Winter 2006 the - Western New England University

The
Winter 2006
A PUBLICATION FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE

Alumni Association Benefits and Services
As an alumnus/a of Western New England
College, the following benefits and services
are available to you:
Alumni Association ID Card
The Alumni Association
ID Card provides access
to campus resources
including the Libraries
and Alumni Healthful
Living Center. For details, call 413-782-1327 or
800-962-6592, or email alumwnec@wnec.edu.
The Alumni Healthful
Living Center (AHLC)
Alumni are welcome to use the
world-class facilities of the AHLC
free of charge. Popular amenities
include the fitness center, pool,
and track. For details, call 413-
782-1518. Guest passes for family
and friends may be purchased
for $2 each from the Office of
Student Administrative Services
(SAS) by calling 413-796-2080.
D’Amour and Law Libraries
Free access to our libraries is an outstanding
alumni resource. An Alumni ID
card is required. For more information,
contact the D’Amour Library at 413-782-
1535 or visit http://libraries.wnec.edu,
or call the Law Library at 413-782-1457
or visit http://www.law.wnec.edu.library
for hours of operation.
Alumni Gifts & Apparel
Show off your college spirit with alumni
gifts and apparel. Choose from quality hats,
golf-shirts, and windbreakers for adults, and
new baby and toddler T-shirts, bodysuits,
and “Hug me I’m a Golden Bear” plush
teddy bears. View merchandise at
www.wnec.edu/alumni. For more information
or to place an order call 413-782-1327
or 800-962-6592.
Alumni Website
Learn about upcoming events, read Alumni
Association news, locate classmates, and
view photo albums on the Alumni website
at www.wnec.edu/alumni.
Name
Class Year(s)
Alumni
I.D.Card
Free Subscriptions to Print
and Electronic Publications
• The Communicator—biannual magazine
for alumni and friends of the College
• Alumni Outlook newsletter keeps you
informed of upcoming events, recent activities,
awards, nominations, and voting.
Published in January, April, and August.
• Alumni E-News—When you register in
the alumni online directory, you will receive
our monthly e-newsletter. Register at
www.wnec.edu/alumni.
Affinity Credit Card
The College offers enrollment in an alumni
affinity credit card. For every purchase you
make with the card, a percentage will be
donated to the College. For details, contact
the Office of Alumni Relations at 413-782-
1327 or visit www.wnec.edu/alumni.
Insurance Discounts
As a graduate of Western New England
College, you may qualify for special group
discounts on your auto, home, or renter’s
insurance. For details, call 413-782-1327
or visit www.wnec.edu/alumni.
The CareerCenter
The CareerCenter
assists alumni
with lifelong
career
planning,
W ORKING FOR
YOUR SUCCESS
occupational exploration, and job search
strategies. The Center provides access to
online job postings and enables alumni to
post internship and job openings. For more
information, visit www.wnec.edu/careercenter
or call 413-782-1217.
Blue and Gold Gift and Book Store
There’s no better way to proudly display your
College connection than with a memento
from the campus bookstore. For store hours
or more information, call 413-782-1284 or
visit www.wnec.bkstr.com.
Course Auditing
Alumni may audit undergraduate courses
for $15 per credit hour, if space is available,
and graduate courses in the Schools of
Business and Engineering. Courses are
offered on a space-available basis to an
alumnus/a who has completed a degree
at Western New England College and who
also has the listed prerequisite(s) for the
course selected. Law School courses are
not auditable. For details, contact the
Office of Student Administrative Services
at 413-796-2080.
Transcript Requests
Academic transcripts can be ordered
through the Student Administrative
Services Office. Law transcripts are issued
free of charge by the Student Records Office
in the School of Law. Federal law requires
that we receive your written signature on
all transcript requests. Transcripts will
not be issued to alumni with outstanding
financial obligations to the College. For
security reasons, transcripts cannot be
faxed from the SAS office.
Send your requests to:
SAS Office or Student Records Office—
Transcript Request
Western New England College
1215 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01119-2684
Diploma Replacement
If your diploma is lost or damaged,
you can have it replaced by calling the
Student Administrative Services Office at
413-796-2080 or 800-325-1122 ext. 2080.
(Note: A replacement fee is required.)
For more information about these benefits and services,
contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 413-782-1327
or email alumwnec@wnec.edu.

Contents
4 COVER
What Ever Happened to…?
STORY
When our alumni gather at
Homecoming, the conversation
inevitably leads to speculation
of “What ever happened to…?”
Travel the country with us as
The Communicator uncovers
some intriguing answers to
this question.
Campus and
Community
2 President’s Message
3 Letters to the Editor
13 Student Spotlight
16 Campus News
22 Sports Update
27 Grad to Grad
28 Alumni News
30 Class Notes
37 From the Archives
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
MISSION STATEMENT
Winter 2006
8 School of Engineering Innovation Soars High
with Federal Approval
Learn how a simple idea for a Senior Design Project is flying high
as a $2 million jet engine device.
10 Al LaRiviere ’51/H’95/H’01: Enjoying the Dance of Life
A man in constant motion, Al LaRiviere’s boundless energy and enthusiasm
for Western New England College make him one of our greatest treasures.
12 Celebrating Our Philanthropic Visionaries
Dinner, dancing, and excellent company brought major benefactors
out for a gala evening with President Anthony S. Caprio.
14 By the Dawn’s Early Light
The Communicator salutes our alumni in uniform. Read about
their special donations of flags flown in harm’s way.
18 Insurance 101. What Every Young Alum Needs
to Know About Choosing Insurance
Alumnus Michael D. Coffey G’79 helps young alumni take the mystery
out of choosing insurance products.
19 Graduate Degree Programs for Teachers
Education faculty share why many of the region’s teachers are
advancing their careers through our dynamic master’s programs.
20 The Psychology of Inspiration
Read how Dr. Sheralee Tershner’s lab engages students
in leading edge research.
24 The Sun Shines on Homecoming 2005
A legacy gathering and the unveiling of the Henry Bazan memorial were just
some of the events that drew excellent attendance to Homecoming 2005.
26 Alumni Golden Bears Reunite
Lacrosse and football reunions score big with alumni.
8 14
24
The mission of the Alumni Association of Western New England College is to communicate with and bring
value to the alumni body and to support actively and financially the goals of the College as detailed in its
Mission Statement.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
DEAR BENEFACTORS, DONORS, AND FRIENDS,
This has been a year of vigorous growth at Western New England College.
The College continues to create innovative programs that meet students’
needs. New undergraduate majors for traditional students and accelerated
programs suited to the needs of working adults brighten our educational landscape.
Our reputation for offering professionally-focused programs has been
enhanced by the new graduate programs for teachers, and the MBA program
remains the region’s leader in providing high quality business education. At the
School of Law, the establishment of the LL.M. degree in Estate Planning and
Elder Law has demonstrated the extent to which the College can provide
advanced and specialized legal education to practitioners.
Indeed, the College and its four schools continue to be recognized on a
national scale. In its annual “America’s Best Colleges” rankings, U.S. News and
World Report lists Western New England College in the top tier of its “North”
category among comprehensive colleges and universities, those which provide
a full range of bachelor’s and master’s programs. The report ranks
schools based on 15 different indicators related to academic excellence.
Western New England College also has been selected to appear in Colleges of Distinction, a new college guide and
website profiling institutions characterized as America’s best values in higher education. Colleges of Distinction features
colleges that excel in key areas of educational quality.
In our local region, the dynamic interplay among our schools presents exceptional opportunities for our students
and significant benefits to our community. This fall, through the establishment of the Western New England College
Law and Business Center for Advancing Entrepreneurship, the College has created a means of engaging law and business
students and faculty in an economic development initiative that links the College and the local community.
Your support assures that we will continue to make
remarkable progress at Western New England College
as we fulfill our special calling of making outstanding
education accessible to exceptionally qualified students.
Benefactors, alumni, friends, and members of the
College community have many reasons to be proud of
our institution. It is through your generosity that we
have been able to craft and sustain a high quality education,
which our more than 36,000 alumni recognize to
be a remarkable asset in their careers as well as in their
personal lives.
I am grateful to you for your gifts.
2 Communicator Winter 2006
See Colleges of Distinction’s review of Western New
England College at www.CollegesofDistinction.com.
Sincerely,
Anthony S. Caprio
President

Letters to the Editor
Beverly Dwight, vice president
for advancement, shared this
note with us about Homecoming:
We wish to express our appreciation
to you and the “Homecoming
Crew” for making October 1
a memorable day for us. The
friendly reception by Carol Oliveira
and her helpers at the registration
tent gave us a great start for the
day. The ride arranged for us to
the St. Germain Campus Center
was a welcome accommodation.
Our visit with the other Golden
Graduates at the luncheon
sparked many pleasant memories.
Very impressive and inspirational
to us were the comments by you,
Dr. Caprio, and the young lady who
was one of the recipients of the
Skookum Award. Those were the
clinchers to make us devoted
WNEC’ers!!
Please give our sincere and
grateful thanks to Lori Dyer who
made sure we did not miss Dr.
Cue’s entertaining and educational
billiard demonstrations
and capped that off by giving
us a ride back to the football
field and our car.
All of the activities and the personal
attention just contributed to
a wonderful, joyful Homecoming!!
Gustave ’41/H’01 and Hilda Suhm
East Longmeadow, MA
Many thanks for sending us
copies of The Communicator with
the article on the MBA Program
with Brian Gragnolati’s (G’82)
insights—a great article (I also
loved reading about Bradford
Cohen!). Your publication is interesting,
attractive, educational,
and fun to read—all the marks
of a great editor!
Victoria Boyer
Volunteer Services Department
Suburban Hospital Healthcare
System, Inc.
Bethesda, MD
I love that the College is doing
so much outreach to alumni.
The alumni magazine is great
and the website is incredible.
Andrea Gaspardino ’92
Associate Director of Campus Life
and Interim Greek Advisor
Florida International University
Miami, FL
(Read more about Andrea in our
“What Ever Happened to…?
Story on page 4)
Send your letters to: Mary Mazzaferro, Director of Copywriting Services,
Western New England College, 1215 Wilbraham Road, Springfield, MA 01119-2684
or email: mmazzafe@wnec.edu.
Give Back to Where
Your Future Began.
Your Western New England College degree has helped you achieve
the success you deserve. Consider sharing your success with
younger generations and leaving a legacy by making a planned gift
to the College. Planned gifts can include a bequest through your
will or a life-income gift such as a charitable gift annuity or
a charitable trust, which pay you income and provide tax savings
while helping us achieve our educational mission.
For more information about bequests, life-income gifts,
or other types of planned giving, please contact James Rich
in the Advancement Division at 413-782-1373 or write:
James Rich
Senior Director of Foundation Relations
and Advancement Operations
Western New England College
1215 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01119-2684
Email: develop@wnec.edu
Visit our website at www.wnec.edu/giving
Winter 2006
Communicator
3
The Communicator is
published for the alumni,
parents, and friends of
Western New England College.
PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE
Anthony S. Caprio H’00
VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT
Beverly Dwight
ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT
FOR ALUMNI RELATIONS
Kara Kapinos ’87/G’89
VICE PRESIDENT FOR MARKETING
AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Barbara Campanella
EDITOR
Mary Mazzaferro
CLASS NOTES EDITOR
Jennifer Kasparian
SPORTS NEWS EDITOR
Ken Cerino
VIEW FROM THE CUPOLA EDITOR
David Stawasz
WRITERS
Patricia Gagnon
Mary Mazzaferro
Manon Mirabelli
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Deborah Chappell
DESIGNER
Janice MacKenzie,
MacKenzie Design
PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Paul Schnaittacher
PROOFREADER
Rosemary O’Donoghue
PRINTER
Bassette Printers
EDITORIAL OFFICES:
The Communicator, Office of
Marketing and External Affairs,
Western New England College,
1215 Wilbraham Road,
Springfield, MA 01119-2684
Telephone: 413-782-1420
Fax: 413-796-2007
Address and email changes should
be sent to the Office of Alumni
Relations at alumwnec@wnec.edu.
Every effort has been made to
contact copyright holders of any
material reprinted in this magazine.
Any omissions will be corrected
in subsequent issues if notice is
given to the Office of Marketing
and External Affairs, Western New
England College.
Western New England College is committed to
the principle of equal opportunity in education and
employment. The College does not discriminate on
the basis of sex, race, color, creed, national origin,
age, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or
disability in admission to, access to, treatment in,
or employment in its programs and activities. The
following person has been designated to handle
inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies:
Executive Director of the CareerCenter and Human
Resources, Western New England College, 1215
Wilbraham Road, Springfield, MA 01119-2684.
Inquiries concerning the application of nondiscrimination
policies may also be referred to the Regional
Director, Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of
Education, J.W. McCormack P.O.C.H., Room 222,
Boston, MA 02109-4557.

BY MARY MAZZAFERRO
William Roy ’84
Logistics Engineer
NASA
Merritt Island, FL
Personal: Married, two children
4 Communicator Winter 2006
Working at NASA is a
dream come true for many
engineers. Chicopee, MA,
native Bill Roy never imagined
he would have the good fortune
to work at the Kennedy
Space Center (KSC), but it is
his NASA superiors who feel
they have been fortunate in
finding this 1984 graduate.
Bill’s wife, Laura, describes
him as a humble man, accustomed
to “storing his awards in
cardboard boxes.” However, one
recent award is hard to downplay.
According to a recent
issue of Spaceport News, it is
Bill’s “outstanding commitment
to his coworkers and KSC
facilities” that led him to
receive NASA’s Exceptional
Service Medal in August.
Bill sees parallels between
the friendly and family-like culture
at NASA and our School of
Engineering. A transfer student
to the mechanical engineering
program, Bill appreciated
the extra encouragement he
received from faculty and classmates.
He says, “I think in the
end I was a good student who
kept in the background, but
the education and life lessons
I learned there were a major
factor in getting this far in
my career.”
Bill is currently a logistics
engineer with the International
Space Station/Payload Processing
Directorate supporting the
Vision for Space Exploration,
President Bush’s new imperative
for 21st century space
exploration, including a return
mission to the moon. Bill is
excited about the prospects of
this unprecedented opportunity.
“We’ll be able to start from
scratch and influence designs.
“I love it here at NASA and
KSC. It just goes to show you
that with perseverance, hard
work, and dedication you can
make your dreams come true.”
NASA

Have you ever wondered what ever happened to the quiet
guy who seemed to have all the answers in your ENGR 110
class, the peer advisor who helped you transition through
your first year, or perhaps the MBA classmate who showed
great executive potential? Western New England College proudly boasts 36,000
alumni who, after leaving our classrooms, have made meaningful contributions in their careers and in
their communities. They are the leaders of industry, educators of our children, and engineers of our future
who have been forever changed by the lessons learned and bonds of friendship created here. Journey
with us as we travel the country in search of answers to the question “What ever happened to…?”
Andrea Gaspardino ’92
Associate Director of Campus
Life and Interim Greek Advisor
Florida International University
Miami, FL
Personal: Single
Working with students
as a peer advisor and student
ambassador, and being involved
with the Resident Hall Association
at Western New England
College inspired history major
Andrea Gaspardino to pursue
a career in higher education.
While Greek Life had been
retired from our campus long
before Andrea was a student,
it was her experience with
students and mentors here
that laid the foundation for a
rewarding career working with
sororities and fraternities at
several universities.
Maureen Keizer, assistant
dean of students and leadership
development, and Ted
Zern, dean of freshman and
transfer students, were both
mentors to Andrea. “Their
open door policy with students
is something I practice today.
They also taught me patience
and that every student comes
to college with individual challenges,”
says Andrea. Professors
Dennis Kolodziejski and John
Anzalotti served as other mentors
in Andrea’s development
of counseling skills.
Prior to joining the staff
at Florida International
University last year, Andrea
enjoyed positions in Greek Life
at such universities as Emory,
Penn State, Quinnipiac, and
Bowling Green State where
she earned a master’s degree.
She has also worked for the
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric
AIDS Foundation traveling
to colleges to coordinate
fundraising events.
Having worked at so many
different institutions, Andrea
can offer a unique perspective
on what made her experience
at Western New England
College so transformational.
She says, “It’s the personal
attention and accessibility you
have not only to professors, but
to deans and other administrators
who can help you grow as
an individual. That personal
attention also extends to the
upper-class peers who take new
students under their wings.”
Daniel J. Labrie ’77
CEO
Housing Authority Insurance
Group
Cheshire, CT
Personal: Married, one child
As graduation approached
in 1977, finance major Dan
Labrie sought a rewarding
career path. After scouring
career guides at the D’Amour
Library, he came upon a
description for an insurance
underwriter and was immediately
hooked.
With the guidance of our
career counselors, Dan entered
the insurance industry and rose
through the ranks of companies
such as St. Paul and Travelers.
In 1988, Dan left the blue
chip world behind and tackled
the niche market of insuring
public housing authorities.
Despite the industry’s perception
of heavy claims volume,
Dan was convinced that the
highly specialized, up and
coming insurance company
offered the expertise to offset
those risks.
Less than a decade later,
Dan became CEO of Housing
Authority Insurance (HAI)
Group, an organization that
now serves 800 public housing
authorities and earns annualized
premiums of $110 million.
HAI Group works diligently
to help its members reduce
risk exposure, particularly
through the use of interactive
educational broadcasts.
Programs range from management
training for housing
authority staff to fire prevention
education for children.
“A huge part of our budget
goes to education and professional
development,” says Dan,
who enjoys the challenge of
continuous learning. “We presented
programs to 12,000
students last year. One reason
we succeed is that we do things
differently. I was never the type
to support the status quo.”
Dan appreciates the learning
experience and responsibilities
of leading an organization.
“Being a CEO provides a
great opportunity to learn a
tremendous amount about
yourself and utilize your full
potential and leadership skills
to meet the objectives of your
organization and represent
your community and industry.”
Winter 2006
Communicator
5

