Engaging•Enlightening•Empowering
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MERRIMACK SUMMER 2019 ENGAGING •ENLIGHTENING •EMPOWERING Merrimack’s Mission and the Community PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE MERRIMACK A Magazine for Our Alumni, Parents and Friends Summer 2019 President Christopher E. Hopey, Ph.D. Editors Jim Chiavelli Dear Alumni, Parents and Friends, Courtney Johanson I am pleased to share that Merrimack Managing Editor College continues to thrive. We are Brie Guilfoyle fortunate to be celebrating growth and tremendous success and, even more Writers Chris Aliano powerful, is that our accomplishments Fr. Michael Di Gregorio, O.S.A. are fueled by staying true to our mission: Susan Greco to enlighten minds, engage hearts and Hannah Ketchen M’14 empower lives. Jon Lyon, Ph.D. Krysten Godfrey Maddocks This fall, Merrimack will enroll our Jack Minch M’17 largest freshman class from across the Mike Sullivan United States and the world. The size Design and diversity of our incoming class speaks PBD Partners to the powerful appeal to students and Ad Design their families of Merrimack’s mission, Kelli Readey ’16 and particularly our tradition of service to community. Students come here for Photographers knowledge but also to develop their talent for putting that knowledge to use David Barron TJ Dowling for the greater good — to make the world better for everyone. Nathan Dubois ’17 Our unique approach to providing a stellar experience in the classroom paired Leise Jones Dena Madden with learning and growing outside of the classroom through our community Jack Minch M’17 partners is what makes Merrimack unique. Kelli Readey ’16 Kevin Salemme ’95 This issue shares some of the stories of how our faculty, students, staff Marvin Sandoval M’17 and alumni are making a difference in lives, communities and organizations Mary Schwalm while drawing out their passion for learning. There has never been a time Jim Stankiewicz to be prouder to be a Warrior and I thank you for your continued support Editorial Offices of our endeavors. Merrimack Magazine Best, Box A-8, Merrimack College 315 Turnpike Street North Andover, MA 01845 merrimack.edu Christopher E. Hopey, Ph.D. facebook.com/merrimackcollege twitter.com/merrimack President @merrimackcollege Every effort has been made to contact copyright holders of any material reprinted in this magazine. Any omissions will be righted in subsequent issues if notice is given to the editor. CONTENTS 13 16 2 In this edition: 2 Early College Program 16 Congrats to the “Not only will [the Early College] Changing Lives Class of 2019 Program change the lives of 13 Nursing Center: 22 Together for Good: Lawrence students and the future Construction Begins Donor Profiles on New Building in of Lawrence, but this program will 26 Alumni News North Campus also change the face of Merrimack.” DR. CHRISTOPHER E. HOPEY, PRESIDENT On the cover: Early College Program students (left to right) Gianni Vargas, Erika Castillo, Jeffrey Nguyen get a head start on higher education at Merrimack. Photo by Marvin Sandoval M’17. MERRIMACK.EDU 1 Early College student Nayeli Urena focuses on Mike Piatelli’s biology lecture. 2 MERRIMACK • SUMMER 2019 A PIONEERING PARTNERSHIP Merrimack is changing lives through its Early College Program with Lawrence Public Schools Article by Susan Greco | Photos by Marvin Sandoval M’17 Kyannah Hernandez screamed and screamed when she “The financial burden of going to college is a real thing... got the letter announcing she is being awarded a Pioneer a lot of kids in Lawrence are first generation kids going to Scholarship to Merrimack College. college and it can be overwhelming,” said Massachusetts Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education “I re-read the letter three times, then called my mother, Jeffrey C. Riley. “So Merrimack stepping up and supporting my father, my principal and sent them all a screenshot of our kids has been nothing short of a blessing.” my acceptance letter,” she said. “I felt like the world couldn’t give me any battle that I couldn’t handle.” Merrimack’s carefully crafted Early College Program is a collaboration between the College and Abbott Lawrence Merrimack is in the vanguard of colleges helping under- Academy (ALA) in nearby Lawrence, Massachusetts. served high school students overcome impediments to higher education through the Massachusetts Early College initiative, “These kids really are pioneers and changing the trajectory providing the opportunity to take college courses while still of students in Lawrence,” said Stacey Ciprich, ALA’s founding in the security of high school. principal. “The Early College Program is changing the conversations in the city.” Merrimack is the only private college in Massachusetts to have received state recognition for the work it does providing ‘THIS IS HAPPENING — GO BUILD IT’ access