Fall 2012 Issue - Colby-Sawyer College

fall 2012 

mountain Day 1954

table of Contents 

58A tough Place to grow, 

A great Place to Learn 

The college introduces its new field study program, 

Alpine Communities, which takes students up into the 

highest peaks of New Hampshire’s White Mountains 

to explore the fragile flora that live there and learn 

about how these communities adapt to severe weather 

conditions and the impact of human beings. 

editor 

Kimberly Swick Slover 

Associate editor 

Kate Dunlop Seamans 

Production Manager 

edward germar 

Class notes editors 

tracey austin 

michael gregory 

Linda formichelli 

Design 

Harp and Company 

Hanover, N.H. 

Printing 

r.C. brayshaw & Company 

Warner, N.H. 

On the Cover: This black-andwhite 

archival photograph depicts 

a group of Colby Junior College 

students climbing Mt. Kearsarge on 

Mountain Day in 1954. Mountain 

Day is the college’s oldest, most 

beloved tradition. 

38 

46 

Features 

175 Years of teaching 

and Learning 

The school that began in 1837 has 

had many names and identities, but 

a belief in each student’s potential 

and the transformative power of an 

education in the liberal arts and 

sciences has persisted. 

A Life Steeped in history 

Professor Emerita Hilary Cleveland 

taught history and political science at 

the college for 57 years, and she and a 

long line of her family’s ancestors have 

played important roles in the evolution 

of the college, the town of New 

London, the state of New Hampshire 

and the nation. 

50 

54 

true tenure 

Over the last 35 years, Janet Bliss and 

Deborah Taylor have devoted their 

lives and careers to creating the awardwinning 

Windy Hill School and shaping 

the academic programs at Colby- 

Sawyer College. 

Wide Awake 

John Pelech ’02 is intense, relentless 

and doesn’t sleep much. Empowered 

by his education in business administration, 

he’s found ingenious ways to 

recycle the unrecyclable and turn it 

into materials that fuel and sustain the 

local economy. 

Photo: Michael Seamans

Photo: Michael Seamans 

19 

Inside-Outside-Planetwide 

Inside 

Letter from the Editor 2 

In the Loop 3 

Inbox 4 

Data Driven 4 

On the Hill 6 

2012 Grads ‘Earn the Right’ 8 

Make Way for More Students 10 

A Perfect Storm of 

Good Things 11 

New Winton-Black Trustee 

Named 12 

Windy Hill Is Green Certified 13 

In Class 14 

Outside 

In Profile 16 

Diplomacy in Action 18 

In Sports 19 


Planetwide 

Conversations 26 

In Research 28 

Welcome in Every Language 30 

Portfolio 31 

Who We Are, What 

We Stand For 32 

Reviving a Filmmaking 

Tradition 34 

Sense of Place 36 

54 

Connections 

120 

Jingyao Guo 

Alumni and Advancement News 62 

Class Notes 65 

In Memoriam 108 

From the Archives 117 

Epilogue 120

Letter from the Editor 

Fast Forward 

2 Colby-Sawyer College Magazine 

While most of our 

students and faculty 

members were away this 

summer, a big part of 

the Colby-Sawyer campus 

was fenced off and turned 

into a busy construction 

zone. In late June, the 

dining hall in the Ware 

Campus Center was an 

empty shell. Soon after, a 

crane lifted massive steel 

beams into place behind 

the building to frame 

the two-story addition that 

will be part of a larger, 

light-filled dining hall and 

new meeting spaces 

and offices for students, 

faculty and staff. 

The steel frame for a 14,000-square-foot addition to the Ware 

Campus Center was erected in late June. 

Before moving to 

temporary spaces in 

Colgate Hall, the Student 

Development staff 

who work above the 

construction site in 

Photo: Greg Danilowski 

Ware were joking about 

the joyful sounds of jackhammers 

in the morning. 

Meanwhile, Dining 

Services relocated its 

operations to Wheeler 

Hall, where Sodexo 

staff served three meals 

a day to hungry hordes of 

scientists on campus 

for the Gordon Research 

Conferences that took 

place all summer. 

Nearby, the ground floors 

of Burpee and Abbey Halls, 

which housed the Windy 

Hill School for more than 

three decades, were being 

transformed into living 

spaces for the college’s 

growing student body. Big 

trucks rumbled by constantly 

to deliver materials 

and cart away rubble, while 

hard-hatted construction 

crews scurried around the 

sites on fast forward, 

laboring under a deadline 

they absolutely could 

not miss: The return of 

students in just eight 

weeks. 

In a time of economic 

austerity at home and 

abroad, the Colby-Sawyer 

community has engaged in 

strategic planning, 

established its priorities, 

and focused intensely 

on the college’s strengths 

and aspirations. And after 

surveying the higher 

education landscape, we 

saw the need, once again, 

to accelerate the pace of 

growth and change, albeit 

in ways that sustain the 

college’s core values and 

identity. 

In recent years, President 

Tom Galligan has often 

spoken of the college’s 

great growth spurt in the 

early 1930s, when McKean 

Hall, James House, 

Colby Hall, Burpee Hall 

and Page Hall were built. 

Even during the Great 

Depression, the college 

chose to invest in its 

future. 

Today, as economic 

uncertainty has stalled 

so many institutions 

around the country, 

Colby-Sawyer is charging 

ahead, building new 

dining, residential and 

office spaces, and in 

a few years, a spectacular 

new fine and performing 

arts center. We are repeating 

our history—both 

of necessity and to take 

advantage of favorable 

interest rates—and once 

again investing in a clear 

vision of our future. 

Kimberly Swick Slover 

Editor

Environmental Studies major Laurel Bauer ’13 serves 

as the permaculture manager and Lauren Oberg ’13 

was a summer intern working on the college’s organic 

garden. Over the summer they established new beds, 

grew vegetables for the dining hall, planted trees 

on campus and built a footbridge and seating area 

in the garden. 

Ashley Ribbans ’14 greets a canine visitor from Brinbella 

Kennels who was on campus for a dog-sledding 

demonstration on Feb. 29. Ribbans was the class 

project manager for this event in Assistant Professor 

of Business Administration Bill Spear’s Pathway class, 

The Iditarod Dog Sled Race: Making the Team Work. 

in the loop 



Lorena Pereyra, one of three teaching assistants on 

campus this year through the Fulbright Language Teaching 

Assistant program, is introduced to the faculty during 

the fall Teaching Salon. Pereyra is from Argentina and 

will teach Spanish. 

During International Festival on April 5, students from Nepal dressed in traditional 

costumes and served some of their favorite foods. The students include, 

from left to right: Padmina Shrestha, Nishchal Banskota, Amigo Khadka, 

Chimey Dolkar, Sukriti Raut, Pradipti Bhatta, Bonita Basnyat, Sarina Karmacharya 

and Dristi Adhikari. 

Left: Seniors Carly Strathdee, Matt Wahlgren and Karen Fondoules discuss 

“Memories of my Father,” a sculpture by Susan Azodi ’16, during the Juried 

Student Exhibition in March. 


Fall 2012 

3 

Photo: Greg Danilowski

Wow! The publication 

is outstanding. Everything 

about this new format is 

perfect. The paper, layout, 

content, images and style 

get high marks! 

While the publication itself 

may be award winning 

and worthy of the compliments, 

the reason I am 

sending this along is so 

that you will see the 

residual effects of your 

work. The placement and 

layout of the 4K Challenge 

ad caught my eye! Not 

only a great photo of Beth 

(Bryant Camp ’92) and 

Data Driven 

100% 

Pass rate of the Class of 2012 

nurses on the NCLEX exam 

in total donors 

58%Increase 

over last year 

$10.1 million 

Cost of campus construction projects planned over next 2-3 years 


Peg (Rogers Andrews ’85), 

but great layout and 

messaging. Couple that 

with the brilliant idea to 

insert the pledge envelope 

and voila—I had no 

hesitation in writing a 

check! 

For a number of reasons, 

I feel now is the time to 

give Colby-Sawyer a different 

priority on our list. 

First, my experience as a 

student and graduate, 30 

years ago. Second, as a 

community member who 

understands that our town 

needs the college to thrive. 

The social, economic and 

2Solar panels installed on 

campus this year 

physically aesthetic benefits 

are immeasurable. Lastly, 

as a parent of a soon-to-be 

graduate. The new magazine 

was the catalyst for 

my reflection, a change in 

our commitment and this 

message. 

Kudos to all involved and 

many thanks for your hard 

work and dedication. Your 

efforts and the success of 

the school make a difference. 

Congratulations! 

Annie Reynolds Ballin ’82 

New London, N.H. 

40% 

Recycling rate for college’s 

waste stream 

I just received my Colby- 

Sawyer Spring 2012 … 

What do you call it? A 

magazine? A collection 

of inspirations? An 

accumulation of accolades? 

Whatever it is, it’s 

just fantastic. 

I love the new look. I love 

the paper. I love the 

photos. I love, love, love 

the wow factor of the 

simplicity of the cover. 

Less is truly more. 

Each time my magazine 

arrives, I disappear to my 

favorite reading spot in the 

house and read it from 

19Faculty emeriti on campus 

for a July luncheon 

$326,138 

Annual tax bill as New London’s largest taxpayer 

$21,608,371 

Economic impact per year of our students 

and visitors on area communities 

357Full- and part-time 

employees

cover to cover. All the 

while I’m reminiscing 

of my days and nights 

from my freshman year 

in Colby Hall and my 

sophomore year in Page 

Hall. So, quite simply, 

thank you. 

Lori Keller Muscaro ’84 

Bristol, Pa. 

Heartfelt congratulations 

in regard to the latest 

issue of Colby-Sawyer 

Magazine! It looks, reads 

and feels beautiful. Classy. 

Elegant. It’s easy to see 

that a lot of hard work 

went into the production 

because it’s chock full 

of excellent writing, terrific 

photography, tasteful 

creative design, and a ton 

of clever ideas. Best 

wishes for continued 

success. 

David R. Morcom 

Wilmot, N.H. 

I love the new magazine. 

It arrived about 15 minutes 

ago and I was thrilled at 

the new layout as I pulled 

it out of my mailbox. When 

I started looking through 

it, I didn’t even want to 

take the time to sit down. 

Anyway, great job, and I 

can’t wait to sit and look 

at it again. 

Janet Spurr 

Class of ’76 and proud of it 

Marblehead, Mass. 

I have to say that you have 

all done an incredible job 

on the alumni magazine! I 

love it…the new design is 

awesome (and that comes 

from someone whose 

most recent career was 

marketing communications!). 

I love the typeface 

and page format! And, 

I was particularly struck 

by how vivid all of the 

pictures are. Well done! 

Ann Lozier Rohrborn ’71 

Gilford, N.H. 

I received my copy yesterday, 

and both Rick and 

I were very impressed. The 

cover shot was absolutely 

amazing! The magazine 

was very substantive 

and the articles very interesting. 

You should take 

well-deserved pride in it. 

It certainly shows that 

Colby-Sawyer has a critical 

eye when it comes to 

communications. Bravo! 

Anne Winton Black ’73, ’75 

Former Chair, Colby-Sawyer 

Board of Trustees 

Canton, Conn. 

Kudos! Yesterday 

I received my copy of 

Colby-Sawyer. What 

a handsome publication! 

Though I haven’t had 

time to read it cover to 

cover, I did thoroughly 

enjoy dipping into individual 

articles as I browsed. 

Next step: I begin with the 

first page for a complete 

journey. 

I think the new format is 

excellent—super text, 

illustrations and overall 

feel of the magazine. 

You’ve done a fantastic 

job. Now give yourself 

time to luxuriate in its 

success…before getting 

knee-deep into the next 

issue! 

Dorothy “Dotty” Egan 

Professor Emerita of 

Humanities 


Absolutely love the new 

look of the magazine. 

Great finish (not glossy), 

articles were great, design 

and photos very classy. I 

used to work in publications 

for Digital Equipment 

Corporation years ago, so 

I recognize a superior 

publication when I see it! 

Keep up the good work! 

Jean Warwick Osgood ’55 


Colby-Sawyer Magazine 

accepts letters to the editor 

and reserves the right to edit 

and condense them. Please 

send your letters to Kimberly 

Swick Slover at kslover@ 

colby-sawyer.edu, or to her 

attention at: 

Colby-Sawyer College 

541 Main Street 

New London, NH 03257. 

Send Address Changes to: 

Alumni Office 



New London, NH 03257 

Or via email to: 

alumni@colby-sawyer.edu 


5

On the Hill 

On Becoming a College 

Susan F. Colby 

was just 20 years 

old when she 

became the first 

principal and 

teacher of the New 

London Academy in 1838. 

She believed that young 

women, like their brothers, 

should have access to 

higher learning, and she 

offered a challenging 

curriculum that included 

modern languages and 

Latin, mathematics, 

drawing, science and 

philosophy. 

Susan F. Colby, first principal and 

teacher of New London Academy. 

The academy served 

as the high school for New 

London and the region, 

educating the children of 

rural farm families for 

a modest fee. The school 

evolved over the years, 


and was often rescued 

from financial hardship by 

the generosity of Susan 

Colby, who would marry 

James B. Colgate and become 

the academy’s primary 

benefactor. Though 

the school changed its 

name to The New London 

Literary and Scientific 

Institution and then to 

Colby Academy, it remained 

true to its founders’ 

and its first principal’s 

belief in the power of a 

well-rounded education to 

develop young women and 

men to their full 

potential. It 

prepared them 

to perform, as 

Principal Colby 

wrote, “all 

the social duties 

which arise in 

society.” 

By the turn 

of the 20th 

century, Colby 

Academy’s 

enrollment and 

financing, like 

that of many 

other New 

England preparatory 

schools, were on 

the decline due to the rise 

of modern public high 

schools. The academy had 

also suffered a disastrous 

fire that destroyed its main 

building—an enormous 

and ornate brick edifice 

built in 1870—on the site 

where Colgate Hall now 

stands. Miss Mary (Colby) 

Colgate, the daughter 

of Susan Colby and James 

Colgate, was by then the 

school’s main benefactor, 

and she again stepped 

up to support construction 

of the new building, 

Colgate Hall, which was 

completed in 1912. 

This is the same building 

I call my professional 

home today. 

A decade later, when 

Colby Academy students 

gathered in September 

1922 for the opening day 

service, a new principal, 

H. Leslie Sawyer, greeted 

them and asked for their 

cooperation and guidance 

because just as they were 

new to their classes, he 

was new to his job. The 

students liked this young 

man with bright blue 

eyes behind round spectacles 

who “glowed with 

good humor and friendliness” 

and spoke, as 

Helen Kidder Greenaway 

’25 recalled, “without the 

pomposity anticipated 

of headmasters and who 

accepted us as partners 

rather than pupils and 

teacher.” 

These students did not 

know that they would be 

among the last classes 

to graduate from Colby 

Academy, or that Dr. 

Sawyer would be its 25th 

and last principal. Just 

six years later, Colby 

Academy would become 

part of history and Dr. 

Sawyer would become the 

first president of its 

successor, Colby Junior 

College, and remain its 

leader until his retirement 

in 1955. 

After a year in his new 

role as principal, Dr. 

Sawyer asked the trustees 

of Colby Academy to 

consider incorporating as 

a junior college for 

women. The school had 

adequate classrooms and 

laboratories for a postsecondary 

school, and he 

suggested it would work 

if the college were to 

combine a liberal arts 

and sciences curriculum 

with professional preparation 

that would allow 

young women to gain 

immediate employment 

after graduation or continue 

their education 

at a baccalaureate college 

or university. So began our 

efforts to combine teaching 

and learning in the 

liberal arts and sciences 

with professional preparation—a 

commitment we 

steadfastly maintain today.

There was initial resistance 

from the trustees, many of 

whom were academy 

graduates, but declining 

enrollments and growing 

debt led to the plan’s 

approval in 1927, and the 

next year the academy 

became a junior college for 

women. Colby Junior 

College grew and thrived 

despite the stock market 

crash in October 1929, 

which set off an economic 

depression that would 

last a decade. In 1930, 

McKean Hall was the first 

of five residence halls 

built during these difficult 

years. Under President 

Sawyer’s skillful leadership, 

the college soon 

earned a reputation as one 

of the nation’s leading 

junior colleges. 

President Sawyer was 

admired and respected at 

the college and in New 

London, which prospered 

along with the college. 

He became well known for 

his chapel talks and his 

interest in and attention 

to every student. “Dr. 

Sawyer’s belief in the 

potential success of the 

individual is his great 

contribution to the development 

of all the girls who 

have lived on this campus,” 

wrote Barbara M. 

Clough ’31, as headmistress 

of Northfield School 

H. Leslie Sawyer, 25th principal of Colby Academy and first president of Colby Junior College. 

for Girls. “And equally 

important, this conviction 

that every person may 

be potentially successful 

has contributed to the 

steady growth of his 

teachers and staff and to 

the community of New 

London.” 

When President Sawyer 

retired in 1955, New 

Hampshire Governor Lane 

Dwinell lauded him for 

his “pioneering efforts to 

Benefactor Mary Colby Colgate, 

daughter of Susan F. (Colby) and 

James B. Colgate. 

transform an academy 

into a college, which took 

courage, imagination 

and foresight and showed 

the New England…and 

the New Hampshire 

tradition of providing true 

leadership in the field 

of education.” 

Colby Junior College 

went on to become a 

baccalaureate college with 

a new name that honors 

both the academy’s 

founding family 

and the college’s 

first 

president. 

As the eighth 

president of 

Colby-Sawyer 

College, I am 

proud to be part 

of this 175-year 

tradition of 

teaching and 

learning. I thank 

all my predecessors 

in the 

Office of the 

President, every 

faculty and staff member, 

and every student for all 

they have done to make 

our college so special and 

successful. Today, as 

always, we remain committed 

to the transformative 

power of a liberal 

education and in each 

individual’s potential 

to influence their communities 

and the world 

around them in positive 

and enduring ways. 

Sincerely, 

Thomas C. Galligan Jr. 

President and Professor of 

Humanities 

tgalligan@colby-sawyer.edu 

Photos: Cleveland, Colby, Colgate Archives 


7

8 Colby-Sawyer College Magazine

2012 Grads ‘Earn the Right’ 

by Kimberly Swick Slover, Director of Communications 

In a joyous event marked 

by frequent cheering 

for their classmates, 207 

members of the Class 

of 2012 crossed the stage 

at Commencement on 

May 5 to receive their 

diplomas and move on to 

the next stage of life. 

Student speaker Joseph 

R. Delaney ’12, a Communication 

Studies major 

from Ashfield, Mass., 

delivered an evocative 

address titled “Earning the 

Right.” Delaney, who 

earned double minors in 

Writing for Publication 

and Studio Art, participated 

in theater productions 

and many student clubs, 

and worked as a video 

assistant in the production 

studio, producing increasingly 

complex and ambitious 

video productions. 

“When you walk on this 

stage with me and shake 

your president’s hand, 

you aren’t just getting 

a receipt confirming your 

Student Commencement Speaker 

Joseph R. Delaney. 

college investment. You 

are earning the right to say 

something that nobody 

else in the world can say,” 

he told his classmates. 

“Nobody else has had the 

same experience we all 

shared. Nobody else has a 

home away from home like 

ours.” 

Assistant Professor of 

Business Administration 

Jody E. Murphy was 

awarded the 2012 Jack 

Jensen Award for 

Excellence in Teaching, 

the college’s highest 

faculty honor. Each year 

the faculty award winner 

delivers the Commencement 

keynote address. 

In her address to the 

graduating class, Professor 

Murphy noted that “in 

accounting, I frequently 

say ‘balance sheets must 

balance.’ Well, now I 

realize how applicable this 

is to real life as well. Life 

must balance. In the end, 

on average, it has to 

balance out—not necessarily 

every day, or even 

President Tom Galligan (right), trustees and a long 

line of college community members applaud for the 

Class of 2012 after the ceremony. 

Ye “Julia” Zhu beams after receiving her diploma. 

every week or month, but 

as a whole. I wish that 

each of you will be able to 

find your balance.” 

To read more about 

Commencement 2012 and 

to order photographs, visit 

www.colby-sawyer.edu/ 

commencement/. 

Photos: Gil Talbot 


9

Make Way for More Students 

by Kimberly Swick Slover 

As Colby-Sawyer moves 

closer to its goal of 

1,500 students, the first 

phase of the college’s 

construction plan will 

transform the Ware 

Campus Center into 

a modern student center 

and the ground floors 

of Abbey and Burpee Halls 

into residential space for 

students. 

The Ware Campus Center 

project began in February 

and will add 14,000 square 

feet to the building, expanding 

both the dining hall 

and mailroom and adding 

office space, seminar 

rooms for events or 

classes and meeting 

rooms for student clubs. 

The dining hall will extend 

its seating capacity with 

a series of small and large 

spaces that offer café style 

dining, private dining 

rooms, and indoor and 

outdoor terrace dining. 

Restrooms will be added 

to the ground level and 

a new elevator will service 

all three floors. 

With 24-hour access to 

the dining hall, the center 

will become a more 

dynamic, inviting and 

accessible place. “The new 

student center will create 

a greater sense of community 

at the college. The 


Designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative, the Ware Campus Center addition will expand the 

dining hall and create new office spaces for staff and meeting and seminar spaces for students. 

