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Transcript of Southern Alumni Magazine Spring 2014
ALUMNI MAGAZINE | Spring | 14a pu
blication for alum
ni and
frien
ds of So
uthe
rn Con
necticut State University
2013 CHARITABLE GIVING REPORT
FEATURED INSIDE:
Dear Southern Alumni,
Higher education has recently faced intense scrutiny on
the issue of costs versus benefits. Does the degree a student
earns really give a return on investment when it comes to
finding a first job and establishing a career? Does a college
education really prepare us for real life? These are issues for
colleges and universities to seriously consider as we revisit and
update our curricula and our teaching methods.
Certainly, there has never been a more crucial time for
public higher education to stand up and deliver on its
promises. By the year 2020 — just a few short years from now
— 67 percent of all jobs in Connecticut will require a career
certificate or college degree. Yet just 46 percent of adults
currently have an associate’s degree or higher. And while
statewide access to higher education has improved
dramatically, retention rates are dropping year by year. For too
many students, the path through college ends with no degree
— and significant debt.
At Southern, we realize that it is crucial to adapt our
delivery of education to the technical realities and
opportunities of our time. We must provide our students with a
balance of workforce development and liberal education,
ensuring that they will have the practical and intellectual tool
kit needed to forge a successful career in our new, knowledge-
based economy.
Just 13 years along, the economy of the 21st century is
already drastically different from that of its predecessor. As the
chief executive officer of Intel Corp. stated recently, 90 percent
of the products his company delivers on the final day of a
calendar year did not even exist when that year began. To meet
this pace of development, the workforce we need to foster must
be creative, innovative, entrepreneurial, and able to learn and
imagine. The education we offer must develop those versatile
qualities in our students.
At Southern, we are pursuing this course with new
offerings in in-demand fields, more fast-track programs that
meet the practical needs of non-traditional learners, and
facilities that will provide the best possible environment for
learning and research. Recently, for example, we have
introduced a new, accelerated MBA that will enable students to
earn their degree in 18 months through a combination of
Saturday and online courses. A B.S./B.A. in interdisciplinary
studies offers students an alternative to a traditional major,
enabling them to design their own program of study in
combined areas of concentration such as criminal justice and
forensic science, or environmental studies and marine studies.
And our M.S. in computer science has been restructured so
that its emphasis is on two tracks — cybersecurity and
software development — that represent two of the fastest-
growing fields in the country.
An array of cutting-edge science programs will be
offered in our new Academic and Laboratory Science Building
scheduled for completion in spring 2015. And, to provide
convenience for working students and give the university a
presence in New Haven’s downtown business district, we have
opened “Southern on the Green,” a suite of offices and seminar
rooms at 900 Chapel Street, adjacent to the headquarters of the
Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce.
With 85 percent of our annual graduating class
remaining in Connecticut to live and work, an investment in
public higher education is clearly an investment in our state’s
future. Or, as one of our Founding Fathers Benjamin Franklin
wisely stated: “An investment in knowledge always pays the
best interest.”
Sincerely,
Mary A. Papazian, Ph.D.
President
LETTER PresidentFROM
THE
features
From the President inside cover
Campus News 2True Blue 8
Nostalgia 24Alumni News 26
Alumni Notes 30Southern Events 36
depa
rtm
ents
Licensed to Thrill10
What’s in a name?
When it comes to the
licensing industry,
there’s a wealth of opportunity. Licensing guru, Sara
Nemerov, ’98, shares the ins and outs of working with some
of the music industry’s most celebrated names.
We are the Champions! 14 It was a spectacular season for the
Owls, who won two Division II
individual national championships:
swimmer Raymond Cswerko took
first in the 200-yard butterfly and
track and field’s Nick Lebron won
the heptathlon for the second time.
The men’s basketball team also
prevailed, finishing the season with
an East Region victory and an Elite
Eight appearance.
Beautiful Música 18With a song in their hearts, the University Choir traveled to
Spain to perform in some of Europe’s most beautiful churches.
Rich Cavanaugh,
the longest-
serving and
“winningest”
head football
coach in
Southern’s
history, says
goodbye to the
university he
called home for
almost three
decades.
20
Spring | 14Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
The Power of Education
2013 Charitable Giving Report
2013 CharitableGiving Report 37
The Power of Education
2 | SouthernALUMNI MAGAZINE
Southern Hitsthe CityThe university is
establishing a presence in
New Haven’s vibrant
downtown business district
at 900 Chapel Street, the
headquarters of the
Greater New Haven
Chamber of Commerce.
The university began using
the space in early 2014
after the SCSU Foundation
entered into an initial 12-
month lease.
“Having a presence
downtown will provide us
with greater visibility and
enable us to maximize
networking, development,
and partnership opportuni-
ties with the city’s players
in politics, commerce, edu-
cation, and the nonprofit
sector,” says President
Mary A. Papazian.
The downtown loca-
tion offers many potential
benefits to Southern and
its students, including the
opportunity to expand col-
laboration with nearby
Graduation Celebratio
n!
T
NEWSCampus
he fall semester ended on a high note with Southern holding winter commencement ceremonies
for undergraduate and graduate students. More than 350 students who had completed their
degree requirements this fall received their diplomas at two separate exercises held at the John
Lyman Center for the Performing Arts on Dec. 18. Undergraduates were honored in the afternoon,
while graduate students were recognized that evening.
Then outgoing New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr. delivered the undergraduate
commencement address, encouraging students to reach for the stars and to acknowledge those
who helped them along the way.
Southern President Mary A. Papazian also provided encouraging words to the graduates.
“I have been highly impressed by the quality of our students and the self-sacrifice, determination,
and sheer hard work that you have put in to achieve your goals,” she said. “And today, for you,
our fall graduates, all that effort comes to a happy fruition.”
[CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT] A new graduate revels in his achievement. President Mary A. Papazian (right) shares awarm moment at the ceremony. A group of graduating veterans meet with Giacomo (Jack) Mordente, M.S. ’77,6th Yr. ’79, Southern’s coordinator of Veterans and Military Affairs (fifth from left), before the ceremony.
Southern| ALUMNI MAGAZINE
| VOL 12 • NO 1
Dr. Mary A. Papazian, President
STAFF
Patrick Dilger,Director of Public Affairs
Villia Struyk, Editor
Mary Pat Caputo, Associate Editor
Michael Kobylanski, Sports Editor
Marylou Conley, ’83, Art Director
Isabel Chenoweth, Photographer
Nancy Ronne, Development Editor
Charlie Davison,Alumni Notes Editor
OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS
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] website: SouthernCT.edu
Printed by The Lane Press, Inc.
Southern Alumni Magazine is published by the university in cooperation with the SCSU AlumniAssociation two times a year and distributed free of charge to alumni and friends of the university.Opinions expressed in Southern Alumni Magazine do
not necessarily reflect those of theuniversity or 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 does notdiscriminate on the basis of race, color, religiouscreed, age, gender, gender identity or expression,national origin, marital status, ancestry, present orpast history of mental disorder, learning disability orphysical disability, veteran status, sexual orientation,genetic information, or criminal record. Thefollowing person has been designated to handleinquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:Pamela M. Lassiter, J.D., SCSU, 501 Crescent Street,BU 207, New Haven, CT 06515, (203) 392-5899,[email protected].
Spring 2014 | 3
Gateway Community
College and to enhance
recruitment efforts for trans-
fer students. The venue also
provides an opportunity to
offer off-campus classes in
programs such as the new
accelerated MBA and
health and human services.
Additionally, the downtown
location will be convenient
for students to network
for internship and job
placements.
SMALL WONDER:NanotechCenter a Boonto the StateMore Connecticut
college students will have
the opportunity to conduct
cutting-edge scientific
research thanks to the
newly designated
ConnSCU Center for
Nanotechnology that will
be based at Southern.
The designation,
made by the state Board of
Regents for Higher
Education, opens the door
for students and faculty
members from the 16
other institutions in the
Connecticut State Colleges
and Universities system to
pursue collaborative
research and partner with
representatives from busi-
ness and industry.
continues on page 4
Southern to OfferNew Accelerated MBA
The School of Business
is launching an accelerated
MBA program in fall 2014, a
fast-track option that will
allow working professionals to
complete their degree in just
18 months. Designed to com-
bine quality, convenience, and
affordability, the 51-credit
hybrid program includes a
combination of Saturday and
online courses.
The program consists
of nine sessions, each lasting eight weeks. Students will complete two courses during each
of the first eight sessions. The final session will be devoted to the completion of special
projects. More information is available at SouthernCT.edu/mba or call Celina Alles-Gonzalez
at (203) 392-5633.
State-of-the-art equipment significantly enhances research opportunities.
NEWSCampus
The center has been
operating for several years
as a Southern-based facility,
offering hands-on training
in a field that draws upon
several scientific disciplines,
including chemistry, biolo-
gy, physics, and engineer-
ing. Students work with
specialized equipment,
including a state-of-the-art
microscope that uses elec-
trons to image materials on
the atomic scale.
“It’s a very exciting
time for us, especially as
we await the opening of a
new science building [pro-
jected to be completed in
2015], which will enable
us to do more things with
a state-of-the-art facility
and equipment,” says
Christine Broadbridge,
chairwoman of the Physics
Department and the direc-
tor of the center.
The National
Science Foundation esti-
mates that two million
workers will be needed to
support nanotechnology
industries worldwide with-
in the next 15 years. The
new center will support
research in cutting-edge
areas. These include the
nano-medicine field, with
faculty collaborating on
topics such as how drugs
are delivered to the body,
and research and develop-
ment for new medical
devices and implants.
The center will also
focus on environmental
applications of nanotech-
nology, such as testing
devices that can sense
microscopic pollutant parti-
cles. Manufacturing appli-
cations are areas of interest
as well.
Looking forward, a
fellowship program affiliat-
ed with the new center will
award annual stipends to
several students who par-
ticipate in nanotech
research. The students will
also learn the business
side of science, such as
marketing products.
The fellowship pro-
gram will be funded
through a gift from the
Werth Family Foundation,
which recently contributed
$3 million to advance
Southern’s science pro-
grams. The center itself is
being funded through a
variety of sources, includ-
ing grants from the U.S.
Department of Energy
and the National Science
Foundation.
continued from page 3
4 | SouthernALUMNI MAGAZINE
Nanotechnology is science, engineering, and
technology conducted at the nanoscale, generally about
1 to 100 nanometers.
Just how tiny is a “nano?” The prefix “nano” is
translated as one-billionth or 10(-9). Simply put, one
nanometer is one-billionth of a meter . . . so small that
it’s extremely difficult to imagine. To help illustrate, here
are a few examples, courtesy of the National
Nanotechnology Initiative, a multi-departmental program
run by the U.S. government.
A sheet of paper is about 100,000nanometers thick.
There are 25,400,000nanometers in a single inch.
A strand of humanDNA has a diameterof 2.5 nanometers.
01/3
21/1
63/32 1/8 5/32
3/16 7/32 1/4 9/325/16
11/32 3/8
13/327/16
15/32 1/217/32
9/1619/32 5/8
21/32
11/16
23/32 3/425/32
13/16 27/32 7/829/32
15/16 31/32 1
one inch
Applause! Applause!Congratulations to several members of the
Southern community who were recently recognized
for outstanding achievement.
Sandra Bulmer, professor of public health
Ellen Durnin, dean of the School of Business
Sandra Bulmer, pro-
fessor of public health, was
elected to serve a three-
year term as president of
the Society for Public
Health Education. Founded
in 1950, the nonprofit
organization provides glob-
al leadership for the pro-
fession and is dedicated to
the promotion of the
health of society.
Ellen Durnin, dean
of the School of Business,
was honored as the
Business Advocate of the
Year by the Hamden
Chamber of Commerce.
Durnin was also appointed
to the legislative Results
First Policy Oversight
Committee as a represen-
tative of Connecticut’s
business community.
Spring 2014 | 5
Professor of Art Mia Brownellfaculty faces
at Southern: Teaches all levels of painting and drawing
a bit of background: Born in Chicago to a sculptor andbiophysicist, Brownell has had solo exhibitions innumerous major American cities, including recentconcurring shows in New York City and New Jersey.Her work has been reviewed and published in manypublications, including The Boston Globe, The VillageVoice, The New York Times, Hi-Fructose, and ArtnetMagazine. Her work was recently selected by the U.S.Department of State to be exhibited at the U.S.Embassy in Hong Kong. The J. Cacciola Galleryrepresents her in New York City.
some inspirations: Molecular models, a historical view ofstill-life painting, images retrieved from the ProteinData Bank files, and the industrialization of agricultureand food
see her work: “Delightful, Delicious, Disgusting: Paintingsby Mia Brownell,” a 10-year survey of paintings from2003-2013, was launched in January and will runthrough November 2014. The exhibit will be at theJuniata College Museum of Art (April 10 – Sept. 13,Huntingdon, Pa.), and the Housatonic Museum of Art(Sept. 25 – Nov. 17, Bridgeport, Conn.) Her work mayalso be viewed at miabrownell.com.
Still Life with Lost Pollinators, 2014. Oil on canvas, 24x30 inches.Courtesy of J. Cacciola Gallery, New York
A PatentedApproach toFighting CancerCommonly found
throughout the eastern half
of the U.S., the shade-lov-
ing Christmas fern may
provide a key to combating
an aggressive form of brain
cancer, according to Sarah
Crawford, a professor of
biology at Southern who
has an extensive back-
ground in cancer research.
An extract made
from the fern has demon-
strated anti-cancer proper-
ties in pre-clinical testing
conducted by Crawford
and her students. In fact,
the results were impressive
enough to spur the U.S.
Patent Office to award a
patent to Crawford, as well
as Erin Boisvert, ’08, who,
as a Southern
student,
worked
with the
professor.
The
extract was
tested as part of
a three-component
cocktail consisting of car-
mustine, a powerful
chemotherapy drug used to
treat brain cancer; curcum-
in, the active ingredient in
the spice turmeric that has
anti-inflammatory qualities;
and polystichum acrosti-
choides, the scientific name
for the Christmas fern.
NEWSCampus
6 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
[FROM LEFT] Sarah Crawford, professor of biology, and Southern student Paulina Mrowiec continue to test theeffectiveness of an anti-cancer extract that has shown promise in pre-clinical testing.
ThecommonChristmasfern is akeycomponentof thecancer-fightingextract.
Fast Facts. Good News.
The renovation of the original section of Buley Library soon will
be fully completed, with the state legislative Financial Advisory
Committee endorsing the university’s request to use reserves
and other monies to cover the $8 million cost of finishing the
second, third, and fourth floors. The renovation is slated to be
finished by January 2015. When added to the 135,000-square-
foot addition completed in 2008, the entire library will total
245,000 square feet.
It’s a global classroom. Southern’s Office of International
Education has seen a 25% increase in participation
in study abroad programs, with even more students
expected to study abroad in 2014.
Southern offers numerous faculty-led spring break and summer
opportunities. New programs in Jamaica, Brazil, Armenia, and a re-
envisioned offering in China have joined seven existing programs
in Bermuda, Guatemala, Iceland, Paris, Rome, Spain, and Tuscany.
Southern has more than 87,000 alumni,
who hold more than 94,000 degrees.
Southern’s Celebration of Philanthropy was held on Nov. 10,
recognizing leadership-level supporters of the university and the
many students who benefit from their generosity. About
220 donors, students, and other members of the Southern
community attended the event.
Spring 2014 | 7
Tests showed that
the cocktail was effective
in killing nearly half of
the cancer cells tested
— far more potent
than use of any of the
three substances alone.
The tests were conducted
on glioblastoma multi-
forme, considered to be
the most deadly form of
brain cancer with a fatali-
ty rate of more than 90
percent within five years.
“I won’t rest until
we can kill 100 percent
of the cancer cells, but
it’s a good start” says
Crawford, adding that
she plans to experiment
by varying the levels of
each substance to see if
it increases the extract’s
anti-cancer properties.
She also says she may
test other chemotherapy
drugs with the Christmas
fern and curcumin.
Good Deeds The SCSU Foundation is committed to helping Southern create a climate of excellence by overseeing the
management of gifts from private sources. Recently, the foundation funded a number of new initiatives,
all designed to help Southern’s talented students succeed.
On the WebPay a virtual visit to the university at SouthernCT.edu.
� Read Southern President Mary A. Papazian’sblog, with spotlights on the latest campusnews and accomplishments atpresident.SouthernCT.edu.
� Browse through past issues of SouthernAlumni Magazine and read alumni news atSouthernCT.edu/alumni.
� Listen as the university choir performs inSpain — and view photos and videos fromthe trip at SCSUbarcelona.tumblr.com.
� Check out a list of upcoming performances atthe Lyman Center for the Performing Arts atLyman.SouthernCT.edu.
� Read “Wise Words,” a blog that offers tipsand insights on topics of general interest withexpertise provided by Southern’s faculty andstaff. Find it at scsuwisewords.wordpress.com.
* Lending a helping hand in times of need, the Foundation
Student Support Fund was recently established to provide students
with financial assistance outside of the traditional financial aid
process. The fund may be used for a variety of purposes. Examples
include assisting with the cost of tuition and fees for students who
otherwise would be unable to remain at the university, covering
the cost of books for students in need, and paying fees and other
costs of off-campus educational programs during summer and
other breaks.
* The College Board estimates that the average college student
annually spends $1,168 on textbooks and materials — a significant
burden for those faced with financial hardship. Conceived in 1996
by Aaron Washington, associate dean of student affairs, the SCSU
Book Loan Scholarship Program annually awards about 40
students with demonstrated financial need approximately $500
each for course books. Students are issued a voucher to purchase
textbooks at the campus bookstore and sign a written promise to
return the books at the end of the semester. The returned books
are then donated to the university’s Multicultural Center library to
be loaned out to students in need. When the program recently lost
its state funding, the SCSU Foundation stepped in, providing
financial support for the much-needed program to continue.
