
cafeteria workers are invisible people
and, as a sociologist, I saw the need to
make them visible. Their success as
immigrants is directly tied to their
language skills.”
Professor Drew and MACC
Americorps* Vista volunteer Jessica
Hill worked closely with the former
General Manager of Sodexo Food
Service Linda Davey and Director of
Environmental Services/Sodexo
Salvatore Natale, who are both very
supportive of the program. Before
coming to Lasell, Jessica had spent time
in Thailand where she tutored Thai
monks in conversational English.
“I know how hard it is to try and
speak,” she says. “You have to push
yourself out of your comfort zone.”
Last fall, Cody met with Jose, who
works in the College cafeteria, twice a
week and the two concentrated on
improving Jose’s English. “Week after
week I showed up and could see Jose’s
improvement. He learned all of the
colors, and could count up to 30 —
feats that seemed near impossible when
we began,” recalls Cody.
Because of Jose’s hard work and
motivation, his language skills
improved so much that he was able to
move to a higher cafeteria position
and became a substitute at the cashier’s
desk. “He is trying to save money and
it is very rewarding to know that for
no cost Jose has learned a language
that is helping him advance at work,”
says Cody.
ESL tutoring as a linked credit and this
enableed Cody and Melanie Costa ’11
to keep up their teaching sessions.
Melanie and Evelin Fuentes became a
real working pair, with Evelin making
tremendous strides. “For me, to learn
English is very important in my whole
life because I feel confident when I
need to communicate with others and I
feel free to ask questions,” she explains.
This fall, Professor Drew, with Melanie
as the class peer mentor, is again
teaching a First Year Seminar in which
the students will be working with the
College’s Spanish-speaking employees.
“We make no pretense that we are
official ESL teachers,” says Professor
Drew, “but we learned from last year’s
experience and have redesigned and
improved our tools. What we do know
is that we are breaking down cultural
barriers and making a real community
at Lasell.” ’
In order for the program to continue
the second semester, the Center for
Community-Based Learning offered the
Taking Advantage of It All
Rachel Craft ’09 Explores the Many Opportunities at Lasell
“W
hen I arrived at Lasell I wasn’t
going to take on any extra activities,
but that certainly hasn’t proved to be
the case,” laughs Rachel Craft ’09.
After holding back initially her
freshman year, Rachel decided that
she worked better under pressure.
“I began exploring the variety of
opportunities that exist at Lasell and
I know that by working closely with
faculty members, particularly my
advisor Professor Catherine Zeek, many
doors were opened for me. When I
would suggest ideas, they would help
me get them done.”
With a musical bent, she joined the
College’s jazz ensemble and chorus
and during her sophomore year began
acting. With the assistance of Professors
Richard Bath, Steven Fischer, and
Hortense Gerardo, she and other
students re-established the Lasell
Workshop Players and drama appeared
on campus.
A member of Lasell’s Honors program,
Rachel was also accepted into the first
year Emerging Leaders class. “There
were only 12 of us and we discussed not
only how to be a good leader but also
how to recognize people’s special
qualities and encourage them to use
them for the benefit of others,” she
explains. She used her leadership
Fall 2008
talents by becoming a member of
the orientation staff and is now a
Resident Assistant.
Rachel entered Lasell as an Elementary
Education major. “I have been so lucky
to have Professor Zeek as my advisor.
She has been incredibly supportive and
helped me with my requirements.
When I passed my first Massachusetts
Test for Educator’s License (MTEL)
exam at the end of sophomore year,
she called to tell me and was just as
excited as I was.
“I told her freshman year that I would
like to study abroad and she helped me
with the whole process. It’s difficult for
an Education major to take the time
away, but she made it work and she
suggested American Intercontinental
University (AIU) in London, knowing
that Lasell has a close relationship with
them. I was very fortunate to be able to
spend last fall there.”
The classes Rachel took all made use
of the London locale. “I signed up for
a survey of British museums, a history
of theatre class, and British Literature.
None of them really took place in the
classroom. We were out seeing the
settings described in the English novels
or visiting museums and looking at art.
Rachel Craft ’09 makes the story come alive as she reads to some young students.
I wasn’t learning from a book and it
was exciting.”
Because of the difficulty of passing the
next series of MTEL exams, Rachel took
a variety of classes upon her return so
that she would have the flexibility to
graduate as either an Education or
Humanities major. “I wouldn’t have
been able to take theses classes if I was
an Education major. They all tie in with
morals and ethics and I’ve found that I
can take something I’ve learned in one
class and apply it to another.
“Without the support of the faculty, I
would never have had the exposure or
known of the resources that have been
available to me. The opportunity to
study abroad made me learn a lot about
myself as well as exposing me to
different cultures. I took a lot away from
different people, seeing how they live
their lives. When I graduate I will have
taken a full spectrum of classes and will
feel stretched as a person.” ’
Lasell Leaves
9
Connected Learning
Teaching Experience Opens Door
Internship with the Champions
Kacie Bair ’08 Heads to Loyola
University for Masters in School
Psychology
Donna McIntyre ’08 Works in
Celtics’ Community Relations Office
“Because of my service experience at
Lasell, I immediately felt the fit with the
Celtics would be a good one,” says
Donna. “Their ‘Stay in School Program’
is very similar to Lasell’s ACES program
(see story p. 8) and I was impressed to
learn about the Shamrock Foundation
which benefits children through
programs that provide education and
support. Since it’s a small department
I knew that I would be given the
opportunity to learn a lot and get
involved in many interesting projects.”
disability, such as reading or reading
comprehension, or ADHD. I was able
to sit in on IEP (Individualized
Education Plan) meetings, with the
parent’s permission, and also school
psychologist meetings.
Kacie Bair ’08.
“I knew I wanted to continue on to
graduate school and pursue a degree in
School Psychology and that I needed to
find an internship that would give me
an edge over other graduate school
applicants, as my GPA was just average
— and I could not be ‘just average.’
I emailed the school psychologist at
Tantasqua Regional Junior High School
in Sturbridge, which is close to my
home, and got a reply. During my
interview I immediately knew I was
going to spend my senior year interning
there. I loved everything about the
school: the environment, the staff I met,
the vibe. I just felt at home. That’s the
feeling everyone should have when they
find their dream job.
“My responsibilities were challenging
and amazing. I observed students in a
classroom setting, looking for behaviors
consistent with their diagnosis that
could be either a specific learning
“With the permission of the Head of
Special Education, I eventually was
trusted enough to begin testing regular
education students. I administered
self-reports that measure the likelihood
that a student has ADHD or one of
its subtypes, and other self-reports
that measure a student’s social,
psycho-emotional relationships
with peers and adults, and how
they compare to peers their age.
“This internship prepared me and
helped me immensely for my interview
at Loyola University. It was nerve
wracking. There were over 50
applicants there and we each got five
minutes to present our resume to
everyone else. I realized that I was
the only one out of the 50 who had
experience collaborating directly with a
school psychologist. The fact that I had
received an amazing recommendation,
got to test, score the tests, write up the
rough draft reports and write IEP’s,
gave me the edge I needed to impress
the admissions personnel and faculty.
I credit this internship for my
admission into Loyola, where I will
be pursuing my combined M.Ed/Ed.S.
It’s an amazing program.” ’
Donna McIntyre ’08 stands with the
Celtics’ championship trophy.
T
o land an internship with the Celtics
it takes ability and the desire to be a
team player. When Sport Management
major Donna McIntyre ’08 received a
call and went for an interview for a
spot in their Community Relations
Department she came away a high
scorer. “I knew I had to answer the
questions well. There were times I had
to scramble and improvise, but I
managed to remain professional,” she
recalls. “A few weeks later, when they
actually offered me the internship for
the summer, I was pumped!”
Donna is a student who reaches high,
and her past experience and
extraordinary self-motivation certainly
helped open the Celtics’ door. Because
of her hard work, she was able to
graduate from Lasell almost a year
ahead of schedule and, in spite of her
full course load, she found the time to
be heavily involved with the College’s
Center for Community-Based Learning.
What Donna didn’t realize was how
quickly she would be immersed. On day
one she was thrown into a huge project
that involved redoing a community
center in the South End with $40,000
that the Celtics had been awarded by the
NBA Cares Program for making it into
the finals.
“Mayor Menino and former and current
Celtics’ players came to the opening of
the new Reading and Learning Center
that we had created. Between 150 and
200 children will be able to take
advantage of the space each day and
they were thrilled. It felt amazing to
give them something of that
magnitude,” she recalls.
Donna is now considering enrolling in
Lasell’s fifth year program in Non-Profit
Management. “What I do know about
my future is that I want to work in an
area that I’m passionate about. I’m
fortunate to have had an internship that
was so much fun and gave me such
incredible experience.” ’
Surrounded by Artifacts
Interning at the Massachusetts Historical Society
“I
’ve always been a history nerd,”
exclaims History major Maggie
Mathews ’09, “so when I applied for
an internship at the Massachusetts
Historical Society and was hired on
the spot, I couldn’t believe my luck!”
Maggie worked last spring semester
for the Director of Education with
two other interns who were both
graduate students.
Founded in 1791, the Society is
currently headquartered in a six-floor
building that was constructed in the
1890s. “I spent my first two weeks
getting lost,” laughs Maggie. “There
10 Lasell Leaves
are an incredible number of documents
and artifacts housed there. To actually
see the stains on a copy of the
Declaration of Independence takes
you back in time and makes history
come alive.
“The Society has been constructing their
web site for two years and we were put
to work doing research, transcriptions,
biographical sketches, and glossary
entries,” Maggie explains. “I particularly
focused on the years 1764 - 1776 and the
coming of the American Revolution.
I hadn’t had that much exposure to it
before, but now I can blow people
out of the water with all the facts I
have gathered.”
As she worked on her assigned projects,
Maggie had the opportunity to enter into
discussions with research fellows. “I was
able to talk with people who had a great
depth of knowledge and I was exposed
to a wide range of work that was
challenging and endlessly interesting.
The many things I absorbed from the
experience have given me a better idea
of what the options are for me once
I graduate.” ’
Maggie Mathews ’09.
Fall 2008
Connected Learning
Intellectual and Artistic Passion Exhibited
Spring Connected Learning Symposium
During the week of April 28 –
May 3, imaginative exhibits,
performances, and presentations
abounded on campus,
culminating in this year’s
fashion show “Runway 2008.”
Among some of the events were
internship presentations, study
abroad summaries, a student art
exhibit, and the connected
learning poster session and
demonstrations which crowded
de Witt Hall.
(L to R) Kristen Liberacki ’11 and Sarah
Schwartz ’11 stand in front of the poster
they created for their Introduction to
Psychology class.
The Indian wedding dress from Akeya Bennett ’08’s senior collection is a show stopper.
Mathematics Professor Neil Hatem talks with Jessica
Nguyen Ngoc Thanh ’11 about her Calculus I poster.
Kali Smith ’09 discusses genocide in Rwanda with
Anthropology and Humanities Professor Hortense Gerardo.
Raise Your Voice and be Heard
Grecian urns of the 21st century depicting images of war are
front and center at the student art exhibition.
Service and Social Justice Recognition Reception
Mock Presidential Debate Held
A heated mock presidential debate and
press conference was held in de Witt
Hall this past April as the country was
in the midst of its long primary season.
The three ersatz candidates touched on
the issues of the economy, education,
and the Iraq war as they exchanged
spirited words.
Erica Desautels ’09 received the Raise
Your Voice 2008 Presidential Activity
Grant from the Massachusetts Campus
Compact and used the money to
sponsor the debate and to produce
information sheets on the candidates,
voter resources, and election system
facts. “Our hope was to raise student
awareness of the importance of voting
and civic responsibility and to increase
voter turnout among Lasell students,”
she says. “We want people to know why
they should vote and what they are
voting for.” ’
Fall 2008
(L to R) Erica Desautels ’09, Daniel Iles
’08, and Kevin Lawson ’08 take on the roles
of the presidential contenders.
Speaking to the students who were being recognized for their service involvement during the
year at last April’s banquet, President Alexander urged, “Make a lifetime habit of helping
people.” During the evening, many groups were singled out. The students above mentored
children at The Second Step, a home that serves women and their children who have been
victims of domestic violence. (Back row, L to R) Jessica Kuczwara ’10, Nyndia Diligent
’08, Andrew Mayer ’11, Valerie Patterson ’10, (Front row, L to R), Seth Mantie ’10, Jessica
Olivier ’08, Jen Bou-Nassif ’11, and Caitlin Grimaldi ’11.
Lasell Leaves
11
Campus Update
Ways to Make the Campus Green
Students Enter Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Contest
T
his fall the College has launched a
new Environmental Studies major, but
interest in having an eco-friendly
campus is not new. The Green Campus
Task Force, whose purpose is to assess
the feasibility of, and recommend
concrete actions, has been hard at
work looking at ways to reduce the
College’s carbon footprint (see story
below), and students have become
passionately involved.