The renovations, according to Vice President of Student Development and Dean of Students 

Dave Sauerwein, will turn the building into an active student center. 

goal is to create a place 

where all members of 

the community, including 

our commuter students 

who do not have a meal 

plan, can go any time 

of day,” says Vice President 

of Student Development 

and Dean of Students 

Dave Sauerwein. “There 

will be a variety of spaces 

so that students can find 

their own space to eat, 

study or relax. It will be a 

hub in the middle of the 

residence halls with 

entrances on both upper 

and lower levels of 

campus. It truly will turn 

this building into an active 

student center.” 

Part of the new dining 

hall space was completed 

in time to welcome approximately 

1,400 students 

for the fall semester. Construction 

on other parts 

of the building continues 

and will be completed by 

February 2013. 

Shortly after Commencement 

on May 5, renovations 

began in Burpee and 

Abbey Halls, which returned 

its ground floors to 

residential space after 

housing the Windy Hill 

School for decades. By 

June the demolition phase 

of the project was complete 

and the residence 

hall rooms were taking 

shape. Twenty-two beds 

have been added to each 

residence hall, and Burpee 

Hall’s lower level also 

features a new kitchen. 

These renovations were 

completed in mid- 

August, just in time 

to welcome students to 

brand-new living spaces. 

Webcam on Ware 

Webcams have been 

installed in two locations 

overlooking the Ware 

construction site. Keep an 

eye on the progress at 


currents/ware.html.

A Perfect Storm of Good Things 


The college’s new vice 

president of finance 

and treasurer debuted 

early in 2012, when 

Todd Emmons appeared 

on stage at an all-campus 

meeting at the Sawyer 

Theatre. Without a 

script—and with a calm, 

reassuring presence 

reminiscent of his predecessor, 

Doug Lyon— 

Emmons delivered the 

welcome news that the 

college had been approved 

for $27 million in financing 

and phase one of 

campus construction 

could begin. 

“It was seamless; it was 

simple,” Emmons says 

now of his transition into 

the new role, acknowledging 

that Lyon, an old 

friend who retired in 

January after more than 

two decades as Colby- 

Sawyer’s vice president of 

finance and treasurer, had 

set the scene for the college’s 

strong financials. 

The terms of the financing 

continued to improve, with 

the college locking in at a 

1.9 percent interest rate, 

with plans to refinance 

before long to fuel the next 

phase of growth. 

“With the surge of student 

interest in the school, we 

have outgrown our infrastructure,” 

Emmons 

explains. “The construction 

is a very visible reflection 

of Colby-Sawyer’s 

success.” 

A “perfect storm of good 

things” brought Emmons 

back to New Hampshire, 

where he went to college, 

met his wife, and where 

their children and grandchildren 

live. He graduated 

with a B.A. in economics 

from St. Anselm College in 

1975 before going on to 

earn an M.B.A. in finance 

at NYU and M.Sc. in 

economics at the London 

School of Economics and 

Political Science. Ten years 

later, with his wife Margaret 

and their four children, 

he left the world of 

high finance in New York 

City to return to St. Anselm 

as a faculty member and 

assistant treasurer. 

Emmons fell in love 

with the higher education 

environment and the 

nature of his work there, 

and he stayed at St. 

Anselm for 13 years before 

going on to accomplish— 

and learn a great deal— 

at Daniel Webster College 

in New Hampshire 

and then Elms College 

and Quinsigamond 

Community College in 

Massachusetts. As 

colleagues in the same 

small New England college 

circles, Emmons and Lyon 

have been friends and 

golf buddies for 30 years. 

Emmons always thought 

his friend had a dream 

job at Colby-Sawyer, and it 

seemed dreamier the 

longer Emmons toiled at a 

state school with its 

complicated, unpredictable 

budget system. 

“I missed New Hampshire 

and the small liberal arts 

college community,” he 

says. “I’ve always liked 

Colby-Sawyer, its image 

and location, and this was 

a great opportunity to 

leave the state school 

system. This was the first 

and only time my wife 

said, ‘I want you to take 

this job!’” 

Soon after his arrival in 

January, Emmons began 

planning for the college’s 

2012-2013 budget, and 

he asked managers across 

campus to rebuild their 

budgets from scratch 

rather than carry last year’s 

numbers forward. His 

intention was not to strike 

fear in the heart of academia 

or to squeeze out 

more savings—though 

he may have. Instead, he 

hoped to encourage 

people to review each 

budget line and consider 

what their areas needed, 

and wanted, most. 


The budgeting process, 

for him, is like putting 

the pieces of a big puzzle 

together, with the goal 

of making everyone happy. 

“I love what I do. I absolutely 

eat it up,” Emmons 

says, smiling. “If departments 

would like to try 

new initiatives, like introducing 

an international 

program, I want to 

give it a boost and make 

sure it’s going to work.” 

Walking along New 

London’s Main Street, 

Emmons notices that 

strangers smile and say 

hello as they pass. “This 

is what I had in mind 

when I moved up here,” 

he says. “Everyone says 

hello, everyone is friendly. 

It’s part of the culture.” 

Vice President of Finance and Treasurer 

Todd Emmons arrived in January 2012, 

shortly before construction began. 


11

New Winton-Black Trustee Named 

by Kate Dunlop Seamans, Assistant Director of Communications 

Aubrey K. Thomas ’09 

was elected to a one-year 

term as a Winton-Black 

trustee, a position on the 

Board of Trustees for alumni 

who have normally 

graduated three to nine 

years prior to their 

election. 

Thomas, a Wesson Honors 

student, earned a degree 

in Communication Studies 

and a minor in Business 

Administration. She was 

vice president of Alpha 

Chi, a member of Lambda 

Pi Eta, a resident assistant, 

and a student caller and 

office assistant for Alumni 

Relations. 

Thomas was also active 

in campus clubs and 

competed on the swimming 

and diving team for 

two years. She was a 

features reporter and copy 

editor for both the Colby- 

Sawyer Courier and the 

Wesson Honors newslet- 

Communication Studies and Wesson Honors Program 

graduate Aubrey K. Thomas ’09 joins the Board of Trustees 

this fall. 


ter, and spent a semester 

at Murdoch University in 

Perth, Australia. Colby- 

Sawyer’s Alpha Chi Award, 

given to a graduating 

student who exemplifies 

truth and character, was 

presented to Thomas at 

her Commencement. 

“Colby-Sawyer shaped 

who I am, and I am 

excited for this chance 

to give back.” 

“I am honored to accept 

this position,” she says. 

“Colby-Sawyer shaped who 

I am, and I am excited for 

this chance to give back. 

I’ve always considered 

myself a ‘cheerleader’ for 

the college as I had an 

incredible experience and 

cannot say enough about 

all that it has to offer.” 

Thomas says she will 

draw on her participation 

in campus life as she 

offers insight to the board 

as it makes decisions. 

“My time as a resident 

assistant and as a member 

of various groups made 

me aware of how certain 

factors affect students, and 

I hope to provide this 

information to the board,” 

says Thomas. “I hope 

this year will be an opportunity 

to promote the 

college and encourage 

support from alumni and 

friends. I am ready for 

this opportunity to help 

the school with its 

continued success.” 

A native of Maine, 

Thomas lives in 

Cambridge, Mass., and 

is a paralegal with 

Harmon Law Offices, 

P.C. in Newton, Mass. 

She is working toward 

her master’s degree 

at Emerson College in 

Communication 

Management with a 

concentration in Public 

Relations and Stakeholder 

Communication. When 

school is not in session, 

she volunteers for Seasons 

Hospice and Palliative 

Care in Newton.

Windy Hill Is Green Certified 

by Cynthia Driver ’13 

The Windy Hill School has 

been recognized with 

silver-level certification in 

the internationally recognized 

Leadership in Energy 

and Environmental Design 

(LEED) green building 

rating system. The certification, 

which includes 

certified, silver, gold and 

platinum levels, is awarded 

by the U.S. Green Building 

Council (USGBC) to 

encourage and facilitate 

environmentally sustainable 

construction. 

The 8,000-square foot 

building, completed in 

2010, was the first on 

campus designed and 

constructed in keeping 

with the college’s commitment 

to environmental 

sustainability. Its integrated 

design allowed the 

engineers to create tight 

air barriers that optimize 

energy use and reduce the 

amount of mechanical 

equipment required to 

Windy Hill School Director and Associate Professor of 

Social Sciences and Education Janet Bliss describes the 

new facility as “a wonderful tribute to the importance 

of young children and the people who dedicate their lives 

to working with them.” 

The Windy Hill School was founded in 1976 as a laboratory school for the college’s Social 

Sciences and Education Department. Its new building, shown above, opened in 2010. 


operate the building. 

Green-certified and 

recycled materials were 

used throughout, 

as were low-VOC (volatile 

organic compounds) 

paints and sealants. 

Low-flow toilets and sinks 

minimize water use, and 

artificial lighting is seldom 

needed during the day, 

as the windows’ large size 

and placement allow for 

“daylighting”— maximum 

use of natural light. 

“Ultimately, a greener 

building creates a more 

healthy and safe environment,” 

says architect 

Ingrid Nichols of Banwell 

Architects. “This was 

extremely important to 

everyone involved in this 

project. It was wonderful 

the amount of energy 

and passion the administration 

and teachers put 

into making Windy Hill the 

best and healthiest space 

possible.” 

“Ultimately, a greener 

building creates 

a more healthy and safe 

environment.” 


13

Photos: Michael Seamans 

by Eric Boyer, Assistant Professor, Social Sciences and Education 

First classes are a lot 

like first dates—at least, 

that is what I tell my students 

as each semester 

begins. Initially, I opened 

classes with this analogy 

to capture the complex 

mixture of excitement and 

anxiety that permeates the 

air on the first day, when 

every new course is a 

question, a possibility. 

Since I have immersed 

myself in the liberal education 

model at Colby- 

Sawyer, my opening lines 

have became more than 

just a way to ease tension. 

While I still believe that 

new classes feel much like 

first dates, I have come to 

realize that this idea 

underscores one of our 

Liberal Education Program’s 

key goals. Like first 

dates, liberal education 

courses are first steps on 

a path toward a myriad 

of possible destinations. 

By guiding students 

through a multidisciplinary 

curriculum, the program 

acts as a kind of academic 

speed dating which seeks 

to engage students in 

different fields of study 

until they commit to an 

academic major. The goal 

is to construct an environment 

in which students 

discover interests they 

never knew they had so 

that learning becomes its 

own reward. Success is the 

business major inspired 

to read more Plato or the 

philosophy major who 

can identify and analyze 

a Laffer curve. 

As a professor, the 

creation and execution 

of successful first and 

subsequent class “dates” 

is both challenging and 

rewarding. The most 

pleasant surprise is when 

the incredibly difficult 

process of constructing 

effective courses escapes 

the professor’s control 

and both student and 

teacher are swept up in the 

discovery of new ideas 

and unexplored terrain. 

I consider myself fortunate 

to have been part of such 

an experience, which 

began in a meeting with a 

student in spring 2010. 

The student sitting 

across from me that day 

was frazzled, the result 

of his decision to get up in 

the middle of the night so 

he would arrive at his 

classroom hours before 

his fellow students. 

Despite his fatigue, the 

student seemed surprisingly 

happy. He smiled 

as he assured me that his 

new sleep schedule was 

the key to surviving 

Colby-Sawyer’s first ever 

week of “Humans vs.

Zombies.” HvZ, as it is 

affectionately called by 

those who take part, is 

essentially a week long 

game of tag in which an 

ever-growing number 

of “zombies” attempt to 

tag (and infect) an ever- 

dwindling number of 

“human” survivors. 

As the hordes of zombies 

grow and the ranks of 

humans diminish, students 

become ever more 

creative and vigilant in 

their efforts to survive the 

week. As I watched this 

student leave my office to 

begin his perilous trek 

across campus, I wondered 

if I had stumbled onto 

a theme for a new course. 

I began digging into 

zombie history. 

Much to my surprise and 

delight, my investigation 

into the many deaths and 

rebirths of the zombie 

uncovered a rich layer in 

20th-century American 

history. From its introduction 

in the early years of 

the Great Depression to its 

current explosion in print, 

television and film, the 

zombie has risen from the 

grave as a symbol of the 

nation’s deepest fears, 

whether of the masses of 

desperate unemployed 

workers in the 1930s or of 

the fanatical 21st-century 

terrorist. 

I fell in love with the 

seemingly unlovable 

zombie and knew students 

would, too. After all, the 

zombie is the perfect 

protagonist for a liberal 

education class because 

it crashes through 

disciplinary boundaries. 

Zombies have been summoned 

by both economists 

who disparage the 

financial institutions kept 

alive by state interventions 

and philosophers who 

construct “philosophical 

zombies” to examine 

the nature of human 

consciousness. 

By the fall semester of 

2011, I had harnessed the 

zombie’s awesome power 

and found myself discussing 

the parallels between 

first classes and first dates 

with the 20 students 

enrolled in my first-year 

Pathway seminar, lovingly 

titled “ZOMBIES!!!” 

Many of these students 

confessed that they enrolled 

in the class simply 

because they love zombie 

movies, yet the energy 

of these students revealed 

the incredible power of 

student engagement. Once 

“The zombie is the perfect 

protagonist for a liberal education 

class because it crashes through 

disciplinary boundaries.” 

shown the complexity 

buried within this undead 

creature, they began 

making connections and 

moving in directions I did 

not anticipate. The discovery, 

construction and 

execution of this course 

has been, by far, the most 

satisfying “academic first 

date” of my teaching 

career. 

Eric Boyer, who joined the 

college in 2008, teaches 

classes in government, 

history and political science. 

He was awarded the 

Outstanding Teaching in 

Postsecondary Education 

Award by the New 

Hampshire College and 

University Council in 2012 

and Colby-Sawyer’s 2011 

Jack Jensen Award for 

Excellence in Teaching. 


15

in profile 

A Capital Internship 

by Kate Dunlop Seamans 


As she strides along the 

sidewalk between the 

Washington and Lincoln 

Memorials, high heels 

clicking, Anh Nguyen ’13 

looks like any young 

professional living and 

working in the nation’s 

capital. 

“Vice President Joe Biden 

came to a fund-raising 

event I helped plan, and 

I got to meet him. I am 

not an American citizen, 

so I had to plan ahead and 

go through extra security 

measures,” says Nguyen, a 

Business Administration 

major and Wesson Honors 

student from Hanoi, Vietnam. 

Overhead, another 

plane roars into view as it 

takes off from Reagan 

International Airport. “I’ve 

met Senator John McCain, 

too, and many generals 

and other military 

personnel.” 

Last fall, Nguyen had 

enough credits to graduate 

early and begin an M.B.A. 

program, but she wanted 

to make the most of her 

undergraduate opportunities 

and study in Europe 

for a semester. Then she 

spotted a poster for the 

Washington Internship 

Institute at the Harrington 

Center for Career and 

Academic Advising, and 

the promise of gaining 

more professional experience 

intrigued her. The 

institute is an educational 

nonprofit organization that 

matches college students 

and recent graduates with 

semester-long internships 

in Washington, D.C. 

Colby-Sawyer began an 

affiliation with the program 

in 2010, and since then 10 

students have completed 

internships in D.C. 

The college’s emphasis 

on combining a strong 


foundation with professional 

preparation means 

that every student must 

complete at least one 

internship before they 

graduate. Harrington 

Center surveys show that 

43 percent of those 

internships lead to job 

offers. 

Although an internship 

with Ameriprise Financial 

Services in 2011 fulfilled 

Nguyen’s internship 

requirement and affirmed 

her passion for finance, 

she wanted to explore 

other aspects of business, 

such as marketing, business 

development and 

event planning. She signed 

on with the institute and 

secured a position as 

a special events intern at 

Hayes and Associates, a 

public relations firm. In her 

first week, Nguyen was 

given a cubicle and a list of 

VIPs to call and recruit for 

event sponsorships. 

“It was a challenge 

because I was not confident 

talking on the phone 

with my accent,” Nguyen 

explains as she passes 

the Martin Luther King Jr. 

National Memorial. “My 

first few calls were horrible; 

people asked me to repeat 

myself a lot. I didn’t want 

to tell my supervisor I 

could not do it, so I went 

home and practiced in 

front of the mirror. The 

next day I did a lot better.” 

It wasn’t long before 

Nguyen was deeply involved 

in planning major 

events, from business 

development and inviting 

the CEOs of Fortune 

500 companies, to figuring 

out seating and registration 

logistics, briefing 

speakers and tracking 

media coverage. On 

her best days, people like 

the director of Texas 

Instruments and vice 

president of Apple 

called to accept her 

invitations.

“Every class I have taken has proved 

helpful. I think I surprised some people.” 

“I interacted with people 

from all walks of life and 

learned something from 

every event,” says Nguyen. 

“Team work was vital, 

just as it has been with my 

business projects at 

Colby-Sawyer. You have to 

figure out how to work 

together. Because of my 

liberal arts foundation I 

could discuss art, history, 

religion—everything that 

ends up coming into 

conversation every day— 

with clients, my peers and 

supervisors. Every class 

I have taken has proved 

helpful. I think I surprised 

some people.” 

Again and again Nguyen 

heard that good grades do 

not guarantee a job after 

college—recruiters want to 

see relevant experience. 

“My internship is helping 

me learn what to expect 

after graduation. I’m 

gaining experience in 

almost every aspect of 

business,” she says. 

“I’ve had a chance to find 

my strengths and weaknesses. 

This experience 

has helped me define my 

career goals, and I have 

a lot more confidence now. 

I want to be a leader.” 

Numbers make decisions, 

which is why Nguyen loves 

finance, and she wants to 

leverage her interests to 

help others succeed and 

sustain economic growth. 

With the Thomas Jefferson 

Memorial looming behind 

her and Marine 1 flying 

low over the Mall, it’s easy 

to imagine this determined 

young woman will meet 

her goals. 

“I grew up in Hanoi, surrounded 

by urban poverty. 

I watched my mother, an 

eye nurse, help a lot of 

people, not only medically 

but financially. It made 

me wonder what I could 

do to make people happy 

and struggle less,” she 

says. “After graduate 

school, I want to work in a 

fast-paced company while 

I am young and have the 

energy. I think my international 

experience will 

benefit a lot of organizations. 

My ultimate goal, 

though, is to create a fund 

and help the homeless. 

As long as I give my best 

effort to everything I do, 

I will have no regrets.” 

Photo: Michael Seamans

Diplomacy in Action 


Nick Ciarlante ’14 went 

south for spring break, 

but it wasn’t to relax on a 

sandy beach. Ciarlante, 

president of the Student 

Government Association, 

represented Colby-Sawyer 

and New Hampshire 

student government 

leaders at the American/ 

Israel Policy Conference 

(AIPAC) held March 

3-6 in Washington, D.C. 

The conference, with 

13,000 delegates, is 

the largest annual gathering 

of the pro-Israel 

movement in the United 

States, and Israeli defense 

and homeland security, 

foreign aid, the peace 

process and U.S-Israel 

relations were on the 

agenda. Ciarlante was one 


of 217 student government 

presidents and 1,600 

college students to attend 

the conference. 

Ciarlante enjoyed a welcome 

dinner for America’s 

Young Political Leaders 

and a Student Government 

Presidents Luncheon, and 

heard from speakers 

including U.S. President 

Barack Obama, Israeli 

President Shimon Peres 

and Prime Minister 

Benjamin Netanyahu, 

House Democratic Leader 

Nancy Pelosi and Senate 

Republican Leader Mitch 

McConnell, along with 

other government leaders 

and candidates for the 

U.S. presidency. “It was 

incredible to see so many 

people from different 

President Barack Obama and other world leaders spoke in support 

of a strong and sustained relationship with Israel. 

Photo: AP 

Nick Ciarlante ’14 represented Colby-Sawyer and 

New Hampshire at the AIPAC in Washington, D.C. 

political parties, races, 

religions and ethnicities 

come together because of 

the importance of having a 

strong ally in the Middle 

East,” says Ciarlante. “I 

had never heard of AIPAC 

before I was invited to 

attend, so the conference 

was not only an opportunity 

for me to learn about 

the importance of the 

U.S./Israeli alliance and 

U.S. foreign policy, but 

also an opportunity to 

network with thousands of 

other college students and 

adults from across the 

United States.” 

Back on campus, Ciarlante 

shared his experience in 

the nation’s capital in a 

presentation attended by 

senior staff members, 

faculty, staff, students and 

community members. 

“Hearing ‘Hail to the 

Chief’ played live and 

watching the president of 

the United States walk 

to the lectern was the most 

exhilarating experience I’ve 

ever had,” says Ciarlante. 

“This conference confirmed 

my interest in 

politics. I’ve already 

registered to attend next 

year, when we will look 

at the progress made and 

consider how we as a 

nation and as citizens can 

continue to strengthen 

the U.S./Israel alliance.”

The Season in Sports 

Spring 2012 

by Ryan Emerson, Director of Sports Information 

Baseball 

(20-22; 10-14 NEAC East) 

The Colby-Sawyer baseball 

team reached the 

North Eastern Athletic 

Conference (NEAC) East 

Division championship 

game in its first season 

with the new affiliation. 