* Supporting experiential learning at its best, the SCSU
Foundation is funding a new initiative — Undergraduate Research
Grants for summer 2014. The program will provide up to five
grants of $3,000 each to undergraduates who are completing
research in any academic discipline represented at Southern. A
faculty mentor will guide each participating student. Students may
accept the full $3,000 as a stipend, or if needed, a portion of the
money may be used for expenses related to the project.
* The SCSU Foundation is also funding the Civic Engagement/
Service Learning Initiative, a program that provides educational
benefits while supporting outreach efforts. The initiative will aid
faculty in the development of service learning methods, which
have been earmarked by the Association of American Colleges and
Universities as one of a number of “high-impact practices” — those
research has shown to have an impact on student learning and
progress toward graduation. The goal is to incorporate community
work into the curriculum so that students gain real-world
experiences that enhance their education while providing benefits
to the community.
It was a stellar season for Owl goalkeeper Stephen
Sasso, who was among the top Division II soccer players in the
nation in several key categories. The junior, who hails from
Orange, Conn., had a .898 save percentage — ranking second
among all Div. II players. He also ranked ninth with a .589 goals
against average.
Sasso, who went 10-3-1 (win-loss-tie), had nine
shutouts last fall and allowed only nine goals in 15 starts.
SCSU finished the season with a 10-5-1 record.
8 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
From the pool to the playing field, a look at Southern athletics.
MLS Coach Triumphs It was a year of notable firsts for former Owl soccer
standout, Mike Petke, who was named head coach of the
New York Red Bulls on Jan. 24, 2013. He continued the
year on a high note on Oct. 27, leading the Red Bulls to
its first Major League Soccer (MLS) Supporters’ Shield,
presented to the team with the best regular-season
record. The Red Bulls stacked up an MLS-best 59 points
and a 17-9-8 win-loss-tie record. By winning the Shield,
the team not only captured the Eastern Conference
regular-season title for the third time (2000, 2010, 2013),
but also earned a berth in the 2014-15 Confederation of
North, Central American, and Caribbean Association
Football Champions League.
Petke’s coaching triumph builds on his
demonstrated success as a player. Before launching his
professional career, he spent four years at Southern,
earning All-American status and helping the Owls capture
the NCAA Division II national title in 1995. The eighth
overall pick in the MLS draft, he began his career with New
York, and went on to play with D.C. United and the
Colorado Rapids. The Red Bulls signed Petke again at the
end of 2008, and he played 35 more matches for the team
before retiring in 2010 and joining the team as an assistant
coach. While playing for the Red Bulls, Petke set numerous
club records, including games played (169 regular season,
196 in all competitions), games started (158 regular
season), and minutes played (14,060 regular season).Raising the Major League Soccer Supporters’ Shield above the crowd,head coach Mike Petke and fans celebrate the Red Bulls’ success.
Goalkeeper Stephen Sasso stops the ball in its tracks.
For the latest information onSouthern athletics, follow theOwls on social media.
� The Web:SouthernCTOwls.com (links to YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook)
� YouTube:youtube.com/user/southernctowls
� Twitter: twitter.com/SCSU_Owls
� Facebook:Sign in to Facebookand “Like” SouthernConnecticut State UniversityAthletics. (Or use the link at the top of the SouthernCTOwls.comhomepage.)
� Instagram: instagram.com/southernctowls
Web
Minding the Net Swimming
Champions! The men’s swimming
and diving team won the 2014
Northeast-10 (NE-10)
Championship in February
— marking the Owls’ 10th title in
11 years. Southern’s Raymond
Cswerko was named the 2014
NE-10 Championship Men’s
Swimmer of the Meet. The
junior set three NE-10 individual
records over the four-day event
— and would go on to win the
NCAA Division II national
championship in the 200-yard
butterfly. (More on page 14.)
The women’s team
excelled as well, taking second
at the NE-10 Championship, the
team’s 11th consecutive top-two
finish at the event.
Celebrated NFL Coach RetiresAfter 39 years in coaching — including the last
10 as a member of the New York Giants’ coaching staff
— Kevin Gilbride, ’74, announced his retirement in January.
Brought in by the Giants as the quarterbacks coach in
2004, he was named offensive coordinator in 2006 — and
went on to help the team capture Super Bowl victories in
2008 and 2012.
A 24-year coaching veteran of the National Football
League, Gilbride also served as offensive coordinator and
assistant head coach with the Houston Oilers (1989-94),
offensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars (1995-96),
head coach of the San Diego Chargers (1997-98), offensive
coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers (1999-2000), and
offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills (2002-03).
At Southern, Gilbride was a quarterback and tight
end for the Owls, and went on to serve as head coach for
the Owls from 1980-84. He was inducted into Southern’s
Hall of Fame in 1997 and graciously returned to campus
several times — with the Vince Lombardi Trophy in tow —
to regale fans with tales of the Giants’ Super Bowl victories.
FOR MORE SPORTS H IGHLIGHTS ,
turn to the “Owl News” newsletter, now available exclusively online.Subscribe to the free newsletter byproviding your e-mail address on the subscription form found atSouthernCTowls.com; click on the“Owl Club” heading.
Spring 2014 | 9
The Owl Club recognizes donors
who support Southern’s Athletics
program with a gift of $50 or more.
To make a gift, go to
SouthernCT.edu/giving.
Join theteam
behindthe
team!
Returning Champions It was Southern history in the making. In 1973, the men’s gymnastics team cata-
pulted to victory — winning the NCAA Division II championship. The win marked
Southern’s first national team title as well as the first NCAA team title won in any sport
by any school in the Connecticut State University System.
Southern celebrated the 40th anniversary of that record-setting season by recog-
nizing members of the 1973 men’s gymnastics team during Homecoming 2013. Many
squad members and Abraham “Abie” Grossfeld, former coach and professor emeritus of
intercollegiate athletics, returned to campus to be honored at halftime during the
Homecoming football game.
Well-RoundedStudentsChampions in the class-
room and on the playing field,
Southern’s student-athletes earned
a combined grade point average
(GPA) of 3.04 for the fall 2013
semester, the best in school histo-
ry. An impressive 25 percent of
Southern’s student-athletes
received a semester GPA of 3.5 or
higher for the fall 2013 semester—
and five student-athletes scored a
perfect 4.0. Congratulations to the
women’s cross country team,
which posted a 3.6 team GPA to
lead all programs. The men’s
swimming and diving team’s 3.03
was highest among the men’s
squads in the fall.
10 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
What’s in a name?
When it comes to the
licensing industry, ther
e’s
a wealth of opportuni
ty.
Licensing guru,
Sara Nemerov, ’98,
shares the ins and
outs of working
with some of
the music
industry’s
most
celebrated
names.
to Thrill
Spring 2014 | 11
tween heartthrob Cody
Simpson, rapper Wiz Khalifa, a
nd the iconic American rock
band
the Grateful Dead, have
a lot in common. They ha
ve, of course, extraordi
nary talent and legions
of fans —and then there’s the bu
siness expertise of Sara
Nemerov, ’98, who has helpe
d all
three, and a host of oth
er artists and corporati
ons, build their brands
through licensing.
Recognized by License
! magazine as a Top 100 Lic
ensor in 2009, Nemerov joined
the
Warner Music Group (
WMG) that same year and w
as named senior vice presiden
t/head of
global consumer products
and brand licensing fo
r the company in September 2013.
The fruits of her labor
— ranging from Grateful De
ad wine to a fedora-top
ped Sinatra
Barbie — can be found on store s
helves and websites th
roughout the world. Ne
merov’s work
on behalf of Cody Sim
pson provides a telling
example. Teaming up with the Austral
ian singer,
Nemerov brokered deals for
major merchandise lines with T
oys “R” Us, Kmart, and Cla
ire’s
accessories — all of which
launched before Simpson’s first
album was released.
Prior to joining WMG, Nemerov was vi
ce president of global l
icensing for The Trump
Organization. There, sh
e oversaw numerous proje
cts, including the launch
of the Trump Office
product line with Stap
les and the Trump Home program with Macy’s, Home Depot, an
d specialty
stores — receiving License! magazine’s Be
st Brand Extension Awa
rd in 2007.
Earlier in her career, N
emerov worked with severa
l leading brand licensin
g agencies:
The Beanstalk Group (
handling licensing for F
ord Motor Company, Harley-Davidson
, Columbia
Sportswear, and others
) and The Joester Loria
Group (launching prog
rams for PepsiCo,
DaimlerChrysler, and more.) In July
, she was elected to the
Board of Directors of t
he International
Licensing Industry Merchandiser
s’ Association (LIMA), a leadin
g trade organization. Ne
merov’s
work was recently nom
inated for three award
s from the association, includ
ing Best
Celebrity Program of the Year
for the Grateful Dead.
Following,
she reflects on the licen
sing industry and
her time at Southern.
genres aside,
12 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
You majored in communicationat Southern. What inspiredthis interest? SARA NEMEROV: I started as a computer sci-
ence major, which later changed to my
minor. When I started at SCSU, I think
computers had just been invented (kid-
ding). But, I do recall it was the begin-
ning of the World Wide Web. I wanted
to be a programmer of websites. I started down that path,
but as I developed an interest in business — in particular, how
people negotiate and communicate — I took more corporate
communication classes, and it became my major.
How did you become involved in the licensing industry? NEMEROV: While getting my graduate degree from NYU, I worked at Jones Apparel Group on
the Ralph Lauren brand. I found it incredibly fascinating that products I bought every day
were licensed and not necessarily made by the company whose brand is on the goods. I had
always imagined that the Ralph Lauren team made eyewear and were mixing fragrance liq-
uid, just as they would be creating the designer collections for apparel. I learned that wasn’t
the case and wanted to be a part of this expanding business. I spent valuable time at The
Beanstalk Group and The Joester Loria Group working with some fabulous clients and
learning from some real experts in the field. I then joined The Trump Organization to help
grow Mr. Trump’s already powerful brand. I then had the opportunity to come head up the
consumer products and brand licensing group for Warner Music Group where I have been
happily ever since.
What’s your typical day like at Warner Music Group (WMG)?NEMEROV: I’m happy that there is no real “typical” day! I have the pleasure of working
with an incredibly diverse set of artists in the incredibly dynamic environment of the
music industry. One minute I might be pitching a newly designed licensing program
to one of our country stars signed to our [Warner Music Nashville] label. The next
minute I could be working with one of our urban artists to plan a photo shoot for
a new product we’re launching at retail in coming weeks. Then I’m likely to be on
the phone with a retail partner to discuss plan-o-grams [a merchandising tool
that shows where products are placed in stores] or strategizing internally with our
marketing and public relations teams. The one thing that is typical is that I do
forget to eat lunch. A lot!
Grateful
Dead gear
from River
Road
Grateful
Dead and
Dogfish Head
American
Beauty Beer
Cody
Simpson and
Toys “R” Us
collaboration for
toys, apparel,
accessories, and
room décor
Spring 2014 | 13
continues on page 35
What’s the most exciting part of your job?NEMEROV: I love when our team conceives of an idea for a product, and we see it launch at
retail. It makes me proud to see our ideas go from seedling to blossom — and for people to
then line up to buy the blossoms!
What’s most challenging?NEMEROV: Staying ahead of the trends and foreseeing new avenues of
business can be challenging, but we spend a lot of time as a team
constantly brainstorming new business ideas and reinventing what
we are already doing. Thankfully, we work hand-in-hand with our
retail partners to get the right products out at the right time. Our
retail partners are honest, inclusive, and always ready to discuss strat-
egy. We have demanding and sophisticated fans, so it is critical that
we stay ahead of the curve.
Is a lot of travel involved? NEMEROV: It depends what your definition of ‘a lot’ is. I enjoy traveling
— seeing new places and meeting people. I travel monthly, mostly to
L.A. to see artists and managers we are working with, but often for tradeshows and to meet
with new potential partners, in places like Las Vegas, Chicago, Denver, or as far as London. I
am sure if I worked for a company like National Geographic I would have more travel!
What are a few examples of some of the licensed productsand retail partnerships that you worked on for WMG? NEMEROV: In a few years since joining the company, my team signed more than 100 new
licenses for WMG and expanded its business by more than 300 percent. We have launched
major programs for more than a dozen artists, including Grateful Dead, Frank Sinatra, Cody
Simpson, and Wiz Khalifa. Representative products, to name a few, include: Grateful Dead
snowboards, beer, and wine; Sinatra fedoras and high-end designer pens; Cody Simpson
dolls; and a Converse footwear collection Wiz Khalifa launched with Footlocker in 2013.
What’s it like to develop products for high-profilecelebrities like Cody Simpson and Wiz Khalifa? Any brief stories you can share?NEMEROV: I don’t believe it’s any different than developing products for a brand like Coca-Cola
or Ford Motor Company, except your brand has a vision of its own and is human. Working
with celebrities can be challenging because some may not want to be involved and share
thoughts on their brand, but I have been fortunate.
Converse
and Wiz
Khalifa footwear
collection for
Footlocker
Mattel
Sinatra
Barbie
It was a spectacular season for the Owls,
who won two individual Division II national
championships: swimmer Raymond Cswerko took
first in the 200-yard butterfly and track and field’s
Nick Lebron won the heptathlon for the second time.
The men’s basketball team also excelled, earning
an East Region victory and an Elite Eight appearance.
Following are a few highlights from the season.
14 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
WE ARE THE Champions!
Spring 2014 | 15
Raymond Cswerko was the only male swimmer in the Northeast-10
to qualify for the 2014 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving
Championship. The Torrington native tackled the challenge with
gusto, returning to Southern a national champion after taking first
in the 200-yard butterfly. Cswerko finished with a time of 1 minute,
46.25 seconds, leading the field by nearly a full second.
He also had a second-place finish in the 400-yard individual medley (IM) at
the national championship, which features a global mix of competitors. In fact,
Marko Blazevski, who edged Cswerko for the 400 IM title, is a native of Macedonia
and was a member of its 2012 Olympic team. “He’s swimming against an interna-
tional, world-class field. I think that makes his performance stand out a little more,”
says Owls’ coach Tim Quill, who has coached SCSU swimmers to 19 NCAA titles dur-
ing his tenure.
The championship win was particularly sweet for Cswerko, who swam for
the University of Maryland during his freshman year — only to have the Terrapins
drop the swim program along with a number of other sports due to financial rea-
sons. Undeterred, he returned to Connecticut for the 2012-13 academic year to
swim for the Owls.
Cswerko played an integral role in helping the Owls win the 2014 Northeast-
10 Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship, the team’s 10th win in the last 11
years. He also was named the 2014 Northeast-10 Conference Men’s Swimmer of
the Year, the second year in a row he received the honor.
Looking toward 2014-15, plans are in motion to move forward on the
national stage. “It starts now in the offseason. . . . I want to try to win two events
next year,” says Cswerko. “Nothing is out of the realm of possibility.”
Quill concurs: “Next year will be a different year in terms of what the mini-
mum expectation level is. . . . If he puts in a solid summer in the pool and the
weight room, he could be a player in three or four races next year and bid for a
couple of titles.”
Swim LIKE A
BUTTERFLY
16 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
been a spectacular journey for the men’s basketball team, which had its
finest season in Southern history. In the midst of a 19-game winning streak,
Southern captured the Northeast-10 Conference title and moved on to the
NCAA Division II Championships, where they reached the Elite Eight. The team was led
by senior and team scoring leader Greg Langston — Northeast-10 Player of the Year —
and junior guard and assists leader Tylon Smith, who excelled in the post-season. The
Owls fell to the University of Central Missouri, the ultimate champions.
Coach Michael Donnelly — who earned accolades as Northeast-10 and East
Region Coach of the Year — led the Owls to an overall 30-3 win-loss finish in 2013-14
— a program record for victories. Looking forward, optimism remains high for next
season, with twelve members returning to play.
Spring 2014 | 17
Meet the National Champion
Nick LebronSenior, majoring in exercise science with a concentration in human performance
Men’s Track and Field
A few claims to fame | A two-time NCAA
Division II National Champion in the
heptathlon this year and in 2012.
Also All-American in the
heptathlon (2012-13) and the
decathlon (2012-13, 2011-12).
The heptathlon | Includes seven
events — the 60-meter dash, the
long jump, the shot put, the high jump,
the 60-meter hurdles, the pole vault, and
the 1,000-meter run.
Good sport | Joined the high school track team
as a junior, competing in the high jump. Also
played high school football and basketball
for four years, and baseball as a freshman.
Favorite event | “I started as a high jumper,
but I’ve come to love the pole vault. It
makes or breaks a multi [a competitor in
the heptathlon or decathlon].”
Training for the heptathlon | “We’re the first
ones at practice and the last ones to leave.
We pride ourselves on being ‘that good’ in
seven events.”
How good? |
Lebron scored
5,765 in the
heptathlon at the
championships this year
— an NCAA Div. II record.
He also set a new high mark among
New England programs in all three divisions.
Fan of | Dallas Cowboys and basketball star
LeBron James
Any rest time? | The month of June. “But it’s
an active recovery. I stay moving, whether
it’s running or playing basketball with
my friends.”
Goals | Hopes to attend Southern as a graduate
student to earn a master’s degree in exercise
science with a focus on sport psychology.
Plans to keep training for post-collegiate
meets and ultimately go on to earn a Ph.D.
18 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Spring 2014 | 19
USIC PROVED TO BE THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE
for 59 members of the University Choir who traveled
to Spain to perform a series of concerts during
New Year’s week. The choir — which includes
Southern alumni, students, and members of the community —
sang for standing-room-only audiences at several stunning
churches in Manresa and Barcelona, including the Basilica of the
Sagrada Familia, architect Antoni Gaudi’s masterpiece.