Willie Deese G’84
President
Merck Manufacturing Division
Doylestown, PA
Personal: Married, one child
Willie Deese enrolled in
the MBA program at Western
New England College while
employed as a buyer at Digital
Equipment Corporation in
Springfield. In the two decades
since, he has held such prestigious
positions as senior vice
president, Global Procurement
and Logistics, for GlaxoSmith-
Kline and vice president, purchasing
for Kaiser Permanente.
Today, he is responsible for
Merck’s global procurement
and operational excellence
functions, leading an organization
of more than 15,000
employees spanning 21 plants
in 25 countries. He is heading
a procurement transformation
that is projected to save the
pharmaceutical giant $1.2 billion
over the next five years.
Looking back at his MBA
experience, Willie recalls,
“Initially, it was the convenience
and proximity that
attracted me to the MBA program,
but I came to appreciate
the good reputation and the
academic quality.
“I keep in contact with
classmates and also with colleagues
at Digital who are now
spread out all over the country.
I look back and smile when I
think about the number of
6 Communicator Winter 2006
team-based projects that
always represented a challenge
to students,” says Willie who as
a top executive appreciates the
value of such experiences.
“Business today is very collaborative
and the ability to work
as a team leader and member
are critical elements for success
and progress.”
While team-based learning
remains a pillar of the MBA curriculum,
Willie sees the current
emphasis on Change Management
as an advantage to students
and future employers.
He says, “We live in a very
dynamic, global, competitive
environment where the ability
to adapt to, lead, and manage
change, as well as motivate
people through change, is very
important. As human beings
most of us do not embrace
change. The rate and velocity of
change in most organizations
today is unlike anything we’ve
seen. I’m constantly looking for
people who are not afraid to
deal with change.”
Roger Frasca ’62
Mechanical Engineer (retired)
McDonnell Douglas
Carmel, CA
Personal: Married, two children
If Roger Frasca had a nickname
during his college years, it
may have been “King of the
Road” or at least the “Road Trip.”
Roger was an early organizer of
Fort Lauderdale spring breaks,
but it was his 1962 graduation
Peter Perkins ’87
Partner, Global Water USA, LLC
Southborough, MA
Personal: Married, two children
Peter Perkins has parlayed
his expertise in computer science
into a fascinating entrepreneurial
career. He is about to
launch a new import company
bringing Aqua Pura, high-end
bottled mineral water and oneof-a-kind
artisan distilled beverages,
from Europe to the U.S.
market. He is excited about the
new enterprise and, given his
prior success, optimistic about
its future.
Previously, Peter was the
owner and CEO of Hebert
Candies, a specialty candies
and confections chain, which
he recently sold. Prior to that
venture, Peter says, “I bought
a smaller company, Candy
Flowers. We tripled the business
and then moved to a larger
platform with Hebert.”
He brings considerable
expertise to his entrepreneurial
efforts from experience
handling supply chain strategy
and technology issues as a
consultant for such companies
as PepsiCo and Wyeth.
With several job offers in
programming at graduation,
Peter feels his decision to
work in the auditing department
of a large insurance
company gave him the big
trip that is the stuff of legends.
The day after commencement,
Roger invited classmates Fred
Traggio and John Farrell to travel
with him to Hollywood, CA.
The trio took a circuitous
route covering 8,000 miles crisscrossing
North America from
Florida to the Bahamas, Canada,
and Seattle where they saw “the
brand new Space Needle.”
Once in California, they
applied for jobs together at
picture perspective needed
to someday head his own companies.
He says, “As an auditor
focused on technology, you
look at the broad scope of a
company and the financial and
operations controls related to
the strategic side.
“The experience at Western
New England College opened
my eyes to opportunities and
every one of my friends—
including Chris Mathieu ’87,
Sharon (Ciano) Nazzaro ’86,
and Tim Roche ’87—have been
very successful in their own
careers. It was not so much
specific coursework, but the
fact that we had the engineering
or accounting degrees to
be able to chase a lot of different
dreams.”

Linda Peters, Ph.D. G’96
Program Co-director,
Harold Grinspoon
Charitable Foundation’s
Entrepreneurships Initiatives
Dean’s Assistant Professor,
UMass Amherst
Wilbraham, MA
Personal: Married, three children
In the 1990s, Linda Peters
was already a successful executive
and junior partner with
Aspen Square Management,
a national real estate investment
firm based in western
Massachusetts. She didn’t need
an MBA to advance her career,
but chose to pursue one to
enhance her business management
skills. “Professor Bill
Ferris was a mentor for me in
the MBA program along with
Professor Russ Fanelli, who has
since retired. Both of them
have kept in touch and followed
my career,” says Linda.
In 1998, Linda’s priorities
changed dramatically with the
birth of triplets, two sons and
a daughter. While others may
have found that life change
challenging enough, Linda
chose to complete her
Ph.D. at the University of
Massachusetts, setting the
School of Management record
in Organization Studies by
Douglas Aircraft Company.
Roger chose the acoustic engineering
sound and noise division
and remained there for
over 30 years.
Both “BK—Before Kids,” as
Roger and his wife, Joyce, like
to say, and since Roger’s retirement
at age 55, the Frascas have
continued their wanderlust
traveling throughout Europe,
China, and Canada.
In 1997 Roger organized
earning her doctorate in three
years and ten months.
While she has retired from
Aspen Square Management,
she maintains her share of
ownership in the company
and continues to serve as the
Program Co-director of the
company’s philanthropic
efforts through the Harold
Grinspoon Charitable
Foundation’s Entrepreneurships
Initiatives, which awards
annual stipends to college students
who develop innovative
businesses. Two Western New
England College Business stu-
the 35th year reunion of his
class with great success. In
2003, Roger, Joyce, and their
daughter, Suzanne, again
returned to Springfield and
stopped in unexpectedly to
see President Anthony Caprio,
whom they had met at a
California alumni reception.
“We walked in unannounced
and Dr. Caprio held all his
calls to spend the afternoon
with us. He was so gracious.”
dents have been recipients of
the award.
Linda also enjoys the flexibility
of teaching online courses
in the UMass PMBA program.
Dispelling the myths
of online education, Linda
asserts, “I have a true appreciation
for online learning, you
get as much or more interaction
with students as you
would face–to–face. It is very
much interactive, yet asynchronous.
Everyone is equalized,
the people who are shy
or those who are outgoing
tend to respond equally in
Sadly, just prior to a planned
trip this spring with the Frascas,
Fred Traggio became ill and, in
July, passed away. Roger says, “I
spoke at his funeral and shared
how Fred always enjoyed telling
the story of how he, John, and I
traveled to California.” (The
three spent their entire careers
at the Douglas Aircraft
Company which later became
McDonnell Douglas.)
terms of position, which in
the global world we have to
learn anyway.”
Building on her Ph.D. thesis,
Linda continues to do research
on the dynamics and effectiveness
of the virtual team environment,
which is mirrored in
online MBA team projects. She
says, “Virtual teams allow
companies to use an intranet
within an organization to connect
with people all over the
world. A project can be worked
on during the day in the U.S.
and sent to another team in
India to work on at night. It
allows you to capitalize on
the global economy and on the
expertise of employees without
relocation.”
A firm believer in the power
of education, Linda and her
husband, James, have established
a 4-for-4 Scholarship
to help support one Western
New England College student
through each of his or her four
years of college. She has also
been appointed to the advisory
board of the Western New
England College Law and
Business Center for Advancing
Entrepreneurship. ■
To find out whatever happened to your classmates and
friends, create an account in the Alumni Directory at www.wnec.edu/alumni
Winter 2006
Communicator
7

HUSH
School of Engineering Innovation
Soars High with Federal Approval
8 Communicator Winter 2006
ITBY MANON L. MIRABELLI

On a bright, sunny afternoon in May, a group of elated Western
New England College alumni, faculty, and students is gathered
at Barnes Municipal Airport in Westfield, MA, to witness the
successful result of years of work that began at the School of
Engineering. On the tarmac is a Gulfstream corporate jet fitted
with a $2 million, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified
Hushkit noise suppressor. The concept for the Hushkit, the brainchild
of Dr. Walter Presz, professor emeritus of mechanical engineering,
began as an engineering Senior Design Project in 1991
implemented at first on leaf blowers and hair dryers.
“It started with a simple idea and a dream,” — Walter Presz
That dream is clearly a reality in
Westfield, just one stop on a five-state,
cross-country marketing tour including
California, Florida, New Jersey, and Texas
where potential Hushkit buyers will be
introduced to the device with demonstrations.
The innovative aircraft part will
make it possible to keep older Gulfstream
jets from becoming obsolete as noise
requirements become stricter at more
and more smaller airports.
Dr. Presz, who cofounded with
pilot/investor Jack Anderson, Stage III
Technologies, the La Jolla, CA, based company
that brought the patented Hushkit
out of the lab and into the avionics industry,
is surrounded by those who have played
Professor Emeritus Walter Presz is interviewed by ABC affiliate TV40
a vital role in the technological triumph.
“This was truly an American dream,”
Presz says. “Jack is the pilot, and I’m the
researcher. He raised some money to bring
me aboard and together we set up the
facility.”
They chose La Jolla, CA, on the West
Coast, Presz adds, because of the availability
of titanium to manufacture lightweight
products.
Also at the airport is another important
member of the team that brought the
Hushkit to certification—Gary Reynolds
’92, vice president of engineering for Stage
III. “I never thought I would be here today,”
he says.
In all, eight alumni to date either currently
work for Stage III or have worked
there in the past. Jeff King ’98 and Keith
Ritchie ’98 are presently employees; and
Phil Bowen ’98, Bob Dold ’90, Scott Kettle
’98, Luke Mayo ’98/G’05, and Joe Zecca
’91/G’98 are former employees. Jason
Batchelder ’03 served the company as
an intern.
“The company is lean and mean,” Presz
says of the relatively small staff. “Most of
the early work was done at the College
with students.”
The Hushkit, aptly named for its ability
to suppress engine noise, has the added
benefit of increasing jet engine thrust on
takeoff. As impressive as that sounds, the
effect has to be experienced to be truly
appreciated, and a small number of those
who have turned out for the occasion are
about to learn firsthand what a Hushkit
L to R: Brian Coombs ’06 (ME), Mark Clement ’05, (ME),
Gary Reynolds ’92 (ME), Walter Presz, Stan Kowalski III
’92 (ME), and Bill Dionne ’06 (ME).
can do for a Gulfstream jet.
Space on the aircraft is limited to eight
passengers, and the students, faculty, and
alumni selected for the brief flight anxiously
board.
With everyone fastened into seatbelts,
the aircraft begins to taxi to the runway.
Once in position, it gradually gains speed
until it lifts off the ground and makes a
powerful, near vertical ascent into the
clear, blue sky.
One of those aboard, Stanley Kowalski
III ’92, whose engineering company, SK3,
sponsors School of Engineering Senior
Design Projects, points to the Hushkit as a
prime example of the wisdom in doing so.
“There is definitely a commercial value
in investing in student projects,” he says.
That the Stage III Hushkit is an incredibly
effective and successful innovation is
an opinion held not only by its most ardent
supporters, but by members of the industry
as well.
After a 2003 demonstration in
Orlando, FL, Aviation Today reported
“the contrast between the Hushkitted
Gulfstream II and the ordinary Gulfstream
II was remarkable.”
The marketing tour generated considerable
interest in the Hushkit. According
to a Stage III sales report, 14 sales are closable
and 60 more could be sold within the
first year.
Although there is another company
that produces a hushkit, “the superiority
of our product will sell itself,” Presz says. ■
Winter 2006
Communicator
9

Enjoying the Dance of Life
BY MARY MAZZAFERRO
Al LaRiviere ’51/H’95/H’01
Whether at a board meeting or on the dance floor, at 88 years of age he projects
an awesome presence, not because of his sheer physical stature, but through his
luminous personality and boundless energy. From convocation to commencement,
when Alfred A. “Al” LaRiviere walks in the room, the room takes on a new dimension.
Longtime secretary of the Board
of Trustees, Alfred A. LaRiviere has
signed over 25,000 diplomas, was
named Alumnus of the Year in 1983,
and was recently awarded the only
Honorary Skookum Award.
The Western New England
College LaRiviere Legacy
Three of seven children:
Alfred LaRiviere Jr. G’77
Francis LaRiviere ’78/G’84
Monique LaRiviere ’87
Two sons-in-law:
Bryant Hersh ’77
Stephen Rourke G’81
And the legacy continues: grandson
Andrew Rourke is currently a freshman.
In 1951 Al LaRiviere was a member of
the last official class to graduate from
Northeastern College—Springfield
Division, the predecessor of Western New
England College. Since then, Western New
England College has proudly honored Al as
an alumnus not once, but twice, awarding
him an honorary doctor of laws degree
in 1995, and an honorary baccalaureate
degree along with other members of the
Class of 1951 in 2001.
Al began his relationship with the
College in 1939, enrolling in the part-time
evening program. His education was interrupted
for seven years by military service
in WWII and in postwar Japan where Al,
in his typical fashion, could not help but
become involved in building a church in
Kagoshima, Japan. “Wherever I go, I like
to serve people,” says Al, “that’s what it’s
all about.”
A Man in Motion
As a former member of the Student
Council, Al recognized early on that the
key to building affinity among recent
graduates from both institutions was
to create an autonomous alumni association
and he became its first president.
He recalls, “We used to meet informally
at the homes of other alumni like Ray
Meyers (’51/G’64/H’01). Initially, we had
some resistance from Northeastern
graduates, but eventually they came
around to the idea. We said, ‘We’re a
college now, we can’t continue to be
allied with Northeastern.’ I always felt
that this is my school; my love is here.”
While building a career and growing his
family, which would include seven children,
Al’s ‘can do,’ good-natured attitude made
him one of the most sought-after members
of nonprofit boards and professional associations
in the region. In addition to the
Western New England College Board of
Trustees, of which he has been a member
for over three decades, Al has served as
chair of the Board of Trustees for Mercy
Hospital; as a charter member and president
of the Credit Union Employees Retirement
Association (CURA), a statewide
organization; as a board member of the
Chamber of Commerce; and as president
of the Springfield Rotary Club. He has been
active in his town government and in the
school district of Ludlow, MA, and he
organizes fundraising events for his church
parish. In 1983 he received Springfield’s
most prestigious honor for community
service: the Pynchon Award.
“Work like you don’t need the money. Love like you’ve never
10 Communicator Winter 2006

In Step with the Future
Spending the majority of his career at the
Western Massachusetts Telephone Workers
Credit Union (now the Freedom Credit
Union) in Springfield, Al retired as president
at the age of 78. He became a skilled lobbyist
who worked with local and state politicians
to enact into law the Massachusetts
Share Insurance Corporation (MSIC) for
state-chartered credit unions, the first such
law in the United States.
It was his foresight that Western New
England College would have to lobby the
governor to purchase additional land that
has been one of his greatest contributions
to the evolution of the College.
As a result of 15 years of lobbying, in
1992, Al and then President Beverly Miller
brought the issue to then Governor William
Weld and convinced him to allow the sale of
54 acres to Western New England College.
Among Al’s proudest achievements
from his association with the College
are his being appointed to the Board of
Trustees and having the LaRiviere Living
and Learning Center named in his honor
in 1999. He is still amused to hear students
passing by him on campus refer to “going
to LaRiv.” Al recalls, “The first time I heard
a student call it that at a Trustees’ meeting,
I thought a couple of my friends were
going to fall out of their chairs.”
“Al LaRiviere’s generosity, involvement, and ongoing interest in
every aspect of the College demonstrate the extent to which he
practices total commitment. He and Marian are the College. How
fortunate we all are to benefit from their wisdom, love, caring,
sense of humor, wit, and friendship.” —Anthony S. Caprio, President
An Ideal Partner
At Al’s side at College events such as the
annual LaRiviere Living and Learning
Center picnic for residents, and supporting
him at home throughout the years, has
been his partner in life and on the dance
floor, Marian LaRiviere. The couple recently
celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary
surrounded by family and friends
from the College, among them President
Anthony S. Caprio.
Al believes he is living proof of the
power of education to transform lives and
improve our society. “Getting involved with
the Alumni Association has made a big difference
to me. You’ve got to be willing to be
a part of it and that includes financially,”
says Al.
He asserts, “We have a great faculty
whose members really are interested in
our students’ education. We have had
some great presidents. The reason
why things are growing at this school
today is because of Dr. Caprio’s leadership.
Success is a matter of evolution.
If we’re not moving, we’re stagnant.
We can’t afford to be stagnant.
We understand that it takes
time for ideas to reach fruition
and that’s what makes this a great campus.
“There are three pieces to this campus:
the Student Senate, the Faculty Senate, and
the Board of Trustees. To be successful, we
need all three pieces working together.”
Al is the perennial alum who contributes
to the College on an annual basis
and has also established several scholarships.
He and Marian have established
the Alfred and Marian LaRiviere Alpha
Lambda Delta Endowed Merit Scholarship,
the Alfred and Marian LaRiviere
Endowed Scholarship, and the newly
created Alfred and Marian LaRiviere
Endowed Music Scholarship.
John M. “Jay” O’Brien III ’74, chairman
of the Western New England College
Board of Trustees, has served with Al for
over 20 years. He views Al as an inspiration
to the Board and the entire College
community. He says, “Al has so much energy,
it’s absolutely remarkable. I consider
him the best type of alumnus—he has
given his time, his talent, and his financial
support. He’s a joy to be around. Despite
his success, he’s not aloof, he’s a regular
guy who loves the College and energizes
people around him.” ■
Trustee Thomas Burton ’70, President Anthony S. Caprio, and Marian and Alfred
LaRiviere at the opening of the LaRiviere Living and Learning Center in 1999.
“The Dancing LaRivieres” are often the life of the party at College events.
been hurt. Dance like nobody is watching.” Mark Twain
Winter 2006 Communicator 11

