Stonehill College SkyhawksSOAR Stonehill Alumni Magazine Media and Communications Publications Winter 2018 Stonehill Alumni Magazine Winter/Spring 2018 Stonehill College Office of Communications and Media Relations Follow this and additional works at: https://soar.stonehill.edu/alumnimagazine Part of the Advertising and Promotion Management Commons, Education Commons, and the Sales and Merchandising Commons StonehillWinter | Spring 2018 ALUMNI MAGAZINE Who But Leo Meehan? Winter | Spring 2018 FEATURES 12 Who But Leo Meehan? From early on, Leo J. Meehan ’75 had his sights set on sales, but he didn’t expect what would happen when he took a job with a “tiny” ofce supply company after he graduated. BY TRACEY PALMER 18 The Unexpected Path Sometimes it’s the detours that make all the diference. Read fve stories of alumni who veered from a straight line to achieve personal fulfllment. BY MAURA KING SCULLY 22 Design is Everywhere From cereal boxes to billboards to an app on your phone, design is all around. Our revamped graphic design program prepares designers for today’s highly visual world. BY KIMBERLY LAWRENCE DEPARTMENTS 2 President’s Page 3 320 Washington Street 10 Faculty Spotlight 17 Skyhawk Talk 26 Alumni Community 41 Rhododendron Drive COVER: Leo J. Meehan ’75 at W.B. Mason in Brockton. Photo by Nicki Pardo. Spring Fever Seniors Samuel Bradford, Dillon McGee and James Murphy [l to r] play Spikeball on the quad during February’s mild temps. 1111111111 President’s Letter 1111111111 320 Washington Street CEO of W.B. Mason, the fourth largest offce products company in the world. However, when he started with the company, it was tiny, according to his career counselor. Instead of being deterred, Meehan saw opportunity and grasped it with both hands. Finding his calling, he worked hard and, in the process, transformed a local business into a global entity. In a similar vein, in “The Unexpected Path” [p. 18], we meet fve alumni from different walks of life, all of whom sensed a desire within to achieve something different and more meaningful in their lives than what they started out doing. They share, in their own words, their stories of change, drive and transformation. With the graduation of more than 520 students on May 20, there are lessons and examples in these stories for our newest graduates. The quest for meaning and inspiration is a constant in life, and it is imperative to keep an open mind to the unexpected turns and detours you may experience. Given the changes in higher education today, it is also imperative for colleges like Stonehill to be open to change and adaptation, to ensure that our mission remains relevant and vibrant. To this end, I am happy to report that the Academic and Welcome Center [p. 4] is on schedule to open in August, and work is underway on the Leo J. Meehan School of Business, which will open in August 2019. These buildings, along with the introduction of master’s degree programs starting with integrated marketing communications, represent our desire not to stand still but to move forward with confdence. Finding I hope the stories in this issue give you a vivid sense of how the College’s educational mission continues to fourish Your Path and how our alumni are leading lives of meaning and deep •••••••••••••••• purpose. SUCCESS and personal fulfllment do not always occur in a straight line. All too often, they are achieved when we Sincerely in Holy Cross, travel a winding road or walk an unexpected path, which means being open to opportunity and risk, exploring new interests and digging deep to fnd what really motivates and inspires us in life. Our cover story “Who But Leo Meehan?” [p.12] (Rev.) John Denning, C.S.C. demonstrates this very idea. Today, Leo Meehan ’75 is the President Alumni Editor Contributing Contributing SAM Online Email: klawrence@ Stonehill Aine McAlister ’11 Writers Photographers stonehill.edu/alumni- stonehill.edu. Elite Eight ALUMNI MAGAZINE Lauren Daley ’05 Nicki Pardo magazine Art Director Postmaster: Send The women’s basketball team headed of to Sioux Falls, S.D., to play in the Volume 45, Number 2 Lauren O’Halloran ’13 Robert Perachio Annette Trivette Stonehill Alumni address changes to Michael Shulansky Stonehill Archives NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the frst time in over 20 years. While they Editor Magazine is published Stonehill College, SAM Online/ Stonehill Athletics Kimberly Lawrence Class Notes biannually by Stonehill Easton, MA 02357. Photography Stonehill Marketing ultimately lost to Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 75-71, longtime coach Kristen Magda College, Ofce of Copyright 2018. Managing Editor/ Coordinator Lu Ann Totman ’08 Opinions