“There’s a tremendous sense of artistic empowerment
that comes from singing in these exquisite spaces,” says Professor
of Music Terese Gemme, who directs the choir. The group per-
formed with other choirs from the United States and Spain, and
worked with American chorale conductor and composer Craig
Hella Johnson.
In recent years, Southern’s University Choir also has per-
formed in Ireland and London, but this trip was the most widely
attended. The Stutzman Family Foundation, which has generously
supported numerous programs and initiatives in the Music
Department, contributed $173,250 for the trip. As a result, stu-
dents paid $500 or less to participate, depending on how long
they have been choir members.
In a trip marked by numerous life-changing moments,
Gemme recalls the concert at the Church of the Cave of Saint
Ignatius as being particularly poignant. The choir was to perform
a selection by the late Pablo Casals, an internationally renowned
cellist and composer from the Catalonia region of Spain. (Casals
had gone into exile following the Spanish Civil War, vowing not to
return to his homeland until Francisco Franco was defeated and
democracy was restored.)
As the University Choir prepared to sing, the conductor
turned to the audience and introduced the upcoming work, using
the composer’s Catalan name — Pau Casals. “There was this
tremendous spontaneous outbreak of applause, because we had
understood that he was one of their own,” says Gemme. “I think
we were all on the verge of tears throughout the performance. It’s
a moment I’ll never forget.”
Several members of the Southern community accompa-
nied the choir, including Steven Breese, dean of the School of Arts
and Sciences, and university photographer Isabel Chenoweth, who
captured the experience in photos and videos. For more on the
trip, go to SCSUbarcelona.tumblr.com.
20 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Rich ∏avanaugh,the longest-serving and
“winningest” head football
coach in Southern’s history,
says goodbye to the university
he called home for almost
three decades.
aving led the Owls’ footballteam for 29 seasons, head coachRich Cavanaugh began his retirement on
New Year’s Day — a fitting time for fresh
starts. His tenure at Southern ended on a
high note, with the Gridiron Club of Greater
Boston presenting the celebrated coach with the John Baronian
Lifetime Contribution to Football Award on Jan. 9. The tribute rec-
ognizes Cavanaugh’s commitment to Southern, his players, and the
game of football, which he began playing in elementary school.
Cavanaugh joined Southern in 1982 as the team’s offensive
coordinator with then head coach Kevin Gilbride (who announced
his retirement from the National Football League’s New York Giants
in January as well).
In 1985, Cavanaugh was named head coach of the Owls
and, in the ensuing decades, he guided thousands of student-ath-
letes, setting numerous records along the way. He ended his
Southern career with 170 victories (a program record), 19 winning
seasons, and four consecutive NCAA Championship appearances
from 2005-08. Under his leadership, Southern also claimed its first
NCAA playoff victory in the 2007 season and shares of three
Northeast-10 conference titles.
Clearly, there were a lot of high points. But asked to share
his fondest coaching memories, Cavanaugh pauses for a moment
before politely refusing. “It’s four decades if you think about it —
the ’80s, the ’90s, the ’00s, and the teens,” he says. “It would depend
on who I was talking with and what era they played. . . . Someone
might say, ‘Coach, remember when we did this.’ And I’d think, ‘Wow,
that was awesome.’ But then you look at another era. . . . If you posed
that question to everyone who played for me, each would have their
own greatest memory.”
Is it like being asked to choose a favorite child, he’s asked?
“Yes, it would be kind of like that,” Cavanaugh says, his voice catch-
ing with emotion. “There have been so many great players and so
many great moments.”
Following, Cavanaugh looks back on his years at Southern,
his plans for the future, and his
thoughts on the game.
Spring 2014 | 21
RICH CAVANAUGH: I started playing when I was in sixth grade with Youth Football. I
wanted to play. My parents were very supportive of it, but nobody pushed me . . .
something that I think happens to some kids today.
CAVANAUGH: When I was in high school. I enjoyed the game, and how the game was
taught. Football is really like a chess match. How do you attack certain defenses? How
do you defend certain offenses? I always thought of myself as a student of the game. I
didn’t just want to know what I needed to play my position; I wanted to know how
that fit into the grand scheme of things.
I admired my coaches. They were all good teachers, and I looked at their job
and thought . . . this would probably be a great career to have . . . to work with and
teach students how to play the game.
You were a two-season starter atAmerican International College.
When did you begin playing football?
When did you realize that youwanted to coach?
CAVANAUGH: Technology has changed the game a lot. When I first started coaching, we would
just film the game. Now with the internet and everything being videoed, it’s that
much easier to get information about how other teams do things. You can learn
a lot more and share it with your players.
As a coach, you have to be willing to embrace change. Whatever new
technology is in place . . . whatever new aspect of the game is in vogue . . . you
better learn about it, and you better learn how to either defend against it or use
it to your advantage.
The game is constantly evolving, but certain things are still the same.
You have to block and tackle. You have to be disciplined, work hard, and be
competitive. You have to be intelligent. You have to have poise. There are a lot of
things that haven’t changed, but I really think technology has influenced how
we do things and how we approach things.
CAVANAUGH: One of the things I’m not going to miss is recruiting. Recruiting is the lifeblood of
your program. It is also very taxing. It can wear you out and, again, the technology we have
today, at times, almost muddies the water. In some ways, it can give you a much clearer picture
of the type of person you are recruiting. In some ways, they can paint a picture of themselves
that may be significantly better than they really are . . . You have to be very careful with that.
CAVANAUGH: Teaching. The competition. The people. Those would probably be the three areas
that I’m going to miss most . . . the day-to-day interaction with the people at Southern
Connecticut. You end up dealing with so many agencies as a coach. You work with the people
from Admissions . . . Financial Aid . . . the Registrar’s office. You work with the professors . . .
with Food Service. You work with your entire academic supportive staff, the athletic sup-
portive staff, and the athletic administration. . . . There are so many people who are behind
the scenes at Southern, who probably never get the credit that they deserve. They make it all
come together. They make it happen.
CAVANAUGH: My job as a coach is to make young men
grow up before they want to.
CAVANAUGH: I think sometimes they fight you . . .
based on how they think things are. I always felt that
the sooner I could get them to think about what was
really important, the better off they would be.
CAVANAUGH: I was really surprised to be quite honest
with you. But it was a great honor and, again, it is
really because of the people who are here.
22 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
What’s one thing you won’tmiss about coaching?
What will you miss?
Describe your job as a coach in one sentence?
Can you explain?
You’ve received numerous honors throughout yourcareer, including the Northeast-10 Conference
Coach of the Year Award in 2008. In January, youreceived the Lifetime Contribution Award from theGridiron Club of Greater Boston. What was it like to
learn you were receiving this award? continues on page 35
You’ve been at Southern since 1982. Has your approach to coaching changed?
Going Pro
Awards
Spring 2014 | 23
Tom Godek,
’88, was
named head
football coach
at the univer-
sity, after serv-
ing as the
team’s offen-
sive coordina-
tor for the last
13 seasons
and previously
tearing up the
field for the Owls as a standout player and captain. He brings 20 years
of coaching experience to the table, following a storied playing career
that included a free agent signing with the New York Jets.
“Through his previous experiences as a student-athlete and
assistant coach here at SCSU, Tom has played a pivotal role in some of
the most successful campaigns and moments in our decorated history,”
says Patricia Nicol, director of athletics. “We look forward to having Tom
lead our program into a new era of Owls’ football.”
Named the 2010 Division II/III Assistant Coach of the Year by the
Gridiron Club of Greater Boston, Godek has helped the Owls reach
numerous offensive marks. During his tenure, the team set records for
season highs in multiple categories, including total yards, rushing yards,
passing yards, touchdowns scored, and points scored, along with a new
program record for total offense in one game. A total of 68 offensive
players received All-Northeast-10 honors under his leadership.
As a student-athlete, Godek played for the Owls from 1984-87
and was a two-time All-New England selection. As a senior, he served
as team captain and took home All-Eastern College Athletic
Conference honors.
Before joining the staff of his alma mater, Godek coached for
seven years at American International College (AIC), serving as offen-
sive line coach and assistant to the head coach. Godek helped AIC win
four division titles en route to four consecutive Northeast-10
Conference Championship appearances. AIC went on to win the con-
ference title twice.
Godek holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Southern and a
master’s degree in education from AIC. He succeeds Rich Cavanaugh,
who retired in January.
Rich ∏avanaughA Numbers Game
24 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
NO
STA
LGIA Whoo-oo-oo Knew?
Southern Connecticut
State University traces its
roots to the Sept. 11, 1893
opening of a two-year
teacher training school —
New Haven State Normal
School. What was NOT true
about the first class?
A. There were 84 students and three faculty members, includingArthur Boothby Morrill, the school’sprincipal.
B. There weren’t enough desks formembers of the inaugural class andplans to expand the school beganalmost immediately.
C. The class was made up entirely ofwomen.
D. Students came from throughoutNew England to attend.
Before they were
known as “The Owls,” our
student-athletes were
commonly referred to as:
A. The Teachers’ Pets
B. The Educators
C. The Nutmeggers
D. The Wisemen
Put the following flock of Southern
Owl mascots in order — from their
earliest to most recent appearance.
Calling all Owls. Test your knowledge of Southern’s history —
both the serious and the quirky.
A.
B.C.
D.
A. Signing up by the hundreds for the school’sfirst library cards.
B. Helping to carry 202,000 volumes from the oldlibrary in Engleman Hall to the new building.
C. Organizing a fundraiser to expand theuniversity’s book collections.
D. All of the above.
Built at a cost of $4 million, the original
Hilton C. Buley Library celebrated its opening in
1970. Students, faculty, and staff helped by:
A. 1890 B. C. D. 1975
The first permanent alumni
association was established in:
Spring 2014 | 25
Stevie Wonder photo by Antonio Cruz/ABr (Agência Brasil.) [CC-BY-3.0-br (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/br/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons
ANSWERS:1) D (One student came from New York, the remainder from Connecticut); 2) B; 3) D, A, C, B;4) B; 5) B; 6) D; 7) A; 8) E; 9) B; 10) A (2002), D (2008), B (2012), C (2013)
Which of the following
celebrities and luminaries have
appeared on campus?
A. Walter Cronkite
B. Madeline Albright
D. Stevie Wonder
C. Whoopi Goldberg
E. All of the Above
Put the following Southern events in order, from the earliest to the most recent.
A. Southern launches its first doctoral program — leading to an Ed.D., a Doctor of Education degree.
B. The university celebrates the inauguration of Southern’s 11th president, Dr. Mary A. Papazian.
C. The university community gathers for a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Academic andLaboratory Science Building.
D. Southern commemorates the 25th anniversary of its status as a university.
Southern won
its first team national
title in which sport?
A. Men’s soccer in 1987
B. Men’s gymnastics in 1973
C. Women’s basketball in 1970
D. Women’s gymnastics in 1970
A. Pelz Gymnasium
B. Jennings Hall
C. Connecticut Hall
D. Engleman Hall
Southern has a number of
notable firsts in its history. Which
of the following are among them:
A. Opening the first federally fundednursery schools in Connecticutdesigned specifically to care forchildren whose parents worked inthe defense industry during WorldWar II.
B. Being the location of the first U.S.sighting of Sputnik I, the world’sfirst artificial satellite.
C. Borrowing jerseys from YaleUniversity for the Owls’ firstfootball game.
D. All of the above.
The groundbreaking for
the Crescent Street campus —
Southern’s current home — was
held on Oct. 3, 1951. The first
building to grace campus was:
Alumni NEWS
26 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Mighty Mentors
It’s among the most commonly sharedcorporate mantras: find yourself a men-
tor. Students would be wise to heed the
advice. According to numerous studies, the
benefits of a positive mentoring relationship
are dramatic and life-changing for students —
ranging from a greater likelihood of earning
a degree to enjoying higher paychecks and
more-frequent promotions after graduation.
At Southern, more than 165 students
are capitalizing on a new Alumni-Student
Mentoring Program launched by the Alumni
Association in conjunction with the Office
of Alumni Relations. The program matches
Southern graduates with students with
similar majors and/or business interests.
“It’s a way for students to receive
support and professional advice from some-
one who knows the university and the area
of career interest,” says Michelle R. Johnston,
director of Alumni Relations. The program kicked off
on March 12, with students meeting their mentors
at a meet-and-greet event held at the Michael J. Adanti
Student Center.
The program is flexible in design, with participants
structuring their mentoring experiences to fit their mutual
schedules. Students may stay in contact with their men-
tors by phone or e-mail, face-to-face meetings, or a com-
bination of methods. Mentors and mentees also received
a brochure with guidelines and suggestions to make the
most of the experience.
The program is an offshoot of Alumni Professionals
Day, a one-day event held on campus for the past four
years. Last year, 93 Southern graduates participated, shar-
ing information with students on a wide variety of careers,
including law enforcement, graphic design, teaching, edu-
cation administration, politics, social services, law, finance,
and scientific research. “We’re fortunate to have alumni
out there who really want to help,” says Johnston.
Southern alumni who would like to serve as
mentors, may sign up at SouthernCT.edu/alumni/
mentor-program-mentor.html.
lumni volunteers help Southern create a climate of excel-
lence by supporting programs on campus and beyond.
One initiative, Alumni Volunteering — A to G (Admissions to
Graduation), offers numerous ways for Southern graduates to
share their time and talents. Most programs are flexible, so
volunteers can participate at a level that meets their needs.
Here are a few ways to get involved and pay it forward.
• Admissions volunteers help out in numerous ways.Examples include: joining the spring postcard-writingcampaign to congratulate admitted students, helpingto represent Southern at college fairs, referring tal-ented students to Southern, and hosting or attendingan event in your area to welcome new students.
• Share your business experience with students in acomfortable, casual setting at Alumni ProfessionalsDay, held on campus each fall. Or become an AlumniMentor, providing ongoing advice to a student inter-ested in your career field. (See related story at left.)
• Consider working with the university to develop student internship opportunities at your place of employment.
For more information or to sign on for these and
other volunteer opportunities, go to SouthernCT.edu/alumni/
volunteers.html or call (203) 392-6500. Thank you!
We’reLooking for a Few GoodGrads!
Spring 2014 | 27
Teresa Sirico, ’70, M.S. ’73, PresidentRobert D. Parker, ’76, Vice PresidentDonald Mitchell, ’57, M.S. ’61, TreasurerJames H. Booth, ’97, SecretaryHugh S. Cafferty, ’69, M.S. ’70, 6th Yr. ’76, Past President
Phoebe Donehoo Browning, ’04, M.B.A. ’05Nancy Charest, ’71, M.S. ’75, 6th Yr. ’80Kathy Glinka Coyle, ’74, M.S. ’77, 6th Yr. ’81Susan Love D’Agostino, ’79Nancy Dudchik, ’88Marybeth Heyward Fede, ’79, M.S. ’87Miriam Gonzalez-Huff, 6th Yr. ’90Jerry Katona, ’74, M.S. ’88Edwin A. Klinkhammer II, ’71, M.S. ’76, 6th Yr. ’92Stephen Koestner, ’69John Mastrianni, ’66, M.S. ’73Judit Vasmatics Paolini, ’73, M.S. ’79, 6th Yr. ’93Jeffrey Reilly, ’58Nancy D. Tanguay, ’87Deborah Sue Cedar Vincent, ’82
SCSU • Office of Alumni Relations501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT 06515 • (203) 392-6500Director, Michelle R. Johnston, [email protected]
SCSU Alumni Association Board of Directors
Going Places? Don’t forget to show your Southern pride! We’re
looking for photos of Southern graduates traveling the
globe while wearing a favorite Southern shirt or hat, or
waving a Southern banner.
Please send a high-resolution photo of yourself,
along with your graduation year and a few lines about your
trip, to [email protected]. Photos may be included
in an upcoming Southern Alumni Magazine feature.
Submissions may be edited for space and style. Thank you!
Connect SouthernWITHON
� The Web at SouthernCT.edu andSouthernCTOwls.com for athletics
� Twitter at twitter.com/scsutweet
� Facebook at facebook.com/southernct
� ITunes at SouthernCT.edu/itunesu
SCSU, Office of Alumni Relations, 501 Crescent Street,New Haven, CT 06515-1355, (203) 392-6500
Web[FROM TOP] Members of the university community show their Southernpride in Guatemala, on campus, and in Spain.
28 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
By Joan Wells
Justin Pegnataro, ’05, finds it “challenging” to live in a
house during the winter. Throughout the rest of the year, home
is a yurt, a circular, domed tent, located in the woods. He
catches rainwater to wash dishes, relies on whatever light he
can get through solar energy, and feasts in the woods on bull-
frogs, turtles, squirrels, groundhogs, deer, and wild plants.
“I wake up to the sun shining and the sound of birds
. . . sometimes a coyote will call,” he says. “It’s really an amaz-
ing lifestyle.”
As the executive director of Two Coyotes Wilderness
School, Pegnataro has made it his mission to share his passion
for the great outdoors. Founded in 2000, Two Coyotes is dedi-
cated to helping people connect with nature — and building
self-awareness and a sense of community in the process.
Based in Newtown and Granby, Conn., the nonprofit organiza-
tion offers a wide range of programs for children, teens, adults,
and families. “It’s about connecting with ancient practices,”
says Pegnataro of the school’s diverse offerings. On any given
day lessons might include making survival shelters, living off
edible plants, tracking wildlife, crafting a bow, or creating
herbal remedies — with a healthy dose of games, storytelling,
crafts, and songs thrown in.
Recently, a group of teens from the school went camp-
ing in a snow cave, started a fire by rubbing two sticks togeth-
er, and cooked a turkey in an underground pit with red-hot
rocks. The turkey was stuffed with wild edibles.
“It was an epic teenage wilderness-survival experi-
ence,” Pegnataro says. “We sing songs
that connect us with nature and each
other. We come nose to nose with the
history of the forest.” The programs
have a “healing effect,” and that was
particularly apparent in the aftermath
of the Sandy Hook Elementary School
shootings in December 2012, he says.