Celebrating our
“As I look around the room and see new friends, as well as longtime
friends, I realize once again that it takes all of us, and all of our
support, to make this College the fine institution that it is.”
Dining Room A was converted into a beautiful banquet
hall for more than 120 guests.
Dr. Caprio and John M. O’Brien III ’74, chairman of the
Board of Trustees, present Mickey and Naomi Schoenberg
with the Benefactors’ Bowl in recognition of their lifetime
gifts of over $100,000.
12 Communicator
Winter 2006
BY MANON L. MIRABELLI
Western New England College continues
to grow through the generosity
of the institution’s benefactors, who
are rewarded each year with a special
gala evening that celebrates their philanthropy
and vision for the College.
More than 120 guests joined
College President Anthony S. Caprio
for the President’s Dinner on May 7,
in recognition of those who made
a significant contribution to the
College’s annual fund.
In addressing the guests, Dr. Caprio,
noted that the comments he made at
his inauguration nine years ago still
apply today. “I said that I believed we
were at an important time in the history
of this College. Now that I have
Dr. Caprio with students, from left to right, Adam
Orazio ’05, speaker Andrew Bukowinski ’05, and
Sean Shimansky ’05.
—President Anthony S. Caprio
Kevin Delbridge ’77 and his wife, Sandra,
with Dr. Caprio at the President’s Dinner
reception.
lived these years with many of you,
I see that the statement did ring true,
and continues to ring true. Together,
we have made astounding progress,
and we are well postured for an even
brighter future.”
Other speakers included
John M. O’Brien III ’74, chairman
of the Board of Trustees;
Beverly Dwight, vice president
for Advancement; Kathleen
Reid, director of Health
Services; and student speakers
Andrew Bukowinski ’05 and
Jessica Garcia ’06. ■

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
MIGHTON, the founder of a revolutionary
teaching program called
JUMP (Junior Undiscovered Math
Prodigies) believes in breaking the cycle
of self-fulfilling prophecies perpetuated
by a lack of confidence in mathematical
abilities; he advocates nurturing self-confidence
in all children, particularly girls.
Western New England College Junior
Giselle Pile is a testament to this theory
that children who excel in mathematics
are those who became comfortable with
the subject at an early age.
“When I was a little girl, my mother
always took me with her to the grocery
store. As we shopped, she had me calculate
the cost of all the groceries, including
the tax, in my head. I still do that today.”
Giselle, who lives in Hyattsville, MD,
spent her elementary school years in
Giselle Pile ’08: Nurturing
Mathematical Minds
BY MARY MAZZAFERRO
Perhaps more than in any other subject, in mathematics it is easy to turn a good
student into a bad student in a very short time. The myths surrounding the subject
encourage students to give up the moment they encounter any difficulty.
—John Mighton, The Myth of Ability (Walker & Company, 2003)
Trinidad, where she says, “Our teachers really
pushed us to develop strong math skills.”
She finds that same encouragement
from her professors today. She says, “The
mathematics faculty is great. My advisor
goes out of his way to help me with a difficult
problem and encourages me to stick
with it. They are so funny and have a great
sense of ‘math’ humor.”
Giselle plans to work in the field of
actuarial science or as a mathematician
doing research. She also enjoys mentoring
others and may someday teach. She is a
resident advisor, peer tutor, Club U&ME
(United and Mutually Equal) mentor,
member of the Math Club, and a freshman
seminar assistant. Beyond campus, she
tutors students in math at the nearby
Duggan Middle School. Like her mother,
she uses examples of how math is applied
in every day life to boost comprehension
in the students she tutors.
“I try to figure out where their interests
lie and match examples to what they
like from sports to movies to shopping. I
make examples out of situations like how
to use geometry to figure out what angle
to shoot a basketball from to score. It’s
easier for them when you take it outside
of the textbook.”
Giselle would like to see more girls
study math, “For women, especially minority
women, it’s very important to challenge
yourself.” She offers these recommendations
to parents, “be more actively involved
with your child’s homework. My mother
always sat with me until I was finished. I
ended up teaching her and it was back and
forth.” She suggests, “Sit with your daughter
and become interested in what she’s
learning, and she will too.
“Young girls need to realize that
being good at math isn’t ‘uncool.’ Being
a math major, you are seen as being cool.
People always ask me how I balance it all.
They’re impressed that a woman is good
Winter 2006
Communicator
13

BY THE
DAWN’S EAR
B Y MARY MAZZAFERRO
Lt. Col. Reginald “Reggie”
Sanders ’83, of Peachtree
City, GA, is a liaison officer
serving with the New York State
National Guard 42nd Infantry
Division supporting Operation
Iraqi Freedom, and a Gulf War
veteran. Outside the Guard, he
works at DaimlerChrysler and is
planning to join the company’s
China Team and earn a Ph.D.
in human resources when he
returns in early 2006. Reggie is
assigned to Task Force Liberty,
a division of 24,000 soldiers
deployed to Iraq last February.
His job is to “assist the division
to deploy into the battlefield,
track its progress, and resolve
key logistics problems.”
In 120-degree heat, thousands
of miles from home, Reggie
found comfort in communications
to Assistant Vice President
Kara Kapinos ’87/G’89 and other
members of the Western New
England College community
where his 80-year old mother,
Florence, still works as a housekeeper.
Reggie told Kara that he
had been saddened by the loss
of Golden Bear football teammate
James “Jimmy” Geyer ’82
who was killed on September
11 in the World Trade Center.
Reggie expressed to Kara his
thoughts about Jimmy, saying,
“I have named my position
here at Camp Arifjan in honor
of former Golden Bear wide
receiver Jimmy Geyer, Class of
1982. Jimmy, who worked for
Cantor Fitzgerald, played football
with me for one year on
the College’s first NCAA
Division III team in 1981.
14 Communicator Winter 2006
Lt. Col. Reginald Sanders ’83 in front of a painting of the twin towers.
Says Reggie, “Many of our soldiers lost family members and friends
in the towers. Most of the first responders belonged to the 42nd.”
“I have told my troops about
Jimmy. I guess I just make a
habit of making sure my soldiers
understand my background.
My soldiers feel they
are a part of my family.”
In Jimmy’s memory, Reggie has
dedicated a flag flown during
a mission in Iraq and donated
it to the College. Reggie said,
“The Combat Mission Flag represents
a soldier’s appreciation
for a fallen comrade.”
Alumni E-News Delivers
Welcome News of Home
When the Alumni E-News,
our electronic newsletter, was
introduced last year, it quickly
became a favorite means of
communication with our alumni
in the military. In the fall of
2004, Rich Elliot ’96, a criminal
investigator for the Department
of Defense stationed at Hill AFB,
UT, responded to a request for
stories from alumni serving
their country.
Rich wrote, “As you know,
Afghanistan just had the first
democratic election in the history
of the country. I am based
out of Uzbekistan, in the former
Soviet Union. We fly out
of here into Afghanistan on a
daily basis to conduct operations
in country. Once we were
loaded up we flew the ballots
to the capital of Afghanistan,
Kabul, to be off-loaded and
counted. Along with other
Ravens, I flew with aircrews to
numerous remote, unsecured
airstrips all over Afghanistan
to secure and fly the ballots to
Kabul to be counted.
“I am proud to be part of
Western New England College
alumni and very proud to be
doing my part in direct support
of Operation Enduring
Freedom.”
Richard later chose to honor
his alma mater by dedicating
a Mission Flag to the College.
Says Rich, “When you are
operating in a not so pleasant
place such as Afghanistan, and
it comes time to decompress
and relax, you think of things
that make you smile. I have a
lot of great friends and memories
from my days at Western
New England and I would
often think about my experiences
at school when it came
time to close my eyes and try
to relax. The College played
a big part in who I am, so it
was natural to me to want to
honor my school and alumni
friends by flying a United
States flag on a combat mission
into Afghanistan.”
Richard returned home last
spring. Recently Rich wrote us,
“I was truly looking forward
to attending Homecoming ’05,
seeing my old friends and reminiscing
about our wild times.
Unfortunately, it was just not
feasible with all that is going
on in the world at this time.
Keep your fingers crossed for
Homecoming ’06!”
Legacy Alumnus Shares
a Soldier’s Story
The son of Vietnam War
veteran Lieutenant John P.
Kasparian ’82, USMC Captain
John A. Kasparian ’91 was
deployed to Iraq as the adjutant
with the 3rd Battalion,
25th Marines, a reservist unit
based in Ohio, in January 2005.
By September, the 3/25 had
been engaged in 11 major combat
missions in the western Al
Anbar province.
John felt it was important to
share a soldier’s view of the
conflict with the people back at
home. Before his deployment,
John established an email jour-

LY LIGHT
Rich Elliott ’96 protecting a U.S. aircraft containing
80,000 Afghan election ballots last fall
Mission Flags donated by alumni
on display at the St. Germain
Campus Center
John A. Kasparian ’91 during Operation Sword
for the City of Hit, Iraq, June 2005
nal column with his local community
paper, The Reminder
of East Longmeadow, MA.
Whenever he could,
John posted stories
and photos on the
paper’s website, providing
a very personal
glimpse into the challenges
and day-to-day
struggles of our soldiers.
As adjutant,
a position he says is
“equivalent to vice
president of administration,”
for his battalion,
John has also
been quoted in the
New York Times and
by the AP Wire Service.
Like Reggie and Rich, John and
his men took great pride in flying
our national and state flags
at their camps. In his column
John wrote, “We sent a letter to
the governors from all 50 states
requesting that they send their
state flag to the 3/25. We fly
their flags over Hadithah Dam,
Al Anbar, Iraq, and our Commanding
Officer, Colonel Lionel
B. Urquhart signs the flag.”
When they came home in
October, the marines returned
these same flags to each governor
as a thank you. Said John,
“We wanted to thank our states
for the fine young men who have
come from all over the United
States to serve with us.”
In preparation for Homecoming
Weekend, the College had the
flags and mission plaques
donated by Reggie and Rich
put on display at the Campus
Center.
Says Reggie, “I am glad the
school is doing something to
show the new students what
some of us are doing. Former
Professor and Football Coach
Hank Bazan produced some
stand up leaders.”
Rich concluded, “I am grateful
for the education that I received
and the experience that I had as a
student at Western New England
College. I am honored to know
that the College is not only displaying
the flag that I carried with
me into combat but flags of other
alumni who are also serving our
great country.” ■
Winter 2006
Western New England College
also salutes the following
alumni who have informed
us of their current military
service:
Lt. Col. Ronald J. Bashista ’89
U.S. Army
West Point
Col. Joseph Bassani Jr. ’84
Chief of the Plans Division (J5)
U.S. Northern Command
William Butman Jr. ’03
Marine Corps Veteran
Lt. Col. James Baxter ’78
U.S. Air Force
Hanscom AFB
Lt. Col. David Press G’95
U.S. Army
The Pentagon
Maj. David Preston ’90
4th Brigade Combat Team
101st Airborne Division
Col. Darrell Sims ’78
Assistant Deputy Director
for Political Affairs
The Joint Staff, J-5
The Pentagon
Cpt. Lynn Williams L’89
CPT, JA
Defense Counsel
Camp Liberty,
Baghdad, Iraq
Communicator
15

CAMPUS NEWS
BY DA VID STAWASZ
College Names New Trustees
Below: (top to bottom)
Donald G. Campbell
’73/G’79
Evan D. Dutch ’05
Bruce F. Hambro ’74
16 Communicator Winter 2006
College President Anthony Who’s Who Among Students Western New England
S. Caprio has announced the in American Universities and College School of Law alum
addition of six new members Colleges , and received the Phyllis P. Ryan of Sueld, CT,
to the Western New England Alumni Association’s Skookum is managing partner in the
College Board of Trustees. The Award of Excellence. Originally law rm of Pellegrini, Seeley,
appointments of Donald . G from Belfast,ME, Dutch works Ryan,& Blakesley, P.C.
Campbell ’73/G’79, Evan D. as an account executive for Utilizing her background as
Dutch ’05, Bruce Hambro ’74, W. B. Mason Co., Inc. East a registered nurse, Ryan has
John M. “Jack” Mitchell, Windsor, CT.
focused her legal career on
Phyllis P. Ryan L’81, and
medical malpractice, helping
Peter Steingraber L’84 were Bruce Hambro of East the rm develop a reputation
approved during the Board’s Longmeadow, MA, is the of excellence in personal
June meeting.
owner and president of J.D. injury and workers’ compen-
Rivet and Co., Inc., a privately sation cases. In 1999, Ryan
Donald Campbell, a Brimeld, held roong contracting rm obtained a $5 million settle-
MA, resident, is senior execu- located in Indian Orchard, MA. ment on a medical malpractive
vice president, chief A member of the Western tice case, one of the largest
administrative and business New England College Downes settlements ever in western
development ocer of The Athletic Hall of Fame for his Massachusetts.
TJX Companies , Inc. He serves achievements while a mem -
as a prominent leader in the ber of the Golden Bear base- Representing the School of
College's fundraising eorts. ball team, Hambro will serve Law for the next two years
He was recently named to the a three-year term on the as an alumni trustee is Peter
Board of Directors of Borders Board.
Steingraber of Providence , RI.
Group, Inc. He will serve a
three-year term on the Board. Also appointed to a three-year
Steingraber is a developer
for the Commonwealth
Above: (top to bottom)
term is John “Jack” Mitchell Development Group , LLC, John M. Mitchell
A recent graduate of the
College, Evan Dutch will serve
of West Sueld, CT. Mitchell
is the president of Mitchell
located in Norwood,MA.
Steingraber has served as
Phyllis P . R yan L ’81
a one-year alumni trustee Machine, Inc., a privately held a member of the Board of Peter C. Steingraber L’84
term. A general business major, rm that manufactures special Directors for the School of
Dutch served as a resident purpose machinery and that Law Alumni Association since
advisor, a freshman seminar has been in business for over 2002, as well as serving as a
assistant, and a peer tutor. 50 years.
key volunteer in the College’s
He has been recognized by
fundraising eorts.
New Partnership Gets Great Reception
Western New England College students have a unique hands-on opportunity to learn
radio broadcasting through a new partnership with WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
College President Anthony S. Caprio and WAMC President and CEO Dr. Alan Chartock
(pictured at right) announced the new partnership during the Aliated Chambers
of Commerce of Greater Springeld breakfast in June. Under the new agreement, the
College is known as the Springeld bureau of WAMC, with students producing news
stories, features, and other content for broadcast on WAMC’s network of stations
covering seven states and into Canada.