When Robert and Joan Weiler Arnow
’49 learned of Lasell’s concern about
the condition of the planet and its
efforts to insure that the campus
become as green as possible, they
decided to offer a cash prize to the
student who could come up with
the most creative steps to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. Last
spring, a Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Reduction contest was held and six
thought-out proposals were submitted.
After careful consideration, two
winners and a runner-up were
selected and their suggestions are
being adopted or recommended.
In their winning report, Andrew
Gundlach ’08 and Dan Iles ’08
examined the electric, gas, and oil
consumption at Lasell and discovered
that it accounted for 4,052 tons
of CO2 emissions. Seventy percent
of the College’s fossil fuel costs come
from its heating expenses. “Reducing
the average campus temperature by
four degrees, from 74 to 70, is a simple
solution that will save thousands of
dollars and many tons of emissions,”
they explain.
Runner-up Felicia Tempesta ’09
investigated the advantages of the
College going solar. “Lasell doesn’t
have to look far,” she said. “In August
of 2006, Newton South High School
officially went green by installing its
very own solar energy system and
Northeastern University has done
the same.” She researched the
possibility of the College receiving
a grant from the Massachusetts
Technology Collaborative and came up
with a plan on how to find contractors
and designers for the project.
Students in Professor Michael Daley’s Global Ecology class work on an environmental
assessment project.
As a result of these winning proposals,
the Green Campus Task Force has
recommended the lowering of the setpoints of thermostats around campus
and the installation of a small 25-50 kw
solar panel. “Steps must be taken now
to not only reduce greenhouse
emissions and fossil fuel consumption,
but also to educate all members of
the Lasell community regarding
their individual responsibilities,”
says Felicia. ’
Recommendations Made
Green Campus Task Force Completes Report
P
resident Alexander recently
received the final report of the
Green Campus Task Force, a group
that was formed in October 2007
and charged with the responsibility
of assessing and evaluating
Lasell’s current resource saving
responsibilities, identifying areas for
possible improvement, identifying
and ascertaining resources for
assistance, and developing a plan
outlining goals for a green campus.
“The report is full of interesting
information with the overall
recommendation being that the
College develop and implement a
plan to reduce its carbon emissions
by 80 percent over the next 40
years,” President Alexander explains.
detailed in the report. There are two
final recommendations:
1. That the College establish an
Environmental Sustainability
Committee — a 13-person
Board whose members would include
five undergraduates, one graduate
student, three faculty members,
three staff members, and one
Village resident.
2. That I, like many other college
presidents, sign the President’s
Climate Commitment, thereby
putting Lasell College on record as
committing to reduce carbon
emissions by 80 percent by the
year 2050 and to take a
number of specific actions
in pursuit of that goal.
“In accordance with the Green Campus
Task Force recommendation, I have
recently signed the American College
and University President’s Climate
Commitment. For those who would
like more information about the
President’s Climate Commitment,
I refer you to the website:
www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org.
The astute observer will note that our
Green Campus Task Force has, in its
work to date, already completed several
of the steps contained in the President’s
Climate Commitment action plan.”
Currently the Environmental
Sustainability Committee is being
formed and will soon start reviewing
the College’s goals for its environmental
programs. “None of this would have
been possible without the hard work
of the Green Campus Task Force,”
continues President Alexander. “It was
ably led by its co-chairs Professor
Stephen Sarikas and Professor Linda
Bruenjes and everyone concerned did
the College a great service by donating
their time, energy, and expertise to
get us started down the path toward
greater environmental sensitivity
and sustainability.” ’
“The report includes a variety of
proposed strategies that fall roughly
into three groups:
• Changing the culture of the
Lasell community
• Reducing waste
• Reducing energy consumption
“Each of these three strategies
comprises a lengthy list of
recommended actions, which are
Goals for a greener campus by 2050 developed.
12 Lasell Leaves
Fall 2008
EDITOR’S NOTE: In the interest of protecting the privacy of our alumni, it is the policy of the Alumni
Relations Office not to divulge alumni addresses, e-mail addresses, or phone numbers unless it has been
verified that the request is from another alumnus.
The content of Class Notes is based on material submitted to Lasell College’s Alumni Office. Due to
the large number of submissions, Lasell is unable to verify the factual content of each entry and is not
responsible for erroneous material. Preference will be given to photos with multiple Lasell alumni.
Class Notes
The Class Notes printed in this issue were received by July 24, 2008 and notes received after that
date will appear in the next issue. If you wish to have a photograph returned, please include a stamped,
self-addressed envelope.
Please send your news to the Alumni Office at 1844 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton, MA 02466-2716.
YOU MAY EMAIL CLASS NOTES OR ADDRESS CHANGES TO US AT: alumni@lasell.edu
If you have not received an email from us in the last three months, we do not have your current
email address. Please send it to alumni@lasell.edu and include all your current information:
name, address, and telephone number.
1930’s
1940’s
Class of 1946
1943
Class of 1936
Our sincere condolences to Carolyn
Boyce Richards on the death of her
daughter, Kathleen Richards
Vanbeveren ’72, in June.
“Because of my granddaughter’s
graduation from college, I was unable to
attend reunion,” writes Olga Costes
Urban. Forty-five years later, Olga is still
living in Arlington, VA. She has been
married for 62 years.
“Sorry I missed reunion,” writes
Ann Preuss Gillerlain. “I was thinking
of you.”
On May 17, Adelaide Shaffer Van
Winkle received an honorary degree,
a Doctor of Humane Letters, at
Centenary College in Hackettstown,
NJ. (L to R) President of Centenary
College Kenneth Hoyt, Adelaide
Shaffer Van Winkle, President Hoyt’s
wife Marcia.
Class of 1943
Class of 1946ers held their mini summer reunion at the Wentworth by the Sea in New
Hampshire. (L to R) Front Row: Judy Greenough Udaloy, Anne Blake Perkins, Pat
Corning Jennings, Dorie Crathern French, Lee Parker McBurnie; Back Row: Phyllis
Paige Downes, Muriel Ross Benshimol, Nan Somerville Blowney, Lynn Blodgett
Williamson, President Michael B. Alexander, Joan Hanson Blake, Helen Richter
Hanson, Lee Pool Langley.
1938
Faye Wadhams Smith says she is
still active and that she swims, bowls,
volunteers, and enjoys traveling.
Faye has several legacy relatives:
Carol Wadhams Wolcott ’43, sister;
Jane Wadhams Hazen ’49, cousin;
and Melinda Smith Partridge ’68
and Melissa Smith Hubbard ’68,
twin daughters.
Class of 1938
1946
(L to R) Priscilla Spence Hall and
Carol Wadhams Wolcott.
Class of 1946
Meri Zanleoni Goyette, a longtime
supporter of the arts in Nashua, NH,
approached sculptor John Weidman
and the result was a first-of-its-kind
Nashua International Sculpture
Symposium titled, “First Footprint,”
that ran from May 19 - June 8. At the
completion of the symposium, five
sculptures were gifted to the city and
permanently placed in prominent
locations in the downtown area. When
asked how she felt about all of this,
Meri replied, “I’m ecstatic.”
Our sincere condolences to Lee
Parker McBurnie on the death of her
husband, Walter.
(L to R) Faye Wadhams Smith,
Arlene Wishart Sylvester, Connie
Hatch Herron.
Fall 2008
1947
The Alumni Office wishes Barbara
Stickle Mode well in her recent move
to an assisted living facility in
Wayland, MA.
1948
June Smith Noreen says, “We continue
to enjoy our busy lives here in the
foothills of the White Mountains.
Our solar house in Meredith, NH,
still works!”
1949
Our sincere condolences to Nancy
Curtis Grellier on the death of her
brother in July.
Jean Watson Wetrich celebrated her
60th wedding anniversary in February.
She and her husband have twin
daughters, four grandchildren, and five
great-grandchildren. They have been
living in Falls Church, VA for the past
49 years.
Meri Zanleoni Goyette.
Lasell Class Notes
13
Class Notes
Class of 1948
Class of 1949
(L toR) Charlotte Sweet Ramsey, Freda Alexander, Judy Tracy Shanahan, June Smith
Noreen, Barbara Street Berry, Corky Buffum Hall.
In March three members of the Class of ’49 and their husbands got together in Naples,
FL. (L to R): Pounce and Del Anderson Musgrave, George and Jackie Rollat Labar,
Nancy Hayden Drooff and husband, Gerd.
1950’s
1951
Kathleen Ballard Heck says, “I still have
the same seven children, and both sons
were recently married.”
1953
Our sincere condolences to Sally
Churchill Lowell on the death of her
son in May.
Elinor Cohen Goldman has three
children and two grandchildren.
Elizabeth Fried Slater was unable to
attend reunion weekend as it was the
same date as her 50th wedding
anniversary, and her daughter had made
plans to celebrate it. Elizabeth writes,
“Still enjoying southern California after
23 years.”
“Regretfully 2008 travel plans do not
include our 55th class reunion,” writes
Elsie Knaus Klemt, “but do involve a
road trip to Montana, Wyoming, and
Colorado with roommate, Sylvia Pfeiffer
Nesslinger, and her husband followed
by our usual summer in Maine.”
Donna Ross Hurley sends these wishes:
“My best to my classmates. Sorry to
miss this reunion.” Donna and her
husband are now Florida residents but
still enjoy spending summers in their
Marstons Mills home on the Cape.
Audrey Thompson Rielle writes, “Sorry
I couldn’t make the reunion. This
spring I have seen several classmates:
Althea Janke Gardner, Bunny Coats
Stryeski, Jane Corbin Post, and Jeanette
Roberts Mann.
1954
An invitation from Nancy Swanson
Horsfield: “If anyone travels through
the northeast part of Connecticut,
please contact me. Our guest room is
open, and we love to share our little lake
with friends.” Nancy enjoyed “a lovely
visit catching up with Mary Atterbury
Bradshaw.”
1955
Our sincere condolences to Sally
Cranton Nolan on the death of her twin,
Anne Cranton Mix ’55, in May 2007.
From Honolulu, Bobbie Jennings
writes: “Thank goodness I’m still
physically able to enjoy the best parts of
Hawaii. A recent trip to Kauai included
a strenuous kayak trip up a river
combined with a long hike to a
waterfall. On another day I hiked
several miles into the heart of the island
in an area where parts of Jurassic Park
were filmed. I saw breathtaking hidden
mountain waterfalls and vistas across
the valleys to another mountain. As we
say here, ’No ka oi’ or ’the best.’ ”
1958
During reunion weekend, Sue Allen
Busa attended the class parade and
luncheon. Afterwards, she attended her
grandson’s graduation from high
school. In June, Sue moved to
North Carolina.
An update from Connie Baker George:
“My husband and I have been married
for 49 years. We have three children
and five grandchildren. We have lived in
New England all of our lives but mostly
in New Hampshire. We are both retired.
I enjoy reading, gardening, knitting,
needlework, boating, walking the beach,
traveling, and skiing. Over the years I
have kept in touch with my Gardner
roommate, Judy Meehan Moore who
lives in California. My best to everyone.”
Barbara Clark Owen and her husband
appeared on the Martha Stewart Show
in April. Their day of fame is a result of
owning a farm where they raise goats
and send the milk from the goats to two
restaurants where chefs use the milk to
make goat cheese and gelato. This tip
came from Gail Seibert Glover.
Class of 1958
Class of 1956
Front row (L to R) Joyce Stirling Wyatt, Peggy Harmon Eaton, Carol Christopher, Jeanne Bradner Morgan, Bobbie Cummings Taylor,
Terry Brahe Lanham, Penny Carlson O’Brien, Gail Winalski Burd, Jerry Beard Ackerman, Joan Bates Andersen, Binnie Truell Good.
In their travels, Antoinette Ruinen
Stapper and her husband, Erik,
found their way to Khwai River
Lodge in Botswana where they met
up with Bargie Barnard Zechman
’70.
14 Lasell Class Notes
Middle row (L to R) Nancy Cincotti Emmons, Lee Regan, Barbara Elm Symington, Barbara Clark Owen, Jan McPherson Pretto,
Audrey Biggerstaff, Gail Seibert Glover, Barbara Batty Brown, Barbara Wenzel Carroll, Joyce Chadbourne Gardner, Betty Anderson
Fairchild, Donna Daly King, Marion Heinsohn Mitchell.
Back row (L to R) Sue Allen Busa, Mary Ann Fuller Young, Joan Plaskon Tatigian, Gladys Mettler Biasotto, Carole Paolino Cohen,
Linda Braslow Lefkowitz, Sona Bedrosian Selverian, Sandy Sheller Alessi, Dee Young Keefe, Nancy Spargo Goodridge, Connie Reid
Towne, Meade Simpson Fasciano, Linda Ferrucci Merrell, Ann Reeves Burton, Patsy Graff Willoughby.