The Chargers have reached 

a conference tournament 

in 16 of the past 17 

seasons. Colby-Sawyer 

earned the fourth seed in 

the double elimination 

conference tournament 

and played at top-seed 

Castleton. The Chargers 

came away with a 7-2 

upset, beating the 

Spartans for the first time 

in five tries in 2012. 

The Chargers also 

supplied the tournament 

with its second upset, 

defeating second-seed 

Thomas 4-1 on the second 

day of competition. On 

championship Sunday, 

Colby-Sawyer met 

Castleton for the NEAC 

East title. Unfortunately for 

the Chargers, Castleton 

was able to win twice to 

secure the championship. 

The 2012 season marked 

the first time since 2000 

Senior Greg Mehuron was the second toughest hitter to 

strike out in the nation. He fanned just two times in 135 atbats 

and helped the Chargers go all the way to the championship 

game in its first season in the NEAC. 

Photos: John Quackenbos 

that the Chargers have 

reached 20 wins. In 

addition to setting a 

school record for fewest 

walks per nine innings, at 

2.14, Colby-Sawyer led the 

nation in that category. 

The team also achieved a 

school record best earned 

run average of 3.66. 

Sophomore Kevin 

Keith (Quincy, Mass.) 

was named to the All- 

Conference First Team. 

Keith set school records in 

wins (7) and strikeouts 

(56). Junior Tyler Stotz 

(Amesbury, Mass.) earned 

a nod to the Second Team. 

Stotz had school record 

totals of putouts (331) and 

double plays turned (27). 

Senior Greg Mehuron 

(Waitsfield, Vt.) was the 

second toughest hitter 

to strike out in the nation. 

He fanned just two times 

in 135 at-bats. 

Women’s Lacrosse 

(8-9; 4-2 NAC East) 

In its first season with the 

North Atlantic Conference 

(NAC), the 2012 Colby- 

Sawyer women’s lacrosse 

team finished 8-9 overall 

and 4-2 in the conference. 

The team reached the 

postseason for the 

11th time in the past 12 

seasons. The Chargers 

fell to New England 

College in the NAC East 

Division semifinals, 

but continued to play after 

making the program’s 

second trip to the Eastern 

College Athletic Conference 

(ECAC) tournament. 

The season ended 

with a loss to Framingham 

in the ECAC first round. 

Colby-Sawyer finished the 

year ranked 20th in the 

nation in ground balls with 

25 per game. 

Colby-Sawyer was led 

offensively by senior 

Brittney Murphy (Woburn, 

Mass.), who became the 

Chargers’ most decorated 

player. She finished her 

career as Colby-Sawyer’s 

all-time leader in points 

(287), goals (200) and 

assists (87). In addition, 

Murphy broke her own 

single season school 

records in all three categories 

with 104 points, 72 

goals and 36 assists. For 

her efforts, Murphy was 

named to the All-NAC First 

Team. She found herself 

among the best in the 

nation as she ranked 18th 

in overall points, 15th in 

points per game, 33rd in 

goals, 34th in goals per 

game, 25th in assists per 

game and 24th in assists. 


19

Senior Brittney Murphy finished her career as Colby-Sawyer’s all-time leader in points, goals 

and assists, and was named to the All-NAC First Team. 

Other members of 

the team who earned 

All-NAC awards included 

senior defender Allie 

Piper (Barre, Vt.) and 

junior defender Amanda 

Murray (Norwood, 

Mass.), who appeared on 

the first team. Second 

Team honorees were 

senior attacker Molly 

Prudden (Andover, Mass.) 

and junior midfielder Kate 

Rial (Chester Springs, Pa.). 

Men’s Tennis 

(9-12; 5-0 NAC East) 

In its first season with the 

North Atlantic Conference 

(NAC), the Colby-Sawyer 


men’s tennis team went 

9-12 overall and was a 

perfect 5-0 in conference 

play. The Chargers won 

the NAC East Division and 

played the NAC West 

Division winners, Penn 

State-Harrisburg, with a 

trip to the NCAA’s on 

the line. The Chargers fell 

6-3 to Harrisburg, ending 

the season at 9-12. The 

Chargers, who dropped 

just one set out of 45 

in conference play, went 

5-0 to earn the top seed 

in the East Division. 

Colby-Sawyer breezed past 

Castleton 9-0 in the 

semifinals and won the 

East title with an 8-1 

victory over Johnson. 

Five members of the team 

earned All-Conference 

honors, highlighted by 

Co-Rookie of the Year 

freshman Justin Pinard 

(Essex, Vt.). Pinard 

also was named to the 

All-NAC First Team. Pinard 

and senior Jamie 

Thormann (Northeast 

Harbor, Maine) were 

named to the All- 

Conference Doubles First 

Team. Thormann also 

landed on the Singles First 

Team. Junior Reeve Fidler 

(Groton, Mass.) was the 

third member of the 

Chargers to appear on 

the First Team. He and 

freshman teammate 

Nolan Foley (Jaffrey, N.H.) 

were named to the 

All-NAC Doubles First 

Team. Freshman Clay Allen 

(Massena, N.Y.) earned 

a nod to the All-NAC 

Second Team. 

Track and Field 

The 2012 men’s and 

women’s track and 

field team had one of the 

best seasons in school 

history. A total of 11 school 

records were set; six on 

the women’s side and five 

on the men’s side. Several 

athletes qualified to 

compete in the New 

England Championships 

and senior Kristin Sawyer 

(Walpole, Mass.), freshman 

Jesse Socci (Wilton, 

Conn.) and junior Matt 

Van Vliet (Bridgton, 

Maine) competed at the 

Eastern College Athletic 

Conference (ECAC) 

Championships. 

Sawyer earned All-ECAC 

honors after placing 

seventh in the hammer 

throw with a school record 

distance of 47.52 meters. 

Socci also set a school 

record at the ECAC’s. He 

recorded a distance of 

14.35 meters in the shot 

put. Earlier in the year, 

Van Vliet equaled the 

school record in the high

The 2012 men’s and women’s track and field team had one of the best seasons in school 

history. Among the highlights, senior Kristin Sawyer earned All-ECAC honors after placing 

seventh in the hammer throw with a school record distance of 47.52 meters. 

jump on two occasions 

at 1.93 meters. Freshman 

Hayden Bunnell (St. 

Johnsbury, Vt.) set three 

records in the 1,500 

meters (4:10.16), 3,000 

meters (15:42.96) and 

the 5,000-meter steeplechase 

(10:18.74). 

Freshman Brianne Dunn 

(Ellsworth, Maine) 

collected record setting 

times in the 1,500 

meters (5:02.58), 3,000 

meters (11:15.32) and the 

5,000 meters (19:33.75). 

Sophomore Liz Sullivan 

(West Warwick, R.I.) 

had a school record mark 

of 2.45 meters in the pole 

vault twice in 2012. Junior 

Dani Perry (Charlestown, 

N.H.) set a record time of 

1:09.50 in the 400 meter 

hurdles. 

Equestrian 

The Colby-Sawyer 

equestrian team, which 

competes in the fall 

and spring, had five riders 

qualify to compete at the 

Regional Championships: 

Krislyn Rousseau (York, 

Maine), Meredith Cromis 

(Bristol, Vt.), Abby 

Pinard (Tewksbury, Mass.), 

Lauren Oberg (Barrington, 

R.I.) and Katie Fife 

(Salisbury, N.H.). The 

team had a successful 

regular season as well, 

with several riders earning 

the top ribbon for winning 

their respective divisions. 

With just one senior on 

the team in 2011-2012, the 

Chargers are primed for 

continued success next 

year. 

Men’s Basketball 

(20-8; 15-3 NAC) 

The Chargers, who made 

a move to the North 

Atlantic Conference (NAC) 

in 2011-2012, reached the 

championship game after 

earning the tournament’s 

second seed with a 15-3 

record. Colby-Sawyer fell in 

the title game, but reached 

20 wins for the second 

time in the past four 

seasons. 

The team set a school 

record for made threepointers 

in a season with 

261 and had a record 18 

against Maine Maritime on 

Feb. 11. In addition to the 

team’s success throughout 

the season, several 

impressive individual 

accomplishments were 

achieved. 

Senior Will Bardaglio 

(Wayne, Maine), who was 

named to the North 

Atlantic Conference (NAC) 

First Team, distinguished 

himself as one of the 

best shooters to don the 

Colby-Sawyer jersey. 

He led the team with 14.4 

points per game and 

finished his career with 

1,400 points, ranking 

him seventh all-time. 

Bardaglio became the 

school’s all-time leader in 

three-pointers made 

with 327 and was 11th in 

the nation in three-pointers 

per game (3.15). 

He was named to the 

2011-2012 New Hampshire 

Division III Basketball 

Coaches Association First 

Team. 

Freshman Koang Thok 

(Portland, Maine) 

was named NAC Men’s 

Basketball Rookie of 

the Year. Thok, who earned 

multiple Player and Rookie 

of the Week accolades 

throughout the season, 

ranked sixth in scoring at 

15.4 points per game in 

conference play. 

Senior James Tobin 

(Brookline, N.H.) was 

named to the N.H. 

Division III Second Team 

after completing his best 

statistical season as a 

Charger. He was the 

only member of the team 

to play and start in all 

28 games. Tobin averaged 

a career best 11.9 points 

per game and 5.3 rebounds. 

He led the team 

in blocks with 22 and 

moved into ninth on 

Colby-Sawyer’s all-time list 

with 49 for his career. 

Freshman Mike Dias 

(Carver, Mass.) was named 

2011-2012 New Hampshire 


Coaches Association 

Rookie of the Year. Dias 

played in 26 games and 


21

Freshman Koang Thok was named NAC Men’s Basketball 

Rookie of the Year. Thok ranked sixth in scoring at 15.4 

points per game in conference play and helped the Chargers 

reach 20 wins for the second time in the past four seasons. 

started in all but one in his 

first season. He poured in 

12.6 points per game, 

which was third best on 

the team. He shot a team 

best 54.9 percent from the 

floor and led the team in 

rebounding with 6.9 per 

game. During conference 

play, Dias led the league in 

field goal percentage (60.6 

percent) and was third 

in free throw percentage 

(83.9 percent). 

Junior Corey Willis 

(Easton, Mass.) moved 

into seventh in career 

assists with 357. 


Women’s Basketball 

(22-8; 15-3 NAC) 

In the team’s first year 

with the North Atlantic 

Conference (NAC), 

Colby-Sawyer reached 

the championships 

game and played in the 

Eastern College Athletic 

Conference (ECAC) 

semifinals. The Chargers 

recorded double-figure 

conference wins for the 

16th time in 17 seasons 

and had at least 20 overall 

wins for the seventh time 

in the past 10 seasons. 

The Chargers, who set a 

program single season 

record for points with 

2,195, ranked 14th in the 

nation with 73.2 points per 

game. The team also hit a 

single season record 212 

three-pointers, which 

included a single game 

record of 13 at Thomas on 

Feb. 4. 

The offense was led by 

junior Taylor DeSanty 

(North Adams, Mass.), 

who had one of the most 

impressive seasons in 

school history. DeSanty 

became the first Colby- 

Sawyer women’s basketball 

player to lead the 

nation in a category. She 

finished the season with a 

free throw percentage of 

89.9 to lead all Division III 

women’s basketball 

players. 

Other accolades for 

DeSanty included NAC 

Player of the Year, NAC 

All-Conference First Team, 

D3hoops.com All-Region, 

ECAC Division III New 

England Second Team, 

New Hampshire Division 

III Coaches Association 

Player of the Year and NH 

DIII First Team. DeSanty 

also was named Colby- 

Sawyer’s Outstanding 

Female Athlete of the Year. 

She set multiple single 

season records in 2011-12, 

including points (611), 

scoring average (20.4), 

field goals (224), and 

three-pointers (74). She 

also had a record setting 

game at UMaine-Farmington 

when she scored a 

program best 38 points. 

DeSanty also has climbed 

up the ranks on some 

of Colby-Sawyer’s career 

totals lists. She ranks 

fourth in career points 

(1296), first in career 

three-pointers (162), and 

is tied for fifth in career 

field goals (475). 

Junior Cailin Bullett 

(Millbury, Mass.) also 

garnered several accolades 

in 2011-2012. She was 

named to the NAC 

All-Conference Second 

Team and New Hampshire 


Coaches Association 

All-State Second Team for 

the second straight 

season. Bullett compiled a 

Colby-Sawyer single 

season record of 197 

assists and ranks fourth on 

the all-time list with 406. 

Bullett ended the season 

ranked third in the nation, 

among Division III players, 

with 6.6 assists per game. 

She ranked fourth last 

season with 6.4 per game.

Senior Maddy Hawkins 

(Boylston, Mass.) earned 

the Wynne Jesser McGrew 

Scholar-Athlete Award, 

given annually to a graduating 

female student 

who has made significant 

contributions to both the 

academic and varsity 

programs of the college. 

Alpine Skiing 

The Alpine ski team 

made its return to the 

Eastern Intercollegiate Ski 

Association (EISA) after 

spending the past 15 

seasons as a member of 

the United States Ski and 

Snowboard Association 

(USCSA). Throughout the 

EISA race season, the 

Chargers had impressive 

team results and individual 

accomplishments. 

Senior Shawn Dunstan 

(Sinking Spring, Pa.), 

who was named Colby- 

Sawyer’s Outstanding 

Male Athlete of the Year, 

competed at the NCAA 

Championship in 

Bozeman, Mont. Of the 

three programs (Boston 

College, Plymouth State 

and Colby-Sawyer) who 

transitioned from the 

McConnell Division to 

EISA racing this season, 

Colby-Sawyer was the 

Shawn Dunstan ’13 was named the Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year this spring. 

Throughout the EISA race season, the Alpine ski team had impressive team results and 

individual accomplishments. 

only team represented 

at the NCAA Skiing 

Championships. 

Senior Ryan Lawless 

(Charlemont, Mass.) just 

missed qualifying for 

the NCAAs after a stellar 

season that included 

multiple top-15 finishes. 

Senior Cece Andvord 

(Oslo, Norway) was the 

lone upperclassman on 

the women’s team, leaving 

the team with a young 

talented crop of skiers for 

the 2013 campaign. 

Swimming and 

Diving 

The men’s and women’s 

swimming and diving 

teams enjoyed a season 

that sent 15 members to 

the New England Intercollegiate 

Swimming and 

Diving Association 

(NEISDA) Championships. 

The men finished 10th 

and the women 12th in the 

multi-day event. 

Eight school records were 

set on the women’s side, 

all of which came at the 

NEISDA Championships. 

A new mark was set by the 

200-meter freestyle relay 

team of Erin Dunican 

(Bennington, Vt.), Krystyna 

Estrada (Lebanon, N.H.), 

Jen Gavell (Lebanon, 

N.H.), and Lanie White 

(Bass Harbor, Maine). 

Dunican, Estrada, Gavell 

and Emily Olson (Lynn, 

Mass.) also set a record 

time in the 400-meter 

freestyle relay. 

Dunican also set three 

breaststroke records 

in the 50-, 100- and 

200-meter races. Estrada 

added a pair of school 

records in the 50- and 

100-meter freestyle. White 

is the new record holder of 

the 50-meter butterfly. 

Dunican, Estrada, Gavell 

and White also competed 

at the Eastern College 

Athletic Conference 

(ECAC) Championships 

in Annapolis, Md. 

The Charger men were 

led by senior co-captains 

Jack Nessen (Beverly, 

Mass.) and Owen Worden 

(New Bedford, Mass.). 

Worden, who received the 

Colby-Sawyer Male Senior 

Scholar-Athlete Award, 

is a member of the school 

record holding 400-meter 

freestyle relay team. 


23

Charging Ahead 


As war horses and as 

Colby-Sawyer athletes, 

Chargers are disciplined, 

strong and proud. One 

alone is a force to be 

reckoned with. Together in 

action, they make thunder 

on their way to victory. 

Since 1975, Charger teams 

have captured numerous 

conference championships, 

NCAA and ECAC 

playoff berths, and many 

of our athletes have earned 

regional and national recognition. 

In recent years, 

students encouraged an 

update to the horse logo 

representing the teams; 

many felt that a more 

powerful animal would 

better represent athletes’ 

accomplishments. 

With the college introducing 

a new visual identity in 

its 175th year, the time was 

right to reinvigorate the 

athletic logo. Working with 

senior staff and college 

constituencies, Harp and 

Company of Hanover, 

N.H., the same firm that 

designed the new college 

logo with a modern 


rendering of the cupola 

against a backdrop 

of mountains, led the 

charge in creating 

a new athletic logo. 

“We created the new 

Chargers logo in conjunction 

with the college’s 

new visual identity,” says 

President Tom Galligan. 

“There are great things 

happening at Colby-Sawyer 

and we wanted the 

Chargers’ logo to reflect 

that energy and vibrancy. 

The new logo depicts 

action and forward 

momentum.” 

Athletic Director Deb 

McGrath ’68 says that it 

made sense to review 

and revise the athletic logo 

to incorporate more 

strength and power into 

what some called the 

“flying horse.” “We anticipate 

that alumni as well 

as current and prospective 

students will embrace 

the change easily, and we 

look to build on the excellence, 

strength and power 

of the new brand,” says 

McGrath. 

Team uniforms will sport 

the new logo this fall, and 

Out to pasture: The old 

Chargers logo. 

Colby-Sawyer’s competitors 

will see there’s a new 

Charger coming their way. 

Go Chargers!

On Track to Win 

Pat Parnell ’15, a member 

of the Colby-Sawyer men’s 

Alpine ski team and the 

U.S. Paralympic team from 

Columbia, Conn., had 

such an incredible first year 

that he was featured in 

Sports Illustrated’s March 

26 “Faces in the Crowd” 

column. 

Parnell, an Environmental 

Studies major, was born 

without his full left femur. 

He is the first adaptive skier 

to train with the Chargers. 

Parnell is the U.S. adaptive 

slalom national champion, 

and in March, he earned a 

fifth-place finish in the 

slalom at the International 

Paralympic Committee 

(IPC) World Cup held at 

Winter Park Resort in 

Winter Park, Colo., making 

him the top U.S. finisher 

in the slalom. 

Parnell told Ski Racing 

magazine that he believes 

“training with the Chargers 

has given him an advantage 

in adaptive events because 

the courses we train are a lot 

more challenging, more 

turny, and have more terrain 

in them. When I go to 

disabled races, the courses 

are a lot easier than I’m 

used to… What I like most 

about training with the 

team is that they motivate 

me to push myself harder 

Pat Parnell ’15 is the first adaptive skier to train with the Chargers. 

and to ski faster because 

I want to be right there in 

the mix with those guys,” 

says Parnell. “They’re 

all really supportive of what 

I’m doing…they’re rooting 

for me.” They have a lot 

to root for—Parnell’s goal is 

to make it to the 2014 Sochi 

Paralympics in Russia. 

Here’s what else Parnell 

shared with Ski Racing 

magazine. 

As a three-track athlete, 

Pat Parnell carves all his 

turns on one ski with the 

support of an outrigger 

in each arm. 

Parnell has a number of 

explanations he conjures 

up when people ask why 

he has only one leg, from 

shark attacks in the ocean 

to being run over by a 

tank. The truth of the 

matter is that he was born 

with a condition called 

proximal femoral focal 

deficiency (PFFD) that 

prevented the full development 

of his left femur, 

and he uses a prosthetic 

for walking. But because 

he does not have an 

anatomically supportive 

hip socket, it makes more 

sense in ski racing to 

forgo the use of a prosthetic 

device and to ski on 

just one leg. Although he 

has considered newer 

prosthetic technologies, 

Parnell says, “I think I’ve 

got a pretty good thing 

going with the one ski.” 

At the age of 12, Parnell 

signed up for an adaptive 

race camp and was hooked 

on the competition by 

the afternoon of the first 

day. He has since competed 

in both disabled and 

able-bodied events including 

slalom, giant slalom 

and speed races. He has 

run downhill twice at U.S. 

Nationals and competed 

in super combined events 

as well. 

Excerpted and reprinted 

with permission from 

“One-track Mind” by C.J. 

Feehan, published in Ski 

Racing magazine’s March 

12, 2012 issue. 

Pat Parnell ’15 


25

conversations 



Teddy Beaufaÿs, a Child 

Development major, teaches 

English, art and history at 

the German International 

School of Boston. He is 

passionate about teaching 

these subjects and about 

integrating technology into 

the curriculum, and he is 

dedicated to practicing the 

philosophy of whole-child 

education he learned at 

Colby-Sawyer. 

Why did you choose to 

be a Child Development 

major? 

I grew up in Bedford, N.Y., 

and started college in 

California, where I was a 

film major. When my 

family bought a bed and 

breakfast in Andover, 

N.H, I helped them get it 

going. I stopped by 

Colby-Sawyer to try to 

Teddy Beaufaÿs ’10 

meet some people my age 

in the area and ended up 

talking to an admissions 

counselor. One thing led 

to another, and I enrolled 

as a Communication 

Studies major. I tried to 

keep my focus on film, 

but it wasn’t the same, 

and I nearly went back to 

film school. I was working 

at The Windy Hill School, 

though, and Professor 

Janet Bliss had a huge 

impact on me. She had 

been after me to consider 

education as a career 

and I finally decided, yes, 

I’d like to be a teacher. 

