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A magazine for alumni and friends of Southern Connecticut State University, Spring 2010 issue
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ALUMNI MAGAZINE | Spring | 10a
publ
icat
ion
for al
umni
and
frien
ds o
f So
uthe
rn C
onne
ctic
ut S
tate
Uni
vers
ity
Owl Spirit!
Touching Lives2009 CHARITABLE GIVING REPORT
Featured inside:
SMagCovSprFIN10_MagazineCover 3/23/10 10:46 AM Page 2
Dear Southern Alumni,
One of the things that I have always admired about
Southern is its vital role as a community resource. I was
reminded of this fact again recently when I hosted a reception
to mark the establishment of our new Center on Autism
Spectrum Disorders. State and national statistics have shown a
rise in the incidence of children with autism during the last two
decades and Southern has become a key player in teaching and
research efforts regarding this developmental disorder. Our
Special Education Department includes a Master of Science
program with a specialization in autism spectrum disorders
and other developmental disabilities. And in 2008, Gov. M. Jodi
Rell authorized the university to take a lead role in developing a
comprehensive statewide plan to better teach children with
autism and similar disorders.
Supported in part by a federal grant of $300,000, the
new autism center at Southern will offer clinical services,
parental support, and training and technical assistance to
schools, while disseminating information on the latest research
developments in the field. And it will also be home to the
university’s first endowed chair — or distinguished visiting
professorship — thanks to a wonderful gift of $1.2 million from
the estate of Dorothy Weisbauer Goodwin. Mrs. Goodwin, who
died last year at the age of 91, earned her teaching certification
from then-New Haven State Teachers College in 1939 and went
on to train Southern student teachers in New Haven schools for
more than 30 years. Her gift — the largest ever received by the
university — will now benefit generations of students yet to
come, as part of it will also support scholarships for students in
the School of Education. You can read more about Mrs.
Goodwin, her passion for learning, and her wonderful legacy in
the Campus News section of this magazine.
The autism center is just one of several new
community initiatives that are in the formative stages. For
example, a proposed doctoral degree in nursing education
would help offset the continuing critical shortage of nurses and
nurse educators in Connecticut. We are also seeking to expand
and revitalize our Center for Communication Disorders, which
currently provides more than 5,000 clinical hours of service per
year to the greater New Haven area. New clinic space would be
made available off-campus through the proposed West Rock
Community Revitalization Project, in which Southern is a
partner with the city of New Haven. Even as we face the
challenge of grappling with projected state budget deficits in
forthcoming fiscal years, initiatives such as these will help
ensure that Southern continues to serve as a true resource for
the regional community and the state.
I wish to end this letter on a personal note. As many of
you may know, I have decided to retire from the presidency of
Southern, effective May 31, 2011. I hope to take up a year-long
sabbatical leave on June 1, 2010, to engage in research on K-12
education reform, an area in which I have a strong personal
interest. It has truly been a privilege for me to serve as
president for the last six years. The excellence of our faculty, the
professionalism of our staff, the vibrancy of our students, and
the deep-rooted allegiance of our alumni make this a
university to be proud of. I thank you all for your enthusiasm
and generosity over many years and I know that, with your
support, Southern will continue to move forward and realize its
potential to become a premier institution of higher learning.
Dr. Cheryl J. Norton
President
LETTER
PresidentFROMTHE
SMagCovSprFIN10_MagazineCover 3/23/10 10:46 AM Page 3
2009 Charitable GivingReport: Touching Lives 37
features
Spring | 10Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
From the President inside cover
Campus News 2Nostalgia 24
Alumni News 26Alumni Notes 30
Southern Events 36
departments
Southern: Leading the way in graduate studies in health/life sciences,education, and social/public services.
They share a commitment to excellence — and one
or more Southern degrees. Meet the recipients of the
2009 Distinguished and Outstanding Alumni Awards.
10
Some 80 percent of Southern applicants
with strong recommendations have gained
acceptance into U.S. medical, dental, and
veterinary schools — well above the national rate.
Learn more about how Southern is helping these
students achieve major success.
Next Stop
Med School 18
With a festive fairytale theme,
Homecoming 2009 offered
something for everyone.
Once Upon a
Homecoming
20
2 | SouthernALUMNI MAGAZINE
NEWSCa
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n President Norton to Step DownPresident Cheryl J. Norton has announced that she
will retire as president of Southern Connecticut State
University, May 31, 2011. She has requested that the
Connecticut State University Board of Trustees approve an
administrative sabbatical for her beginning June 1, 2010.
This sabbatical leave would allow her to engage in research
on K-12 education reform, in
which she has a strong per-
sonal interest.
“It has been a privilege
for me to be president of
Southern. The excellence of
our faculty, the professionalism
of our staff, and the vibrancy of
our students make this a uni-
versity to be proud of,” Norton
says. “I have learned much
from our campus community,
and I believe that together we
have helped Southern make
great strides as an institution.”
During Norton’s tenure,
which commenced April 30,
2004, a $260 million construc-
tion program has revitalized
the campus, full-time enroll-
ment has reached record lev-
els, and innovative program-
ming has been introduced to support student achievement
in and out of the classroom.
Norton has also focused on campuswide “greening”
and sustainability initiatives, and was a signatory to the
American College & University Presidents’ Climate
Commitment. In addition, she has worked to position
Southern as a community resource for the region and the
state through initiatives such as the university’s new Center
on Autism Spectrum Disorders, which was established to
improve the educational experiences of children diagnosed
with a form of autism.
“Soon after I arrived on campus in 2004, I said that
this university was ‘strong in its roots and rich in its history,
with unlimited potential for the future,’” Norton says. “I
know that Southern will continue to move forward and
realize its potential to become a premier institution of high-
er learning.”
Norton is the 10th president of Southern and the
first woman to lead the 117-year-old institution, which has
almost 12,000 students and one of the largest graduate
programs in New England. Prior to being named
Southern’s president, Norton was the provost at
Metropolitan State College of
Denver, the nation’s largest
urban public baccalaureate
college.
She holds two mas-
ter’s degrees and a doctorate
in applied physiology from
Columbia University and was
named a Fellow of the
American College of Sports
Medicine for her contributions
to the field. In Connecticut,
she was honored with a Lilly
Award for her achievements
in, and contributions to, high-
er education. Norton also
received the Connecticut
Woman in Leadership Award
in 2008 from the Women and
Family Center and recently
was named a Woman of Note
by the New Haven Symphony
for her “steadfast vision, exceptional contribution, and
enduring commitment to our community.” Norton also
serves on the NCAA Division II Presidents’ Council.
n Center to Address Needs of Students with AutismA generous donation and a fed-
eral allocation have given the newly cre-
ated Center on Autism Spectrum
Disorders a significant boost as it begins
its mission to improve the educational
experience for children with the devel-
opmental disorder. The center was
launched in February with a celebration held in the Michael
J. Adanti Student Center Grand Ballroom.
President Cheryl J. Norton
Dorothy Goodwin, ‘39
Southern| ALUMNI MAGAZINE
| VOL 8 • NO 2
Dr. Cheryl J. Norton, President
Megan A. Rock,Vice President for Institutional Advancement
STAFF
Patrick Dilger,Director of Public Affairs
Villia Struyk, Editor
Michael Kobylanski, Sports Editor
Marylou Conley, ’83, Art Director
Isabel Chenoweth, Photographer
Thomas Cain, Assistant Photographer
Nancy Ronne, Development Editor
Charlie Davison,Alumni Notes Editor
ALUMNI RELATIONS OFFICE
Michelle R. Johnston, Director of Alumni Relations
(203) 392-6500
EDITORIAL OFFICE
Southern Connecticut State UniversityOffice of Public Affairs/
Southern Alumni Magazine501 Crescent StreetNew Haven, CT 06515-1355
Telephone (203) 392-6591; fax (203) 392-6597E-mail address: [email protected] Web site: www.SouthernCT.edu
Printed by The Lane Press, Inc.
Southern Alumni Magazine is published by the university in cooperation with the SCSU AlumniAssociation three times a year and distributed free ofcharge to alumni and friends of the university.Opinions expressed in Southern Alumni Magazine do
not necessarily reflect those of theuniversity or of the SCSU AlumniAssociation. Although the editorshave made every reasonable effort to be factually accurate, noresponsibility is assumed for errors.
Postage paid at Burlington, Vt.
Southern Connecticut State University, in compliancewith federal laws and regulations, does notdiscriminate on the basis of race, color, nationalorigin, sex, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation,or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices,or procedures. This includes, but is not limited to,admissions, employment, financial aid, andeducational services.
Spring 2010 | 3
An endowed gift of
$1 million from the estate
of Southern alumna
Dorothy Goodwin, ‘39 —
part of a $1.2 million total
donation to the university
— will fund the recruitment
of a distinguished scholar
for the center — Southern’s
first endowed chair. The
distinguished scholar will
spend more than 50 per-
cent of their time conduct-
ing autism research.
Goodwin, a teacher
for more than 30 years in
the New Haven School
District, helped train many
of Southern’s student
teachers as they were get-
ting classroom experience.
She died on Feb. 9, 2009
at the age of 91.
Supported in part
by a federal grant of
$300,000, the center will
take a three-pronged
approach to address the
educational needs of chil-
dren and youths with an
autism spectrum disorder:
training current and future
educators and professional
staff; conducting research
designed to benefit stu-
dents with autism; and
providing direct services,
including evaluating chil-
dren, conducting clinics,
and holding special events.
Autism has become
one of the fastest-growing
developmental disabilities
in the country; studies
show that 1 in 100 children
have been diagnosed with
some form of the disorder.
“We are ecstatic
about the creation of the
center, which will enhance
our ability to improve the
education of children with
autism,” says Ruth Eren,
associate professor of spe-
cial education
and reading. “I
am delighted
that we will have
an even greater
opportunity to
help these chil-
dren and their
families.”
Eren
serves as co-director of the
center, along with James
Granfield, senior advisor to
Provost Selase W. Williams.
Granfield formerly served
as interim dean of the
School of Education for
many years.
“The creation of the
center is really the culmina-
tion of several years of
effort with regard to
improving the education of
children with autism,”
Granfield says.
Southern is a key
player in teaching and
research efforts related to
this developmental disor-
der. The Department of
Special Education includes
a Master of Science degree
program with a specializa-
tion in autism spectrum
disorders and other devel-
opmental disabilities. In
2008, Gov. M. Jodi Rell
authorized Southern to
take a lead role in develop-
ing a comprehensive
statewide plan to better
educate children with
autism and other develop-
mental disorders.
Among those celebrating the opening of the Center on Autism Spectrum Disorderswere members of the campus community and family and friends of donor DorothyGoodwin, ’39, including [FROM LEFT] Cathy Potter, Provost and Vice President of AcademicAffairs Selase Williams, and Rosalie Rowland.
Ruth Eren, associate professor ofspecial education and reading,is co-director of the center,along with James Granfield, senior advisor to the provost.
n Stopping ViolenceSouthern is taking the lead role in a new statewide
coalition made up of nine universities and several state
agencies committed to the prevention of violence against
women. The initiative, called the Connecticut Campus
Coalition to End Violence Against Women (CCCEV), is
being funded by a three-year, $500,000 grant from the U.S.
Department of Justice.
The institutions of higher learning have joined
forces in an effort to reduce the incidence of domestic
violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on
their campuses. The federal funding will be used to
enhance sexual assault awareness and prevention pro-
grams, provide training for staff, create a unified network
of support for victims of violence, and bolster efforts to
hold perpetrators accountable through school discipline
and criminal prosecution.
“Tragically, violence against women poses serious
threats to the health and safety of college and university
communities across the nation,” says Ronald D. Herron,
vice president for student and university affairs.
“In fact, the national data shows that 32 percent of
all college students report some form of dating violence
and/or abuse with previous partners,” Herron says. “It fre-
quently diminishes the capacity of its victims to achieve
their potential and dreams.”
In addition to Southern, the CCCEV includes the
three other Connecticut State University System campuses
(Central, Eastern, and Western Connecticut State universi-
ties), the University of Connecticut, Quinnipiac University,
University of Bridgeport, University of Hartford, and Trinity
College. It also includes Connecticut Sexual Assault Crisis
Services Inc. and the Connecticut Police Academy’s Police
Officers Standards and Training Council Post.