Keeping Kids Safe
Nationally-recognized child safety advocate
Ed Smart recounted the kidnapping of his
daughter Elizabeth, and their emotional
reunion, during the “One Child at a Time”
dinner and silent auction held in April in
Rivers Memorial Building. The evening, a
partnership between the College and the
radKIDS program, raised several thousand
dollars for this children’s safety program.
Focus on Faculty
New members of the Western New England College faculty gather outside Churchill
Hall. (back row, L to R) Dr. Alexander Wurm, assistant professor of physics; Barbara
Noah, assistant professor of law; Dr. Edward Wesp, assistant professor of English;
Miguel Carrillo, assistant professor of management; Jerry Hirsch, provost/vice president
for academic affairs. (front row, left to right) Jill Anderson, assistant professor
of law; Dr. Meri Clark, assistant professor of history; Paula Nieman, visiting instructor
of social work; Dr. Sarinda Taengnoi, assistant professor of economics; Dr. Catherine
Plum, assistant professor of history; Dr. Li Qin, assistant professor of computer information
systems.
Associate Professor Dr. Thomas Vogel,
Chair of the Department of Accounting
and Finance, was named Professor of the
Year during the College’s Baccalaureate
ceremony in May. Winners of the prestigious
Excellence in Teaching Award are
nominated by students, faculty, and
administrators for outstanding contributions
as educators and advisors.
The National Science Foundation has
awarded Western New England College
a three-year research grant in mathematics.
Assistant Professor of Mathematics
Jennifer Beineke received the
grant for research in number theory,
one of the oldest branches of mathematics.
It is the second National Science
Foundation research grant in pure mathematics
awarded to the College in the
last three years.
Associate Professor of English Dr. Brad
Sullivan was selected to attend a summer
study opportunity supported by the
National Endowment for the Humanities.
Dr. Sullivan participated in a six-week seminar
on “Genre, Dialogue, and Community
in British Romanticism” at the University
of Nebraska. Only 15 teachers nationwide
were selected to participate in the
program.
CAMPUS NEWS
ABA President
Calls for
“Renaissance
of Idealism”
During the Western
New England College
School of Law
Convocation at the
opening of the fall
semester, newly
appointed American
Bar Association
President, Michael S. Greco called for
a “Renaissance in Idealism in the Legal
Profession” and commitment to public
service and public education. Mr. Greco
told the audience of students, faculty,
judges, and bar leaders, “If affluence
and power are all you seek as a lawyer,
I do not believe you will find much joy
in our profession.”
Moments before his address, Greco
received the President’s Medallion from
College President Anthony S. Caprio.
“You are a valiant and constant champion
of the powerless,” said President
Caprio, hailing Greco’s work on behalf
of children and his support of the constitutional
rights of all Americans. In
2002, the College established the
President’s Medallion Award to recognize
those who have distinguished
themselves in a particular field or in
service to an important cause that has
benefited society locally, regionally,
nationally, or internationally.
Winter 2006 Communicator
17

Insurance 101 What Every Young Alum
Needs to Know About Choosing Insurance
Enlist the Aid
of a Professional
Choose an insurance professional
who will spend
time counseling you,
someone who will be
there when the time
comes to file a claim.
Carry Adequate
Liability Insurance
on Your Auto
Make sure your liability
limits are high enough to
protect you in the event
of a lawsuit.
18 Communicator Winter 2006
Choose Wisely When
Buying a Vehicle
Be aware that costs are
driven by the make and
model of the vehicle you
are insuring, and, by most
importantly, where you
live—it will be more
expensive to insure a car
in a city than in a suburb.
Also, insurance rates in
Massachusetts are set
by the state, limiting the
amount you can save by
comparison-shopping.
B Y MANON L. MIRABELLI
Michael D. Coffey G’79, vice
president of the Springfield
insurance company Field, Eddy
& Bulkley, said there are many
options to consider when
choosing insurance, but one of
the most important things to
bear in mind in the complicated
field of insurance and finances
is the credentials of the person
doling out the advice.
“There’s a lot of buzz about
buying insurance over the
Internet, and there is a great
deal of information available,
but that’s all it is—informa-
TOP FINANCIAL TIPS FOR RECENT GRADUATES
Most recent graduates just settling into their first professional
jobs are probably not thinking much about retirement plans
and life insurance, but at least one local
expert, and alumnus, said it’s never too
soon to start planning for the future.
Drive Carefully
Traffic tickets and at-fault
accidents remain on your
insurance rating record for
six years. Even one speeding
ticket can increase
your rates substantially.
Buy Renters’
Insurance
Renters’ insurance is
protection worth having.
Premiums don’t usually
cost much—averaging
$10 to $12 a month for
$30,000 in property coverage
and $100,000 in liability
coverage.
tion. It’s not the wisdom and
advice you need from someone
who will take the time
to talk to you and tell you
what’s right for you.”
In addition to the basic insurance
needs that cover automobiles
and rented property, at
this stage in their lives most
recent graduates need to think
more in terms of disability
rather than life insurance.
“Young, single people do not
have the same responsibilities
as those with families,”
Buy Disability
Insurance
Your greatest asset is
being able to earn a living.
Employers frequently offer
disability insurance at a
discounted rate. If yours is
one of them, take advantage
of the opportunity.
Fund a Retirement
Plan
It’s not too early to think
about accumulating assets
for retirement. Start contributing
to an employersponsored
401(k) now.
Michael D. Coffey G’79
Coffey noted. “Disability
insurance is more important
because a young person is six
times more likely to become
disabled than to die. They
should carry enough disability
insurance to provide a significant
portion of after-tax
income.” ■
Example: A 21-year-old
contributes $30 a week
to a 401(k) plan for 14
years never adding another
dime and leaving the
money invested in the
program for another 30
years. Assuming a 7.4
percent annual rate of
return—the account
would be worth $308,000
at retirement.

Graduate Degree Programs
for Teachers: Affordable...
Convenient...Invaluable
BY PATRICIA GAGNON
TEACHERS LOOKING TO PURSUE
a graduate degree are offered an
inspiring educational experience
at Western New England College.
Through its School of Arts and Sciences,
the College offers three part-time graduate
degrees—the Master of Education in
Elementary Education, the Master of Arts
in English for Teachers, and the Master of
Arts in Mathematics for Teachers. Each
program offers distinguished faculty who
Dr. Dennis Luciano
inspire teachers with engaging and challenging
curricula. Designed with the
working educator in mind, courses are
offered in convenient, late afternoon
classes at an affordable tuition ($696 per
course) that teachers truly appreciate.
Elementary Education
The Master of Education in Elementary
Education is designed primarily for
elementary teachers who hold an Initial
License for elementary teaching. It provides
training in core content areas, specialized
assessment skills, classroom
research techniques, and insight into
current learning theories.
“This degree supports teachers’ own
ongoing learning and allows a blend of
their own in-classroom experience with
an advanced curriculum which brings
teachers to the highest professional level of
licensure,” says Deborah Patterson, Ph.D.,
Chair of the Education Department.
“There are driving changes for today’s
elementary education teachers. These
include No Child Left Behind, changes in
technology, and changes in the student
population which include children with
greater needs,” stresses Dr. Patterson.
“All members of the faculty in the
Education Department have been
teachers. We all have a commitment to
teachers and have designed a structure
and framed assignments that are really
practical and useful for teachers to take
back to their classrooms,” she explains.
The program offers in-depth knowledge
of the essential content areas of the
elementary curriculum. “Teachers are
interacting with faculty that are established
experts in these content areas.
And the feedback from students has
really been terrific,” says Dr. Patterson.
English
The Master of Arts in English for
Teachers introduces practical tools to
help middle and secondary school English
teachers develop standards-based curricula
and assessment. The curriculum focuses
on courses in literature, grammar, reading,
and rhetoric—all mindful of the practical
needs of teachers.
“Our program is distinctive because it
is something of a hybrid program. It combines
the attention to pedagogy that many
teachers want with a focus on adding depth
to their knowledge of literary content,”
explains Chip Rhodes, Ph.D., Chair of the
English Department. “Many students say
that they chose our program because they
had already taken many education courses,
but felt their teaching would be enhanced
if they were better versed in literary and
cultural history.
“Usually, teachers can pursue a master’s
in Education or they can choose a master’s
in their field. In our program, they don’t
have to choose,” says Dr. Rhodes.
“Our enrollment numbers have been
steadily growing and the biggest reason is
word of mouth. Our students have praised
the knowledge of the faculty and also the
faculty’s ability to tailor the curriculum to
those who are already teachers. We treat
our students as peers, fellow educators.”
Dr. Rhodes says because their students
are all so different, “we are committed to
finding a way to make the program work
for everyone, regardless of their schedule
demands and their background. I work
with all our students to make sure the program
is serving their needs and providing
an outlet for their talents.”
Mathematics
“The Master of Arts in Mathematics for
Teachers is the only program of its kind in
the region. It enables students to earn an
advanced degree specific to mathematics
for teachers instead of a general Master’s
Degree in Education or Master of Arts in
Teaching (MAT),” says Dennis Luciano,
Ph.D., Chair of the Department of
Mathematics and Computer Science.
“There is a severe shortage in our
country of qualified, dedicated, pre-college
mathematics teachers,” says Dr. Luciano.
“Without a strong core of mathematics
teachers at the K-12 level, everyone suffers,
students, parents, and teachers alike. The
place that our department can make the
biggest positive impact on this problem is
by teaching mathematics content along
with pedagogy to teachers. When teachers
are well prepared, students will be also. The
members of the department would be hard
pressed to find a more noble cause than
this one.
“Our mathematics faculty are distinguished
mathematicians who are first
and foremost educators. Their dedication
has resulted in seven of the 12 mathematicians
in the Department receiving
College/University-wide Teaching
Excellence Awards, an unparalleled
achievement for a single department
on most campuses,” says Dr. Luciano. ■
Winter 2006 Communicator
19

The Psychology of
B Y MARY MAZZAFERRO
Dr. Sheralee Tershner’s Laboratory for Success
“The brain is an exciting frontier to be explored. Our students have the
opportunity to be involved with making a real contribution to science
by collecting data in our behavioral neuroscience lab here at Western
New England College—and that’s something students take note of.”
Amember of the School of Arts
and Sciences faculty since 1998,
Dr. Sheralee Tershner works in
an ideal environment—a place
where she can engage students
in leading edge research and
where students inspire her to be an outstanding
educator.
Recent graduate Andrew Bukowinski
’05, who is currently enrolled at the
University at Buffalo School of Medicine
and Biomedical Sciences, started his four
year tenure as one of Dr. Tershner’s lab
assistants during his freshman year, a
position that earns freshmen just one
credit yet yields a great deal more.
Says Andrew, “Dr. Tershner’s lab was an
invaluable experience for me. The lab work
that I did at the College not only set my
application apart from those of other
applicants, it has already helped me with
some of the material in my first-year classes
in medical school. While in the lab, I
was able to design an experiment and
present the results at the annual Society
20 Communicator Winter 2006
for Neuroscience conference in San Diego.
But what I liked most about working in
the lab was that Dr. Tershner treated us
more like colleagues than students.”
Andrew is only one of Dr. Tershner’s
many success stories. There have been
many graduates both from her own discipline
and from other sciences who have
gone on to top graduate schools, medical
schools, and even law school. For these
students, it was the opportunity to undertake
research with Dr. Tershner that
inspired them to set high goals.
There’s a common phenomenon Dr.
Tershner observes when students in her
physiological psychology lab have been
bitten by the “research bug.”
“I know they’ve ‘got it’ when they ‘live’
in the lab and they request cubicles and a
refrigerator,” says Tershner. “They wake up
and come directly to lab. Essentially, they
are functioning as grad students. They put
in so much more time than is required for
course credit. They start to put things up
on the wall and rearrange the equipment.
Dr. Sheralee Tershner
Associate Professor of Psychology
Sheralee Tershner
Associate Professor of Psychology
B.A., University of
Wisconsin–Madison
M.S., Educational Psychology,
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
M.S., Psychology,
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Ph.D., Physiological Psychology,
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Post Doctoral Fellowship,
University of California–
San Francisco Medical Center
Areas of Research:
Neurophysiology of learning, fear
and anxiety, and pain modulation
In

spiration
They even joke about putting in a cot.”
Tershner understands such behavior
all too well. At 17 she began working
part-time in the primate laboratory at
the University of Wisconsin-Madison and
quickly converted from a language major
to a psychology major. She went on to get
two master’s degrees, one in educational
psychology and the other in physiological
psychology, before earning her Ph.D.
Dr. Tershner conducts research related
to understanding the physiology of learning,
fear, and anxiety disorders. Her research
has been published in such noted
journals as Nature, The American Journal
of Physiology, Pain, and The Journal of
Neuroscience.
Her current research focuses on the
study of how the brain processes emotions,
specifically whether prenatal exposure to
marijuana-like compounds produces alterations
in normal brain development that
could lead to behavior abnormalities in offspring.
Dr. Tershner is conducting leading
edge research on how cannabinoid receptors,
located in memory-related brain areas,
play an important role in the modulation
of learning and memory of emotions. This
research may someday lead to new treatments
for people with phobias. Kerry
Ressler, M.D., Ph.D., a researcher at Emory
University, is currently collaborating with
Dr. Tershner’s lab, calling her work “very
important” with excellent potential for
clinical application.
Dr. Tershner is proud to take her
students and their research on the road,
flying with them to the national meeting
of the Society for Neuroscience, where
the students present their findings at
poster sessions attended by leading
professionals.
Andrew Bukowinski ’05
with Dr. Sheralee Tershner
“Presenting research at national conferences is an opportunity
that undergraduate psychology majors at other schools don’t
often get to experience.
“When I take our students to national research conferences and
they discuss their research with M.D.s, Ph.D.s, and grad students,
people are often shocked to learn that they are only undergraduates.
It’s very exciting for the students.”
Dr. Tershner’s personal approach to teaching is typical of the psychology
department at Western New England College. She says,
“The personal attention we provide our students is the big difference
here. We get to know them very well, not only because the
discipline requires research where students have to work closely
with faculty members, but also because we have small classes and
we emphasize excellence in teaching. You simply don’t find that
kind of attention at larger schools.”
Winter 2006
Communicator
21

SPORTS UPDATE
Emery Named
Football Coach
Keith Emery has been named
to the new position of fulltime
football coach. He succeeds
Gerry Martin who held
the position on a part-time
basis for the past 14 years.
For the past seven seasons
Emery served as an assistant
coach at Johns Hopkins
University. He was the defensive
coordinator the last four
years and associate head
coach last fall. He was
selected the 2004 Division III
Assistant Coach-of-the-Year
by the American Football
Coaches Association (AFCA)
and named to the “Hot
Coaches” list by American
Football Monthly.
Emery earned a B.A. in
International Studies from
Dickinson College in 1994
and an M.Ed. in Physical
Education from Springfield
College in 1996.
The team posted a 3-6 record
this fall. The Golden Bears
outscored their opponents by
a 208-195 margin and set or
tied 11 school records.
22 Communicator Winter 2006
Western New England College
president Dr. Anthony S. Caprio
H’00 headlined the list of four
individuals inducted into the
College’s Downes Athletic Hall
of Fame on Saturday, October 1,
during Homecoming Weekend.
The Class of 2005 also included
John E. Steurer ’84, baseball/basketball;
Emily J. Alland ’99, swimming;
and Michael P. “Mike”
Roach ’99, football.
Since his appointment in
1996, Dr. Caprio has been the
main catalyst behind the tremendous
success of all aspects of
Western New England College,
including the Athletics program.
In the second year of his tenure
as president (1997), Dr. Caprio
commissioned a Study of
Athletics that examined the athletic
and recreational programming
and facilities at the College.
He approved the report’s recommendations
sending Western
New England College’s Athletics
program into an era of unprecedented
excellence.
Under Dr. Caprio’s leadership,
the Western New England College
Athletics program has developed
into one of the most respected
and successful in the region. The
Golden Bears have participated in
16 NCAA Division III Championships
and captured 30 conference
tournament titles. Numerous student-athletes
have received athlet-
ATHL
IS FOR
healthy mind
2005 Inductees to the
Downes Athletic Hall of Fame
ic and academic awards for their
success on the playing fields and
in the classroom.
At the ceremony, Dr. Caprio
shared his thoughts about the
value of athletics, “Athletics
stands side by side with our academic
programs and with our
students’ development programs
that educate and transform our
students over the course of their
years with us.
“My decision to recast athletics
was the result of observing
the College and understanding
that this area could have a much
greater impact on so many more
of our students. Since our students
are first and foremost our
primary responsibility and concern,
it was clear to me that athletics,
especially after the findings
of the 1997 Study of
Athletics, known as the Walker
Report (lead by Professor
Sharianne Walker), required and
deserved my full attention, support,
and endorsement so that
athletics would flourish and realize
its potential.
“We all know the Latin aphorism
mens sana in corpore sano
(healthy mind in a healthy body);
each is more possible with the
other. And we all readily see the
educative role athletics plays on
campus. Athletics gives students
self-esteem and the added benefit
of providing them the opportuni-
ty to feel good in their activity—
whenever they put on a mitt,
throw a ball, swing a racket or a
club, or simply play in any game.
“Athletics provides many life
lessons for students. It teaches
discipline, integrity, and perseverance,
“ stated Dr. Caprio. He concluded,
“I am proud of athletics
at Western New England College.
I am proud of our staff, of our
coaches, and of our athletic director
at the College. They educate
and enable our students in profound
and in multiple ways. They
enrich our learning community.
I am so honored to be a part of
the entire athletic enterprise, and
I am grateful for this induction
into the William Downes Athletic
Hall of Fame.” Read the complete
text of Dr. Caprio’s speech at
www.wnec.edu/athletics.
Dr. Caprio, a native of
Providence, RI, received his
B.A. degree from Wesleyan
University, and both his M.A.
and Ph.D. degrees from
Columbia University.
Steurer, a native of Berlin,
Connecticut, was a four-year performer
and two-time captain on
the baseball squad. A first baseman
and starting right-handed
pitcher, he hit .347 his junior season.
Steurer posted a 5-3 record
with a team high 50 strikeouts
in 54 innings as a senior and had
a 2.32 ERA that was second in
the NAIA District 5. He was the
NAIA District 5 Player-of-the-
Year in 1984 and an All-Area
selection coach for Patrick Ricci’s
District 5 champions, who fin-