I earned a certificate to 

teach in New Hampshire 

but found a job three 

weeks after graduation 

teaching at the German 

International School 

of Boston, a private 

Massachusetts school. 

“We need to understand who the 

kids are, what they need, what engages 

them in class, and especially what 

excites them to learn.” 

I’m glad I found Colby- 

Sawyer; it was a great 

experience. I keep in touch 

with my professors 

and have come back to 

campus to be on alumni 

panels because I want 

to give back to the Child 

Development Program. 

Everyone who goes 

through it has such a 

great opportunity. 

What is the most important 

thing you learned at 

Colby-Sawyer? 

The biggest thing I learned 

at Colby-Sawyer is the idea 

that you’re teaching the 

whole child. A kid is not 

just your student in 

English class. He’s also 

part of a family; he’s a big 

or little brother, or someone 

whose parents aren’t 

together anymore. There’s 

a whole life behind that 

student in your classroom. 

We need to understand 

who the kids are, what they 

need, what engages them 

in class, and especially 

what excites them to learn. 

When you study child 

development and education, 

what you’re really 

studying is developmental 

psychology.

Teddy Beaufaÿs ’10 reviews the movie his students wrote and filmed. “I’m always trying to do cross-curricular activities with 

my kids,” says Beaufaÿs. 

Colby-Sawyer’s Child 

Development Program 

teaches the constructionist 

approach, in which 

students construct their 

own education. I use that 

approach as much as 

possible now by having my 

students work independently 

and with others, 

aside from teachers. That’s 

putting the trust in the 

student. 

What kind of professional 

preparation did you receive 

at Colby-Sawyer? 

Many Child Development 

classes at Colby-Sawyer 

come with a practicum, 

just like a science class has 

a lab. The college is unusual 

because it has its 

own early childhood 

laboratory school right on 

campus. Windy Hill offers 

the opportunity to do 

real, practical work with 

toddlers and kindergartners 

instead of just 

learning about what a 

classroom would be like. 

By the time I graduated, 

I’d completed three 

practicums and been in 

two public elementary 

schools. 

My student teaching 

experience was significant 

in helping me understand 

how to be a teacher. I don’t 

think I would have been 

able to find a full-time job 

right out of school without 

it. That wouldn’t have 

made sense, actually. I 

student-taught in a 

second-grade classroom 

right in New London for 

half my senior year. It’s an 

awesome public school, 

and I was in the classroom 

working with the kids every 

day. I got to know them 

and give lessons and learn 

about classroom management 

as well as teaching. 

Now I have student 

teachers in my classroom! 

What makes a good 

teacher? 


I think most of it’s in your 

personality. You have to 

be a people person. A lot 

of people go into teaching 

thinking they won’t be 

dealing with people, and 

they’re completely wrong 

because kids are little 

people. You have to be 

outgoing, be able to talk, 

be able to punt if things 

don’t work. We have to be 

flexible. We need teachers 

who are motivated to learn 

and grow and participate 

in their own education 

so that they can pass that 

enthusiasm on to their 

own students. 


27

The Art and Science of Teaching 

by Jean Eckrich, Professor of Exercise and Sport Sciences 

Educators often cite 

helping students become 

lifelong learners as their 

highest goal, and this is 

especially true at a teaching 

college like Colby- 

Sawyer. As faculty, we must 

also commit to continuous 

learning, not only in our 

fields of study, but also 

in pedagogy—the art and 

science of teaching. The 

classes we teach today 

differ dramatically from 

those we experienced 

as college students, and 

thus it is vital for faculty to 

integrate the best new 

research, methodologies 

and tools into our teaching 

practices. 

In fall 2009, the college 

initiated the Teaching 

Enrichment Center 

(TEC), which supports 

the faculty’s professional 

development activities 

through funding from the 

Davis Educational Foundation. 

The TEC’s primary 

goal is to enhance student 

learning through the 

support and development 

of excellent teaching practices. 

We achieve this goal 

by bringing faculty together 

to share successful 

teaching techniques and to 

brainstorm innovative 

ways of approaching teaching 

or learning challenges 

—such as facilitating 

Assistant Professor of Exercise and Sport Sciences Jeremy 

Baker makes a point during the most recent Teaching 

Salon, as Chris Kubik, associate professor and chair of 

Business Administration, and M J Richardson, assistant 

professor of Exercise and Sport Sciences, listen in. 


Photos: Greg Danilowski 

effective class discussions 

or designing new courses. 

Our faculty members also 

participate in workshops 

led by colleagues or outside 

experts and often visit 

one another’s classrooms 

to learn from each other. 

Each academic year now 

begins with two major TEC 

initiatives, which reflects 

our commitment to excellence 

in teaching and 

engaged learning. In the 

four-day New Faculty 

Orientation program, 

our new full-time faculty 

members learn about 

the college and discuss 

teaching and learning 

issues and practices, 

exploring topics such as 

how to develop learning 

outcomes for courses, 

effective learning assessment 

practices and ways 

to encourage active learning 

strategies among 

students. 

The Teaching and Learning 

Salon is a mini-conference 

in which faculty and 

academic staff discuss 

topics such as how to 

incorporate Process 

Oriented Guided Inquiry 

Learning (POGIL) activities 

or peer review of 

writing into the classroom. 

These sessions are augmented 

by poster presentations 

that highlight 

research on teaching 

and learning that faculty 

members have presented 

at professional conferences, 

with recent topics 

addressing the use of 

concept maps in courses 

and ways to integrate 

quantitative literacy across 

the curriculum. 

Throughout the academic 

year, TEC programs 

facilitated by faculty and 

staff include “coffee, 

tea and conversations,” 

reading groups and 

learning communities that 

extend our focus on teaching 

and learning. We 

discuss or read about 

topics such as integrating 

undergraduate research 

throughout students’ 

experiences, developing 

effective group assignments 

and designing an 

inclusive classroom. 

While each TEC opportunity 

is valuable, the collective 

impact on our teaching 

and learning environment 

has been positive and 

powerful. I use new classroom 

assessment techniques 

every semester and 

recently adopted some 

POGIL activities in my 

biomechanics class, in 

which I provided pictorial 

descriptions of four 

different velocity and 

acceleration scenarios.

At the 2012 Teaching Salon, Assistant Professor of Humanities Mike Jauchen leads a discussion 

with faculty about of “The Pedagogy of Peer Review: Challenges and Methods.” He 

says that running sessions in which students review each other’s work can be difficult and a 

waste of time and energy, and offered possible techniques for making them more effective 

for students. Faculty engage in the conversations, offering ideas on what works—and what 

doesn’t—from their own teaching experiences. 

Students were then able 

to write the mechanical 

principles that guide 

understanding of velocity 

and acceleration, and 

successfully solve some 

biomechanical problems. 

Sharon Beaudry, a new 

faculty member in Business 

Administration who 

began teaching through 

lectures and PowerPoint 

slides, says the TEC 

programs have helped her 

be “more thoughtful, 

creative and courageous” 

in the classroom. “Last 

semester while teaching 

business law, I used 

techniques such as 

debates and case studies 

to encourage student 

discussion,” Professor 

Beaudry says. “Over 

the course of the semester, 

even the quietest students 

began to share opinions. 

The outcome was a very 

lively and engaged class, 

even at 8 a.m.” 

Assistant Professor of 

Social Sciences and 

Education Eric Boyer 

was a self-proclaimed 

“Luddite” who “feared all 

things technological” 

when he arrived at Colby- 

Sawyer four years ago. 

Through the New Faculty 

Orientation and other 

TEC activities, Professor 

Boyer says he “slowly 

made peace with 

technology.” 

“The Teaching Enrichment 

Center has been a fantastic 

ally for me as I attempt to 

convert my teaching 

philosophy into effective 

teaching practices. 

Nowhere was this more 

apparent than in the realm 

of integrating technology 

into the classroom,” 

Professor Boyer explains. 

“I am now bringing online 

simulations into both my 

face-to-face and virtual 

government classrooms.” 

Professor Boyer has had 

success in experimenting 

with team-based learning 

strategies and in engaging 

his students in the subject 

matter of his courses 

through interactive tech- 

nologies such as wikis and 

blogs. His effectiveness as 

a teacher was recognized 

twice—in 2011 with the 

Jack Jensen Award for 

Excellence in Teaching— 

Colby-Sawyer’s highest 

teaching award—and the 

New Hampshire Excellence 

in Education Award 

for Higher Education 

in 2012. 

It has been my privilege 

to be part of this initiative 

and to work with faculty 

and staff colleagues 

who challenge and assist 

each other in their quest 

to create meaningful and 

stimulating learning 

environments. Our 

faculty from all disciplines 

and with all levels of 

experience are sharing 

ideas and strategies, 

knowing students 

will be the ultimate 

beneficiaries. 

Professor Jean Eckrich 

directs the Teaching 

Enrichment Center. She is 

an expert in the role of 

exercise in lifelong health, 

the mechanics and development 

of human motion, 

the changing role of women 

in sports, and appropriate 

principles and practices for 

coaches. 

Harvey Pine, assistant professor of Natural Sciences, takes 

time to work with students in small groups and one on one in 

the classroom. 


29

Welcome in Every Language 

by Cynthia Driver ’13 

The welcome sign was designed by Karen Fondoules ’13 and 

conceived by Nurse Practitioner Leslie MacGregor. 


Students cannot miss 

the massive “Welcome” 

sign, designed with 

soothing blues, as they 

enter the Baird Health 

and Counseling Center’s 

comfortable waiting room. 

In its sleek black frame 

mounted at eye level, the 

sign expresses the word 

“Welcome” in 20 languages 

spoken by Colby-Sawyer 

students. 

Graphic Design major 

Karen Fondoules ’13 

designed the poster. 

“Since this poster was 

created for the waiting 

room in Baird, it was 

meant to give a sense of 

comfort to all students 

who enter the office. The 

objective was to make 

all students feel welcomed 

by recognizing their 

own language,” says 

Fondoules. 

The idea for the sign 

was initiated by Family 

Nurse Practitioner and 

Nursing Manager Leslie 

MacGregor. “I was looking 

for a student who could 

help celebrate the diversity 

of languages spoken on 

campus,” she says. 

Associate Dean of International 

and Diversity 

Programs Pamela Serota 

Cote says that signs like 

this are symbolic enhancements 

to our message of 

who we aspire to be as a 

community—diverse and 

inclusive. 

This fall, Colby-Sawyer 

welcomed 41 international 

students from 14 countries, 

including new representation 

from Macedonia, 

Mozambique and New 

Zealand. In addition to the 

sign, international flags are 

displayed again in Colgate, 

adding a “beautiful celebratory 

display that honors 

the nations represented 

in our community,” says 

Serota Cote. 

“The objective was to make all students feel 

welcomed by recognizing their own language.”

y Kate Dunlop Seamans and Mike Gregory 

Associate Professor of 

Humanities Craig 

Greenman has published 

five short 

stories in 

print and 

online 

journals 

in the last 

year. “My 

Baby Takes the Mourning 

Train” was featured in the 

Spring 2012 print edition 

of Bluestem, and “Oedipus 

K.” appeared in the May 

2012 Petrichor Machine. 

“The Rainbow Curve” was 

printed in the Winter 2012 

Little Patuxent Review. 

Read Greenman’s story 

“Terrorists” in the May 

2012 edition of Perceptions: 

A Magazine of the Arts at 

www.perceptionsmagazineofthearts.com/assets/ 

fiction/Terrorists%20 

(Fiction).pdf and “Flying to 

Paris,” included in the Fall 

2011 edition of Temenos 

Journal, at temenosjournal. 

com/archive/2011/Fall/ 

fiction/Craig_Greenman. 

htm/. 

Professor Greenman 

came to Colby-Sawyer 

in 2004 with a Ph.D. from 

the Loyola University 

of Chicago. His teaching 

and research interests are 

grounded in contemporary 

continental philosophy 

and the history of philosophy, 

and include aesthetics, 

social and political 

philosophy, and applied 

and social ethics. His 

fiction has been published 

in the Potomac Review, 

PANK, Grasslimb and 

other journals, and has 

been nominated for 

the Pushcart Prize and 

Best of the Web. 

Two pieces by Assistant 

Professor of Humanities 

Mike Jauchen were published 

in The Rumpus, an 

online magazine focused 

on culture. 

“Speech 

Fever,” 

a book 

review 

of Ben 

Marcus’s novel The Flame 

Alphabet, was published 

in January and can be read 

at therumpus.net/2012/ 

01/speech-fever/. Professor 

Jauchen’s essay 

“The Last Book I Loved, 

Miss Lonelyhearts,” 

was published in July at 

therumpus.net/2012/07/ 

michael-jauchen-thelast-book-i-loved-misslonelyhearts/. 

Professor Jauchen joined 

the faculty in 2009. He 

holds a Ph.D. in English 

from The University of 

Louisiana-Lafayette and his 

teaching and scholarly 

interests include creative 

writing, American literature, 

film history, modern 

British and Irish literature 

(especially Joyce and 

Beckett), contemporary 

experimental fictions and 

poetries, interdisciplinary 

approaches to textual 

creation and criticism, and 

autobiographical writing. 

His stories, essays and 

poems have appeared in a 

number of print and online 

journals including 

DIAGRAM, Santa Monica 

Review, Night Train 

magazine and Knock. 

Two alumni memoirs 

chronicle the authors’ 

efforts to overcome 

difficult life events with 

faith and determination. 

Diane Tefft Young ’61 

was diagnosed with idiopathic 

pulmonary fibrosis 

in 2005 

and received 

a 

life-saving 

lung trans- 

plant five 

years later. 

Her 58- 

page book, Humbled 

by the Gift of Life: Reflections 

on Receiving a Lung 

Transplant (Create-Space), 

explores her journey and 

the spiritual growth she 

experienced as she battled 

a terrible disease. 

For Whitney McKendree 

Moore ’67, the disease that 

threatened 

to 

tear 

apart her 

family 

was 

alcoholism. 

In 

Whit’s End: The Biography 

of a Breakdown (WestBow 

Press), she shares a 

deeply personal story of 

the mental anguish she 

suffered, and how the 

uplifting power of faith 

helped to keep her family 

together. 

Eibhlin Morey MacIntosh 

’71 has published a how-to 

guide, The Content 

Curation Handbook (New 

Forest Books), which is 

available 

for 

Kindle. 

“I love 

curating 

content,” 

writes 

MacIntosh. “It’s always 

an adventure!” 

The online world has 

pitfalls, of course. 

Business owners trying to 

avoid foolish Facebook 

posts and terrible tweets 

might 

want 

to look at 

Navigating 

Social 

Media 

Legal 

Risks: Safeguarding 

Your Business 

(Que Publishing). Coauthor 

Eric Garulay ’96 

describes it as “the first 

comprehensive social 

media legal guide for 

business.” 

Send news of your literary, 

musical or other artistic 

accomplishments to 

kslover@colby-sawyer.edu. 


31

Who We Are, What We Stand For 

by J. M. Clark ’11 

As the Colby-Sawyer 

community expands, one 

of its intentional focuses 

is to create greater diversity 

on campus. More 

students and faculty are 

coming to the college from 

abroad, enriching the 

campus and opening the 

community to new 

cultures. Students have 

more opportunities to 

study abroad, leaping 

outside of their comfort 

zones and returning 

to campus to challenge 

others to do the same. 

Practicing a global perspective 

and awareness of 

other cultures is increasingly 

important to Colby- 

Sawyer’s educational 

community. 

The Diversity Council 

is a new student organization 

that seeks to engage 

the campus community in 

diversity issues. Although 

Colby-Sawyer is seeing 

a greater enrollment of 

international students, 


the majority of the student 

body has typically been 

from New England. As the 

campus continues to grow, 

one of the council’s goals 

is to strive for as inclusive 

a community as possible 

while hosting events and 

programs that encourage 

diversity. Pamela Serota 

Cote, associate dean of 

International and Diversity 

Programs, created and 

oversees the council, 

which began its work in 

the fall of 2011. After its 

first year of events and 

campaigns, Cote says the 

group is ready to dig 

deeper. 

“I am a big fan of try 

and try again,” says Serota 

Cote as she reflects on 

the year. “You never know 

what will click with 

people.” 

The council gained 

momentum with a core 

group of students dedicated 

to tackling the diversity 

issues they saw on 

campus. Throughout the 

year the council showed 

films and hosted events, 

such as the “I Stand 

For” campaign, which took 

place during Diversity 

Awareness Week in 

January. The idea, which 

came from council 

“There is so much to be gained 

from different ideologies, cultures 

and experiences.” 

member Ryan Prothro ’13, 

was to invite people to 

define what cause or issue 

they stand for. The hope 

was that the event would 

increase dialogue about 

diversity and shed light on 

students’ concerns. “The 

students on the council 

identified division as 

one of the issues they saw 

on campus,” says Serota 

Cote. “They wanted to 

have an event that would 

encourage people simply 

to talk to each other.”

Student and faculty 

volunteers maintained an 

“I Stand For” table during 

meal times and invited 

people to fill out a form 

stating what they stood for. 

Participants were photographed 

and their images 

paired with their statements. 

“Having a face to 

accompany the words was 

critical, as it made it much 

more personal,” says 

Serota Cote. It also helped 

to bring more attention to 

the project, since the 

photographs were developed 

throughout the day 

and people kept coming 

back to check the growing 

collection of friends and 

colleagues. 

More than 300 people 

participated in the event, 

with statements ranging 

from specific, such as gay 

rights, to more broad 

ideas, such as everyone’s 

right to be happy. Taking 

a step back from the many 

photographs and statements, 

it is easy to see the 

gap bridged between 

people of different backgrounds 

uniting on the 

same causes or issues. 

“I have always held to the 

belief that a diverse 

community is a strong 

community,” says Bernard 

Botchway ’15, a member of 

the council who was born 

in Ghana and lived in 

England. “There is so 

much to be gained from 

different ideologies, 

cultures and experiences.” 

The Diversity Council is 

moving into the 2012-2013 

academic year with more 

ideas and projects to 

increase understanding 

of and celebrate diversity. 

One idea first applied to a 

sociology class this past 

year that proved effective, 

is to have the first year 

class take part in a sort of 

“speed dating” activity that 

encourages students to get 

to know as much about a 

person as possible within 

a set time. The winner 

is the one who knows the 

most about everyone 

in the room. Professor of 

Social Sciences and Education 

Joseph Carroll, 

was pleasantly surprised 

by how engaged his students 

were in this activity 

that helped them realize 

how much diversity was 

within one small class. 

One result, he said, was 

that many students felt 

inspired to travel more 

after their conversations. 

It is activities such as this, 

and creative campaigns 

like “I Stand For,” that 

continue to push the 

Colby-Sawyer community 

toward different ways 

of thinking, seeing and 

understanding with 

a global mindset. 

The “I Stand For” campaign 

can be viewed in the 

Cleveland, Colby, Colgate 

Archives upon request. 

To become involved with the 

Diversity Council, contact 

Pamela Serota Cote 

at pamela.serotacote@ 

colby-sawyer.edu 


33

Reviving a Filmmaking Tradition 


In a magical revival of a 

tradition created decades 

ago by the late Professor 

Emeritus Don Coonley, 

Windcrossing: A Festival 

of Sight and Sound was 

launched in April and 

featured students’ 

Capstone videos and 

independent short films 

written and produced by 

alumni. More than 300 of 

Professor Coonley’s former 

students, colleagues and 

friends—along with 

current students—flocked 

to Sawyer Theatre for the 

festival. 

Professor Coonley, 

a filmmaker, writer and 

educator who joined 

the Communication 

Studies Program in 1989, 

founded the college’s 

video production program 

and Festival of Lights, 

which each semester 

offered a venue for 

Following the films, Communication Studies graduates 

Will Peters ’06 (left) and Mike Mooney ’02 came on stage 

to answer questions from the audience. They directed the 

festival’s short films and are the co-founders of Hammer & 

Saw Films. 


students’ video productions. 

After the professor’s 

retirement in 2008, 

video production courses 

continued at Colby- 

Sawyer, but the festival 

faded away. 

When Coonley died 

in June 2011, two former 

students, Mike Mooney 

’02 and Will Peters ’06, 

began discussing ways to 

celebrate their mentor’s 

life work and engage 

current students in the art 

form he loved and nurtured 

on campus. Mooney 

and Peters, co-founders of 

Vermont-based Hammer 

& Saw Films, conjured up 

an idea to bring a film 

festival back to campus: 

They would lead the effort 

for two years, directing 

the films and coordinating 

casts and crews, and then 

pass it on to current 

students and faculty. The 

idea was embraced by 

Associate Professor Donna 

Berghorn, Coonley’s friend 

and former colleague in 

Communication Studies 

(now Media Studies). 

The new festival premiered 

two independent films, 

“It’s Not Not Safe” and 

“The Check Up,” that were 

adapted from 10-minute 

plays written by Mooney 

and Peters respectively. 