Fall 2008
Class Notes
Class of 1959
Class of 1963
In April several alums got together at St. Andrew’s Golf Club in Florida for lunch. (L
to R) Front Row: Dottie Mills Graef ’50 and Barbara Goodwin Flint ’44; Back Row:
Carolyn Wood Brox ’59 and Fran Reid Smith ’59. Dottie, Barbara, and Carolyn live
in Punta Gorda and Fran comes to Fort Myers in April for vacation.
“I’m sorry that I couldn’t attend this
reunion. Send my regards to all the
Gardner girls,” writes Marsha Singer
Marshall, “but we had planned a cruise
to Copenhagen a year ago.” Marsha
adds, “My husband and I are active in
Sun City Center, FL. We don’t know how
we had time to work. Volunteering is
our job right now but we do get some
time in for golf.” Marsha has three
children, seven grandchildren, and two
great-grandchildren.
Brenda Weinstein Less was sorry she
was unable to attend reunion. She
writes, “I was in San Diego visiting my
children and grandchildren. Regards to
all. I will miss seeing the girls.”
information: Carolyn Wood Brox,
941-505-1944, broxtrng@yahoo.com;
Fran Reid Smith, 315-458-5641,
kipf@twcny.rr.com; Joan Conradi
McLaughlin, 508-540-1572,
jobomac@aol.com; Melisse Jenkins
Bailey, 215-675-0494,
baileyconsult@comcast.net
1960’s
Susan Woodruff Bieling sees her Lasell
roommate, Barbara Noorigian Meehan,
frequently. Susan is retired and enjoys
traveling. She and her husband live in
Annapolis, MD near one daughter. Her
other daughter lives in France.
1960
1965
Barbara Jacoby Adelstein is retired and
enjoying her three granddaughters.
Lydia Moissides Hines represented
Lasell College at the Albion College
presidential inauguration in April. She
had this to say about the experience,
“Thank you so much for giving me the
opportunity to represent Lasell at
Albion’s new president’s inauguration.
It was a wonderfully planned and
Class of 1960
1959
Class of 1959 - 50 Years! “Come join the
fun at our 50th reunion. Where has the
time gone? Come for the fun and the
fellowship. Just being together will be
worth the journey back to good old
Lasell. Why are reunions fun or
important? Without our 45th reunion,
I would not have been reunited with
Fran Reid Smith. When she introduced
herself and said that she was from
Syracuse, I replied, ‘Wow, I am from
Watertown, NY — 80 miles up the road.
I am always going to Syracuse for
shopping or the theater.’ Well that did it.
From that moment it has been a wild
time for both of us. We golf together
either in Syracuse or Chaumont, NY or
in Punta Gorda, FL in the winter. Our
husbands enjoy each other so that
makes us a foursome, and we golf or go
out for dinner. And finally, I mentioned
that I was heading to Turkey in
November and needed a travel
companion. Guess what? Before I knew
it, Fran called and said that she would
go. What a great time we had on that
trip. Well, that is only one thing that can
come out of a trip back for reunion. Let
us see what happens at our 50th. Sure
hope that many of you will come.
Lodging at one of the new dorms on
campus will be available for $50 per
night. It’s a great deal! Contact one of
us and watch for more 2009 reunion
Fall 2008
In May, seven alumnae from the Classes of ’63 and ’64 who lived in Bragdon Hall held
a mini-reunion in Newport, RI. “A good time was had by all, spouses included.” (L to
R) Liz Burdick Cantarine ’64, Blanche Bleicher Stout ’64, Karen Metcalf Sommer ’64,
Melodye Horwitz Kinkead ’64, Anne Harvey Lawton ’64, Sandra Stahl Thomas ’63,
and Nina Dotterer ’64.
executed program at which I had
occasion to meet several folks I have
known over the years and, like me,
they were there representing their
alma maters for the very first time at
such an event. We learned something
new together.”
1968
Linda Bamberger Kirsch is “living in
Edgewater, NJ, and selling starches
and spices to manufacturers.” She says,
“I am planning to retire soon.” Linda
divides her free time between travel
and visits with grandchildren.
Class of 1968
Anne Sutherland Rollins ’60 traveled
to Mesa, AZ to visit her cousin, Betsy
MacMillan Blackledge ’62. Together
they traveled to the Grand Canyon.
Anne says, “It was fabulous, and
there was lots of cousin bonding.”
1962
Carol Curtice McKay is a volunteer and
chairman of the Board of Directors at
the Green’s Farms Nursery School in
Westport, CT.
1963
Our sincere condolences to Avery
Leach Egloff on the recent death
of her husband, Ken, and to Claire
Lipton Zimmers on the death of her
99-year-old mother in June.
Front row (L to R) Jackie Hoffmeier Lee, Pat Torbron Geoghegan, Linda Bamberger
Kirsch, Cindy Rardin Crawford, Marnie Ewart Bacot.
Middle row (L to R) Anne Kusik Roush, Melinda Smith Partridge, Stephanie
Pendleton, Bev Walker Neilipovitz, Ann Sterner Tyler.
Last row (L to R) Jan Jacobs Hyde, Carol Spindler Picciano, Libby Wissman
Walendziewicz, Janice Taylor Perruzzi, Heather Heath Reed, Marsha Gordon
Bornstein, Edie Hogsett Whitney.
Lasell Class Notes
15
Class Notes
Marsha Gordon Bornstein is an
assistant vice president/branch manager
at the Middlesex Savings Bank in
Ashland. She has been married to her
husband for 37 years and has two
married sons and two grandsons.
Marsha says, “Grandparenthood is
wonderful, and I am enjoying every
minute of it.”
1978
1987
Sue Sarris Redente is vice president of
an insurance brokerage firm in New
Haven, CT. Last year she celebrated her
20th wedding anniversary. In January,
Sue met up with Lisa Conathan ’79 and
Liz English ’79 for a mini-reunion
weekend in Newport, RI.
Sharon Murphy writes, “For the last
seven years I have been working as an
executive assistant in a downtown
Boston law firm. Hello to all my ’87
classmates! Sorry I missed the reunion
last May. Looking forward to our 25th!"
Edith Hogsett Whitney retired in
June and is looking forward to art
classes, travel, and becoming more
physically active.
1979
In May, Marina Rowe Seitsinger and
her daughter, Kerith Seitsinger ’11, a
fashion major, attended the Friday
evening Lasell College Fashion Show.
Marina has this story to tell: “Lasell and
the campus hold a special place in my
heart. We took a final drive around
when I came to pick up Kerith to take
her home. She suggested we stop by
Carpenter where I lived my senior year.
The door was open, and we walked right
in. Kerith saw a piano in the corner and
went over and started playing. Never in
a million years would I believe that 29
years later I would be back in Carpenter
with my daughter playing that piano. I
could remember running up and down
the stairs there, and it was like stepping
back in time.”
An update from Wendy Gromko White:
“Seems kind of crazy that 20 years have
gone by since graduation. Remember
the days that we went to class in our
pajamas? I wonder if having men on
campus changed that? After graduating
from UMass Amherst I spent time in
the Boston area and then moved to
Atlanta in 1994. I met my husband,
Mark, at a New Year’s Eve party, and
our son, Elliott, was born in 2003.
We moved to Richmond, VA in 2006
and are enjoying living here. I’m a
stay-at-home mom but really do hope to
get back to work and find something
fun and fulfilling to pursue when Elliott
begins kindergarten. What the heck
was I thinking majoring in retail
management! I wasn’t able to attend
reunion, but would love to hear from
you, wwhite13@gmail.com.
Anne Kusik Roush and her husband
live in Oak Ridge, TN. For the past
12 years, Anne has worked for an
obstetrics-gynecology group. She has
two grown children.
“So sorry I was unable to attend
reunion,” writes Laura Struckhoff Cline,
“but I have my oldest son’s wedding in
a few weeks, and I am in the midst of
dealing with aging parents.”
“I have now been working as an RN
for 40 years,” writes Judy Schaubert
Correll. “Twenty years have been in
the neonatal intensive care unit.”
Judy has been married to husband,
Paul, for almost 20 years and has
four grandchildren.
1970’s
1972
Sandra Manning Lupoli is a nurse at the
Edgewood Centre in Portsmouth, NH.
1973
“I have been living on the Cape since
1979,” writes Robin Genden. “I own an
optometric practice in Mashpee. I miss
my friends from Lasell. Those were
some of the best years.” Robin’s son
begins high school in the fall.
1977
An update from Terri Canavan Loe:
“Last year I chose to go to Honduras
instead of my 30th class reunion. I
found the experience worth repeating
and have just returned from my second
trip to that country. My husband and a
few colleagues joined in the effort to
’break the cycle of poverty.’ Check out
this website to see some of the
worthwhile projects we are working on
to give these children a chance to
survive and thrive: www.onthisrock.org.”
1988
1980’s
1982
From Waltham, Laurie Avallone reports,
“I am happily living the single life again
and hoping to get in touch with other
classmates. I am working in an
emergency room and loving it after
raising three nearly grown children.
Laurie can be reached at
laurieavallone@verizon.net. Laurie says
that Carol Abenante Hurteau has
several new grandchildren, and Peggy
Coburn is living nearby in East Dennis
on the Cape.
Class of 1988
1992
Julie Baker Zegras opened a new
children’s store called Bubble & Tweet
in Bedford Village, NY. The store is
geared toward the preteen crowd.
Julie and her husband, Gary, grew
up in Bedford, own the shop, and
have three children.
1998
An update from Heather Bohn Harada:
“Aloha. In February, I moved to
Honolulu with my husband and
daughter. My husband’s company,
Nordstrom, transferred him here. I am
now working part-time for Macy’s. We
are happy and feel blessed to keep
rolling with the punches as moving
here has presented its share of
challenges. Mahalo!”
2000’s
2003
Breeanna Barnes Beaupre and Matthew
Beaupre celebrated their third year of
marriage with a cruise to Belize,
Honduras, and the Grand Cayman
Islands. They also purchased their first
home in Lynn, MA.
2004
Crystal Crafts Rivera writes, “I am
relocating to Newton, IA with my
family. I have been offered an assistant
sales director position for a
manufacturing company. It is an
incredible opportunity for us! If you
find yourself in the mid-west, please
look me up.”
Courtney Hamilton Hizey is in the
process of finishing an M.Ed. in
Administration and Supervision. She
and her husband are living in Waltham.
Future plans include a move back to his
home state of North Carolina.
1983
Caroline Knoener-Skowronek has
recently joined the Alumni Board
of Management.
1990’s
Susan Scichilone Presti ’88/’94.
Class of 1983
Wayne Kreis is president of a political
consulting and lobby firm with offices
in MO, GA, DC, CA, TX, and London.
Jennifer Pope ’04/’08 MSM has
recently joined the Alumni Board
of Management.
2005
Courtney Katsiaficas is a retail manager
of Carla’s in Portland, ME. Her career
advice is the following: “Be sincere and
enthusiastic. People can tell if a
salesperson is being fake. Retail
management is more than wearing a lot
of great clothes. The world of retail may
begin with shopping, but it certainly
doesn’t end there.”
Class of 1978
In May, Eric Knapp graduated from the
New England School of Law.
2007
Sean McCullen and Casey Rich have
recently joined the Alumni Board
of Management.
(L to R) Christina Striker Parker
and Dottie Faggas Powers.
16 Lasell Class Notes
(L to R) Kathy Urner-Jones, Joan O’Connor, Sue Senofonte Preis, Julia Schaum
Ortale, Caroline Knoener-Skowronek.
Fall 2008
Class Notes
Class of 1995
The Class of 1995 had a mini 13th reunion brunch with five alums, husbands and
children all participating. (L to R) Dianne Randall O’Hearn with Samantha, Jay and
Jack; Kim Coogan DeCrescenzo with Tiana and Domenic; Heidi Learson White with
AJ; Michelle Vaughan Gray with William and Aroura; and Lisa Giangregorio Stanton
with Jackson and Olivia.
2008
Jason Drudi has taken a sales
position with salary.com in Waltham.
He lives in Arlington.
Kevin Lang and his band, “Fendline,”
were given a chance to open for a
Grammy Award winning band,
Coldplay, in Boston on August 4. The
contest consisted of 15 finalists who
were voted and ranked online. The top
five bands were then chosen for the
final round, and Fendline came in fifth.
In the end Coldplay did not choose
Fendline, but Kevin had this to say,
“What an exciting ride it has been. I
want to personally thank the Lasell
community for all its support. We have
been recognized by globally-known
bands, and we couldn’t have done it
without your help.”
Christina Rossi is a media relations
coordinator at Planned Parenthood
League of Massachusetts.
Lasell Couples Have Babies
Classes of 2001 and 2002.
Classes of 2003 and 2005.
The marriage between Brittany Jackson
’01 and Lawens Fevrier ’02 produced
Baby Lawsen. He entered the world on
March 26, 2008 at 11:45 p.m.
The union between Ami Ruehrwein ’03
and Troy Wall ’05 produced Baby Olivia,
born June 10, 2008. Mom, dad, and baby
are all doing well.
