Spring 2004 - Becker College

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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
Page 1 and 2: Spring 2004 Volume 1, Number 7 Conn
Page 3: In Memoriam Becker College suffered
Page 7 and 8: thoughts on Becker, they were both
Page 9 and 10: Campus Growth & Changes Recruiting
Page 11 and 12: used as dormitories or offices. In
Page 13 and 14: comes into play in part three). The
Page 15 and 16: Alumna is Commencement Speaker Beck
Page 17 and 18: Marie Senecal Lamb ’50, Lorraine
Page 19 and 20: Golf Tournament The golf tournament
Page 21 and 22: A Family Affair with Plastic Leonar
Page 23 and 24: It Was A Night To Remember... Ron R
Page 25 and 26: 1960s Diane Wood Mende ’61 worked
Page 27 and 28: Laurie Mignarri ’97 is the coordi
Page 29 and 30: 12th Annual Evans Scholarship Golf
Page 31 and 32: oard of trustees Michael E. Jesanis

Spring 2004 - Becker College

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