Spring 2004 - Becker College

Spring 2004
Volume 1, Number 7
Connecting Becker College to the Community
INSIDE: BECKER UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP

President
Kenneth E. Zirkle
Vice President of
Institutional Advancement
Gerald Tuori
Director of Alumni Affairs
Jane Jung
Director of Communications
Liza Benedict
Director of Sports Information
Herb Whitworth
Alumni Office Secretary
Cheryl Zukowski
Page Layout
White-on-White Design
Becker Bridges is published for the alumni,
employees and friends of Becker College.
Inquires and comments should be sent to
the Alumni Office at the addresses below:
Becker College Alumni Office
61 Sever Street
Box 15071
Worcester, MA 01615-0071
PHONE: 508-791-9241 ext. 255
FAX: 508-831-7505
Email: alumni@beckercollege.edu
w w w.beckercollege.edu
Cover photo:
Cupola on Weller Academic Center,
Worcester Campus
Back cover photo:
Elm Street in Worcester looking across the
bridge in Elm Park
Table of Contents
1 In Memoriam – Franklin M. Loew
2 Letters to the Editor
3 Cover Story
Becker Under New Leadership
6 Academics
A Journey Abroad
Campus Growth and Changes
The Two Campus Recruitment Challenge
8 Campus History
Leicester Junior College Begins
10 Faculty Profile
Recipe for Success
12 Campus News
Grant Will Improve Dining Facilities
English Professor Departs
Alumna is Commencement Speaker
Dean of Students Retires
14 Campus Events
Davis Hall Alumni Return
18 Alumni Profiles
Becker Graduate Finds Her Niche
A Family Affair with Plastic
19 Athletics
LJC Alumnus is Recognized
Coach Daly Steps Down
Regional Basketball Hall of Fame Induction
Coaching Updates
22 Class Notes
25 Obituaries/In Memoriam
26 Alumni Calendar/Coming Events

In Memoriam
Becker College suffered a
severe loss on Tuesday, April
22, 2003 when Dr. Franklin
Martin Loew, the college’s
president, lost the battle to a
rare form of cancer he had
been fighting for the past
three years. Dr. Loew,
D.V.M., Ph.D., who was only
63 years old, was the eighth
president of Becker. He
came to Becker in 1998 and
was inaugurated at
Dr. Franklin M. Loew
Mechanic’s Hall in
Worcester. He succeeded
Arnold C. Weller, Jr., who helped recruit Dr. Loew to
Becker College.
During Dr. Loew’s tenure, the percentage of students
enrolled in baccalaureate degree programs rose
from 13 to over 60 percent. Under his leadership, four
major degree programs were added to the curriculum:
the bachelor of science in biology, the bachelor of arts
in liberal arts, the bachelor of arts in design and the
associate degree in speech-language pathology assistant.
Dr. Loew helped attract nationally renowned speakers
to campus including poet laureate, Stanley Kunitz and
scientist, Jane Goodall. He remained an outspoken
advocate for a number of causes close to his heart,
including the Humane Society, United Way and
MSPCA.
Dr. Loew oversaw the addition of Becker study
abroad programs in England, China, the United Arab
Emirates and India. In 2001, a highly successful and
fast-growing accelerated learning program began,
allowing adult learners to earn a bachelor degree in
less than two years.
Dr. Loew always called Becker a hidden gem and he
was a strong believer in the college’s career-focused
concentrations, advocating that at Becker “jobs” wasn’t
a four-letter word. In a recent interview, he said the
college has always tried to provide graduates to fill
employers’ needs, a goal that helps both the economy
and the graduating seniors. Board of Trustee
Chairman Michael Jesanis says Dr. Loew will be greatly
missed. “In a college community there are so many different
audiences and Frank had an amazing ability to
interact well with everyone. We will miss his leadership,
wisdom and energy. Fortunately, he has left behind a
well-run legacy and the College will continue to operate
smoothly, if sadly.”
Prior to his tenure at Becker, Dr. Loew was dean of
the schools of veterinary medicine at Tufts University
and, later, Cornell University, his alma mater. He had
also served as the director of comparative medicine at
Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and, as a professor,
helped found the school of veterinary medicine at
the University of Saskatchewan in Canada.
In addition to his academic accomplishments, Dr.
Loew served as president and CEO of the Cambridgebased
Medical Foods, Inc. a developer of therapeutic
nutritional products. Additionally, he served on the
boards of the American Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals, the Humane Society of the U.S.,
the New England Aquarium, the Boston Zoological
Society, the Marine Biological Laboratory, the National
Association for Biomedical Research and others. He
chaired a National Research Council Committee to
review all intramural and extramural research programs
at the Department of Agriculture.
Dr. Loew was also a consultant to various institutions
including NASA, the National Institutes of Health, the
Smithsonian Institution, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University
and the Tuskegee Advisory Committee for the Center
of Bioethics and Health Care Policy. He was an elected
member of the National Academy of Science’s Institute
of Medicine, a visiting scientist at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology and a senior fellow at Tufts
University. He was president of the Association of
American Veterinary Medical Colleges and a diplomate
of the American College of Laboratory Animal
Medicine.
Dr. Loew grew up in Syracuse, N.Y. A lover of horses
and of animals in general, he studied biology and veterinary
medicine at nearby Cornell University, receiving
his bachelor’s degree in 1961 and his DVM in 1965.
Later, he earned a Ph.D. in nutrition at Saskatchewan.
Throughout his career, he oversaw or contributed to
many humane innovations in veterinary treatment. As a
result of his accomplishments, Dr. Loew was elected to
the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of
Sciences. Other honors have included Canada's Queen
Elizabeth Silver Jubilee Medal and the American
Veterinary Medical Association's Charles River Prize,
awarded in 1977 and 1988, respectively.
His writings appeared in publications ranging from
Science, Nature Biotechnology, and all the major veterinary
journals to the New York Times and the Wall Street
Journal. He also wrote Vet in the Saddle, published in
1978.
In the 1970s, Dr. Loew was on the team in western
Canada that helped develop what is now known as
canola oil.
Dr. Loew is survived by his sons Tim and Andrew
and his wife Deborah Digges, all of Massachusetts, and
Digges’ two sons, Stephen of New York City, and
Charles of Norway.
BECKER BRIDGES / 1

Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor,
I’m 83. The expansion of Becker was nowhere in sight during
the Front Street Era, the trolley car years. And I’m one fossil who
doesn’t yearn for the “good old days.”
I.M. Riano ’39
Dear Dr. Loew,
Your letter dated April 2003 was very appropriate in pointing
out the significance of alumni support. In 1948 I was awarded a
two-year scholarship to Becker College and believe me it was the
greatest event that ever happened to me. This gift gave a new
start in life and allowed me to go on to even higher education.
Although I ultimately graduated from the University of
Connecticut, my first love lies with Becker for giving me a chance
in life. Every year since my graduation in 1950 I have always
given something to Becker so that someone else might have a
chance for a new life. I urge all alumni to give something no
matter how small. Lastly, thank you for the wonderful teachers
we had during the 1948-50 era. They were very dedicated and
more than competent.
Best Regards,
Alphonse R. Gauthier ’50
Dear Editor,
It is indeed a small world when two classmates meet on a
cruise ship, The Royal Princess, off Cape Horn, at the southern
tip of South America. Barbara (Bobbie) Salvato Vilford ’62 and
Toby Noar Richmond ’62 met by accident when passengers from
the United States were casually introducing themselves on the
Princess. Bobbie, a medical secretary graduate residing in southern
New Jersey, and Toby, a graduate of the executive secretary
program living in Worcester, were truly surprised when they realized
that they were classmates at Becker College! Both gals had a
wonderful time together cruising the southern oceans of the
Atlantic and Pacific with husbands and new friends. All had the
opportunity to visit such exotic and lonely ports as the Falkland
Islands, Antarctica and the southernmost city in the world,
Ushuaia. What are the odds of two Becker grads meeting in such
a lonely part of the planet?
All the best, Becker College.
Joseph P. Vilford
Dear Jane,
Bridges came yesterday, brought back many, many memories.
Those in the rope pull picture on page 6 are: Front, Frank Rainis,
behind him, Bob Doolan and standing, all dressed up to go to
dinner at the White Castle, Bill Bayley. It was either Bill or Bob –
I lean to Bob – who was the only one in our 1937 class who was
killed in action.
Commencement speakers are not generally remembered, ours
at the Auditorium was U.S. Senator Gerald Nye of Nebraska. Ma
Davis’ letters were a welcome joy, God Bless her.
Bill Fox, John Ordung and I (working our way through Front
Street’s only building of ‘higher education’) had a close relationship
with flirtation walk; swept those stairs every Saturday.
Dr. Loew’s interview was very informative.
Again, walka proud!
Jim Hughes ’37
2 / BECKER BRIDGES
Dear Ms. Jung,
It does my heart good to receive such a truly uplifting, interesting
publication bringing back so many memories almost long
forgotten. “Bud” Beaudoin even emulates a man of power and
purpose in those days of beardless, youthful vigor. Of course,
Llew Evans is at his finest hour with his incomparable
“Headmaster Mr. Chips” look.
The good Dr. Loew was an impressive individual and it was my
personal pleasure to know him. He preserved Becker College
standards of excellence, which make alumni proud to bring the
school to the attention of future generations of students.
Warmest regards,
Gordon Bowker ’42
Dear Editor:
Yes, I am a Becker graduate – 1943 – the war years – when
things were not normal. But, as you refer to the eight-story, one
building school on page six of the last issue – you neglected to say
that the building was pea green!
I lived in Heywood House the first year and Converse Hall the
second. I graduated with a degree as a medical secretary and
married my WPI chemist husband, Jim, the same year. We were
married for 55 beautiful years.
I meet Fran LaClair Burrows for lunch in Brattleboro and I
correspond with Sally Walrath McKenzie. Becker was such a great
place for me those two years, 1941 to 1943.
I would love to hear from any of my friends, you’ll know who
you are.
Jane Denton Parliman ’43
Dear Editor,
Please know that I appreciate receiving the Becker Bridges
sent to alumni and especially the last issue because it contained a
photo of the cast of the 1935 play, including Professor Llew
Evans.
When I attended Becker it was a two-year college, and I
received a splendid education (1934-1935). Before being married,
and time out to add two children, I worked in various capacities,
moving 15 times and living in seven states, using my education.
The friends I made in those two years kept in touch until they
died. Now, at 86, I am meeting younger generations who have
attended the various new additions to the college, and we
exchange news of changes. When I graduated from high school,
my father (a successful farmer) decided I had a choice to learn to
be a teacher, nurse, or secretary. It may be of interest to know
the positions I have pursued: parish secretary for both a
Methodist and an Episcopal Church; then in a hospital social
service section; followed by working at the Florida State
University; and finally as secretary to a professor at the University
of Alabama.
Now I am retired and have far too many volunteer tangents to
handle. Just wanted to record that I am grateful for the fine
teaching I received and used it wisely. Best wishes.
Sincerely,
Alcista Newman Gillies ’35