History Professor C. Michele Thompson always asks
new students for the first word that comes to mind when
they think about Vietnam. Typically, her classes answer the
same way. “I say ‘Vietnam’ and they say ‘War’,” says
Thompson, who teaches several courses on Vietnam-relat-
ed topics.
But Southern students soon will have an opportuni-
ty to experience today’s Vietnam — one that is a far cry
from the war-torn jungle depicted in movies and media
images from the 1970s — thanks to a $99,900 grant from
the U.S. State Department, that will help launch a study
abroad program in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). The
grant paves the way for a pilot program to begin next sum-
mer that would send faculty and two Southern students to
Dai Hoc Su Pham/University of Pedagogy, which specializes
in teacher training. This would be Southern’s first direct
exchange program in Asia.
The students, who will receive course credit, are
expected to spend the summer studying Vietnamese, con-
4 | SouthernALUMNI MAGAZINE
NEWSCa
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n $100,000 Grant Builds Ties with Vietnam
Ronald D. Herron, vice president for student and university affairs, and Catherine A.Christy, coordinator of Southern’s Women’s Center, are optimistic that a recentlyawarded federal grant geared toward the prevention of violence against womenwill have a significant impact on Southern and eight other college campuses acrossthe state. Southern is the lead agency in a new 11-member consortium called theConnecticut Campus Coalition to End Violence Against Women.
Professor C. Michele Thompson
ducting research with faculty, and working closely with
Vietnamese students who are learning to teach English. Plans
call for two more students to travel with faculty members
in spring 2011 and three more to go the following summer.
“Vietnam plays a role in American cultural con-
sciousness, and this is an opportunity to force us to think
about [that nation] in new ways,” says Ilene Crawford,
associate pro-
fessor of
English, who is
heading up the
program with
Professor
Thompson and
Marianne
Kennedy, asso-
ciate vice presi-
dent for assess-
ment, planning,
and academic
programs.
n Grants Forward Southern’s MissionThe accompanying Campus News stories highlight
two major initiatives — a coalition to prevent violence against
women and a pilot study-abroad program in Vietnam —
both of which were made possible by leadership-level
grants. The Southern community received numerous other
highly competitive grants and honors this fall, some of which
are highlighted here.
• Southern’s Training for all Teachers (TAT) program
has received $300,000 from the U.S. Department of
Education, the most recent installment of a five-year grant.
The TAT program prepares educators in the best practices for
teaching students who are not native English speakers.
Lorrie Verplaetse, professor of TESOL (Teachers of English
to Speakers of Other Languages) and bilingual education,
wrote the grant proposal.
• The Nursing Department has been awarded a
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant of $100,000 to
fund scholarships for students in the Accelerated Career
Entry (ACE) nursing program.
• Richard Cole, president and chief executive officer
of the Connecticut Academy for Education, commended
Assistant Professor of Elementary Education Adam
Goldberg for his key role in developing the state
Department of Education’s Algebra I Model Curriculum. It is
anticipated that this model curriculum will be adopted by
the state and used extensively to improve the quality of
math education.
• A $25,000 grant from the Boston Public Health
Commission’s Center for Health Equity and Social Justice
will support Professor of Public Health Peggy Gallup’s
community outreach efforts. Gallup is working with the city
of Bridgeport toward the development and implementation
of comprehensive health strategies that would eliminate
racial and ethnic health disparities.
• Southern received $221,500 from the state
Department of Higher Education (DHE) to continue the
GEAR UP Program, through which the university partners
with the DHE and New Haven Public Schools to help pre-
pare city students for a successful college experience. The
program is overseen by James Barber, ’64, M.S. ’79, direc-
tor of student supportive services and Southern’s GEAR
UP coordinator.
• For 24-consecutive years, the National Institutes of
Health has supported Psychology Professor James
Mazur’s research project, “Molecular Variables Affecting
Choice Behaviors.” Mazur’s work allows students to partici-
pate in laboratory research and develop an understanding
of animal care and requirements. The most recent $78,490
award will continue the research through September 2010.
• Faculty member Lisa Stout (biology), is the recipi-
ent of a three-year National Science Foundation subcon-
tract through Yale. Her work, which will support the project,
Spring 2010 | 5
Class is in session.
Associate Professor Ilene Crawford
continues
“Thermometric Properties
of DNA: Applications to the
Deep-sea Biosphere,” will
involve students at
Southern and Yale.
n The LovelyBones“Crime Scene
Investigation,” “Crime
Science Chemistry,” and
“Forensic Biology,” are
among the courses being
offered as part of a new
forensic science minor that
was launched at Southern
in the fall. The 18-credit
interdisciplinary minor —
jointly sponsored by the
Anthropology, Biology,
Chemistry, Psychology, and
Sociology Departments —
is coordinated by Assistant
Professor of Anthropology
Valerie Andrushko, a
noted expert in bioar-
chaeology, the study
of skeletal remains
from archeological sites.
Andrushko brings
extensive experience to the
position. Her scholarly work
ranges from investigating
the skeletal remains of the
Incas in Peru to researching
human “trophy-taking” in
early Native American tribes
in central California. Closer
to home, she also has been
tapped by Nick Bellantoni,
the state archeologist, to
conduct special projects to
analyze human remains.
The program is
designed both for students
interested in pursuing a
career in the forensic sci-
ences and for those who
want to pursue other
careers, but are interested
in the field.
NEWSCa
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sincere thanks to the many alumni and friends who helped
Southern exceed its fundraising goals for the 2009 fiscal
year. Despite the challenges of the sluggish economy,
the university raised close to $1.84million
in cash support and new commitments — surpassing
a goal of $1.6 million.
Alumni giving increased 35% during
the last five years — a tangible sign that
Southern graduates place great value on
their Southern education.
A total of 7,366 full-time undergraduate
students were enrolled at Southern this fall — an all-time
record. Full-time undergraduate enrollment has increased
in 10 out of the past 11 years.
Enrollment of all full-time students — including
those enrolled in undergraduate and
graduate programs — rose to
8,346 — an all-time record.
The retention rate for first-year to second-year students was
79.7% — the highest in 18 years.
Assistant Professor ValerieAndrushko [ABOVE, SECOND FROM
RIGHT] and members of her classstudy human bones with a goalof determining the age of theremains.
6 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Associate Professor of Special Education and Reading Jule McCombes-Tolis serves as director of The Literacy Lab at Southern
Where you’ll find her: Thenewly renovated LiteracyLab, located in Davis Hall,Room 208
The Mission: Each year, thelab provides pro-bono,faculty-supervised clinicaldiagnostic and tutorialservices for about 100students. Most are ingrades 1 to 8, althoughsome younger and olderstudents are served.
How they help: Educationstudents provide tutoringand screening services,while diagnostic servicesare conducted by a team ofstudents and universityfaculty. Diagnostic servicesrange from comprehensiveliteracy screenings toevaluations for readingdisabilities, such as dyslexia.
Family Focus: “We not onlyhave a place for students tobe tested and tutored, butwe also have a comfortableplace for parents to hangout with a library ofmaterials related to literacyand reading,” saysMcCombes-Tolis.
Getting Help: Schools oftenrefer families to the LiteracyLab for testing and/ortutoring, but parents canapply for services without aschool referral. ContactRosa Clough [email protected] (203) 392-6400 for anapplication.
Learn More:www.SouthernCT.edu/education/literacylabnewsletter/
Spring 2010 | 7
n Faculty Honors• Joseph Solodow, professor of world
languages and literatures, was named a
Connecticut State University (CSU) Professor. An
internationally recognized scholar in the areas of
classics and classical philosophy, Solodow is
the author of four books. The most recent,
“Latin Alive: The Survival of Latin in English and
the Romance Languages,” was published in
January by Cambridge University Press.
The title of Connecticut State University
Professor recognizes outstanding merit among
the teaching faculty in the CSU System, which in
addition to Southern, includes Eastern, Central,
and Western Connecticut State universities.
• Professor of English Paul Petrie received
the 2009 Faculty Scholar Award in recognition
of his monograph, “Conscience and Purpose.
Fiction and Social Consciousness in Howells,
Jewett, Chesnutt, and Cather” (University of
Alabama Press). The work examines William
Dean Howells’ call for literature as a vehicle for
social change — and the influence on the
works of three influential American authors.
• Associate Professor of Psychology Kristine
Anthis received the Connecticut State University
System (CSUS) Trustees Teaching Award in recog-
nition of her role as an educational innovator for
successfully incorporated technology-assisted
instruction into the classroom. Her research
focuses on how identity develops. The CSU
Trustees Teaching Award is presented annually
to a faculty member at each of universities in
the CSU System.
• Professor of History C. Michele Thompson
is the recipient of the Connecticut State
University System (CSUS) Trustees Research
Award for her significant contributions to the
advancement of scholarship on the history of
Vietnam and the history of medicine in East Asia.
The award is presented annually to a faculty
member at each of the four CSU System insti-
tutions of higher learning.
Professor Joseph Solodow
8 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
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Meeting the needs
of a classroom of students
with different abilities can
be challenging for a
teacher. With special edu-
cation students generally
being taught in the same
classroom as other stu-
dents, the task can be par-
ticularly daunting for teach-
ers who are not certified in
both special education and
regular education.
A new “Educational
Coach” 6th-year diploma
program is being offered
at Southern, with a goal of
providing teachers with the
resources needed to best
support all groups of stu-
dents. The graduate pro-
gram, which was recently
approved by the
Connecticut Department of
Higher Education, is the
first of its kind in the state.
Topics covered will
include: coaching and col-
laborating with teachers,
administrators, and other
service providers; diversifi-
cation of instruction and
assessment to address the
educational needs of all
students; classroom man-
agement; and understand-
ing classroom law.
Christine Villani,
associate professor of edu-
cation and Ronald Tamura,
assistant professor of spe-
cial education, are coordi-
nators of the program.
[FROM LEFT] Associate Professor Christine J. Villani discusses the education-al coaching program with Emilia Caturano, ’12, and Kristin Serowik, ‘05.
n Educational Coach Program Launched
n CorrectionA professor included in the Week in the Life feature
in the fall issue was incorrectly identified as Assistant
Professor Richard Feinn. The photograph actually is of
Adjunct Professor Frank Grosso. We apologize for the error.
Professor Paul Petrie
Associate ProfessorKristine Anthis
Professor C. MicheleThompson
Three individuals —
former Owl standout Kate
Lynch, ’08, former
women’s basketball coach
Joe Frager, and former
men’s basketball coach Art
Leary — along with the
2007 NCAA Division II
National Championship
women’s basketball squad,
were inducted into the
New England Basketball
Hall of Fame. The group
joins Archie Tracy, ’64, and
Kathleen Ann Kochiss, ’84,
who were selected this
summer under the high
school player category.
The Owls finished
the regular season as
Northeast-10 Conference
co-champions — marking
the second time in the last
four years that the Owls
have earned at least part
of the league title.
Southern shares the honor
with Bentley and
Merrimack.
For the first time in
program history, the Owls
advanced to the Northeast-
10 Conference tourna-
ment, after finishing the
regular season with a 23-9
overall win-lose record.
The Owls defeated top-
seeded University of New
Haven in the Northeast-10
Tournament quarterfinals.
Southern ultimately fell to
UMass Lowell.
basketball �
football �
women’s volleyball �
sport shorts
Miguel Nesrala
Sophomore
Member of the Men’s Swimming and Diving Team (Freestyle/Backstroke)
Recent Achievements: Earned numerous first-place
victories at the Northeast-10 Championship,
including gold in the 100-yard freestyle. Took
first in the 50-yard freestyle at the Metropolitan
Championships.
Hails From: Dominican Republic
Diving In: “I live on an island and we went to the
beach every other weekend. My dad got tired of
my grandmother worrying about us, so he signed
us up for swim classes.”
Early Success: At the age of 11, Nesrala was ranked
among the top two swimmers in his age group in
the Dominican Republic.
Pre-meet Ritual: Visualizes the perfect race — twice.
In the Community: Volunteers with the team at
numerous community events, most recently, Relay
for Life.