ETICS
B Y KEN CERINO
in a healthy body
The seventh class of the Western New England College Downes Athletic Hall
of Fame. L to R: Bill Downes G’83, coach emeritus who was a member of the
inaugural class in 1999; Emily Alland ‘99, swimming; John Steurer ‘84, baseball
and basketball; Dr. Anthony S. Caprio H’00, College president, who was honored
for his contributions to the Athletics program; Mike Roach ‘99, football;
and Athletics Director Mike Theulen, who served as the master of ceremonies.
ished with a 20-14 record that
tied the school record for wins.
With Steurer helping to lead the
way, the Golden Bears were first
in the nation in earned-runaverage
in 1982 and 1984.
Steurer also was a starting
guard on the men’s basketball
squad for two seasons. He was
the team leader in free throw
shooting (88.5%) in 1980 and
selected to the All-Springfield
Mayor’s Tournament Team in
1981. Steurer had the honor of
scoring the first basket in the
first game played at Springfield
College’s Blake Arena in 1981.
Steurer received his B.A. in
Former Temple University captain Nicole
Chaszar has been named women's basketball
coach. Chaszar served as an
assistant coach at the University of
Rhode Island the last two seasons and
was the director of the squad's 2004
summer camp. Her coaching résumé
also includes two years as a graduate
assistant coach at Springfield College
and one season as an assistant coach
at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
Marketing. He is the executive
vice president of marketing &
client services for Acosta Sales
and Marketing Company. He
resides in Westboro, MA, with
his wife, Charlene, and their two
children, Jessica and Jennifer.
Alland, a native of Mansfield,
MA, is the first swimmer to be
inducted into the Downes
Athletic Hall of Fame. During her
career, she was a member of all
of the Golden Bears’ recordbreaking
relay teams and owned
over half of the school records.
She served as a team captain as a
senior and held eight school
records. Alland was undefeated
in dual meet competition in
both the 100-yard backstroke
and 200-yard freestyle events all
four years. Six years after her
graduation, she still holds
school marks in the 50 backstroke
(29.62), 100 individual
medley (1:05.50), and 200 individual
medley (2:23.42).
Alland, who earned her
B.A. in History, is currently
attending gradu-
Former Temple Star Nicole Chaszar to Coach Women’s Basketball
"We're extremely happy to have
Nicole join our coaching staff. She
is a high-energy individual who will
be a fine asset to our program," said
Mike Theulen, director of athletics. "
Chaszar earned a B.S. in Physical
Education and Health Teaching in
2000 from Temple University and an
M.S. in Physical Education from
Springfield College in 2003.
Winter 2006
Communicator
ate school at Simmons College.
Roach, a native of Waterbury,
CT, was a four-year performer on
the Golden Bears’ football squad
from 1995-98 and a team captain
his senior season. He is the program’s
second leading receiver
with 116 receptions. His 1,818
yards, 18 touchdowns, and 15.7
yards per catch average are all
school career records along with
his 591 yards in 1998. He set
school marks with 12 receptions
and 161 yards against Sacred
Heart as a freshman. Roach was
named to the All-New England
Football Conference (NEFC) First
Team and All-Eastern Collegiate
Football Conference (ECFC)
Second Team. He earned his B.A.
in Criminal Justice. Roach is a
Connecticut State Police Officer
based out of Southbury.
Western New England College’s
Athletic Hall of Fame is named
in honor of former professor and
present men’s golf coach William
Arthur (Red) Downes G’83 who
was among the inaugural
group inducted in
1999. ■
23

Remembering Hank
In a fitting tribute to the father of Golden Bear football,
Professor Henry “Hank” Bazan, former players and students
gathered with members of the Bazan family as School of
Business Dean Stanley Kowalski Jr. and faculty members
Dr. Peter Hess, Dr. Marilyn Pelosi, and Dr. Sharianne Walker
dedicated a new garden-style memorial called “Hank’s
Gate.” The memorial marks the entrance to Golden Bear
stadium and commemorates Hank’s contributions to the
College from the founding of Golden Bear football to his
dedicated service to the School of Business, the ROTC
program, the Management Association, and, above all,
his students. Dean Kowalski said he hoped the memorial
to Hank would, “inspire others to stand in his shoes.”
SEPTEMBER 30—OCTOBER 2
The Sun Shi
Homecoming Wee
Above (L-R) Hank’s wife, Josephine Bazan G‘79; his son, Stanley
Bazan ‘87; and his daughters Nancy Bazan Fenton ‘92/L’95, who
teaches part-time at the College, and Mary Vollaro ‘83, Associate
Professor of Engineering at the College. Anne Bazan Jany ’85, lives
in France and was unable to attend. 2005 Skookum Award recipients: Front Row (L to R) Christopher Spino,
Jennifer Dolan, Krystal Dunn, Nathan Schwartz, Tim Magierowski, Erin
Markee, Laura Dennison, and Alumni Association President Daniel
McLaughlin ‘96. Back Row (L to R) Lisa Masella, Tim Cook, Christopher
Perry, Jessica Garcia, Owen Terwilliger, Heather Cross, and Andrea Roehre.
Great weather and
excellent company made
Homecoming 2005 a weekend
to remember.
This year, Homecoming and
Family & Friends Weekend
were combined, allowing
alumni to mingle with current
students and their families
and enjoy some of our favorite
traditions such as the everoutrageous
Residence Hall
Association Bed Race.
Legacy Alumni and Golden
Graduates gatherings, great
alumni athletic match-ups,
and the unveiling of the Henry
Bazan memorial were just
some of the events that drew
an excellent alumni turnout.
Alumni Awards Dinner
Honors Student and
Alumni Excellence
The weekend began with
the Alumni Awards Dinner
on Friday night at which the
Alumni Association recognized
students who have demonstrated
a commitment to excellence
in all their endeavors: academics,
cocurricular activities,
sports, and community service
with Skookum Awards named
for the Native American
Chinook word meaning
“excellence.”
Read about 2005 Alumna of
the Year Kim A. Mac Leod ’73
on page 28.
Before a packed stadium, the Golden Bears honored Hank Bazan’s memory
by winning their first game of the season 29-17 over Salve Regina.

nes on
kend 2005
Legacy Gathering
Becomes a Family Affair
Homecoming turned into
a family reunion at the Legacy
Gathering at the Downes Hall
of Fame. Kara Kapinos ’87/G’89,
joined by her father, Ted
Kapinos ’74, welcomed more
than a dozen alumni legacies
including the Bogle, the Coffey,
the Coia, the Dupuis, the
Downes, the Gorman, the
Kruger, the Lindsay, and the
McLaughlin families. This
group was but a small sampling
of the more than 520 legacy
relationships recorded by the
Office of Alumni Relations.
And the tradition continues—
last year more than 40 incoming
freshmen were related to
alumni and this year 75 students
have connections to
members of our alumni family.
What will your legacy be?
Golden Graduates
Senior members of the
Alumni Family from the Class
of 1941 to the Class of 1964
shared memories and current
news at the Golden Graduates
luncheon.
The boys are back in town: (L-R) Chris Pivero ’01,
Jon Dawes ’02, and former classmates Faybian
Palmer, and John Palmer.
Don’t miss out on Homecoming
2006! Bookmark the Alumni website
at www.wnec.edu/alumni to get a
jump on next year’s events and all
the latest alumni news. ■
Visit the Homecoming
Photo Album at
www.wnec.edu/alumni
Seated (L-R): Ruth Seldin, Dody Guimond, Rita Mutti, Hilda Suhm
Standing (L-R): Peg Brown, Irl Brown Jr. ’57, George Robinson Jr.
G’47/H’01, Oscar Seldin ’41/H’01, Frank Guimond ’58/’61, George
Moriarty ’56, Charlie Frueh ’41/H’01, Alfred Mutti ’52/H’01,
Gus Suhm ’41/H’01, and Eloi Laramee ’50/G’62
Having fun on Carnival Row.
Stan Soja ’76, Mary Lou Roman,
John Dolan ’77, and Deane Swanson ’75.
The Bogle Family: Yvonne ’83/G’91 (at left) and Neville ’75/G’81
(at right); their son, Andrew ’01; and his daughters, Jessenya
and Jasmine. Niece Rochelle Bogle ’02 was unable to attend.
Winter 2006
Reunited and it feels so
good. Class of 2005 grads
included Kim Crory,
Danielle Laut (back row)
Jessica Palsgrove, Amy
Sypher, Jamie Palsgrove,
Kathy Pisconski, and
Heather Piper.
Communicator
25

FOOTBALL
BLUE AND GOLD alumni
lacrosse and football
players reunited in the
spring and summer to
participate in games that celebrated
their days as Western New
England College student athletes.
On Saturday, April 16, 2005, alumni
from the classes of 1986 though
2004 participated in the Men’s
Lacrosse Alumni Day game. The
success of that event inspired
Football Alumni Day on Saturday,
August 13, 2005.
Thirty-five alumni traveled from
New Jersey, New York, Maine,
Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts,
and even Nevada to participate
in the lacrosse game.
GGOOLLDDEN
Alumni Reunite!
26 Communicator
Winter 2006
“It was truly impressive to
see the turnout of alumni who
returned to celebrate and begin
a new College tradition,” said
Abby Szawerda ’01, assistant
director of alumni outreach.
Among the group of alumni who
enjoyed the day of lacrosse camaraderie
were Scott Channell ’86,
Jared Barringer ’02, Brian Cain ’97,
John Watanabe ’87, Matthew
Weinman ’86, and Dan Gildart ’03.
John Klepacki, men’s lacrosse
coach, said the event brought
together former teammates and the
current lacrosse team for a memorable
display of sportsmanship.
“It was a great day that brought
the past and present together,”
Klepacki said. “It was unique in
that the alumni game was tied into
BEEARRSS
B Y M A NON L. MIRABELLI
a current season game. The alumni
keep track of the current team, and
the student players were able to
meet and connect with the alumni
who follow their games.”
The football alumni tackled the
gridiron on a day that was quite
possibly the most oppressively hot
and humid of the summer. Former
College football players from 1974
through 2005 played enthusiastically,
despite the heat.
“This was an awesome event. I got
to see guys I haven’t seen in three
or four years. Coming here today
absolutely makes me want to
come see games and support the
team,” said Spencer Maheu ’99
of South Hadley, MA.
Ray Shamlian ’78, who was cocaptain
of his club team with Rusty
LACROSSE
Cazalet ’78, who also attended the
event, said he would like to see
even more football alumni get
involved and praised the College for
recognizing alumni who played for
the early club teams by including
them with the Division III players.
“We fought for many years to
make the club team a Division III
team,” Shamlian said. “Coach
(Henry) Bazan made some of us
get involved on campus and join
the Student Senate so we could
fight for the team.”
The College plans to hold several
alumni games a year. Visit
www.wnec.edu/alumni to view
the Alumni Calendar. ■

GRAD to GRAD
John M. O’Brien III ’74
In Step with a Passionate Volunteer
B Y KARA KAPINOS ’87/G’89
“I have seen
growth not only
in bricks and
mortar, but in
the quality of our
programs and
the quality of
our students.”
–John M. O’Brien ’74
THERE IS A SAYING: “if you want to get
something done, ask a busy person to
do it.” Our dedicated alumni volunteers
epitomize this adage.
Like all of us, these graduates juggle the
responsibilities of families, careers, and other
demands on their energies, yet they always
manage to make time for our alma mater.
Through this article, I want to introduce our
alumni membership to the College’s highestranking
volunteer, our Chairman of the Board
of Trustees John M. “Jay” O’Brien III ’74, whose
tireless commitment is an inspiration to us all.
Jay is the Founder and CEO of J.M. O’Brien
& Company, PC of Springfield, which provides
auditing, accounting, and consulting services for
nearly 700 customers. In addition to his many
business obligations, Jay has served on our
Board since 1992 and took on the responsibilities
of chair in 2004.
As a member of the region’s business community,
Jay understands the key role higher education
plays in developing the leaders of tomorrow.
He says, “Springfield as a community has
changed significantly over the years. As an
employer in the marketplace, we need to continue
to replenish the workforce as people retire or
leave the area. Colleges are a resource to
employers. Business, government, and higher
education are like a three legged-stool—each
party needs to have an active role or it will
become off balance.”
Jay says he is motivated to serve because
“Western New England College gave me a great
foundation. I want to be a part of the leadership
that ensures that the College continues to provide
the training and skill sets for success.
“I have seen growth not only in bricks and
mortar, but in the quality of our programs and
the quality of our students.” In recent years, he
says such advancements are the direct result of
“the sound leadership of Dr. Caprio, Dr. Hirsch,
and other College administrators who always
look around the corner to anticipate what we
need to do to succeed in the future.”
But Jay believes that commitment extends to
all employees of the College, “Everyone here goes
the extra mile for our students, and that transcends
beyond their job descriptions. They take
the extra time to serve our students to make sure
that we deliver to them a quality product.”
Jay asserts that the most rewarding part of
serving the College is “the satisfaction of helping
our remarkable students achieve their goals.”
2005 Skookum Award recipient Chris Perry ’06 and
Jay O’Brien ’74
He enjoys learning about those goals in
unexpected ways. Says Jay, “I like to play racquetball
at the AHLC or attend the Athletics Golf
Tournament because they give me an opportunity
to talk to students in an environment where
they don’t know who I am. It’s a different type of
interaction that provides a different perspective
than what you would get in a formal meeting
with an agenda. Without probing, I can develop
a dialogue with students that cuts through the
organization to reach all students.”
Jays offers this advice to fellow graduates
who want to serve their alma mater, “Stay connected
to the School and to what’s going on
financially to see how you can help. As you go
through different stages of your life—career,
marriage, family—remember to carve out a little
time for Western New England College.” ■
Winter 2006
Communicator 27

ALUMNI NEWS
BY MANON L. MIRABELLI
Kim A. Mac Leod ’73
Named Alumna of the Year
Kim A. Mac Leod ’73 was
honored as the Alumna
of the Year on September
30 for her dedication
and commitment to
Western New England
College and the Alumni
Association. John M.
“Jay” O’Brien III ’74,
chairman of the Board of
Trustees, presented the
award during the Alumni
Awards Ceremony that
kicked off Homecoming
Weekend.
Mac Leod is a current
member of the Board
of Trustees, as well as a
former member of the
Alumni Association
Board. In addition, she
is involved in various
fundraising activities on
behalf of the College
and was deeply committed
to the Alumni
Healthful Living Center
campaign. She also
recently launched a
matching gift challenge
to fellow alumnae and
was the Commencement
speaker in 1997.
28 Communicator Winter 2006
“I’m delighted by the
decision of the Alumni
Association Board to
name Kim Mac Leod
the 2005 Alumna of the
Year,” said Kara Kapinos
’87/G’89, assistant vice
president for Alumni
Relations. “Kim’s dedication
to her profession,
the College, and the
Association is the hallmark
of her personal
and professional success.
She exemplifies the true
spirit of this award.”
A resident of Norwalk,
CT, Mac Leod is the managing
director of DeSilva
& Phillips in New York
City, an investment banking
company that specializes
in the magazine
industry. She has more
than 23 years experience
in publishing and has
launched 18 national
magazines. Mac Leod
was also vice president/magazine
group
development/domestic
and international, and
vice president/group publisher
of Family Fun and
Disney Magazine at
The Walt Disney World
Company. Previously, she
was publisher of Working
Mother and Children,
circulation manager of
Spring, managing editor
of Practical Homeowner,
and founding partner of
House Plants & Porches.
Free Replacement Diplomas for
Victims of Natural Disasters
If your diploma was lost or damaged as a result
of a hurricane or other natural disaster, we will
replace it for you free of charge. Call the Student
Administrative Services Office at 413-796-2080
or 800-325-1122 ext. 2080 for more information.
July 2006: Travel to Tuscany
with Your Alumni Association
The breathtaking countryside in Chianti ripe with fragrant olive groves
and lush vineyards; the historically dynamic city of Florence, birthplace
of the Renaissance and home to the world’s greatest architectural
landmarks; and the whimsical Leaning Tower of Pisa are
just some of the rich treasures that distinguish Tuscany as
one of the most beautiful places in Italy and the world.
The Alumni Association is pleased to present you with the
opportunity to travel to Tuscany on an all-inclusive journey
that includes:
• Roundtrip airfare to Florence
• Accommodations for seven nights at the Tuscan
Villa Tavolese
• A special Welcome Reception featuring Chianti wines from the region
• Three meals each day
• Informative educational programs
• Excursions to Chianti olive groves and vineyards;
Colle di Val d’Elsa, the center of Tuscan crystal
blowing; the 14th century town of San Gimignano;
the towns of Lucca and Pisa; a private tour of the
Castello di Monsanto; the city of Florence; and the
city of Siena, spectacularly situated atop three
converging hills.
For more information contact the Office of Alumni Relations
at 1-800-962-6592 or see the itinerary on www.wnec.edu/alumni.