Cover Story
Becker Under New Leadership
Probably the
most astonishing
thing about the
new president of
Becker College is
that in his entire
career, until
becoming president
of the
University of
Findlay in Ohio,
he had been
offered every single
professional
job that he ever
seriously pursued
– and he had
only applied for
a total of three
Kenneth E. Zirkle
jobs. That trend
continued when he decided it was time to move on
from Findlay. He was a finalist at five higher education
institutions when Becker offered him the position here.
That alone speaks volumes about the character and
personality of Kenneth E. Zirkle.
In April of 2003 when Becker’s beloved president, Dr.
Franklin M. Loew passed away from cancer, the unspoken
fear was that the college would never find someone
to fill his shoes. After an eight-month search, some of
those fears may be laid to rest with the hiring of Dr.
Zirkle. Ken, who shows no preference for titles, hails
from Pennsylvania, although he has spent the last 20
years living in Ohio. He grew up on a farm in northwestern
Pennsylvania with parents who instilled an
impressive work ethic in him and his siblings. He was
one of five children (four boys and one girl) and the
first one in his family to ever attend college. He
learned to enjoy and appreciate hard work from his
father, who worked on the railroad for over 40 years,
and also taught Ken the importance of productivity, a
positive attitude and exemplary principles. He learned
to respect others from his mother, who showed him the
values of family, friends and his future. His parents,
who are now in their 80s, still live on that farm and still
impart that “down home” straightforward wisdom to the
next generation.
With the encouragement of his parents, Dr. Zirkle
entered Edinboro State College, which was nearby and
affordable. He earned a B.S. in Geography but more
importantly, he learned that education was his calling.
Working full-time, 40 hours a week at a packing factory,
he was still able to graduate from Edinboro in just three
years. From there, Dr. Zirkle began teaching and coaching
junior high and high school students at a school in
upstate New York. He also took education courses at
Syracuse and, as had happened at Edinboro, professors
singled him out and encouraged him to continue his
education. He was one of only 28 students from around
the world to be selected to participate, on a full scholarship,
in a master’s program in counselor education at
Rutgers University. “One of the best things about that
experience was the extremely close interaction we had
with our professors who were the top people in their
respective fields,” remembers Dr. Zirkle. “It was a
remarkable, life-altering experience for me.” The program
was so intense that Ken thought he had enough of
classroom learning. But just a year later, he began taking
graduate courses at Pennsylvania State University in
order to become a secondary school superintendent.
During a summer session he met the person who would
change his career path.
Dr. Charles Spence headed the student affairs department
and residence life at PSU. “I was simply blown
away by him. He was incredibly bright, unpretentious,
down-to-earth, and completely student-focused,” muses
Dr. Zirkle. Out of that admiration came his decision to
focus on a career in higher education. Over the next
three years, he earned a doctorate in education while
working full-time in residential life. He also met and
married his wife, Christine, who was a student at Penn
State.
Then came the first of his three job applications.
Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania was looking for a
dean of students. Dr. Zirkle says he applied thinking he
had no chance because the normal progression was to
become an assistant then an associate dean before
becoming a dean. But he was able to circumvent that
progression when the college hired him. He spent five
years there, believing that he had found his lifetime job.
He loved the area and the people. In his fifth year, however,
he was told about a job in Cortland, N.Y. as a vice
president of student affairs. Again, he applied also
believing that his chances of being hired were slim.
But, once again, he got the job. He and his family
moved there, bought a house, and again, loving both
the area and his job, planned to put down roots and stay
forever. During this time, he continued his love of lifelong
learning and took courses, most notably at
Harvard. It was again during his fifth year on the job at
Continued on page 4
BECKER BRIDGES / 3

Becker Under New Leadership
Continued from page 3
SUNY-Cortland that a colleague told him about a job
opening for a president at Findlay College in Ohio. At
this point, Dr. Zirkle wasn’t sure about moving or applying
for a presidency. “I thought they would think I was
too young plus I didn’t have the typical academic background
for a president,” he says now. His family was settled
with their last daughter on the way so he didn’t
think the idea of moving again would be greeted with
enthusiasm. But, at his friend’s urging and with his
wife’s support, he decided to apply. By now, you know
that he got the job.
He and his wife and his daughters moved to Ohio.
“The next thing I knew, 20 years had passed,” says Dr.
Zirkle, laughing. During those 20 years, Dr. Zirkle had
a hand in changing the institution from one that served
fewer than 1,000 students to one that now boasts an
enrollment of nearly 5,000 students. He helped develop
a strong board of trustees, saw the school build its reputation
with nationally recognized programs, improved
alumni relations, transformed the face of the campus
with the construction of a half dozen new buildings and
the renovation of several others, enhanced the beauty of
the grounds, established numerous flourishing graduate
programs including a very successful on-line degree program,
and was instrumental in seeing the college
become a university. When asked to name what he
takes most pleasure in from his years at Findlay he says,
“I have been very proud of Findlay’s student body. As
the enrollment increased so did the quality of the students
(ACT/SAT/GPA scores). We were successful in
attracting more students from the local region who were
not only good students, but great people. The graduates
have been very successful in all areas – business,
education, etc. and their acceptance rates into graduate
programs have been phenomenal. The student athletes
have been wonderful ambassadors for the university and
the success of our athletic programs brought increased
recognition to the institution as a whole. There were
three national football championships plus one in
wrestling along with numerous individual national
champions, and Findlay was the only school ever to win
two national titles in the same year in equestrian competition.
The best part is that the athletes at Findlay were
among the very best students, maintaining grade point
averages equal to, and in many cases higher than, the
student body as a whole.” He beams when he reports
that Findlay had over 210 academic all-Americans during
his tenure as president. He believes that he has left
Findlay with excellent town/gown relations, market-driven
academic programs, broad-based financial support,
an exceptional faculty and staff, and graduates poised to
make a difference when they go out into the world.
When asked to name disappointments from his time at
4 / BECKER BRIDGES
Findlay, he admits that he would have liked to have
developed a larger endowment, although, by the time
he left, the endowment was six to seven times larger
than it was when he began.
Under Dr. Zirkle’s direction, Findlay became the first
in the nation to offer a hazardous materials management
program (est. 1989) and also to develop another
first – The Center for Terrorism Preparedness (CTP).
The CTP was established well in advance of 9/11, therefore
when those horrendous terrorist attacks occurred,
Findlay was singled out for comment. Dr. Zirkle was
called to testify about terrorism readiness in front of a
special senate committee six months after that attack.
Ken talked about the role that academia could play in
training and preparing first responders, like police, firefighters,
EMTs and doctors in response to such events.
Findlay was awarded millions of dollars in grants
towards its terrorism studies. Just as Dr. Zirkle looked to
the government to find out what was needed in the terror
preparation programs, he also looked to the business
world when it came time to establish an MBA program.
He met with corporate executives to find out
what they were seeking in an MBA graduate. That feedback
was instrumental in developing Findlay’s MBA program
and that same approach was used in developing
other graduate degree programs as well. Like Becker,
Findlay has a strong history in education, health science
and pre-vet programs.
Dr. Zirkle says he thoroughly enjoyed his years at
Findlay and especially relished the “building” part of his
job. He claims little credit; instead he says he simply
enabled good people to achieve their potential and
more. He is proud to say that Findlay is now at a stage
of maintaining but, realizing that, he became restless.
Seeking new challenges, as is his bent, he began looking
around - and his gaze landed on Becker College.
Keeping his search to schools east of the Mississippi,
he had rather specific criteria for what he was looking
for in an institution. “I looked at places that weren’t
blessed with large endowments, that needed to grow
their enrollment, where strategic planning and fund
raising were needed. Those are my strengths and I was
eager to put them to use to meet those challenges at a
new school,” says Ken. He and Chris put the five
schools where he was a finalist in a pecking order and,
after his initial interview with the succession committee,
Becker emerged as the number one choice. He says he
was very impressed with the committee members, whom
he describes as genuine, caring and anxious to do what
was best for Becker. He was thrilled to learn that he
had made the list of final four candidates but honestly
did not think that anyone from outside of New England
would be hired. After visiting the college on his second
interview, he was even more enthusiastic about relocating
here. “I learned that not only does Becker have
those challenges that I am looking for, but it also has
the people who are eager and able to meet them,” Ken
says. When he and Chris were able to talk about their

thoughts on Becker, they were both in agreement that it
seemed like a perfect fit. When the call came with the
job offer, he accepted immediately and took his name
out of the running at the other four institutions where
he was being considered. In the beginning of January,
Ken moved into the president’s house at 81 William
Street and his wife and pets will be following as soon as
everything is settled in Ohio. To those who meet them,
it is obvious that Ken and Chris work as a team and that
Becker will be benefiting from their knowledge and
experience. His daughters are all adults, with only one
left in college. His pets include two shih tzu dogs and a
cat that was rescued from the streets. He says he
reached his home goal when he was successfully able to
negotiate peace among those three parties. While never
considering himself a cat person before, he now admits
to a special relationship with ‘Chewie.’
As for work goals, he has both short-term and longrange
ones already in mind for Becker. He wants to put
a workable strategic plan in place and to get a better
handle on what Becker is all about by meeting with
members of the Becker community. In the long run he
hopes to see the college become financially sound – not
just managing, but thriving! He wants the student num-
A Presidential Search
With the passing of Dr. Loew, the Becker Board of
Trustees undertook an extensive search for Becker’s
next leader. Here is an insider’s look at the process.
A succession committee was formed shortly after Dr.
Loew’s death. The committee consisted of five members
of the board of trustees (Frances Polito ’68,
Michael Jesanis, Martha Grace, Dr. Gregory Pogue ’70,
Mark Roosevelt), two faculty members (John Deitrick,
Mary Ellen Davis), a community leader (Mark Fuller)
and a student representative (Merrick Platt). Members
spent over eight months conducting the search.
In the fall of 2003, the committee narrowed the
national field of close to 50 applicants down to nine
semi-finalists. From that group, Kenneth E. Zirkle,
D.Ed. was among the four finalists who were chosen.
Philip J. Krebs, Ph.D. earned a BA in chemistry from
the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. in organic
chemistry from Duke University. He is currently senior
vice-president for academic affairs and chief operating
officer of Berkeley College in New York City. Douglas
Michael Astolfi, Ph.D. is vice president of academic
affairs at Saint Leo University in Florida. He earned a
BA at Tufts University, an MA at the University of
Rochester and a Ph.D. at Northern Illinois University,
all in the field of history. Irene McClean Moszer,
Ph.D.earned a BS in business from Drexel University,
an MA in economics from Pennsylvania State University
bers to grow – anywhere from two thousand students
and above, he wants the name of Becker to be more
widely recognized – at least within a 200-mile radius of
the school, and finally, he wants to find new opportunities
that will help enhance Becker’s reputation and
expand its program offerings. Other goals include
increasing the athletic programs, attracting more male
students so the ratio between the sexes is more equal
(right now Becker has a student body that is about 75%
female), and increasing revenue. He believes alumni
can play a significant role in bringing about the changes
needed at Becker and he hopes the end result will be
that Becker alums will be more proud than ever of their
college.
One last astonishing fact about Dr. Zirkle, who is 63,
is that he requires relatively little sleep; he gets by on
three to four hours a night. He credits that with helping
him push his personal and professional education
and goals to higher levels and with being able to accomplish
all that he has. He walks 2 to 3 miles every morning
to clear his head, reflect, relax and prepare for the
day. He calls this his mental time.
Welcome aboard.
and a Ph.D. in economics from Bryn Mawr College.
She spent 16 years at the Virginia Power Company and
is currently vice president of finance and administration
and chief financial officer at Pacific University in
Oregon. All four came to the campuses and met with
various constituencies, including students, alumni, staff,
faculty, administration, trustees, and community leaders.
“Speaking for the search committee and as an alumna,
the succession process was exciting and progressed
in a professional and efficient manner with the assistance
of our search firm. We had the opportunity to
meet a number of excellent candidates, and we're confident
in our choice,” said Fran Polito, chairman of the
succession committee. Michael Jesanis, chairman of the
board of trustees, echoed her sentiments. “I was very
pleased with the quality of the candidates for the presidency,
which undoubtedly reflects their collective view
of the importance of Becker’s mission and their desire
to contribute to that mission,” he said. “We reasoned
that Becker’s next president needed two critical qualities:
the ability to manage the difficult job of providing
a quality education to students within tough financial
constraints and, at the same time, to inspire the entire
Becker community as to what Becker can become and
what it takes to get there.”
BECKER BRIDGES / 5