Listening to: Lil’ Wayne, Eminem, Jay-Z, and Aytm —
the latter is Nesrala’s roommate, whom he
describes as “an awesome rapper.”
The best part of Swimming: “Definitely competing.
I’m a very competitive person.”
Meet Southern’sStudent Athlete
Spring 2010 | 9
ˇ
For more sports news, visitwww.SouthernCTOwls.com.
10 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
ne is instrumental in bringing award-winning movies to the small screen, while
another is helping to craft public policy at the state level. Meet the talented recipients
of the 2009 Distinguished and Outstanding Alumni Awards. In all, seven alumni were recog-
nized at the event, which was held on Oct. 16 at the Michael J. Adanti Student Center.
The Distinguished Alumna Award, the highest honor bestowed on a Southern grad-
uate by the university, was presented to Elizabeth Missan Yost, ’85, vice president of
development for the Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel.
In addition, six alumni — one graduate from each of the university’s six schools —
were presented with Outstanding Alumnus/a Awards. The honorees included the
Honorable Mary M. Mushinsky, ’73, who is serving her fifteenth term as a member
of the Connecticut House of Representatives (School of Arts and Sciences); Michael R.Chambrello, ’79, president and chief operating officer of Scientific Games Corporation, a
provider to the international lottery and gaming markets (School of Business); Dr. MarcA. Nivet, ’92, who at press time was slated to join the Association of American Colleges as
the chief diversity officer (School of Communication, Information, and Library Science);
Maureen G. Linderfelt, M.S. ’68, 6th Yr. ’77, who recently retired from the position of
executive director of the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Southern Connecticut, where
she continues to take an active role, (School of Education); Dr. Kathleen A.Bonvicini, ’83, the chief executive officer for the Institute for Healthcare Communication
(School of Health and Human Services); and Dr. Beverly Levett Gerber, ’62, 6th Yr. ’71, professor emeritus of special education at Southern (School of Graduate Studies).
They share a
commitment to
excellence —
and one or more
Southern degrees.
Introducing the
recipients of the
2009 Distinguished
and Outstanding
Alumni Awards. By Joan Wells
Spring 2010 | 11
Distinguished Alumna6
Elizabeth Missan Yost, ’85
As an aspiring college student, Elizabeth Yost had her heart set
on attending an extremely large university. Instead, she chose
Southern on her father’s advice that a smaller, more personal setting
would suit her better.
“My parents are very smart people,” concludes Yost, who
is “living her dream,” as the vice president of development for the
Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel. Based in the
company’s Los Angeles office, Yost has made close to 150 movies
over 10 years, and oversees all scripting and casting of the net-
work’s productions.
The determined communication major traveled to
California immediately after graduation, launching her career at the
William Morris Agency. Other positions followed, including time at
Robert Greenwald Productions, a supplier of prime time television
films, and EMY Entertainment, an independent production compa-
ny. In 2002, Yost joined Hallmark Channel as director of develop-
ment, original programming — and was responsible for launching
the network’s first original series and Mystery Movie franchises.
While Yost attributes her success to a combination of
endurance, talent, and luck, she also places a high premium on the
experience she gained at Southern. “The personal attention really
made a difference,” says Yost, noting the university’s small class sizes
and opportunities to work closely with members of the faculty. “You
don’t get that at a bigger school,” she adds.
Yost has stayed in touch with Professor Joseph (Jos) Ullian,
and about 14 years ago they worked together to arrange a summer
internship that brought Southern students to Los Angeles to work on
scripts and casting. As her success and connections increased, Yost
expanded the program. In 2003, she teamed up with Southern’s
Department of Communication to offer a Hollywood internship pro-
gram with the Hallmark Channel. According to Yost, the program is a
winning scenario for all involved. “The students who have come out
to work for us have been extraordinary,” she says.
&
12 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Whether working on legisla-
tion designed to prevent
adolescent pregnancy or helping a
migrating fish over a dam, State
Representative Mary Mushinsky
often applies lessons she learned
while attending Southern nearly
40 years ago.
“I received the technical training, motivation, encouragement,
and preparation that — when combined — prepared me to go out
and solve problems,” says Mushinsky.
A Democrat from Wallingford, Conn., Mushinsky is the
“dean,” or longest-serving member, of the Connecticut House of
Representatives, having spent 28 years shaping public policy. Elected
to her fifteenth term in November 2008, she was appointed chair-
woman of the Program Review and Investigation Committee, focus-
ing on policy and recommendations for improving state responses
to community problems. Previously, she served ten years as co-
chairwoman of the Select Committee on Children and has received
numerous awards in acknowledgment of her efforts to prevent ado-
lescent pregnancy and reduce child poverty.
The environment is another primary focus for Mushinsky,
who majored in biology at Southern. Having chaired the legisla-
ture’s Environment Committee for six years, she played a key role in
crafting major environmental legislation enacted in the 1980s and
1990s, including mandatory recycling, packaging reduction, open-
space preservation, global warming mitigation, and endangered
species protection laws.
Furthering her commitment to the environment, Mushinsky
also serves as executive director of the Quinnipiac River Watershed
Association, uniting community volunteers with scientists to
improve conditions in the river. The group’s contributions are
numerous and varied: helping businesses reduce runoff, growing
beetles to control invasive plants, and even forming a bucket brigade
to help migrating fish swim over a dam in Wallingford, Conn.
“Southern provided good training for the real world,” she
says. “The professors were always
behind their students, encouraging
them to use what they learned for the
good of society.”
Attending Southern is a family
tradition. Rep. Mushinsky’s father,
Edward Mushinsky, earned a degree in
education in 1957 and one of her sons,
Martin Waters, is a Southern student. (Her other son, Ed, is a graphic
art student at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.) Mushinsky also has passed
on her commitment to the environment. She proudly notes that both
of her sons bicycle and take public transportation rather than own cars.
& Outstanding Alumna6
Mary M. Mushinsky, ’73SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
Spring 2010 | 13
In an industry where luck is a key factor, Michael R. Chambrello
has risen to the top courtesy of a combination of experience, tal-
ent, and hard work. In January 2010, Chambrello became chief
executive officer of Scientific Games Corporation, a provider to the
lottery, pari-mutuel racing, and gaming industries, and a leading
supplier of prepaid phone cards to telecommunication companies.
He also serves as president of the company. With annual revenue
approaching $1 billion and a worldwide staff of 5,500 people,
Scientific Games has a global presence with clients in some 43
states and more than 50 countries.
Clearly Chambrello is a major player in the business arena.
Yet he says that when he entered Southern as a freshman he was “as
directionless as anyone can be” and “average in every way” — not a
likely early profile for a man who would become an industry leader.
Enter Southern, where in his sophomore year, Chambrello reached a
crossroads. One of his professors, Kun Suryatmodjo, saw potential
in the young student and gave Chambrello a challenge: “be average
or get smarter” through hard work.
The kid from Plainfield, Conn., chose the latter: by junior
year he was a teaching assistant; by graduation he had brought his
grade point average up a full point. Chambrello would later estab-
lish an endowed scholarship at Southern in Dr. Suryatmodjo’s
honor, benefiting students who were majoring in economics.
“Southern gave me a real-world foundation and helped me
to realize that even though I didn’t have the same pedigree [as exec-
utives who attended Ivy League
schools], I could do as well or bet-
ter,” says Chambrello. He later
attended graduate school at
American University’s Kogod
College of Business.
Chambrello joined Scientific
Games in July 2005 as president and
chief operating officer, drawing on a wealth of executive experience.
Prior to joining the company, he was president and chief executive
officer of Environmental Systems Products Holdings, Inc., a leader in
emissions testing systems and services. He also served as chief exec-
utive officer of Transmedia Asia Pacific, Inc. and Transmedia Europe
Inc., which provide membership and affinity programs.
Previously, he was president
of GTECH Corporation and executive
vice president of GTECH Holdings
Corp., a full-service provider to the
lottery and entertainment industries.
Chambrello had joined the company
in 1982 as a project analyst and
steadily climbed the corporate ladder. In his almost 20 years at
GTECH, company revenue grew from $1 million to nearly $1 billion.
Being honored by Southern is “really great for me,” says
Chambrello, who serves on the SCSU Foundation Board of
Directors. “There are so many people like me, average in so many
ways, who got an extra push at Southern and found their direction.”
Outstanding Alumnus6
Michael R. Chambrello, ’79SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
&
14 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Marc A. Nivet was thinking
like a hopeful teenaged
athlete when he chose to attend
Southern: he had been recruited
to play football and run track. But
when he realized after two years
that a career as a professional ath-
lete probably wasn’t in the cards,
he found his real calling.
Nivet focused on academics, became vice president of
Southern’s Black Student Union, and began reaching out to inner-city
kids in the New Haven community. Those opportunities would set his
destiny. “That became my mission — to help others achieve,” says Nivet.
He has continued that mission throughout his career. This
spring Nivet is slated to join the Association of American Medical
Colleges (AAMC) as the chief diversity officer. His responsibilities
will include leading the association’s Diversity Policy and Programs
Department, with a goal of increasing diversity in medical educa-
tion and advancing health care equality.
Nivet will come to the AAMC having served as the chief
operating officer and treasurer for the Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation in
New York City, where he oversees the day-to-day operations of the
organization and manages an endowment of $150 million. The
foundation supports programs designed to improve the education
of health professionals. Nivet concurrently is special assistant to the
senior vice president of health at New York University, where he
serves on the faculty of the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of
Public Service. He also teaches at Hofstra University.
Nivet says one of the benefits of attending Southern is the
diversity of the surrounding community. He firmly believes that no
institution can call itself “excellent” without being diverse. Among his
priorities are diversifying academic medicine, eliminating racial dis-
parities in health and the health professions, and promoting best prac-
tices for increasing minority enrollment in health professional schools.
His career has been marked by a commitment to education.
In addition to earning his undergraduate degree in communication
studies from Southern, he has a Master’s of Science in higher edu-
cation/student development from Long Island University, C.W. Post,
and a Doctorate of Education in higher education management
from the University Of Pennsylvania.
A fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine, he is a past
president of the National Association
of Medical Minority Educators, Inc.,
which presented him with its
Outstanding Service Award in 2006.
With all those accomplish-
ments, Nivet says it still “feels great” to
be honored by his alma mater. “To this
day, one of the most meaningful expe-
riences in my life was my junior year at
Southern, when I was offered and accepted the opportunity to serve
as a mentor and advisor for incoming freshmen in the Student Equal
Opportunity Program,” says Nivet, who serves on the SCSU
Foundation Board of Directors. He continues, “That experience, cou-
pled with volunteer teaching experiences in the New Haven Public
School System, served to illuminate the need to give back and take
joy in helping others.”
Outstanding Alumnus6
Dr. Marc A. Nivet, ’92SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION,
INFORMATION, AND LIBRARY SCIENCE
&
Spring 2010 | 15
Maureen Glennon Linderfelt is a firm believer in the power of
opportunity: “I think it’s about focusing on what people can
do, notwhat they can’t do,” says Linderfelt, who has spent her entire
career as an advocate for individuals with disabilities.
For 19 years, Linderfelt served as executive director of
the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Southern Connecticut Inc.,
in Wallingford, Conn. She “retired” in 2008, but has remained with
the organization as a housing consultant to continue work on a
project that is close to her heart: creating 30 units of handicapped-
accessible, scattered housing in Fairfield and New Haven counties.
The project builds on Linderfelt’s demonstrated
strengths. She was the driving force behind the conversion of a 90-
year-old school in Fairfield County into universally designed one-
and two-bedroom apartments made to be both totally accessible
and affordable.
During a career spanning more than 40 years, Linderfelt has
worked as a teacher and in administrative positions serving those
with orthopedic challenges and/or developmental delays. Previously,
she held leadership roles with the State Department of Mental
Retardation (now called the Department of Developmental
Services); E.B. Kuhn Training Center in Meriden, Conn.; Varca Inc. in
Derby, Conn.; and the U.S. Census Bureau. She began her career as a
teacher-coordinator for the city of Bridgeport, Conn., where she
developed and administered a program that became the first fully
certified transitional workshop in the state for those with disabilities.