Alumni Go Out
to the Ballpark
The ever-popular Boston Red Sox trips
to Fenway Park continue to attract alumni
of all ages. Watch the calendar for future
games and be sure to plan early for these
sell-out events!
7.30.05
Boston Red Sox vs.
Minnesota Twins
6.4.05
9.3.05
Boston Red Sox
vs. Anaheim Angels
Boston Red Sox vs.
Baltimore Orioles
See the Year
in Review
Visit the Alumni
Association Annual
Report Online
Visit the Alumni website at
www.wnec.edu/alumni to view the
new Alumni Association Annual
Report webpage. This site showcases
the Association’s efforts to further
the College’s relationship with its
alumni. It also contains a description
of the events and programs held, the
outcome of fundraising efforts and
how the money raised is used, and
information about the Alumni Board,
as well as updates on the Association’s
latest initiatives. In addition,
alumni participation in College activities
are highlighted.
New Additions to Our Family! Dress your favorite
www.wnec.edu/alumni
Dress your favorite
little one in style
with “unbearably”
cute Golden Bear
apparel.
Proud to be a Golden Bear
100 % cotton Toddler T-Shirt:
Sizes: 2T, 3T, 4T . . . . . . . $14.00
“Unbearably” Huggable
100% cotton Infant Bodysuits:
Sizes: 6 months, 12 months,
18 months . . . . . . . . . . . . $14.00
Hug Me, I’m a Golden Bear
16" Plush Golden Bear Wearing
Western New England College
T-Shirt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17.00*
*Tax included in price.
To order, call
413-782-1327 or
800-962-6592.
Winter 2006
Communicator
29

1970
RICHARD H. RENAUD (English)
of Spencer, MA, was a recipient
of the Pioneer Valley Excellence
in Teaching Award. He has taught
English at the Monson, MA,
Junior/Senior High School for 35
years, and is currently chairman
of the English Department.
1971
ARMANDO J. ROBERTO, JR.
(accounting) recently retired from
the U.S. Army Engineer Research
and Development Center, where he
was employed for 33 years. He most
recently served as Deputy to the
Commander. He received many
awards during his service, including
the prestigious Bronze Order of the
de Fleury Medal for service highlighted
by excellence.
1972
MONICA G. FINCH (English) was
recently named editor of the State
Bar News, the ocial newspaper of
the New York State Bar Association.
Before becoming the editor, she
worked in the Communications
Oce at Union College. Monica
resides in Schenectady, NY.
1975
RICHARD J. WELLS (management/
G’80 MBA) was named to the
Holyoke Medical Center Board of
Directors. He is currently employed
as the president and chief operating
ocer at Hampden Papers,
Inc., in Holyoke, MA. He resides in
Easthampton, MA.
30 Communicator Winter 2006
1976
ROBERT E. FARRELL (MBA) recently
published a book entitled Alien Log.
Further information about the
book can be found at www.refarrellbooks.com
or at www.alienlog.com.
Robert resides in Peoria, AZ.
1977
RONALD L. CHERUBIN (MBA) is
the new administrator of Lanessa
Extended Care in Webster, MA. He
brings more than ten years of longterm
administrative experience to
the company and is currently a resident
of Agawam, MA.
KEVIN KELLY (English) has been
named consultant and interim director
of admissions at the University
of Massachusetts Amherst. He most
recently served as associate vice
president for enrollment at
Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
1978
KAREN M. (BEATTY) COREY (biology)
is the New England regional rehabilitation
coordinator for National
Health Care. She currently resides in
Belchertown, MA, with her husband
and daughter.
Class Notes
Connections
www.wnec.edu/alumni
{ Stay Connected! }
Send
MONICA G. FINCH
your class note to:
Office of Alumni Relations • Western New England College • 1215 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01119-2684 • Fax: 413-796-2219 • Email: alumwnec@wnec.edu
STEVEN E. SELMAN (MBA)
recently published a book entitled
Prehumous (As opposed to
Posthumous): Unpoetic Poems about
Sex, Violence and Secrets They Don’t
Want You to Know. For more information
visit www.iuniverse.com.
GARY B. SZYMANIAK (management)
has been named branch manager
at Aldenville Credit Union’s Burnett
Road oce in Chicopee, MA. He
is the past president of both the
Rotary Club of Ludlow, MA, and
the Ludlow Chamber of Commerce,
and lives in Chicopee with his wife.
1979
MIKE CAMEROTA (marketing) was
recently featured in the “On the Job”
section of The Republican. He is
enjoying a 20-year career as a professional
commercial sales consultant
at Balise Chevrolet. He is married
with three children.
1980
25 years
ROBERT L. CONDON (MB A) is the
president and owner of Longley
Associates, Inc. He is also a member
of the Belchertown Massachusetts
Historical District Bylaws
Committee. Robert and his wife
have three daughters and live in
Belchertown, MA.
JAY M. FORGOTSON (MB A accounting)
of Westport, CT, president and
chief executive ocer of Cornerstone
Bancorp, Inc., recently joined
the Board of Directors for the
Stamford Symphony Orchestra
in Stamford, CT.
ERIN C. KELLEHER (English) has
been selected to be the new director
of career services at Fitchburg
State College. She was formerly
the director of career services at
Stonehill College and the director
of the Career Management Center
at Fairleigh Dickenson University.
Erin lives in Raynham, MA.
ALAN M. ROTHSTEIN (accounting)
was recently appointed by the
Connecticut Society of Certied
Public Accountants to serve a
two-year term as a trustee of its
Educational Trust Fund. He resides
in Avon, CT.
1982
ANTHONY “JAY” SENEY (mechanical
engineering) placed third overall in
the Sixth Annual Stowe Marathon
in Stowe, VT. He placed rst in his
age division (40-49) with a time of
03:10:30.
PAUL P. TANGREDI (electrical engineering/G’94
MBA), formerly an
executive at Western Massachusetts
Electric Company, has accepted the
position of director of business
development at Environmental
Compliance Services, Inc., an environmental
consulting company
based in Agawam, MA. He resides
in Feeding Hills, MA.
MARY (PRZYBYLOWICZ) WALDRON
(government) was recently appointed
executive director of the Brockton
21st Century Corporation based in
Brockton, MA. The organization also
serves as the city’s economic development
agency. She resides in
Brockton, MA.
1983
LISA BACHMANN (accounting/G’90
MBA) has been appointed senior
vice president of information technology/merchandise
planning and
allocation at Big Lots, Inc., an

online retailer. She resides in
Columbus, OH.
FLOYD S. CARMAN (MBA) was
recently elected town treasurer
in Belmont, MA. He has lived in
Belmont since 1974 and has 34
years of financial experience. Floyd
and his wife have three sons.
PHILIP W. SUOMU (MBA) was recently
named director of technology at
3DIcon Corporation, a communications
development company. He has
advised the company for three years,
and maintains an office in Dallas, TX.
Previously, he managed hardware and
software development groups, built
several national telecommunications
networks, and served as technical and
marketing manager for corporations
supporting Department of Defense
contracts.
1984
JOSEPH A. BASSANI JR. (English)
was recently promoted to colonel
in the U.S. ARMY and is currently
chief of the plans division (J5), U.S.
Northern Command. His division
reports to the President and the
Secretary of Defense for Homeland
Security and Homeland Defense.
WILLIE A. DEESE (MBA) has been
named president of Merck Manufacturing
Division after 16 months
with the company. He will be responsible
for the company’s global manufacturing,
procurement, and operational
excellence functions, leading
more than 15,000 employees, spanning
31 plants in 25 countries. Willie
lives in Doylestown, PA, with his wife
and son.
NATHAN R. LYNCH (marketing) was
recently admitted to the practice of
law in Connecticut, adding the state
to the list of those in which he offers
legal services (Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, Vermont). His practice,
Nathan R. Lynch, PLLC, was formed
in 2003. Nathan lives in Walpole,
NH, with his wife, Sarah.
WILLIAM E. ROY (mechanical engineering)
was recently awarded the
NASA Exceptional Service Medal for
his contributions to the mission of
NASA. He was recognized for his
creative ability, which demonstrated
a substantial improvement in engineering.
He is currently the lead
logistics engineer in support of the
Vision of Space Exploration at
Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
1985
DIANE M. (STANEK) KENNEDY (MBA)
was recently inducted into the
Connecticut Food Association (CFA)
Hall of Fame. Diane has worked for
Nabisco since 1980, and currently
serves as a customer category manager.
She is past president of The
Knights of the Grip of Connecticut
and Western Massachusetts and has
served on the Board of Directors of
the CFA since 2001. Diane and her
family live in Westfield, MA.
DANIEL J. MULLIN (electrical engineering)
was recently promoted to
research and development laboratory
director at the Siemon Company
in Watertown, CT. He has also been
appointed the United States technical
advisor to the International
Electrotechnical Commission subcommittee
where he represents U.S.
technical positions to international
standardization groups. He and
his wife, ANNE (MCCARTHY ’87
accounting), have two children
and live in Southington, CT.
SAEED SHIRZADI (mechanical engineering)
has been promoted to production
manager for High Temperature
Co-Fired Ceramic Products. He
has been with the company for four
years. He lives in San Diego, CA.
1986
DONALD P. O’MARA (marketing) is a
supervisory financial analyst for the
Federal Reserve Board. He lives in
Arlington, VA, with his wife, Teresa,
and their sons, Daniel and Ethan.
1987
20 years
BONNIE (MICCOLY) MASSOIA (marketing)
was recently elected to the
Board of Directors of the Agawam
Small Business Assistance Center.
She is a licensed broker specializing
in property, casualty, life, and health.
She has been employed by Canary
Blomstrom Insurance Company
for over seven years. She resides in
Feeding Hills, MA, with her husband,
Scott, and their three children.
PAUL OSTRIKIS (sociology) is the
owner of K-9 Solutions of New
England, which is the only civilian
dog handler licensed through the
DEA for the Massachusetts and
Connecticut region. He resides in
Wilbraham, MA.
1988
JEANETTE HOLLIS EATON (electrical
engineering) recently joined Bell
Helicopter as the regional sales
manager of North Atlantic sales.
She previously worked at Sikorsky
Aircraft as regional manager in
commercial sales and marketing.
Jeanette lives in Milford, CT.
DAVID W. HENDERSON (marketing)
was recently named senior vice
president and chief marketing
officer at CDPHP (Capitol District
Physician’s Health Plan).
DAVID W. MAVLOUGANES (computer
information systems) was a recent
winner in the “Fourth Annual Women
in History” exhibit. He accepted the
award on behalf of his company, In A
Flash Digital and Photographic Lab
Services of Springfield. He resides in
Ludlow, MA.
1989
BAHAETTIN C. ARAT (business)
moved back to Turkey after he graduated,
and recently left a career in
the banking sector to work in the
textile ready wear garment sector in
Istanbul. He is married and has two
daughters.
LORI NADEAU (finance/G’02 MBA)
has been appointed to assistant vice
president of USI Consulting in
Glastonbury, CT.
DARLENE RODOWICZ (MBA) has
been appointed by the president of
Berkshire Health Systems to serve
as chief financial officer. She has
been with the company for over
20 years in a variety of positions,
including staff accountant, billing
supervisor of faculty services, comptroller,
and, most recently, associate
vice president for finance. She and
her husband, Bob, have four children
and live in Cheshire, MA.
1990
15 years
TRACI (METZGER) HENNESSEY (quantitative
methods) has recently been
employed by Innovative Business
Systems, an Easthampton, Massachusetts-based
information technology
outsourcing firm. She has over
15 years of experience in her field.
Tracy lives in Southampton, MA.
FREDERICK MARKLAND, Ph.D (MBA
health care administration) recently
received his doctorate degree in
physical therapy from Temple
University in Philadelphia, PA.
He currently works for Medtronic
Neurological as a clinical specialist.
He and his wife, Mary, have two children
and reside in Green Bay, WI.
1991
BRIAN C. DALY (marketing) was
recently promoted to sergeant in the
Amherst, MA Police Department. He
has been with the department since
1997, and lives in Westfield, MA,
with his wife and son.
JANINE L. ROSS (accounting) has
been named chief financial officer
of Gaylord Hospital, located in
Wallingford, CT. She was previously
the vice president of finance for
Haven Healthcare, a nursing home
and assisted living group located in
Middletown, CT.
1992
WILLIAM GREENWOOD (law enforcement),
a Harwich, MA, native,
recently celebrated his tenth
anniversary as an officer with the
Chatham, MA Police Department.
He has also owned and operated
his own landscape company for
the past four years.
1993
JOHN J. KRAWCZYNSKI (accounting)
has been hired as the vice president
chief accounting officer and corporate
controller at Gerber Scientific,
Inc. in South Windsor, CT. He
resides in Ellington, CT.
MARK LUBOLD (mechanical engineering/G’97
MBA) recently ran for
mayor of Holyoke, MA. Challenging
incumbent Mayor Michael Sullivan,
Lubold took stands on several
important issues including the privatization
of the local wastewater
treatment plant where he works.
Lubold is a Ward 6 City Councilor
for the city of Holyoke where he
lives with his wife and two children.
Winter 2006
Communicator 31

CLASS NOTES
PETER F. JONES
1994
PETER F. JONES (MBA) has been
appointed vice president/manager
of leadership development in the
department of Human Resources
for Citizens Bank. He resides in
Lexington, MA.
ANIELLO C. TROTTA JR. (management/G’95
MBA) recently accepted
the position of director of continuing
education at Fisher College.
Previously, he had served as an
adjunct faculty member at Western
New England College for ten years.
Aniello lives in Westford, MA.
1995
10 years
JUSTINE (COLOMBETTI) ANDRAS
(accounting) was recently promoted
from senior sales business analyst to
manager sales business analyst for
the sales planning and development
department of ADVO, Inc., located
in Windsor, CT. She resides in
Springfield, MA, with her husband
and daughter.
KERRY COLLINS (MBA) is currently a
division vice president at Scholastic,
Inc., in Tallahassee, FL. He oversees
more than 40 distribution locations
and manages approximately 1,800
employees. He and his wife have
two sons.
BRIAN E. GARBECKI (industrial engineering)
has been named director
of health care services at Gilbane, a
Providence-based construction firm.
He will deliver the company’s strategic
services to health care groups and
take part in the firm’s national health
care center of excellence peer group.
Brian resides in Hampden, MA.
GLENN (government) and MEGAN
(ALLEY) MOSHIER (psychology)
own and operate their own bed and
breakfast, Elsa’s Inn on the Harbor, in
the small fishing village of Prospect
Harbor, ME. Glenn also works as a
32 Communicator Winter 2006
police officer in Ellsworth, ME. The
couple has two children, Andrew and
Emmett.
KEVIN W. LEWELLING (mechanical
engineering) is currently employed
at the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Company’s Advanced Development
Programs facility in Palmdale, CA.
STEPHANIE SULE (social work/G’04
MBA) has accepted a position at
ADVO, Inc. as a quote and contract
specialist.
1996
PHILLIP L. FAULSTICH (MBA) was
recently promoted to senior manager,
list business development at
ADVO, Inc. His new role will include
the expansion of the company’s List
Rental and List Licensing business.
He will also oversee the outsourced
list manager, American List Counsel
(ALC), along with other data partners.
Phillip has been with the company
for two years and lives in
Chicopee, MA.
DIANE M. GOULD (business/G’00
MBA) has been elected senior vice
president of the human resources
department at Florence Savings
Bank. She has been with the bank
since 1995. Diane also volunteers for
the Massachusetts Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
and resides in Westhampton, MA.
DANIEL P. LANEN (MSCJA) was
recently elected a North Andover
selectman. He has served as a police
officer for the town for 17 years and
also lives there with his family.
KATHLEEN G. O’BRIEN (MBA) of
Holyoke, MA, has been elected vice
president of the audit department
at Florence Savings Bank. She has
been with the bank since 1997 and
resides in Holyoke, MA.
JODI RATHBUN-BRIGGS (accounting)
has been named the 2005
Massachusetts Young Careerist
by the Massachusetts Business
and Professional Woman’s Organization.
She resides in Great
Barrington with her husband.
MICHAEL T. ROCKWAL (MBA) is currently
the finance director of strategic
accounts/categories at AVDO,
Inc. He has worked in finance for 15
years and resides in Westfield, MA.
1997
MICHAEL N. BRENNAN (criminal justice)
of Springfield was recently
deployed to Kuwait to aid in vessel
transport and cargo operations in
direct support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
Brennan is a member of the 595th
Transportation Terminal Group and
is an executive officer assigned to
Camp Arifjan. He has eight years of
military service and is currently an
Army Reserve Captain.
JOHN E. COWAN (MSCJA) has been
named chief of police for East
Bridgewater, MA. He joined the
force in 1983 and in 1996 was promoted
to sergeant. John lives in
East Bridgewater with his wife,
Debra, and their three children.
TIFFANY (SELIVONCHIK) DELMONICO
(English literature) of Easton, MA,
was recently crowned Mrs.
Massachusetts. She competed for
the national title of Mrs. America in
Palm Springs, CA, in September
2005. She and her family live in
Plympton, MA.
ROBERT W. HART (law enforcement)
has been named associate director
of public safety at the College of the
Holy Cross after a 25-year career
with the Massachusetts State Police.
He resides in Sutton, MA.
MICHAEL JEROME (MBA) has been
promoted to vice president of
deposit operations and facilities
at Greylock Federal Credit Union.
He joined the Credit Union in 1985.
Michael is an active volunteer with
the United Way, the American
Cancer Society, Williams Elementary
School, and St. Agnes Church in
Dalton, MA.
RACHEL KOZIOL (marketing) was
recently promoted to business development
associate for the marketing
department’s Relationship Development
Team at Bank of America
Business Capital in Glastonbury, CT.
She lives in South Windsor, CT.
EDWARD O’BRIEN (MSCJA) of
Lexington, MA, was recently promoted
to police sergeant for the
town. O’Brien has served in various
capacities for the past 24 years. He
is a past vice president of Lexington
Little League and a former scoutmaster.
1998
JAMES ABEL (management studies)
of Pittsfield, MA, has joined the
Crowne Plaza Hotel in Pittsfield,
MA, as sales manager in the conference
sales and catering department.
He will be responsible for organizing
a variety of business and social
functions at the hotel.
NEIL R. FAIRMAN (technical management/G’03
MBA) is currently
working as an engineering manager
for Springfield Wire. He lives in
Easthampton, MA, with his wife
and daughter.
JOSEPH E. GAFF (law enforcement)
was recently named the head football
coach at Malden Catholic High
School. He was previously employed
as the assistant coach at Tufts
University. He resides in Everett,
MA, where he has been a police
officer since 1987.
ROBERT G. ZOLLO (law enforcement/G’01
MSCJA) was appointed
sergeant of the midnight to 8 a.m.
shift of the Wilbraham, MA, Police
Department. He has been with the
department since 1994. Currently,
he and his family live in Brimfield,
MA, where he coaches youth sports
in his spare time.
1999
JAMES W. CORMIER (MSCJA) was
recently promoted to chief of
police for Reading, MA. His father,
Joseph Cormier, a 30-year veteran
of the Reading police department,
bestowed this top honor upon his
son in a ceremonial badge-pinning
at a meeting of the Board of Selectman.
James is a 22-year veteran of
the force, and a lifelong Reading
resident.
LESLEE M. LARRIVEE (psychology)
recently accepted the position of
case coordinator at St. Francis
Home for Children in New Haven,
CT. Previously, she worked at Eagle
Hill School in Hardwick, MA. Leslee
resides in Waterbury, CT.
JOHN W. NEWTON (law enforcement/G’03
MSCJA) was recently
sworn in as new police captain for
Greenfield, MA. He has been working
in law enforcement since he began
his career with the Deerfield, MA,
Police Department 25 years ago.