Class of 2002
Class of 2004
2009
The Office of Institutional Advancement
gratefully acknowledges the many
graphic design postcards and invitations
that have been created by Kayla
McKenna including the Reunion save
the date postcard on this page and also
the Family, Friends and Alumni
Weekend postcard on page 29.
Class of 1998
Melissa McIntosh’s 2-year-old son,
Erickson, is enjoying a day at home
with mom and dad. Melissa is an
administrative assistant at the
Institute for Clinical Research and
Health Policy Studies at Tufts
Medical Center.
Kim Alfano Drago’s wedding
ceremony was held at Grand
Central Station in NYC followed by
a wedding reception in August. Two
classmates were in attendance. (L to
R) Stephanie Belbusti, Kim Alfano
Drago, and Mary Pat Smyth.
Front row (L to R) Dee Nedder, Kiss Templeton Tondorf, Urit Chaimovitz.
Back row (L to R) Jess Anthony, Adrienne Reid Fernandez, Jenn Share,Holly Ventola
Staffier, Kayla Urbanek Page.
Fall 2008
Lasell Class Notes
17
Class Notes
Nota Bene
Engagements
Deaths
Barbara Cross Butler ’48
Melissa Mannolini ’01 to Barry Roberts
Martha Adams Hindman ’30
on January 10, 2001
Lucile Melton Dismukes ’48
on June 30, 2007
Stephanie Mitchell ’03 to Barry Kishner
Katherine Fitch Chesley ’30
on March 19, 2008
Cynthia Woodward Witherell ’49
on May 27, 2008
Michele Scribner ’03 to Philip Whelan
Marion Jarbeau ’32
Joan Palmer Kling ’49
Crista Cannata ’04 to Dennis Basile
Lydia Parmelee Holmes ’32
on February 13, 2008
Dorothea Engel Gregg ’50
on February 6, 2008
Marriages
Pauline Demond Pitt ’33
Gwendolyn Bennett Hedrick ’51
on May 3, 2008
Amy Levine ’78 to
Paul DeGrandpre on July 22, 2006
Helen Dermon Mertz ’33
Kimberley Lufkin ’87 to
Donald Williams in June 2006
Elizabeth McKee Driscoll ’33
Ruth Stockbridge Tolar ’53
on February 27, 2008
Elizabeth McIntire Bennert ’33
Anne Cranton Mix ’55 on May 24, 2007
Lillyan Rosenfield ’33
Gail Vose Etsch ’57
Jane Spear ’33
Susan Fox Worth ’61
on January 10, 2008
Jennifer Lesnick ’02 to Terry Hood Jr.
Danielle Blais ’01 to
Matthew Flad on November 3, 2007
Bethany Baillio ’03 to
Alan Colarusso on January 7, 2005
Courtney Hamilton ’04 to
Ryan Hizey on October 7, 2007
Grace Gowdy Smith ’33
Ruth Stafford Clark ’33 on June 1, 2008
Shirley Swan ’33
Nancy Webb Ramsey ’33
Births
Brittany Jackson Fevrier ’01, a son,
Lawsen, on March 26,2008
Eleanor “Lynn” Kenney Hettrick ’37
on April 30, 2008
Rae Salisbury Richards ’37
on June 3, 2008
Lawens Fevrier ’02, a son, Lawsen,
on March 26,2008
Lois Tracy Rix ’37 on February 28, 2008
Bethany Baillio Colarusso ’03, a son,
Dylan Anthony, on November 18, 2007
Anne Campbell Terrill ’37
on March 9, 2008
Ami Ruehrwein ’03, a daughter,
Olivia Grace, on June 10, 2008
Ruth Fulton Griffin ’38
Troy Wall ’05, a daughter, Olivia Grace,
on June 10, 2008
Nancy Preston Distilli ’53, Fall 2007
Althea Woods Bonura ’61
on June 25, 2008
Donna Boudreau Carpenter ’71
on July 2, 2008
Kathleen Richards Vanbeveren ’72
on June 9, 2008
Carol Hokanson Anderson ’77
on May 1, 2008
Kristen Moriarty Gray ’88
Robert Stoller, former Trustee and
Overseer, on July 12, 2008
Sadly, Elinor Kuchler
Hopkins ’43 passed
away on July 29, 2008.
Always proud of her
connection to Lasell,
Elinor was a strong
supporter of the College and made the
Annual Fund one of her top priorities.
She was also a contributor to Lasell’s
150 Campaign and a member of the
Heritage Society. As a student, she
majored in Merchandising and the
yearbook notes that she was always
congenial and a true “Gardnerite.” She
will be missed by all who knew her.
Robert Stoller passed
away on July 12, 2008.
A staunch supporter of
the College, he was a
long time member of
the Board of Trustees,
serving as its chairman, and was also on the Board of
Overseers. On October 2, 1993, in
recognition of a deferred gift he made
to benefit Lasell’s endowment, the
Stoller Boat House was named in
memory of his parents. His love of
Lasell is apparent in the above photo,
taken at the dedication.
Ruth Urquhart Dumas ’38
on July 6, 2005
Margaret Christiansen Marbach ’39
Virgilia Palumbo Leone ’40
Jane Schaffner Zesinger ’41
on August 23, 2007
Margaret “Peggy” Grover Scott ’42
on May 6, 2008
M. Jane Cook Cardoza ’43
Marguerite Gately Ellis ’43
on March 14, 2008
Helena Kattermann Cunningham ’43
Elinor Kuchler Hopkins ’43
on July 29, 2008
Vivian Snow Ohlhorst ’44
in December 2007
Virginia Wolfe Perkins ’44
Jane Upton Patten ’47
on May 23, 2008
18 Lasell Class Notes
Fall 2008
Campus Update
12 New Full-Time Faculty Hired
With the arrival of 12 new full-time
faculty members on campus this
September, the College is moving
steadily towards its strategic goal of
nearly doubling the size of the faculty
within five years. These 12 individuals
bring a wealth of academic and industry
expertise to the College.
Donna CoteScipione joins
the faculty as
Assistant
Professor of
Accountancy.
Donna earned her
M.S. in Taxation
at Northeastern University and her B.S.
in Accountancy at Providence College.
She has worked as a senior tax
consultant and manager for Deloitte &
Touche L.L.P. and, for the past two
years, has held the position of senior
manager for Deloitte Tax L.L.P. In
addition to her teaching responsibilities,
Donna will coordinate the Voluntary
Income Tax Assistance service-learning
program at Lasell.
Marie Franklin
joins the faculty
as Visiting
Assistant
Professor of
Journalism. Marie
earned her M.S.
in Mass
Communications from Boston College
and her B.A. in English at Emmanuel
College. Marie has worked as an editor
and writer for The Boston Globe for
over twenty years, reporting, writing,
and editing many stories and special
feature sections of The Sunday Globe.
She is the recipient of numerous
journalism awards and is the founding
Managing Editor of The Boston Globe’s
“Teens in Print,” a publication targeted
to inner city teens.
Hector Iweka
joins the faculty
as Assistant
Professor of
Marketing. Hector
received his Ph.D.
in Organization
Management
from Capella University. He earned his
M.B.A. with a concentration in
Marketing at the Federal University of
Technology in Nigeria. He has taught
Marketing at Indiana Wesleyan
University and has over twenty years
of corporate experience in Nigeria,
England, and the U.S. Most recently,
Hector has served as Sales Trainer and
Sales and Marketing Supervisor for
Comcast Cable in Chicago, Illinois.
Fall 2008
Jerry Madkins joins the faculty as
Associate Professor of Management. He
received his D.Min. in Leadership and
Counseling from the Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary, where he also
earned a Masters degree. He holds a
M.A. in Personnel Administration from
Central Michigan University and he
received his B.A. in Mathematics from
Prairie View A & M University. Jerry
brings a wealth of teaching, business,
and community-based experience to
Lasell and has also published six books
in the areas of student college readiness
and management. Among his various
community service positions, Jerry has
served as president of the Stephensville,
Texas chapter of the NAACP.
Salam Mir joins
Lasell as Assistant
Professor of
English. Salam
received
her Ph.D. in
English Language
and Literature from the University of
Maryland, College Park. She received
her M.A. and B.A. in English Literature
from American University of Beirut
and holds a second B.A. in French
and Latin from the College of Notre
Dame of Maryland. For the past three
years, Salam has served as Associate
Professor of English at Carnegie Melon
University in Qatar. Salam’s teaching
and research areas of expertise are
in writing as well as post-colonial
Caribbean and Palestinian literature
and eight other areas of English and
American literature.
Jennifer
Ostrowski joins
the faculty as
Assistant
Professor of
Athletic Training
and Clinical Education Coordinator. She
received her Ph.D. in Kinesiology, with
concentrations in Sport Psychology and
College Teaching, in May 2008 from
Michigan State University. She earned
her M.S. in Kinesiology and Health
Promotions from the University of
Kentucky and a B.S. in Athletic Training
from Salisbury University. Jennifer has
extensive research experience, primarily
in the area of psychosocial intervention
and referrals for athletic trainers.
Esther Pearson
joins Lasell as
Assistant
Professor of
Mathematics.
Esther earned
her Ed.D. in
Mathematics and
Science at the University of
Massachusetts, Lowell. She received
her M.S. in Engineering Management
from Western New England College,
her B.S. in Electrical Engineering from
Youngstown State University, and her
A.A.S. in Electrical Engineering from
Kent State University. In 2005, she
published Invisible Mathematics, a book
that describes how mathematics has
been used for and against African
Americans. In 1991, she founded
the Mary McLeod Bethune Institute,
whose mission is to provide academic
enrichment for young women in
urban areas.
L. Halliday Piel
joins the faculty
as Assistant
Professor of
History. She
received her Ph.D.
in History from
the University of
Hawaii at Manoa. She holds two
Masters degrees — a M.S. in Asian
Languages and Literatures from the
University of Massachusetts, Amherst,
and a M.S. in Library Science from
Simmons College. She earned her B.A.
in Art and Archeology at Princeton
University. Halliday has taught a variety
of courses in the area of Asian History
at the University of Hawaii, the Hawaii
Tokei International College, and the
University of Massachusetts.
Robert Prior joins
the faculty as
Associate
Professor of Sport
Management and
Chair of the Sport
Management
Department. Bob
received his Ed.D. in Organizational
Leadership from Nova Southeastern
University. He earned his M.S. in Sports
Administration at Saint Thomas
University and his B.S. in Sports,
Leisure & Fitness Studies at Salem State
University. Bob has held the position of
Associate Director of Athletics
Communications and External
Operations at Nova Southeastern
University and has also held media and
public relations director positions for
major league soccer, the Boston Celtics,
and the Atlanta Braves.
Mary RuppertStroescu joins
the faculty as
Associate
Professor of
Fashion and Chair
of the Fashion
Department. Mary
holds a M.S. in Apparel Design and
Management from the University of
Missouri, where she is completing a
Ph.D., and a B.S. in Fashion Design and
Merchandising from the University of
Southern Illinois. Mary has served on
the faculty of Steven’s College for ten
years, where she held the administrative
positions of study abroad and
internships coordinator as well as
Fashion Chair. She has also directed
fashion programs at the International
Academy of Design and Technology in
Chicago and LaSalle College, Morocco.
Mary has extensive international
management and design experience,
including positions with Joseph Bitton
in Dusseldorf, Germany and Donetta
Sweden, S.A.R.L. in Paris, France.
Aaron Toffler joins the faculty as
Associate Professor of Environmental
Policy. Aaron holds a J.D. from Boston
College Law School and earned his B.A.
in Economics and French at Union
College. In addition to serving as an
attorney to clients in real estate and
environmental issues, Aaron has held
the position of Director of the Natural
Cities Program of the Urban Ecology
Institute based in Chestnut Hill, MA.
Among various accomplishments in
that role, he leveraged multiple state,
federal, and private foundation grants
for environmental projects in Chelsea
and East Boston.
Anh Lee Tran joins the faculty as
Assistant Professor of Economics and
Management. Anh received his Ph.D.
in Law, Policy, and Society from
Northeastern University. He earned his
M.B.A. as well as his B.A. in Economics
from the University of Massachusetts,
Boston. Anh’s research interests are in
sustainable economic development,
international trade, and global
management. He also examines the
impact of U.S. trade policy on economic
development in Viet Nam.
Lasell Leaves
19
Campus Update
Registrants from Around the World
Fuss Center Hosts International Conference
About sixty registrants and some
spouses from 20 countries in Europe,
Asia, Africa, Australia and New
Zealand, the Middle East and North
America, many from major research
institutions, attended a conference
titled “Aging: Families and
Households in Global Perspective”
sponsored by the RoseMary B. Fuss
Center and organized by Drs. Tessa
LeRoux and Mark Sciegaj. From
May 19-23, they were on campus
discussing topics as varied as abuse
and neglect of the elderly, family
policy, grandparenting, and
comparative studies on patterns of
kinship exchange across the world.