Academics
A Journey Abroad
To
Westerners,
China has
always seemed
a mysterious
and fascinating
culture, one of
ancient wisdom.
To foreigners,
America is the
Photo by Jenny Manseau land of opportunity.
Becker College has now merged these two by
offering an American degree in a Chinese university.
In the fall of 2003, 23 Chinese students began taking
English Immersion classes at Geely University in
Beijing. Dr. Debra Pallatto-Fontaine, a professor of elementary
education at Becker College, wrote and developed
an eight-semester curriculum for the students.
Her curriculum includes exercises to help teach speaking,
writing and reading skills in English. This course is
the first step for a Chinese student to earn an American
college degree issued by Becker. Dr. Pallatto-Fontaine,
who has spent several summers teaching in China, says
her curriculum differs from the regular Chinese teaching
method, which is strong on writing and reading
skills but weak in speaking. “The classes I have developed
will focus on oral communication and listening
comprehension through movement, art and drama,
which helps students retain the knowledge,” she states.
In early September, Dr. Pallatto-Fontaine traveled to
Beijing for faculty orientation with Chinese teachers
hired by Becker, who will be teaching the actual classes.
There she joined Jenny Manseau, a Becker employee,
who spent three months in China over the summer
helping to set up the American program. Jenny lived
right on the Geely campus and says in her online diary
that she has had some interesting experiences. “We had
lunch at this crazy restaurant, which was decked out in a
red pattern with huge pink, green and yellow flowers on
the waitresses clothes and things hanging from the
walls. Every time a guest came in the hostess would yell,
in Chinese, “We have guest coming!” and the entire staff
would yell back, “Welcome!” Jenny was able to travel
and see sights such as Tiananmen Square, the Chairman
Mao Memorial Hall, the Great Wall, the Forbidden City
and much more.
6 / BECKER BRIDGES
This all happened because Dr. Bruce Stronach,
Becker College’s provost, had been working on developing
a partnership with the Chinese university. The
American-European College of Beijing Geely University
will begin offering a chance to earn a Becker business
degree to Chinese students once they have passed the
English Immersion course. The bachelor degree will be
taught entirely on the Geely campus with Becker’s classes
in business administration and management, marketing
and human resources. American students from
Becker will be able to travel to China to study abroad at
Geely in this ground-breaking program. Dr. Stronach
says the program serves the interests of both countries.
“We can now be linked to a strong market which has an
extreme need for higher education. Becker’s mission
statement, which is that we’re in the business of educating
people, is not geographically limited. This gives us
the opportunity to spread that mission and grow while
doing so.”
China is the most populated nation in the world
and has one of the fastest growing markets. Beijing
Geely
University is
the largest private
university
in China.
Emily Zeugner,
Becker’s director
of overseas
programs, says
this partner-
ship,
which is
Photo by Jenny Manseau
Photo by Jenny Manseau
the first of its kind in China, is just the beginning of a
long-term relationship. “China is this huge, untapped
market. It’s giant and it’s growing. This program will
help the Chinese have an American understanding of
business and it will help us because we are collaborating
with people who are extremely competent in business.”

Campus Growth & Changes
Recruiting quality students and retaining them has
been the highest priority for Becker College this year.
Enrollment has been steadily increasing and there are
currently 1,100 students on both campuses. Referrals
from current students and alumni continue to be a top
source of new students.
Becker was founded as a business college and has
always focused on career-oriented education. The college
currently offers over 30 academic programs at the
associate and bachelor degree levels. The area of health
sciences is one of the most popular and the nursing program
took a tremendous leap two years ago when the
schedule was changed and classes began in the late
afternoon. There are currently 75 freshmen and 45
seniors studying nursing and 75% are non traditional
students. These adult learners find that evening hours
are better for family support and employment. After
completing the two-year course, graduates earn an associate
degree in nursing and are eligible to sit for the
national licensure exam to become a registered nurse.
The pass rate on state boards for 2003 was 95%.
The animal health sciences are based on the
Leicester campus. In 1997, when the programs expanded
into Russell House for additional office space, there
were 100 students. Today there are 83 students in the
bachelor in Veterinary Science program and about 108
in the two associate level programs, Veterinary
Technology and Animal Care. The number of students
has almost doubled in eight years.
Another newly developed and highly successful program
is the Bachelor of Arts in Design which admitted
its first students in the fall of 2002. This concept is
unique because it combines the curriculums of
Communications Design, Graphic Design and Interior
Design for an interdisciplinary approach. Currently,
112 students, under the guidance of three full-time professors
occupy their own building on Fruit Street. This
program is an example of how the college continues to
provide business education that has modern market
value.
The Two Campus Recruitment Challenge
Effectively communicating how different Becker
College’s two campuses are from each other is often a
great challenge for the admissions team. Prospective
students and families are often surprised when they discover
that we truly meant what we said when they were
told the campuses are separate and distinct, yet very
much one college overall.
To rise to the challenge, the Admissions Office
worked closely with a marketing company in Boston to
brainstorm the best way to show this benefit. The result
On December 27, 2003 Constance Rusell Young
’48 passed away, but not before remembering
Becker College in her will. Along with providing for
her children, Constance chose to leave a legacy to
Becker.
Many people think you have to be wealthy to
donate to charities. This is not true. An estate is any
property, money or personal belongings you have at
the time of your death, and you can arrange to
leave a charitable gift from your estate regardless of
its size.
There are many way to leave a gift, but the most
common is through a will. You can set aside a certain
dollar amount as Constance chose to, or percentage
of your estate. You might want to donate
Leave a Legacy
is the development of a new promotional piece using
“lenticular” technology, otherwise known as a hologram.
The piece will be arriving in the Admissions Office soon
and shows two different images of the Worcester and
Leicester campuses. It is our hope that showcasing the
“One Great College: Two Great Campuses” in this
unique and creative way will generate more understanding
of what we offer as well as general interest and
enthusiasm for the college.
personal property, such as land, a car or a valuable
collection. Some people leave a life insurance policy
or investments. For more information call or write:
Gerald Tuori, Vice President, Institutional
Advancement, Becker College, P.O. Box 15071,
Worcester, MA 01515-0071.
BECKER BRIDGES / 7

Campus History
Leicester Junior College Begins
The Winslow Mansion 1832-1947
The year 1937 was important to the two schools in
Worcester and Leicester. In that year, Becker’s Business
College in downtown Worcester celebrated its semi-centennial.
In Leicester, Leicester Academy, still under the
control of elected trustees, had been functioning as the
high school for the town for 50 years,
since 1887 the year Becker was founded.
That all changed on March 23,
1937 when the third academy building
burned. Fortunately, Marsh Hall,
which had been constructed in 1936 as
the Annex, and the adjacent Unitarian
Church were scorched but not seriously
damaged.
This latest tragedy in Leicester
became a turning point and it was
mutually decided that it was time for
the cooperative venture between the
trustees and the town to end. The
town of Leicester borrowed funds to
build its own high school and, in 1939,
the trustees of the Academy received
permission from the state legislature to
reopen as a junior college, an innovation
in higher education that was grow-
ing in popularity.
To replace the building that had
been lost, the trustees purchased the
Winslow property for $17,000. It
adjoined the campus and consisted of house, carriage
house, garden house, shed, sunken garden and many
rare trees and plants. The elegant three and a half story
white Georgian mansion, surrounded by a piazza with
20 columns, had been built in 1832-1833 and was the
showplace of Leicester. The last owner, Samuel E.
Winslow was a trustee of the Academy for 40 years. The
new college planned
8 / BECKER BRIDGES
The famous spiral staircase in the
Winslow Mansion
to use the house as the main campus building for
offices, classrooms, library and dormitory.
Leicester Junior College opened in September of
1940 as a school of business administration. The following
year, 1941, the state legislature gave permission to
officially change the name and, in 1948, the school was
granted the right to award the associate in science
degree. This took place five years after Becker Junior
College was established after having gone through the
same process.
Young men of college age from all over the country
found their way to Leicester. The school was not open
to women, probably because appropriate living arrangements
were not available. The catalogue stated that
“Regular attendance at all College exercises is expected
and required of all students. Good order, honesty, gentlemanly
conduct, and studious habits are required as a
condition of attendance at the College.”
As World War II advanced, men disappeared from the
student body just as they did at Becker Junior College.
But, unlike Becker, there were no female students at
Leicester to keep the school going
and so it closed in 1942. When it
reopened in 1946 the student body
largely consisted of veterans attending
under the G.I. Bill, again similar to
Becker. Once more the school was on
a successful track until disaster struck
once again.
The lovely Winslow mansion, core
of the campus, turned into an inferno
on January 13, 1947, just a year after
the college had reopened. A fire had
started on the first floor and the
famous spiral staircase acted as a chimney
draft quickly drawing the flames
up through the roof. Fifty-four students
were left homeless. Many of
them had jumped for their lives and
fortunately all survived. However, the
house, the furnishings, library materi-
als, student and school records, artifacts
and personal property were all
destroyed.
Determined to survive, the school
opened again a month later, in February, 1947. It was
promoted as “The College that came Back.”
Townspeople generously took students into their homes
as boarders and classes were held in the gym, carriage
house and Unitarian Church for the remainder of the
year. The need for dormitory space was critical and was
solved when the college began to purchase large residences
in the center of town. Ultimately, properties on
Main, Pleasant and Paxton Streets were acquired and

used as dormitories or offices.
In 1952 the trustees purchased the Sibley Mansion on
Route 9 in Leicester. (It is now a restaurant, the
Spencer Country Inn.) It was a 20-room house on 37
acres and provided a residence for the president as well
as some student housing. Ultimately, the number of
returning servicemen shrank and enrollment diminished.
At that point the
trustees made a daring
decision. They determined
to establish
Leicester Junior College as
a top ranking school by
bringing in a new president
with outstanding
skills and experience.
They chose Dr. Paul R.
Swan, a graduate of Clark
University, who had been
on the staff of Worcester
Polytechnic Institute for 30
years. He took office in
1954 and immediately
began to make a differ-
President Paul R. Swan
1954-1965
ence. Enrollment grew
substantially because he
took an active part in
admissions, traveling extensively and writing volumes of
letters.
Once again, student life was lively. The college had
its own ski tow and a variety of clubs catered to many
interests. There was the rifle club, a dance band, camera
club, drama club, a photo lab and the usual sports.
An international relations club was organized to accommodate
the many students from foreign countries. A
few years later saw the addition of a debating club and a
sports car club.
Spring Weekend in 1954 was a three-day series of
events both on and off campus. The Saturday night
dance was held at the Franklin Manor in West Boylston.
According to the school newspaper, The Ledger, there
seemed to have been an unusually large number of
interesting corsage boxes
on hand, just the right size
for a bottle!
Professor Arthur
Clayton arrived on campus
in 1955 and, over the next
13 years, made an indelible
impression. He was an
outstanding teacher of economics
and a devoted
sports enthusiast; selfappointed
record keeper,
rooter and cheerleader.
He never missed a basketball
game home or away
and his spirited support of
the Minutemen inspired
both players and spectators.
Mr. Clayton was an
Englishman with a colorful
personality who was subject
Professor Arthur Clayton
was a fixture at Leicester
Junior for 13 years.
to dramatic mood swings. His white hair also underwent
frequent changes to various shades of red!
Professor Clayton, “Artie” was a bachelor who had no
family in America. He lived on campus as the proctor
in Coombs House, now LeRoux’s Market, and was
devoted to “my boys” and the college. Spring would
officially begin on campus when students hoisted his
bicycle to the top of the flag pole. His colleagues knew
how disappointed he was one year when that didn’t happen.
The suddenness of his death on March 19, 1968
stunned the entire college community. The saddened
college soon learned that he had bequeathed his entire
estate of $30,000 to the school. Because of his enthusiasm
for sports, the trustees decided to use the gift for
the start of a gymnasium fund. When the gym was constructed
in 1973, his ashes were buried in the wall of the
building and his portrait was hung in the lobby.
A much needed library was built on the site of the
Winslow Mansion in 1963 and named the Swan Library
in honor of the president. It is a beautiful Georgianstyle
brick structure and, at the time it was dedicated,
the sunken garden remained directly to the left of the
building. The following May, Mrs. Robert H. Goddard,
widow of Professor Goddard of rocket fame, spoke to a
group assembled in the library. She showed a color film
of late rocket development, a gift to her from Dr.
Werner von Braun.
The sixties was a decade of loss as well as progress.
Dr. Elliott P. Joslin, Class of 1886, died in January of
1962. Dr. Joslin was a pioneer in the clinical use of
insulin and founded the Joslin Clinic in Boston as well
as camps in Charlton and Oxford for diabetic children.
After graduating from Leicester Academy, he continued
his education at Yale and Harvard Medical School. A
staunch supporter of his alma mater, he always maintained
that he owed all he was to the Academy. He reinforced
this belief in the commencement address he
delivered in 1956, seventy years after his own graduation.
When Dr. Swan retired in 1965 the school had grown
considerably and was financially strong. Dr. Henry
Borger, a Dean at Clark University, took over. He began
to consolidate the campus by selling the Sibley Farm
that had served as the president’s home since 1960 and
making the Swan Tavern his residence. Then he began
to build.
(to be continued)
Leicester Junior College students in 1941
BECKER BRIDGES / 9