Linderfelt, who earned
both a master’s degree and sixth
year diploma in special education
from Southern, stresses the impor-
tance of experiential learning.
Long before vocational occupa-
tional programs were the norm,
she had her special education stu-
dents running a café and making
business cards by setting type.
She played to the strengths of each child, knowing they’d
learn more about math by making change and more about social
skills by interacting with the public. Best of all, if her students liked
the “work,” there was the built-in motivator to behave and learn.
Her Vocational Occupational
Program for Exceptional Children
received national recognition; the
program was cutting-edge at a time
when special education wasn’t even
recognized as a formal department in
most schools.
“Southern gave me the tools to do all this and the interest
to go forward,” says Linderfelt. “The professors were forward think-
ing and looked at progressive methods. Southern was a perfect
choice for me.”
Outstanding Alumna6
Maureen G. Linderfelt, M.S. ’68, 6th Yr. ’77
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
&
16 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Effective communication is the
key to success in many
endeavors, but in Kathleen A.
Bonvicini’s business, it can be life-
saving.
Bonvicini is chief execu-
tive officer of the Institute for
Healthcare Communication
(IHC), a nonprofit organization committed to advancing the quality
of healthcare by helping physicians and veterinarians communicate
effectively with their clients.
“We like to say there are two tasks in medicine,” says
Bonvicini, who has written and spoken extensively to international
audiences on the importance of communication training in both
human and veterinary medicine. “One is technical, but there’s also
the relationship side and understanding how to communicate —
to truly listen to the human being in front of you.”
The organization’s influence is far reaching. Since 1989, the
IHC has collaborated with hundreds of organizations to train more
than 150,000 physicians.
In 2002, the institute developed a program for veterinari-
ans, the Veterinary Communication Training Project. As director
of the project, Bonvicini designed and led a faculty training pro-
gram that was implemented in schools of veterinary medicine
throughout the United States and Canada, and recently introduced
in Australia.
Previous to her work with the Institute, Bonvicini gained
15 years of psychiatric clinical research experience at the Yale
University Laboratory of Psychiatric Genetics, where she coordinat-
ed genetic family studies on anxiety disorder and alcohol and sub-
stance dependence.
In step with her current commitment to education, she
also held faculty positions with Southern’s Department of Public
Health and Albertus Magnus College for 12 years.
Her own foray to college was non-traditional. A working
parent, she transferred to Southern from the University of Arizona
at the age of 26. After receiving a
degree in social work from Southern,
she went on to earn a master’s degree
in public health from Yale University.
“Southern offered not only a
good academic foundation, but a good
sense of community and service,” says
Bonvicini. “My three internships in
social work at Southern opened my eyes to the needs of people and
to what I wanted to do in my professional life.”
Outstanding Alumna6
Dr. Kathleen A. Bonvicini, ’83SCHOOL OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
&
Spring 2010 | 17
Beverly Levett Gerber believes that art education and special
education have a shared strength. “Both look outside the box
for unconventional answers,” says Gerber, professor emeritus of spe-
cial education.
A nationally recognized expert in how the subjects connect,
Gerber realized early in her teaching career that students with spe-
cial needs can use art as a vehicle to learn other subjects, express
themselves emotionally, and show their level of ability.
She has devoted her career to sharing this knowledge with
others, serving for more than 40 years as an advocate of art for stu-
dents with special needs and presenting on the topic at the state,
national, and international levels.
Her ties to Southern are extensive. In addition to earning
two Southern degrees — an undergraduate degree in art education
and a sixth year degree in special education — Gerber was a full-
time faculty member with the Special Education Department for 33
years, before retiring in 2003. She is currently an adjunct professor
at Southern.
As a Southern student, Gerber was most inspired by two
professors, Professor Emeritus of Education Walter E. Cheetham
and the late Professor Emeritus of Art David Crespi, both of whom
had a gift of empowering their students, she says.
“Walter [Cheetham] not only taught the information, but
made you understand that you truly can reach the children,” says
Gerber, who went on to earn a doctorate from Teachers College,
Columbia University. She was one
of only a handful of doctoral stu-
dents who studied both special
education and art education.
With a goal of helping
future teachers, Gerber established
the Dr. Beverly Levett Gerber
Fellowship at Southern to support
graduate students who combine
special education with art in their studies.
Gerber’s many contributions extend beyond the university.
She co-edited the popular textbook “Reaching and Teaching Students
with Special Needs through Art,” and the soon to be published
“Understanding Students with Autism through Art.” She is a founding
member and past-president of the
National Art Education Association
(NAEA) Special Needs Issues Group
and also created a special needs Web
site to combine special education and
art education resources.
In acknowledgment of
Gerber’s many contributions, the Special Needs Issues Group and the
NAEA worked with several other national organizations to establish
an award in her honor. The Beverly Levett Gerber Lifetime
Achievement Award is given each year to an outstanding art educator
who works with special needs children. n
Outstanding Alumna6
Dr. Beverly Levett Gerber, ’62, 6th Yr. ’71
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
&
18 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Some 80 percent of Southern applicants with strong recommendations
have gained acceptance into U.S. medical, dental, and veterinary
schools — well above the national rate. Learn more
about how Southern is helping these students
achieve major success. By Natalie Missakian
Spring 2010 | 19
• Melissa Beckmann, ’04, loves
everything about her
job as a doctor at a Texas
military hospital — even the
weekly 30-hour shifts seem a small
price to pay for living a childhood dream.
Next year, she hopes to travel to Korea as an
Air Force flight doctor.
Neil Young, ’09, an aspiring ER doc
who beat out thousands for a spot at
Dartmouth Medical
School, spends his
days studying
human anatomy
and physiology
alongside Ivy
League-educated
peers.
Closer to
home, Titi Aina, ’04,
starts her mornings
promptly at 5 a.m.,
preparing for
rounds as a surgical
intern at the
University of
Connecticut Health Center. Her long-term
goal is to become an anesthesiologist.
These successful young alumni
share numerous traits. They’re smart, well-
rounded, dedicated to their field — and all
are graduates of Southern’s small but thriv-
ing pre-med program.
Each year, a hand-
ful of talented, science-
minded undergraduates
sign on to work closely
with Southern’s Pre-
Medical, Pre-Dental, and
Pre-Veterinary Committee,
a team of six faculty
members charged with
advising and supporting
students who want to
pursue health careers.
Those who don’t
achieve the necessary standards are often
counseled into further training or other
career options. But those with the right mix
of academic achievement, ambition, and
analytical skill have found tremendous suc-
cess. Graduates have earned seats in such
diverse medical schools as Dartmouth,
Penn State, Boston University, Temple
University, New York Medical College, and
the University of California, San Francisco.
These are no small accomplish-
ments in a field where, according to the
Association of American Medical Colleges
(AAMC), only four out of every 10 med
school hopefuls make the grade. The com-
petition is fiercer at top schools like
Dartmouth, which enrolled only 84 of
5,294 applicants this year, according to the
school’s Web site.
“It’s very, very competitive. But we
have done a good job if students follow our
continues on page 35
Next S
top
Med
Sch
ool
“It’s a close-knit
faculty so it’s really
good that you get
to know all of the
professors on a
name basis.” Byron Peck-Collier, ’10
[OPPOSITE PAGE] Helping students succeed is the charge of Southern’s Pre-Medical, Pre-Dental, and Pre-Veterinary Committee, which includes [FROM LEFT]Professor of Physics Christine Broadbridge, Assistant Professor of Chemistry Adiel Coca, Assistant Professor of Biology Jonathan Weinbaum,Professor of Physics Karen Cummings, Professor of Biology Jane Feng, and Assoc. Professor of Chemistry Jiong D. Pang. [THIS PAGE] Byron Peck-Collier, a member of the Class of 2010, hopes to become an orthopedic surgeon.
20 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
With a festive
fairytale theme,
Homecoming 2009
offered something
for everyone.
Upon aOnce
hile the Southern Owl is a seasoned university ambassador,
it isn’t everyday that the spirited mascot hobnobs with
fairytale princesses. But on Oct. 17, Cinderella, Snow White,
and even Prince Charming — a.k.a. colorfully costumed
Southern students — joined the great winged one to
celebrate Homecoming 2009 and Family Day,
a combined event that had a fairytale theme.
Spring 2010 | 21
Storybook royals aside, the true honored guests were the 600-
plus alumni, family, and friends who came to campus — one
of the highest Homecoming attendances on record. All were treat-
ed to a wide variety of activities, among them cherished tradi-
tions like the Robert Corda 5K Road Race, student parade of
floats, and the alumni tent party. Other events, including the dedi-
cation of the redesigned Alumni Athletics Hall of Fame and a
celebration of the 50th-anniversary of Southern’s swimming
program, gave the day even more poignancy. Further ensuring a
happy ending for Southern fans, the Owls soundly defeated Saint
Anselm College 71-14 in the Homecoming Football game.
The following pages spotlight some of the day’s many
festivities. Take a look and please plan to join us at Homecoming
2010 on October 16. Details will be coming soon.
Homecoming
continues
[OPPOSITE PAGE]Southern students dress the part.
[THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT]A Southern family smiles for the cameraduring Family Day activities. • The paradeof floats is a favorite tradition. • PresidentCheryl J. Norton introduces donor AnneBianchi Gundersen, ’34, who was honoredat the President’s Donor RecognitionBreakfast. • The Alliance Theatre of NewHaven performed “Cinderella” in thechildren’s tent. Pictured is one ofCinderella’s mouse helpers.
22 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Spring 2010 | 23
Homecoming 2009
[OPPOSITE PAGE] Guests enjoyed awide variety of activities, includingthe dedication of the redesignedAlumni Athletics Hall of Fame[LOWER LEFT AND RIGHT].
[THIS PAGE] Owls reconnected withfamily and friends before theHomecoming football game [TOPRIGHT]. Other events included acelebration of the 50th anniversaryof Southern’s swimming program[RIGHT], and the Robert Corda 5kRoad Race [LOWER LEFT].
24 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
outhern’s nursing program was
launched in the 1969-70 academic
year with two faculty members,
some 20 students, and a single class-
room/makeshift lab buried in the
basement of Engleman Hall.
Though modest in scope, the pro-
gram was a success from the onset. In
1973, the department reached two mile-
stones — having its first group of 13 nurs-
ing students graduate and obtaining a full
eight-year accreditation from the National
League for Nursing. Progress continued
and in 1985, Southern launched its first
master’s degree program in nursing.
Today, Southern’s Nursing
Department is a popular, well-established
operation that plays a vital role in curbing
the state’s nursing shortage. For the last two
years, nursing/pre-nursing has been the
top major at Southern. In fall 2009, a total
of 844 undergraduates were declared as
either nursing or pre-nursing majors, the
second-highest number in university histo-
ry — only slightly below a record-setting
873 students in fall 2008.
Associate Professor of Nursing Lisa
Rebeschi, department chairwoman, attrib-
utes the numbers to Southern’s growing
reputation, as well as job opportunities cre-
ated because of the shortage.
“It’s a competitive process just to be
accepted into the program,” says Rebeschi,
noting that approvals usually take place just
before a student’s junior year. “These days,
about half of those who apply are accepted.”
Rebeschi also notes that Southern
consistently exceeds the 88 to 90 percent
statewide average of students who pass the
NostalgiaNostalgia
SBy Joe Musante, ’86
Nursing Program
Celebrates 40-Year
Anniversary
Nursing Program
Celebrates 40-Year
Anniversary
Spring 2010 | 25
licensure examination.
She believes Southern’s success stems
from several factors, including an increase
in both faculty and classroom/ lab space as
a result of the opening of a new Nursing
Classroom Building in the fall of 2005.
“Our nursing program has been on
the cutting edge of innovation for some
time, offering on-line courses, an
Accelerated Career Entry (ACE) program
for individuals seeking to make a career
change to nursing, and a collaborative R.N.
to B.S.N. pathway with Gateway
Community College,” says Selase W.
Williams, provost and vice president for
academic affairs. Southern and Western
Connecticut State University also are in the
process of jointly developing an Ed.D. pro-
gram in nursing.