Although the major focus of the
interim research seminar of the
Committee on Family Research
(RC06 of the International
Sociological Association) was on
papers reporting research, some
unusual events provided depth
and richness.
Of particular note was the opening
talk and exhibit by Jerry Friedman
of the Elders’ Foundation on
super-centenarians and an evening
session at Lasell Village featuring CFR
member Irene Levine, guest Sophie
Freud, and two Village residents,
Freddy Frankel and Margery Silver.
At the closing session, comments
made by current CFR president Rudolf
Richter reflected on themes emerging
from the conference and thoughts for
future directions.
education and the idea of lifelong
learning during later years in life.
Jan Trost, leading international family
sociology scholar, member of CFR since
the early 1960s, and honorary life
president of the CFR writes, “The
seminar last week was extraordinary!…
Our expectations were more than
fulfilled…This seminar will be
remembered by all of us as one of
the very best…” ’
Participants left enriched, impressed
by Lasell’s intergenerational model of
Assistant Professor of Mathematics Neil
Hatem was awarded the Joan Howe
Weber ’51 Professional Development Grant
and received the Student Government
Association Thomas E.J. de Witt Spirit
Award for his love and commitment to
Lasell that Dr. de Witt so demonstrated.
Global Perspective Conference participants gather in the Yamawaki auditorium.
In May, Professor Joe Aieta gave the 2008
Joan Weiler Arnow Lecture titled “Science
as god or the God of Science? The West
and Islam.”
Faculty Promotions
At the June Meeting, the Board of Trustees
Promoted Three Faculty Members.
Tessa LeRoux
was voted a
promotion to
the level of
Professor. She
received her
D. Litt. et Phil.
in Sociology
from Ran
Afrikaans University in South Africa,
her Masters in Sociology from the
University of South Africa, and her
Bachelors in Sociology, Psychology,
and Communication from Rand
Afrikaans University. She joined the
Lasell faculty in the fall of 2001 as
Associate Professor of Sociology and
Director of the Donahue Institute for
Values and Public Life. She has
served additionally as Director of
International Programs for the past
three years. One of her external
reviewers wrote, “ Tessa is a true
global citizen: a person who cares
deeply about the quality of human
life on earth and the role that
academics can play in making the
world better.”
20 Lasell Leaves
Rebecca Kennedy was
promoted to
Associate Professor of
English. She earned
her Ph.D. in
Linguistics at Harvard
University, her M.Ed. in Severe Special
Needs at Lesley University, and she
holds an A.B. from Radcliffe College.
She joined the faculty in fall 2001 and
has always embraced the philosophy
of connected learning in the ways she
involves her students in projects,
including the creation of the peer
tutoring program. The depth of her
commitment to student success is
remarkable and a model for the
entire faculty.
Marsha Mirkin
applied for and
received early
promotion to
Associate
Professor of
Psychology. She
earned her Ph.D.
in Clinical
Psychology at the State University of
New York, Albany and she holds a B.A.
in Psychology from the State University
of New York, Stony Brook. She came to
Lasell in the fall of 2005 and has
consistently involved students in
collaborative research projects. She is an
active proponent of service-learning and
has done excellent work in helping social
science students prepare for successful
careers. She has published five widely
reviewed and praised books (the most of
any faculty member at the College).
Associate Professor of English Stephanie
Athey presented a paper titled “Torture
Tutorial: Rendition, The Waterboard and
Media Scenes of Instruction” at the
Cultural Studies Association at NYU.
Nyndia Diligent ’08 has returned to
campus as this year’s MACC
Americorps*Vista volunteer. Among
her responsibilities will be working with
ACES, (see p. 8) organizing this year’s
Alternative Spring Break, and working
with the First Year Seminars to bring
service-learning into the classroom.
Fall 2008
Campus Update
Many Topics Covered
A Cut Above
Former Governor Paul Cellucci
Visits Campus
The Boston Globe Covers
Heather Delos-Reyes ’08
“T
he topic for Former Governor Paul
Cellucci’s visit to my State and Local
Government class was ‘Executive
Decision Making in a Democracy,’” says
Political Science Professor Paul DeBole,
“but it quickly morphed into a
discussion on the importance of citizen
participation in a democracy.”
Cellucci also provided some detail about
his tenure as Ambassador to Canada
and then threw the floor open to
questions. “The students asked about
everything from the likelihood of casino
gambling in Massachusetts to Governor
Patrick’s ability to keep all of his
campaign promises, to his relationship
with President Bush, to U.S. foreign
policy and foreign aid, and to his take
on movies,” says Professor DeBole.
“I guess you could say we covered the
gamut. He was great and so were the
students. They asked some pretty
insightful questions and got some
rather candid answers.” ’
“E
verything happened so fast this
year,” says Fashion Design major
Heather Delos-Reyes ’08. For a woman
who was selected as one of the top
designers from the area’s fashion
programs for coverage by The Boston
Globe, had an 11 day-old son, and was
preparing to graduate in a week, this
seems an understatement.
All during her pregnancy Heather was
busy at work on her senior collection
called Legacy. “I’ve always been inspired
by 15th- and 16th-century costume,” she
says. “I did an internship at Plimoth
Plantation and I fell in love with their
sewing techniques. I wanted to make
something that was more contemporary,
but still used my love for costume.”
Heather had to search hard for her
materials. “I found the seal boning for
the corsetry on line and I had to get
much of my material in New York.”
The end results were beautifully crafted
pieces that reflected the aesthetic of
their different periods.
Heather Delos-Reyes ’08 holds her
newborn son Hudson as The Boston
Globe photographer prepares his shoot.
After such a hectic year, Heather
planned to spend time with little
Hudson Joseph this past summer
before resuming her fashion career. ’
Students in Professor Paul DeBole’s State and Local Government Class enjoyed their time with
Former Governor Paul Cellucci.
Yamawaki Hosts International Exhibit
Book Artists Interpret the Subject of “Shelter”
Fifty artists, some from as far away as
England and Australia, were selected
to participate in “Shelter,” an
exhibition of artists’ books, which
opened in April at the Wedeman Art
Gallery in the Yamawaki Art and
Cultural Center. “To be the first venue
for this unique exhibit’s east coast tour
was an honor and an opportunity for
the College to open its doors to the
community,” says Cultural Center
Director Richard Bath. “It’s the first
time we have attempted something on
this scale.”
“What happened was totally amazing,”
says Art Professor Margo Lemieux,
who along with Professors Maritza
Farrell and Tore Terrasi, had pieces
selected for inclusion. “Book art is
not a large genre but the people
involved are totally rabid. We did not
expect to receive so many submissions
and Veronica Morgan, a book artist
from Gloucester who curated the
show, had an enormous amount of
vision and was responsible for
advertising internationally.”
Fall 2008
Each artist interpreted “Shelter” in a
very personal way. Some dealt with
homelessness and foreclosures while
others headed in a more psychological
direction. The concept of “book” was
also stretched.
Professor Terrasi’s piece was titled
“Bottled Up” and was 12 small vials
in a case with each bottle holding
a printed strip of paper. “It’s an
exploration of emotion, psychology,
and desire as they relate to a strained
relationship over an extended 15 year
period,” he explains. “The text in the
piece is fragmented conversations,
emails, and inner thoughts.”
Visitors to the exhibit were asked to put
on gloves and handle the pieces. “It was
a show that asked you to move at your
own pace and to have an intimate
experience,” says Professor Lemieux.
“As a way of connected learning, I took
the concept of the exhibit and asked the
students in my Studio Drawing II class
to pick a poem or a song that expressed
(L to R) Lasell Villagers Ann Silverstein and Lee Miller talk to Professor Margo Lemieux about
“Shelter.” Professor Lemieux’s entry, “Home for Christmas,” is on the table in front of her.
their ideas of shelter,” she continues.
“They drew charcoal pictures and wrote
short pieces that reflected their ideas
and then we displayed them.”
Amanda O’ Keefe ’08 said, “Shelter
is an ambiguous word that means
different things to different people.
My house has always been my escape
from the world and so I picked the
song ’Homeward Bound.’” For both
the students and the artists, “Shelter”
focused attention on a universal
subject and one of humanity’s
most basic needs. ’
Lasell Leaves
21
Campus Update
Academic Ability and Leadership Recognized
Feeling the Beat
Jennifer McCormack ’09
Receives National $2000
Scholarship Award
“Divine Step” Combines Dance,
Diversity, and Spirit
stomping and hands clapping resonates
from de Witt Hall when “Divine Step” is
rehearsing. The group was formed in
November 2007 because of Kathy
Montrevil ’08’s love of step dancing and
is open to anyone who is interested.
“You just need to love it and be willing
to try hard,” she says.
“I didn’t think I stood a chance,”
gushes Athletic Training major Jennifer
McCormack ’09 as she recalls opening
the letter from the National Athletic
Trainers Association (NATA) that
informed her that she had been
awarded a $2,000 scholarship.
“Professor Cris Haverty encouraged
me to apply, but after I sent all the
materials off I didn’t hear anything
for a few months and I put it out of
my mind. I never thought I’d win a
national award.”
Jennifer transferred into Lasell’s
Athletic Training Program during
her sophomore year and is a Dean’s
List student. “She exhibits a work ethic
and responsibility for learning that
I have seldom seen,” says Professor
Haverty. “And, her pleasant easy-going
nature allows her to work well in a
group or independently.”
“My clinical experiences at Lasell
have put me out there in all types of
settings,”explains Jennifer. “So far I
have interned at Brandeis, Bentley
College, and Woburn High School and I
have been able to evaluate athletes every
day and develop a rapport with patients,
administrators, and staff.”
Step had its origins in Africa and came
to the United States with slavery. “It was
a means of self-expression,” Kathy
explains. “More recently it moved to
African American fraternities and
sororities where there were fierce
competitions, but it is now an art form
that others enjoy.”
Jennifer McCormack ’09
at Boston University and she is the vice
president of the Sports Medicine Club.
“I can use the $2,000 for anything
academic I want — books, tuition —
whatever I choose,” explains Jennifer.
“But I thought I should scan the
letter and the check first, just to
make me realize and remember
that this really happened.” ’
Jennifer has also taken an active role on
campus. Last February she organized a
group of athletic training students to
attend a student leadership conference
MassSTAR Conference
At the end of May, the Lasell campus was filled with more than 115 high school sophomores
from across Massachusetts They came to Lasell for a three day hands-on learning experience
that focused on empowering the students to be proactive leaders in their communities.
22 Lasell Leaves
The complex rhythmic sound of feet
The members of “Divine Step” are a
diverse group. “It’s not just for blacks
and Hispanics,” says Kathy. “Last spring
we had two Japanese students and one
male — we welcome one and all. The
group has fluctuated in number, and
we’ve had members who have never
done it before, but one thing that’s
consistent is the strong friendships
that are formed.”
The “Divine Step” beat caught the
attention of President Alexander and he
asked them if they would perform at his
inauguration. “This was a huge honor,”
says the team’s advisor Sociology
Professor Jenifer Drew. “They are now
part of Lasell’s history and everyone
who was there was caught up by their
“Divine Step” performing at the
Presidential Inauguration.
synchronized footwork and hand
claps. They left the audience inspired
and breathless.”
“Divine Step” has also taken their talent
off campus and competed last spring at
Suffolk University. “Our practice paid
off and I was pleased with how well we
did,” Kathy says. “We saw what others
were doing and it was great exposure.”
Last year Kathy was the only senior on
the team and her leadership has been
ably taken over by co-captains Kristen
Brace ’09 and Nyomi Russell ’09.
“They are very impressive — very
autonomous and dependable. It is a
pleasure to watch them and to work
with them,” says Professor Drew. ’
Alpha Phi Sigma
Criminal Justice Professor Edward Sieh stands with the newly initiated student members of
Alpha Phi Sigma, the National Criminal Justice Honors Society that promotes academic
excellence in order to make the criminal justice system and its practitioners more effective
and ethical.
Fall 2008
Campus Update
Learning Increases Self-Esteem and Changes Lives
Lasell Professors Teach in BU Prison Education Program
“I
t’s the essence of teaching,” says
Lasell Sociology Professor Jenifer Drew,
Ph.D., who serves as the program
coordinator for the Boston University
Prison Education Program and teaches
Sociology and Criminal Justice courses
there as well. “The student prisoners
want to be there and they love to learn.
As a teacher, I see them change
cognitively. Their view of the world
expands and they are able to put
themselves in a larger context. Also,
as they take classes their self-esteem
climbs and they are able to forgive
themselves a little.”
The BU Program is run by the
University’s Metropolitan College.
It is offered at two medium security
men’s state prisons (MCI/Norfolk
and MCI/Bay State) as well as at the
state’s only prison for women,
MCI/Framingham, and at the South
Middlesex Pre-Release Center for
Women in Framingham.
