StonehillWinter | Spring 2017 ALUMNI MAGAZINE ALUMNI HOBBYISTS From collectors and builders to musicians and scuba divers. View from the Top While studying abroad, Rachel Santos ’17 climbed more than 400 steps to get to the top of Santa Maria del Fiore, the largest cathedral in Florence, to see this view of the city. Photo by Cassandra Squeri ’17. Winter | Spring 2017 FEATURES 12 Most Likely to Succeed After surviving the Haiti earthquake, moving to the U.S. and learning English, Evaudie Paul ’20 is embracing all that college offers. BY MAURA KING SCULLY 14 Happy Hobbyists Collecting, writing, building, singing, diving —our alumni have some impressive (and some unusual!) hobbies. BY TRACEY PALMER 22 Bouncing Back Studies show that resiliency in teens is declining. The good news? It’s a skill that can be learned. Stonehill experts share how. BY ERIN PETERSEN DEPARTMENTS 2 President’s Page 3 Comments 4 320 Washington Street 10 Faculty Spotlight 21 Skyhawk Talk 25 Alumni Community 41 Rhododendron Drive Cover: Marissa Antosh ’06 with her collection of old red manual typewriters. Photo by Nicki Pardo. President’s Letter CELEBRATING the 25th anniversary of Intercultural Affairs with founding director Jean Hamler [center], Ayana (Buffalo) Harnett ’98 and President Denning. whose passions ignite their creativity and boost their well-being [p. 14]. On Alumni Day, more than 500 alumni and their families attended events ranging from a Soup Cook- Off to the Alumni Intentions Candle Dedication. We topped off the day by celebrating the 25th anniversary of Intercultural Affairs, when we recognized founding director Jean Hamler for her many contributions to diversity at Stonehill [p. 26]. There are other stories in this issue that speak volumes about the people who attend and serve Stonehill today. Consider Evaudie Paul ’20, who survived the earthquake in Haiti and has just completed her first year here as a biochemistry major [p. 12]. Or take groundskeeper Ken Percy, who has This past March, we honored three spent four decades keeping our campus Embracing alumni on the same night: Judith beautiful [p. 41]. And Nicole Borofski Salerno ’73 with the Outstanding ’17, an All-American runner, who Interests Alumnus Award, Catherine Campbell challenges herself to run faster in each ONE OF THE BLESSINGS that being ’96 with the Alumni Service Award race [p. 21]. president has given me is the and Nicole Bollerman ’10 with the I hope your time at Stonehill has set opportunity to meet many alumni. GOLD Award. All three honorees have the stage for your life and that it has I’m always impressed by what our demonstrated a great capacity for giving given you the confidence to embrace graduates are doing throughout back and sharing their talents for the your interests and ambitions. the world. betterment of others [p. 25]. Whether you are engaged in service In this issue, we feature 10 alumni Sincerely in Holy Cross, work, raising families, navigating your who have a remarkable range of diverse professional career, caring for elderly interests that reflect their zest for life. parents or continuing your studies, I Whether it is Whitney Wemett ’16 am inspired by your lives and the ways scuba diving in Madagascar or George in which you strive for a more just and Allen ’79 playing taps on his trumpet, (Rev.) John Denning, C.S.C. compassionate world. we have alumni across all class years President Alumni Editor/ Contributing Writers Kathryn Wood ’09 Director of Alumni Communications are those of the authors Associate Director Lori Ferguson Affairs and Media Relations, and not necessarily Stonehill Contributing of Alumni Affairs Aine McAlister ’11 Anne (Pollick) Sant ’88 508-565-1321. of Stonehill College. ALUMNI MAGAZINE Photographers Aine McAlister ’11 Maura King Scully Email: klawrence@ Volume 45, Number 1 J. Kiely Jr. SAM Online Michael Shulansky stonehill.edu. Art Director Rich Morgan stonehill.edu/alumni- Editor Annette Trivette Class Notes Nicki Pardo Kimberly Lawrence magazine Postmaster: Send Michael Shulansky Stonehill Archives address changes to SAM Online/ Stonehill Alumni Managing Editor/ Stonehill Marketing Stonehill College, Photography Contributors Magazine is published Director of Lu Ann Totman ’08 Easton, MA 02357. Coordinator Tania Kelly biannually by Stonehill Communications Copyright 2017. Lu Ann Totman ’08 Lisa Richards ’99 College, Office of Martin McGovern Opinions expressed 2 STONEHILL ALUMNI MAGAZINE Comments Twin Cottage Memories A REFRESH FOR SAM StonehillSummer | Fall 2016 ALUMNI MAGAZINE AS YOU LOOK through the pages of this issue I AM THE PROUD great-granddaughter and of the Stonehill Alumni Magazine, you may great-niece of Anna Lunde and Bertha notice a few updates to the look and feel of Swanson, the previous owners of the twin the magazine. A reader survey conducted cottages known as Haftsrom-Swanson this past fall told us that you, our readers, House [where Stonehill’s president resides]. look