Current students, alumni, 

staff, faculty and community 

members made up 

the casts and crews. The 

festival also featured a 

Hammer & Saw short film, 

“Exit 7A,” written by Asher 

Ellis ’06, another of 

Coonley’s former students. 

It was an exhilarating 

experience for Mooney and 

Peters—and for many 

others. “As independent 

filmmakers we rely strictly 

on what we can do ourselves,” 

Mooney says, “but 

with the additional firepower 

and young minds 

behind ‘The Checkup’ and 

‘It’s Not Not Safe,’ we 

were able to put together 

two short films. That 

couldn’t have happened 

without everyone involved, 

especially Donna 

Berghorn.” 

The audience was 

locked in—laughing, 

gasping, clapping— 

throughout the films and 

lingered afterward to 

talk to the directors, actors 

and writers. Professor 

Berghorn still hears from 

students and alumni 

in person, on email, on 

Facebook and on the 

phone. “People are genuinely 

excited,” she says. 

“It was wonderful to see 

so many students interacting 

with alumni. There is 

so much energy going 

forward; students will pass 

on their excitement to our 

new students.

Associate Professor of Media Studies Donna Berghorn welcomed the films’ casts and crews—made up of alumni, students, staff, current 

and retired faculty and community members—on stage to be recognized. 

Hopefully, that joy in 

creating projects will be 

self-sustaining as the 

years go by.” 

Joe Delaney ’12, who 

worked as a writer and 

editor for the festival 

as part of his Capstone 

project, described it as 

an amazing and unique 

opportunity to work with 

professional alumni. 

“I learned so much from 

everyone involved,” he 

says, “It wrapped up my 

Colby-Sawyer experience 

better than anything 

else I can imagine.” 

Professor Coonley’s 

wife, Nancy, was both 

impressed and overjoyed 

with the festival. “Don 

would be so proud that his 

former students are acting 

as mentors to current 

students, and especially 

at this self-organized 

cohort of local filmmakers 

and film students,” she 

says. “He loved nothing 

better than building 

community, and his 

greatest satisfaction came 

from seeing his students 

become colleagues and 

friends. The camaraderie 

of the film crews was 

evident in their interactions 

on stage and, 

of course, everyone who 

attended the first festival 

remarked on the high 

quality of the productions 

coming from this collective. 

This is a wonderful 

legacy.” 

For next year’s festival, 

Mooney plans to do 

something different. “Now 

that this program is off 

the ground, I want the 

students, professors and 

other alumni to share 

their ideas and help shape 

(From left to right) Communication Studies graduate Joe 

Delaney ’12, Professor Berghorn, Will Peters ’06, Mike 

Mooney ’02 and Asher Ellis ’06 played significant parts in 

the festival’s success. 

[the next] festival. That 

is what this is all about,” 

he says. “As for what’s 

to come, well, you’ll just 

have to come and see. 

But I can assure you, it 

will be good.” 

The next Windcrossing 

Festival will be held May 4, 

2013 at the Sawyer Theatre. 

Photos: Gil Talbot 


35

Sense of Place 

This black-and-white photograph shows Colby Academy students 

at the top of Mt. Kearsarge on Mountain Day in September 1906. 

From the photography album of Edith Goodhue, Colby Academy 

Class of 1907.

Feature 

175 Years of Teaching 

and Learning 

by Kelli Bogan, College Archivist 


The school we know 

as Colby-Sawyer College 

has had many other 

names and identities in its 

175-year history. It began 

as New London Academy 

and evolved into the New 

London Literary and 

Scientific Institute, Colby 

Academy, Colby Junior 

College and Colby College- 

New Hampshire before 

settling into its current 

identity as a comprehensive 

coeducational college. 

Across the centuries of 

changing identities, this 

institution of teaching and 

learning has had a single 

educational philosophy 

that has endured: A belief 

in the potential of each 

student and the power of a 

student-centered education 

in the liberal arts and 

sciences to prepare them 

for productive careers and 

rewarding lives. 

A hill town in New Hampshire in the year 1835 was a small world in itself…People lived on their 

ancestral acres, which hard labor had won from the wilderness, and they never went far from home… 

The New London ministers were believers in education. The convergence of…interests brought 

about the organization of the New London Academy in 1837. The Legislature was asked for a charter 

and it was granted to eleven citizens of New London as incorporators…The Academy building 

which was erected was unpretentious, as befitted a village whose dwellings were modest. 

The education that the school would give was far more important than the external equipment. 

— From The First Century of Colby by Henry K. Rowe 

Colby Junior College’s international students posed for a 

photograph on campus in 1948. The student second from 

the right is Hazel Wong of Trinidad. 

This, along with a strong 

attachment to their homeaway-from-home 

on a 

windy hill in New London, 

N.H., is the common 

thread that runs through 

students’ experiences, 

whether they attended 

Colby Academy in the 

1880s, Colby Junior College 

in the 1930s, or Colby- 

Sawyer College today. 

The Academic Experience 

In the academy days, 

just as it is at Colby-Sawyer 

College today, student 

life was characterized by 

small classes and close 

relationships with the 

faculty. Students could

Colby Academy students gathered on the lawn before the Academy building circa 1875. The building was constructed in 1838 

with funds donated by the founders of the New London Academy and local community members. Colby-Sawyer College donated 

the building to the town of New London in 1999 and it currently serves as its town offices. 

choose from three core 

curriculums, the first of 

which was the College 

Preparatory, or Classical 

Course, that prepared 

them to meet the entrance 

requirements of New 

England colleges by 

concentrating on Greek, 

Latin and mathematics. 

The Normal Course 

prepared students for the 

teaching profession and 

qualified them to teach in 

local schools. The final 

specialization, the Ladies’ 

Collegiate Course, offered 

the most varied curriculum 

and gave students opportunities 

to study mathematics, 

science, English, 

religion, Italian, ancient 

history and government. 

Despite its name, this 

curriculum was not restricted 

to female students. 

Settled deep in the woods 

and foothills of New 

Hampshire, the small 

town of New London may 

not seem like a prime 

destination for study 

abroad, yet Colby Academy 

hosted international 

students beginning in 

1891 and has offered many 

programs over the years 

to connect its students 

with the larger world. In 

the academy days, students 

came from as far 

west as California, as far 

east as Nova Scotia, as 

far north as Montreal, and 


39

Feature 

In 1900, Academy Row included the Academy building (not 

shown), Heidelberg (ladies boarding house), a gymnasium 

and Colby Hall (men’s boarding house.) 

as far south as Mexico City. 

By the time it closed its 

doors, Colby Academy had 

also welcomed students 

from Uruguay, England, 

Puerto Rico and Greece. 

In 1928, Colby Junior 

College took the rigorous 

curriculum of the academy 

days to the next level. 

Students’ education was 

built on a broad foundation 

that included courses 

in art, music, literature and 

science as they worked 

toward associate degrees 

in areas such as Secretarial 

Science and Medical Technology. 

Even then, students 

had opportunities 

to complete internships 

and summer programs 

both in the United States 


and abroad. Colby Junior 

College students graduated 

after two years prepared 

to join the workforce or to 

continue their education. 

International students 

continued to come to 

Colby Junior College, and 

our students also sought 

professional opportunities 

overseas. In the 1960s 

secretarial science students 

went to Kenya to 

teach skills to students at 

the University of Nairobi, 

and there were also 

opportunities to study 

abroad. 

The same marriage of 


programs with professional 

development continues 

in a Colby-Sawyer educa- 

tion today. Students in 

every major gain a solid 

foundation in the liberal 

arts, and a number of 

academic programs such 

as athletic training, business 

administration, 

environmental science 

and nursing prepare 

them to enter specific 

professional fields upon 

the completion of their 

baccalaureate degree. 

Internships are required 

for every academic major 

today, enabling students 

to acquire professional 

experience and skills in 

fields of study prior to their 

graduation. Today, Colby- 

Sawyer College has more 

international students 

than ever, nearly 140 students 

from 32 countries, 

and our students have 

opportunities to study or 

participate in field research 

programs abroad. 

A Look at Student Life 

Life outside of their 

studies was important 

to academy students 

and Colby Junior College 

students, just as it is for 

Colby-Sawyer students. 

Whether through athletics, 

clubs or individual pursuits 

with friends, our 

students have always been 

energetic and resourceful 

in pursuing their extracurricular 

activities. The 

specifics of their endeavors 

have changed over time, 

but the spirit of exploration, 

connection and 

growth has carried on 

from the academy days 

to the present day. 

The staff of the Blue Quill literary magazine gathered for a 

meeting in 1939 or 1940. They included (from left to right) 

Joyce Wamsley, Peggy Valentine, Charlotte Cuddy, Reid 

Francis, Priscilla Mayo and Eloise Gedney.

A sepia-toned photograph of the 1927 Colby Voice staff. From left to right: Ruth Colby, Evelyn 

Rollins, Emily Dalton, Evelyn Huse, Alice Rogers, Leon Bickford, Albert Goodwin, Doris Reid, 

Daniel Chen, Dick Lull and Mr. Parker. 

Clubs and Organizations 

The largest diversions for 

academy students were 

literary societies, which 

offered the opportunity to 

write, debate and enjoy 

lively conversation. The 

largest men’s societies 

were the Euphemian 

Society and the United 

Friends, which later 

merged to become the 

Philalethian Society. 

Smaller men’s groups 

included Epsilon Pi 

Delta and the Granite 

Debating Society. Women 

participated in the Ladies’ 

Literary and Missionary 

Association or in the smaller 

D.G.V. Gesellschaft and 

the Euphorbian Society. 

Literary societies were 

essentially social organizations 

whose activities 

included debating topics 

of the day, writing essays 

and poems and collecting 

a library. These organizations 

are the precursors 

for many of the clubs and 

organizations that 

emerged at Colby Junior 

College and Colby-Sawyer 

College. Examples of 

literary pursuits that have 

arisen in later years 

include the Blue Quill and 

Solidus, an online literary 

magazine. Debates 

continue in the Student 

Government Association 

and departmental 

organizations like the 

Biology, History and 

Philosophy Clubs. 

Music has also been an 

important part of our 

institutional history. The 

academy had studentorganized 

singing groups 

that faded in and out of 

fashion depending on the 

trends of the time. Music 

clubs arose with the start 

of the junior college, and 

music would become even 

more important at Colby 

Junior College with choir, 

glee club, orchestra and 

later, with the organization 

of the Buzzin’ Dozen and 

the Monotones. Today, 

the musical tradition 

continues at the college 

with the Colby-Sawyer 

College Singers, a choir 

composed of college and 

area community members, 

and The Voices of Colby- 

Sawyer, a student-led 

gospel choir. 

Written and photographic 

expressions are also 

honored Colby-Sawyer 

traditions. The first 

student newspaper, The 

Colby Voice, served as 

a local newspaper, school 

newspaper and literary 

magazine. The format and 

name of the student 

newspaper has changed 

over the years but other 

than a few dark years, a 

student newspaper has 

been published from 1889 

until 2005. The current 

newspaper, The Colby- 

Sawyer Courier, became an 

online publication in 2011, 

a long way from the thick 

booklets of the academy 

days. 

The other major publication 

was The Colbyan, the 

yearbook that documented 

the life of students on 

campus for nearly 100 

years. Originated in 1918, 

The Colbyan was published 

until 2005. Although it is 

no longer in publication, 

students have since 

celebrated their classes in 

video yearbooks and in 

other electronic formats in 

keeping with the spirit of 

The Colbyan. 

Alumni exchanged reminiscences whenever they met. Some of them thought it would be enjoyable 

if they met oftener and proposed a regular reunion in Boston as well as at Commencement in 

New London. As a result the New London Association was organized by one hundred and fifty alumni 

gathered in the Thorndike Hotel on the 13th of May, 1890…The Association thus inaugurated 

continued to hold annual reunions in the same place for a number of years. 

— From The First Century of Colby by Henry K. Rowe 


41

Feature 

Colby Academy Class of 1918 

Walter T. Moreland ’18 

“Dad” 

Epping, N.H. 

President Class (4); Vice-President Class (2), (3); 

President Y.M.C.A.; Manager Voice (3), (4); 

Vice-President Y.M.C.A. (3); Varsity Football (2), (3), (4); 

Captain Varsity Football (4); Manager Varsity 

Football (3); Class Basketball (4); Prayer Meeting 

Committee; Chairman Y.M.C.A. (1), (2), (3); 

Head Waiter (4) Scholarship Medal (1), (2), (3). 

The luckiest captain that ever lived. He won 

every Toss in football and led the greatest gridiron 

team in Colby’s History. 

From The Colbyan 


Sports and Athletics 

The Colbyan debuted in 1918 and was 

“published annually in the interest of the 

senior class” until 2005. 

In the early academy 

days, exercise for young 

men was limited to 

outdoor play and chores 

like working in the woodpile 

in winter and the 

garden in summer. In that 

era, young women playing 

baseball or basketball 

would have been shocking. 

But the Civil War brought 

with it two kinds of exercise: 

military drills and 

baseball. Baseball became 

popular in the army 

camps, and after the war 

the soldiers brought it 

back to villages across 

the country. 

Eventually, the academy 

expanded beyond these 

two pursuits and the 

trustees authorized construction 

of a gymnasium. 

The first floor was intended 

as a dressing room, 

for Indian club practice 

and a bowling alley; the 

second floor was designed 

for the use of bars and for 

baseball practice. Polo and 

track athletics also became 

popular among the men, 

and croquet and tennis 

among the women. Later, 

organized sports at the 

academy included baseball, 

football, hockey, 

basketball and track for 

men and field hockey 

for women. 

The formation of Colby 

Junior College brought an 

explosion of women’s 

sports. Students joined the 

Athletic Association and 

played field hockey and 

basketball, with residence 

halls pitted against each 

other. Horseback riding 

was particularly popular, 

as it continues to be 

today at Colby-Sawyer. 

For lighter recreation, 

a toboggan chute with a 

20-foot high steel tower 

was erected in the rear of 

Colgate Hall. Organized 

sports went beyond field 

hockey to include cheerleading, 

skiing, volleyball, 

tennis, badminton and 

basketball. Students also 

were required to take a 

physical education class 

and many students 

enjoyed spending time 

outdoors cycling, skiing 

and snowshoeing. 

When male students 

returned to Colby-Sawyer 

in 1990-1991, they brought 

with them soccer, basketball, 

baseball and track 

and field, many of the 

sports that were originally 

played by men at Colby 

Academy. The college now 

offers nine varsity sports 

for men. Women’s sports 

have also continued to 

flourish, with 11 women’s 

varsity sports including 

skiing, equestrian,

Colby Academy student James Ernest “Ernie” Martin Jr. is 

shown here winning a race at a track meet before a crowd in 

1916. Finding out when the first African-American student 

attended the institution has been elusive, but College Archivist 

Kelli Bogan’s discovery of Martin’s Academy days provides a 

benchmark. Martin was from Roslindale, Mass., and graduated 

from Colby Academy in June 1916. Tufts University believes 

it found Martin in its alumni records, reporting that Dr. J. 

Ernest Martin, DMD, graduated from its dental school in 

1921. Martin’s last known location was West Virginia, where 

he worked in a private practice. 

lacrosse, volleyball and 

soccer. In addition to 

varsity and recreational 

sports, Colby-Sawyer offers 

club sports such as rugby, 

golf and floor hockey. 

Traditions and Events 

Some of the traditions 

and events that current 

Colby-Sawyer students 

enjoy today originated in 

the academy’s earliest 

days. The best known is 

Mountain Day, the annual 

fall hike up Mt. Kearsarge, 

which may have begun 

as early as the 1850s. The 

first official account of 

the event was published in 

The Colby Voice in 1893. 

Enthusiasm for this old 

tradition was revived in the 

early years of Colby Junior 

College and continues to 

attract hundreds of 


community members 

every year. 

Other traditions, like 

Winter Carnival, have 

evolved but remain a part 

of the college’s culture. 

Winter Carnival began at 

Colby Academy in the 

1920s as a way to energize 

the student population 

during the long winter 

months. Winter Carnival 

has been held every 

February, with the exception 

of a brief hiatus in the 

early 1970s. The earliest 

carnivals included snowshoeing 

and skiing races 

as well as shows or films. 


took Winter Carnival to a 

whole new level with 

skiing, tobogganing, ice 

skating, dances, casino 

nights and even baseball 

Colby Junior College Class of 1930 

Marian Cushing Bailey ’30 

“Mam” 

Kingston, Mass. 

President Student Government (1); 

French Club (1); Glee Club (1) (2); Y.W.C.A. (1) (2); 

Hockey (1); May Queen. 

“I know what pleasure is, For I have done 

good work.” 

“Every time she opens her mouth she puts 

Her foot in it.” 

Versatile she was indeed; an enhancing May Queen, 

the Belle of the Balls at New Hampton, Tilton, and 

elsewhere, and a most efficient leader. 

Of Student Council in our freshman year. Eager to 

help, courteous and genial, what more could we ask? 



43

Feature 

A black-and-white photograph from the 1953 Winter Carnival. The image caption reads, 

“Duke of 1953 Carnival was Bill Holding of Larchmont, N.Y., Yale sophomore, date of Barbara 

Johnson of Larchmont. Four barons and their dates are, left to right: Philip Silver; Barbara 

Freeman; Ward Gypson; Pat Blackwood; Claire Mufson; Bob Pierce; Joan Pilkington; and 

Clifford Castle. 

Colby College-New Hampshire Class of 1973 

Elizabeth Burkham ‘’73 

“Libby” 

St. Louis, MO 

Colgate Hall 

Ruby Jane—“Lucy”—our New Hampshire drives— 

snow shoes—wall hangings—fun—wheels— 

la shier—Becker… 



games played on snowshoes. 

One of the biggest 

events of the carnival 

was the snow sculpture 

contest. Each residence 

hall would carefully craft a 

snow sculpture based on 

the year’s theme. 

Photo: Don Sieburg 

Today, Winter Carnival 

continues in the spirit of 

its predecessors. The 

college still hosts a variety 

of activities including 

comedians, films and 

dances. In recent years, 

the college community has 

collaborated with New 

London to incorporate a 

Jack Frost dinner during 

which students and community 

alike can sample 

local fare while on skis 

and snowshoes. 

Past to Present 

As Colby-Sawyer celebrates 

its 175th anniversary, it 

is a time to explore and 

embrace our long and 

proud tradition of teaching 

and learning. Our history 

of constant evolution 

seems unsurprising, considering 

that the college 

once again finds itself in a 

period of rapid growth in 

student enrollment, the 

size of the faculty, academic 

programs and campus 

facilities. Our history has 

been one of continuous 

change—in response 

to our students’ needs, to 

economic realities and 

to current trends in 

education. 

As the college moves 

ahead, it is re-introducing 

itself with a new set of 

strategic themes and 

a bold new visual identity. 

And yet, our new direction 

stems in large part from 

the college’s traditional 

strengths—in engaged 

learning, commitment to 

our environment, and 

interest in connecting to 

the larger world. Most 

importantly, the academy, 

the junior college and 

the baccalaureate college 

have built a tradition of 

excellence in teaching and 

learning, which revolves 

around and exists for our 

students’ benefit.

Academy Row 

In its early days, the campus was called Academy 

Row and was comprised of the Academy building, where 

classes were held; Heidelberg, a boarding house for 

women; Colby Hall, the men’s dormitory; and a gymnasium. 

These buildings were located on what is now known 

as Sargent Common. Only the Academy building remains, 

and it now serves as the New London Town Offices. 

The Academy 

building had 

four classrooms 

upstairs 

and a library 

and chapel 

downstairs. In 

1870, as the 

student 

enrollment grew, a much larger brick Academy building 

was constructed on the site of what is now Colgate Hall. 

This building burned down in 1892 (see From the 

Archives, p. 117) and was replaced by Colgate Hall in 1912. 

Building Boom 

By the late 1920s, public high schools were attracting 

more local students and the decision was made to 

transform Colby Academy into a junior college for women. 

The size of the current campus hadn’t changed since 1912, 

other than the addition of a new gymnasium in 1927. The 

first Colby Junior College students lived at the New 

London Inn and in homes throughout the town, and the 

college was in dire need of more space as enrollment 

grew quickly. 

From 1930 

through 1940 

eight buildings 

were built near 

Colgate Hall, 

including six new 

residence halls: 

McKean Hall, 

Shepard Hall, 

Burpee Hall, 

Abbey Hall, Page 

Hall and Colby Hall. With these additions, the center of 

the campus moved from Academy Row to the top of Colby 

Hill. The old buildings were rarely used and were torn 

down or used for other purposes. 

A Growing Campus 

Following World War II a 

revival in building projects 

on campus ensued. In 

1949, the Commons- 

Fernald Library (now Ware 

Center) was built to house 

the dining hall and library. 

In the 1950s, Best Hall was 

constructed, along with 

a new arts center (Sawyer), 

a health center (Baird), a 

science center (Reichhold) and an exercise complex 

(HESS, now known as Mercer). The old gymnasium was 

renovated to become Austin Hall. 

The Drought 

The 1970s and 1980s were financially difficult for the 

college, and construction gave way to renovation projects. 

Buildings refitted during this period include Seamans 

Alumni House, James House and the Caretaker’s Cottage. 