Faculty Profile
Recipe for Success
Karen Granger is lucky.
And she knows it. “A lot of
colleges out there don’t
offer this kind of specialized
help to seniors.
People graduate and wander
about with a dazed
look on their faces, wondering
what to do. But not
me,” says the 2003 graduate
of Becker College. You
see, Karen, a psychology
major, was part of a senior
Dr. Kerri Augusto
seminar run by Dr. Kerri
Augusto, a psychology professor at Becker, to prepare
psychology students for the “real world.”
When Dr. Augusto began at Becker some seven or
eight years ago, she was handed a curriculum for a
required senior seminar that had no definite guidelines,
no definite requirements and no definite plan. In other
words, she had a lot of work ahead of her to figure out
how to turn this class into something that would be
worth her students’ time. Her first year, she had the
seniors write a newsletter for the freshmen and complete
a research project. Then she polled them to see if
that had been helpful. Taking what she learned from
that class and from classes that came after, she started to
tap into what the students really need: help with knowing
what jobs are out there, how to land a job interview,
how to conduct themselves during an interview, how to
negotiate a job offer and benefits package, and how to
handle finances.
Dr. Augusto now begins the seminar with the basics
– the resume and the cover letter. Students create both,
which are then put through intensive scrutiny by business
leaders who visit the class to lend their knowledge.
“When students first come to me, some of them have
cover letters that literally say ‘Dear Sir, I would like to
get a job at XXX because I am interested in psychology
and you seem to have a lot to offer. Please call me.’ ”
states Dr. Augusto. “But by the end of the year, those
cover letters are flawless.”
The semester-long seminar, which is a required,
three-credit course and begins in the spring, is divided
into four parts. The first part prepares students to land
a job. It gives tips for writing resumes, cover letters, and
personal statements. To make those exercises more
10 / BECKER BRIDGES
realistic, they are told to search the help wanted advertisements
in the newspaper. With the help of Joan Kariko,
head of Becker’s career services department, (who was
also a key component in deciding upon the seminar’s
career services curriculum) Dr. Augusto teaches the seniors
to look for key words in the ads. If the ad asks for
an enthusiastic person, they are told to emphasize their
energy in their cover letter. The main point is to not
have a generic cover letter. The students learn that
each letter must be personalized for every job for which
they are applying. If they don’t have a name to address
their letter to, they are encouraged to call the company
and find that name.
Also in part one, all students must research a different
career and present their findings to the class, thereby
teaching themselves, and everyone else, about a
potential career path. There are so many different
fields out there and many don’t know even half of what
they could do with their degree. This is one way to
learn. But once they’ve learned what path to take, what
can they do to ensure they will be hired by their chosen
company? Dr. Augusto says one of the most important
aspects of part one is to teach students how to interview.
It is normal, she says, for students to not even know the
proper clothes to wear. “Some students think since they
are attempting to get a job in human services, where the
dress code is casual, they should show up for an interview
in jeans. We bring in presenters from area businesses
who explain why that is unacceptable.” She also
stresses the importance of teaching the students how to
conduct themselves during an interview: ask questions,
listen, be alert and responsive and know how to maneuver
out of the trick questions like ‘what are your weaknesses?’
The students are encouraged to research and
read about current issues in their chosen fields as a
question like that is bound to show up during an interview.
The personal statement, in part one, teaches students
to sell themselves in a short amount of time. Dr.
Augusto calls it “the elevator speech” because she makes
the students imagine they just stepped onto an elevator
with a person who turns out to be a recruiter. How can
they present themselves during the ride to ensure that
the recruiter would want to represent them? One tip is
to think about the competency list released by the
American Psychological Association (APA) that has the
skills all psychology students should know upon graduation.
This exercise can also be used in writing a personal
statement for graduate school applications, (which

comes into play in part three). The last aspect of part
one is for each student to attend a career fair, several of
which are held throughout the state.
Part two is a senior thesis. This puts into use the
skills students learned in the prerequisite course,
Research Methods. Students, divided into teams, must
orally present a proposal for a research project. Team
members carry out the research and put their findings
into an empirical paper using APA style. Lastly, the
team must create a poster with which they will illustrate
their research findings to the class during a final presentation.
Part three prepares the students for life outside of
college, meaning graduate school or work.
Representatives from area grad schools are invited to
talk about their programs and offerings. Students interested
in more education are given information on the
GRE exams. They are taught how to fill out the applications
and their personal statements are revisited. For
those not interested in continuing their education,
preparation for finding a job is honed. The students’
interviewing skills, their resumes and cover letters are
painstakingly critiqued. Flaws are found and erased.
Interviewing points on how to dress and what to say are
emphasized.
And, just as important as knowing what to do once
you’ve secured an interview, is knowing what to do once
you’ve had a job offer. Most graduates entering the
workforce have no idea what benefits are and what they
will need. These seniors are taught about medical benefits,
vacation time, 401K’s, tuition reimbursement and
more. Perhaps the biggest decision they must make
once an offer is on the table is if they can even afford to
take the job. Many graduated seniors see a salary and
think they’ll be fine since they haven’t been paying the
bills yet. Dr. Augusto debunks that myth by having students
work up a budget sheet that includes where they
want to live, what car they will be driving and what debt
they are carrying. Then she has them research the area
rental rates, insurance fees and utility costs and add
everything together. From that, they are able to deduce
what base salary they will need to exist within their
means. Along those lines, they are also taught about
financial planning. Representatives from Banknorth
came to the 2003 class to teach student loan consolidation,
paying off credit card debt, how to obtain a credit
report and why it’s important to have one. The young
adults leave that class with a firm and mature understanding
of how to handle their money.
The last part, part four, is time spent sharing experiences
of leaving the cocoon of school and moving into
the “real world.” Students hear about the changes they
will be facing both personally and professionally. It’s
the final step in cutting the umbilical cord.
For Karen Granger, that cut was painless. “I especially
found it helpful when presenters came in to share
their experiences. As a matter of a fact, that’s how I got
Continued on page 12
Other career services seminars for seniors at Becker
College include:
Bachelor of Arts in Design program (B.A.D.)
•Myers-Briggs Type Indicator workshop
•Paying back college debt workshop, Citizen’s Bank
•Publishing and how to get started, Davis Publications
•Interviewing techniques, LaVigne Press
•Resume and cover letter workshop
Physical Therapist Assistant
•Myers-Briggs Type Indicator workshop
•Paying back college debt workshop, Citizen’s Bank
•Resume and cover letter workshop,
South County Physical Therapy Association
Veterinary Science
•Myers-Briggs Type Indicator workshop
•Resume and cover letter workshop
•Job search strategies
•Animal health and science career fair
Criminal Justice
•Resume critique
Business
•Creating a resume and cover letter workshop
•How to work a job fair
•Walt Disney World College Program Presentation
Psychology senior seminar rundown
Part 1: The Career Portfolio
•Resume
* includes drafts, critiques and revisions
•Cover letter
* includes instruction in presentation/content
* must tailor to a specific job
•Career Research Paper
* includes researching “what can you do with
this degree”
* includes instruction/practice in informational interviewing
* includes formal presentation to the class
•Current Events Journal
* requires students to stay “on top” of current events in
the field so they can sound informed when going on
interviews
•Personal Statement
* includes 60 second “elevator speech”
* includes written statement for graduate school
applications
* includes practice articulating ways in which the 10 goals
of a psychology major have been met
•Attend Career Fair
Part 2: Senior Thesis
•Proposal
* oral presentation of a proposal for empirical research
(follows from junior course in research methods)
•Team Research
* carry out a formal research project
* write a formal empirical research paper in APA style,
including a full literature review, methods, results and
discussion section
•Poster Presentation
* create a poster and present the results of your research
Part 3: School-to-Work Lecture Series
•Graduate School
•The GRE
•Interviewing/cover letter and resume critique
* includes “dress for success”
•Understanding the benefits package
•Financial planning and managing student loans
Part 4: Social Support
•Allocated time to share experiences in moving from school
to the “real world,” be it job searching or grad school
interviewing
BECKER BRIDGES / 11

A Recipe for Success
Continued from page 11
my job,” she says, laughing. The program director of
the Henry Lee Willis Center, a social services agency
that has over 22 sites in the greater Worcester area,
came in to speak about the institution. Karen liked
what she heard about the center’s mission, which is to
create a community in which people of color and the
disadvantaged can gain equal access to quality human
and social services that will improve the quality of their
lives. She wanted to work with families and because she
had a resume prepared, she handed it to the program
director on the spot. A few weeks later, she was interviewed
and offered a job as a family care supervisor,
which she began just two weeks after her graduation. “I
love it here,” she says happily. “I feel like I am creating
Campus News
Becker is pleased to announce that it has received a
$200,000 grant from the George F. and Sybil H. Fuller
Foundation. The funds will be used to renovate the
Worcester campus dining hall. Work on the new dining
hall will begin during 2004.
In June, the college submitted a proposal to the
Fuller Foundation to replace the college’s aging dining
area with a modern, inviting and comfortable environment
containing a variety of dining options. Among the
improvements planned for the dining hall are new serving
equipment, new furniture, new serving counter and
millwork, new lighting and electrical equipment, and
new plumbing and fire protection.
“Becker College is extremely thankful to the Fuller
English Professor Departs
Professor Barbara Kane retired at
the end of the spring semester, ending
32 years of service to the college. She
began her career at Leicester Junior
College in 1963, when she and her husband
served as proctors at a dormitory
for men. She later served as the
part–time women’s physical education
instructor and also taught a few English
courses.
In 1978, after Leicester Junior and
12 / BECKER BRIDGES
a difference within family units that are seeking to reunify.
I feel incredibly fulfilled in this position.”
Kristian Wilson, a senior majoring in psychology
who will graduate in May of 2004, is currently occupying
Karen’s shoes of one year ago. “I want to work with
young children with psychological disorders but I am
not sure where to go or how to find that type of job,”
she says uncertainly. “I don’t know how to interview, I
don’t know how to look and I don’t know what’s out
there.” She anticipates that to change in January when
she will begin her senior seminar. She’s seen an
overview of the class and is expecting it will help her
prepare for her future. “I’m really hoping it will help
me find a job because I have no idea what to expect,
especially in this economy. But I‘m looking forward to
taking this class because I would rather learn all this
stuff in a classroom than from failure.”
Grant Will Improve Dining Facilities
Foundation for this exceptionally generous gift. Like all
small, private colleges, we keep our budget as lean as
possible, but tuition alone can never pay all the bills,
which is why we are so grateful for outside help. The
Fuller Foundation has long been a supporter of the college
and its mission, and because of its support we can
continue to offer our students the best possible educational
and life experiences,” says Gerald Tuori, vice president
of Institutional Advancement.
The Fuller Foundation was established in 1955 in
Massachusetts by George F. Fuller, with his wife, Sybil.
Its primary goal is to assist local efforts, with an emphasis
in Worcester, on education, culture, history, health
care, community, social agencies, religion and youth.
Becker Junior Colleges merged, she
began to teach English and public
speaking full-time on the Leicester
campus.
Professor Kane had a special rapport
with her students. She offered wise
counseling and Tootsie Pops to all who
needed her support. Many have stayed
in touch with her over the years and
she left the college with a heart full of
fond memories.
Professor Barbara Kane