The nursing program has received
numerous grants in support of its commit-
ment to excellence, including a recent
$145,000 federal allocation — most of
which is being used for scholarships to
support students in the ACE program and
the nursing educator program at the grad-
uate level. The department also was recent-
ly awarded a $100,000 grant from the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to fund
scholarships for students in the ACE nurs-
ing program. n
For more information, seewww.SouthernCt.edu/nursing/.
From past to present — a 40-year success story. [LOWER CIRCLE, FROM LEFT] Associate Professor Emeritus of Nursing Immaculate Alba and AssociateProfessor of Nursing Lisa Rebeschi, pose with William Abbott, ’09, and Lettresha Turner, ’09, graduates of the Accelerated Career Entry program.
• New board member James Booth,
’97, is a financial adviser with a fami-
ly-run business based in Norwalk,
Conn. A dedicated community vol-
unteer, he works with the Norwalk
Jaycees and is active with his local
Catholic parish. Booth is an avid run-
ner and has completed numerous
marathons throughout the United
States, raising money to support the
American Diabetes Association.
• Nancy Charest, ’71, M.S. ’75, 6th
Yr. ’77, a veteran teacher with New
Haven Public Schools, holds three
degrees from Southern and is certi-
fied both as a reading consultant
and as a teacher of English
Language Learners (ELL). Highly
regarded for her expertise in social-
emotional intelligence, she has
worked with the Yale Child Study
Center and the George Lucas Foundation and has
served as a consultant throughout the United States
and in Sweden and the United Kingdom. A published
author, Charest previously served as the Executive Vice-
President of the New Haven Federation of Teachers.
• Marybeth Heyward Fede, ’79, M.S.
’87, has ties to Southern as a student
and as a member of the faculty. An
assistant professor in the Exercise
Science Department since 1998, she
supervises student teachers through
the teacher preparation program.
Before joining Southern as an
adjunct professor, she worked as a
school exercise science technician.
In addition to earning her undergraduate degree at
Southern, she graduated summa cum laude with a
master’s degree in human performance. In 1991, she
became certified in school health and recently earned
an Ed.D. in adult education.
• The recipient of the 2008 Alumni
Service Award, Jerry Katona, ’74,
M.S. ’88, has been reelected to serve
on the board. A former athletics
trainer and past officer of the Owl
Varsity Club, which supports
Southern’s student athletes, Katona
is a lifetime member of the
Connecticut Scholastic and
Collegiate Softball and Basketball
Associations. Among his many achievements is coach-
ing a Connecticut Classics Women’s Fast Pitch team to a
2001 national championship. Katona works for Area
Cooperative Educational Services (ACES) as an employ-
ment supervisor.
• Newly elected board member Edwin Klinkhammer,
’71, M.S. ’76, 6th Yr. ’92, combines a background in sci-
ence education with extensive experience in athletics. A
National Science Foundation Fellow, Klinkhammer
retired from a position as a science educator with the
Department of Children and Families. Previously, he
was a Police Academy Physical Training Coordinator, as
well as a personal security specialist and defensive tac-
tics instructor. Klinkhammer also worked as a fitness
sports trainer and consultant and had a 20-year career
in professional minor league football, baseball, soccer,
and track and field. In November 2009, Klinkhammer
was inducted into the Southern Connecticut Diamond
Club Hall of Fame. He is an active environmental ecolo-
gist and marine wildlife first responder and rehabilitator.
26 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Alu
mni
NEWS
James Booth
Nancy Charest
Marybeth HeywardFede
Jerry Katona
n Alumni Association Board Adds New MembersThe Alumni Association Board of Directors welcomed seven new members, including five who were elected to serve
until 2013. In addition, James Booth, ’97, and Robert D. Parker, ’76, were appointed to the board to fill posts that were empty
due to resignations. They will serve until June 30, 2010.
• Newly elected board member
Mary Fedyn Martinik, ’76, M.S. ’86,
6th Yr. ’99, has worked as a
teacher, coach, and administrator in
the fields of physical education,
health, and athletics. As an under-
graduate, she was a member of the
gymnastics and softball teams for
four years. Education remained the
cornerstone of Martinik’s career,
prompting her to return to Southern to earn degrees in
health education and educational leadership.
• Board member Robert D. Parker,
’76, is the director of communica-
tions for ACES (Area Cooperative
Educational Services), the regional
educational service center for 25
school districts in South Central
Connecticut. His career includes 30
years as a teacher and serving as the
director of ACES Educational Center
for the Arts. He has been a board
member and adviser to numerous arts advocacy organi-
zations, among them the International Network of
Schools for the Advancement of Arts Education, the
Connecticut Alliance for Arts Education, the Connecticut
Commission on the Arts, and the International Festival
of Arts and Ideas.
Mary Fedyn Martinik
Robert D. Parker
Spring 2010 | 27
n Pleasure ReadingIn 1948, Southern — then known
as New Haven State Teachers
College — began publishing a
student art and literary publica-
tion. More than six decades later Southern continues this
tradition with Folio, an undergraduate journal, and Noctua
Review, which spotlights the work of graduate students.
Today, readers can mine Southern’s rich creative his-
tory thanks to a new online archival collection of past issues
of Folio. The site — found at www.southernct.edu/
folioarchive/ — is an ambitious work-in-progress created by
English Professor Vivian Shipley. Complete issues from 1996-
2009 are included, with issues from 1948-1995 ultimately
slated to be added. In the meantime, Shipley has created a
history for each year, including an overview of subjects,
styles, and examples of a range of genres.
Shipley began archiving the journals in 1990, work-
ing to acquire past copies of the journal that were not
held by the university — a process that took five years.
Thanks to her efforts a complete collection of the original
copies is found in Buley Library. A second collection —
with rare issues hand-copied and bound to prevent dam-
aging the originals — is housed in the library’s reference
room. Happy reading!
Members of the Class of 1954 celebrated their 55th reunion in high style atAnthony’s Ocean View on Sept. 11.
Congratulations to the Class of 1959, which held its 50th reunion on Oct. 15 at The Woodwinds in Branford, Conn.
28 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Alu
mni
NEWS
Hoop Dreams — Times TwoFans of women’s collegiate basketball can cheer
on two Southern graduates who have taken the lead for
prominent university teams.
Joan Bonvicini, ’75, was named head coach at
Seattle University where she is leading the team in its first
full season in Division I. Formerly with the coaching staffs
at the University of Arizona and Long Beach State, Bonvicini
has one of the
most successful
coaching records
in women’s colle-
giate basketball
history: She came
to Seattle ranked
26th on the NCAA
all-time wins list
for women’s col-
lege basketball at
all levels. In
February 2007, she
became the 18th
coach in NCAA
Division I
women’s basketball history to reach the 600-win mark.
A star college player, Bonvicini helped the Owls
earn third- and fourth-place finishes in the Association for
Intercollegiate Athletics for Women championships. She
was a finalist for the 1976 U.S. Olympic Basketball Team.
On the East Coast, fellow coaching standout Cathy
Inglese, ’80, is completing her first full season as head
coach of the women’s basketball team at the University of
Rhode Island. Previously, Inglese was head coach at Boston
College from 1993-2008, during which time she guided the
Eagles to three trips to the NCAA Sweet 16. Inglese also
was head coach at the University of Vermont for seven sea-
sons and served on several USA Basketball coaching staffs,
most recently as assistant coach with the gold-medal-win-
ning World University Games team in the summer of 2005.
While attending Southern, Inglese was named the
outstanding female athlete in her senior year, having been
a stellar player in both basketball and softball.
Both coaches have been inducted into Southern’s
Athletics Hall of Fame.
From buildings lauded for eco-friendly design
to a reinvigorated, campus-wide
recycling program, the university is
committed to keeping it green.
That’s why Southern is a proud signatory
of the American College & University
Presidents Climate Commitment.
Please support Southern and its students by contributing to the CampusGreening Fund. Donations may be made online
at www.giving.southernct.edu. Or call (203) 392-6515.
PHOTO: Eric Badeau
Joan Bonvicini, ’75
Cathy Inglese, ’80
n Stay in Touch!Connect with all things Southern — from news on thelatest campus developments to information onupcoming alumni events. The university offers numer-ous ways to stay up-to-date.
�+ We’re on the Web at www.SouthernCT.edu. For athlet-ics information go to www.SouthernCTOwls.com.
�+ Become a fan of Southern on Facebook at www.face-book.com. A wide variety of pages are available,including those specifically devoted to alumni, the uni-versity, the John Lyman Centerfor the Performing Arts, andcareer services.
�+ Follow Southern on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/scsutweet.The free service provides a way to communicatethrough the exchange of brief, frequent messages.
�+ Join LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com for professionalnetworking opportunities. Go to the “Official SouthernConnecticut State University” site.
�+ The Alumni Relations Office can also be reached at(203) 392-6500; www.SouthernCT.edu/alumni/; orSCSU, Attn: Alumni Relations, 501 Crescent Street,New Haven, CT 06515.
Spring 2010 | 29
An invitation to Southern Educators!
Join us on April 10, 2010 for
Alumni College Seminars — including some that meet guidelinesfor .1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits per seminar.
Fun-filled children’s activities and a snack/movie party
The President’s Reception
Meet the Southern authors showcase
The Amazing Race scavenger hunt
And much more.
A special day-long, campus-wide event for Southern alumni.
Highlights include:
RSVP by April 2, 2010For more information and tickets, call Alumni Relations at (203) 392-6500or online at www.SouthernCT.edu/alumni/.
alumni notes
30 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
’50sJOHN L. CARUSONE, ’57, M.S.
’62, was inducted into theSouthern ConnecticutDiamond Club Hall of Fame.Carusone also was inductedinto the Connecticut ASA(Amateur SoftballAssociation) Slo-Pitch Hall ofFame in 2004 and, in 2008,received the Gold Bat Awardfrom the West Haven TwilightLeague. An athletics field inHamden, Conn., was namedin his honor in 2007.
’60sLAWRENCE D. MCHUGH, ’62,
has been appointed chairmanof the Board of Trustees forthe University of Connecticutby Governor M. Jodi Rell.McHugh, president of theMiddlesex Chamber ofCommerce, previously waschairman of the Board ofTrustees for the ConnecticutState University System. Hehas been succeeded by Karl J.Krapek.
FRANCIS GAGLIARDI, ’63, hasretired as associate directorof Burritt Library at CentralConnecticut State Universityafter 45 years.
VINCENTVIRGULTO, ’63, wasinducted into the SouthernConnecticut Diamond ClubHall of Fame in 2009.
DAVID F. MILLS, ’64, M.S. ’69,a former Bristol Eastern HighSchool football coach, waselected to a City Council seaton the Republican ticket.
JON PURMONT, M.S. ’64, pro-fessor of history at Southern,has retired.
LAWRENCE P. CLINTON, ’66,was honored by the AmericanPsychiatric Association as adistinguished fellow in 2005and 2009 for his contribu-tions to the field. In 2008Clinton was honored as oneof America’s top psychiatristsfor his work with children.Clinton, who is a medicaldoctor, has an active practicein Vineland, N.J.
ELIZABETH FOYE, M.S. ’67, pro-fessor of elementary educationat Southern, has retired.
BARBARA SHILLER, ’67, 6thYr. ’78, professor of specialeducation at Southern, hasretired.
MARYANNE ULLMANN, ’68,M.S. ’76, 6th Yr. ’86, associateprofessor of special educationat Southern, has retired.
ED ASTON, ’69, M.S. ’73, headswimming coach at CheshireHigh School and FarmsCountry Club, was a recipientof the Elm City LegendAward, as reported in theCheshire Herald.
PETER BOPPERT, ’69, director ofthe Learning Resource Centerat Southern, has retired.
JOHN S. PIUREK, ’69, M.S. ’74,6th Yr. ’91, and wife, DENISEPIUREK, ’71, celebratedtheir 40th wedding anniver-sary this year.
’70sPATRICIA RUKOWICZ, ’70,
M.S. ’73, 6th Yr. ’74, M.S. ’03,associate professor of schoolhealth education, has retired.
JEAN CHAPMAN SNIDER, ’70,retired from the Virginia BeachSchool System in 1998 andreceived the North CarolinaGovernor’s Award for volun-teerism in 1999 and 2009.