The biggest project undertaken was the renovation of 

three pre-Civil War barns into the Susan Colgate Cleveland 

Library/Learning Center. 

A Resurgence and the Future 

The college began building 

again to accommodate the new 

male population and the 

overall growth in enrollment in 

the 1990s, with construction of 

the Dan and Kathleen Hogan 

Sports Center, Lethbridge 

Lodge and two residence halls, 

Rooke and Lawson. The 

Commons-Fernald Library was 

renovated as the Ware Campus Center and the Colby 

Homestead Annex was transformed as the Cleveland, 

Colby, Colgate Archives. 

In the 2000s, Colby Homestead became the new home 

of the Advancement Office and the Curtis L. Ivey Science 

Center and a new residence hall, Danforth Hall, were 

built. In 2010, Windy Hill was completed, providing a 

permanent location for the college’s laboratory school. 

In spring 2012, renovations began on the Ware Campus 

Center to expand the dining hall and turn the building into 

a true student center. A new arts center and other projects 

are also in the works as Colby-Sawyer College continues 

to grow. 


45

Feature 

A Life Steeped 

in History 

by Ruth Graham 

“ILondon. 

“I found that out 

really enjoy 

teaching,” says 

Professor Emerita 

Hilary Cleveland, 

sitting in her 

sunny living 

room in New 

five years into teaching, 

and never wanted to do 

anything else.” It’s easy to 

believe her: Cleveland 

spent 57 years teaching 

history and political 

science at Colby-Sawyer, 

retiring in December at 84. 

Cleveland didn’t set out 

for a career in teaching, or 

for a life spent in one small 

New Hampshire town. 

Professor Emerita Hilary Cleveland, shown teaching at Colby Junior 

College in the 1960s, taught history and political science for 57 years. 

No matter the subject, she wanted her students to connect history and 

current events. 


She grew up in New Jersey 

and Andover, N.H., graduated 

from Vassar College, 

and then traveled to 

Geneva, Switzerland, for 

further study at the 

Institute of International 

Relations. “I wanted to be 

a diplomat,” she says, 

explaining that her dream 

had always been to serve 

in an ambassadorial role in 

a far-flung nation. “I 

certainly didn’t expect to 

live in New London, New 

Hampshire, or to teach.” 

But meeting her husband 

changed her plans. 

The roots of James Colgate 

Cleveland’s family tree are 

entwined so deeply with 

those of New London and 

Colby-Sawyer that it’s 

difficult to tell them apart. 

The names Colby, Colgate 

and Cleveland emblazoned 

on various buildings on 

campus all appear in the 

family’s history, starting 

with New Hampshire 

governor Anthony Colby 

(1792-1873), who was born 

in New London and lived 

in the Colby Homestead 

on Main Street. Several 

generations later, Cleveland’s 

parents moved into 

the homestead and gave 

Hilary and her husband 

the house she lives in now, 

just down the road. When 

her husband’s parents 

died, Colby Homestead 

went to the college, which 

currently uses it to house 

the Office of Advancement. 

The property’s 

barns became the Susan 

Colgate Cleveland Library/ 

Learning Center. 

James and Hilary met in 

the summer of 1950, 

and married at the end of 

the year. They lived in 

the house on Main Street 

until James was sent to 

Germany during the 

Korean War. They left as 

newlyweds who only 

used a few rooms in the 

house, and returned to 

the house as parents. 

They eventually had 

five children. James, a 

moderate Republican, 

served in the New 

Hampshire Senate 

between 1951 and 1963, 

and then ran successfully 

for U.S. Congress, 

where he held his seat 

until he retired in 1980. 

He died in 1995. 

After settling back in New 

London, Cleveland got 

the idea that she’d like to 

try her hand at teaching. 

When she first inquired, 

Colby Junior College (as 

Colby-Sawyer was then


Hilary Cleveland relaxes in the doorway of the barn at her home in New London. She served as town moderator for many years 

and has seen the town grow from 1,300 to 4,500 people. “It’s not a little farm town anymore,” she says. 

known) had no room for 

her, but she helped Professor 

James D. Squires 

with his work on a history 

of New London, and 

eventually he hired her. 

“In those days, there 

were six teaching days,” 

Cleveland recalls. Classes 

were held Monday, Wednesday 

and Friday, or 

Tuesday, Thursday and 

Saturday mornings. When 

Cleveland began teaching, 

she was given five courses 

to teach during the sixday 

weeks—an unimaginable 

teaching load these 

days. That first semester 

she taught classes including 

international relations, 

European history, American 

government and 

comparative government. 

“I had never taught,” 

Cleveland remembers 

with a laugh. “The first 

class—this is typical 

of any teacher—I had all 

my notes written out in 

desperation. They were 

50-minute classes, and I 

figured it would take 45 or 

50 minutes with discussion.” 

Instead, overcome 

with nerves, she raced 

through her presentation 

in 30 minutes flat, and 

no one had any questions 

to help her prolong it. “It 

was a disaster!” 

By necessity, her teaching 

style quickly evolved to 

incorporate more class 

discussion than traditional 

lectures. With such a heavy 

course load, “it was just 

foolish to try to know 

everything,” she explains. 

“My teaching style is much 

more throwing out topics 

and giving some background 

to it, and getting 

the students involved.” 

Early on, Cleveland got 

into the habit of rising at 

3 a.m. to prepare for 

classes, a habit she keeps 

to this day. 

No matter the subject, 

she wanted her students to 

be able to make connections 

between history and 

current events. “Everything 

is connected, and if you 

can get the students to see 

that, you’ve done your 

homework,” she says, using 

the example of how 

current issues in Iran 

can be traced back to the 

country’s colonial era. 

“They don’t remember a 

lot of facts and dates, 


47

Feature 

Everything is connected, and 

to see that, you’ve done your 

and neither do I. So why 

emphasize those?” 

Her favorite classes to 

teach have been the 

ones in which she learned. 

A course on Far Eastern 

history, which pushed her 

to delve into Chinese and 

Japanese culture and 

history, remains one of the 

most memorable for her. 

The school’s campus 

has changed significantly 

since her arrival, too. 

Students used to eat in 

Colgate Hall, she recalls, 

and there was no Sawyer 

Fine Arts Center, no 

Baird Center, no Ivey or 

Reichhold buildings. The 

campus then was charm- 

ing and small, essentially 

just Colgate Hall and a 

circle of dorms. 

Cleveland says she 

misses some of the old 

routines on campus. 

Back when students 

attended a mandatory 

chapel service at First 

Baptist Church on Main 

Street, most of the faculty 

would gather in a “butt 

room” in the basement of 

Colgate to have coffee, 

pick up their mail, and 

chat with each other. 

Nowadays, most departments 

have their own 

administrative assistant 

and coffee area. “I don’t 

know the teachers in the 

art department or exercise 

and sport sciences 

department,” Cleveland 

says. “The only people 

I know in the college are 

the people in my own 

department. It’s a shame. 

You lose a collegial 

atmosphere.” 

Cleveland’s niece Page 

Paterson led the charge 

to end that mandatory 

chapel requirement in the 

1960s, a time of many 

other significant changes 

to campus culture. It 

was a time of protest and 

unrest at many campuses 

across the nation, and 

institutions were engaged 

not just with issues of 

Hilary Cleveland (at right) is shown with her late husband, James Cleveland, and 

some of their children in their yard in 1956. James was a legislator in New Hampshire 

before serving in Congress for nearly two decades, and Hilary was appointed by 

President George H. W. Bush to serve on an international commission. 


national importance like 

the Vietnam War, but with 

the question of whether 

colleges had the right to 

act in loco parentis—in the 

place of a parent. 

In the 1950s, students 

had curfews every night. 

Each dorm had a faculty resident 

who kept tabs on 

students, and required 

they get their parents’ 

permission to go out of 

town. Only seniors were 

allowed to have cars, and 

only in the spring term. 

The all-female student 

body had a dress code that 

included skirts, sweaters 

and Colby Junior College 

blazers, which they wore 

with knee-length socks and 

moccasins or Oxford 

shoes. “Students came to 

class looking very proper 

and usually very neat,” 

Cleveland says. By contrast, 

students in her 

morning classes in recent 

years often arrived wearing 

pajamas, topped with a 

parka in winter. 

Cleveland isn’t sentimental 

about the restricted lives 

of young people, particularly 

women, in the 1950s. 

Many women were sent to 

the two-year junior college, 

as opposed to a four-year 

institution, because their 

parents didn’t see the 

point in sending a young

if you can get the students 

homework. 

woman to school for so 

long. Bachelors’ degrees 

were for young men, while 

young women should 

finish in two years and 

“then go off and be a 

secretary or get married.” 

The positive side of that, 

she notes, was that Colby 

Junior College attracted 

many brilliant women who 

nowadays would likely 

head to the Ivy League. 

At the same time, however, 

she sees students today 

struggling with the broad 

range of freedoms they 

have been granted. “There 

seem to be more students 

who are psychologically 

upset at Colby-Sawyer now, 

given all of these freedoms 

and then some of the bad 

results,” she says. “Some 

17- and 18-year-olds are 

just not equipped to 

handle it.” Academically, 

things haven’t changed 

quite as much. “I’ve always 

had some excellent students, 

some very poor 

students, and the large 

majority, from the beginning 

to now, are ‘medium’ 

students, but ready to be 

awakened,” she says. 

Cleveland has worked 

under all eight of the 

college’s presidents, 

starting with H. Leslie 

Sawyer, who was in his 

final year of leadership 

when she began teaching 

in 1955. She admired 

Eugene Austin, president 

from 1955 to 1962, who 

involved Colby Junior 

College students in the 

wider world by hosting 

forums on current events. 

(“In those days he could 

require the students to 

attend, so they were pretty 

well attended,” Cleveland 

says wryly.) She has warm 

memories of many other 

administrators, particularly 

an early dean and English 

professor named Eleanor 

Dodd. “The dean had very 

little praise for anyone, 

and when she said, ‘Good 

job,’ or ‘I like that,’ it just 

meant all the world because 

she was chary with 

her praise,” Cleveland recalls. 

“She had very high 

standards for faculty, so I 

admired her tremendously.” 

The town of New London 

has evolved since Cleveland 

arrived. Then, about 

1,300 people lived in 

New London, though the 

population swelled in the 

summer with the arrival of 

visitors from Washington 

and Philadelphia who 

traveled north to escape 

the heat. “What I see is 

much more sophistication 

in New London,” she 

says now. “It’s not a little 

farm town anymore.” 

Despite her busy teaching 

schedule, Cleveland always 

made time for public 

service. She campaigned 

for her husband’s political 

career, but she also served 

as New London’s town 

moderator for many years, 

and accepted an appointment 

by President George 

H.W. Bush to serve on the 

International Joint Commission, 

a body that helps 

Canada and the United 

States negotiate boundary 

water disputes. When she 

switched her allegiance 

to the Democratic Party in 

2004, the news made 

national headlines. This 

year, she is supporting 

President Obama and New 

Hampshire gubernatorial 

candidate Maggie Hassan. 

Cleveland officially retired 

in 1991, but she continued 

teaching classes until 

December of last year, 

which she considers her 

real retirement. Did 

she expect to be at it this 

long? “Oh, good heavens, 

no,” she says with a laugh. 

“I didn’t expect to live 

this long!” She says she 

kept teaching for so long 

for a simple reason: She 

loved it. “I know some 

people don’t and they can 

hardly wait for retirement,” 

she explains. “But I 

happen to like students, 

and I happen to like 

their different backgrounds 

and points of view. I love 

thinking that maybe they’re 

getting interested.” Once 

in a while she received 

letters from former students 

saying that her 

classes inspired them to 

be curious about history or 

government for the first 

time, and those letters 

kept her going. 

Even in retirement, 

Cleveland remains active 

and connected to the 

college. She’s involved 

with the adult-education 

program Adventures in 

Learning, which she 

helped to found. With the 

help of a student intern, 

she is also beginning 

to organize and box up her 

papers, which she will 

donate to the library 

named for her husband’s 

family. Always self-deprecating, 

she calls the papers 

“junk.” But for Colby- 

Sawyer, Cleveland’s 

papers—and memories— 

are an invaluable record 

of many decades of 

history. 


49

Feature 

“Children matter,” Associate 

Professor of Social Sciences 

and Education Janet Bliss 

said at the dedication of the 

new Windy Hill School in 

2010. “Provide children with 

interesting and provocative 

materials and they will 

construct understandings 

and become confident in 

their own abilities to reason 

and think autonomously. 

Trust that children are 

indeed competent and when 

given appropriate guidance 

and challenges will indeed become 

the competent industrious 

beings we want.” 

True Tenure 

by Ruth Graham 

College seniors may feel 

like fixtures on campus 

by the time they graduate, 

but they’ve got nothing 

on two faculty members 

who recently celebrated 35 

years at Colby-Sawyer: 


Social Sciences and 


Education Janet Bliss, 

who founded and still 

leads Colby-Sawyer’s early 

childhood laboratory 

school, Windy Hill, and 

Academic Vice President 

and Dean of Faculty 

Deborah Taylor. 

Professor Bliss’s 

true tenure on campus 

stretches back even 

farther: She earned her 

associate’s degree from 


in 1971, an era when 

streaking was popular on 

campus and professors 

used to smoke cigarettes 


in class. During the 

war in Vietnam, students 

protested on the quad. 

“It was exciting because 

people cared,” Bliss 

recalls. “It felt like people 

really paid attention to 

the news, and to what was 

going on in the world.”

Janet Bliss embraces a student at the original Windy Hill School in the late 1970s, when 

the school was located on the ground floor of Abbey Hall, the school’s first home. 

After completing a 

bachelor’s degree in 

elementary education at 

New England College, 

Bliss and a friend started 

their own school in the 

basement of a church in 

New London. Fortuitously, 

Marc Clement, who then 

led the college’s new 

Child Study Program, 

enrolled his young daughter 

at her school. Over 

the course of that year, 

Clement convinced the 

college administration 

that the new program 

needed a laboratory school 

where Child Studies 

majors would gain direct 

teaching experience, and 

with that, Bliss’s school 

moved to the college and 

became the Windy Hill 

School in 1976. 

Although the administration 

was willing to give 

Bliss and the school a 

chance, they were skeptical. 

She recalls that the 

college president decided 

to err “on the safe side” 

by paying her half of the 

tuition raised, instead 

of a normal salary. To his 

surprise, the school was 

an instant success. “By the 

end of the year they didn’t 

want that arrangement 

anymore,” Bliss says with 

a laugh. “Gosh, I wish I 

still had that deal today!” 

Windy Hill opened on 

campus as one large room 

in the basement of Abbey 

Hall, a space the children 

and teachers shared 

with resident students. 

If students had planned 

a party on a weekend, 

the school had to put all 

of its supplies away. While 

teaching at and directing 

the Windy Hill School, 

Bliss earned a master’s 

degree in education at 

Wheelock College. She 

learned more about the 

constructivist learning 

theory in education—in 

which teachers serve 

as guides for children’s 

self-directed learning 

through active play and 

project-based social 

interaction—and began to 

incorporate this approach 

at Windy Hill. 

The school soon expanded 

into another wing, then the 

entire floor, and finally, 

took over the basement of 

It was exciting 

because 

people cared. 

nearby Burpee Hall as 

well. In October 2010, 

Colby-Sawyer dedicated a 

new light-filled building 

for Windy Hill on a grassy 

hill with views of Mount 

Kearsarge. 

Over the years, Windy 

Hill School has evolved 

not just architecturally, 

but technologically. When 

Professor Bliss began 

teaching, the school had 

no computers, and she 

had never even used one 

until she arrived in her 

office one day to find a 

Macintosh sitting on her 

desk. Dismissive at first 

because, she says, “I 

thought in my advanced 

age, in my 40s, it would 

be a huge challenge,” 

she quickly embraced it. 


51

Feature 

Windy Hill students also 

embraced computers, 

along with smart boards, 

digital cameras and other 

technologies, as tools they 

can choose to use in 

projects and to make their 

own discoveries. 

Professor Bliss plans to 

retire after this school year, 

and though it will be 

difficult to move on from 

the little school that 

started out in a church 

basement, she is proud of 

what she’s leaving behind. 

“What’s inescapable is 

that the [new] building 

speaks to the importance 

of young children and the 

people who work with 

them,” she says. “When I 

leave, I’ll think ‘Yes. It’s 

on the most beautiful site 

on campus. How fitting.’” 

Enduring 

Values Amid 

Constant 

Change 

Vice President Taylor 

arrived on campus in 1976 

to join the Psychology 

Department, soon after 

completing her doctorate 

at Rutgers University. 

After rising within the 

Academic Vice President and Dean of Students Deborah Taylor in her office in Colgate Hall. 

In 1976, she joined the college as a faculty member in the Psychology Department, became the 

department’s chair and then academic dean before assuming her current role in 2006. 



department, she became 

dean of students and vice 

president for student 

development, and then 

returned to serve as 

chair of what had become 

the Social Sciences and 

Education Department. 

She became academic 

dean in 2001, and four 

years later she took on the 

role of academic vice 

president and dean of 

faculty. 

Taylor remembers the 

college’s decision to 

become a coeducational 

institution as a time of 

particular upheaval during 

her tenure. Enrollment 

had been dropping throughout 

the 1980s, and remaining 

an all-women’s school 

simply wasn’t feasible. 

But that pragmatic change 

wasn’t easy for the students 

who had chosen 

Colby-Sawyer in part for its 

single-sex atmosphere. 

The college announced 

the decision a year 

before the male students 

arrived, providing time 

for discussion and planning. 

There were disagreements 

among faculty, 

staff, students, administration 

and alumni along 

the way.

“One of the things that makes our work particularly exciting and particularly 

complex is the fact that we’re preparing students to graduate into a world that’s 

changing at such a rapid rate that we don’t know what careers or grad programs 

are going to be like in five or 10 years,” says Taylor, shown here in her early days 

at Colby-Sawyer. 

“It was a difficult year,” 

Taylor recalls. At one point, 

students held a sit-in in 

Colgate Hall, preventing 

faculty and staff from 

entering the building. “It 

was all very peaceful, very 

appropriate and very 

heartfelt,” she says. “It was 

an expression of how 

strongly the students felt 

that they were getting a 

really marvelous education 

and wanted things to 

remain the same.” In the 

end, however, most 

parties understood the 

institution was doing 

what it needed to do to 

survive. The first class 

including male students 

arrived in the fall of 1990. 

Taylor echoes Bliss 

in noting the dramatic 

technological advancements 

at Colby-Sawyer in 

the last three decades. 

She looks forward to 

related changes ahead, 

including the college’s 

plans for expansion. 

“We’ll continue our pattern 

of growth and evolution,” 

she says, adding that 

distance education plays a 

role in current planning, 

although it’s difficult to 

predict exactly what it will 

look like. “If anyone has 

a crystal ball and can 

predict the direction that 

will take, that would be 

amazing,” she says with a 

laugh. “One of the things 

that makes our work 

particularly exciting and 

particularly complex is the 

fact that we’re preparing 

students to graduate into a 

world that’s changing at 

such a rapid rate that we 

don’t know what careers or 

grad programs are going 

to be like in five or 10 

years. It’s a reminder that 

our primary job as faculty 

is to encourage and lead 

the way for our students to 

be lifelong learners.” 

Colby-Sawyer has grown 

and changed significantly 

since the 1970s—professors 

no longer smoke 

in class—but both Bliss 

and Taylor see a certain 

abiding institutional 

character. “The basic 

The basic values 

have remained 

the same through 

a lot of changes. 

values have remained 

the same through a lot 

of changes,” Taylor says. 

“We’re very individual 

in the way we approach 

our students, and that 

fundamental value has 

remained the same.” 

Ruth Graham is a 

freelance writer who lives 

in New Hampshire. 


53

Feature 

Wide Aw 

John Pelech ’02 couldn’t 


sleep. The Business 

Administration major 

owned a 75-employee 

commercial finance 

company he’d started 

four years earlier at age 22, 

and banks across the 

country were starting to 

fail. He was involved in 

hotel and resort financing 

and had 15 stories of 

concrete and $20 million 

poured into a Manhattan 

hotel chain project that 

was quickly becoming a 

bona fide disaster. All that 

would be enough to keep 

anyone’s wheels turning, 

but that wasn’t why Pelech 

was staring at the ceiling 

late into the night. 

His finance work had 

expanded into renewable 

energy. For a recent 

project, Pelech had raised 

$252 million and managed 

to pull off a bond rating 

of triple B- to fire up a 


55-megawatt power plant 

in Minnesota that ran 

on poultry litter. After that 

he started working on a 

wastewater treatment 

project at a paper mill in 

Cheboygan, Mich. It was 

the mill that was keeping 

him awake. 

The mill owner had been 

hydropulping paper to 

recycle into toilet paper 

and pumping the waste 

water into the Great Lakes. 

The paper industry in 

general was hurting as the 

effects of the internet hit 

home, and the owner 

needed $25 million worth 

of gear to clean up his 

act and keep his business 

alive. He was better off 

than a lot of others in his 

industry, though—you 

can’t digitize toilet paper. 