“Each institute has its own ethos and
we have to figure out what works best
at a particular site,” explains Professor
Drew. “As professors, we are used to
autonomy and having a certain status
but this doesn’t work in the prison
system. Security is their first concern
and there are rules that don’t make
sense to us as educators. For instance,
professors aren’t allowed to wear
watches, must have their bags searched,
and be “patted down” before they can
proceed to the classroom.
Competition to get into the BU program
is fierce. Prisoners must complete an
entry examination and take preparatory
courses before matriculating into the
college curriculum. Over the years, BU
has offered approximately 600 courses
in a variety of disciplines and recently,
as program coordinator, Professor Drew
has trained native-speaking BU Prison
Program graduates to serve as teaching
assistants in a four-semester Spanish
curriculum at Norfolk Prison.
(L to R) Prison educators Professors Edward Sieh, Jenifer Drew, Helen Alcala, and Joe Aieta.
“I’ve taught them pedagogy: how to
write syllabi, put together quizzes and
grade students. In fact, I’ve managed to
make myself redundant,” she laughs.
“I’m now there to back them up and
protect them by making tough
decisions. I am very proud of all they
have accomplished and of their
successes. One star example is a
prisoner who plans to return to the
Dominican Republic upon his release
and hopes to start a school.
“Education means much more to the
students in the program than to other
people,” Professor Drew continues.
“They enter the system feeling that they
have let their families down and getting
through college and graduating is really
something for them. This is why I find
them waiting at the doorstep before
class begins.”
Lasell students from Professor Drew’s
Justice, Class, Race and Gender course
have accompanied her to Norfolk and
she has invited former prisoners who
are graduates of the BU Program to
speak to her classes at the College. “The
reality of the prison world is different
from what the Lasell students have
perceived. Both sides can learn a lot by
seeing and talking to each other.”
Professor Drew has recruited Professors
Joe Aieta, Helen Alcala and Edward
Sieh to become teachers in the BU
program and they have found that they
are teaching and learning more than
what is covered in their syllabi. “I have
come to see how very important human
dignity is to the prisoners and they have
learned that no one is the sum total of
their worst deeds. The prison education
program provides a quality education
but also offers an important
rehabilitative resource,” says Criminal
Justice Professor Edward Sieh. ’
Urges Students to Refine Writing Skills
Chief Investigative Reporter for TV’s Inside Edition Matt Meagher Speaks
T
he students at the annual
Communication Department Advisory
Board Dinner had the opportunity to
hear and learn from Matt Meagher,
chief investigative reporter for Inside
Edition. In his remarks, Meagher urged
all who intend to enter the field of
journalism to “…learn to be good
writers! Do your research and know
how to tell a story.”
Meagher described how the field of
TV news has changed dramatically since
he began at Inside Edition nearly 20
years ago. “Today, TV has to have
dramatic video footage, seven second
sound bites and a strong presence on
the web. When we finish a story that is
aired, I have to blog about it on our
website, which is good, because we can
extend our coverage with more video
footage and commentary.”
He encouraged the students to secure
the best possible internships and to look
outside major media markets in order to
break into the broadcast news business.
He pointed to Lasell senior Laura
Thomas as an excellent example. Laura
interned at a TV station in Maine and
she performed so well that the station
offered her a position as an on air
correspondent beginning last May.
(L to R) Investigative reporter Matt Meagher, Communication Department Chair Janice
Barrett, and Laura Thomas ’08.
Fall 2008
An eight-time Emmy Award winner
and an Alfred I. DuPont Award
recipient, Meagher is best known for
his hard-hitting journalistic style. He
typically covers stories on consumer
scams and safety issues and also covers
stories where the action is, including
hot spots like Lebanon, Israel,
Afghanistan, and Iraq.
Before Meagher spoke, students had
time to network with many other
professionals from the communications
field who are members of Lasell’s
Communication Advisory Board. There
were representatives from public
relations, graphic design, and TV.
At the end of the evening the
Communication Department awards
were announced. Christina Rossi ’08,
Editor in Chief, and Camille Gillman
’08, Layout Editor, received awards
for their work on the student newspaper
1851 Chronicle; Austin Traina ’09
was named the DJ of the year for the
Lasell radio station; and Andrew
Gundlach ’08, creative director of
Polished Magazine, was named an
award winner. ’
Lasell Leaves
23
Campus Update
Outstanding Essays
Active Adult Housing Industry Expert
Awards Celebrate Student Writing
Myril Bennett Raves About Lasell
Village in 50+ Housing Magazine
It was standing room only for the
presentation of the Ruth Paetz Braun
’54 Connected Learning Awards and
the Diane Donatio Memorial Writing
Awards during this past May’s
Symposium week. The winning essays
were written by students from a variety
of majors and, as they read their pieces,
the audience was struck by their
thoughtfulness and insight.
Ruth Paetz Braun ’54 established her
awards in recognition of her 50th
reunion and they were first presented in
2005. Winners are selected from a 400
level class a 2-300 level class, and a
1-200 level class and they each receive
a cash prize. This year, Ruth generously
donated additional funds to her awards
program and she flew from her home
in Saginaw, MI to attend the ceremony.
The winners were Chelsea Comeau ’08,
Robert Hansen ’09 and Kyley Dolan ’11.
The Diane Donatio Memorial
Writing Awards were established by
family and friends in her memory and
they recently added to the fund. Diane
was an exceptionally talented teacher
who always wanted her students to
succeed. She particularly enjoyed her
Writing I class and so the awards are
given to the writers of outstanding
essays from that class, as selected by a
committee of Writing faculty members.
This year’s winners were Emilie
Boucher ’11, Lauren Ennis ’11, and
Brittanie Allen ’11. ’
“I
Winners Brittanie Allen ’11 and Lauren
Ennis ’11 stand with the family and friends
of the late Professor Diane Donatio.
Missing is Emilie Boucher ’11.
Winners Rob Hansen ’09 and Kyley
Dolan ’11 stand with Ruth Paetz Braun
’54. Missing is Chelsea Comeau ’08.
Woodland Road Residences
Construction began in June on the two new Woodland Road residence halls. Students are
scheduled to move in by September 2009.
24 Lasell Leaves
never expected to live in a
residential community,” says Villager
Myril Bennett, “but I am so lucky to be
here — in this vital, caring, and
welcoming environment. I have been
involved in active adult housing for
more than 30 years, working with
builders and seeing what works and
what doesn’t. I know all the problems
and I recently wrote an article for 50+
Housing Magazine about Lasell Village
because I am so excited by my
surroundings and it’s so easy for me
to see what is being done right.”
Always a writer, Myril went to work for
ad agencies once her children went off
to school. “I found myself moonlighting
for the building industry, so I began
consulting and that was the start of a
whole new career,” she explains. “My
focus was active adult communities
which were, at that time, a new
concept for designing homes and
neighborhoods especially keyed to
older home buyers (55 and over) and
their particular needs and wants at
this stage of their lives.”
While consulting, Myril wrote for
Builder and Professional Builder, the
primary publications for the industry.
She was also the editor and frequent
contributor to Seniors’ Housing News.
As building for seniors became an
increasingly important part of the
industry, she was asked to compile a
book, The Best of Senior Housing News,
to provide a hands-on guide for builders
Villager Myril Bennett and a copy of
50+ Housing.
and developers wanting to understand
and build for seniors.
In 2004, Myril was given a Lifetime
Achievement Award by the National
Association of Home Builders for her
contributions to the senior housing
industry. She is an “industry guru,”
says Todd Harff, Certified Active
Adult Specialist in Housing.
“When I was consulting, Continuing
Care Retirement Community’s seemed
so far out there for the active adult
population,” says Myril. “But now I
think there is a real opportunity for
builders and colleges to get together and
I wrote the article to tout the advantages
of linking the two. As I sit in my living
room, I see students walking by and I
know I will be meeting others in class.
I am living in a place where I interact
with people of all ages and all phases of
life and I want to spread the news about
the richness of the Village.” ’
Cheryl Jacques Speaks on the Gay Civil Rights Movement
The Donahue Institute and SAFE (Students Advocating for Equality) had Cheryl Jacques
speak on “The Gay Civil Rights Movement — where we are, where we have been, and
where we are going.” Ms. Jacques was the first openly gay State Senator in Massachusetts
history and served as the President of the Human Rights Campaign in Washington D.C.
(L to R) Cheryl Jacques and Donahue Institute Director Tessa LeRoux.
Fall 2008
Alumni Relations
Message from Karen Gill,
Director of Alumni Relations
Hello Lasell Alumni -
Talk about energy! The campus was
Office of Alumni Relations
1844 Commonwealth Avenue
Newton, MA 02466-2716
(617) 243-2139
fax (617) 243-2383
alumni@lasell.edu
www.lasellalumni.org
jumping over Reunion Weekend!
A record number of 50th reunion
classmates stayed overnight on campus
and we gave them their own brand
new residence hall to use as their
headquarters for the weekend. The
catering kitchen for all their provisions,
elevators and roof top-deck made for
an enjoyable venue to reminisce and
make future plans to meet and do it
all over again!
We also have seen many new faces
among our “regulars” at other events
such as the Red Sox games in both
Boston and Baltimore, GOLD events,
the Fashion Show reception, the
Inauguration of President Michael
Alexander, and new event venues
around the country including: Los
Angeles, San Diego, and Honolulu.
If you have not attended an alumni
event recently, please do. I think you
will be remarkably impressed with all
the campus news and energy that has
become your “Lasell.”
Lasell Alumni
Online Community
Please go to
www.lasellalumni.org,
log in, enter your password
and update your profile page
to be sure your information
is current.
If you are NEW to the
community, please contact
alumni@lasell.edu for your
unique ID number, then you
can login:
Thanks,
• Go to www.lasellalumni.org
Karen B. Gill
Director of Alumni Relations
• Click “First Time Login” on
the upper left side of the page
• Enter your last name and
select your record
• Enter your unique ID number
Message from the President
of the Board of Management
Dear Alums,
T
his year at Reunion we began a very
exciting oral history project. We would
love to have YOU involved.
Lasell Alumni, Inc.
1844 Commonwealth Avenue
Newton, MA 02466-2716
(617) 243-2139
fax (617) 243-2383
alumni@lasell.edu
www.lasellalumni.org
All reunion attendees were given the
opportunity to get their stories recorded
for prosperity. Classmates interviewed
classmates and I was able be our very
own “Barbara Walters” when needed.
People talked about their experiences
while attending Lasell and, trust me, not
all stories were PG-13! From favorite
courses and professors, deans, dress
codes, beanies, first loves, sports,
drinking games, and ice sculptures, you
could almost hear the laughter echo
throughout campus. Stories were
dedicated to classmates who have
passed or ones with whom we have lost
touch. Folks who had never been in a
radio station or a recording booth got to
see what amazing equipment is now
available to our students. This project
could not have happened without
Communication Professor Brian
Wardyga who was our guide, so once
again, thanks!
We would love to offer as many alums
as we can this opportunity throughout
the year. An actual interview takes only
about 15 minutes. So if you are
interested, please contact
Radio@Urit.org to schedule an
interview. You may have just graduated
or this could be your reunion year — we
Fall 2008
have NO RULES and we just want to
capture your Lasell memories.
Our goal is to broadcast the stories on
Lasell Radio as “PSAs” (public service
announcements) so that our community
can listen and learn from your
experiences — poignant or funny,
serious or sad. It is our history and
traditions that keep us strong and this is
a way to keep passing them down from
generation to generation.
Each and every one of us is an
important part of the fabric of Lasell.
Without your presence on campus we
would NOT be where we are today.
We have all left a mark, and this project
gives us a chance to celebrate that!
Warmly,
Urit Chaimovitz, Class of ’98
P.S. As always, if you have any ideas
or suggestions on how to keep
improving our alumni programming
please contact us!!
• Update your profile and get
busy reconnecting!
Community Features include:
• Email forwarding-for-life
• Member directories, message
boards & real-time chats
• Online clubs and mentoring
• Networking, business card
exchange & job listings
• Donations online
• Reunion planning and event
calendars, photo albums
• Downloadable “Lasell Leaves”
and publications
We also understand that you
may not wish to be listed in
Lasell’s Online Community
and/or receive messages from
Lasell and you certainly have
the option to be removed.
Simply reply back to this
message with “Please remove
me from Online Community”
in the subject line and we will
do so.
We hope you enjoy the Lasell
Online Community experience!
Lasell Leaves
25
Alumni Relations
Past Alumni Events…
Legacy Connections – Allison Faria ’08 and her mother,
Paula Mastin Faria ’84 and Dottie Faggas Powers ’78 and
her daughter, Dottie Powers ’08 sat together at the
inaugural Legacy breakfast on the morning of
Commencement.
Nicole Ruggiero ’08 and her parents at the President’s
Fashion Show reception.
Marina Rowe Seitsinger ’79 and her daughter, Kerith
Seitsinger ’11 shared a Lasell legacy moment at the Fashion
Show reception.