JAMES SEEKELL (MSCJA) was recently
promoted to lieutenant of the
Mansfield, MA, Police Department.
He has been an officer since 1974,
and currently serves as the town’s
RAD instructor, a self-defense program
that promotes aggressive
response to attempts of assault
against women. He lives in North
Attleboro, MA.
JACQUELINE M. WATSON (accounting/G’02
MBA) has been named
Quota International, Inc. Career
Woman of the Year. She is currently
the comptroller of the Holyoke
Gas and Electric Department. She
resides in Holyoke, MA, with her
husband, Jim.
2000
5 years
PATRICK AMBROSE (MSCJA) has
been promoted to administrative
services captain of the Danvers, MA,
Police Department. Patrick is an 18year
veteran of the police force and
lives in Danvers with his wife,
Wendy, and their three children.
DAVID J. CLARK (MSCJA) was
recently promoted to sergeant of the
Reading, MA, Police Department in
a town hall ceremony. He has been a
member of the Reading police force
since 1995 where he developed and
implemented the RAD program.
David is also a member of the
United States Army based out of
Colorado Springs, CO.
PAULINE DODGE (management studies)
has been elected vice president
for Country Bank in Ware, MA. She
has worked for the bank in various
capacities since 1982, most recently
as branch manager/assistant vice
president. Pauline resides in
Brimfield, MA.
1st Sergeant CLIFFORD ALVES ’02
(right) received the Bronze Star.
KEVIN F. DONOVAN (law enforcement/G’01
MSCJA) was recently promoted
to sergeant for the Amesbury
Police Department. He has been with
the force for seven years and is also
a certified D.A.R.E. instructor and
police field-training officer. Kevin
served with the U.S. Army Special
Forces and Intelligence Division in
the Persian Gulf. He and his family
live in Amesbury, MA.
KEVIN W. KENNEDY (MSCJA) recently
received his law degree from the
Massachusetts School of Law. He
attended school part-time while
working full-time as a police officer
in Lincoln, MA, where he has
served for the past 13 years. He
lives in Auburn, MA, with his wife
and four children.
MICHAEL J. O’DONNELL JR. (MSCJA)
was recently elected to a three-year
term on the Board of Selectmen in
Carver, MA. He is currently
employed as a police sergeant for
Carver, and resides there with his
wife and four children.
EDMUND PLAMOWSKI (MSCJA) has
been appointed operations captain of
the Danvers, MA, Police Department.
Edmund is an 18-year veteran of the
force. He and his family reside in
Beverly, MA.
2001
EDWARD ARENA (law enforcement/G’03
MSCJA) received the
2005 Natick Officer of the Year
award. He has been a member of the
Natick Police Department for over
11 years and continues to live in
Natick, MA, with his family.
ALFRED COLONNA JR. (MBA) was
recently voted chairman of the
Board of Directors of Cambridge
Credit Counseling Corporation. The
institution is a nonprofit group
based out of Agawam, MA, that
offers financial education to young
adults and provides financially distressed
individuals with budgeting
and financial management tools.
Alfred resides in Springfield.
SOPHIA E. (PEROULAKIS) PETRILLO
(management leadership) has joined
Quintiles Medical Communications
in Hawthorne, NY, as a project
manager.
DANIEL RISTEEN (MSCJA) has been
promoted to the rank of lieutenant
with the Massachusetts State Police.
He has been a member of the State
Police force since 1986. Daniel currently
resides in Lynnfield, MA.
2002
CLIFFORD ALVES (law enforcement/
G’04 MSCJA) recently returned
home from his second tour in
Iraq where he served with the
U.S. ARMY during Operation Iraqi
Freedom, and received the Bronze
Star. He lives with his wife, Tracy,
in Gloucester, MA.
MICHAEL DARCY (law enforcement)
has been named commander of the
Danielson, CT, State Police Barracks.
He started at the Danielson Barracks
as a patrol trooper from 1991 to
1997 when promotions saw him
re-assigned to other barracks. Last
July he was promoted to lieutenant
and assigned to the statewide
Narcotics Task Force.
BRUCE A. DUBE (MSCJA) was recently
promoted to lieutenant on the
Rehoboth, MA Police Department.
He has been with the department
for 18 years, and lives with his family
in Swansea, MA.
JOSEPH A. DUNN (law enforcement)
was recently promoted to captain
for the Lynnfield, MA Police
Department. He has been a police
officer for 35 years and currently
lives in Salem, MA.
CLARA M. ELLIOTT (MBA human
resource management) has been
appointed the new director of
human resources at Greenfield
Community College. Previously, she
served as human resource director
for the Holyoke Public School
system. Clara resides in East
Longmeadow, MA.
JAMES E. FORKER (MBA international
business) was recently hired as assistant
vice president commercial loan
officer for Easthampton Savings Bank.
He brings over 20 years of banking
experience to the position. James is
also the treasurer and a board member
of the Greater Holyoke YMCA. He
lives in Ludlow, MA.
MICHAEL A. GRACE (MSCJA) was
recently promoted to sergeant on the
Foxboro, MA Police Department. He
has been with the department since
1999, and lives in Foxboro with his
wife and two sons.
MICHAEL RAYMOND (sports management/G’04
MBA) achieved second
place in the eighth annual Earl
Yost Tennis Classic. He is currently
the assistant varsity men’s and
women’s tennis coach at Allegheny
State College.
ADAM RODRIGUEZ (marketing) was
promoted to assistant branch manager
at Corporate America Family
Credit Union in Sterling, VA. He
lives in Alexandria, VA.
JAMES C. RUSSELL (English) will be
spending a year volunteering in
Honduras to work with AIDS
patients. The project is being coordinated
by the Passionist Volunteers
International Organization, a
Catholic volunteer group. He cites
his participation in Alternative
Spring Breaks at Western New
England College as influencing his
decision to continue volunteerism.
WILLIAM STEEVES (MSCJA) has
recently introduced a monthly column
for The Daily News in
Newburyport, MA. He is a patrolman
with the Newburyport Police
Department. The pieces serve as an
avenue of communication between
the police department and the community.
He and his wife reside in
Newburyport.
ANTHONY J. TURCO JR. (MSCJA) of
Danvers, MA, graduated from the
Massachusetts School of Law this
past June receiving a Juris Doctor
degree.
2003
MARK S. BARAN (MSCJA) was
recently promoted to sergeant
of the South Hadley, MA Police
Department. He has been a town
police officer since 2001 and was
previously a state police E911 dispatcher
and a U.S. Marine Corps
Secret Security officer. He resides
in Granby, MA, with his wife, Leslie,
and their three children.
ALISON BOCCIO (education) accepted
the position of residence director in
Windham Hall at Western New
England College. In the past, she has
held internships with Admissions
and Student Activities at the College.
JOSEPH M. FORTUNATO III (MSCJA)
was recently appointed the newest
police officer for the town of
Millbury, MA. The Millbury Board
of Selectmen unanimously chose
Fortunato from a group of five candidates
because of his academy training
and substantial field experience.
Winter 2006
CLASS NOTES
Communicator 33

CLASS NOTES
THOMAS A. MICHAUD (economics)
placed fourth overall in the Sixth
Annual Stowe Marathon in Stowe,
VT. He placed second in his age
division (18-29) with a time of
03:13:39.
JOSEPH M. PETRILLO (psychology)
recently graduated from the NYPD
Academy and is currently serving as
a police officer in the Bronx.
KEVIN M. RICHARDSON (MSCJA)
was recently named chief of police
for Dracut, MA, after serving the
department for 20 years. During his
tenure, he was awarded the George
L. Hanna Memorial Award for
Bravery Medal of Valor, becoming
one of only three members on the
force to ever receive the award.
JOSEPH A. ROARK (MSCJA) has been
promoted to captain of the Pelham,
NH, Police Department. He resides
in Pelham with his wife, Kerry, and
their son, Colin.
KELLY M. SAVAGE (criminal justice)
recently accepted a position as
office assistant at Tri-County
Contractors in Hopedale, MA. She
resides in Milford, MA.
2004
PAUL L. CALLAHAN (law enforcement)
has been promoted to police
sergeant with the Lexington, MA
Police Department. He is also an
assistant scoutmaster and has
attained the merit of Eagle Scout.
KATHERINE DEMERS (marketing)
recently joined Greniers
Photography in Holyoke, MA, as an
34 Communicator Winter 2006
outside sales representative. She
lives in Chicopee, MA.
SCOTT M. NELSON (MSCJA) was
recently hired as a police officer for
Milford, MA. He previously served
on the Webster, MA Police Department
for ten years.
2005
EVAN B. DUTCH (business) has been
named to the Board of Trustees at
Western New England College. He
will serve a one-year Alumni Trustee
term. As a student, he assumed
an abundance of leadership roles
including roles as a resident advisor,
a freshman seminar assistant, and
a peer tutor. Dutch is currently
employed by W. B. Mason as an
account executive, and he lives in
South Hadley, MA.
MICHAEL J. HAYHURST (business) of
Farmington, MA has been commissioned
a second lieutenant in the U.
S. Army. He will be stationed at Fort
Riley, KS, with the 6th Brigade
Combat Team.
BRYAN R. PLAMONDON (criminal
justice) of Goffstown, NH, was
sworn in June 24 as a probationary
trooper with the New Hampshire
State Police. He is currently enrolled
in an extensive training program at
the New Hampshire Police Academy
in Concord.
MATTHEW ZUPKA (computer information
systems) recently accepted a
position as applications specialist at
Medical Information Technology,
Inc. in Westwood, MA. He currently
resides in Brockton, MA.
The Rodriguez wedding (L to R): Dan Kot, JACK MANNING ‘02, JILLIAN
CEGLIA ‘02, BRYAN PLOUTZ ‘02, MELISSA ORAZIO ‘02, JOHN MEREDITH
‘02, BILLY EVANS ‘02, JILL (KURIMSKY) HICKEY ‘01, Dustin Wasserman,
FRANKIE HICKEY ‘02, ERICA HASMAN ‘01, bride Karin McArthur-
Rodriguez, and groom ADAM RODRIGUEZ ‘02.
WEDDINGS
BRENDA A. MARSIAN ’91 and John
Kaufhold, July 24, 2005, East
Longmeadow, MA.
GLEN S. CARMODY ’94 and Jennifer A.
Serafinski, July 2, 2005, West
Springfield, MA.
ANTHONY MANCINI ’95/G’02 and
Rosann M. Bisognano, September 25,
2004, Waterbury, CT.
MELISSA GARDNER ’97 and Mark Kim,
February 20, 2005, Las Vegas, NV.
AMANDA BRENNAN ’99 and DAVID T.
LIPSON ’99/G’03, May 14, 2005,
South Hadley, MA.
SAMANTHA LUSSIER ’99 and JAMES
GRAVES ’00, June 26, 2005, Assonet,
MA.
KRISTY BOWDEN ’01 and Corey Smith,
April 23, 2005, Bangor, ME.
BECKY DAWSON ’01 and GIANLEO
DUCA ’01, July 2, 2005, Ballston Spa, NY.
SHANNON N. GRECO ’01 and
Matthew A. Comarotti, May 14, 2005,
Ellington, CT.
JENNIFER WOLMER ’01 and
Steven Gonyea, June 5, 2005,
East Windsor, CT.
VANESSA M. GALLUZZO ’02 and
Jason J. Santillo, April 23, 2005,
Springfield, MA.
SARAH MOSIER ’02 and KEVIN
FORTI ’02, June 26, 2004, East
Longmeadow, MA.
NICOLE ROCCAPRIORE ’02 and David
Costello, July 23, 2005, Waterford, CT
ADAM RODRIGUEZ ’02 and Karin
McArthur, October 23, 2004,
Poughkeepsie, NY.
RYAN PURCELL ’03 and Melissa Siudak,
June 11, 2005, West Springfield, MA.
MICHAEL D. TURGEON ’03 and
Lisa A. Katz, August 7, 2004,
New Bedford, MA.
MARY KATE FONTAINE ’05 and
Timothy Collins, August 14, 2005,
Springfield, MA.
NICOLE ROCCAPRIORE ’02 and
Dr. Marilyn Pelosi. Dr. Pelosi
made the toast and gave the
blessing at the wedding.
MELISSA GARDNER ’97, Mark Kim,
and Devan Gardner
BECKY DAWSON ’01 and GIANLEO
DUCA ’01