The mill owner got his 

money, and his gear, and 

every day he also got piles 

of poly-coated mystery 

stuff covered in wet paper 

sludge left over from the 

hydropulping. He’d shown 

it to Pelech, who wanted to 

know what happened to it. 

“We landfill it.” 

“How much do you do?” 

Pelech asked. 

“A hundred tons a day.” 

“How much does it cost 

you to landfill it?” 

“Oh, we got a deal. Sixty 

bucks a ton.” 

Pelech did the math. 

“You’re spending six grand 

a day to throw stuff away?” 

“Nope. Can’t afford it. 

Come with me.” 

In an airplane-hangarturned-giant-fire-hazard, 

the mill owner had stuffed 

100 million pounds of 

the dried out, poly-coated 

junk. If Pelech could sell 

it for just a penny a pound, 

he realized, there was a 

million dollars sitting there 

in front of him. That was 

enough to keep him wide 

awake thinking of the 

possibilities. 

In a stroke of good luck 

and good timing, Pelech 

sold his finance company 

soon after that conversation 

in the hangar. He 

spent $10,000 to send 

Cheboygan sludge samples 

to every plastic 

manufacturer, paper mill 

and broker he could 

find. “I’ve got poly,” he 

told them, and that’s 

when he found out there 

are more than 80,000 

types of plastic out there, 

each with its own melt 

index, and 75,000 of those 

plastics begin with the 

word poly. The plastic guys

looked at the samples 

ake 

and told him there was 

too much paper contamination. 

“Forget it,” they 

all told him. “This is 

trash.” But there was no 

way Pelech could forget 

that mountain of waste— 

or its economic and 

environmental 

ramifications. 

Backyard 

Experiments 

and Plastic 

Baloney 

Pelech’s wife, Jenna, 

watched from a window as 

a breeze kicked up and 

thousands of tiny balls of 

plastic took flight in their 

backyard in Portsmouth, 

N.H. John was out there 

again after yet another 

night thinking about all the 

waste destined for landfills, 

the nation’s recycling 

situation in general, and 

opportunities he could 

see but not quite grasp. 

For weeks he’d been 

experimenting with the 

Cheboygan sludge in 

their clothes dryer, trying 

different water pressures, 

temperatures and drying 

times. Jenna could tell 

from his satisfied look and 

the finally quiet dryer that 

he’d had a breakthrough. 

Pelech had managed 

to get the paper content in 

the plastic to less than a 

quarter of a percent. When 

he sent out these new 

samples, the plastic guys 

were ecstatic and said 

they’d take all they could 

get. Pelech hired an 

engineer to recreate on a 

massive scale what he’d 

done in his backyard. 

He wrote a business plan 

that would charge the 

paper mill half of the 

“deal” they had in place to 

buy the sludge, run it 

through his system, dry 

the plastic and extrude 

curb stops and plastic 

bags, and sell the paper 

pulp back to the paper 

mills. It was a genius plan, 

and he spent two years 

developing the technology. 

But he needed $5 million 

to get the full-scale 

business off the ground. 

With half of that funding 

in place and a “backyard” 

education in polymer 

Colby-Sawyer taught me so much. 

I can honestly say I would not be half the person 

I am today without that education. 


science, Pelech founded 

Poly Recovery two years 

ago as a sustainable 

recycling company based 

at the Pease International 

Tradeport in his hometown 

of Portsmouth. The 

sludge that inspired the 

business was still in 

Cheboygan and on 

Pelech’s back burner, 


55

Professor Tony Quinn, Leon Malan … 

Colby-Sawyer’s Business Department is second 

to none. It’s hands-on and you can’t get lost 

in the numbers. There was serious, real critical 

thinking. They pushed us to find ourselves. 

Colby-Sawyer gave me the ability to say, you 

know what, I can do anything. I have the 

skills; I’ll bump shoulders with anyone. I got 

into plenty of other schools but choosing 

Colby-Sawyer was hands down the best decision 

I ever made. Hands down. I wouldn’t change 

a thing. If you told me I had a free ride to 

some Ivy, I’d tell you to stuff it. I couldn’t be 

happier with my education. 

and his sleepless nights 

weren’t over. Along the 

way he’d discovered 

the plastic world’s equivalent 

of baloney, and he 

was sure he could figure 

out a way to recycle it. 

There’s a thing called 

cornerboard that covers 

the edges of pallets of 

products at grocery store 

distribution centers so 

they can be stacked and 

shipped without being 

crushed, and it intrigued 

Pelech. Technically plastic, 

it’s made in China out 

of everything swept off the 

factory floor and has 

no identifiable polymers. It 

also includes wood and 

hard metal contaminants.

The average food distribution 

facility puts around 

200,000 pounds of this 

product into a landfill every 

month. 

Pelech’s experiments 

resumed—this time in his 

own lab instead of his 

backyard. Finally, at two in 

the morning of another 

sleepless night, he and 

Mike Mooney ’02, Poly 

Recovery’s general manager, 

had what Pelech 

calls their eureka moment. 

They added a few more 

things to the baloney 

plastic—yogurt cups, 

shopping bags, stretch 

film, automotive bumpers 

—and were able to extrude 

a uniform product that 

is now used as a longerlasting 

alternative to 

petroleum-based rubber 

curb stops and speed 

bumps. Poly Recovery was 

poised on the cutting edge 

of recycling’s possibilities. 

Cradle to Grave 

to Cradle 

There are seven categories 

of plastic. Water and soda 

bottles are in category 1, 

and according to Pelech, 

America recycles them at a 

rate of 20 percent. Milk 

jugs and laundry detergent 

containers fall into 

category 2 and are hot 

commodities because they 

can be turned back into 

bottles, carpet, pipe or any 

number of products. 

Then there are the 

3-7s, a smorgasbord of 

polymers, and the majority 

of what fills America’s 

recycling bins. 

“Category 7 is the greatest 

challenge to recycling 

because it includes everything 

from dashboard 

plastic to bullet-proof 

glass, which is polycarbonate,” 

says Pelech. “Some 

of the items are worth 

huge money, but we send 

99 percent of them to Asia 

on container ships. They 

actually burn those plastics 

for fuel because it’s 

cheaper than oil and gives 

a higher BTU per dollar, 

which is a disaster.” 

Instead of letting plastics 

sail off to the other side 

of the planet or end up in a 

landfill because it “can’t” 

be recycled, Poly Recovery 

conducts recycling audits 

for businesses and looks 

for opportunities to turn 

their waste into new products. 

These days, manufacturers 

are calling on 

Pelech to recycle their 

paper and plastic waste at 

Poly Recovery with the 

promise that it will travel 

no more than 100 miles to 

be turned into a new 

product. With 100-plus 

clients, among them seven 

of the region’s 10 biggest 

manufacturers, it’s a 

promise that resonates 

with companies who 

are increasingly aware of 

sustainability issues 

and their impact on the 

local economy, and 

who don’t want to pay a 

trash hauler to dump 

their waste in a landfill. 

A resin that Poly Recovery 

produces, for example, 

goes into flower pots 

made in Massachusetts; 

paper and cardboard go 

to a partner in Fitchburg, 

Mass., and is turned into 

game boards and the 

backs of legal pads; 

another material travels 

11.8 miles down the road 

and is extruded into 

polyester fiber that is spun 

into car trunk liner and 

brand-name performance 

wear. 

“I’ve said it from the 

beginning, it’s our waste,” 

says Pelech. “Why do we 

want to ship it somewhere 

else? We created it. Let’s 

keep it here, let’s keep the 

jobs here. That adds so 

much more to our social 

and economic sustainability, 

never mind our environmental 

sustainability 

portion of it. We could 

make a hell of a lot more 

money if we just sent 

stuff to China, but I don’t 

want to do that. If I keep 

the stuff here I’m different 

from everyone else. We 

are plastics processors 

and we are good at it. We 

are damn good at it.” 

They are so good that 

Pelech is running a second 

shift and production line 

now; he expects nearly 

eight million pounds of 

waste to flow through Poly 

Recovery this year on its 

way to reincarnation. 

Early nights and enough 

sleep aren’t necessarily 

part of the future, though, 

because Pelech is running 

high on passion and is 

just getting started. 

“I’m working on 

Styrofoam next,” says 

Pelech. “It’s tough. 

The largest densified 

Styrofoam buyer is 

China. Let’s keep it all 

here. I don’t know why 

more people don’t 

do it. There should be a 

Poly Recovery every 

200 miles. That would 

mean no landfills… 

Imagine that!” 

Spring 2012 

57

Feature 

A Tough Place 

to Grow, 

A Great Place 

to Learn 


Professor Laura Alexander leads students through the alpine 

garden on Mt. Washington. Right to left: Professor Laura Alexander, 

Phil Oman, Adam Wilson, Tyler Hoppock, Steven D’Angeli, Luke 

Fowler, Laurel Bauer, Jess Chickering, Bailey Allard, Gage Bensley, 

Jon Wylie and Elaine Edgecomb.


On a warm and bright 

morning last October, 12 

Colby-Sawyer students 

and two professors prepared 

to set off for a 

four-day journey into the 

high peaks of the Presidential 

Range in the White 

Mountains National 

Forest. Dressed in layers, 

they strapped on backpacks 

stuffed with sleeping 

bags, warm jackets, food 

and other supplies and hit 

the Tuckerman’s Ravine 

Trail for an ascent into the 

alpine zone. 

The students—mostly 

junior and senior biology, 

environmental studies 

and environmental science 

majors—were part of 


Natural Sciences Laura 

Alexander’s Alpine Flora 

Communities course. 

In the previous month they 

had learned about the 

fragile ecosystems that 

inhabit high-altitude alpine 

regions, where plants are 

buffeted by high winds, 

heavy snow and extreme 

cold. Field guides close 

at hand, the students were 

anxious to find and identify 

these plant communities 

in the wild and experience 

the environment to which 

these species have 

adapted. 

The course includes 

a few day hikes and this 

longer expedition marked 

the addition of a new 

Alpine Communities Field 

Studies Program. It is the 

fourth field study program 

to be added to the 

curriculum, after Desert 

Communities (in Arizona), 

Marine Communities (on 

Martha’s Vineyard) and 

River Communities (in the 

Colorado River Basin). 

The hike began at about 

a 2,000-foot elevation and 

quickly turned rocky and 

steep. Professor Alexander 

kept the group focused 

by making frequent stops 

to point out plant communities 

along the trail and 

reminded students to keep 

an eye on how species 

appeared and disappeared 

with changes in elevation. 

She prodded them with 

questions: When did the 

hardwood forest transition 

to a spruce fir forest? 

Which plant communities 

should we be seeing 

now? What are the major 

impacts on the flora in 

this area? 

The next day, the group 

climbed up Tuckerman’s 

Ravine on the way to 

Lakes in the Clouds and 

Mt. Monroe. The trail 

grew narrower and more 

arduous, but the views 

were stunning. When the 

group took a break, Harvey 

Pine, assistant professor 

of Natural Sciences, 

explained the geological 

origins of the amphitheater 

that surrounded them. 

Like an impassioned 

preacher, he raised his 

arms and voice as he 

described how hundreds 


59

Feature 

Professor Laura Alexander helps students Bailey Allard and Jon Wylie identify alpine flora on the Boott Spur Link trail. 

As students take a break on the steep hike up Tuckerman’s Ravine, 

Professor Harvey Pine explains the ravine’s geological origins 325 

to 400 millions years ago, when an alpine glacier began to cut into 

metamorphic rock to create this huge amphitheater. 

Right: Professor Laura Alexander, Jess Chickering and Adam Wilson 

head to the Hermit Lake Shelters at the base of Tuckerman’s Ravine 

with provisions to stay and learn on the mountain for four days.

Professor Laura Alexander heats water for hot drinks following dinner. Over hot chocolate 

and tea, students and faculty discussed recreational impacts on the flora communities and 

measures that have been and could be taken to educate hikers about those impacts. 

of millions of years ago 

a vast alpine glacier began 

to cut into the metamorphic 

rock that eventually 

carved the ravine that 

is now a popular, though 

dangerous, place to ski. 

In the Zone 

As they reached the high 

elevations of the alpine 

zone, students began to 

see some more familiar 

plant communities 

growing along the trail, 

between rocks and behind 

boulders. They pulled 

out their field guides and 

huddled around the plants 

to try to pinpoint the 

species, the beginning of 

a friendly “name the 

species” competition. 

As the group reached 

the top of the ravine, 

they were pummeled by 

cold winds whipping 

across the alpine garden 

that stretched out before 

them. The students pulled 

on their wind jackets 

and walked through the 

garden in awe of the 

beauty and resilience of 

the flora around them. 

A small sign that read 

“A Tough Place to Grow” 

reminded the hikers of 

the flora’s fragility and to 

stay on the trail. Professor 

Alexander noted that 

one-quarter of the U.S. 

population lives within a 

day’s drive of the White 

Mountains and it’s 

extremely important for 

students to recognize 

the negative impacts that 

humans can have on 

the flora. 

“These plants are like 

little heroes—they hang on 

no matter what—but by 

stepping on them, hikers 

loosen their roots and 

they just blow away,” she 

said. “I want students 

to get that message to stay 

on the trail and take the 

knowledge they learned in 

New Hampshire’s White 

Mountains to other 

environments. That’s the 

framework for many of 

our courses: Let’s go in 

and understand a 

place, what grows here 

and what the impacts 

are on these plant communities, 

and let’s educate 

people and protect these 

environments.” 

After some long days 

of hiking, the students 

were excited to talk about 

their latest adventures in 

learning. Adam Wilson ’12 

had participated in the 

River Communities trip in 

spring 2011 and said field 

experiences provide the 

“best classroom.” “There’s 

really nothing like it—the 

learning environment is 

just incredible,” he said. “I 

may be biased, but I think 

the best way to learn is 

to actually live it. You can’t 

really learn from a book in 

the same way.” 

Fellow Environmental 

Studies major Laurel Bauer 

’13 also took part in the 

River Communities course, 

but she found this trip to 

the alpine zone “really 

special.” “It’s definitely a 

course that can’t be taught 

just inside the classroom. 

You need to be out doing 

the work and seeing, 

feeling, smelling and 

touching,” she explained. 

By journey’s end, the students 

knew that not only is 

the alpine zone a tough 

place to grow, it is a great 

place to learn. 

The Alpine Communities class on the summit of Mt. Washington 

with the northern Presidential peaks in the background. Winds gusted 

to approximately 55 m.p.h. that day. 


61

Connections 

News from Alumni Relations 

and Annual Giving 

Let the 175th 

Anniversary Fun 

Begin 

Join us for a weekend 

of fun and camaraderie— 

Friday, Oct. 12 through 

Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012—as 

the Colby-Sawyer community 

gathers to celebrate 

Alumni Fall Festival and 

the college’s 175th anniversary 

as an institution of 

teaching and learning. 

Renew ties with old 

friends, explore the Colby- 

Sawyer of today, and 

join the college and local 

communities to celebrate 

our remarkable shared 

history and our promising 

future. 

Visit www.colby-sawyer. 

edu/alumni/fallfestival to 

see the full schedule of 

events. 

Save the Date for the 

next Alumni Fall Festival: 

Friday, Oct, 4 – Sunday, 

Oct. 6, 2013 

The 4K Challenge 

—We Did It! 

Thanks to the generosity 

and collective effort of 

alumni, trustees, parents, 

colleagues and friends, 

we have succeeded in 

meeting the 4K Challenge, 


earning an additional 

$200,000 for the Colby- 

Sawyer Fund. Ultimately, 

the college received 

support from 4,329 

donors, 3,021 of whom 

were alumni, resulting 

in a one-year increase in 

alumni participation 

from 17 to 24 percent. 

Your support of Colby- 

Sawyer College truly makes 

a difference, and we want 

to thank each and every 

donor for helping us cross 

the finish line. 

New Alumni 

Directory 

The 175th Anniversary 

Edition of the Colby-Sawyer 

College Alumni Directory 

is in production and will be 

shipped in January 2013 to 

alumni who purchased the 

book. Many thanks to all 

our alumni who updated 

their information. 

Travel with 


The Alumni Travel 

Program is pleased to 

present an extraordinary 

adventure in Spain 

from May 20 – 30, 2013. 

Alumni, family and 

friends are invited to join 

President Tom Galligan 

and his wife, Susan, along 

with Professor of Social 

Sciences and Education 

Randy Hanson for an 

educational and cultural 

tour of this magnificent 

country. To learn more, 

please contact Holly 

Walker at Compass Travel 

at (603) 526-9600 or 

holly@compasstravel.net. 


May Come to an 

Area Near You! 

Visit www.colby-sawyer. 

edu/alumni/events 

for a complete listing 

of upcoming alumni 

events. 

Contact the 

Office of Alumni 

Relations and 

Annual Giving: 

(800)266-8253 or 


A new center for the arts is the college’s highest master plan priority. 

The college will begin construction when 75 percent of the construction 

costs ($16 million) has been funded by private gifts and grants. More 

than $5.2 million is currently committed. The college is very grateful for 

this support, and looks forward to continuing the momentum this year. 

To learn more about the arts at Colby-Sawyer and the importance 

of this building, or to request additional information, please call 

Advancement Officer Allison Faccone at (603) 526-3441. 

Architectural rendering provided by The S/L/A/M Collaborative 

of Glastonbury, Conn.

Giving Young People a 

Good Start in Life 

Jim and Gwen (Hall) Dunbar ’50 

by Beth Cahill, Vice President of Advancement 

In their 61 years of marriage, 

Gwenyth “Gwen” 

Hall Dunbar, who entered 

Colby Junior College with 

the Class of 1950, and 

her husband, Jim, have 

consistently relied on their 

experiences to inform 

their decision-making. In 

1948, Jim was a student 

at Proctor Academy, and 

Gwen was eager to find a 

school near her hometown 

boyfriend and some 

of her girlfriends. Colby 

Junior—now Colby-Sawyer 

—fit the bill. 

Jim went on to Babson 

College and then Nichols 

College, and the couple 

married the day after he 

graduated. At age 26, Jim 

started his own company, 

Dunbar Armored, Inc. 

The company is now the 

largest independent 

armored car company in 

the United States. Their 

business success has 

provided the Dunbars an 

opportunity to reflect on 

the things most important 

to them and to support 

those priorities. 

While Gwen says she 

was blessed to receive a 

scholarship that allowed 

her to attend Colby Junior, 

she did not take her 

studies seriously enough 

to receive the same 

scholarship a second year, 

and she was unable to 

return and graduate. She 

made certain, however, 

to teach her children and 

grandchildren the importance 

of education. 

Jim and Gwen invested in 

their children’s education 

and made it possible for 

their grandchildren to 

attend private schools and 

colleges. Gwen takes pride 

in being able to help young 

people get a good start 

in life, and Jim agrees. “We 

spend a lot of time letting 

our family know how 

important education is and 

how far it can take you in 

life,” he says. 

In addition to providing 

opportunities for their 

own family, Gwen and Jim 

have made important 

investments to help other 

students by supporting 

their own schools and 

a special scholarship fund 

at Towson University 

named for their late son 

James “J” L. Dunbar Jr. 

At Colby-Sawyer College, 

the Dunbars have recently 

made a significant estate 

Gwenyth “Gwen” and Jim Dunbar are commited to supporting 

the arts at Colby-Sawyer 

provision as well as a 

current gift to help support 

the construction of a new 

fine and performing arts 

center. To recognize their 

arts center support, a 

Graphic Design Studio will 

be named in their honor. 

For Jim and Gwen, their 

support of Colby-Sawyer is 

motivated by personal 

connections. They are 

pleased with the college’s 

leadership and enjoy a 

friendship with President 

Tom Galligan. “Colby- 

Sawyer is very fortunate to 

have Tom Galligan. He’s a 

brilliant man and an 

outstanding executive and 

teacher,” Jim says. Gwen 

adds, “Even with his 

brilliance and dedication, 

he’s so down to earth 

and friendly and easy to 

know. That’s important 

for a college president. 

[Advancement Officer] 

Beth Camp is very 

important, too. She has 

the same personality. 

We may not have made 

a gift without her.” 

Photo: Courtesy of the Dunbars 

For Gwen, college friends 

also remain important. 

Through the years she has 

stayed connected and 

enjoyed outings to alumni 

events, golfing and visiting 

with women she met 

more than 60 years ago. 

“We are honored to 

support Colby-Sawyer,” 

Gwen shares. “I’m sure the 

school is on the right 

track, and the main reason 

is the people.” 


63 

Connections

Connections 

Support for the 

Most Important Places 

Debbie (Bray)’79 and Bill Mitchell 

by Beth Cahill 

Debbie (Bray) and Bill 

Mitchell have a partnership. 

They believe it is 

important to support the 

places that are important 

to them, and feel a 

responsibility to make a 

difference. For Debbie, 

who was deeply involved 

Bill and Debbie (Bray) Mitchell. 

Photo: Jon Fox 

with the organizations 

that affected her children 

as they grew up, now is 

the time for Colby-Sawyer. 

Bill is 100 percent behind 

that decision. 

Bill has supported his 

own schools, Dartmouth 

College and Phillips Exeter 


Academy, and has become 

increasingly involved. “I 

believe we have to keep 

our country competitive by 

helping education,” he 

says. “Giving students an 

opportunity to learn 

outside of the classroom 

with adults and peers is 

useful to creating the team 

players our country needs. 