Alumna is Commencement Speaker
Becker College’s
116th commencement
ceremony took
place on Saturday,
May 17 at the
Centrum Convention
Center in downtown
Worcester. Associate
and bachelor degrees
were awarded to 276
graduates.
In her first visit to
Becker in almost four
decades, Colleen
Crotty Barrett, the
president and chief
operating officer of
Colleen Crotty Barrett ’64 Southwest Airlines
Co., delivered the keynote address “The Three C’s:
Customer Service, Commitment and Care. Colleen is a
native of Bellows Falls, Vermont. She graduated with
highest honors from Becker College in 1964 with a legal
secretary degree. She recalled her student days with
pleasure. Not being one of the wealthier students, she
had to work to pay her way. But she knew that education
was important and eventually applied much of what
she was taught at Becker to her career. During her
remarks, she stressed that the most important attribute
to have is a passion for whatever you do. It will make
success possible. She also believes that a truly successful
leader will make service to employees and customers a
high priority.
Ms. Barrett makes an impression as a very warm and
caring person who is open and friendly to everyone she
meets. She arrived in Worcester the day before graduation,
to visit her brother and his family who live in the
area. She took the time to tour the campus that has
Dean of Students Retires
Dr. David Berquist
Dr. David Bergquist ended 30 years
at Becker with his retirement in June.
He came to Becker in 1973 to establish
the co-op program He later became
the dean of students on the Worcester
campus and served as acting provost in
the mid 90’s when Becker added fouryear
programs.
Dr. Bergquist earned his bachelor’s
and master’s degrees at the University
of Maine. He taught high school for
undergone many changes since she was last here.
Accustomed to having very full days, she even found
time to have early morning coffee with Carolyn
Sheldon Desjardins, an old friend and Cedar Hall roommate,
early Saturday morning.
She began her career as a secretary in the law firm
of future Southwest founder, Herbert D. Kelleher.
When he launched Southwest in 1971, Colleen was right
there with him as the first employee of the brand new
airline. She held several vice presidential offices, before
being named president and C.O.O. of the company in
2001. Today she is the highest ranking woman in U.S.
airlines history.
Ms. Barrett was awarded the prestigious Kupfer
Distinguished Executive Award in 2002 by Texas A&M
University, which recognizes leading business executives
who exemplify professionalism, enthusiasm and dedication.
She is ranked number 13 on Fortune Magazine’s
most powerful women in business list and was placed on
the “Women to Watch” list in that publication.
Southwest is the fourth largest U.S. airline earning $5.5
billion in revenues. The college recognized Ms.
Barrett’s many achievements and involvement in numerous
civic, charitable and political organizations in Texas
by awarding her the honorary degree, Doctor of
Humane Letters. Many graduates expressed pride and
pleasure in having such a successful alumna give the
commencement address.
An honorary degree was conferred upon Warren C.
“Bud” Lane, Jr. a Worcester attorney who spent his lifetime
serving on the boards and committees of various
organizations. Mr. Lane was a Becker College trustee
from 1950-1997. His late father, Warren C. Lane, was
president of Becker College for over 40 years.
Dr. David Bergquist, retiring college dean, was also
awarded an honorary degree, following 30 years of service
to the college.
several years, served in the military for
a time and then earned his doctorate
at the University of Nebraska. After his
retirement, he returned to Central
Maine and plans to teach part-time at
area colleges.
BECKER BRIDGES / 13

Campus Events
Davis Hall Alumni Return
A beautiful Saturday in October set the scene as the
girls from Davis Hall arrived on campus to attend the
first all-dorm reunion. Bridging the generations, they
traveled from coast to coast to return to the scene of
many happy memories. The day started with registration
in the Weller Academic Building where the renovated
Hawk’s Nest was not recognizable as the Shanty of
the past. With a little help from name tags, the years
rolled back and the reminiscing began.
Gerry Fragola O’Hara ’53 (center) traveled from
California and met up with Jane Mansfield Bouvier ’54
and Elizabeth Byrne Gerstel ’54. Their escorts enjoyed
the day along with the ladies.
Professor John Murphey provided a fascinating lecture
about the families who occupied Davis Hall before
it was sold to the college. The Frederick Pratt family
was perhaps of greatest interest. They made a considerable
number of changes to the structure, including
remodeling the billiard room into a painting studio for
Mr. Pratt, an amateur artist who was very involved with
the art community of Worcester. When the noted international
painter John Singer Sargent came to Worcester
on a working holiday, during the summer of 1890, the
Pratt family offered him the hospitality of their home
and studio. Sargent painted five portraits in Worcester,
including one of the Pratt daughters, Katherine.
A walking tour of the campus revealed many more
changes to the visiting alumni. Most of them had never
seen the health science building and student center that
were erected by the college. Some of the familiar houses
had new looks and uses and many found it hard to
believe that the dining hall is now the bookstore and
housemothers are a distant memory!
The tour ended in the student center where Sharon
14 / BECKER BRIDGES
Latschar Foust ’62, president of the Alumni Association,
welcomed everyone and gave a brief overview of the
activities of the board of directors. After a delicious buffet
luncheon, prepared by John Halpin and his staff, it
was time for another presentation. This time Professor
Barbara Kimball displayed her expertise in the field of
interior design and arranged an interesting and humorous
slide show designed to determine the architectural
style of Davis Hall. After looking at various houses, it
was decided that Davis Hall began as a Greek Revival
structure that was extensively altered into a Victorian
house.
Finally, the reason for the reunion was at hand and
the group adjourned to Davis Hall where they explored
their old home from top to bottom. While some were
surprised to discover that their dining room now houses
the hall’s resident assistant, and that today’s building
codes require a fire wall at the top of the stairs, everyone
was pleased with the changes undertaken by the
Alumni Association.
The entrance hall was transformed with embossed
wallpaper that beautifully matched the golden oak trim.
A reproduction copper chandelier, antique mirror, lace
curtains and oriental patterned rug strongly suggest a
more elegant era. Lace curtains were hung throughout
the first floor and a chandelier went into the living
room. The most dramatic change took place on the
porch where many dances were held in the past.
Wicker furniture with floral linen cushions, a sisal rug,
curtains and accessories created an attractive place for
students to gather.
An especially meaningful addition to the living
room are three beautifully framed reproductions of portraits
that Sargent painted in Worcester. They give the
house a sense of history and a connection to the past

Marie Senecal Lamb ’50, Lorraine MacIsaac Ernst ’51
and Lois Terranova ’50 have stayed in touch over the
years.
that is meaningful to both alumni and students.
Many students were on hand and opened their
rooms to the alumni. These areas haven’t changed and
each one kindled its own store of memories. Davis Hall
opened in 1948 and graduates from the class of 1950
attended. The current students mingled with alumni
and enjoyed hearing about long ago escapades. The
girls from 1963 have stayed in touch since graduation
and came with their husbands, some of whom remember
visiting Davis Hall almost 40 years ago.
The historic homes that provide living space for
Becker students are one of our great attractions.
Although the college has maintained the integrity of the
buildings, it has not been possible to provide décor
appropriate to the period of the house. As part of this
reunion, the Alumni Association provided the funds to
offer a suggestion of how the house might have been
decorated when it was a private home. It made the
gathering much more enjoyable for the visiting alumni
and will provide a nice setting for present and future
Davis Hall residents.
Class of 1954 Reunion
Saturday, June 12, 2004
Make plans to attend this once in
a lifetime event. Return to
Worcester and the scene of so
many memories. Help us to
contact everyone in the class to
make this a successful reunion.
Many attended from the 1960s. Standing in front of
the familiar fireplace are June Legg Cole, Arlene
Yahne Fraser, Diane Wonsey Miller and Judy MacKlosky
Kelly, all graduates from 1964.
Debbie Snide Kinson ’74 arrived from Sammamish,
Washington in time to see the New England foliage
she misses. She ran into a decade of Davis including
Linda Carpenter Norton ’70, Pauline Doucet Gunter
’74, Lynn Grover ’73 and Michelle Wright Pitts ’72.
COME BACK TO BECKER
There are many ways to earn or advance your education
at Becker College. The Center for Continuing
Education has something for everyone. There are night
and weekend classes in 8 and 14 week formats.
Bachelor degrees, associate degrees and certificates can
be earned in many areas, including business, criminal
justice, early childhood education, nursing, computer
training and many more. If it’s not possible to get to a
campus, many classes are taught on site at a workplace,
and there is always the distance education program,
which allows students to take classes in their own
homes.
The adult learner is treasured here. There is a hands-on
learning approach to teaching. Faculty are accessible
and supportive. Becker offers a big education in an intimate
atmosphere. Call or email for more detailed information.
BECKER BRIDGES / 15

Higgins Armory Event
Becker joined other area colleges at the Higgins Armory
Museum for an elegant reception in February. Carolyn
Milewski ’82 and her friend Joanne Nelson get acquainted
with an armored knight.
Dianne Williamson, Telegram & Gazette
columnist, brought her special humor and
wit to the first Appletree Society luncheon.
16 / BECKER BRIDGES
Apple Tree Luncheon
Science Museum
Bus Trip
The Alumni Association provided a bus to
the Museum of Science in Boston so alumni
and guests could view the special exhibit
“The Quest for Immortality.”
Ruth Shlora Hallinan ’40 and her sister
Clara Shlora Trinder ’37 were among the
related alumni who attended the event.
Class of 1963
Reunion
Members of the class of 1963 gathered in
Boston in October for a mini-reunion.
Attending were Evie Siebert Silverman,
Suzanne Bousquet Foxwell, Ellie Ina
Bowes, Tina Henault Taverna, Sandy Field
McGowan, Joan Ritchie Kowaleski
and Linda Scheele. They are planning to
have another reunion in two years.

Golf Tournament
The golf tournament can become a comedy
routine. Professor Roger Vasas and Director of
the First Year Experience, Ken Cameron, try to
explain their game.
The Eleventh Annual Evans
Scholarship Golf Tournament was a
huge success on a perfect day for golf.
Mike Simon and his dad Gabe Simon
’51, chairman of the event, pose with
the quintessential golfer at Kettle
Brook Golf Club.
Class of 1953 Reunion
The Class of 1953 returned to
Worcester in June for a weekend
of fun that made 50 years disappear.
A bus tour of the city
stopped at Bancroft Tower where
the Colton girls stayed together.
From left: Joan Van Alstyne Dirsa;
Sally Perham Slomba; Josephine
Gerbino Leo; Jean Belanger Center;
Dorothy Sturtevant Tremblay;
Anne Longstaff Stoddard; Darlene
Brisson Gunn and Joan Eigner
Selva.
Tony Ruiz, Henri Long and Candido Caligaris continue
discussing the memories that Tony rekindled during
his remarks as MC. As part of the reunion, the classmade
a gift of $2540 to the Evans Scholarship Fund.
Dorothy Sturtevant Tremblay, Barbara Bailey Handy and
Phyllis Diemer Clough on the Leicester campus after
lunch. After graduating from Becker in 1954 they
worked together in New Hampshire for several years.
BECKER BRIDGES / 17