Robert Reginald ’08 and Tiffany Perla ’09, Reunion
Ambassadors, awaited the arrival of 60 GOLD alumni
(Graduates of the Last Decade) at the Cherry Tree in West
Newton, where they networked and socialized during
Reunion Weekend.
Twenty-five Lasell College alums/friends went to Camden
Yards in Baltimore in June to see the Red Sox play the
Orioles. The Sox won 9-4. We plan to make this an
annual event. (L to R) Mike Unwin ’06, Keith Tower ’05,
and a friend.
At a Red Sox game at Fenway in June, Alumni Board of
Management members Marcia Keyes Tucker ’64 and Bonnie
Berman Wugman ’72 sat with their husbands, John and
Mark respectively.
Overseer Harriet Markham Wedeman ’48 generously sponsored the group at the Outrigger
Club in Honolulu.
26 Lasell Leaves
A Los Angeles gathering with President Michael Alexander.
Fall 2008
Alumni Relations
Alumni Reunion Weekend 2008
Connie Hatch Herron ’38, Arlene Wishart
Sylvester ’38, Susan Scichilone Presti
’88/’94 and Michael Alexander prepare
for the class parade.
The Gardner Girls from ’58 still have a
strong bond 50 years later.
Gardner House, splendid since 1893,
welcomes alumni to campus for Reunion
Weekend.
The Wedeman Art Gallery exhibit,
“Wisdom of the World’s Oldest People.”
The wine tasting event was informative and tasty!
Catching up with friends, there is no substitute!
The Class of ’83 indoctrinates a future alum.
Singers from all decades participated in the concert.
More singers bonded with the Alma Mater.
Guest conductors were Gail Winalski Burd ’58 and Betty
Anderson Fairchild ’58.
The Alumni Fashion Show featured children’s clothing
created by Mary Pat Smyth ’04.
The President’s champagne toast to the 50th reunion
class, 1958.
Bubbles add to Commencement’s festive air.
Fall 2008
Lasell Leaves
27
Alumni Relations
Patti Beck Bishop ’97 Receives the 2008 Medallion
interested in joining the Alumni Board
of Management and Trustee Nancy
Curtis Grellier ’49 enthusiastically
backed the suggestion.
Patti Beck Bishop ’97 receives the Lasell
Medallion from President Alexander.
P
atti Beck Bishop’s enthusiasm and
love for Lasell shines through
whenever she speaks of her alma
mater. Before she graduated in 1997,
the College recognized her special
abilities and deep involvement by
awarding her the Lasell Lamp, the
Lasell Chair, and the Lasell Bowl.
A natural ambassador, Patti worked in
the Admissions Office as a student
and again after graduating.
Recognizing her talents and
dedication, Vice President for
Enrollment Management Kate
O’Connor asked her if she would be
In 1998, Patti joined the Alumni Board
and it didn’t take long for the group to
recognize Patti’s special qualities,
including her boundless energy and
spirit. She became the Vice President
in 2001 and the President in 2003.
Under her leadership, the Board was
revitalized. Patti soon recruited new
members, many of whom were recent
graduates, and made changes to
the by-laws.
Not satisfied by just being on the Board
of Management, Patti was an integral
part of Lasell’s Sesquicentennial
planning committee. No doubt she
remembers the Founders’ Day
celebration that kicked off the year-long
celebration. One of the College’s
famous war canoes was filled with ice
cream and, as Patti was lending a hand
during clean up, she slipped and, rumor
has it, she fell into a bucket of
chocolate. It was a sweet ending to a
memorable day.
Alumni Association Scholarships Awarded
The recipients of Alumni Association
Scholarships are returning students
who have financial need and have
demonstrated their outstanding ability
as scholars. They were selected from a
competitive pool of applicants and
bring a wide range of talents to the
Lasell community.
Kristen Brace ’09 is
double majoring in
Accounting and
Criminal Justice
and has a minor in
Forensics. She has
been involved with
the Multicultural Student Union since
her freshman year and is now
president of the organization, whose
mission is to create an appreciation
for diversity in the Lasell community.
During the year, Kirsten was involved
in organizing ethnic food fests, one for
Hispanic Heritage Month and another
for Black History Month. Another
successful event was the Lyricist
Lounge where students from across
the campus participated in the reading
of poetry and the spoken word. Kristen
is also co-captain of Divine Step,
whose routines require long hours
of practice and have brought an
invigorating diversity to the campus.
28 Lasell Leaves
The group performed at the
Presidential Inauguration.
Honors student
and Fashion
Design major
Erica Desautels
’09 is a woman
with many
interests. She is a
concerned citizen and as president of
SAFE (Students Advocating For
Equality) she has done a tremendous
amount of work on campus to
address issues of physical safety, safe
sex, homophobia, and tolerance.
As the student office co-manager for
the Center for Community-Based
Learning she has her finger on the
pulse of all the service-learning
events on campus and she has
participated in two of the Centersponsored Alternate Spring Break
programs. She went to Washington
D.C. in March of 2007 to work at the
Dinner Program for Homeless
Woman and the D.C. Central Kitchen
and, this past March, she traveled to
Chicago, IL where the group spent
time with Vital Bridges, an
organization that serves people
impacted by HIV and AIDS. She has
also been part of Lasell’s “Shoulder
to Shoulder” program in Mexico.
The College did not want to lose her
vitality and much valued input after she
stepped down from the Presidency
of the Board of
Management. While
continuing to serve on
the Board of
Management as a
Director, in October
2007 she also
joined the Board of
Overseers. And Patti
didn’t waste any time
stepping up to the
plate. She will begin a
three-year term as Chairman
of the Board of Overseers when Robin
Parry steps down this October.
Patti is as dedicated to her “other” life as
she is to Lasell and she has constantly
risen to new challenges. After
graduation she entered the executive
training program at WantAd
Publications and she is currently the
Supervisor of Call Services there,
putting her exceptional interpersonal
skills to work. ’
Patrick J. Jordan-Quern ’10, known as
P.J., is a student
who enjoys
talking to people
and making
connections. By
nature he is
drawn to service
activities and worked at a homeless
shelter during his freshman year.
“I’m from Newton,” he says, “and I
like the idea of Lasell being part of
the Newton community. It gives me
the opportunity to give back. I went
to the Newton Boys and Girls Club
when I was young and now I’m able
to coach basketball there.” Besides
his coaching duties, P.J. also helped
organize the Club’s Basketball
Marathon, a fundraiser where
games run for 12 hours straight.
P.J. is an Athletic Training major
and did clinicals at both Brandeis
and Babson last year. He will be a
Resident Advisor in Butterworth
Hall in the fall.
Valerie Patterson
’10 is a History
major with a
lot of outside
interests. She is
in the mentoring
program for the
youngsters at The Second
Step, a non-profit which provides
Call for Nominations
for Lasell Medallion
Each year a committee
appointed by the Alumni
Association’s Board of
Management selects
individuals to
receive the Lasell
Medallion. The
bronze award
may be presented
to “any member of
the Lasell family who,
by virtue of distinguished
service to the College or
society at large, has brought
added honor to the name
Lasell.” Nominations for the
2009 award, which will be
presented at Reunion
Convocation on May 16,
should be sent to the Office
of Alumni Relations.
transitional housing and supportive
services for survivors of domestic
violence and their children. She also
finds time to tutor English as a
Second Language to the students in
the Embassy CES program that is
located on Lasell’s campus. Valerie
lives in Lasell’s community service
house and has been active in SAFE.
Felicia Tempesta
’09 is a
Communication
major who has
taken the time
to explore many
of the College’s
academic offerings. “I started in
Fashion Merchandising and then
changed my mind twice before
settling on Communication,” she
explains. “Now I’ve really settled in
and am specializing in multi-media
and web design and I was very
pleased to be asked to design the
Communication Department web
page.” Felicia has lived in Lasell’s
community service house for two
years, has been part of the America
Reads program, and has traveled to
Mexico with “Shoulder to Shoulder”
on the College’s January alternative
break. She has also managed to get
her real estate license. “It’s just
something to fall back on,” she says.
Fall 2008
Alumni Relations
The 2008 Fundraising Basket Winners
Ann Reeves Burton ’58
Pinch-Hitting
The Lasell Alumni Association sponsored “FUNDRAISING BASKETS”
and a silent auction on Reunion Weekend and the proceeds
(over $2,700) benefited the Alumni Student Scholarship Fund.
Basket
Winner
Children’s Basket
Evelyn Garcia ’03
Hair Salon Package
Jackie Hoffmeier Lee ’68
Ice Cream Basket
Stephanie Kana ’08
’Tween Girl Basket
Marge Beck
Lasell Basket
Sue Allen Busa ’58
Jazzman’s Tea Basket
Caroline Knoener-Skowronek ’83
Gardening Basket
Heather Heath Reed ’68
Gone Fishing! Basket
Jenifer Drew
Appletini Basket
Stephanie Pendleton ’68
Tee It Up! Basket
Courtney Katsiaficas ’05
Only 221 Shopping Days Left ’Til Christmas Betty Anderson Fairchild ’58
BBQ Time Basket
Kathryn Morgan Lucey ’67
Summer Fun Basket
Michael Muldowney
Cape Cod Cottage Week in Chatham, MA
Tom Koerber
Ann Reeves Burton’58, entertained some 30
Lasell reunioners at her seminar “It’s All
About Retail: Attracting, Building and
Keeping Customers.” The seminar was
based on the book Ann has written with
the same title.
Upcoming Alumni Gatherings
If you would be interested in
sponsoring or helping to
organize an alumni event in the
future, please contact the
Alumni Relations Office. Please
email the Alumni Relations
Office at alumni@lasell.edu
with any address changes or
class notes.
Florida - We plan to be in Florida during
the first week of February, 2009, for
events. If you have not heard from us
about a reception near you, we must not
have your Florida address, so please
contact us.
We will be obtaining
group tickets for the
2008 World Champion
Boston Celtics in the
coming season —
Stay tuned!
Leadership
Recognition Dinner
at the Larz Anderson
Auto Museum,
Brookline, MA.
Monday, October 27.
By invitation only.
John Kelty, husband of Virginia White
Kelty ’68, right, gets an appreciative bottle
of wine from Alumni Relations Director
Karen Gill following his pinch-hitting for a
professor who was hospitalized and unable
to lead a seminar titled, “Forensic
Psychology, Mental Health, and the Law.”
Kelty is a psychologist at the Home for
Little Wanderers in Boston and graciously
agreed to run the hour-long program in
the absence of the professor. The seminar
attendees gave him a rousing ovation
following his knowledgeable, enlightening,
and off-the-cuff presentation. “Talk about
impressive,” said one alumna who
participated. “It was as fun as it was
informative.”
May 15-17, 2009 Reunion/Commencement Weekend.
Check:
www.lasellalumni.org/reunion2009
for more information
Mark your calendars for
the following fun events!
Saturday, October 18
8:00 a.m.
Alumni Soccer &
Lacrosse games
10:30 - 11:30 Rockwell Hall Rooftop
Alumni Athlete
Continental Breakfast
11:30 Class of 2008 Gift
Presentation –
Campus Center
12:30 - 3:30 FallFEST and B-B-Q
Wass Hall Patio
6:00 Dinner and drinks at
The Cherry Tree,
1349 Washington Street,
Newton, MA
Sunday, October 19
11:00 a.m.
Designed by Kayla McKenna ’09
Fall 2008
River Day Feast
and Races, Stoller
Boat House
Complete weekend details www.lasellalumni.org/ffaw.
We look forward to seeing you at Family, Friends and Alumni Weekend!
Lasell Leaves
29
Major Gifts and Planned Giving
Making a Difference in the Current Economy
Harriet (Honey) Markham
Wedeman ’48 Adds to Her
Endowed Scholarship in Honor of
Reunion 2008
In today’s tight credit market students
Katharine Urner-Jones ’83
Special Assistant to the
President for Leadership
Development
For information on Major
and Planned Gifts, without
obligation, please contact:
Katharine Urner-Jones ’83
Lasell College
Office of Institutional Advancement
1844 Commonwealth Avenue
Newton, MA 02466-2716
(617) 243-2223
Fax (617) 243-2383
kurnerjones@lasell.edu
are scrambling to fill the funding gap.
Endowed scholarships make a
tremendous difference to the deserving
recipients but sometimes the amount
they were originally funded with does
not go as far as it used to.
“With today’s interest rates and the
difficulty in obtaining loans, our
students need more financial help to
pay for college. This is why, in honor of
my recent Lasell reunion, I decided to
increase the amount of the Wedeman
Endowed Scholarship and I encourage
others to do the same. What used to be
the minimum amount simply does not
yield enough,” says Honey.
“When I get letters from the recipients
of my scholarship they make the
students come alive for me. Students
are the lifeblood of the College and our
pool of scholarship funds must be
increased. I urge others to join me in
this very important undertaking.”
