The Trinity Reporter FALL 2018 A presence for the college in downtown Hartford CONTENTS FEATURES 16 Activating the liberal arts New collaboration at Constitution Plaza spurs innovation and civic engagement 22 Igniting that spark ‘Entrepreneurialism is in Trinity’s DNA’ 28 Bantam sports New director of athletics brings a vision for addressing the whole student—and the entire student body 32 Music & Memory Course connects Trinity students, Hartford senior citizens 36 Passionate & proud Survey results offer insights from alumni ON THE COVER The Liberal Arts Action Lab, located at 10 Constitution Plaza in downtown Hartford, is home to an educational partnership between Trinity College and Capital Community College, with students, faculty members, and community partners collaborating to tackle local problems. Credit goes to Hartford-area photographer Jack McConnell for using a 24-mm lens, a multicolored polarizing filter, and a little Photoshop to create his visual magic. Please see the story on page 16. ↗ To see more photos from the PHOTO: JACK MCCONNELL Shake Shack event and from Giving Day, please visit commons.trincoll.edu/Reporter. DEPARTMENTS 03 ALONG THE WALK 09 AROUND HARTFORD 11 TRINITY TREASURE 43 CLASS NOTES 72 IN MEMORY 78 ALUMNI EVENTS 80 ENDNOTE THE TRINITY REPORTER Vol. 49, No. 1, Fall 2018 Published by the Office of Communications, Trinity College, Hartford, CT 06106. Postage paid at Hartford, Connecticut, and additional mailing offices. The Trinity Reporter is mailed to alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends of Trinity College without charge. All publication rights reserved, and contents may be reproduced or reprinted only by written permission of the editor. Opinions expressed are those of the editor or contributors and do not reflect the official position of Trinity College. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Trinity Reporter, Trinity College, 300 Summit Street, Hartford, CT 06106 The editor welcomes your questions and comments: Sonya Adams, Office of Communications, Trinity College, 300 Summit Street, Hartford, CT 06106, [email protected], or 860-297-2143. www.trincoll.edu ON THIS PAGE Zachary Bitan ’17, M’18, Tim Peng ’18, and Katie Lee ’18 enjoy the April 2018 Shake Shack Send-Off given in honor of graduating students by Trinity’s Board of Trustees, including trustee and Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer ’80, P’20. The event, held in the Koeppel Community Sports Center the evening before a Shake Shack grand opening in nearby West Hartford, offered students the opportunity to enjoy items from the fine-casual chain’s menu, including its signature ShackBurger, fries, and frozen custard. The party also featured ice skating, music, and games and celebrated Trinity’s fifth annual Giving Day, which raised more than $2.3 million from 2,290 donors, shattering the goal of 2,000 donors and unlocking an additional $500,000 in Chair's Circle Challenge Funds from generous alumni and parents. PHOTO: NICK CAITO / Fall 2014 / 3 LETTERS WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! The Trinity Reporter welcomes letters related to items published in recent issues. Please send remarks to the editor at [email protected] or Sonya Adams, Office of Communications, Trinity College, 300 Summit Street, Hartford, CT 06106. CONCRETE STORY HITS HOME profession and her players seriously; I would like to express my sincere admi- she demands excellence and hard work ration of Andrew Concatelli’s work on from them. The expression conveyed the crumbling foundations article in by the photo is just that; a completely The Reporter. As a Tolland resident, different emotional expression than one I have many friends and neighbors that is appropriate to the complex grief affected by this issue. Residents feel related to a mass shooting. Conflating isolated, without any support mecha- the two is once again problematic and for the captions under the photos is nisms homeowners typically turn to for misogynistic. It implies that the only off-putting. And more significantly from salvation. To say anxiety levels are high expression that men are comfortable a design and marketing perspective, would be an understatement! Andrew seeing in women is one that makes the dirty gold color used for the word wove a story that presented Trinity them feel better (smiling). Trinity diminishes its legibility. as a beacon of hope for homeowners Clare Bullock Boyd ’02 Here’s hoping that a friend walking while elegantly demonstrating how we Easthampton, Massachusetts by our coffee table will realize that the use opportunities like this to educate magazine displayed on our table is The students. This is exactly what they, the Now that I’m retired, I actually get TRINITY Reporter. homeowners, and we, Trinity, need to read