Pegnataro, who grew up in
Woodbridge, Conn., and attended
Amity High School, first enrolled at
Southern in 1999, intending to become
From buildings lauded for eco-friendly design
to a reinvigorated, campuswide
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 supportSouthern and itsstudents bycontributing tothe CampusGreening Fund.Donations maybe made onlineat giving.SouthernCT.edu. Or call (203)392-6515.
Alumni NEWS
a teacher. But he felt something was missing, so he
dropped out for a year and moved to the forest for four
months. Pegnataro took some wilderness classes and
returned to Southern, taking a botany course with Noble
Proctor, ’70, M.S. ’72, professor emeritus of biology, who
would become his mentor. “He changed my life,” says
Pegnataro, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science
degree in biology and anthropology. Among the most
important lessons he learned from the professor? “My life,
my water, my fire . . . it was all a gift from nature,” he says.
It was a revelation — or, perhaps, a reawakening.
Pegnataro says he wasn’t particularly wrapped up in
nature as a child. But his mom, a teacher at Beecher Road
School in Woodbridge, recalls that he would lie on the
ground with bird feed in his hand. Today, he’s passing on his
desire to connect with nature to the next generation. “This is
my life’s work,” he says.
In 2000, Two Coyotes was founded by Scott Eldridge, who remains presi-dent of the organization’s Board of Directors. He signed the directorshipover to Pegnataro in 2007.
Spring 2014 | 29
Schedule it in: “Scheduling is a way of making timefor what we value. Pick a time — once a dayor a couple times a week — to spend a shorttime in nature.”
Limit screen time: “Screen time, including TV, webbrowsing, and video games, accounts for quitea few hours of our day. Children ages 8-18average 7.5 hours of screen time a day. Asksomeone in their 60s and they’ll tell you thattheir parents would kick them out of thehouse and not let them home till dinner. Isuggest you do the same for your kids.”
Find a sit spot: “If you are interested in connectingdeeply with nature, the best thing I havefound is to sit in one natural spot regularlyover the course of the year. I sit outside for 30minutes every day. . . . The most amazingthings happen when we just sit and observe.One time when I was at my spot, three babychipmunks ran across my lap. Don’t think thatyou need to be in some remote wildernessarea. Urban and suburban areas are filled withnature to watch.”
Justin Pegnataro, ’05, the executive director of Two Coyotes Wilderness School, offers tips
on finding your inner wild child.
Southern graduates who live or work in the Big Apple
are invited to join the New York City Alumni Network
by calling (203) 392-6500 or
e-mailing [email protected].
Stay tuned! Other regional alumni networks will be forming soon.
Hello, Big Apple!
alumni notes
30 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
’50sJOHN CARUSONE, ’57, M.S. ’62,
the former mayor of Hamden,and his wife, SYLVIACARUSONE, M.S. ’71, 6th Yr.’93, live in Hamden, Conn. Hislatest accomplishments includebeing inducted into the 2011Wallingford Senior Slow-PitchHall of Fame.
’60sROBERT PANNOZZO, ’69, M.S.
’71, 6th Yr. ’77, has retired afterteaching for 40 years inConnecticut, Vermont, andVirginia. He is currently thechair of the HistoryDepartment at WakefieldSchool in Plains, Va., and livesin Brandy Station.
’70sDAN LAURIA, ’70, was the narra-
tor for a production of “AChristmas Story” at theBushnell Center for PerformingArts in Hartford. A group ofSouthern alumni attended aperformance of the productionand special reception inNovember 2013.
a child obsessed with martial arts, Samuel Diaz III, ’08,
dreamed of joining the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Today, Diaz is a modern-day hero in his own right — a martial arts
champion, who, at the age of 27, was the youngest honoree at the 50
Most Influential Latinos in Connecticut Awards. The event was hosted
by the Latinos United for Professional Advancement in January.
Diaz was recognized for his work to promote barrier-free
access to health care with the Southwest Community Health Center in
Bridgeport, Conn. The award also celebrates his efforts to promote music
education and culture as a percussionist and saxophone player in sever-
al salsa bands, as well as his considerable martial arts achievements.
At Southern, Diaz was an active student, earning his bachelor’s
degree in international business and serving as the 2008 senior class
president and captain of the SCSU Karate Team for three years. He
later obtained a master’s degree in interactive communications from
Quinnipiac University.
He began his career as a social media consultant for clients
such as the Terex Corporation, the State of Connecticut Department
of Public Health, and Sikorsky, but then moved on to help nonprofit
and small businesses develop their brands.
“I quickly found it more impactful and enjoyable helping small-
er businesses and organizations grow throughout the community,”
says Diaz, who has worked with Southwest Community Health Center
(SWCHC) for about four years. As the community relations coordinator
for the company, he uses diverse marketing strategies to improve
healthcare access for patients throughout Fairfield County. He currently
also serves as chairman of the marketing committee at SWCHC.
In addition to being a successful businessman, Diaz is an
internationally recognized athlete. “Karate started out as a hobby, but
it has now become a lifestyle,” says Diaz, who has been a member of
the United States Martial Arts Team since 2010. In 2012, he was
inducted into the Hall of Fame as Competitor of the Year after winning
his fourth championship at the World Martial Arts Games. Diaz also
teaches at Stratford Shotokan Karate-do, a dojo he opened with his
father in 2009.
Looking forward, he plans to keep utilizing his talents to posi-
tively influence his community through his work at Stratford Shotokan
and SWCHC. This year promises to be particularly action-packed. Diaz
will be getting married and traveling to Canada for the 2014 World
Martial Arts Games to compete in seven different divisions. He also
wants to write a children’s book about bullying. “I am the type of per-
son who will try to put the world on my shoulders if I know it will
help,” he says.
By Bailey E. Brumbach, ’14
Reunion News• The Class of 1964 was
recognized in honor of its 50th reunionat the undergraduate commencementceremony held on May 16, 2014 at theWebster Bank Arena in Bridgeport.
For more information or if you would like to organize a reunion for your class, please contact Alumni Relations at (203) 392-6500.
Renaissance Man
As
Spring 2014 | 31
ART KADISH, ’71, a formerSouthern assistant coach andfaculty member, was honoredby the Norwalk Old TimersAssociation and inducted intothe Norwalk Hall of Fame. Theevent supported Brien McMahonHigh School scholarships.
ROBERTMORLOT, ’71, M.S. ’76,was named principal ofCambria Consulting in Boston.
STANLEY KONESKY JR., ’73,M.S. ’86, retired from theBranford Police Departmentafter 29 years, having alsospent 13 years as an instructorat the Connecticut PoliceAcademy. Currently he is anadjunct professor of criminaljustice at the University of NewHaven.
JOSEPH GIULIETTI, ’74, hasbeen named president ofMetro-North Railroad.
Formerly he was the executivedirector of the South FloridaRegional TransportationAuthority.
GARY SCARPA, ’74, M.S. ’91, andwife, FRANCESCA SCARPA,’76, recently celebrated the30th anniversary of the YouthCONNection Players, a com-munity theater group theyfounded for high school andcollege students in 1983. Thetheater troupe is based inShelton, Conn.
LINDAMASSEYWILSON, ’74,M.S. ’80, who has been a physi-cal education teacher for 37years, was featured in The Hournewspaper in an article enti-tled, “Celebrating Black HistoryMonth through Norwalk (CT)Sports: Massey was the best ofher era.” She was inducted intothe Southern Athletic Hall ofFame in 1999.
DOUGMACDOUGALL, ’75, hasreceived the Theresa S.Brungardt Award for his out-standing service to the field ofrecreation in the state ofVermont. MacDougall also iscited in the “Guiness Book ofWorld Records” for orchestrat-ing the creation of the longest-continuous banana split, whichmeasured 2 ½ miles long. Helives in Holliston, Mass., withhis wife of 35 years, Ann.
MARY BETHALLENZAREMSKI, ’75, M.S. ’80, hasretired from Watertown PublicSchools after teaching 38 years.She resides in Oakville, Conn.
MARCIA F. DUKANY DUKE,M.S. ’76, was inducted into the2013 Danbury High SchoolHall of Fame. She has been aphysical education teacher for42 years and has spent 30 yearsas a coach.
MARYM. SWEENEY, ’76, is thechief executive officer of theWay of the Wild (WOW), anonprofit organization thatmentors adults and children byfostering a connection tonature and teaching primitive
wilderness skills. She lives inBoulder, Colo.
ELIZABETH RHOADES, ’77, hada solo exhibit of her pastelpaintings at the Storrs Library.She is a signature member ofthe Connecticut Pastel Societyas well as Connecticut WomenArtists. She resides in StaffordSprings and has exhibited herart nationwide.
DORIE POUCH PETROCHKO,M.S. ’78, is president of theConnecticut Natural ScienceIllustrators, an art programfocusing on botanical, naturalscience drawing, and painting.She lives in Oxford, Conn.
MARY KAY DUPONT, ’79, is adigital specialist at Mohawk, aprivately owned manufacturerof fine papers, envelopes andspecialty substrates for com-mercial and digital printing.She is based in New England.
FRANK“SID” MAIETTO, ’79,served as co-chairperson of the2014 International Associationof Facilitators (IAF) NorthAmerican conference, whichwas held in Orlando, Fla. Helives in Snohomish, Wash.
’80sCLAUDETTE BEAMON, ’80,
M.S.W. ’87, 6th Yr. ’00, is theassistant executive director forpersonnel and special servicesat ACES (Area CooperativeEducational Services) in NorthHaven, Conn.
GREGG DANCHO, ’80, celebratedhis 30th anniversary as direc-tor of Connecticut’s BeardsleyZoo. He lives in Stratford,Conn.
BARBARAA. HUNGER, ’82, hasbeen a registered nurse in theLabor and Delivery Unit atWomen and Infants Hospital ofRhode Island for 25 years. Sheis also a member of the I-195Redevelopment Commission.She lives in Providence, R.I.
TRACY KNOFLA, ’82, M.S. ’87,was a keynote presenter at theStudent Leadership Conferenceheld at the University ofAlabama in Huntsville. She is amotivational speaker and con-ference trainer and lives inGuilford, Conn.
In Print ANDOn Screen
NEWS ON BOOK, TELEVISION, AND FILM RELEASESFROM SOUTHERN ALUMNI
Paula E. Gelbach, M.S. ’67, has published a children’s book, “It’s OK!!Everybody’s Different.” The book’s three stories feature animal characters that teachyoung readers how to appreciate the beauty in themselves and others. Gelbach residesin Topton, Pa.
Roy Nirschel, ’74, has published “My Seasons in Saigon,” which chronicles hisexperiences starting the first American university in Vietnam. He lives in New York City.
James R. Benn, M.L.S. ’76, the author of numerous novels, including the “BillyBoyle World War II” mystery series and “Traumatized: The Story of a State Trooper,” con-ducted a presentation at a meeting of the Friends of the Enfield Library. He lives inHadlyme, Conn.
Angela Carella, ’79, had her story, “The Farmer and the Storm: A Christmas tale”printed in the Stamford Advocate.
Jane C. Elkin, M.L.S. ’86, has published a chapbook, “World Class: Poems Inspiredby the ESL Classroom.” The collection illustrates her experiences with students strugglingto address their linguistic challenges, as well as social issues such as poverty, religioustraditions, illegal immigration, education, the role of women in other cultures, and theemotional scars of war. Elkin lives in Annapolis, Md.
Christine Beck Lissitzyn, M.F.A. ’13, an adjunct professor at Southern whoteaches introductory poetry writing and introduction to creative writing, has publishedher first book of poetry, “Blinding Light.”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) 392-5598SouthernCT.edu/giving Southern Connecticut State University501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT 06515-1355
TAWNY NELB, M.S. ’83, wasreappointed to the StateHistorical Records AdvisoryBoard in Midland, Mich. She ispresident of Nelb ArchivalConsulting Inc., which pro-vides archival services and his-torical research and writing formuseums, archives, libraryspecial collections, owners ofhistoric homes, design firms,universities, and more.
KARENM. THOMSON, M.L.S.’83, has been employed atNoah Webster Public Libraryin Hartford for 21 years. Shelives in Ansonia and enjoysjudging beauty pageants.
DEBRAOLSON, ’84, M.S. ’88, wasinducted into the ConnecticutScholastic and CollegiateSoftball Hall of Fame. She wasinducted into the Field HockeyHall of Fame in 2005.
DARLENE LEE, ’85, is a seniormortgage lending officer withWashington Trust in Fairfield,Conn. She lives in NewCanaan.
LORI PASQUALINI, ’85, is thechief financial and administra-tive officer for Ability BeyondDisability in Bethel, Conn. Sheresides in Norwalk with hus-band, BARRY PASQUALINI,’85.
STEVEN STEINMETZ, ’85, hasbeen named director of club-owned fleet operations forAAA (American AutomobileAssociation) of Western andCentral New York. He lives inFabius, N.Y.
DONALDMCAULAY, ’86, hasbeen appointed regional direc-tor of INROADS New EnglandRegion. The nonprofit organi-zation is committed to identi-fying and placing talentedunderserved youth in businessand industry, and preparingthem for leadership roles.
CAROLA. KEARNS, 6th Yr. ’89, aresident of Harwinton, Conn.,for 35 years, was interviewedand featured in theTribLive/Neighborhoods publi-cation for her contributions tothe community and her pro-fessional success. She producesand co-hosts a communityaccess television program withher husband, Harry Schuh.
AT least some of the credit goes to an old-fashioned metal locker — one
of many that graced Southern’s Engleman Hall before its renovation.
Andrew Carrano, then an undergraduate student, recalls that his had a prime
location. So when a lovely young woman he’d previously noticed on campus
passed by carrying a large armload of books, he thought fast. “I said ‘if you ever
want to use my locker,’’’ he recalls with a laugh. The rest, as they say, is history —
for Donna Spadory and Andrew Carrano, who married on July 22, 1978 — and for
Southern Connecticut State University, which has awarded the couple and their
children seven academic degrees to date.
Today, the family’s ties to the university are stronger than ever. Adjunct
professor Andrew Carrano, who currently teaches in the Psychology Department,
holds three diplomas from Southern: a B.A. in psychology (1975), a master’s in
education (1977), and a sixth-year certificate in school psychology (1979). His
wife Donna has a B.S. in nursing (1977), and daughter Erica has
a B.A. in theatre (2007) and is currently working on her master’s
in English — all from Southern. Daughter Ashley holds a
Southern M.S. in special education (2011) and son Dan graduat-
ed in August with a degree in music. “They’ve embraced their
Southern experience,” says the proud father. “As I tell the stu-
dents in my classes, Southern provides a quality, affordable
education, and the graduate school is very competitive. It’s a
wonderful place to earn your degree.”
FAMILYTIES:
SevenSouthern
degrees and
counting. . .
Are you part of an extended
Southern family? Send a photo
and the details to SCSU,
Southern Alumni Magazine,
501 Crescent St.,
New Haven, CT 06515-1355 or
Thank you!
32 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Many interests. One alma mater. Members of the Carrano family — [from left] Erica, Andrew,Donna, Dan, and Ashley — hold seven degrees in fields ranging from psychology to music.
Spring 2014 | 33
’90sMICHELE KELVEY-ALBERT,
’90, M.P.H. ’94, is the directorof consulting services atQualidigm, a national health-care consulting company inWethersfield. She is also thefirst in Connecticut to earnPatient-Centered MedicalHome Content ExpertCertification from the NationalCommittee on QualityAssurance. She lives inKillingworth, Conn.
GEORGE ZYGMONT, ’90, hasjoined Washington Trust as amortgage loan officer. He has15 years of experience in theindustry, most recently as apersonal mortgage banker atNaugatuck Valley Savings andLoan in Naugatuck. He residesin Cos Cob, Conn.
DONALD CASEY, M.S. ’91, wasselected by Packer ReportMagazine as the “Fantastic Fanof the Month” for December2013. The publication, whichspotlights the NationalFootball League’s Green BayPackers, recognized Casey fordeveloping a flag-football pro-gram at Stepney ElementarySchool in Monroe, Conn.
CHRISTOPHER J. ADAMS, ’92,has been appointed executiveassistant to the president ofSuffolk County CommunityCollege. He earned his sixthyear degree from HofstraUniversity and lives in GreatNeck, N.Y.
MICHAELMARCIANO, ’94, hasbeen named managing editorof the New Britain Herald. Hepreviously served 13-plusyears as the editor of TheWinsted Journal, a weeklypublication.
BARRINGTON“BARRY”BOGLE, ’96, M.P.H. ’09, is pub-lic health director for the cityof Wilton, Conn. He lives inBridgeport.
RAYMOND ROCHE, ’96, receiveda proclamation from MayorToni Harp thanking him forhis contributions to the NewHaven Free Public Library. Heresides in Hamden, Conn.
YOLANDA JONES-GENERETTE,M.S. ’98, 6th Yr. ’07, receivedthe Outstanding EducatorAward from the NationalSorority of Phi Delta Kappa atthe 28th annual African-American Legacy ScholarshipLuncheon. She is the principalof Lincoln Bassett CommunitySchool in the Newhallvilleneighborhood of New Haven.
KENNETH J. STEINER, ’98, is atechnical sales manager withSeraCare Life Sciences inSayreville, N.J.
RICK TUFTS, M.S. ’98, 6th Yr.’99, is the co-owner and brewerfor Triangle Brewing Companyin Durham, N.C. The companyrecently opened Pint & Plate, atavern-like facility located inthe same city.
’00sKEVIN KINAHAN, ’00, is a mort-
gage lending officer withWashington Trust in Fairfield,Conn. He lives in Wilton.
CHRISTOPHERMANFREDONIA, M.S. ’00, 6thYr. ’03, is the director of physi-cal education, health, and ath-letics for Darien Schools. Hepreviously was the athleticsdirector at Fairfield Ward HighSchool. He lives in SandyHook, Conn.