Harriet (Honey) Markham Wedeman ’48
and her pug Ivan.
Wedeman Scholarship
Lauren
Tousignant ’09
is this year’s
recipient of
the Wedeman
Endowed
Scholarship.
An English
major with a Secondary Education
concentration, Lauren is also a
member of the Honors program
and is very active on campus.
Last year she was part of the
groundbreaking team of Education
students that lead the first-ever
student designed and taught
course on the genocide in Darfur.
She has just started her third year
as a Resident Assistant, is a
member of Amnesty International,
and she works at the Lasell radio
station as a DJ and Music Director.
“I am so thankful for this generous
scholarship that is helping me to
stay at Lasell and prepare me for
my career,” she says. ’
“Every dollar is helpful,” says Director
of Student Financial Planning Michele
Kosboth. “The scholarship money
reduces the amount these students have
to borrow and gives them some leeway
as they face increasing expenses. I know
how appreciative they are.” ’
Supporting Educational Excellence for Reunion 2008
Alumni Make Multiple Charitable Gift Annuities
Elizabeth Gorton Collier ’43 has strong
ties to Lasell and she has remained
connected to the school both
philanthropically and emotionally. Her
mother was a member of the Class of
1916 and she wanted her two daughters,
Betty and Nancy Gorton Ross ’42, to
attend the College. “Mother was a
widow and Lasell awarded me a
scholarship, which was very helpful,”
Betty recalls.
“I have many memories from those
years. Nancy and I both attended
Woodland Park School which was
closely affiliated with Lasell. Our
naughty streak came out when we
thought it would be fun to hide the caps
and gowns of the top class officers of
the College. Our prank upset the time
schedule for the ceremony. We were
glad that no one tried the same stunt
when it was our time to graduate!”
Nancy Larsen Bailey ’48 and her
husband Jim have shown their
commitment to Lasell by funding three
charitable gift annuities, the last of
which was in honor of her 60th
reunion. “We feel strongly about the
future of the school,” says Nancy.
“We are so impressed by what President
de Witt did for the College and we
hope our gifts will help Lasell continue
to thrive.”
Betty went on to Smith College, but she
never forgot Lasell. In 2000, at her
husband Stan’s suggestion, she made
her first gift annuity. “He thought that
Lasell was very well managed and he
knew our gift would make a difference
to the College,” she says.
Nancy has always been a busy and
engaged woman. At Lasell, she took
a full load of science courses and
labs while still managing to excel in
athletics and to sing with the Orphean
Club. Since graduating, she has kept
up with her college friendships,
attended alumni events, and written
letters regarding planned giving to
her classmates.
In 2008, for her 65th reunion, Betty
established a second annuity. “Lasell
has been meaningful to my family and
I want to give something back. With an
annuity I will receive lifetime payments
so helping Lasell in this way is a great
idea as far as I’m concerned.”
Elizabeth Gorton Collier ’43.
30 Lasell Leaves
“I’ve been pleasantly surprised by all the
new Lasell friends I have made along
the way who weren’t in my class,” she
says. “I’ve met them at church and in
the neighborhood. We all share a
common bond and have become very
close — they are people I know I can
always depend on.”
Jim and Nancy Larsen Bailey ’48.
Nancy and Jim consider themselves
fortunate to have children who are
independent and doing well. “Not
having to worry about them has put us
in a position to make philanthropic gifts
to Lasell. We chose charitable gift
annuities because they support the
College and the unique educational
experience it offers its students, and
they give back to us as well.”
Fall 2008
Annual Fund
Message from Michelle Walmsley:
Director of Annual Giving
O
Annual Fund Office
1844 Commonwealth Ave.
Newton, MA 02466-2716
(617) 243-2165
Fax: (617) 243-2383
n behalf of the entire Lasell
community, thank you for your support
in making Fiscal Year ’08, (which ended
on June 30) a record breaking year for
the Annual Fund. Total donations were
$614,150, $29,000 ahead of the goal for
that fiscal year. With your continued
support, Lasell is able to provide strong
financial aid packages for our students,
as it has become increasingly difficult
for students to fund their college
educations. Beyond financial aid,
your generosity is helping to hire top
faculty and to maintain Lasell’s
beautiful campus.
When you see Lasell on your caller ID…It could be
us!!!
mwalmsley@lasell.edu
The Lasell College Phonathon began on September 29. We want to talk to you about how
you can make a difference in the lives of current students and update you on activities,
events, and ways you can stay connected to Lasell. Talk to you soon!
Jan-Marie Murray Arrives as Assistant Director of Annual Giving
Jan-Marie Murray
has joined the
Institutional
Advancement staff
as the assistant
director of Annual
Giving. She has
been in development for 11 years,
starting when she was an
undergraduate at Framingham State
College. “I began my career in
fundraising as a phonathon caller and
also worked in the development office
in other capacities for all four years I
was there,” she recalls.
After graduation, Jan-Marie worked in
the Annual Fund office at Tufts
University. “It was a big department
and I helped out in many areas and was
given a lot of independent
responsibility,” she says. “I ended my
time there as Assistant Director of
Stewardship and Donor Retention.”
Most recently, Jan-Marie was the Annual
Giving Manager for Partners Home
Care and Hospice in Waltham, MA.
passion is,” she explains. Working with
our current students, Jan-Marie will run
the Lasell College Phonathon, the
Senior Class Gift Program, and will
organize Lasell’s Graduates of the Last
Decade (GOLD) program. She can be
reached at (617) 243-2282 or at
jmurray@lasell.edu. ’
“I am delighted to be back in higher
education because that is where my
Planned Giving (Continued from page 30)
Bequests: Leaving a Legacy
We are pleased to continue our series
of bequest donor profiles in this edition
of Leaves. These thoughtful individuals
chose to support Lasell by making a
provision in their will or trust to
support the College at their death.
Each loved their alma mater and
believed in its future. We are grateful
for their foresight and generosity.
Together, our featured donors
bequeathed $241,000 to Lasell.
We hope they inspire you to consider
bequest support as part of your
philanthropic planning. For more
information or to request a bequest
language handout, please call or
e-mail Kurnerjones@lasell.edu.
Fall 2008
Robert Taylor’s wife,
Molly Upham Menges
Taylor, Class of 1935,
passed away almost
ten years ago. Molly
was a wonderful
friend and generous
donor to Lasell during her lifetime,
establishing the Molly E. Upham ’35
Endowed Scholarship in 1994. She was
quoted as saying at the time of the gift,
“I attended Woodland Park School for
four years and Lasell for another two
years. I loved it, and often think with
affection and respect of the faculty and
the College.”
In her estate plan, Molly included a
trust to make lifetime payments to her
husband Bob. He was a proud
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
graduate, but he also developed a real
affection for Lasell during his marriage
to Molly. He often accompanied her to
Lasell alumni events in Florida, where
they resided, and they visited campus
shortly after their marriage in 1995.
After Molly’s passing, he stayed in
touch with Lasell and the College was
delighted to include him in Florida
events as an “honorary alumnus.”
Sadly, Bob died in Florida in December
2007. The Upham Taylor legacy to
Lasell lives on, however. Every year in
perpetuity, deserving young Lasell
students are able to attend the College
thanks to the Upham Scholarship, and
this past spring, Lasell’s endowment
received approximately $146,000 from
the trust that Molly created decades ago
to benefit her husband and, finally, her
alma mater. The Taylors’ generous spirit
continues on at Lasell.
Lucille Huse
Chappell ’37 had a
love for Lasell
College. To
demonstrate that
passion for her alma
mater, Lucille made
plans in her will to establish the “Lucille
Huse Chappell ’37 Scholarship” to
support students with financial need.
She made her gift by will in 1997 in
recognition of her 60th Reunion.
Lucille was a “day hop” and credits
Lasell with her professional success
because it is where she took and loved
her first biology course. After
graduating from Lasell, Lucille went on
to Massachusetts General Hospital and
was trained to work in a cytology lab.
Eventually, Lucille supervised cytology
labs in 300 Illinois hospitals—a career
she held for 35 years until her
retirement in 1985. Her yearbook
inscription read, “retiring, but lots of
fun, a mind of her own.” Lucille passed
away in November of 2006. At the time
that she established the bequest, the
value of her gift was approximately
$95,000. The College anticipates
receiving the distribution by year end.
Lasell Leaves
31
Sports Lasell College
Message from the Athletic Director
The Lasell College Athletic Department
Office of Athletics
1844 Commonwealth Avenue
Newton, MA 02466-2716
(617) 243-2147
fax (617) 243-2037
kwalter@lasell.edu
is thrilled to announce some exciting new
changes that will be taking place this year.
With one season as a club team under
their belt, the Laser baseball team is set to
compete in the GNAC for the first time as
a NCAA varsity sport in spring 2009.
The Lasers are also proud to announce
that a new mascot and logo will be
unveiled early ]this year which will help
to unite the programs under their new
emblem. And finally, the Athletic
Department is pleased to introduce
two new full-time staff members to the
Lasell Community.
Baseball will be the 13th varsity sport that
Lasell sponsors in NCAA Division III
competition. The Lasers will compete in
24 games in the northeast, and are also
set to travel to San Antonio, Texas for
spring training. Second year Head Coach
Jim Dolan will continue to lead the
squad into this uncharted territory in
hopes of creating a great baseball
tradition on campus.
Not much can be revealed at this time
about the new logo. However, the
committee that was assembled to create
a new look for the symbol is excited
about the finished product. Lasell will
still be the home of the Lasers — the
idea behind the change was to evolve
the concept of the Laser into something
concrete. Once the design has been
released, the Athletic Department
will be using it for their upcoming
publications and apparel. Keep an eye
out for the new mascot and logo to be
released sometime this fall.
Rounding out the changes to the
athletic department is the hiring of two
Men’s Lacrosse
Overall Record: 10-7
Pilgrim League Record: 4-3
Head Coach Tim Dunton led his
team to their fourth ECAC tournament.
They were seeded number three and
advanced to the finals for the first time
in Lasell history.
Fall 2008
Lasell LEAVES is distributed twice
a year, free of charge to alumni,
students, and friends of Lasell.
T
The publication is produced by
The Office of Institutional Advancement
1844 Commonwealth Avenue
Newton, MA 02466-2716
Dean for Institutional Advancement
Ruth S. Shuman
Women’s Lacrosse
his was the team’s inaugural year in
the Great Northeast Athletic Conference
(GNAC) and they were very competitive,
making an appearance in the semifinals against Norwich University, VT.
Kristy Walter
Athletic Director
Leaves
Throughout the season, the team’s
defense was anchored by goalkeeper
Mark DeMieri ’08. He was nationally
ranked in five categories in Division III.
Leading the scoring this season was
Mike Maggio ’09 who was named to the
League’s All-Conference First Team.
Brandon Keith ’10 and Dave Bulhoes
’09 were also key offensive players. ’
Brandon Keith ’10 moves down the field.
Overall Record: 7-7
Conference Record: 3-2
new staff members. Marushka Eddy has
been hired as head coach of both the
women’s lacrosse and the field hockey
programs at Lasell. Eddy comes most
recently from SUNY Oswego, where
she spent two years as the head coach
of the field hockey and lacrosse teams.
Janice Coppolino will be filling the role
of Director of Sports Information for
the Lasers. Coppolino is a graduate of
Framingham State College, where she
was a two sport, standout-athlete for the
Rams. She is no stranger to Lasell
Athletics, as she was a coach for the
Lasers’ women’s basketball team during
the 2004-2005 season.
Director of Publications
Phyllis Taylor
Leading the scoring for the season was
Caitlyn Murphy ’09, and Tina Canavan
’11 had a great first year offensively.
Both players were named to the GNAC
All-Tournament Team. The net was
shared by Tashell Morrison ’09 and
rookie Kristin Coderre, and defender
Cassandra Haase ’09 was named to the
GNAC All-Conference First Team. ’
Photography
David Carlson
Phyllis Taylor
Stewart Woodward
Director of Support Services
Jeanne A. Johnsen ’72
Design
Kenneally Creative
Krystal Ortiz ’08 cradles the ball.
Printing
Kirkwood Printing Company
Softball
Overall Record: 19-20
Conference Record: 17-10
T
his year’s team was very young,
with seven freshmen on the roster, and
it was also the Lasers first season in the
GNAC. Nonetheless, they made it into
the GNAC Tournament where they
came up short in an eight inning game
against St. Joseph’s College, CT.
For the season, Tiffany Perla ’09 lead
the offense and rookie Kirsten
32 Lasell Leaves
Mammola had a great first year,
batting .378. On the mound, Alexandra
Shackford ’11 had the lowest ERA at
2.54, pitching 88 innings and striking
out 50 batters.
The team lost senior co-captain
and starting second baseman
Laura Gallagher, but the rest of the
squad is looking forward to a great
2009 season. ’
Heather Lynch ’09 prepares to hit.
© 2008, Lasell College. All Rights Reserved.
Fall 2008