expressed are Trish Brown noted, “I couldn’t be more proud of this team—their work ethic Director of Lu Ann Totman ’08 Contributors Communications Director of Alumni those of the authors FPO Communications Linda Babbitt and Media Relations, and their character are just of the charts.” Afairs and not necessarily of FSC logo here Martin McGovern Tania Kelly 508-565-1321. Anne (Pollick) Sant ’88 Stonehill College. Lisa Richards ’99 2 STONEHILL ALUMNI MAGAZINE WINTER| SPRING 20 1 8 3 1111111111 320 Washington Street and with the latest technology, faculty MASTER’S PROGRAM two years. The adult students vary in confronting systemic societal issues. offce spaces, a café and a bookstore. OFF TO A STRONG START age, gender, background, skills and “We are meeting a need in this area, As the Academic and Welcome The College’s new master’s degree in professional experience. and we are delighted with the members Campus Updates Center project approaches completion, integrated marketing communications James Lynch was looking for a of our frst class, who are so engaged ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• work has begun on the Leo J. Meehan got off to a strong start in January, master’s program that would parallel and energetic in their classes,” he School of Business building, which with 25 part-time students enrolled the professional work he does every remarks. [Turn to page 10 to read THE COLLEGE continues to grow and expand in both is scheduled to open for the 2019-20 in the program’s frst semester. With a day for Massasoit Community College, more on McGinnis.] its physical presence and its programming. academic year. Home to accounting, focus on creativity, the interdisciplinary where he is the director of marketing. For information on the program, fnance, international business, program blends marketing, “It meets my criteria—attractive which runs during winter, summer this fall, the Center will be the frst economics, healthcare administration, CONSTRUCTION UPDATES lll111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 courses, near my home and ultimately and fall semesters, visit stonehill.edu/ Work is underway on the Academic stop for greeting potential students and management and marketing, the a degree from Stonehill, which has academics/imc/. and Welcome Center, located on the their families touring campus. It will building will bolster our already strong “...the program’s staf a stellar academic reputation. In main quad where the Old Student have a presentation room, auditorium, business programs with cutting-edge addition, the welcome and support AACSB RENEWS has been so smooth Union used to be. On schedule to open classrooms designed for collaboration digital technologies that equip our from the program’s staff has been so ACCREDITATION FOR students with the emerging capacities and helpful, one of the smooth and helpful, one of the best BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 of social networks, data science and best experiences I’ve experiences I’ve ever had,” Lynch The Business Administration scalable innovation. ” notes. Department has been reaccredited When both buildings are completed ever had. Director Lee McGinnis says the by the Association to Advance and in full operation, they will lll111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 program’s curriculum allows students Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), dynamically transform the main quad communications and graphic design to develop analytical and critical the longest-serving global accrediting into a hub of academic, intellectual and while giving students the option of thinking skills that position them body for business schools and the cultural activity on campus. completing their degree in as little as to solve real world challenges while largest business education network connecting students, educators and businesses worldwide. TWO BUILDINGS: [Above] A rendering of the Leo J. Meehan School of Business, Stonehill frst gained AACSB which will open in 2019. [Below] Construction is well underway on the Academic accreditation in 2011, joining an elite and Welcome Center, set to open in the fall. group of higher education institutions, as less than fve percent of the world’s business schools have this accreditation. “Renewed accreditation along with the construction of the Meehan School of Business building, which will give us a dedicated, state-of-the-art home, represent major votes of confdence in the strength and vitality of our business program. They are critical in our efforts to build on our successes and ensure our students will thrive in a rapidly changing economy,” says Debra Salvucci, dean of the Leo J. Meehan School of