ANTHONY J. TRIMBOLI, ’01,was recognized by AmityRegional High School at the2013 Thanksgiving footballgame for being a member ofthe school’s 1978 Class LL statechampionship football team.Trimboli is a former Southernassistant basketball coach.
BRIEMIRANDABRYANT, ’02,has been promoted to the posi-tion of vice president of devel-opment and production fororiginal programming atOxygen Media. A multiplatformentertainment brand that deliv-ers to young women, OxygenMedia is available in 80 millionhomes. Bryant was the drivingforce behind some of Oxygen’sbiggest hits, including the docu-series, “Preachers of L.A.”
TASONNHAYNES, ’03, receivedthe Golden Apple Award at the
28th annual African-AmericanLegacy Scholarship Luncheon,hosted by the National Sororityof Phi Delta Kappa. In 2011 hepublished his first book,“Broken Gems.” He is current-ly a high school Englishteacher.
KELLY HOPE, ’03, M.S. ’10, is theassistant director of studentactivities/facility scheduler atHousatonic CommunityCollege. She is a recent recipi-ent of the Gold Apple Award,given by the National Sororityof Phi Delta Kappa at the 28thannual African-AmericanLegacy Scholarship Luncheon.
STACY BUTKUS, M.S. ’04, is theprincipal of Henry AbbottTechnical High School inDanbury. She resides inWaterbury, Conn., with hus-band, Eric, and two daughters.
CHARLES DUMAIS, 6th Yr. ’04, isthe superintendent of schoolsfor the Amity Regional SchoolDistrict 5. He formerly servedas principal of Newtown HighSchool and lives in Milford,Conn.
KENNYA. HOWELL, ’04, M.B.A.’06, is the chief of police in thetown of Millbury, Mass.
JESSICA KILHAM, ’05, wasappointed public serviceshealth sciences librarian atQuinnipiac University. She livesin Rocky Hill, Conn.
JACQUELYNN GAROFANO, ’06,was among those chosen byConnecticut Magazine as “40under 40” for 2013. She is amaterials scientist at UnitedTechnologies Research Center.
JEFF CRETELLA, ’07, was induct-ed into the 27th annual EastHaven High School AlumniAssociation Hall of Fame.
COLBYWELCH CARON, ’09, isan assistant director in theOffice of Academic Supportand Retention at FairfieldUniversity. She resides inWaterbury, Conn.
’10sJONATHAN BURTON, ’11, has
joined the WTOC News Teamin Savannah, Ga. Previously, he
was with WTOC in Lexington,Ky., and prior to that heworked as a beat reporter forNews 8 in New Haven and as areporter for The MiddletownPress in Connecticut.
STARSHEEMAR BYRUM, M.S.’11, is coordinator of EasternConnecticut State University’sWomen’s Center and theSexual Assault Response Team.She recently participated in apanel discussion hosted by theEnglish Department.
SARAH KELLY, ’11, was promot-ed to the position of educationmanager at the Westport ArtsCenter. She began working atthe center in 2012 as anEducation Fellow and, later, asthe education assistant. Herexperiences include leadingthe center’s after-school artprograms, school-group visits,workshops, summer camps,and more.
UYI OSUNDE, 6th Yr. ’12, is theassistant principal at IllingMiddle School in Manchester,Conn. He previously playedfootball with the University ofConnecticut and went on toplay for the Cleveland Brownsand the Buffalo Bills.
CARLOS CRUZ, ’13, has followedhis dreams to China, where hewill be an educator in Shanghaifor the 2013-2014 academicyear through the Ameson Yearin China program (AYC). AYCsends college graduates toteach in public and privateschools across China.
DANIEL TRUST, ’13, was recog-nized by ConnecticutMagazine in its “40 Under 40”list of exceptional people. Asurvivor of the Rwandan geno-cide, Trust is a motivationalspeaker and philanthropist.
MarriagesZACHARY LAMOTHE, M.S. ’07,
and Jaclyn Raffol, Sept. 27, 2013.
IN MEMORIAMGRACE LYONS GUNNIP, ’38,
Nov. 28, 2013, Wilmington, Del.
LILLIAN PERMAN ROHAN, ’39,Jan. 11, 2014, Miami, Fla.
ETHEL ELIZABETH STANNARDCOLLIER, ’40, Jan. 2, 2014,Arlington, Texas
PHYLLIS R. SARANEC, ’40, M.S.’96, 6th Yr. ’76, New Haven,Conn.
MARIENNE D. FAHEY, ’42, Dec.5, 2013, Darien, Conn.
JANICE E. SCOTT, ’43, Oct. 29,2013, Hadley, N.H.
CATHERINE SPILLANE, ’43,North Haven, Conn.
JEAN F. HALPIN, ’47, Dec. 29,2013, Farmington, Conn.
MARY JOY BARRETTWALSH,’49, Jan. 21, 2014, Hamden,Conn.
LAURAADAMS HACKETT, ’50,Dec. 7, 2013, Branford, Conn.
MADELINEY. ESPOSITOABATE, ’52, Nov. 22, 2013,Uncasville, Conn.
JOHN JUST ELLIS, ’53, Feb. 8,2014, Farmington, Conn.
JAMES LORELLO, ’53, March 2,2012, Ivoryton, Conn.
EMANUEL T. PROSTANO, ’53,professor emeritus, Jan. 23,2014, Stuart, Fla.
ELLEN D. GALLO, ’54, M.A. ’57,Jan. 1, 2014, Hollywood, Fla.
MARIA DOERING CARLSEN,M.S. ’55, June 12, 2011, SantaRosa, Calif.**Friends and colleagues, please contact Alan Jonas [email protected].
MARY E. DINEEN, ’56, Jan. 4.2014, Woodbury, Conn.
PATRICIAWHITE RUSSELL,’56, Nov. 7, 2013, East Haven,Conn.
MARGUERITTEWINFIELD, ’57,Feb. 10, 2014, Milford, Conn.
JOSEPH FARINA, ’58, 6th Yr. ’73,Dec. 20, 2013, New Haven,Conn.
ROSE ESPOSITO CRETELLA, ’61,M.S. ’66, director emeritus ofacademic advisement, Nov. 18,2013, New Haven, Conn.
KENNETH CHATFIELD, ’64, Jan. 1, 2014, Asheville, N.C.
34 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
JOANNMILLS, ’64, Oct. 16, 2013,Bristol, Conn.
LUKE BERTINI, ’66, Oct. 9, 2013,Wallingford, Conn.
ALBERT F. PEDROLINI, ’66, M.S.’71, 6th Yr. ’90, Jan. 7, 2014,Meriden, Conn.
MARILYN LEVY, M.S. ’67, Feb. 9,Del Ray Beach, Fla.
LEONAATTENBERG, ’68, Jan. 5,2014, Fairfield, Conn.
NORMABARBIERI, M.S. ’68, Dec.27, 2013, East Haven, Conn.
ROBERT J. DONOVAN, M.S. ’68,Jan. 11, 2014, Groton, Conn.
SUSAN NATHANSON FAIREY,’69, M.S. ’73, Feb. 15, 2014,Woodbridge, Va.
PRISCILLAMALLY, ’69, Oct. 23,2013, Fort Pierce, Fla.
JOYCE SCALA PROSTANO, ’69,M.S. ’71, professor emeritus,Jan. 15, 2014, Stuart, Fla.
MARGARET“PEGGY”BOIANO, ’70, M.S. ’75, HobeSound, Fla.
RONALD CHERNOVETZ, ’70,Oct. 27, 2013, West Haven,Conn.
SYLVIA P. SIXFIN, M.S. ’71, Dec.5, 2013, Cheshire, Conn.
ALICE HOBART JOHNSONHORNE, M.L.S. ’72, Jan. 13,2014, Tucson, Ariz.
ELIZABETH“LISA”CHEVALIER NELSON, ’72,M.S. ’77, Salem, Conn.
MARTHA SCHOBERVASILEFF,M.S. ’72, 6th Yr. ’75,Woodbridge, Conn.
ROBERT T. LAW, M.S. ’73, 6th Yr. �’76, Jan. 28, 2014, West Haven, Conn.
ESTELLE RUTH BABE GIFFIN,M.S. ’74, Nov. 28, 2013, Groton,Conn.
PATRICIAWOODALL, ’74, Sept.21, 2013, Uncasville, Conn.
BEVERLY BARTONHALL, M.S.’75, Orange, Conn.
KEVIN T. WALSH, ’75, Sept. 9,2013, Middletown, Conn.
JOAN G. GUSTAFSON, M.S. ’76,North Port, Fla.
RUTH SUGERMAN PROPP, M.S.’76, Jan. 16, 2014, Stamford,Conn.
CLAYTON SCOTT SORVILLO,’76, Dec. 28, 2013, East Haven,Conn.
MONAV. MAIZELL, M.S. ’77,Dec. 5, 2013, Hartford, Conn.
HELEN“PENNY” LEISENRINGVAUGHN, ’77, Oct. 3, 2013,Orange, Conn.
CAROLANNVENO, ’78, Sept. 15,2013, N.J.
ELIZABETH“BETSY”SANTELLO, ’80, M.S. ’82, 6thYr. ’83, New Haven, Conn.
NANCYWASSERMAN, ’84, Oct.27, 2013, Bolton, Conn.
HUGH“CHIP” CAPEZZONE,’85, Jan. 23, 2014, Bristol, Conn.
DREWA. CROCKER, ’85, M.S.’94, Jan. 20, 2014, Brookfield,Conn.
MARTINMOORE, ’85, M.S. ’89,6th Yr. ’96, adjunct professor ofspecial education, Dec. 2, 2013,Meriden, Conn.
SISTERMAUREEN DEMILIA,6th Yr. ’87, Groton, Conn.
THOMAS NIKKEL, ’89, Dec. 13,2013, New Haven, Conn.
JANET CAROL HYDEDONOVAN, M.S. ’94, Durham,Conn.
JEFFREY S. KNEIPFER, M.S.W.’95, Jan. 1, 2014, New Haven,Conn.
JEREMYM. HAYES, ’02, Sept.15, 2013, Buffalo, N.Y.
MICHAEL“MOOKIE”RUEGGER, M.A. ’07, Feb. 10,2014, Darien, Conn.
SHIRLEYVARMETTE, professoremeritus of sociology, Jan. 12,2014, New Haven, Conn.
Class notes are compiled fromsubmissions from alumni as wellas announcements made innewspapers and magazines.
Share your good newswith South ern friends and classmates. Mail this completedform to Southern Alumni News, SCSU Alumni RelationsOffice, New Haven, CT 06515-1355; fax, (203) 392-5082; or e-mail, [email protected].
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tell
usab
out
it
Hom
ecom
ing
2014
OWL
TOGETHER
NOW
Game Plancontinued from page 22
Licensed to Thrillcontinued from page 13
You’re concluding your SCSU career withnumerous accomplishments — “winningest”coach, 19-winning seasons, four consecutive
NCAA championship appearances. To what doyou attribute Southern’s success?
CAVANAUGH : We’ve been very fortunate in my tenure to have admin-
istrators who felt athletics were an important part of the universi-
ty. They gave us the tools that we needed to be successful. It always
starts with your president and the administration. We’ve been for-
tunate with the athletic administrators that we’ve had here. Pat
Nichol is awesome. I’ve worked under three different athletic direc-
tors, and she’s right at the top.
[Southern’s leaders] understand what it takes to be a first-
class program and the different areas you need to support if you
want to be successful. That allowed me to go out and put together
an awesome football staff — which, in turn, allowed us to go out
and recruit quality student-athletes. The coaches who I hired are
good motiva-
tors and
teachers.
They related
well to the
players, and
the players
responded
well to them.
Years from now, when people look back at yourcareer, what do you want them to remember
most about you?CAVANAUGH : That I was honest with them. Sometimes I had to tell
them things they maybe didn’t want to hear. But . . . . at least I think
when they got older, they realized that I had
their best interests at heart.
What’s next on the horizon? CAVANAUGH : I don’t know. We’ll see what hap-
pens. We bought a house in Newport, Rhode Island, a couple of
years ago. We’ll be spending some time up there, and then we’ll just
take it as it comes along and see what happens.
Will we see you in the bleachers?CAVANAUGH : Oh yeah. I’ll definitely be here. . . .
This is my team.
Cody and Wiz have both been incredible programs for us, and both treat my team
and me like we are an extension of their families. Not only will Wiz or Cody jump
on a Skype call in the evening when we urgently need them or [catch] a plane to
do an appearance when we need them to help promote something, but they also
offer ideas on the creative side and even suggestions for retail strategy.
Recently, on a trip to L.A., Wiz and I had a busy day filled with meetings — start-
ing with a headwear line review meeting on the rooftop of a hotel in West
Hollywood. Our partner, Converse, had plane delays coming to meet us for an
afternoon meeting and was delayed over six hours. When they finally arrived at
L.A. it was after 10 p.m. Wiz moved his day around and even offered for all of us
to come to his house, since it was so late, so we could review his new Converse
collection. Some celebrities might cancel the meeting or not be accommodating.
The celebrities I work with are actually real people.
Looking back at your time at Southern, was there a particular program or professor who had a
significant influence? NEMEROV: One of the best experiences was the Corp.
Communications Cohort program I did when we went to
Edinburgh, Scotland. Roger Conway [associate professor
emeritus of media studies] headed this program, and it
was an incredible experience and well organized. I will
remember it forever. It enabled me to learn how to work
with people from all cultures in an environment not famil-
iar to me. It was eye opening.
Just curious . . . What were your interestsas a child? Did you ever imagine havingthis type of career? NEMEROV: As a kid, I enjoyed swimming, skiing, and riding
horses. I haven’t lost my love for equestrian. In fact, more
recently I adopted a racehorse (Secretariat’s great-great-
grandson) and hired a fabulous trainer to teach him to be
a great riding horse for me.
I never imagined myself in a specific career as a kid,
except maybe a full-time horse caregiver. In fact, until I
was in graduate school I wasn’t sure what I wanted to
actually do with my career. I always knew I wanted to be
independent, and I saw my Aunt Jacki (who is president
and chief operating officer of Ralph Lauren), as my men-
tor. Jacki is an incredible person; She works harder than
anyone I know, but finds a way to successfully balance life
and work. I always knew I wanted to have her success and
be happy doing whatever it was I chose as my path.
You’re
invited
October18
(203) 392-65
00
Spring 2014 | 35
36 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
*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 and are limited to purchasing one student ticket and two student guest tickets per event. For tickets and additional information and listings, visit Lyman.SouthernCT.edu.
Southern EVENTS
SCSU Day at the Polo Club
June 8 1 p.m. for tailgate; 3 p.m. for polo match
Giant Valley Polo Club, 640 Tuttle Ave.,Hamden, Conn.
Bring a picnic basket, your favoritebeverages, and a lawn chair for a greatafternoon of entertainment. Adesignated tailgate area will be set upfor SCSU. Feel free to wear your moststunning (or outlandish) hat!
Admission is $5 per person or $10 per car at the gate.(203) 392-6500
Naugatuck ValleyBusiness After Hours
June 26 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Jones Family FarmWinery, 606 Walnut TreeHill Road, Shelton, Conn.
Join us for a delightfulwine tasting, completewith hors d’oeuvres prepared by theJones Family Farm’s Harvest Kitchen.Named Connecticut Magazine’s “BestConnecticut Vineyard” in 2013, thewinery was also recognized by thepublication for the “Best ConnecticutWine” in 2010, 2011, and 2012.
$10 per person. (203) 392-6500
Homecoming 2014Oct. 18 Events throughout the day; Homecoming game at noon
Come home to Southern for a campus-wide celebration for the entire family.Highlights include the alumni tentparty, the student parade of floats, theHomecoming football game, the 5KRobert Corda Road Race, and much more.
(203) 392-6500
Undergraduate Open House
Oct. 19 approx. 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
(Times will be confirmed in the fall.)
Throughout Campus
Experience all Southern has to offerthrough campus tours and programs on academic offerings, admissions,financial aid, student life, and much more.
Details and online registration will be available in September atSouthernCT.edu/admissions/undergraduate or call (203) 392-5644or (888) 500-SCSU.
Graduate Studies Open House
Oct. 25Michael J. Adanti Student Center
Explore Southern’s graduate programsin over 55 areas of study in the fields of education, library science andinformation technology, business, health and human services, and artsand sciences.
SouthernCT.edu/grad or (203) 392-5240
Three oftoday’s hottestplayers cometogether for aspecial eveningof jazz.
$34 for general admission; $30 for Southernactive alumni, faculty, staff, and student guests; and $18 for Southern students. (203) 392-6154
May 308 p.m.
Peter White, Rick Braun, and Euge Groove
Outer Island (Thimble Islands)
Aug. 16Back by popular demand! Travel by boat to the islandto enjoy lunch and a tour conducted by Vincent Breslin,professor of science education and environmentalstudies and co-coordinator of the Werth Center forCoastal and Marine Studies.
(203) 392-6500
The Power of Education
2013 Charitable Giving Report
Dear Friends,The importance of earning a college degree for future success
is well documented. In a recent article favoring compulsory K-16
education, Richard Reeves and Quentin Karpilow of the
Brookings Institution wrote: “We need to make post-secondary
education the norm for everyone, not just the advantaged. In
today’s economy, a high school diploma is not enough; now,
more than ever, college is the gateway to the American Dream.”
The life-changing power of education is represented in
the stories of the donors highlighted in this year’s annual
report of the Southern Connecticut State University
Foundation. Joan Specter, ’56, went from living in a two-
family Quonset hut on Whitney Avenue to becoming a
successful businesswoman. Although 83-year-old Douglas
Relyea, M.S. ’08, has achieved a great deal in life, he
demonstrates his continued belief in the value of education by
pursuing every learning opportunity available to him. The late
Nancy Marano, ’68, professor of education, believed writing
was the essence of human society and that learning to
communicate effectively would empower her students.