Golden
Luncheon
Eleanor McCullough Pierce, Dorothy “Jay”
Hagerman Barron and Miriam Nassar graduated
together in 1948 and renewed their friendship
at the annual Golden Luncheon in
October.
Alumni Profiles
Becker Graduate Finds Her Niche
When Kelly Savage
graduated from
Becker in 2001 she
headed for Disney
World and still hasn’t
left the magical kingdom.
She is now
learning the art of
“cooking” in a sense.
Only her recipes
involve pureed mixes
of fish, grain, fruit
and medicine. Sound
appetizing? It is to
her clients.
It all began in the
Kelly Savage ’01 is animal chef
fall of 2000 when,
after earning an associate degree in animal studies from
Becker and working on another in computer science,
Kelly completed a six-month internship with Disney’s
safari bus at the animal park. She loved it so much that
she went back to Disney in the fall of 2001 to work on a
conservation education internship at Fort Wilderness.
She taught local school groups, pre-K through 5th
grade, about animals and the outdoors. Kelly said her
job was especially rewarding because many of those children
grew up in the city and had never had an opportunity
to know nature. “We gave them pony rides, taught
them about horses, showed them how snakes can help
out on a farm, took them to a petting area and much
more,” said Kelly. During her internship, she was able
to handle several animals to help socialize them to be
18 / BECKER BRIDGES
calm around people. She also took part in presentations
and group projects. That internship ended in
June 2002, but Disney hired her to be a part-time education
instructor and she spent some of her time working
with sick children at the Arnold Palmer Hospital in
Florida.
Recently Kelly began to cover a shift in the Animal
Nutrition Center. She helps prepare meals for the
park’s animals. “It’s like baking a cake. Every animal
has its own food and recipe. So you mix 20 grams of
apples and 60 grams of carrots for one group of animals
and make a puree mix of fish, grain and water for
another group, explains Kelly. The park goes through
almost four tons of food every day for 1500 animals
throughout the two animal kingdoms. Make that 1501 –
a baby elephant was born in May. He already weighs
over 300 pounds and Kelly admits, with a smile, that
he’s pretty cute.
Kelly’s ultimate goal is to be an animal keeper
because she’s always wanted to care for animals in a
non-medical way. Zoo positions are difficult to obtain
so she’s been keeping her eye on the prize while building
her resume in other ways. “I know that persistence
will eventually pay off,” she says cheerfully. She must
still complete one year of animal husbandry experience
through the American Zoo and Aquarium Association
before she can apply for any animal keeper positions.
And that’s where her part-time position comes in. If
she’s offered a full-time job she’ll be as happy as a kid
in, well, Disneyland. In the meantime, she’ll just keep
working hard, values she says she has learned through
her education and her experiences.

A Family Affair with Plastic
Leonard Tocci ’61, president of Tamor Corporation, the
nation’s largest manufacturer of plastic hangers, closet accessories
and storage items, was inducted into the Housewares
Industry Entrepreneurs Hall of Fame. The family has years of
experience in the plastic housewares business. Leonard’s
father, Felo D. Tocci ’36, founded Plastic Academy Products in
1945. It became Tucker Housewares in 1957. In 1978
Leonard and his brother Richard ’59 began a new startup company,
American Hanger, Inc. and in 1998 Innovative Designs
Inc. was founded to manufacture caterware/partyware products.
Felo and his sons developed their business skills at Becker.
They were all very involved on campus during their student
days. As businessmen they each have a sense of community and
are active in charitable and religious organizations. In fact,
Felo Tocci served as a trustee of the college some years ago. Leonard J. Tocci and his father Felo D. Tocci
Athletics
Recognition for LJC Alumnus
Ken Kaufman ’65 LJC recently concluded a one-year term as
president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches. In
order to accept the position he resigned as head men’s basketball
coach at WPI after 26 seasons, the longest tenure of any WPI basketball
coach. However, he will continue as assistant to the director
of athletics, instructor of physical education, coordinator of
summer sports camps, and director of the co-ed basketball and
soccer camps. He is also a member of the board of trustees of the
Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.
Kaufman was honored at a large gathering of friends at
Worcester Country Club in April. Three of his teammates on the
1964 team that was 5th in the country attended. Jack Sharry of
Spencer, Tom Quinn of Worcester and Tony Koski of East Dennis,
Mass. joined in the celebration.
Coach Daly Steps Down
Ginger Daly. one of the most successful coaches in the nation, has resigned
as field hockey coach after 18 winning seasons. Under her guidance Becker
won four national junior college championships in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1996
and ten region 21 championships in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993,
1994 and 1996. The college took the North Atlantic Conference
Championship in 1999, 2000 and 2001. She was named field hockey “Coach of
the Year” 11 times.
Daly began to play field hockey at Auburn High School and continued at
UMass Amherst, where she was named team MVP. She began coaching at
Becker in 1985. She will remain at the college as a full-time professor of kinesiology.
She’ll also continue to officiate in the fall and coach the U.S. Olympic
developmental team as she has for the last 12 years. She decided to stop
coaching in order to watch her daughter Megan play Division 1 field hockey at
URI this fall.
A gathering of friends from Leicester Junior
College: Jack Sharry ’65, Ken Kaufman ’65,
James Burns ’63 and Tony Koski ’66.
Ginger Daly, former field hockey
coach
BECKER BRIDGES / 19

Becker College Salutes Its Own
Tony Koski, Ron Riordan, Paige Rowden & Gabe Simon inducted into the
New England Basketball Hall of Fame
Bob Szklarz and Gabe Simon met at the ceremony.
They join former players ZIGGY STREZELECKI ’39,
BOB SZKLARZ ’67 and BOB VARTANIAN ’71, who
were part of the Hall of Fame’s inaugural class last year.
The induction ceremony for the Hall of Fame was
September 19, 2003, at Keaney Gymnasium on the campus
of the University of Rhode Island.
RON RIORDAN ’68, a 5-foot-10 native of South
Windsor, Conn., finished his Becker-Worcester two-year
career in l968 as the school’s all-time top scorer and still
holds that honor with 2,122 points. After scoring 30.3
points per game during his freshman year, he averaged
46.5 points per game his second year. Ten times he
scored 50 or more points, and 43 times he scored 30 or
more.
Riordan, the 1968 Junior College Basketball Player
of the Year in New England, later continued his scoring
feats at University of New Haven in Conn.
Riordan is president of Richwood Homes, Inc. and
lives in Enfield, Conn.
TONY KOSKI ’66 was a fierce rebounder at 6-foot-8
and a prolific scorer (598 points for a 20.6 average, as a
sophomore). He led the 1966 Leicester Junior (now
Becker College – Leicester campus) team to the regional
championship and a trip to the NJCAA national tournament
in Hutchinson, Kansas. LJC advanced to the
third round before losing in triple-overtime to Tyler JC
of Texas.
At Kansas, Koski scored 73 points in three games,
earning him All-Tournament honors.
Koski later enrolled at Providence College and
helped the Friars win the Holiday Festival and NIT tournament
at the old Madison Square Garden in New York.
Koski was drafted by the New York Nets in the 1968
CBA basketball draft. He then played briefly for the
20 / BECKER BRIDGES
Nets before traveling to Europe where he played professionally
for nine seasons.
Koski, who attended North High School in Worcester,
is owner of Tony Koski Masonry Inc., and lives in East
Dennis, Mass.
PAIGE ROWDEN had a highly successful 28-year
coaching career (from 1952 to ’79) at Leicester Junior,
now Becker-Leicester campus. He guided two teams to
the NJCAA national tournament at Hutchinson, Kansas.
His 1964 team became the first New England junior college
team east of the Mississippi to advance to the
nationals. That team, which finished 23-4, placed fifth
out of 18 teams. Two years later, he returned to the
nationals with the 1966 team that finished twelfth in the
country.
He is now retired and lives in Leicester.
GABE SIMON ’51 starred on the basketball court for
Becker College in an era when Becker (then a two-year
school) played varsity teams at four-year schools including
Holy Cross and Boston College.
Simon, a star 5-foot-10 guard/forward, was the lead-
Ron Riordan, Paige Rowden and Tony Koski shared a
lot of memories.
ing scorer among all city colleges in 1951. He tallied a
then-school record 311 points in 19 games (16.4 points
per game). That was when teams regularly averaged
fewer than 50.
He captained the 1951 team, which recorded impressive
victories over Assumption, Merrimack and
Worcester State.
Simon was a brilliant foul shooter, who in 1947 won
the Boys Clubs of America National Free Throw
Contest, sinking 59 out of 60 baskets.
Simon is a Dunkin’ Donut franchisee and lives in
Shrewsbury, Mass.

It Was A Night To Remember...
Ron Riordan
“My greatest accomplishment is being here tonight,
being recognized after all these years (36) and
chatting with Bill Gibbons, my former coach at
Becker. Tonight is a very special moment for me!”
Tony Koski
“It’s an honor to be here (to have been chosen). It
has been a long time since my Leicester Junior
College days (since 1966) and sitting beside Paige
(Rowden his LJC coach) and reminiscing with him
makes this night special. For a kid who was never
on an airplane before, flying to Kansas to compete
in the national tournament will always be my
memorable moment.”
Coaching Updates
Scott Dion has been named men’s basketball head
coach, replacing Adam Nelson, who left after three seasons
to take the head coaching position at Newbury
College. The Hawks were 8-18 last season.
Dion, 28, brings six years of collegiate coaching experience
to Becker. He spent the 1997-2003 seasons as the
assistant basketball coach for the men’s program at
Clark University alongside head coach Paul Phillip. He
also served as a staff member at many clinics and camps
in the area.
Dion received his undergraduate degree in accounting
from Bryant College in 1996, teaching certification
in mathematics and business in 1998 from Worcester
State College and earned his master’s in secondary education
from Worcester State College in 2003. He is a
mathematics teacher at Tantasqua High School in
Sturbridge, Mass.
Tom Cooley ‘99, the new coach for both men’s and
women’s tennis, is also director of Student Services on
the Worcester campus. Tom was a varsity tennis player
for Becker and co-captain in his senior year. He earned
Paige Rowden
“Being inducted into the New England Basketball
Hall of Fame is one of the highest honors I’ve ever
had. Being here tonight with people I’ve met over
the years, brings back a lot of memories. I’ve met
a lot of very nice people through sports and to reminisce
with several of them tonight about things
we’ve accomplished, is a gratifying moment for
me.”
Gabe Simon
“It’s like a dream come true as a little kid. I never
thought something like this (chosen for Basketball
Hall of Fame) could happen to someone like me. It
was a phenomenal evening. I still can’t believe it
happened to me. This evening brings back memories
of my playing days at Becker – the crowd support,
the three piece band at our games.”
a master’s degree in education from Cleveland State
University in 2001.
Heather LaFleur joined the athletic staff as assistant
director of athletics in July 2002. A 1996 graduate of
Nichols College, she was a three-sport athlete for the
Bison. She worked for the Atlanta Committee for the
Olympic Games for three years. Also, she was the director
of stadium operations for the Virginia Roadsters of
the Women’s Professional Softball League.
Marissa Brown ’98 and Nancy Belliveau ’86 are assisting
basketball coach, Heather LaFleur. Marissa was a
member of the women’s basketball team and a scholarathlete
on the Becker volleyball and softball teams. She
has also been the head volleyball coach at Becker since
2001. Nancy also played basketball for Becker.
Jessica Bly ’00 and Michelle Laporte ’97 are returning
as assistant women’s soccer coaches. Jessica played basketball
as a student and Michelle played soccer and softball.
Tara Brodin ’93, assistant softball coach, is entering
her 6th season. She was also a softball player.
BECKER BRIDGES / 21