to the magazine to stay informed Matt Brown ’16: His Story of about and connected to your alma mater. Perseverance As a young girl, I had fond memories of We hear you, and we want to deliver. playing in the yard at the twin cottages— We’ve renamed some of our department VIEW FROM THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE Ever wonder what the president sees when he looks out onto campus from his second floor office in picking the daffodils and wandering the Donahue Hall? A spectacular view. sections to be more distinctively Stonehill path to the farm. While my great-aunt and [see below], refreshed a few of our design elements and will continue to explore and HAFSTROM-SWANSON HOUSE Known for its thatched great-grandmother sold the house to the cottage appearance, the president’s residence, located on Washington Street, was named in honor of its former residents, sisters Bertha (Hafstrom) Swanson and Anna (Hafstrom) Lunde, who both had worked for the Ames family. Purchased by Stonehill in the 1980s, three College cover stories that we hope you will find presidents have since lived in the house. College in 1980, then-president Fr. Bartley Did You Know This? The tile floor near the engaging and meaningful. atrium windows in the Shields Science Center MacPháidín allowed them to continue is heated, and many Your feedback helps inform our buildings have at least one filtered water fountain so that you can fill your to live in one of the twin cottages for water bottles. decisions about how and what we cover in —Catherine Tierney ’18 and Michaela D’Ambrosio ’16, authors of the First-Year Stonehill Survival Guide DONAHUE BATHROOM Who doesn’t love an old fashioned pedestal sink and tub? These relics remain on the third floor of the original Ames mansion, a.k.a. Donahue Hall. many years. In fact, it was Fr. MacPháidín this magazine. To that end, we’ll continually 18 STONEHILL ALUMNI MAGAZINE who hosted my great-grandmother’s conduct reader surveys after each issue. 90th birthday. Fr. MacPháidín stayed in touch over the years If we come knocking on your email door, please take a few minutes to answer. and spoke during her funeral. Our hope is that these subtle updates When it came time for me to start looking at schools, my remind you of your days and experience mom insisted that I look at Stonehill. While I wanted a separate at the College while highlighting what the identity, she was right. Stonehill was ultimately my top choice. campus is like today. As always, thank you I am so blessed with the memories from my childhood at the for reading! twin cottages and time at the school. My world class education has opened the doors for me throughout my career, and I have NEW SAM DEPARTMENT NAMES built a strong network of friends, who have become family. NEW NAME FORMERLY I wanted to personally thank you for including Anna and 320 Washington Around Bertha’s name in the “Unseen Stonehill” article [SAM, S/F ’16, Street Campus p. 18] and for sharing the cottage’s history. This article, as well Alumni Alumni as the beautiful tribute to Fr. MacPháidín [p. 20], are just two Community News articles that hold a particularly special place in my heart. Rhododendron Before Drive You Go —Krystin Hayward Leong ’06, Marshfield, Massachusetts SAM ON SOCIAL MEDIA SURVEY SAYS: WE ASKED READERS HOW THEY READ SAM. UNSEEN STONEHILL, FINDING FRANK My favorite teacher. OBSERVATORY [Editor’s Note: In the last I went to Ireland Here is what you said: (SAM, S/F ’16, p. 17] issue of the magazine, twice with him. I was Mary Pat Curran ’75 overjoyed to read Mary 37% Skim 54% Cover My work study was at through to cover the observatory. Fun (but recalled her student years Pat’s story of finding cold) times. —Alan Yost, with Professor Frank him in Washington state. Facebook Phelan in “Finding Frank” Now, I am saddened p. 41. Soon after the by this new update. I went there quite a few magazine was printed, —Kevin Hartigan ’75, times. The last time, Chet we were saddened to Facebook [Raymo, physics professor] hear of Professor Phelan’s showed me Halley’s Comet. passing.] —Peter Walsh ’84, Facebook 6% Other 3% Class Notes only 320 Washington Street Heard on the Hill PENNIES FROM HEAVEN: The late Rev. Robert Kruse, C.S.C. ’55 left his coin collection to the College, and it has raised more than $10,000 in support of a scholarship in memory of his parents, Robert and Dorothy (Oliger) Kruse. Given Fr. Kruse’s advocacy for students, the sale was “a pennies from heaven outcome,” according to his friend Craig Binney ’83. Book Thoughts: Professor Marlene Electoral Fix: “The hard reality Benjamin devoted more than two Stonehill Giving is that we retain the Electoral decades to writing The Catastrophic Fiscal Year 2016 College because of the Self: Essays in Philosophy, Memoir, and Medical Trauma, a unique blend 4,414 Donors difficulty of amending the of autobiography, storytelling and Constitution, not because philosophy published last year.