As the leaders of Southern’s fundraising efforts, we are
committed to generating the support which will ensure that
every Southern student is afforded the opportunity to
experience the power of education. To that end, the Foundation
has funded a number of new initiatives designed to help
Southern’s talented students succeed. These include:
• Establishing the Foundation Student Support Fund
to provide students with financial assistance outside
of the traditional financial aid process. Areas of
support include tuition and fees for those who
otherwise would be unable to remain at the
university, covering the costs of books for students in
need, and paying costs of off-campus educational
programs during the summer and other breaks.
• Supporting experiential learning by funding
undergraduate research grants for summer 2014.
• Funding the Civic Engagement/Service Learning
Initiative, the goal of which is to incorporate
community work into the curriculum so that students
gain real-world experiences that enhance their
education while providing benefits to the community.
Looking to the future, the university has embarked on the
development of a new 10-year strategic plan, and the SCSU
Foundation will align its fundraising efforts with the priorities
identified through this process. The support of alumni and friends
will be critical to ensuring Southern students have an educational
experience that propels them forward to successful lives. On
behalf of the SCSU Foundation Board, we offer our sincere
appreciation for your continuing commitment to Southern.
Robert L. Stamp David R. McHaleExecutive Director Chairman
SCSU Foundation SCSU Foundation
Very truly yours,
38 | Charitable Giving Report
Fundraising and Financial HighlightsU.S. stocks ended the year with broad gains, with
the Dow Jones Industrial Average having its biggest
rally in 18 years to finish 27 percent up for the year,
according to The Wall Street Journal. At the close of
the fiscal year on June 30, the fundraising results for
the Southern Connecticut State University Foundation
significantly exceeded our estimates — ending at
close to $1.9 million. The Foundation’s net assets also
increased over the prior year to just over $20 million
as a result of healthy growth in the financial markets.
The market value of the endowments increased $1.7
million from last year to $15.4 million.
Looking AheadAccording to Commonfund Securities, the latest
data further supports their longstanding view that the
U.S. economy is rebounding and inflation is well
controlled. The forecast for the U.S. economy,
corporate earnings, and the equity markets in 2014 is
optimistic, as a rise in consumer net worth, consumer
confidence, corporate cash flow, and profits continues.
Kiplinger’s Economic Outlook for 2014 anticipates
gross domestic product growth of 2.7 percent or
better, with short-term interest rates remaining low
throughout the year. Inflation is expected to tick up
slightly to 1.8 percent, and business spending is
anticipated to be up 4.5 percent to 5 percent as U.S.
growth strengthens.
The Foundation’s Investment Committee revised their
Investment Policy through a change in asset
allocations. Commencing in January, the portfolio is
investing in small allocations to Emerging Markets,
Hedge Equity, Global Bonds, and Distressed Debt.
This change in policy will help weather any potential
downturn that may present itself in the future. The
Foundation Board remains optimistic that its
investment portfolio will continue to achieve earnings
that, when combined with generous contributions
from our constituents, should provide strong support.
Our objectives remain to increase resources available
for scholarships and programmatic initiatives.
Year in Review 2013
Sources of Support for New Gifts and CommitmentsFiscal Year 2013$1,891,351
Distribution of New Gifts and CommitmentsFiscal Year 2013$1,891,351
Spring 2014 | 39
’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13
Total Net Assets as of Fiscal Year End(June 30, 2013) in Millions
Dollars Raised by Fiscal Year (July 1 - June 30) in Millions$20.1
$11.7
$14.4
$17.4 $17.2 $1.77
$1.52$1.66
$2.74
$1.50
Unrestricted Support 12%
$223,858
Restricted Support57%
$1,079,585
Alumni38%
$726,150
Endowment31%
$587,908
Corporations 19%
$354,939
Foundations23%
$435,425
Friends18%
$336,143
Faculty/Staff2%
$38,694
40 | Charitable Giving Report
Living theDream
Celebrated as abusinesswoman,politician, andculinary wonder,Joan Specter, ’56,establishes ascholarship thathonors friendshipand the life-changingpower of education.
By Natalie Missakian
Spring 2014 | 41
oan Specter, ’56, can’t recall exactly how much tuitioncost when she attended Southern, but she remembers itbeing “ridiculously low” — maybe $20 or $30 a semester— and to her that seemed like a lot.
Specter, wife of the late U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pennsylvania), was a newlywed and had come to New
Haven so her husband could attend law school at Yale. The couplehad very little money and was living on Whitney Avenue in theQuonset huts, a tract of prefabricated two-family homes often usedby the military to house soldiers during World War II.
“They were tin-roof buildings with one floor, and the walls werepaper thin. You could hear everything your neighbor said,” Specterrecalls. “One family lived in the front of the hut, and another familylived in the rear. It was a wild experience, I can tell you that.”
It was there that Specter met Louise Jongewaard — everyonecalled her “Dode” — who lived next door and was also attendingSouthern while her husband studied at Yale Divinity School. Bondedby similar circumstances, the two women quickly became friends.
“We were very poor. We had no money. But we had a house —a good ol’ half of a Quonset hut — and we packed up everymorning and went to school,” Specter remembers. “And we felt likewe were the luckiest people in the world that we could get a collegedegree for so little money.”
So when Specter established a scholarship at Southern inDecember 2012, she decided to name it the Joan Specter andLouise (Dode) Jongewaard Endowed Scholarship in honor of theirfriendship and their pursuit of an affordable education. The moneyis earmarked for undergraduate students who are in goodacademic standing and demonstrate financial need.
“I gave a gift to the school because they gave me a gift. Theygave me the gift of education — an affordable education — and itwas wonderful,” she says.
Specter started at Southern in 1953 (she already had one yearat Temple University under her belt), when the school was knownas New Haven State Teachers College and was still located on HoweStreet. Hers was the first class to graduate from the new campus,which bore little resemblance to the Southern of today. “They hadjust one building and no auditorium, and we graduated in this bigopen field, sitting on folding chairs,” Specter remembers.
After graduating with a liberal studies degree, she returned toPhiladelphia and earned a master’s in food and design from DrexelUniversity. Her husband would go on to serve 30 years in the U.S.Senate, the longest of any Pennsylvania senator. Specter,meanwhile, made a name for herself as a dessert maven andsuccessful businesswoman and later launched her own politicalcareer as a four-term Philadelphia city councilwoman.
While in graduate school, she met her cooking partner andtogether they opened a culinary school. As her reputation in theculinary world grew (she also wrote a food column in the localpaper and had a food-related radio show), she was approached by
a local entrepreneur who wanted to start a dessert business andasked Specter to develop the product.
“I said, ‘Well, what do you have in mind?’ and he said he wasinterested in pies,” she recalls. “So I said, ‘Sure. But it will take me awhile to figure out what I want to do.’”
Specter tested recipes and came up with the two signature piesthat made her — as one Philadelphia Inquirer food writer dubbedher — the queen of the local pie trade: the candied walnut appleand the double chocolate mousse. In 1977, she opened her bakeryand started selling pies to local restaurants. The business grewinto a wholesale food distribution company and by the late 1980s,her gourmet frozen pies could be found in restaurants and upscalefood markets across the country.
A few years into her business venture, she was approached torun for the Philadelphia City Council. She won the 1979 electionand was re-elected three more times.
Upon leaving politics, she worked for more than a decade as afundraiser for the National Constitution Center, a museum locatedacross from Independence Hall and dedicated to educating thepublic about the Constitution. Now retired, she lives in Philadelphiaand has two sons, Shanin, who is an attorney, and Steve, an MD whohas a doctorate in nutrition, as well as four grandchildren, one ofwhom attends Yale. She still keeps in touch with her friend Dode,who lives in California. “We talk on the phone all the time,” she says.
Specter’s words of wisdom to Southern students and graduatesare simple: Keep your mind open and say yes.
“That’s what I did in my life. What did I know about running abakery? Or being a city councilwoman? I mean, really?” she asks.“There are lots of possibilities out there. Just because you went toschool to be a teacher, doesn’t mean you have to be a teacher. Youcan be anything you want to be. You just have to really want to be it.”
J “I gave a gift to the school because
they gave me a gift. They gave
me the gift of education — an
affordable education — and it
was wonderful.”
— Joan Specter, ’56
42 | Charitable Giving Report
Part TwoDouglas Relyea, M.S. ’08,capitalizes on aneducation program for seniors — and establishes ascholarship to helpothers earn their degrees.
By Natalie Missakian
ouglas Relyea, M.S. ’08, takes the catchphrase“lifelong learner” to a whole new level.
The 83-year-old former chemist has spentthe last 15 years taking classes at Southern, firstas a graduate student pursuing his master’s in
biology and now — after reaching that goal in 2008 — as anundergrad majoring in French. He is a proud, if unorthodox,member of the Class of 2014, who was set to receive his bachelor’sdegree in May as this issue went to press.
“I give new meaning to the word “senior,” quips theoctogenarian, who is minoring in German and has grandchildrenthe same age as many of his classmates.
Relyea is taking advantage of a program that lets Connecticutresidents 62 and older enroll in courses at state public universitiesand colleges tuition free. Under the program, applicants can takeunlimited courses where space is available after paying a registrationand other basic fees. In addition to being offered at Southern, theprogram is available at Eastern, Central, and Western ConnecticutState universities and the University of Connecticut, as well as thestate’s community colleges.
Relyea figures by the time he is finished, the state will havesubsidized his education to the tune of nearly $50,000. After doingthe math, the Bethany, Conn., resident decided he should pay the debtforward, so he established the Douglas I. and Mary L. Relyea EndowedScholarship at Southern, named for Relyea and his wife. Thescholarship is open to undergraduate students majoring in Frenchor German who maintain a grade point average of 2.7 or higher.
“I looked around at all these students paying for every creditand thought I really should give something back,” he says.
Relyea has a long-held commitment to education. He alreadyholds a bachelor’s from Clarkson University, a master’s fromCornell, and a Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina. He alsocompleted one year of post-doctoral studies at the University ofWisconsin and worked for 40 years as a chemist with Uniroyal. Hehas received 19 patents for his research, developing insecticides andfungicides for crop protection and has authored 25 scientific papers.
When he retired, his desire to keep learning drew him toSouthern, where he has been taking classes since at least 1999.Steven Burian, chair of the Biology Department, who worked withRelyea on his master’s thesis, notes that it’s likely Relyea had takenall of the biology courses in Southern’s catalog.
“He took a huge number of courses, probably double the numberof courses that you need for a master’s degree,” Burian recalls.
Relyea says he pursued his master’s in biology because he has adeep interest in insects, entomology, and ecology — a curiositythat was piqued during his many years working on insecticides.His master’s thesis focused on the taxonomy of the mayfly.
His interest in world languages also goes back to his days as achemist. He was expected to have rudimentary knowledge ofFrench and German because scientific terminology was rooted in
those languages, but he always wanted to master them, he says. Relyea jokingly calls himself a transfer student, explaining that
Southern gave him credit for 10 liberal arts classes he took whileearning his first bachelor’s degree more than 60 years ago. He alsoreceived a waiver for the mandatory “Introduction to Wellness.”
Relyea has run a total of 180 road races and 120 biathlons andcontinued to run until a knee injury eight years ago forced him togive up the sport. He estimates he has logged around 35,000 miles.
“I’d done races. I had a body mass index (BMI) of 21. I have anannual physical exam. I eat three meals a day at a table. I was, atthe time, 81 or 82 and still breathing in and out. Did I really need acourse in Introduction to Wellness?” he recalls. So he wrote to thedepartment chair of Public Health and pleaded his case. He quicklygot an e-mail back from his secretary, telling him that the departmentchair was granting the waiver “and we both envy your BMI.”
Luke Eilderts, assistant professor of French, says Relyea bringsa different perspective to the classroom than a student fresh out ofhigh school.
“He’s beloved by his fellow students. He’s very intelligent,” saysEilderts, who coordinates the French program.
Burian adds that Relyea was a role model for the fledglingscientists in his classes, who were learning how to ask the rightquestions and apply scientific principles.
“Doug was great at that because he already had all thatbackground. It was second nature because that’s how he lived hislife,” Burian says.
When the class discussed research papers, for example, Relyeaoften questioned their conclusions. Sometimes he even re-did theanalyses. “He would never accept anything at face value — whichis how science should be,” Burian says.
Relyea says he is getting an “excellent” education at Southernand notes that a key to finding happiness in the golden years is tocome up with a five- to 10-year plan before retiring. “Don’t just leavethe job and go home and put your feet up and watch TV,” he says.
Spring 2014 | 43
D “I looked around at all these
students paying for every credit
and thought I really should
give something back.”
— Douglas Relyea, M.S. ’08
44 | Charitable Giving Report
TheTeachers’Teacher
Professor Nancy Marano’spassion for educationinfluenced countlessstudents as well as herfamily. A memorialscholarship establishedin her honor continuesher legacy at Southernand beyond.
By Natalie Missakian
Spring 2014 | 45
hen Kristin Marano leaves the house —even if it’s just for a quick run to the grocerystore — she always brings a book with her“just in case.” It’s a habit she learned from hermother, who was never without a book evenwhen she became too ill to read them herself.
“We were encouraged to have a book with us wherever wewere, wherever we went,” says Marano, who describes a childhoodhome filled with bookshelves. “We always had family discussionsabout what we were reading.”
Kristin’s mother, Nancy Marano, ’68, believed reading was thefoundation for good writing, and she was passionate about passingon that skill to her own family and students.
At Southern, she was a longtime professor of education and an architect of the university’s Writing Across the Curriculumprogram, which promotes writing in every academic discipline andoffers workshops and tutoring for faculty and students. In a fittingtribute, the university dedicated a student writing competition inthe professor’s honor after her death in 2011. The Nancy MaranoWriting Across the Curriculum Award annually recognizes the beststudent work completed in writing-intensive courses.
“In her mind, writing really was the essence of human society,”says her husband, John Marano, (pictured at left) of Madison,Conn. “She loved good writing, she loved her students, and shewanted her students to be able to communicate effectively.”
To honor that passion, he established the Nancy Laine MaranoEndowed Scholarship Fund at Southern. The scholarship is open toa junior or senior in the School of Education who maintains agrade point average of 3.5 or higher. To be considered, applicantsmust write an essay explaining why they deserve the award.
“She was quite an effective communicator,” John Marano adds.“She had a special way with people, making them feel comfortable.”
One of her first students was none other than her husband. The two met at a New Haven nightspot while John was at Yale
University and Nancy was attending Western College. She hadcome home to the New Haven area for Thanksgiving break and,serendipitously, “it was one of the few times I hadn’t gone home for aholiday,” he recalls. A friend of Nancy’s suggested he ask her to dance.“I followed the advice,” he says. Soon after, she transferred to Southern,where she earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education.Theymarried in 1968 and have two daughters, Kristin and Lauren.
Although John worked in engineering, his job required more andmore writing as he climbed the corporate ladder into management.
“I needed a lot of help,” jokes Marano, who held corporateexecutive positions at Mobil and Union Carbide and now owns acompany that makes medical devices. “She took me under herwing and helped me with my writing and communications, whichI really believe helped my career. As time passed, if I had animportant piece of writing for my job, she would review it and giveme pointers, and I would do the same for her. We bounced thingsoff of each other in that way.”
Nancy Marano began her career as a special education teacher inCharleston, W. Va., specializing in children with learning disabilities,and later held teaching and tutoring positions in Princeton, N.J.,and New Canaan, Conn. She earned a master’s in special educationfrom West Virginia Graduate College in 1977 and a doctorate ineducational studies from the University of Michigan in 2000.
In 2001, she joined the faculty at Southern, where she wasactively involved in academic life. In addition to serving on theWriting Across the Curriculum Committee, she was a member ofthe Autism Spectrum Disorders Advisory Board and was facultyadvisor to the Future Teachers of America.
Professor of Mathematics Maria Diamantis, who workedclosely with Marano, describes her colleague as enthusiastic,patient, and caring. “One of her students gave her a plaque thatread ‘You Inspire Me,’” says Diamantis. “She kept it in her office,where she could easily see it and always be reminded of hermission. She was completely devoted to her students.”
“I only ever knew my mom as dedicated to the discipline ofeducation,” says Kristin Marano, who now lives in Winston-Salem,N.C. “To say that she was passionate about it sounds limited andtrite. It was more just who she was, foundational to her being, part ofher core. She was always a teacher — as far back as I can remember.”
Marano says her mother often spoke of her students and howmuch she enjoyed watching future teachers in the classroom. “Youcould see the twinkle in her eye when she’d talk about them,” JohnMarano adds.
In her personal life, Marano believed strongly in human rights,women’s rights, and helping the poor. She also was fiercelyprotective of those she loved, her husband says. Althoughdiminutive in stature and typically reserved, she often surprisedpeople when she spoke in defense of her beliefs. “She was calm butvery determined,” John Marano says.
He remembers one family vacation in Cape Cod when a salesclerk spoke harshly to the couple’s young daughters. Maranomarched back into the store and gave the woman an earful abouttreating children with respect.
“She was reserved until you pushed her buttons,” he jokes. Knowing how thrilled she would have been to help others
obtain a college education, he says the family has enjoyed meetingsome of the scholarship recipients, describing them as “wonderful,pleasant, and very smart students.”
W “She was always a teacher —
as far back as I can remember.”