PATSY LEMLEY KAMERICA,’71, M.S. ’75, was inductedinto the Haddam-Killingworth High SchoolHall of Fame.
MICHAEL G. MARTIN, M.S.’71, 6th Yr. ’75, professor ofcounseling and school psy-chology at Southern, hasretired.
JANIS PANAGROSSI, ’71, M.S.’78, the office assistant for thebookstore at Southern, hasretired.
BARBARA BELLINGER, M.S.’72, is a consultant at LearningDynamics, a national trainingand development companybased in Wallingford, Conn.
LAURAV. FREUND, ’72, a spe-cial education teacher inTorrington Public Schools,ran for a third term as NorthCanaan’s representative to theSchool Board in Region 1.
DAVIDW. MARTENS, ’72,M.A. ’74, 6th Yr. ’80, professorof exercise science atSouthern, has retired.
MICHAEL ROSHKA, ’73, M.S.’79, has retired from the posi-tion of director of conferenceservices and special events atSouthern.
DOLORES ENNICO, ’74, M.S.’77, has been elected as anofficer for Olin Corporation, adiversified manufacturingcompany headquartered inSt. Louis, Mo. Ennico willhave overall responsibility forall human resource activitiesthroughout the corporation.She lives in Fairfield, Conn.
THOMAS HANFORD, ’74, M.S.’79, performed at theLitchfield Historical Society’s22nd annual Children’sSummer Series. Hanford, aresident of Goshen, Conn., isa musician and storyteller.
BARBARA D. LYNCH, M.S. ’74,6th Yr. ’75, professor of mar-riage and family therapy atSouthern, has retired.
CYNTHIA TWISS, ’74, M.S. ’81,6th Yr. ’97, has been nameddirector of special educationand student services by theMadison Board of Educationafter a 28-year career withthe Trumbull Public SchoolSystem in Conn.
LEONARDYANNIELLI, M.S.’74, M.S. ’89, was presentedwith the National Association
Reunion News
• School of Education alumni from all graduatingclasses are invited to attend a Celebration of the School ofEducation on April 10, 2010. Highlights of the event, whichwill be held from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., include AlumniCollege Seminars (among them, programs for children),campus tours, a Meet the Southern Authors spotlight, andthe President’s Reception.
• The Class of 1960 will be honored at undergraduatecommencement on May 28 in recognition of its 50threunion.
For more information on these events or if you would like to organize a reunion for your class, please contact Alumni Relations at (203) 392-6500.
Support Southern. Leave a Legacy.Planned gifts — also called deferred or estate gifts — can help you meet your
long-term financial goals, while providing critically needed support for Southern’s
talented and deserving students.
The university’s Development Office can supply information on a variety of
planned gifts that help Southern maintain a climate of excellence — from bequests
that extend your generosity beyond your lifetime to charitable gift annuities and
trusts, which can provide fixed-income payments and several tax benefits.
If you’ve already included the Southern Connecticut State University
Foundation in your will, please let us know so that we can acknowledge your
generosity by enrolling you in the Heritage Society.
If not, please consider leaving a legacy by making a planned gift to the
Southern Connecticut State University Foundation. For more information, contact the
Development Office.
(203) 392-5598 • www.SouthernCT.edu/supportsouthern Southern Connecticut State University501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT 06515-1355
Spring 2010 | 31
of Biology Teachers 2009Evolution Education Award.Yannielli is a professor atNaugatuck Valley CommunityCollege in Waterbury, Conn.
DAVID J. DENINO, ’75, M.S.’76, has retired from the posi-tion of director of counselingservices at Southern.
ARTHUR J. LEARY, ’75, hasretired from the position ofhead coach of men’s basket-ball at Southern.
JAMES L. WILLIAMS, M.A.’75, M.S. ’77, 6th Yr. ’82, hasretired from the position ofinterim director of admis-sions at Southern.
ALI ZAMOURI, M.S. ’75, hasretired from the position of
assistant librarian at Southern.
FRANCES L. KENDALL, ’76,was promoted to the rank offull professor at SalisburyUniversity in Salisbury, Md.,and teaches television anddocumentary production inthe Department ofCommunication Arts.
STEWART BYRON, ’78, aMadison, Conn., resident, hadhis sculptures and wood-burning artwork displayed bythe Clinton Art Society at theLiberty Bank in Clinton,Conn. Byron also has dis-played his work at the P. T.Barnum Museum and theLockwood MathewsMuseum, both in Conn.
EDWARD J. HOYER, JR.,M.L.S. ’78, M.S. ’81, hasretired from the position ofassociate librarian atSouthern.
COLLEEN KREHEL SEADALE,’78, is a licensed family thera-pist in private practice inEdgartown, Mass., onMartha’s Vineyard.
SANDRA L. DENNIES, M.S. ’79,was named chief financial offi-cer for the city of Wilton, Conn.Previously, Dennies served asdirector of administration andchief financial officer for thecity of Stamford, Conn.
BERNADETTE FLYNN, ’79, wasselected 2009 Coach of theYear for Outstanding
Achievement in Women’sSports by the Fairfax CountyWomen’s Sports AwardCommittee and The Women’sSports Foundation. Flynnlives in Springfield, Va.
PATRICIA RUTKOWSKI, M.S.’79, has been promoted to theposition of library director atthe New Britain Library.Rutkowski has been employedby the library for 40 years andis the first library employeesince 1967 to be promoted tothe director position.
JOYCE SALTMAN, M.S. ’79, 6thYr. ’81, professor of specialeducation at Southern, hasretired.
JAMES F. WENKER, ’79, wasnamed principal at Newington
High School in Conn. He wasformerly principal atThomaston High School.
’80sROSEANN DIANA, M.S. ’80,
associate dean of the Schoolof Graduate Studies atSouthern, has retired.
DANIEL MURPHY, 6th Yr. ’80,is the principal ofImmaculate High School inDanbury, Conn. Murphy andhis wife, Cathy, were mem-bers of Immaculate’s firstgraduating class in 1966.
ROBERTA. HISCOX, 6th Yr. ’81,is one of four Prospect, Conn.,residents appointed by theTown Council to sit on theBoard of Education for Region16. Hiscox is a biology teacherat Newington High School.
GLENHOTTIN, ’82, has beennamed Mentor of the Year bythe Branford Community YouthMentoring Program. Hottin isthe owner of M&H Advisors,LLC, in New Haven, Conn.
ROBYN STEWART JOHNSON,’82, is a senior assistantstate’s attorney. She joined theHousing Div. in 2005 afterserving 11 years in NewHaven Superior Court.
BARBARA SCHADE, ’82,founded a new educationcenter named The ClausAcademy in Norwalk, Conn.The center provides tutoring,mentoring, and coaching toyoung adults in reading, writ-ing, and mathematics.
PAMELA BRUCKER, ’83, M.S.’87, 6th Yr. ’91, professor ofspecial education atSouthern, has retired.
JUDITH BUZZELL, 6th Yr. ’83,professor of education atSouthern, has retired.
JIM KALACH, ’83, has beenpromoted to director of exec-utive communications at theHartford Financial ServicesGroup in Hartford, Conn.
STUYVESANT MARTIN REID,SR., ’83, is an operations ana-lyst with the state of GeorgiaDepartment of Corrections.He lives in Lithia Spring, Ga.
Olympic Recognition for Southern CoachFormer Southern men’s gymnastics coach
Abraham “Abie” Grossfeld was inducted into the U.S.
Olympic Hall of Fame this fall — an
honor that places him in the compa-
ny of some of the country’s most cel-
ebrated athletes. Grossfeld was the
head coach of the 1984 U.S. Olympic
Men’s Gymnastics Team that earned
eight medals, including
the U.S. men’s only
Olympic team gold. He
also was the personal
coach of Southern’s
alumnus Peter Kormann,
’78, who captured a
bronze medal on floor
exercise at the 1976
Olympic Games.
At Southern,
Grossfeld served as
coach from 1963-2003
and was named national
coach of the year three
times during his tenure.
He led the Owls to three
NCAA championships,
and coached 29 individ-
ual NCAA champions, 126 All-Americans, and four
Nissen Award winners. Upon his retirement he received
the honorary title of professor emeritus of intercolle-
giate athletics.
A nationally recognized athlete in his own right,
Grossfeld competed in two Olympic Games (1956,
1960), two World Championships (1958, 1962), and
three Pan American Games — the latter of which result-
ed in three team gold medals for the U.S.
32 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
GREGORY P. DESTEFANO, ’84,principal of Konowitz, Kahnand Company, was elected tothe Valley United Way Boardof Directors.
NICK ECONOMOPOULOS, 6thYr. ’84, a former teacher atLyman Hall High School andformer member of the Boardof Education, has been elect-ed as one of the town coun-cilors of Wallingford, Conn.
PAUL BEST, M.S. ’85, 6th Yr.’87, professor of political sci-ence at Southern, has retired.
JUDITH BONACCI DRENZEK,M.S. ’85, 6th Yr. ’95, wasappointed preschool supervi-sor in the West Haven SchoolDistrict in Conn.
GRETA GETLEIN, ’86, hasearned a Master of Divinityfrom Yale Divinity School andwas ordained in June 2009.
GLORIA GUBITOSI, 6th Yr. ’86,was a candidate for a positionon the school board inWolcott, Conn. Gubitosi’sexperience includes two yearson the Republican TownCommittee and one term onthe Board of Education.
ROBERT L. PARKER, ’86, a for-mer newspaper columnistand radio host, has joinedWDIV TV in Detroit, Mich.Parker will write severalcolumns each week exclusive-ly for ClickOnDetroit.com, inaddition to contributing pod-casts and blogs. Parker alsowill continue his weeklyappearances on Sports FinalEdition.
KERRY CARDINAL, ’87, activi-ties director at RidgefieldCrossing senior living com-munity, has received theOutstanding ResidentServices Award from theConnecticut Assisted LivingAssociation.
ANN CURLEY, M.S. ’87, washonored as Teacher of theYear at the Washington Schoolin Manchester, Conn. Curley, acreative arts teacher, has beenteaching for 11 years.
GREGORY DANDIO, ’88, was acandidate for the WolcottBoard of Education, as statedin the Sunday Republican
newspaper. Dandio is chieftechnology officer at AreaCooperative EducationServices in North Haven, Conn.
’90sDONALD M. CASEY, M.S. ’90,
an assistant director at CampTeepee for 30 years, receivedthe Staff Excellence Awardfrom the Lakewood TrumbullYMCA in Conn. Casey is aneducator at StepneyElementary School in Monroe,Conn. Recently students therewere honored by PresidentBarack Obama and First LadyMichelle Obama for their par-ticipation in the Read AcrossAmerica initiative.
FREDERICK M. LYNN, M.S.’90, has been selected execu-tive director of ImmaculateConception Shelter andHousing Corporation. Lynnhas nearly 25 years of non-profit management experi-ence, primarily working inthe anti-poverty arena withcommunity action agencies.
LEIF MADSEN, M.L.S. ’90,joined the staff of the DenverSchool of Nursing in 2009 asthe Learning Resource Centermanager. Madsen created avirtual library service for the
school and is working to helpthe school get nationalaccreditation.
JOHN“JACK” DEMMONS, ’91,was inducted into the SheehanHigh School Hall of Fame.Demmons earned five varsityletters, two in basketball andthree in baseball, and was co-captain of the high school’s1976 baseball team.
SHERYL SERVISS, ’91, is pursu-ing her interest in the field offorensic facial reconstruction.Serviss recently went toOklahoma University to studywith an experienced facialreconstruction artist. She hasalso studied sculpture at theLyme Academy of Fine Arts.
PAUL S. FREEMAN, M.S. ’93,6th Yr. ’96, the former assis-tant superintendent in EastLyme, Conn., has beenappointed superintendent ofschools in Griswold, Conn.
W. KURT MILLER, ’93, ran forreelection in the Seymour,Conn., race for the Board ofSelectmen. Miller is anaccount relationship managerat CUNA Mutual Group andan employee at family-ownedMiller Ward Funeral Home.
ROBERT T. CORK, ’94, is thedirector of communication
for the Challenger Center forSpace Science Education inAlexandria, Va. This non-profit organization wasfounded in 1986 by the fami-lies of the astronauts lost inthe Challenger 51-L mission.