to college for under-served high school students from the surrounding area at no cost to their families. Riley H’18 was then-superintendent and receiver of Lawrence Public Schools three years ago when he conceived the idea of “Not only will this program change the lives of Lawrence bringing the program to Lawrence. As with many innovative students and the future of Lawrence,” said President ideas in life, Riley was met with reluctance for the program Christopher E. Hopey, “but this program will further until proposing it to President Hopey. advance our efforts to provide access to college.” Calling President Hopey a “hero of our time” for his President Hopey announced in January that the College will immediate adoption of the idea, Riley noted that, “President award 10 full scholarships through the Pioneer Scholarship Hopey readily accepted and said he’d do anything he could fund to graduates of the Early College Program. He envisions to help our kids.” At a ceremony for graduating ALA seniors having 40 Pioneer Scholars in four years. in May, Riley told attendees, “that it was part of the mission MERRIMACK.EDU 3 Q&A MEET THE PIONEER SCHOLARS Four Early College students Helen: I fell in love with gathered to share their experiences the campus and with the of the College; it was part of their faith to help everyone at Merrimack. Rising senior people. The professors and to make sure everyone had a chance. So I’m only here Amarlyn Martinez is taking biology are really engaged with to say thank you to Dr. Hopey...as well as all of the staff at and will apply to the College in the you and want you to Merrimack that helped make this program a reality.” fall. Recent ALA graduates Helen succeed. At the same time he was introducing the idea to President Vasquez, Freddy Monroy and Amarlyn: A college tour Hopey, Riley also had to sell it to Ciprich, even though ALA Kyannah Hernandez have accepted is not the same thing as was only a year old and its students are among the best and full rides to attend Merrimack next taking classes. You get brightest in the Lawrence Public Schools. year as Pioneer Scholars. off the bus, and you’re responsible for yourself. “He said, ‘this is happening — go build it,’” Ciprich recalled, Q: When you first heard about This is teaching us what laughing at the memory. “Nothing like this had ever been Early College at Merrimack, what we have to do in college. done with a private college. ALA had never been done.” did you think? She quickly learned the two schools share core values around Helen: It made me really proud of education and community service. Q: What’s it like taking Lawrence. It’s opening doors for a classes with Merrimack Russ Olwell, associate dean of Merrimack’s School of lot of us. students? Education and Social Policy, and the College faculty worked Freddy: I thought this is unheard Kyannah: Being mixed alongside Ciprich and her staff to shape the program. of. I was in a program where I went in with 15 Merrimack to MIT on Saturdays, and my peers freshmen in my prob Merrimack and ALA launched Early College in the fall of from other schools were taking 2017 with about 60 high school juniors. Amazingly, it has and stats class, I can three AP classes as sophomores. see how we’re all at the already grown from just two classes at Merrimack to 10. But when I told them I get to go same level, getting ideas from As high school juniors, the students stay together as a cohort to a private college my junior year, each other and learning together. to take one class a semester at Merrimack, including intro they were shocked. I felt privileged I used to be really scared of asking to biology and intro to U.S. politics. Despite being in high to get this, especially since my for help. Now when I’m with school, the class syllabi stays the same. sister went to Merrimack. college students and I hear them Kyannah: I wanted to see college whispering, I just raise my hand The high schoolers also attend classes at ALA that life while still a high school student. and say, ‘We’re all struggling here.’ complement and support the College curriculum. Merrimack I’m grateful for having the best of I’m more comfortable now. professors hold office hours on both campuses and build both worlds. Freddy: For intro to business, there strong working relationships with ALA teachers, who sit Amarlyn: I never thought I’d be are only five students from ALA in on the Merrimack classes. taking college classes as a junior. and about 25 Merrimack students. The following year, as high school seniors, the ALA students There’s no supporting class at ALA. in Early College enroll in either intro to engineering or intro Q: What is the most surprising I have to reach out to the professor to psychology, mainly as a cohort, though some Merrimack thing you’ve experienced on when I have questions just like a students mix in with the engineering class.