— Kristin Marano
President’s Club Patrons$10,000+Doris & James BarberCommunity Foundation forGreater New Haven
Compass Group USA Inc.Estate of Wanda DickSylvia DrexlerDrexler FoundationEstate of Robert EiseleGeraldine FrankelLynn FuscoFusco CorporationAnne Gundersen*Haskins LaboratoriesAmy Huie-LiJanice IllingworthAlbert JettRita LandinoJohn MaranoShannon & David McHaleThe National CollegiateAthletic Association
New Haven RegisterNortheast Utilities FoundationThe Oaklawn FoundationAudrey PaightJoseph PaightPaul L. Jones FundDouglas RelyeaEstate of Dorothy SchraderJoan SpecterWalter StutzmanStutzman Family FoundationMargaret & John SullivanRichard Tripodi
United Way of Central &Northeastern Connecticut
Estate of Rebecca WardWerth Family FoundationWilliam Caspar GrausteinMemorial Fund
WSHU Public Radio Group
President’s Club$5,000 - $9,999Barnes & Noble CollegeBookstores Inc.
Katherine BarrettMichael ChambrelloKerb Productions Inc.Stephen KoestnerEdward MackNewman’s Own FoundationJohn PettoChristine & John PowderlyRichard RussoSage Family TrustSCSU Alumni AssociationGladys & John SotoSouthern Gymnastics LLCSpace-Craft Manufacturing Inc.Anthony TamburriWhitney CenterWiggin & Dana LLP
Blue & White Club$1,000 - $4,999Kristen Adanti-Pedersen &Jon Pedersen
Elizabeth AilesAldo Dedominicis Foundation
Alloy Engineering CompanyInc.
American Honda Motor Co. Inc.Paula ArmbrusterJaye BaileyWilliam BallRegina BarbaresiBeacon Wealth ManagementKimberly BeanHilary BertischCorinne BlackmerJames BlakePeter BoppertPeter BreihofWilliam BurnsBVH Integrated ServicesBarbara & Peter CairneyJill & Jacques CesaireAnn ChristmannCitizens BankClear Channel BroadcastingInc. New Haven
Coca-Cola RefreshmentsMaureen CollinsComcastComerica Wealth &Institutional Management
Connecticut MagazineRose Cretella*Kimberly CroneMichael DeansJerry DunkleeEllen DurninDworken, Hillman, LaMorte &Sterczala PC
Deborah Edwards
Marjy EhmerFairfield County CommunityFoundation Inc.
FIP Construction Inc.Anna Fraulo*DonnaJean FredeenPhilip GaboriaultCarlene GaudetteMark GermainSandra HagueFrank HarrisHB Communications Inc.Kathryn HughesChris HutchinsonING Life Insurance & AnnuitySusan JenningsJewish Foundation of GreaterNew Haven
JHTNA Inc.Michelle JohnstonMichael KatzMarianne KennedyJulia KobusMary O’Connell KozikL. Holzner Electric CompanyMyrtle Leonard*Liberty Mutual Group Inc.Raymond MackowskiThomas MadiganMagilla EntertainmentMarcum LLPJames MazurMcBride Wayside Carpet &Furniture Co. Inc.
Joan McGuireLawrence McHugh
Memorial Day ClassicSharon MisasiMary Ann & Donald MitchellWilliam MorganEileen MoriartyJoseph NatarelliNational Philanthropic TrustNewtown Parent ConnectionInc.
Northeast Generator CompanyInc.
Northeast Utilities ServiceCompany
Rocco OrlandoBarbara OrtolevaSarah & Richard PaigeDonna PalmieriPauline Schwartz Trust FundGregory PavezaPeople’s United BankWilliam PrattTimothy QuillNicole RinehardtAnita & Joseph SabatinoRobin SauerteigSC Football Camp LLCSCSU AAUPSCSU Student GovernmentSimplex Grinnell LPSkanska USA Building Inc.Sidney SkolnickClifford SmithMarcia SmithStanley Black & Decker Inc.The L. Suzio Concrete Co. Inc.Sandra Thielz
Giving to SouthernHonor Roll of Donors
46 | Charitable Giving Report
Our Honor Rolls recognize gifts made between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2013. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information; however, errors andomissions may have occurred. Please accept our apologies for any inaccuracies. If you find an error, please contact Susan Quagliaroli at (203) 392-7083.
Tim Greer Insurance AgencyInc.
Tonelli Sports LLCTri-State Brick of ConnecticutCarolyn VanacoreAnthony VerlezzaVisiting Nurse Association ofSouth Central Connecticut
Patricia & J. LeRoy WardWebster BankDiane WishnafskiYale University
Associate’s Club$250 - $999Antonio AcetoJodi AdolfAetna Foundation Inc.Heidi AllenLinda & Gary AltieriAnthony AmendolaCharles AndrioleCally & Joseph AngelettiAon Foundation Inc. Michael AshwoodAT&T Foundation HigherEducation Matching GiftProgram
Kathleen BagleyRalph BarbieriChristine BarrettChristina BaumMichael Ben-AvieDenise Bentley-Drobish &Robert Drobish
Frank BlefariDaniel BoffaAnthony BonadiesJoan BonviciniChristopher BorajkiewiczViolet BornemannChristine BroadbridgeJohn BrownSara BrownLise BruleEllen BudrisSteven BuecheleEdward BurkeTerrell BynumRobert CaciopoliJosephine & George CaffreyLisa CainAlaina CalabroConrad CalandraMary Pat CaputoRichard CarneyAndrew CarranoMark CenevivaCenterbrook Architects andPlanners
Jane CheekSherryl ChinCatherine ChristyLori CiccomascoloCIGNA FoundationBrian ClarkeKenneth Coleman
Marie CollComcast FoundationMarylou ConleyConnecticut CommunityFoundation
Connecticut PublicBroadcasting Inc.
Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame
Carole ConnellyCosmo CoriglianoShirley CostelloClaudia CraftsHolly CrawfordBrad CrerarGregg CrerarJohn CriscuoloLauralee CromartyLewis CroneKaren CummingsJosephine & Martin CurryThomas CurtinElizabeth CurtisSusan D’AgostinoArthur D’AlmeidaScott DanaJohn DaPonteDarter Specialties Inc.James DawesPamela DayRichard DeCesareJoan & Raymond DeFrancescoAmanda & Robert DeMezzoDavid DeninoPatricia & Michael D’ErricoAniruddha DeshpandeAnn DombroskiDominion FoundationKevin DonnellyMichael DonnellyMike Donnelly BasketballAcademy LLC
Ann DonneryJoseph DooleyElizabeth DriebeekDriven2InspireBetsy DuckworthDun & Bradstreet Co.Foundation
Elisabeth DursoLaura ElsenbossESI InternationalJosephine FarleyRobert FelderDeborah FlynnJared ForcierJessica ForcierRosemary ForniJoseph Friello*John FullerVincent GagliardiPeggy GallupLisa GalvinLinda GarfinkelHenry GatesCarole GaugerTerese Gemme
Stephanie GibbonsKevin GilbrideChristina GilleylenRoss GingrichKrista GrandeMatthew GrandeAlison GreenRosanne & Robert GriffinAaron GrossHaddam KillingworthSunshine Fund
Irene HallerJan HamiltonJames HanceEdward HaydonRobert HeinsLars HelgesonBarbara HigginsJoan & William HolleyCatherine IngleseNancy & Vincent IngleseSondi JacksonKurt JagielowMarilyn & Warren JaquaSara JohnsonJonthan JuddPatricia KahlbaughSteven KarjanisKarjanis & Sons Motors LLCFrank KeeneyJeffrey KeeneyShawn KellyRobin KenefickJudy KielyRoberta KieronskiThomas KingGeorgianna KleimanLewis KlunkSarah Costello KnaufPaul KobasaNancy KohlPhilanthi KoslowskiErnest KrajcikJocelyn KravecsWilliam KrummLillie KumarGerard KunkelDaniela & Frank LaDoreTimothy LandryRichard LarsonLaurel Beach Consultants LLCLissa LawMartin LawlorDonald LemieuxAnne LeoneLifetime Care at Home LLCLimpiex Cleaning Service Inc.Candace LumiaBrian LussierAlan MachugaSean MahonBarbara MallickSusan MankeMansir PrintingRobert MargoliesDoris MarinoRosalind Marottoli
Jane MarroneHolly MasiMark MasiCarmella MastrogiovanniAllison McCafferyRobert McGannonMichael McGrathLaura McLaughlinKevin McNamaraE. Marie McPaddenMerck Company FoundationP. Minou MichlinStephanie & William MillerHarriett MilnesMilone & MacBroomGiacomo MordenteEdward MorganGary MorinA. Duffy MudryTimothy MurphyCynthia & Frank NappiLetitia NastriNationwide FoundationGerard NelsonVara NeverowNew Haven Roadrace Inc.Deborah NewtonPatricia NicolEleanor & Anthero NicolauTheresa O’ConnorKevin O’ReillyPhilip PalmaChristopher PalmerPatricia PanichasJudit & George PaoliniRobert ParkerCarol ParmeleeTimothy ParrishRodney PaulBelinda PearmanFrancis PentinoArthur PerschinoAnthony PerusoPhilip PessinaKathleen PetersChristine PettoPfizer FoundationJanice PiazzaMary PiccioliConstance PinoChristopher PiscitelliJohn PotkayMarilyn PriceSean RaffileJaak RakfeldtKate RamunniJeffrey ReillyDonald ReillyStacey & Richard RiccardiSalvatore RizzaLinda RobinsonGeorge RomanoWiltraud RozeKristin RussoRonald SaderElizabeth SahlinPhyllis Salerno
Richard Salerno*Barbara SalzanoLorraine SamelaMargaret SamelaFrank SantinoElizabeth ScadutoRonald SchwartzStanley SeligaMichael SheaRobert SheeleyBarbara Kennedy ShortellPeter SieviecChristopher SilhaveyEric SimmsLori SimonMichael SjovallForrest SmithJessica SomervilleJoseph SorrentinoDawn Stanton-HolmesKenneth SteinerBrigitte StilesBeth StollerDonald StuhlmanSuburban Worldwide TravelAgency LLC
Subway RestaurantsBrendyn SullivanLinda SullivanSUOAF/AFSCMEJean SutherlandDaniel SwartzHeidi SzobotaJennie TaddiaAngela TodaroLawrence TomascakGuy TommasiDoris TownshendCynthia TuchmanUnited TechnologiesCorporation
Jeffrey UpchurchDonald VanceVerizon FoundationJoseph VerzinoRonald WalkerElizabeth WalshJan WangMark WatersRichard WatsonKatherine & Richard WellnerWepawaug-Flagg FederalCredit Union
Jay WhelanPatricia WhelanAnna WhitakerMichael WilderJohn WilliamsPatricia WilliamsMelissa & Marvin WilsonWinners Edge Strategies Inc.Eileen & Gary WolffRoger WolfsonPatricia WoodfordJane WrightDavid ZackMichael Zilinek
Spring 2014 | 47
Century Club$100 - $249Cheryl & David AbrahamKatherine AcocellaJohn AdamovichMichael AdamskiFrederick AfragolaDeborah AhernAlbrecht’s Auto Repair Inc.Judson AleyCarol AllenRichard AllisonEllen AlpertMichael AmbrosecchioJanet AmentoAmgen FoundationCarol AndersonDonna Lou AndersonLauren AndersonLouis AndreKatherine AndrioleStacey AndritsopoulosMichael AngeliniRonald ArbitelleAndrea ArellanoBarbara ArensMickel AriasAlice ArmstrongCaroline AthertonAlfred BadgerAmanda BaileyRichard BaileyMaxine BalabanJoanne BaldaufJoseph BandieraMary-Beth BanthamSharon BaraiolaLeonard BarbieriWilliam BarkerRobin BarnaEllen BauerCurtis BeanHelene BeckerPatricia BennettMarise BensonMatthew BerberichMark BergamoBetsy BergenDorothy BergerChristopher BerglundBerlin Bicycle & Repair ShopBetsy BernLois BernardiVal BernardoniFlorence BerrienRosemary BertonStephen BetzVeronica BeutherFred BialkaMarcia BiaseBarbara BilodeauJoseph BinkoskiJanis BlasiakBarbara BohnAndrea BonazzoliVirginia BonitatebusKathleen & Leonard Bonn
James BoothBooz Allen HamiltonBarry BorissLaurie BoskeApril BoweLaura Bower-PhippsSylvia BoydBonnie BredesDonna BrennanVincent BreslinBridgeport Sound TigersIsobel BroadhurstMarga Brockhagen
Meryl BrodskyClaudia BromanAlice BrooksJoseph BrownRichard BrownPhoebe BrowningKurt BuchholzMichelle BudwitzSandra BulmerJack BurriesciRae BurtonRichard ButeauJohn CaceciFay & Hugh CaffertySusan CalahanBeverly & William CalcagniWilliam CaliendoAugust CambriaDoreen Cammarata-Gilhuly &Daniel Gilhuly
Judith CampCarol CangianoFrank CaparuloAntone CapitaoMaureen CareyWayne CarlsonDonald CaseyJames CashavellyErnest CassellaRose & Joseph CastellonMichael Castellucci
Rose CeloneJennifer CharbonnierNancy CharestThe CHE Consulting Group Inc.Judith ChernoffDavid ChevanAlbert ChiappettaBeverly ChieffoChristopher ChisholmCarol ChometaLaurie ChurchillJoseph CiaburriLawrence Ciotti
William ClapesClass of 1956Constance ClearyJoseph ClearyBarbara CliffordPixie CodyMary CofrancescoWilliam CohaneDona CohenPhyllis CohenJoseph ColacinoGeorge ColafatiSuzanne ColasantoSharon ComkowyczPhyllis ComrieWilliam ConeConnecticut’s Beardsley ZooRobert ConnellyLorraine ConwayWilliam ConwayLinda CoppolaJames CorbiereSusan CorneilleFrancine & David CossBarbara CostelloCourtwood Inc.Lizanne CoxKathleen CoyleMary Beth CrandallNancy CrandallSusannah Crego Violino
Philip CronanLaura CrooksJanice CrosslandHelen CrowleyJames CrowleyJudy CuddiheeRobert CuddiheePatricia & Thomas CummingsD & D Services LLCCarolyn DaherMarcia & John D’AlexanderMary D’AmatoRaymond D’Amato
Laurene D’AmicoDonna D’AngioJimmy DavilaGail DavisRuth Ann DavisIsaac DeasAndrea DeBoerCynthia DeCarloChristopher DeckerPaul DeCosterTimothy DeffleyRosemary & Thomas DeFilippoSarah DekutowskiDaniel Del PreteJune DelanoRaymond DelehantPaul DelGobboDavid DeLiseAgnes DellaselvaRonald DeLucaRalph DeMatteoPaul DesruisseauxMichael DeVitoJane & Merritt DexterWilliam DiffleyPatrick DilgerKevin DillaneWilliam DillaneClaudette DimariaMelinda DivicinoBruce Dobratz
Veronica DoneskiAnn DonohueMildred DoodyAnna DoolittleThomas DorrKim DorseyShawn DoughertyRichard DowneyJacqueline & Gregory DowningJohn DoyleBrian DriscollMarian & Robert DrobishDiane Smith DruggeBarbara DrummondMaryAnn DudleyMara DunleavyLori DurocherJoy DuvaWilliam DysonAlan EckstrandDonna EgloffPasquale EliaEdward EllimanJessica EmbacherLucinda EmbersitsMarty ErnstoffAgatha EspositoLinda EspositoKenneth EwaskieAnna-Margaret FabisiakKirkland FainPatricia FalkWilliam FaraclasBonnie Farley-LucasLesley FarricielliJoseph FazzinoMarybeth FedeMary FeigeFidelity Charitable Gift FundDenise FiedlerWadad FinanLois FioreJune Estep FiorelliDavid FioriniDeborah & Richard*Fitzsimmons
Cynthia FixerNancy FlammiaNorbert FlammiaStephen FlanaganBrandis FlashThurza FletcherGustave FlinkLouis FlorioSarah FlynnVicki FoldenJames FoleyClare FordMeredith FordMartha FordianiVerne FosterJeffrey FournierFrame Advisors LLCThe Frame Shop and Galleryof Waterbury
Dominic FranceseDiane Frankel-Gramelis
48 | Charitable Giving Report
Kelley FrassinelliMelvin FredenJoanne FrenkelDiane FulcoJanina FusaroFrancis GagliardiRosemary GagliardiRobert GaipaJohn GallagherPatrick GallagherCharlotte GallucciJudy GardnerRobert GearingHenry GemeryCarol GennetteJeannette GentileMark GentryMichael GeorgenJoan GerdsenLillian GerhardtAnn GibranNancy GillSean GilmartinAnthony GinnettiBeverly GinterDarnell GlassHoward GleichenhausBetty GobeilleAudrey GoclowskiKathleen GoddisonEllen GodomskyAdam GoldbergJerry GolebiewskiNeil GolubIsabel Gonzalez-EchevarriaGoodfellas RestaurantVirginia GoodwinWilliam GoodwinPatrick GormanKrystyn Gorniak-KocikowskaMary GouldGraebelSusan GrayRuth GreenRobert GregoryRoberta GrossmanMarcia GruceHope GruntMargaret GuelakisJanet GuilmetteRobert GulasGrace Gunnip*Deborah GwiazdowskiValerie HaberlGeorge HaddadCatherine HairJohn HajusMitchell HallockAudrey HancockJames HanleyMichael HanlonHarvey HarknessTerry & Hugo HartThe HartfordHartford InsuranceThe Hartford Steam BoilerInspection and Insurance Co.