Class Notes
1930s
Helen Gabree Dauginikas ’37 (written by her daughter
Patricia Cronin) My mother is now a resident at Holy
Trinity Nursing and Rehab, 300 Barber Ave., Worcester,
MA 01606. If anyone from her class would be interested
in writing to her it would be greatly appreciated. My
mother, now 85 years young, was a very successful executive
secretary and worked for the presidents of several
large Worcester corporations. Her husband of 61 years
passed away last year and is greatly missed.
Ellen Longley Hitchings ’37 moved from the family
homestead 10 years ago and now lives in a ranch-style
home with a quarter acre of land. She has been secretary
of the Shirley Grange for 44 years, lecturer/program
director for the Pomona area Grange for 12 years
and state program director for 12 years. She is communication
director for the Massachusetts State Grange
and editor of the State Grange News. Her 9-year-old
great-granddaughter lives with her and keeps her on the
go – school trips, children’s traveling Christmas choir,
Brownies, and junior grange. She has a small vegetable
garden, a few flowers and a tiger cat named Daisy.
Leisure time is spent reading.
1940s
Gordon Bowker ’42 was recently honored for 60 years of
membership in the order of freemasons. He is a
Scottish Rite 32nd Degree Mason in the Massachusetts
Consistory, Valley of Boston and a Knight of the Rose
Croix, Valley of Lowell. He was also commended for his
charitable work with the American Red Cross Masonic
Blood Donor Drive and with CHIP (child identification)
programs.
Betsy Graham Walters ’42, formerly of Shelburne Falls,
Mass., moved to Wells, Maine after her husband’s death
in 2001, fulfilling a lifelong dream to live by the sea.
She visits family and friends often. She misses her
Becker years and has always found “Becker trained, better
trained” to be true.
John K. Burdick ’43 spent three years in the Navy after
graduating from Becker. He then worked as a clerk/stenographer
for 33 years for three government agencies –
immigration, customs and social security. He and his
first wife were married for 24 years and had two children.
He remarried after her death and has been with
his second wife for 32 years. He has emphysema and
COPD but is otherwise in good health. He enjoys big
bands and dancing every Saturday night.
Fred Lord ’47 is a realtor with Century 21. He joined
22 / BECKER BRIDGES
the Mecklenburg County Chorus and participates in
spring and fall presentations of the 60-person group.
He works with Habitat for Humanity and has a board
position with the Charlotte (N.C.) chapter of the
Institute of Management Accountants. He would like to
hear from classmates.
Lawrence C. Brackley ’49 has returned to banking after
a 31-year career. He and seven other bankers organized
and founded Rivergreen Bank, a full-service, commercial
bank in Kennebunk, Maine. He serves as clerk of
the corporation.
1950s
M. Lorraine MacIsaac Ernst ’51 is retired. She has three
children and three grandchildren. She and Bill spend
part of the year at the Cape and part in Connecticut.
Jane Mansfield Bouvier ’54 is a psychiatric social worker
at a community health center. She has nine grandchildren
and is looking forward to the birth of twin grandchildren.
She enjoyed seeing Gerry Fragola O’Hara ’53
at her high school reunion where they not only reminisced
about their high school days but about their
Becker antics as well.
Raymond Mann ’54 earned an associate of arts degree
in business administration in 1983 from Miami-Dade
Community College and a B.A. in communication in
2003 from Trinity International University, South
Florida campus. He traveled to Israel in 2000 and the
United Kingdom and Ireland in 2001.
Jacqueline Phaneuf Gibbons ’57 is mother of four and
grandmother of seven. She enjoyed a visit with Judy
Einsteder Blinn ’58 in Florida this past March.
Carolyn Call Hotchkiss ’57 retired after 16 years of
teaching and six years as director at Third Church
Nursery School. She has served on several boards pertaining
to young children and received the Rochester
Association for the Education of Young Children Award
in 1994. She and Robert have been married for 42
years and have three children and eight grandchildren.
She enjoys retirement and volunteers her time to work
with young children. She is looking forward to reconnecting
with Davis Hall friends.
Beverly Pearsons Oliver ’57 and her husband Joseph
have six sons, seven grandchildren and three greatgrandchildren.
Last November they moved to a new
home in Springfield, Penn. She says hello to all her
1957 classmates.
Jeanette A. Jones ’58 retired as a municipal treasurer on
Cape Cod but is still active as a Justice of the Peace. She
spends time with Becker classmates, especially those on
the Cape, and plans to see more of the world now that
she has retired.

1960s
Diane Wood Mende ’61 worked for an ENT surgeon in
Warwick, R.I. for 12 years after graduation. In 1975 she
and August married and pastored a church for 14 years.
He is now a self-employed boat builder and she produces
local cable TV for the city of Belfast, Maine. They
have one daughter, Rebekah.
Sandra Field McGowan ’63 and her husband Bob have
moved to Venice, Fla. but spend summers in
Mattapoisett, Mass. where she works at a small boutique.
She would love to hear from former classmates. She has
been in touch with Suzanne Bousquet Foxwell, Elinor
Ina Bowes, Joan Ritchie Kowsloski and Evie Siebert
Silverman. They held a mini-reunion in Boston in
October 2003. She can be reached by email at
sandy1mcg@aol.com.
Sandra Gagne Harris ’65 earned a B.S. in
English/Education from New York University, a master’s
in women’s studies from Dartmouth and a master’s in
guidance and counseling from Plymouth State College.
She worked for 15 years as a public school counselor
and retired as assistant professor of counseling at Ocean
County College in Toms River, N.J. In November 2001
she was elected State Representative for New Hampshire
and is serving a second term. She serves on several
committees and is president of the N.H. Order of
Women Legislators.
Janet Dahut Weinburg ’65 is the certified health unit
coordinator on a medical/surgical/oncology floor at St.
Joseph Hospital in Nashua, N.H. She has one son,
Andrew, and a granddaughter, Alexandra.
Sheila Handy Armstrong ’67
is a financial specialist and
administration manager for a
high-tech company. She and
her husband Robert have
been married for 30 years
and have one son. They are
Sheila Handy Armstrong
and husband, Robert
Armstrong riding the
Lakeside Cyclone in Denver
in August 2003.
avid roller coaster riders and
recently traveled to Europe
for three weeks of riding in
five countries. They travel all
summer and go to different
parks on weekends all over the country. She would love
to hear from Cedar Hall classmates.
Lee Gordon Gill ’68 is a real estate sales associate with
Coldwell Banker in Plymouth, N.H. She and her husband
Bill have been married for 32 years and are very
involved with Episcopal Marriage
Encounter. They have three sons, Noel,
Jason and Sean, who have all graduated
from college.
Joann Streaman ’68 has made a move to
banking after 28 years in real estate. In
March, after a trip to Hawaii, she start-
ed a new career as a mortgage origina-
Joann Streaman
tor at the Savings Bank of Danbury. She lives in Bethel,
Conn. with her son Jake, 12, three cats and two black
labs.
JoAnne Carlin Hoops ’69 and her family have been living
in Westchester, Ohio for the past four years. Their
eldest son will be attending Ohio State in the fall. Their
other sons are 16, 15 and 10 years of age. She is working
at Kohl’s department store and would love to hear
from Davis Hall friends. Her email address is
hoopsF1789@aol.com.
1970s
Bill Connors ’71L is an account manager at AT&T
where he has worked for 23 years. A single father for
the past ten years, he enjoys golf and bicycling in his
spare time. He has two sons, Christopher, 22, and Brian
21. His daughter Lindsey is 15 and a part-time model.
Donna Segala Peters ’73 works in the accounting department
of Inland Management. She has been married for
27 years and has two grandchildren. She would like to
hear from former Stobbs Hall girls from 1972-73.
Karen Corey Langford ’75 works as “head diva” to the
founder and chairman of Monster.com. She was the
eighth employee when the company was launched in
1994. She and Oscar, a Lt. Colonel with the Mass. State
Police, have been married for 20 years. She would like
to hear from Merrill Hall dorm mates.
William Scanlon ’75 is a field training manager for
Spartan South Houston Patrol in Houston, Texas after
working in China from 1996-2001. His wife, Lingling
Dai, is an office manager for a Chinese-owned valve
company.
Elizabeth Stevenson Proebstle ’76L helps her husband
Don run a vitamin-nutrition company. They have been
married for 21 years and have three daughters Stacy, 20,
Heather, 17, and Holly, 13. She would love to see more
news about Leicester alumni from 1975-76. “Those
were the days – college was so much fun!”
Sharon Rose Robinson ’76 recently married a wonderful
man at an outdoor ceremony at the Onset Gazebo
directly behind the beach. They honeymooned in the
Poconos. She has been a legal secretary with the same
firm for 13 years. She has no children but enjoys being
with her nieces and nephews.
Laura Goward Urban ’76 earned an associate degree in
interior design from Indiana and has had her own
design business for 13 years. She is an allied member of
ASID and participated in a designer show house on
Cape Cod this past summer.
James Bowne ’78 is the senior news photographer at
WGME-TV in Portland, Maine. He has won two Emmy
awards as well as regional and state awards. He and his
wife Beth recently moved to the Higgins Beach area of
Scarborough.
BECKER BRIDGES / 23

Andrea Trivieri Herman ’78 passed
away in September. Robin Scull
Rydzewski and Joyce Hill Wright
mourn the loss of their classmate.
They made many trips to visit her in
recent years and were impressed by
her amazing spirit. “You will be
sadly missed! Best friends forever,”
Robin and Joyce.
1980s
Genevieve Lipert Babyak ’80 recently returned to work
part-time as an administrative assistant for an accounting/financial
firm after she and her husband Michael
moved back to the Jersey shore to be closer to family
and friends as they prepared for the adoption of their
baby. In November 2002 they returned from China with
Juliet, born March 1, 2002.
Joseph Mattera ’83 is a 17-year veteran of the Glocester,
R.I. Police Dept. He is a lieutenant assigned as patrol
commander and also works as a substitute teacher for
the Smithfield School District. He has two children
Corinne, 12, and Daniel, 10. He would like to hear
from old friends and can be contacted at
www.jvm103@aol.com. “Patty Cornell where are you?”
Janice Faulkingham Lee ’84 is an
executive assistant with Banknorth
in Portland, Maine. She is a published
poet, single and living in
Biddeford. Her hobbies include
skydiving, reading, exercising and
Janice Faulkingham Lee
writing. Her most recent trip was a
western Caribbean cruise.
Deborah Jaquith Apt ’85 moved into her first house and
looks forward to gardening and cookouts on their deck
with her husband Ron and daughter Lauren, 13.
Berkshire Hall or vet tech classmates from 1985-86 may
contact her at 300 Crystal Lake Road, Tolland, CT
06084.
Debbie Rothe Lanieri ’86 and her husband Rick have
been married for 12 years. She is taking time off from
her paralegal career to raise her two children. “Hi
Cedar Hall.”
Michele Genovese Sember ’87 is a stay-at-home mom to
RJ, 10, Danny, 6, and Ryan, 4. She and Rob have been
married for 13 years. She would like to hear from
Debbie, Chrissy or anyone from Davis Hall. Her email
address is shecky0901@aol.com.
Julie Borneman Stockwell ’87 teaches karate and kickboxing
at Holden Martial Arts. She holds a
brown/black belt and hopes to achieve black belt by
spring 2004. She and Bob have been married for 14
years and have two daughters, Alyssa, 9, and Koree, 7.
They have resided in Holden, Mass. since 1995.
24 / BECKER BRIDGES
Andrea Triviera Herman
Karyn Qualter McMahon ’88 works for RE/Max Real
Estate Center in Walpole, Mass. She and her husband
Chris have been married for 13 years and announce the
birth of their fourth child, Darcey. Their son CJ is 11,
Nicholas is 8 and Karlene is 2 years old. She is very
good friends with Lara Pomeroy Wallace ’88 and would
like to hear from Kelly, Linda, Kim and Kym from
Berkshire Hall.
1990s
Heather McKeon Mawn ’90 is a realtor living in
Whitinsville, Mass. She and Pat have been married for
10 years and have two children, Chloe, 7, and Wes, 2.
She would like to hear from fellow interior design graduates,
class of 1990, at hmmm3@prodigy.net.
Lisa Lynch Ng’andwe ’90 worked for Walt Disney World
for 10 years before moving to North Carolina three
years ago where she met her husband. They have two
sons and she is returning to work as a preschool
teacher. She can be contacted at
lngandwe@hotmail.com.
Monsita Dye Brown ’91 is a flight
nurse in the Air Force Reserves and
holds the rank of major. She earned
a B.S. in nursing in 1995 and is working
on a master’s degree in the
nurse/practitioner program at the
University of San Diego. She has two
children aged 9 and 10. She would
like to hear from Mary Hamlin,
Jolivette and Lisa. Her email address is laani@msn.com.
Gretchen Morris Hartigan ’92 works in the grants
administration department of the Boston Medical
Center. She and her husband John reside in Beverly,
Mass. and announce the birth of Bailey Kristine on June
5, 2003.
Denise Albert Cosper ’93 and her husband William have
purchased their first home.
Elizabeth Brouillard Bennett ’94, ’96
is a first grade teacher at Berlin
Memorial School in Berlin, Mass.
She earned a master’s degree in
education from Wheelock College
in August 2001. She and Brent
were married in July 2003 and
reside in Worcester.
Elizabeth Brouillard &
Brent Bennett
Monsita Dye Brown
Sarah Dumschott Kalinowski ’95
teaches 6th grade math and 7th
grade science in her hometown middle school. She and
her husband have been married for two years and have
a son, Jacob. Friends can email her at skalin@naugy.net.
Heather Ruhl Thibeault ’96 is a part-time CVT at the
animal clinic at Thorndale and has her own grooming
shop. She and her husband Kevin announce the birth
of Emilie Jean-Lucille on March 13, 2003. She would
like to hear from former classmates.