LUIS MOYANO, ’94, has beennamed assistant director ofadmissions for QuinnipiacUniversity Online, which pro-vides support for all onlineprograms and courses offeredby the university.
JEROME MUGAVERGO, ’94, hasbeen the technical director ofthe YES Network (YankeesEntertainment and SportsNetwork) since its inceptionin 2002.
ERIC PARADIS, ’94, was a can-didate for the NewtownBoard of Education in the2009 election. Paradis is aneducator at Trumbull HighSchool and is a credentialedschool social work.
KERRI SAUER, ’94, a nursingsupervisor, leads a nursepractitioner program at theWestview Health Care Centerin Dayville, Conn.
CYNTHIA CHRISTIE, M.S. ’95,assistant dean for careerservices in the School ofHealth Sciences at Quinnipiac
University, has been elected atrustee of the ConnecticutCareer Counseling andDevelopment Association.
MICHAEL HOLINSTAT, ’95,M.S. ’99, has accepted a facul-ty position at ThomasJefferson University and isnow an assistant professor inthe Department of Medicine,Division of Hematology.Holinstat was also one of alimited pool of researchers toreceive a Pathway toIndependence Award grantfrom the National Institutesof Health.
CYNTHIA RITCHIE, ’95, M.A.’96, 6th Yr. ’00, has beenappointed principal of SalemElementary School. Ritchiewas formerly a language artsbuilding specialist in OldSaybrook, Conn.
SALVATORE ZARRA, M.S. ’96,6th Yr. ’99, was selectedTeacher of the Year for theBranford School System.Zarra is a mathematicsteacher at Branford HighSchool in Conn.
JANE CIARLONE, M.S. ’97,coordinator in the Office ofStudy Skills Enrichment atSouthern, has retired.
TRACY JOHNSTON, M.S. ’97,has been named director ofpupil services by the Chester,Deep River, Essex, andRegion 4 Boards ofEducation.
TAMMY JOSKA, ’97, M.S. ’99,who is completing post-doc-toral work at DartmouthCollege, designed an inhibitorof Anthrax DihydrofolateReductase. She hopes tobecome a professor and towork in a pharmaceuticalcompany.
MICHAEL J. HANLON, ’98, hasbeen appointed by theConnecticut Society ofCertified Public Accountantsto serve as a member of itsAdvisory Council for 2009-2010.Hanlon is a manager forBlum Shapiro in Shelton, Conn.
SARA NEMEROV, ’98, joinedthe Warner Music Group assenior vice president of con-sumer products and brandlicensing for Rhino
Foundation Board Member HonoredJohn Soto, a prominent businessman, philanthropist, and
member of the SCSU Foundation Board of Directors, is
the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the
State of Connecticut Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs
Commission (LPRAC). The award was presented on
October 24 at a gala awards ceremony in Hartford, Conn.
Soto, who as a young man emigrated to the U.S.
from Puerto Rico, is the founder and president of Space-
Craft Manufacturing, a leading manufacturer of turbine
engine parts and structural airframe components. Based
in New Haven, Conn., the company serves a who’s who of clients, including Pratt &
Whitney Aircraft, Sikorsky Aircraft, Volvo Aero, and the United States Air Force and Navy.
Soto, who was unable to attend college due to financial reasons, is committed
to providing educational opportunity to others. At Southern, he and his wife, Gladys,
established the John Soto Endowed Scholarship Fund and have provided numerous
other contributions in support of the university.
Spring 2010 | 33
Entertainment and FrankSinatra Enterprises.
MIKE TRACY, ’98, is the newhead football coach at BranfordHigh School and the physicaleducation and health teacher atthe Connecticut school.
WILLIAM EGAN, 6th Yr. ’99, isthe new principal of WamogoRegional High School inLitchfield, Conn. Formerly,Egan was the assistant princi-pal of Brookfield High Schoolfor three years.
GENE HOLMES, M.S. ’99, is theprincipal of Saint MarkSchool in Stratford, Conn.,which was named a 2009
Blue Ribbon School by theU.S. Department ofEducation. Only 314 elemen-tary schools in the UnitedStates received the honor.
’00sTHEODORE P. OCZKOWSKI,
M.S. ’02, was a candidate forthe Oxford Board of Educationin the Nov. 2009 elections.Oczkowski is the director ofathletics at New Milford HighSchool in Conn., and the for-mer department chairman ofphysical education at TrumbullHigh School in Conn.
VINCENT J. (V.J.) SARULLO,’02, has been named the newathletics director at Mark T.Sheehan High School inWallingford, Conn. Sarullowill teach world history inthe Social StudiesDepartment.
DANIEL DEL PRETE, ’03, andhis wife, Sarah Beth Luce-DelPrete, live in New Haven,Conn., with their son, DanielAnthony.
COLEEN FLAHERTY-MERRITT, ’03, M.S. ’06, wasone of nine candidates run-ning for three seats on theBoard of Education in
Waterbury, Conn. Flaherty-Merritt is an educator atPomperaug High School inSouthbury, Conn.
STEVE HALEY, M.S. ’04, alicensed social worker, hasopened the Haley CounselingCenter in Hebron, Conn.
DAGMAR RATENSPERGER,’04, is the proprietor ofDagmar’s Desserts and Caféin Old Saybrook, Conn., anauthentic Bavarian/Austrian-style bakery.
PATRICE KOPAS, M.S. ’05, hasjoined Greenwich CatholicSchool, having previouslyworked at All Saints School inNorwalk, Conn., where shetaught algebra, mathematics,literature, composition, andreligion. Kopas has also beenelected to the Town of WestonBoard of Finance.
KELLY MCCOLLOUGH, ’05,was named patient servicemanager of a 29-bed generalmedicine unit at Yale-NewHaven Hospital.
EMILY PIFFERI, M.S. ’05, 6thYr. ’07, is the new school psy-chologist at Emerson-Williams Elementary Schoolin Wethersfield, Conn.
MEGHAN MARTINS, 6th Yr.’06, is the associate principalfor instruction at DanburyHigh School in Conn.
ANN LEVISWHITE, ’06, M.S.’09, was featured in theSouthbury, Conn., newspaper,VOICES, as being one of threemembers of the same familyto earn graduate degrees inthe spring. Her husband grad-uated from the Yale School ofNursing with a master’sdegree and his sister graduat-ed with a doctorate fromJohnson & Wales University.
GARY HOLDER-WINFIELD,’07, a member of theConnecticut House ofRepresentatives, received theChampion of Liberty Awardfrom the Connecticut CriminalDefense Lawyers Associationfor his work to abolish thedeath penalty in the state.
MELISSA KUROWSKI, ’08, isattending Western NewEngland School of Law.
CONNIE DICKERSON, M.L.S.’09, is a freelance writer andeditor, as reported in theWeston Forum newspaper.
MAUREEN FARRELL, M.P.H.’09, has been appointed to thenewly created position ofdirector of member wellnessfor the Regional YMCA ofWestern Connecticut. Farrellis a member of the Coalitionfor Healthy Kids and volun-teered as a health adviser forBrookfield Public Schoolsand the Brookfield HealthDepartment.
JAMES LOUGHEAD, M.S. ’09, ateacher at Edwin O. SmithHigh School in Storrs, Conn.,was awarded the John H.Stedman Passion for theSocial Studies Teaching Awardfrom the Connecticut Councilfor the Social Studies.
SARAH MARLAK, ’09, ateacher at the Generali Schoolof Literature and the Arts inMiddlebury, Conn., ran for aposition on the Board ofEducation.
STEPHANIE LYNN NARUS,’09, is employed by Yale-NewHaven Hospital as a regis-tered nurse in the PediatricIntensive Care Unit.
MICHELLE ST. PETER, ’09, hasjoined Dworken, Hillman,LaMorte and Sterczala, PC, asa staff accountant.
NICHOLAS VALLI, ’09, ofMonroe, Conn., has joinedthe firm of Dworken,Hillman, LaMorte andSterczala, PC, as a staffaccountant.
MarriagesLISA GREEN, ’86, M.S. ’95, and
Michael Durocher, June 27,2009.
MICHELE MORCK, ’01, andJack Ross, Sept. 27, 2009.
KRISTEN MARIE RUBINO,’02, M.S. ’06, and JoshuaYahwak, Oct. 4, 2009.
AMY KEIGH KRESS, ’05, andBrien Chegwidden Jones,June 20, 2009.
JIAN LIAN CHAN, ’06, andChristine Angela Smith, July26, 2009.
Share your good news with South ern friends andclassmates by sending it to Southern AlumniNews. Mail this completed form to SouthernAlumni News, SCSU Alumni Relations Office, New Haven, CT 06515-1355; fax, (203) 392-5082;or e-mail, [email protected].
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34 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
MICHELLE FUSCO, ’06, andScott Boulanger, June 6, 2009.
ERIN SHANA MCCOOL, ’06,M.S. ’09, and CHRISTOPHERJ. BONINI, ’05, July 25, 2009.
GINA NICOLETT, ’06, andStephen Galullo, Jan. 5, 2009.
BENJAMIN BELANCIK, ’07,and Laura Hale, April 11,2009.
JENNIFER BOUSQUET, 6th Yr.’07, and Matthew Weeks, Aug.9, 2008.
AMANDA LYNN BARRA, ’09,and Mark Colangelo, July 10,2009.
AMANDA STEINNECKER, 6thYr. ’09, and Jared Kosky, July31, 2009.
Births/AdoptionsNICOLE ADCOCK BOGER, ’98,
and her husband, James A.Boger, announce the birth oftheir second son, ZacharyJames, born June 9, 2009.
IN MEMORIAM ELVIRA BOVE CAVALIERE, ’38.VIRGINIA SHELTON(HUBBELL) TUCKER, ’38,Shelton, Conn., Oct. 27, 2009.
BEATRICE D. CASTAGNETTISABIA, ’43, Stamford, Conn.,June 19, 2009.
MARIAN STEIN, ’43, Hamden,Conn., Aug. 26, 2009.
ENIDWHARTON CLAY, ’46,M.S. ’72, Milford, Conn., July10, 2009.
JEAN O. FOSTER, ’47, SantaBarbara, Calif., May 1, 2009.
SARA MORRIS PIERPONT,’48, M.S. ’73, Dec. 13, 2008.
SALVATORE C. POLIO, ’50,M.S. ’53, Hamden, Conn., July5, 2009.
SALVATORE GIANNONE, ’52,Ansonia, Conn., Oct. 29, 2009.
ESILDA B. PEPPER, ’54,Milford, Conn., July 29, 2009.
MARSHA L. PERLMUTTER,’55, New Haven, Conn., Feb.22, 2008.
RICHARD A. CASSIEY, ’59.
EVELYN LORENZO’SULLIVAN, ’59.
RONALD T. PARENTE, ’59.
ROBERT H. PELLETIER, ’59,M.S. ’69.
RICHARDW. WHITNEY, ’59,Oct. 2007.
RICHARD T. WILLIAMS, ’59,Feb. 3, 2009.
FLORENCE THOMAS, ’61,Branford, Conn., June 16, 2009.
THOMAS J. PETRUNY, ’69,M.S. ’76, 6th Yr. ’79, NewHaven, Conn., July 5, 2009.
WALTER DANKOWSKI, ’70,New Haven, Conn., June 30,2009.
JOHN B. HARTY, ’71, 6th Yr.’76, North Franklin, Conn.,July 31, 2009.
SHARON LEE PASCALEWILSON, ’71, M.S. ’92,Cheshire, Conn., Aug. 8, 2009.
BARBARA JEAN CHARLEY,’72, M.S. ’79, East Hartford,Conn., Sept. 30, 2009.
GERTRUDE“SUE” WHALEN,’72, M.L.S. ’78, Southington,Conn., June 26, 2009.
RICHARD BOORJIAN, M.S. ’73,Canton, Conn., June 6, 2009.
DAWN CROSS FERLAND, ’73,Woodstock Valley, Conn., July14, 2009.
CHRISTOPHER GEORGEMACHNICH, ’74, Glastonbury,Conn., July 20, 2009.
WILLIAM PUKAS, ’74, M.S.’83, 6th Yr. ’92, Waterford,Conn., Oct. 26, 2009.