Richard HarveyHarvey Hubbell FoundationDavid HauserJeannette HawranJocelyn HayesHeadfly Web Solutions LLCEvelyn HeffernanMarianne HeffernanKaren HellandRaymond HellerNorman HenchelBarry HermanFloresita HernandezPatricia HeslinDeane HetricKim HibbardChristine HigginsDenise HindingerCharlotte HitchcockBonnie Hittleman-LewisAdele HodgesMable Hoffler-PageEddis HoffmanJerome HojnackiLori HollingsJames HonoreHarry HowellMargaret HudaClaudia HudsonDonald HughesMaureen Welch HunterAngela Huntley
Thomas HylinskiIBM International FoundationDavid IfkovicKenneth ImperatoStephen IngulliMichael IppolitoShirley JacksonThomas JacobsMary JadachKendra JemmottGeorge Jerome
Florence JohnsBethann JohnsonJoyce JohnsonKurt JohnsonRichard JohnsonRobyn Stewart JohnsonJordan JonesDiane JulianRichard KaminskiConstance KapralEugene KarpinskiMichael KasinskasChristopher KeefeCindy KeeganMary Jane KeelerElizabeth KeenanMary & Dennis KeenanRaymond KelloggJames E. KellyJames F. KellyJaneth KellyJeffrey KellyPatricia & Timothy KennedyLinda KeshishianDonald KesslerLinda KingMartha KirschnerMiles KirschnerEdwin KlinkhammerKurt KnoernschildKenneth KochAndrew Koorejian
Dorothy KramerJason KraussMargaret KrepinevichJohn KryzanowskiLeo KuczynskiMeghan KueblerJames KusackRae LambertJohn LampronikosLisa LancorDorothy Lane
Susan LanghansPaul LapucAnthony LaudanoSusan LaValleeNicholas LaverisDawn LavoieMarylou LavoieMichelle LawlerDaniel LeavittLinda LebelGloria LeeJudith LegezaL’ElegancePatricia LenihanRoberta LeonardCora LeonardiNathan LernerPamela LernerJames LettsPaul LevatinoLevitsky & Berney PCFrederick LewisCatherine LigiMaria LoiewskiTimothy LoneySusie LongLong Wharf TheatreMary Rose LovelloLRG, LLCMaureen LucasRenee LynesKenneth Lyon
Glenn MacknoPatricia & James MadiganLisa MaglioccoMonica MaiaAlison MajeauAnn MakiRobert MalchiodiAnita MalentacchiAnthony MaltesePeter MandrasDorothy & Patrick Manley
Sharon ManleyAnne MapolskiDavid MarczelyLucille MarottoliMarianne MarpleElizabeth MarthaEleanor MartinMary & Jeffrey MartinikDorothy MartinoEdward MartinoBarbara MatthewsKathleen & Anthony MauroAnn MaxhamRaymond McGarrityDaniel McGrathGeorge McGuiganJames McIntyreHollis MckennaPaul MckenzieWilliam McKernanBonnie McNairKathleen McNeillFaye MeachamCarole & Stanley* MendygralAnna MicciMidState InformationServices
Mihaela MillerLeslie MillingtonFrank MiloneMargaret MirtoMary MonahanMargaret MonizChristine MontgomeryMary MontgomeryStephen MontgomeryCatherina MordecaiDebra MoriartyKathleen MorinJohn MoronitiJoseph MorrisChristine & David MorrowGerald MossEvelyn MoultonRaymond MugnoRobert MundyJohn MurphyWilliam MurrayR. Stephen MyrickEleanor NaceEva NaplesAnne NardiGabriel NardiMary NavinBetty NaylorChristine NelsonDavid NetinhoNetwork for GoodBarbara NeufeldMargaret NewtonRyan NobregaDonald NorcrossDorothy NoyceOak Street ReunionEleanor O’Brien*John O’DeaWilliam O’Hare
Spring 2014 | 49
Patrick OkeefeDorothy O’NeilMaureen OnofrioGeorge OstrowskiTracey OwersSadiann OzmentGatin PaganoAndrea PaightJeannette PalluzziJoseph PalmerJiongDong PangRobert PannozzoCarol PapazianDorothy PappasVermelle ParisJoseph ParisiLisa ParisiDonna ParkeGary ParkmanJill & Stephen ParkosewichSteven ParksBerdjouhi ParseghianWalda PassaroEdward PatrickRandy Paul & Associates Inc.Harvey PaulinPatricia PearsonSandra PeaseLynda PedersenJames PegolottiMarite PelvertsDarnelle PerryDavid PerutaMaria Peters*Ralph PetersFred PetrellaPaul PetrieHelen PfeiferPhiladelphia GymnasticsCenter Inc.
Walter PiechotaEdward PierceFrank PintoMichael PisaniJohn PloskiFrancesca PooleJoseph PoulsenDennis PowersThomas PowersAnn PratsonSusan PrentisMarie PreteGeraldine PrincePrudential FoundationKerstin PughLori PujdaMarc RabinoffSteven RacineMonica RaffoneSabdhya RameshDiane RaschJeffrey RaupKaren RedmanLillian ReederMartin ReganTricia ReganAnn Renstrom
Resource VideoTheresa RiccioCynthia RiccitelliPaula RiceElizabeth RichardsonBernadette RiggsMarguerite RinaldiAnna Rivera-AlfaroArlene RobbinsJohn RochetteMichael Rogers
Richard RogersonNancy RonneHarriet RosenJoseph RossiAndrea RoweHeather RoweDonald RozanskiPaul RubinoJennifer RuggieroRussell Sage FoundationDorothea RussoPaul RustJoseph SabolConcetta SaccoSahin Holding LLCMichele SalamoneMichael SalvinAlain SamsonFrank SamuelsonSan Damiano Daily GivingCina SantosMarilyn SantucciWarren SarasinJames SavidgeEdward SavinoCarol SbaboDonald SbaboSalvatore ScafarielloGay SchenckWalter SchenckEmmanuelle SchindlerIrene SchraggerJanice Schuck
Wayne SchwartzMarjorie ScoreyDorothy ScrobkoSCSU Women’s AssociationLinda & Martin ScullyJoseph SeemanDeborah SeibertRobert SemenzaPaul SerenbetzHelen ShecoraJoan & John Sheehy
Erika ShoreShubert New HavenJohn SidoliKathy SieglerKiran SinghPhilip SirignanoSix Flags New EnglandAndrew SklepowiczDavid SmithEllen SmithRandall SmithM. Roberta SpannSean StearleySteelcase FoundationNancy StellaccioSterling Forms & ComputerSupplies
Russell StevensPatricia StichHeidi StobbartMartin StokesCynthia StretchCarolyn StroutMing SuenBarbara SullivanConstance SullivanEaston SullivanLauren SullivanMartha SullivanThomas SullivanWilliam Sullivan*Sandra SummersMing Sun
Cynthia SwainbankEdmund SwartzSweet BoutiqueElaine SwirskyJohn SwitchenkoCarl SwordLisa TaggartChristina TashjianFrank TavaresClelia TenerowiczAmy Terlaga
Judith TerrillKim TesterKevin ThompsonThe Tiara ClubLois TollesRobert ToothakerBarbara TorcelliniCynthia ToscanoJeffrey TottenhamJohn TracyLaurie TracyRudolph TrankovichCarol TrippWilliam TurnierAmy TurskyEdward TyburskiUBS Matching Gift ProgramMichele VancourWilliam VarnumMary VaughnJean & Clifford VerronNancy ViaJoseph ViolettaMary VisnicRobert VittiMichael VolleroMariacristina Von FeldtEdward VossAnn WagnerAnn WaldmanRosemary WaldronCorneli WallinPatricia Walsh
Eleanor & Norman WarrenderJudith Watkins-ShapiroSuzanne WeberThomas WellingtonWendy WellsWells Fargo FoundationAnn WengloskiDal WentzelMary & Edward WeselcouchTodd WheelerMary Ellen WhiteAlice WilcoxDorothy WillisWilliam WilsonSteven WinterTimothy WiseFrank WolakPatricia WolfRoshelley WoodsonJon WormleyMichelle WormleyRoger WoznickRenay WrightKathy YalofMary & James YanosyArthur YostJohn YoungRalph YuloRoselyn ZackinCharles ZaremskasWilliam ZenkoPatricia ZiblukJoyce & Brian ZukauskasJanet ZukowskiRobert Zuraw
GrantsFavor Inc.Leakey FoundationSociologists for Women inSociety
Faculty and StaffHonor RollAntonio AcetoCarolyn AllingShirley AndersonJaye BaileyJames BarberLeonard BarbieriChristine BarrettNicholas BauerChristina BaumBetsy BeacomJudith BehlerMichael Ben-AvieTherese BennettDenise Bentley-DrobishJohn BergevinCorinne BlackmerJames BlakeLeonard BonnPeter BoppertVivian BordeauxLaura Bower-PhippsSharon BradfordVincent Breslin
50 | Charitable Giving Report
Christine BroadbridgeDian Brown-AlbertLise BruleAnthony BrunettiSandra BulmerMerle BuncoRondell ButlerTerrell BynumGeorge CaffreySusan CalahanConrad CalandraDoreen Cammarata-GilhulyAmy CappelloMary Pat CaputoBraxton CarriganSuzanne CarrollDarci CarsonVincenzo CassellaShirley CavanaghThomas CelentanoOliver ChambersJian ChenXiao ChengIsabel ChenowethDavid ChevanSherryl ChinKaren Christian-PorteousCatherine ChristyNancy ChuctaShawna ClearyRichard CogswellWilliam CohaneMarylou ConleyNicholas ConstantinopleRosalie CotaBrad CrerarGregg CrerarJohn CritzerKimberly CroneKaren CummingsThomas CummingsJohn DaPonteMargaret DasLinda DavisonPamela DayRichard DeCesareSandra DeLeo’nRobert DeMezzoEmmett DennisDeborah DeSistoTanya DiazWilliam DiffleyMarie DiFrancescoPatrick DilgerGaetano DimiccoAnn DombroskiMichael DonnellyGiovanni D’OnofrioJoseph DooleyThomas DorrRobert DrobishSuzanne DukeJerry DunkleeEllen DurninRobert EldridgeScott EllisRuth Eren
Marian EvansWilliam FaraclasBonnie Farley-LucasAnn FarrierMarybeth FedeDavid FeinmarkChaka FelderVincent FerrieJanelle FinchLawrence FitzgeraldNicole FluhrDeborah FlynnEllen FrankKelley FrassinelliDonnaJean FredeenPhilip GaboriaultBetsy GalianPeggy GallupLisa GalvinMarie Garcia-AbrinesTerese GemmeRoss GingrichBarbara GlynnAda GoldbergFloyd GollnickKrystyna Gorniak-Kocikowska
Robert Gregory
Wendeline HardenbergFrank HarrisMartin HartogWilliam HochmanMargaret HudaSandra HuebnerPercy Huggins Jr.Shirley JacksonSondi JacksonKurt JagielowBethann JohnsonSara JohnsonMichelle JohnstonJordan JonesBarbara KaganPatricia KahlbaughElizabeth KeenanRaymond KelloggRobin KenefickMarianne Kennedy
Paula KennedyHak Joon KimJanet KlicsuRenee KnightMichael KobylanskiPhilanthi KoslowskiTimothy KraussKlay KruczekJames KusackFrank LaDoreDavid LakeLisa LancorCassandra LangSusan LarsonMichelle LawlerSusan LawrenceGloria LeeHeidi LockwoodWilliam LunnChristopher LynnBarbara MallickAnthony MalteseMichelle MannDoris MarinoJane MarroneJames MazurRobert McEachernHollis Mckenna
Paul MckenzieKevin McNamaraJoel MeiselDiane MichaelsenNorman MiddendorfSharon MisasiJoyce MooreGiacomo MordenteWinnifred MorganDiane MorgenthalerGary MorinMehdi MostaghimiRaymond MugnoBennie MurphyJoseph MusanteJames MuttsGerard NelsonVara NeverowDeborah NewtonPatricia Nicol
Ryan NobregaVitrice OliverLinda OlsonWanda OutingTracey OwersJiongDong PangPatricia PanichasTimothy ParrishCynthia PattersonJacqueline PattonGregory PavezaBelinda PearmanSandra PeaseDarnelle PerryLucille PerryPhilip PessinaPaul PetrieLaura PettieCarolynn PettitChristine PettoChristopher PiscitelliFrancesca PooleGeraldine PrinceDeborah PugliaSusan QuagliaroliTimothy QuillMonica RaffoneJaak Rakfeldt
Lisa RebeschiTricia ReganRichard RiccardiPaula RiceLystra RichardsonAnna Rivera-AlfaroSalvatore RizzaLinda RobinsonMary RobinsonJohn RochetteMichael RogersNancy RonneHeather RoweJennifer RuggieroMichele SalamoneTheresa SandiferMarlene Santiago-CorderoCindy SchofieldMarcia SchultzJessica Scibek
Stanley SeligaJoseph SelvaggioMichael SheaCynthia Shea-LuzikRobert SheeleyPamela SheppardWinnie ShyamEric SimmsJudith Sizensky-SearlesAndrew SmythMaureen SpellmanDawn Stanton-HolmesBridget Stepeck-HoltBrigitte StilesCynthia StretchVillia StruykWalter StutzmanTheresa SutherlandDaniel SwartzFrank TavaresAngela TodaroLawrence TomascakJaime TothDavid VanceMichele VancourMerryalis VazquezMary VernerCarol Wallace
Jan WangAaron WashingtonMark WatersMegane WatkinsCarlton WatsonDeborah WeissColby WhelanPatricia WhelanMarvin WilsonTimothy WiseRobert WorkmanJianxiong WuKommaly XayasoneKathy YalofPhyllis YoungPatricia Zibluk
*Deceased
Spring 2014 | 51
52 | Charitable Giving Report
Southern Connecticut State University Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors
OFFICERS
David R. McHale • Chairman Executive Vice President and Chief AdministrativeOfficerNortheast Utilities System
Richard F. Tripodi • Vice ChairmanPresidentRFTS Inc.
Michael R. Chambrello • Treasurer
Mary O’Connell Kozik • SecretarySenior ChemistAECOM Corporation
Robert L. Stamp • Executive DirectorVice President, Institutional AdvancementSouthern Connecticut State University
BOARD MEMBERS
Paula ArmbrusterAssociate Clinical Professor (Retired)Yale University
Dr. Robert S. FrewProfessor Emeritus of Computer ScienceSouthern Connecticut State University
Thomas J. MadiganVice President, InvestmentsUBS Financial Services Inc.
John J. MezzanottePartner-in-ChargeMarcum LLP
Marc A. Nivet, Ed.D.Chief Diversity OfficerAssociation of American Medical Colleges
William H. Pratt, Esq. PartnerFinnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & DunnerLLP
Anthony F. VerlezzaAssociate PartnerEquus Group LLC
Pieter van Vredenburch
EMERITI DIRECTORS
Lucille W. Alderman
Frederick R. AfragolaChairmanFrame Advisors
Frank D. Antin Senior Vice President (Retired)The Bank of New York Mellon
Mackey BarronPresidentHB Communications Inc.
Lynn FuscoPresidentFusco Corporation
Robin Sauerteig
John SotoPresidentSpace-Craft Manufacturing Inc.
Diane L. WishnafskiExecutive Vice President (Retired)NewAlliance Bank
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
James E. BlakeExecutive Vice President for Finance andAdministrationSouthern Connecticut State University
Charles Baraw, Ph.D.Assistant Professor of EnglishSouthern Connecticut State University
Erin McGuckinStudent RepresentativeSouthern Connecticut State University
Mary A. Papazian, Ph.D.PresidentSouthern Connecticut State University
Robert D. ParkerAlumni Association RepresentativeDirector of Communications (Retired)ACES
Teresa SiricoAlumni Association RepresentativeTeresa Sirico Realtor LLC
CONTACT US
For additional information, please contact:
Southern Connecticut State University Foundation, Inc.
Telephone: (203) 392-6900
Gifts may be made online at:
SouthernCT.edu/giving
or you may contact the Development Office.
Telephone: (203) 392-5598
Please make a gift to our students today by returning the envelope provided or by visiting us at Giving.SouthernCT.edu.
Becausesometimes
THE LITTLE THINGS
are all you need to make the
biggest dreams come true.
Any gift over $35 automatically
makes you a full member in the
SCSU Alumni Association, which
keeps you connected to Southern
and provides a world of special
benefits reserved for members.
A challengehas been issued between
Alumni, Administration, and
Academics (AAA) to raise money
for our students. We are asking our
alumni to meet this challenge
by raising $5,000 toward the
AAA Student Relief Fund.
IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS.
Like money for course books.
Supplies for research projects.
Or bus fare to campus.
THE AAA (Academics,
Administration, and Alumni)
Student Relief Fund
provides emergency
assistance to students
who have an immediate,
short-term need
for financial support.
YOUR GIFT TO THE FUND —
combined with contributions
from other alumni, friends, faculty,
and staff — makes it possible for
Southern students to stay in school
and earn their college degrees.
Please designate your gift
to the AAA Fund today.
Address Service Requested
Non-Profit Org.U.S. PostagePAIDBurlington, VTPermit No. 19
Alumni Association501 Crescent StreetNew Haven, CT 06515-1355SouthernCT.edu
Spring | 14Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
SOUTHERN HAS ADOPTED A
new graduation tradition — one that
recognizes veterans’ commitment to
their studies and their country. In addition to
donning the traditional cap and gown at commencement,
graduating veterans are now invited to wear a patriotic blue
stole that includes a panel of white stars surrounded by the
words, “Valor and Respect” and “United States Veteran.”
The tradition, which began with the May 2013 com-
mencement exercises, has been well received. “We asked
our graduating veterans to stop by the SCSU Veterans Office,
explaining that there was something we wanted to give
them,” says Giacomo (Jack) Mordente, M.S. ’77, 6th Yr. ’79,
Southern’s coordinator of Veterans and Military Affairs. “It
was great to see their reactions.”
Southern currently has about 375 military-connected
students, including active-duty military, veterans, reservists,
members of the National Guard, and dependents. “It does-
n’t make any difference what branch of the military they’re
with,” says Mordente. “They all have such respect for each
other. The camaraderie is tremendous . . . and it’s
wonderful to have one more way to show that.”
Honoring Graduating Veterans
Diploma in hand, Toranio “Tito” Melbourne, ’13, celebrates his achievement.