NEW ARRIVALS
Zachary James Mavlouganes
IN MEMORIAM
ERNEST C. SWANSON ’39/H’01
(management), 90, passed away on
September 4, 2005, at Country
Estates of Agawam, MA. In World
War II, he was a financial officer in
the U.S. Army stationed in England.
He received the Bronze Star for his
meritorious service while involved
in the Battle of the Bulge. Following
the War, Ernest worked at Hampden
Savings Bank and at Monsanto Co.,
as an accountant. He was a member
of the Agawam Town Meeting,
Central Committee, Building Committee,
and Finance Board. He is
survived by his wife of 64 years,
Barbara; his sons, Gary and Robert;
and his many loving grandchildren
and great grandchildren.
JOSEPH P. CURRAN ’49/H’01 (management),
94, passed away on April
1, 2005, at Baystate Medical Center.
He was an arbitrator for the United
States and Massachusetts
Departments of Labor. He was a
past president of the Over-60 Club
of Longmeadow, MA. He is survived
by his wife, Dominica; a son; five
grandchildren; and nine great
grandchildren.
ALPHE R. DUBY ’50 (management),
85, passed away on March 1, 2005.
He served in the U.S. Army during
World War II. He worked as a purchasing
agent for Van-Norman
Machine Company and Gould
National Battery before retiring.
Alphe was a member of the Knights
of Columbus and the American
Legion. He leaves behind his wife,
Shirley; a son, Kenneth; and
a daughter, Sheryl.
Alexis Margaret, December 15, 2004,
to ELIZABETH (BALLARD) ’88 and
James Bean.
Patrick Michael, December 13,
2004, to Cheryl and GARY G.
FITZGERALD ’88.
Zachary James, April 13, 2005,
to Darcie and DAVID
MAVLOUGANES ’88.
Joshua David, May 16, 2005, to AMY
(KRUGER) ’92 and Norman Pleisch.
Kristen Marie, March 2, 2005,
to NOREEN (GOSCENSKI) ’92 and
ANTHONY VINCIGUERRA ’93.
DONALD H. PEIRCE ’51/H’01
(accounting) passed away on June
17, 2005. He leaves his wife, Jean;
two sons; a daughter; and two
grandchildren.
FRANK BRUNO SZALKUCKI ’55
(accounting), 85, passed away on
June 29, 2005, at Holyoke Medical
Center. He retired from the former
Hampden Color Co. in Springfield
and was a communicant of Mater
Dolorosa Church, where he was
a lector for over 30 years and past
president of the Holy Name Society.
He leaves his companion and friend,
Helen Wozniak; a daughter; a sister;
and five grandchildren.
GUY J. BEAUDET ’58/G’61 (engineering
management/MBA), 73, of
Greenfield, MA, passed away on
May 31, 2005, in Lebanon, NH. He
worked as a senior engineer for
Northeast Utilities for over 30 years.
He was a communicant of Holy
Family Parish and the founder of
the Board of Directors of Jericho, a
Catholic organization that assists
people with disabilities with integrating
into their parish and community.
He is survived by his wife
and three daughters.
WILFRID L. HEBERT G’58 (MBA), 82,
passed away on February 2, 2005.
He served in the Navy for six years
during World War II. Wilfrid also
worked for the former Western
Massachusetts Electric Co. He
became the assistant superintendent
for the Agawam, MA, and Pittsfield,
MA, school systems, retiring in 1979.
Wilfrid was a third and fourth degree
Gianna Nicole, January 10, 2005,
to JUSTINE (COLOMBETTI) ’95 and
Ken Andras.
Hanna Isabelle, April 27, 2005, to
Shabana and MATTHEW RIZZI ’95.
Rory Lynn, March 13, 2005, to TONI
(BALDWIN) ’96 and Dennis Pannella.
Kaitlyn Margaret, May 10, 2005,
to ANDREA (SAARI) ’96/G’00 and
TIM ST. JAMES ’99.
Sophia Anastasia, February 9,
2005, to Seta and PETER
MARANGOUDAKIS ’97.
member of the Knights of Columbus,
charter member of the BPO Elks of
West Springfield, MA, member of the
VFW, and the disabled American
Veterans of Massachusetts. He leaves
his wife, Irene; a son; a daughter; four
grandchildren; a brother; and a sister.
RULY Z. ZACHARY L’60/G’72 (MBA),
77, of Wilbraham, MA, passed away
at home on March 30, 2005. He was
born in Athens, Greece. He was a
registered engineer, patent attorney,
and a member of the Massachusetts
Bar Association. He retired from the
Monsanto Company after working
there for 38 years. He was recognized
for his work on several committees
and the parish council with
the Diocesan Laity Award. He leaves
behind his wife, Gisele; a son; a
daughter; two grandchildren; and
a sister.
ROBERT E. VEZINA ’62 (management),
75, passed away on April 24, 2005.
Prior to his retirement, Robert was
employed at Equipment Corporation
in Westfield, MA. He was a veteran
of the U.S. Air Force, and an active
member of St. Patrick’s Church. He
is survived by his wife, Lorraine
(Gagne) Vezina; three daughters;
and nine grandchildren.
JAY E. WILMARTH G’62 (MBA), 82,
passed away on October 9, 2004. He
had been a customer engineer with
IBM until his retirement in 1984. He
was also a veteran of World War II
and an engineer on the USS Keyes.
He is survived by a daughter, a son,
five grandchildren, nieces, and
nephews.
JOHN M. HESSION G’63 (engineering
management) passed away on July
14, 2005. He was a veteran of World
War II serving from 1943-1946.
After his service in the military, John
worked for the U.S. Department of
Defense at Westover Field and Flight
Enterprises in Enfield, CT. Following
his time at Westover, he was employed
by Rockwell International as a
Quality Assurance Representative
in the Shuttle Orbiter Division in
the northeast. He was a member
of Sacred Heart Church where he
served as an extraordinary minister
for many years. He is survived by his
wife of 50 years, Katherine (Sears)
Hession, and two daughters.
JAMES H. CURTIS G’65 (engineering
management), 77, passed away on
March 26, 2005. After serving in the
U.S. Army during World War II, he
was a sales engineer with Specialty
Steel Treating for 20 years before
retiring in 1994. He volunteered
at Manchester Memorial Hospital
and was an active member of the
Windsor Lions Club. James leaves
behind his wife, Helen.
WALTER R. SABAT ’66 (management),
69, passed away on May 11, 2005.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Army,
holding the rank of Private First
Class. He leaves his four children,
11 grandchildren, and his dear former
wife Marjorie (Bozek) Sabat.
ROBERT GILBERT VEZEAU ’66/’74
(mechanical engineering/electrical
engineering), 62, passed away on
September 2, 2005. He worked at
Combustion Engineering, now
Winter 2006
CLASS NOTES
Kristen Marie Vinciguerra
Communicator 35

CLASS NOTES
Alstom Power, Inc., in Windsor
Locks, CT, for 39 years. He is survived
by his dear friend, Joan Yastramski.
TERRY L. KENDALL ’68 (accounting),
58, passed away at Bryn Mawr
Hospital in Pennsylvania on June 20,
2005. A native of Springfield, he had
served as the president of Cigna
International Employee Benefits and
Life Insurance of Philadelphia, PA,
since 1999. Terry was also a Trustee
of Western New England College
from July, 2002 to March, 2005. He is
survived by his wife, Susan; a daughter,
Jennifer; a son, Bryan, and his
wife Kimberly (Marshall); two stepdaughters,
Jamie and Stacey Ghen,
and four siblings.
GERALD F. STEARNS ’69 (mechanical
engineering), 63, passed away on
February 23, 2005. He worked as a
sales engineer for Data Instruments
Co. and Honeywell Corp for many
years before retiring. Gerald also
served in the U.S. Army in the late
1950s. He was a deacon and member
of the Grace Baptist Church in
Franklin, MA. Along with his wife,
Pauline, Gerald leaves behind two
sons and a daughter, and three
grandchildren.
LEONID GERASIMOW ’70 (mechanical
engineering), 78, passed away
July 20, 2005, in East Longmeadow,
MA. He enjoyed a long and successful
career at Monsanto as a mechanical
engineer. He was fluent in four
languages, and volunteered as an
interpreter for foreign visitors. He is
survived by his wife of 57 years,
Warwara; a son, Alexander, and his
wife, Marcia; a daughter, Tatiana,
and her husband, Jonathan
Broverman; five grandchildren
and a great-grandson.
GERARD M. PELLETIER G’70 (MBA),
79, passed away on July 24, 2005 in
Nokomis, FL. He was a lieutenant
colonel and served in the U.S. military
for over 30 years. Gerard was
very active in the community and
served as president of the Holyoke
Jaycees and as president of the Lions
Club. He is survived by his wife,
Alana Dyer Pelletier; and a sister.
36 Communicator Winter 2006
ERNEST W. BAILEY ’72/G’74 (management/MBA),
61, passed away on
April 14, 2005. He was a U.S. Army
veteran of the Vietnam War. After
the service, he was employed at
Hamilton Sundstrand, where he
worked on the Apollo project. In
1980 he became the owner of the
Squire Farm in East Longmeadow
and also spent 33 years teaching in
the Chicopee, MA, school system. He
was a member of the Massachusetts
Teachers Association, the
Massachusetts Christmas Tree
Growers Association, and VFW Post
625 in Chicopee. He leaves behind
his father, Karl; three sisters; and a
brother.
FREDERICK J. LORINSER G’72 (MBA),
82, passed away on May 28, 2005. He
served in World War II at an antiaircraft
battalion in North Africa
and France. He was employed as a
safety engineer for Liberty Mutual
and a forensic engineer for
Chapman Lorinser Safety Engineers.
He was later appointed vice president
of Loss Control for Johnson
and Higgins of Connecticut. He
leaves his wife, Nancy; two daughters,
Holly and Dawn; four grandchildren;
and many additional relatives
and friends.
KARL M. FORT ’73 (accounting), 53,
passed away on July 12, 2005, in
St. Joseph Hospital, Cheektowaga,
NY after a long illness. He worked
at General Mills for over 30 years.
He was also a lieutenant in Commandery
135, Knights of St. John,
in St. Agnes Parish. He is survived
by his wife, Judy Vanderlinden Fort;
four daughters; a son; and two
grandchildren.
H. WILLIAM GILBERT G’73 (MBA), 83,
passed away on May 9, 2005. He was
employed at Smith College as business
manager and director of purchasing
until his retirement in 1987.
He was also a U.S. Navy veteran,
holding the rank of Lieutenant. He
leaves two daughters, his sister, and
three grandchildren.
WILLIAM A. HENSEN G’73 (MBA), 79,
passed away on April 19, 2005. A
native of Litchfield, IL, he spent 27
years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as
a lieutenant colonel. He was a navigator
and radar bombardier with the
Army Air Corps during World War II
and later attended Officers Flight
School and served as a bomber pilot
in the Korean War. He worked at
Shawmut Bank for 20 years before
retiring in 1990. He was past president
of the Chicopee, MA Rotary
Club. He leaves three sons, two
daughters, and four grandchildren.
GEORGE F. KATSURANIS ’74 (management)
passed away on March 9,
2005. He served in the U.S. Navy
during World War II. He was
employed with the Passionist
Fathers for over 30 years and also
played a role in the production
of the long running radio show
“Hour of the Crucified.” He leaves
behind a brother and four
nephews.
JOHN J. HOWES JR. ’76 (accounting),
51, passed away April 26, 2005.
He was a CPA for 28 years in
Northampton, MA, and owned his
own business. He belonged to the St.
Mary of the Assumption Church in
Haydenville, MA, and was a member
of the Hickory Ridge Country Club
in Amherst, MA. He is survived by
his wife, Elaine; two daughters; his
parents, John Sr. and Fran; and his
siblings.
THOMAS C. SOCHA ’77/G’83
(accounting/MSA), 58, of the Village
of Three Rivers in Palmer, MA,
passed away on June 28, 2005. He
was employed as a computer program
analyst for Kanzaki Specialty
Paper Company in Ware, MA. He
served in the U.S. Navy during the
Vietnam War attaining numerous
honors and medals, including the
National Defense Service Medal. His
wife and two sons survive him.
JOAN K. (NUGENT) MOLLOY ’80
(accounting), 46, passed away on
June 22, 2005. She was a member
of Mary Queen of Peace Church in
Salem, NH, and was an active volunteer
in the Salem school system. She
is survived by her husband, Brian;
three daughters; and three siblings.
BRIAN F. MIKULLITZ G’81 (MBA), 56,
passed away peacefully on Friday
March 25, 2005. He was employed
as an accountant for Hamilton
Sundstrand in Windsor Locks, CT,
for 25 years. He leaves his wife,
Kimberly; two sons; three daughters;
his mother; and a grandson.
JOHN MCGRADY ’82 (accounting),
57, passed away on May 20, 2005. A
native of Springfield, he spent six
years of military service with the
Army National Guard. He worked
for the State Auditor’s Department
for 17 years before taking the position
as executive director of the
West Springfield Housing Authority
and retiring in 2002. He is survived
by his wife, Peg; his son, Jack; his
daughter, Jean; his sister; and two
grandchildren.
JOSEPH L. REILLY ’89 (marketing), 39,
passed away on July 3, 2005. He was
employed by A. Duie Pyle as a sales
and marketing account executive.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann;
a daughter, Fiona Grace; his mother;
his stepfather; two sisters; and several
nieces and nephews.
VINCENT P. CILA ’91 (law enforcement),
45, of Wakefield, MA, passed
away on July 22, 2005, because of
injuries he suffered in a motorcycle
accident while he was on duty as
a Massachusetts State Trooper.
He was a member of St. Florence
Church and an avid boating and
sailing enthusiast. He is survived
by his wife, two daughters, his parents,
and two sisters.
DOUGLAS ALLEN HART G’94 (MBA),
48, passed away on March 3, 2005 at
Massachusetts General Hospital in
Boston. He worked as a civil engineer
for the 102nd National Guard
Unit at Otis Air Force Base for more
than 20 years. He is survived by his
mother, sister, uncle, two nephews,
and a niece.

From the Archives
Off-Campus Programs Mark Anniversary
D
oug Kenyon shares the
sentiments of many
of the more than 5,000
Western New England
College alumni, whose
lives and careers have been transformed
by their experiences as students in the Off-
Campus Programs. They are living proof of
the merit of higher education in enhancing
the professional skills of adult learners.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of
the inception off the Off-Campus Programs,
which brought the opportunity to attend a
private college within the reach of working
men and women throughout New
England.
The satellite program was born in
1975 when the United States Air Force
sent out a “Request for Proposals” to
several colleges to establish a graduate
degree in Systems Management at
Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford,
MA. Western New England College was
selected from among six applicants and
the program began in that year at the
base in Bedford with Professor Richard
Veronesi ’61 (retired) as its first director
assisted by Fran Couto. Dr. Mary Sweeney
and L. Douglas Kenyon ’84/G’86 followed
as subsequent directors. Mr. Kenyon is
our current assistant vice president, Division
of Graduate Studies & Continuing Education,
which oversees the Off-Campus Programs.
By 1998 there were 17 locations throughout
eastern and central Massachusetts,
including New Bedford, Braintree, Norwood,
and Malden, which offered bachelor programs
in such disciplines as Business
Administration, Liberal Studies, and Law
Enforcement; and master degree programs
including Public Administration, Industrial
30th
Relations, Criminal Justice Administration,
Engineering Management, and Systems
Management.
Over the years, nearly 50 full-time and
150 adjunct faculty traveled to our off-campus
locations to teach. Among the full-time
faculty were Professors Mark Coffey, Richard
Grabiec, and Herbert Eskot. The adjunct
faculty included Vincent Falcone, John
DiFava, Alan Levy, Daniel Turco ’94/G’95,
and Judge James Nixon to mention but a
few.
With a large percentage of graduates
attending the Bachelor of Science in Law
Enforcement and/or Master of Criminal
Justice Administration programs, the Off-
Campus Programs have proudly matriculated
thousands of law enforcement officers and
graduated more than 60 Massachusetts Chiefs
of Police. It also enabled many Air Force enlisted
personnel, by virtue of their advanced
degrees, to receive military commissions.
The Programs, which owe much of their
success to word-of-mouth advertising, are
honored to have numerous legacy alumni
BY EVELYN SALZ,
C OLLEGE ARCHIVIST
“Western New England College was founded to serve working adults. The Off-Campus Programs have
fulfilled that mission successfully for 30 years. From criminal justice and military personnel to
business and hospital executives, our alumni have used their education to make important
contributions to their fields. I am honored to have been part of this important chapter
of the College’s history as one of its alumni and directors. I am also looking forward to
being involved in the writing of the Off-Campus Programs’ next exciting chapter.
”
Doug Kenyon '84/G'86
Assistant Vice President, Division of Graduate Studies & Continuing Education
The Chronopoulos legacy includes brothers
Chris '99/G'00 and Chuck '99, pictured with
father Charles (senior)
families. In some cases, entire families
received degrees from the Off-Campus
Programs; and in the Criminal Justice program,
many family members received both
their bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Throughout the years, the Programs
have faced many challenges from issues
relating to media attacks on the Quinn
Bill compensation program for law enforcement
officers, to the impact of September
11, and subsequent heightened security
which severely impacted many police officers’
ability to attend class and forced
Hanscom to cease holding classes.
Today, the newly named Division of
Graduate Studies & Continuing Education
continues to offer courses in New Bedford,
Braintree, Norwood, Malden, Bedford,
and Ayer. New offerings include the
PACE Accelerated Undergraduate Degree
Program, Applied Economics, and on-site
certificate programs in Acquisitions and
Contracting. In keeping with its original
mission to make a private college education
accessible to adults, programming
of the future may involve more online
learning. Adult students in eastern
Massachusetts and beyond are discovering
the benefits of studying from the comfort
of their own home or office through such
offerings as the Online Bachelor in Business
Administration degree.
If you are an alumnus of the Programs, we
invite you to share a special memory or send
a congratulatory message on the occasion of
the Off-Campus Programs’ 30th Anniversary.
Send your emails to ce@wnec.edu or letters to
the Division of Graduate Studies & Continuing
Education, 397 Main St., Woburn, MA, 01801,
and we will post them on our website at
www.wnec.edu/ce.

January
UPCOMING ALUMNI EVENTS 2006
For the latest information, visit www.wnec.edu/alumni
25 Law and Business Center
for Advancing
Entrepreneurship
Speaker: Business Visionary
Bill Strickland
5:30 p.m.
School of Law, Main Lobby
February
9 Women–in–Business
Network Round Table
Student Luncheon
12:00 Noon
Rivers Memorial Building
9 Law and Business
Center for Advancing
Entrepreneurship
Speaker: Professor of Law
Lisa Fairfax
5:30 p.m.
School of Law, Main Lobby
March
4 Women’s Lacrosse
Alumni Reunion
Golden Bear Stadium
7 Law and Business Center
for Advancing
Entrepreneurship
Speaker: Professor of Law
Douglas Moll
5:30 p.m.
School of Law, Main Lobby
April
6 Scholarship Recognition
Reception
4:00 p.m.
Rivers Memorial Building
8 Men’s Tennis
Alumni Reunion
20 Alumni Volunteer
Recognition Dinner
5:30 p.m.
Rivers Memorial Building
1215 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01119-2684
25 Law and Business
Center for Advancing
Entrepreneurship
Speaker: CPA Laura Gordon
5:30 p.m.
School of Law, Main Lobby
29 Men’s Lacrosse
Alumni Reunion
9:30 a.m.
Golden Bear Stadium
29 National Rebuilding
Day—Springfield
8:00 a.m.
Campus Welcome Center
May
6 President's Dinner
6:30 p.m.
Dining Room A
20 Commencement
26 Annual Alumni
Golf Tournament
10:00 a.m.
Oak Ridge Golf Club
Alumni on Campus
Mentor Roger Sirois ’70, pictured
with protégés David Machado ’09
and Nojin Mathew ’09, was among
more than 40 alumni on campus
to attend the Alumni Engineering
Mentoring program kick-off dinner
this fall.
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