Laurie Mignarri ’97 is the coordinator, pro circuit, professional
tennis division, for the U.S. Tennis Association
where she has worked for five years.
Kimberly Gunderson Romagnano ’97, ’99 was a senior
recruiter for the Davis Companies in
Marlboro, Mass. until her marriage
to Michael in 2001. Their daughter
Jillian Kathryn was born in Feb. 2002
and they purchased a house in
Dayville, Conn. She now enjoys
being a stay-at-home mom. “I read
about the passing of Dean Leonard
Kim, Mike &
Jillian Romagnano
In Memoriam
Helen Swanson Phillips ‘27
Ethel Ekman Peterson ’28
Alice M. Rudman ‘28
Helen Gorman Hogan ’30
Kenneth G. Long ’30
Mary A. Powers ’30
Elizabeth Daly Joyce ‘31
Rachel Collette
Mulhall-Demers ’31
Louise H. Poole ’31
Susan Marsello Anderson ’32
Myrtice M. Hall ’33
Henry M. Mosher ’33
and I was deeply saddened. My
thoughts and prayers are with her
In Memoriam
Gordon A. Calverley
Gordon A. Calverley ’53 of
West Brookfield died on July 15,
at home. Mr. Calverley was
retired from the Telegram &
Gazette as senior vice president
and treasurer. He was also a former
trustee of Becker College.
He leaves his wife of 26 years,
Sue Bottomley Calverley; three
sons, three daughters, a brother,
David S. Calverley; 14 grandchildren; nephews and
nieces. He was born in Worcester and graduated from
Auburn High School and Becker College.
Mr. Calverley was a certified public accountant,
working at the Telegram & Gazette for 28 years. He
belonged to many civic, social and philanthropic organizations.
John C. Streaman
John C. Streaman ’43 passed away on September 16,
2002 after a long battle with a rare blood disorder. He
is survived by his wife of 55 years, Marian, his children
Mimi M. Pandiani ’33
Olive Magrath Burgoyne ‘34
Mabel Lareau Snay ’34
Stirling R. Kelley ’35
Howard L. Monson ’35
Jean Davenport Nason ’35
Edward J. Nelpi ’35
Statia Wojnar Roach ’35
Gladys Spear Soneson ’35
William A. Latraverse ’36
Priscilla Wetherbee Eells ’37
Peter Pastorok ’37
Margaret Berry Spear ’37
family and with the Becker community who loved her
dearly.”
Wendy Huston Ryan ’99 is a COTA for the Spencer/East
Brookfield School District. She recently married and
purchased a house in Spencer, Mass.
2000s
Laura Haggstrom ’01 owns her own business, Elle V.
Design, designing boutique storefronts around the
Newburyport area and travels around New England as a
merchandising sales representative for women’s clothing
lines. She has written two books of poetry and runs
an open-mike poetry night at Starbucks.
Joann Streaman ’68, Maureen
Shanley and Jay Streaman; seven
grandchildren and his beloved
golden retriever, Molly.
Jack was a local businessman,
town selectman, state representative,
volunteer firemen and
EMT. His love of community
became evident during services
when friends, business leaders
and local politicians including Connecticut Lt.
Governor Jodi Rell lined the block, waiting over an
hour, to pay their respects. His volunteer activities were
endless and included the Knights of Columbus, the
Elks, the senior golf league, commissions and boards.
Everyone recalled what a gentle man he was – always a
kind word and the patience of a saint.
Jack remained connected to his alma mater. He
attended the 50th reunion of his class and played in the
Evans Scholarship Golf Tournament with his daughter,
Joann. His favorite remark to fellow Beckerites was;
Becker Trained – Better Trained, and it always showed.
Evelyn F. Crockett ’38
June Boyle Patten ’38
Janet Harrington Ring ’38
Helmi Ahlberg Carpenter ’39
Ethel I. Reponen ’39
Sherwood W. Travers ’39
John Dearden ’40
Alice Edman Johnson ’40
James J. McDonald Jr. ’40
Michael Mindel ’40
Raymond E. Bates ’41
George A. Fox Jr. ’41
Rita Lovely Harvey ’41
Anne Karjama Barrett ’42
Mary Markarian
Garabedian ’42
Robert W. Gray ’42
Lloyd A. Hagstrom ’42
Rose Prescott Milliken ’42
Eugene O’Neill ’42L
Virginia Sopel Weit ’42
Ethemia Mastras Spada ’43
Continued on page 26
BECKER BRIDGES / 25

In Memoriam (continued)
John C. Streaman ’43
Florence Drawbridge
Hakala ’44
Marjorie Nash Crystoff ’45
Ruth Snegg Fuller ’45
Claire Small Pieleski ’45
Marjorie Tibbetts Guillotte ’46
Ruth A. Hosko ’47
Eleanor Sedares Leotsakos ’47
Robert K. Christman ’48
James P. Garavel ’48
Henry Kozich ’48
Lili Tuomi Marble ’48
Constance Russell Young ’48
James R. Friedel ’50
Harry O. Ireland ’50
Sahag Kalashian ’50
Joan Drybread Matto ’50
Anna E. Pandiscio ’51
Geraldine Grise Allen ’52
Gordon R. Allen ’52
Robert F. Corcoran ’52
CALENDAR OF COMING EVENTS
March 24 Focus on Faculty Lecture – “Lessons from Haiti”
presented by Dr. Betsy Fuller, professor of physical therapy.
Weller Acadmic Building, Room 214, 3:30 p.m.
April 17 Appletree Luncheon – a gathering of related alumni.
Featured speaker is Frank Foley, WORC radio personality.
Boutin Student Center dining hall, 12:30 p.m. Reservations
required. $10.00 per person.
June 12 Class of 1954 Reunion. Dinner at the Holiday Inn, Worcester.
Reservations required. $35.00 per person.
June 28 Evans Scholarship Golf Tournament, Kettle Brook Golf Club
in Paxton. $130.00 per person.
September Heywood House reunion (tentative)
October 2 Golden Luncheon – For all alumni who have already
celebrated a 50th reunion.
26 / BECKER BRIDGES
Charles G. Hutcheon ’52
Gloria Allen Rathbone ’52
Roger A. Spongberg ’52
Jacqueline T. Belisle ’53
Gordon A. Calverley ’53
Sylvia Saccaro Gadbois ’53
Robert B. Gellatly ’53
Virginia Ross Greene ’53
Betty Walsh Patno ’53
Aferdita M. Marko ’54
Kendrick L. Sawyer ’54L
Winston D. Cobb ’55
Martha Merrill Bates ’56
Shirley Rosansky Goldberg ’56
Elizabeth Esoian Naroian ’56
Philip F. Bohannon ’58
John F. Flynn ’58L
Lynne Johnston Smith ’58
Rosemary Allard Brown ’59
Linda L. Fielding ’62
Jane McKenna Bosco ’67
Steven E. Taylor ’70L
Maureen Flynn Fluckiger ’77
Andrea Trivieri Herman ’78
Sandra Dufries
Doe-Rodominick ’87
Karen S. Krock ’94
Jennifer L. Mooney ’94
Heather Bailey Hanks ’00
Unknown class year
Janice Henault Buckley
Sylvia Anderson Carlsen
Ann Noone Clifford
Eva Pigoga Cotsidas
Christine B. Daboul
Gladys Foisy Dandro
Dorothy Marshall Dewitt
George A. Foy Jr.
Margaret Kalagher Friel
Sophie Paradise Gordon
Michael P. Horan
Marion Stahl Hosmer
Mildred Carlson Lajoie
Helen Ghizzi Leofanti
Helen R. Magrath
Malcolm M. Maynes
Mary E. McGourty
Thelma Stoddard McNamara
Mary Donovan Meagher
Ernest A. Nichols
Dorothy Mann Perry
Ruth Paajanen Pearson
Catherine Ulevich Pedjoe
M. Patricia Mullaney Ranta
Lucille Lalande Rice
Ruth Friedman Rose
Martha Mantyla Schroeder
Elizabeth Patterson
Schonborg-Ostlund
Winifred Reece Staples
Doris Fiske Stearns
Eleanor M. Turbidy
Annette Benoit Wheeler
Valerie Pluta Wondolowski

12th Annual Evans
Scholarship Golf Tournament
This is a great day, don’t miss it!
Come alone or bring your friends.
All proceeds go to the scholarship fund.
Call today for further details
or a brochure:
Cheryl at 508-791-9241, ext. 255
zukowski@beckercollege.edu
Kettle Brook Golf Club, Paxton
Monday, June 28, 2004
Tee Time: 9:00 a.m.
$130 per golfer includes
Golf Cart, Prizes, Lunch,
Charitable Contribution
Tournament Committee
Gabe N. Simon ’51, Chairman
Maria Allard ’83
Paul Chase
Robert McNeil
Beth Potvin ’81
Michael Simon
Gerald Tuori
For more information
about upcoming events,
check our website:
www.beckercollege.edu
BECKER BRIDGES / 27

News About YOU
First Name Maiden Name Last Name
Address ❏ Check here if address has changed within the past year
City State ZIP
Class Year Telephone Number
Email address
Check off all that apply:
❑ I would like to receive information about class reunions.
❑ Please send me Golf Tournament information.
❑ I am interested in a reunion of Heywood House residents.
What’s New? (Include recent activities, education, job, etc.) Use a separate sheet of paper, if necessary.
28 / BECKER BRIDGES
Return to: Becker Bridges, P.O. Box 15071, Worcester, MA
01615-0071. Phone 508-791-9241, X255; Fax 508-831-7505;
Email: Alumni@beckercollege.edu. Photos are welcome. We will
try to return all photos.

oard of
trustees
Michael E. Jesanis, Chairman
John M. Prosser, 1st Vice Chairman
& Treasurer
Brian M. Perry, 2nd Vice Chairman
Frances E. Polito ’68, 3rd Vice
Chairman
Francis S. Harvey, Jr., Secretary
Steven Budish
Martha P. Grace
John J. Healy
Thomas LaVigne
Dr. Gregory Pogue ’70
Mark Roosevelt
Norma J. Sandison
Dr. Jerrianne Seger
Dr. Douglas Smith ’64
Trustee Emeritus
Theodore Deitz (deceased)
Warren C. Lane, Jr.
William Pinney, Jr.
Jefferson E. Williams (deceased)

2003-2004 Annual Fund
The annual fund appeal is off to a great start thanks to gifts from alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends.
Please use the enclosed remittance envelope to make your gift, or you may give online at
www.beckercollege.edu/alumni/credit.htm. We will close the books on the 2003-04
Annual Fund on June 30, 2004. We are counting on you!
cker BeC o l l e g e
P.O. Box 15071
Worcester, MA 01615-0071
Address Service Requested
www.beckercollege.edu
Non-profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Worcester, MA
Permit No. 324