The Reporter cover to cover— John Chapin ’70 right now! This work is exemplary. always informative and fun for me! Post Mills, Vermont Brian Flynn I’m writing to thank you for your Data Insights Specialist and reply to Robert Herbst ’80 regarding the DO NOT STEP ON THE STONE Project Coordinator (glum) picture of Caitlin Hitchcock. I’m I read with interest the article about Analytics and Strategic sure he didn’t intend for his comments the Luther-Roosevelt Stone in the latest Initiatives Center, Trinity College to be received as sexist, but this smiling Reporter. I saw that it asked for com- Tolland, Connecticut phenomenon has plagued girls and ment on the tradition of side-stepping women as long as I can remember. the stone until graduation day. It also COACH’S EXPRESSION JUST RIGHT And I’ll place my first sporting bet said the tradition dated back to 1974. I just received my copy of The Reporter. that he wouldn’t have thought or writ- To my recollection, that tradition did Thank you for the TTR response to ten that about his own male coaches not exist when I was a Trinity student alumnus Robert S. Herbst ’80 regarding from Trinity had they been featured (1975–79). I lived in North Campus for the cover photo of Coach Caitlyn (Luz) sans smile. Just sayin’. three of four years, trafficking back and Hitchcock ’00. I wanted to respond on Your response was spot on, and forth daily (many times two round-trips a deeper level as an alumna and former I couldn’t have said it any better. or more). I stepped on the stone lots of teammate and player with Hitchcock. Thank you! times and still graduated. I’ll even bet I played with her from 1998–2000 and Robin Sheppard M’76 that (as a member of the Pipes) we even played for her from 2000–02. Professor of Physical Education, sang on and around the stone as we left Herbst’s comment jumps off the Emerita, and Former Associate our late-night rehearsals in a Seabury page and smacks no differently than a Athletic Director, Trinity College classroom. When I brought my kids to completely misogynistic catcall from a West Hartford, Connecticut see Trinity, I was miffed by the practice male-identified stranger on the street: as it was not something I knew about. “Why don’t you smile? You would look NOT SO THRILLED WITH NEW LOOK So, unless there were a bunch of us who prettier!” It doesn’t matter that it is I hesitate to be a skunk at the picnic, “did not get the message” (possible, dressed up in the veneer of an older but please consider this a minor dissent but not likely), I do not think the tradi- fellow Trinity alum. It is no less sexist. on the reported enthusiasm surround- tion of the stone began until after 1979. We would NEVER tell a male-identi- ing the new design and feel of The Hope all is well on Summit Street. GO fied coach to “smile nice for a picture Trinity Reporter. BANTAMS! because coaching is so joyful and there Although aspects of the new design— Tom Johnson ’79 was a sad article about Sandy Hook and more importantly the content— Baltimore, Maryland in this issue.” Hitchcock takes her were appealing, the minuscule typeface [continued on page 15] 2 THE TRINITY REPORTER ALONG THE WALK News from the Trinity community PHOTO: NICK CAITO NICK PHOTO: ALONG THE WALK Commencement 2018“You can be agents for positive change,” educator, cultural anthropologist, and author Johnnetta B. Cole said to the 580 graduates at Trinity College’s 192nd Commencement on Sunday, May 20. Cole, who made history in 1987 when she became the first female African American president of Spelman College, spoke to a crowd of about 5,000 who witnessed 558 undergraduates and 22 graduate students receive their degrees. “In communi- ties across our nation and our world, there is a crying need for peace, justice, and equality for all people,” ACCOLADES she said. “It is because of the state of our Trustee Awards for Faculty, nation and our world that we turn to you, Student, and Staff Excellence the graduates of this very special college, Faculty: Eric Galm, Associate Professor of Music to say that you can be and you must be the Students: Cassia Jade leaders we desperately need.” Armstrong ’18, Amro M.S. Cole received an honorary doctor of Arqoub ’18 humane letters degree from Trinity in Staff:Lukman Arsalan, 1998. Honored this year were Ralph V. Katz Senior Associate Director of ’65, founding chair of the Department of International Admissions and Epidemiology and Health Promotion at Student Success; Joseph C. New York University College of Dentistry, Barber, Director of Community who received an honorary doctor of science Service and Civic Engagement degree, and William Palmer Scully ’61, civic leader and investment management pro- The Thomas Church Brownell Prize for Teaching Excellence fessional, who received an honorary doctor Diana R.