BLANCHE GILBERTNEWTON, M.S. ’75, NorthGranby, Conn., June 14, 2009.
KRISTINE DOHMARPAIA,’76,Branford, Conn., Sept. 11, 2009.
BARRY E. DRISCOLL, M.S. ’76,Barre Town, Vt., June 29, 2009.
WILLIAM T. MCCANN, ’76,South Glastonbury, Conn.,Sept. 17, 2009.
JEAN H. NEWELL, ’76, M.S.’80, Damariscotta, Maine,May 16, 2009.
MARY L. (PHILBIN)PURSELL, M.S. ’76, NewHaven, Conn., Sept. 3, 2009.
MICHAEL SCOTT HARE, M.S.’77, Manchester, Conn., July 6,2009.
ANDREW C. NELSON, ’78,Fairfield, Conn., July 12, 2009.
DANIEL M. CAREY, ’80, M.S.’82, Hartford, Conn., Sept. 11,2009.
AUDREY DICKINSONLEMOINE, ’81,Hamden,Conn.,July 15, 2009.
ANDREA TROUT HERGET,’82, Guilford, Conn., July 23,2009.
ANNE COLEMAN EYES, M.L.S.’83, Westport, Conn., Aug. 20,2009.
MARY KINTZLER, M.S. ’84,Essex, Conn., Aug. 30, 2009.
LISA MESSNER, ’84, WestHaven, Conn., June 18, 2009.
CHRISTIAN G. O’CONNOR,’92, New Haven, Conn., July16, 2009.
MARION MURPHY, ’98,Wolcott, Conn., July 5, 2009.
JOHN J. ROMANO, JR.,Professor Emeritus atSouthern, Cheshire, Conn.,July 12, 2009.
Founder of Southern’s Journalism Program Dies� Professor Emeritus Robin Marshall Glassman, an accom-
plished journalist who founded Southern’s journalism department in
the late 1970s, passed away on August 18, at the age of 83. During
her 50-year career, Glassman was a reporter and editor for numerous
newspapers, including the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the Lake
City (Florida) Gazette, the New Haven Register, and Fair Press, and
served as a reporter for United Press International. She also worked
on special assignments with Life magazine and was published in
Atlantic Monthly, Harper’s, Connecticut, Fairfield County, and many
other magazines.
Glassman, who taught at Southern from 1968 to 1995, was
equally distinguished as a professor of journalism. In 1989 the
Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) selected her from among
journalism professors across the nation for their “Distinguished
Teacher of Journalism” award. She was active in SPJ for more than
25 years and was the first woman president of the organization’s
Connecticut chapter, which named its Lifetime Achievement Award in
her honor.
Furthering Glassman’s long-demonstrated commitment to Southern and her students, a scholarship is
being established in her memory. Donations may be sent to the SCSU Foundation, 501 Crescent Street, New Haven,
CT 06515. Please make out checks to the SCSU Foundation and note “Robin M. Glassman Scholarship” in the
memo section.
Class notes are compiled from submissions from alumni, as well asannouncements made in newspapers and magazines.
Next Stop: Med Schoolcontinued from page 19
Spring 2010 | 35
advice, take challenging courses, and do
not take the easy way out,” says Jiong Dong
Pang, associate professor of chemistry and
chairwoman of the committee.
Technically, pre-med is not a major.
In fact, pre-med students may choose any
major, but must also take a cluster of science
courses, including at least eight credits each
in biology and physics and 16 credits in
chemistry. In addition, the committee urges
students to take advanced science courses —
anatomy, physiology, microbiology, genetics,
and biochemistry, to name a few — as well
as calculus. Aina says she couldn’t have come
this far without the committee’s guidance.
In addition to Pang, the committee
includes Biology Department faculty mem-
bers Jane Feng and Jonathan Weinbaum;
Assistant Professor of Chemistry Adiel
Coca; and Professors of Physics Christine
Broadbridge and Karen Cummings.
The committee helps would-be
doctors with everything from course selec-
tion to studying for the Medical College
Admission Test (MCAT). Interested stu-
dents are encouraged to register with the
committee as soon as possible, preferably
freshman year. In spring of their junior
year, potential medical school applicants
must submit to an intensive evaluation and
interview. Most U.S. medical schools typi-
cally require a letter of recommendation
from the committee.
According to Pang, 80 percent of
Southern applicants with strong committee
recommendations have gained acceptance
into U.S. medical, dental, and veterinary
schools. This includes both undergraduates
and post-baccalaureate students who come
to Southern to take science courses needed
for medical school entry.
“You can come to Southern and
you can be a doctor,” Pang adds. “It’s a long
journey and a hard-working one, but we
can prepare you.”
Nationwide, there were 558,053
applications to U.S. medical schools in
2008 from a total of 42,231 applicants,
according to AAMC statistics. Of those,
18,036 students were enrolled. On average,
each applicant applied to 13 schools.
Successful students fit a similar
profile, says Pang. Typically they have at
least a 3.7 overall grade point average and a
3.8 grade point average in the sciences.
They’re analytical thinkers with strong
backgrounds in the sciences and liberal
arts. Usually, they’ve volunteered in a hospi-
tal or doctor’s office and are leaders in cam-
pus clubs and community organizations.
Aina, for example, served as a resi-
dent advisor in her dorm and helped char-
ter a chapter of the Golden Key
International Honor Society. She also vol-
unteered in the emergency room at the
Hospital of Saint Raphael in New Haven,
Conn., and worked as a laboratory assistant
at Cadbury-Schwepps in Trumbull, Conn.,
before attending medical school at the
University of Connecticut.
Beckmann, an Air Force captain
doing an internal medicine residency in
San Antonio, Texas, was a gymnast and vol-
unteered at Ronald McDonald House and
Yale-New Haven Hospital. After college, she
interned for a year at leading consumer-
goods manufacturer Unilever, before
attending Creighton University School of
Medicine in Omaha, Neb.
Young spent more than five years
in the Navy and completed a six-month
stint in Iraq as a medic in the Marine
Corps. before enrolling at Southern. While
on campus, he founded the Pre-Health
Society, a professional organization for stu-
dents interested in medical careers.
Young admits to being intimidated
when he first learned his roommates at
Dartmouth had done their undergraduate
work at Yale and New York University. But
his doubts evaporated when the semester
began. He quickly realized he’d have no
trouble keeping up.
“Southern did a very good job
preparing me,” says Young, explaining he
chose Southern because it was affordable
and close to home. “It’s kind of nice to
know that maybe you didn’t come from an
Ivy League school, but you still have the
same quality education.”
Graduates and current participants
say the program’s small size has its advan-
tages. For one, it’s easy to get one-on-one
time with professors. Students interested in
research are often able to work alongside
professors in their field of study. The facul-
ty “really cares about you instead of just
trying to push you through,” Young says.
“It’s a close-knit faculty. It’s really
good that you get to know all of the profes-
sors on a name basis,” adds Byron Peck-
Collier, ’10, who wants to be an orthopedic
surgeon and is eyeing Northwestern
University or the University of Chicago for
medical school.
In the meantime, he says Southern
offers great opportunities for hands-on
experience, such as the Emergency Medical
Technician course offered on campus. The
university also has a partnership with the
Research Associate Program at St. Vincent’s
Medical Center in Bridgeport, Conn., where
students can gain clinical experience in the
emergency department.
“You need to make sure that you
were adequately challenged as an under-
graduate, otherwise you will fail out of
medical school very quickly,” says Aina. “At
Southern, they make a point of encourag-
ing you to take those more rigorous cours-
es. It ensures that we get in and we stay in.”
Her advice to other future doctors
at Southern: “Seek out the faculty mentors
from the very first day you walk onto cam-
pus. That was a key for me.” n
36 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Southern EV
EN
TSChristian Finnegan
with Shane Mauss
March 16 7:30 p.m.
Showcased on Comedy Central, VH1,and MSNBC, Finnegan brings his freshtake on comedy to the Lyman Center.Mauss, winner of the Best Stand UpComic at the HBO 2007 US ComedyArts Festival, brings more laughs.
$10 for general admission. Free for Southern students,faculty, and staff. (203) 392-6154
A Celebration of theSchool of Education
April 10 9:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Throughout campus
Bring the entire family! Enjoy AlumniCollege seminars on a wide range oftopics, children’s events, the President’sReception, the Amazing Race scavengerhunt, and more.
For more information, call (203) 392-6500.
Education and NursingCareer Fair
April 12 1 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Michael J. Adanti Student Center(Grand Ballroom)
Explore career opportunities in theeducation and nursing fields.
For more information, call (203) 392-6536.
General Career FairApril 13 1 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Michael J. Adanti Student Center(Grand Ballroom)
Alumni and students are invited to meetwith close to 100 employers.
For more information, call (203) 392-6536.
19th Annual Women’sStudies Conference
• Women & Girls of Color: History, Heritage, Heterogeneity • Women’s and Girls’ Fair
April 16-17The conference will spotlight womenand girls of color — looking at theirlives and achievements throughouthistory and into the 21st century.
For more information, call (203) 392- 6133.
Graduate Open House April 22 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Michael J. Adanti Student Center(Grand Ballroom)
Explore graduate opportunities atSouthern — one of the largest graduateschools in New England.
(800) 448-0661; (203) 392-5240
The Gentlemen of theNight TourMarion Meadows, Paul Taylor, and Michael Lington
April 23 8 p.m.
Three jazz artists join forces for anunforgettable night of entertainment.
$25 for active alumni and Southern faculty/staff;$30 for general admission; and $15 for Southernstudents. (203) 392-6154
Scholarship Celebration Tea
April 29 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Michael J. Adanti Student Center
Honoring Southern’s scholarship donorsand the talented students who benefitfrom their generosity.
For more information, call (203) 392-6500.
Brian Regan with Special Guest
April 30 8 p.m.
Enjoy a hilarious night of comedy.
$29 for active alumni and Southern faculty/staff; $39for general admission; and $15 for Southern students.(203) 392-6154
Business After HoursAtlanta, Georgia • May 4 • 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at the historic Georgian Terrace Hotel. (203) 392-6500
Washington, D.C. • May 6 • 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. (203) 392-6500.
All events held in John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts, unless otherwise noted. Southern students must have valid identification to receive their ticket discounts. Discounted tickets are limited to two per person, subject to verification. For tickets and additional information and listings, visit Southern’s Web site at www.lyman.SouthernCT.edu
Euge Groove and Jeff Golub
April 10 8 p.m.
Some GirlsMay 4-8 8 p.m.;
May 9 2 p.m.
Kendall Drama Lab
A man travels to hotel rooms across thecountry to revisit his past girlfriends inthis dark comedy presented by theTheatre Department and CrescentPlayers; Directed by Assistant Professorof Theatre Kaia Monro.
$10 for general admission; $5 for senior citizens andSouthern students, faculty, and staff. (203) 392-6154
Make your gift today by returning the envelope provided or visit us online at www.giving.SouthernCT.edu
SMagCovSprFIN10_MagazineCover 3/23/10 10:46 AM Page 4
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501 Crescent StreetNew Haven, CT 06515-1355www.SouthernCT.edu
Spring | 10Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
In 1925, the Thrift Club, a student organization designed
to encourage financial responsibility, established a loan
fund to help financially struggling students stay in school
and earn their degrees at Southern — then known as the
New Haven Normal School.
Eighty-five years later, Southern alumni and friends
have continued the tradition of supporting students. In
the 2009-10 academic year, some 180 scholarships were
awarded to talented
and deserving men
and women.
In light of the economic downturn, such support
has never been needed more. Alumni and friends have
responded generously, helping the SCSU Foundation
provide a record level of scholarship and programmatic
support in 2009 — $961,000 compared with $652,000 the
previous year — an increase of over 47 percent.
In addition to directly helping students and their
families, these gifts reap tremendous benefits to society.
Consider just a few facts
from the nonprofit
organization Solutions for
Our Future: college
graduates volunteer more,
vote more often, and
participate more in
community and civic
organizations than people
without college degrees —
proof positive that each
and every gift that supports
Southern students truly
makes a difference.
The
Ulti
mat
e In
vest
men
t
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