Colby-Sawyer and Dartmouth 

both support so 

many ways for students to 

interact with each other. 

That training differentiates 

our alma maters.” 

Debbie explains that 

over the past 10 years, as 

her four children finished 

school and moved away 

from home, she has had 

time to think about the 

places most important to 

her. She joined the 

President’s Alumni 

Advisory Council in 2008, 

and in doing so came to 

know President Tom 

Galligan. 

“Colby-Sawyer’s leadership 

is amazing,” she says. 

“Tom Galligan’s enthusiasm 

is infectious and you 

can feel it everywhere. I 

like the direction the 

college is going. It’s 

staying small and also 

modernizing.” 

As Debbie has become 

more engaged, she has 

reconnected with classmates 

and reflected on 

some of the teachers who 

most influenced her. She 

recalls Dr. Margaret 

“Marnie” Kurtz, who 

helped her understand that 

a young woman could be a 

wife and mother and also 

have a career. “She 

changed my thought 

process,” Debbie says. 

The Mitchells have always 

been loyal supporters of 

the Colby-Sawyer Fund. In 

recent years, they have 

also provided leadership 

support to the turf field 

project, and made a 

decision to include the 

college in their estate 

plans. As Bill says, “You 

have a chance to be 

directional about where 

your life savings go by 

making bequest provisions. 

We felt it was important 

to carve out support 

for the institutions 

important to us.” Debbie 

agrees, noting that their 

planning has the additional 

benefit of making it 

easier for their children to 

settle their estate. 

Debbie and Bill like to 

support athletic programs 

and have done so throughout 

their married life. 

When Athletic Director 

Deb Field McGrath ’68 

was heard musing about 

someone to match her 

own gift to help the college 

build a turf field, the 

Mitchells saw a chance to 

“double” their gift. They 

wanted to help Deb 

McGrath achieve her 

mission of giving students 

the best possible experience 

at college. Debbie 

said she looks to the 

college to determine 

funding priorities, and is 

happy to help make them 

possible. 

“Giving is easy, it’s fulfilling, 

it feels good and it 

makes a difference,” 

Debbie says. Bill agrees, 

adding that, “It’s never too 

late to get actively involved 

with supporting your 

college. It’s a great way to 

reconnect with people 

and pass along value and 

experience to the next 

generation. If everyone 

supported their own 

college, our country would 

be in great shape!” 

Beth Cahill is the vice 

president of Advancement.

If your class does not have 

a class correspondent, 

please submit your news 

directly to the Alumni 

Office. 

Email: 


Web Form: 


alumni/classnotes.html 

Mail: 



Academy- 

1937 

1940 

Judy Conover Reinicker 

107 Cardiff Court West 

Newark, DE 19711-3442 

(302) 239-0965 

jreinicker@aol.com 

Judy Verrette Christiansen 

in NC no longer plays golf 

but does play a great deal 

of bridge and enjoys walking. 

U of NC, Wilmington, 

is nearby and offers symphony 

and theater programs. 

Her traveling days 

are a memory, but she 

had some wonderful trips 

to Australia, NZ, South 

America, Peru, Japan, 

China, Russia, Egypt, 

Greece, Turkey and all of 

Europe. Harriet Tillinghast 

Fuller is still living in 

her own home in West 

Hartford. She enjoyed visiting 

the campus last year. 

Peg Van Duser Hurlbut 

and Jeanne Schwob Homer 

keep busy at their retirement 

homes in FL. A note 

from Dwight Anderson, 

husband of Marguerite 

Goodwin Anderson, says 

Peggy is housebound and 

doesn’t go out. They live 

in Ann Arbor, MI, and have 

one child, 2 grandchildren 

and 2 great-grandchildren. 

You will all be saddened at 

the news of Jan Canham 

Williams’s death last Jan., 

and remember the wonderful 

times we had with 

her on Ragged Mountain 

when we returned for 

reunions. She always had a 

cute poem to send out and 

wrote a cheerful note even 

when she could hardly see. 

She was our class finance 

chairman for many years 

and always very helpful in 

sending me news of classmates 

for this column. She 

will be missed. As for me, 

I keep busy with church, 

bridge and friends, and am 

looking forward to seeing 

my 3 great-grandchildren 

at my cottage in Canada 

this summer. I would love 

to hear from more of you. 

1941 

1942 

Bobbie Boyd Bradley 

865 Central Ave., 

Apartment l-203 

Needham, MA 02492 

(781) 400-5249 

mimibrad@aol.com 

We had a great response 

this time around. Judy 

Lind Williams is in good 

health, although at 90, she 

wonders for how long. She 

still bowls, sings in her 

church choir, and volunteers 

at a nearby hospital. 

She enjoys Bible study 

and frequent lunches out. 

Recently her granddaughter 

was married. Always 

a happy occasion! A note 

from Terry Allen Caldwell 

reports they had a 7th generation 

grandchild on their 

family farm. She also reports 

life on their acres is 

thriving. Pigs are growing, 

hens are laying, pullets 

are putting on pounds for 

someone’s oven, and the 

fields are filling with fresh 

veggies all for a growing 

list of csa (community 

supported agriculture). 

She writes, “John and I 

just sit on our front porch 

rockers and watch our 

eager young farmers work 

from the early dawn until 

after dark. They love it and 

we love their strength.” 

John and I just sit on our front 

porch rockers and watch our 

eager young farmers work from 

the early dawn until after dark. 

Terry Allen Caldwell ’42 


65

We celebrated Dave’s 90th birthday with 

a party of 85 people. 

Bobbie Boyd Bradley ’42 

Carol Blondell Tuttle ’75 and her mother Virginia Newins 

Blondell ’42 visited campus in June. They were in the area for 

a family gathering to celebrate Virginia’s 90th birthday. 

What a wonderful life, 

Terry. Connie Rudd Cole 

sent a long letter saying 

that she saved all of her 

news after 70 years of ignoring 

my pleas! After CSC 

she went to Connecticut 

College and then mastered 

in nursing at Yale. 

She then married, had 2 

boys, followed by twin girls 

and stayed home until 

they were in school. She 

worked for 20-odd years 

in nursing education. She 

is a volunteer for prayer 

fellowship, and is part of 

a small group of women 

who write to prisoners, 

encouraging them, praying 

for them, and letting them 


know there are people who 

care. She writes to about 

30 men who have turned 

their lives around and 

are determined to make 

it once on the outside, 

accepting responsibility 

for their actions. Connie 

has 3 of her 4 children, 3 

of her 6 grands, and all 3 

great-grandchildren nearby, 

so she gets to see them 

often…lucky girl! Sally 

Bishop Douglas has been 

a Navy wife, so traveling is 

a very familiar way of life 

for her. In spite of that, her 

fond memories of Colby 

and her friends in New 

London are still very much 

with her. She will be at our 

CSC reunion in spirit only. 

A note from Betty “Liz” 

Wells Monroe was so welcome. 

We haven’t heard 

from her in years. You will 

all chuckle when you hear 

why. Seems there is a Betty 

Wells in California who has 

been receiving my pleas 

for news. That Betty wrote, 

“I am not a Colby alumna. 

I have never attended the 

school and never been to 

New London, NH.” So 

Betty, we now have your 

correct address in South 

Yarmouth, MA. From now 

on you have no excuse for 

not responding! Your life 

sounds similar to ours: 

independent living in a 

retirement home, no driving 

and very little walking. 

Nancy Bowman Rutherford 

is still in her home, but has 

a grandson nearby. She 

talks with Mary Reed Cody 

and they try to get together 

on the Vineyard every summer. 

Mary has moved to 

Newton, MA, from Mexico 

to be closer to her children 

and to be healthier. Winter 

weather seems to be the 

healthiest for her. She goes 

to the Vineyard with family 

in the summer. All in all, a 

very happy move for her. 

She enjoys having more 

time to read, as she found 

it difficult to find English 

books in Mexico. Connie 

Colby Shelton lives at Fox 

Hill in Newton, MA. She is 

happily coupled with Milt 

Schmidt, a former Bruin, 

so hockey is a big part of 

their life. Connie has 2 

granddaughters: one has 

just passed the Bar in RI 

and MA and is lawyering at 

the Supreme Court in RI, 

the other has a year to finish 

at Northeastern in the 

nursing program and was 

inducted into the Sigma 

Theta Tau international 

honor society of nursing: 

A real honor. A note from 

Edie Doe Ballard reminded 

me of the happy days we 

had at Colby! We were so 

lucky! The memories are 

so special. Jane Knowles 

Webb loved her days at 

Colby. She has let us know 

that she now lives in HI. 

Virginia “Ginny” Newins 

Blondell and her daughter, 

Carol Blondell Tuttle ’75, 

visited campus in June. 

Ginny’s entire family 

rented a house on Lake 

Sunapee to celebrate 

Ginny’s 90th birthday. 

Ginny let us know that 

Marion “Hug” Huggins 

Brown also turned 90 

at the end of June. As 

for the Bradleys, I have 

recently spent too much 

time at the doctors and 

not enough time having 

fun. Dave and I are both 

dependent on walkers, but 

we manage to go on most

of North Hill’s adventures, 

so we live a pretty good 

life. We really love it here. 

No grocery shopping or 

cooking, wonderful staff 

and residents, and lots of 

extra activities and events. 

No wonder we are happy 

campers! We celebrated 

Dave’s 90th birthday with 

a party of 85 people, including 

our 4 children and 

1 grandson. It was a hat 

party, so all of the guests 

came with silly hats. Made 

for a lot of fun. You should 

have seen all the elderly 

partying! Again, my thanks 

for all of your responses. It 

looks like ’42 will not have 

any attendees at our 70th 

Reunion this year. Dave 

and I don’t drive and have 

given our car away. Sadly, 

we must miss it, too. If you 

know anyone going from 

this area, let me know, as 

we’d like to hitch a ride. 

1943 

Peg Morse Tirrell 

Post Office Box 37 

Lower Waterford, 

VT 05848-0037 

(802) 748-8538 

dptirrell@juno.com 

Jean Marquier Molloy ’44 

MT is still in Scottsdale, 

AZ. She enjoys aerobics, 

hiking, visiting interesting 

sites, going to the symphony 

and having frequent 

lunches, dinners or 

movies with friends. Last 

summer Jean’s daughter 

retired and moved in with 

her. Jean writes, “In Nov., 

son Michael and his wife, 

daughter Nancy and I 

traced the route Mike had 

taken during the Battle 

of the Bulge in 1944. We 

then did a river cruise 

from Paris to Normandy 

and met a granddaughter 

for more touring of Paris. 

We were home to enjoy 

Christmas with the family 

here. Since that includes 

a 1-year-old, it was a real 

celebration.” She started 

the New Year by falling, 

and now enjoys the help 

of a pacemaker as well. 

She adds, “Since Nancy is 

secretary for the Quarter 

Horse Assn. for West TX, 

I find it fun to tag along 

and revisit both our TX 

homes for 20 yrs.” Jean 

spoke with her roommate, 

Mary Percy Vaughan, in 

Dec.; her husband, (Dr.) 

Bob, had recently died. 

Mary still goes to ME in 

the summer, according 

to her daughter, although 

she uses a walker. 

1944 

Editor’s Note: Thank 

you to Jeanne “Penny” 

Losey Bole ’44 for sharing 

the following news. 

Mary-Jane Neidner 

Fletcher Mason is living in 

a retirement home in New 

Britain, CT, near her son 

Craig and his family. She 

seems happy there, loves 

the views with lots of bird 

life, and enjoys not having 

to cook meals again! I 

think all of us at our age 

would love that, but as 

for me, I still manage to 

deal with the kitchen and 

meals. Sadly, Mary Jane’s 

son Bruce died at age 

60 before Christmas. I 

recently spoke with Jane 

McCabe Kelly, who lives 

in a retirement facility near 

Philadelphia and still has 

their summer home on 

Lake Winnipesaukee in 

N.H. Hopefully, Dick and 

I will be able to scoot up 

there sometime this summer 

to have a visit, if everything 

is on target for all of 

As we age, our ol’ bodies 

move a mite slower, 

but the spirit still seems willing! 

Jane McCabe Kelly ’44 

us. She lost her husband, 

Tom, this past year and as 

we all know, this makes a 

vast difference in our lives. 

Dick and I had a wonderful 

winter in Dunedin, FL, 

this year—probably the 

icing on the cake as far as 

the weather went. Now, 

we are back in Shelburne, 

MA, at our old farmhouse. 

We keep busy with volunteer 

work (Salvation 

Army for Dick) Hospice 

and the local hospital for 

me, plus the food pantry 

in our hill towns. As we 

age, our ole bodies move 

a mite slower, but the 

spirit still seems willing! 

1945 

Ruth Anderson Padgett 

2535 Ardath Road 

La Jolla, CA 92037 

(858) 454-4623 

ruthlajolla@aol.com 

Hi, all! Gus and I just 

returned from a great 

15-day cruise from San 

Diego to HI and back. 

Jean Morley Lovett and her 

hubby, Bill Roney, were on 

a cruise early in the year to 

Venice and were planning 

to cruise from NY to 

Montreal. They spend half 

their time in Holderness, 

NH, and the rest in FL. 

Jane Seecombe Rice in 

Cupertino, CA, was preparing 

to move while recovering 

from knee replacement 

surgery. She was eager to 

get back to her genealogy 

study. Suzanne Needham 

Houston has moved to 


67

Wake Robin Acres in 

Shelburne, VT, overlooking 

Lake Champlain. She 

keeps busy painting and 

flower arranging, is well, 

and has her wits and 

driving skills. Eileen Lutz 

White is enjoying life in a 

retirement community on 

Hilton Head Island. Her 

grandkids are all through 

school, one interning 

at Beth Israel Hospital 

in Boston, one in San 

Francisco, a 3rd receiving 

a master’s degree in 

environmental studies 

and one in NY. Rosemary 

Beede Fournier is retired 

and living in Penacook, 

NH, and is lucky enough 

to have her 4 children 

and their families nearby, 

including daughter MaryJo 

Fournier Bergeron ’69. 

Gloria Well McCreery lives 

in a retirement community 

at North Hill, Needham, 

MA. She has 4 daughters, 

9 grandchildren and 16 

greats! Shirleyann Fuller 

St. Pierre and her hubby 

have moved to an assisted 

living complex in Danvers, 

MA. At this rate she thinks 

she might hit 100! Nancy 

Teachout Gardner went 

on a family reunion cruise 

to the Western Caribbean. 

Elizabeth Bryant Parker is 

still living in Windsor, CT. 

She’s had 3 mitral valve 

surgeries, but is very active 

in DAR, Republican Town 

Committee and church. 

Most of her family lives 

in Keene, NH, and the remainder 

in CA. Her career 

is Home Maintenance 


Engineer. I love that term… 

will adopt it! Doris Peakes 

Kendall says Cape Cod 

rocks. She’s still upright 

and volunteering. She enjoys 

entertaining the family 

and planned on spending 

summer in Seattle to 

celebrate her kid’s 60th 

birthday. She loves Fenway 

Park. Irene Bartholomew 

Brower still has parents! 

They’re in a skilled nursing 

facility in Brandon, FL, and 

she and her sister manage 

their affairs. Emily Morgan 

Clemmer is in Sarasota, 

FL, busy volunteering at 

the Women’s Exchange 

Store, and going to jazz 

events, plays and concerts. 

She has 2 great-granddaughters, 

Emma and 

Addison. On a sad note, 

Judith Allen Lawrence 

passed away in Jan.; our 

condolences to hubby 

Bob. Nancy Dean Maynard 

sent me the neatest book 

called The Dorm and Me, 

about a retired school 

teacher who took a job 

as “housemother” at a 

girls’ school. Names were 

changed but it was CJC 

before “coed.” The town 

was New London and the 

dorm (I think) was Burpee. 

I loved the read and sent it 

to Shirley Glidden Splaine. 

She’ll be happy to send 

it on if you contact her 

via email (garden775@ 

meterocast.net) or contact 

me at the above address. 

President Tom Galligan and Dorothy Wallsten Drake ’46 

at the Governor’s Residence in Ohio. 

1946 

Ramona “Hoppy” 

Hopkins O’Brien 

54 Texel Drive 

Springfield, MA 01108-2638 

(413) 739-2071 

Class correspondent 

Ramona “Hoppy” Hopkins 

O’Brien reported to the 

Alumni Office that she had 

hip replacement surgery 

in March. She had a few 

setbacks following the procedure 

and unfortunately, 

was not able to write the 

class column for this 

issue. She apologizes and 

promises to catch up next 

time. Dorothy Wallsten 

Drake attended a Colby- 

Sawyer alumni luncheon 

at the Ohio Governor’s 

residence in Columbus, 

OH, in early June. Her 

grandson Tyler attended 

with her. Beverly “Bebe” 

Walker Wood attended a 

Colby-Sawyer alumni event 

in Hanover, NH, in June 

with her friend Nancy 

Wiesner Conlking ’58. 

Janet Reynolds 

Crandlemire loves living 

in York, ME, and hopes 

to continuing living 

there. She has one son 

living in ID, another in 

HI, and her 2 daughters 

both live in ME. 

1947 

Nancy Nutter Snow 

79 Greystone Circle 


Phone: (603) 526-6287 

nancysnow79@comcast.net 

Some letters arrived too 

late for the last magazine 

so I will start with 

them. Kirsten Henriksen 

Fjellheim is glad for contact 

with her friends from 

CJC. She and her husband 

are in good health and 

happy to have 2 grandchildren 


She enjoys studying 

Italian. She writes, “We

Joan Watson Krumm ’47. 

have had many wonderful 

trips in Italy, France, Spain, 

Portugal and, in June, 

Iceland!” Julie Loeffell 

Hughes has loved living in 

Prescott, AZ, since 1994. 

Her daughter lives with 

her and they both sing in 

the choir. Bridge and being 

an active Art Docent keep 

her busy throughout the 

year, and she still loves to 

travel. Jane O’Neil Auby 

says, “I am not doing 

much but keeping my 3 

dogs happy…American 

Cocker Spaniels. Two are 

AKC Champions; one of 

the 2 is an International 

Champ. Besides the dogs 

I’m an avid bridge player.” 

Betty Funk Smith’s 

days are filled from early 

morning to evening with 

exercising, reading, church 

activities, bridge, experimental 

cooking, grandparenting, 

get-togethers 

with family and friends 

and, twice a year, 6-week 

classes at a local college. 

A favorite time for her 

is long distance phone 

visits with her roommate 

Grace Greene Williams. 

While playing bridge, 

someone mentioned 

being in FL and meeting 

a friend of hers: “Jean 

‘Je Je’ Harding Pierce! 

Eleanor Murray Wiggins 

is still enjoying retirement 

from teaching elementary 

school. She was able to 

teach in NH, FL and OR 

during her nearly 30 years 

in the classroom. Joan 

Watson Krumm had quite 

a year with blizzards, an 

earthquake and eviction 

because of Hurricane 

Irene. Polly White Phillips 

is still enjoying life in 

Auburn, ME, seeing 

family often, including 

her 1st great-grandchild 

born on Christmas Eve. 

Her 2 grandchildren will 

be heading off to college 

in the fall. Several postcards 

asking for news 

were detached en route, 

returning blanks to me. I 

have tried to call people 

from the return addresses. 

I found Lynda Childs Fritz; 

she’s living in downtown 

Manchester. Her son is 

happily married and living 

in FL, and he visits often. 

Her granddaughter, Jessica 

Anne Fritz, graduated 

from UCLA’s Film School 

in 2011 and is living in 

CA. Claire Couble O’Hara 

lives at Linden Ponds in 

Hingham, MA. She has 

friends who graduated 

from CJC: Barbara ‘Bobbie’ 

Tinkham Conant ’43 and 

Nancy Dunn Lenahan 

’52. Marjorie ‘Jerrie’ Lanz 

Parker in Palm Harbor, FL, 

still enjoys walking and 

playing bridge and has not 

seen any Colby gals for a 

long time. (So come to 

Reunion!) One grandson 

is at Brown and 2 granddaughters 

might consider 

Colby-Sawyer. As of May, 

Martha Turner Klenk was 

with Acorn Manufacturing 

Company for 45 years. Jean 

‘Je Je’ Harding Pierce enjoyed 

Easter brunch at the 

Gasparella Inn and Club 

on Boca Grande with many 

friends and family. There 

she met Ruth Richards 

Lovingood-Finke ’52, a 

Colby Jr. grad from Dayton, 

OH. Her son Fred and his 

wife Julia, who live in New 

London, bought a house 

on Boca Grande last Nov. 

Priscilla ‘Kit’ Dobbs Ritz 

writes “After leaving Colby 

Jr. I worked, saved money 

and took off alone at 21 

to go to Dallas. Worked at 

the Dallas Morning News 

and then was promoted to 

work for the Sunday Editor 

for 5 years. Then married, 

had 2 children and lived 

in Larchmont, NY, for 40+ 

years. Now retired and 

loving it in Saugerties, 

NY.” Alice Hubbert Forbes 

is moving back to NH to 

be with kids and grandkids 

after 35 years in Seattle! 

Cornella Fay Rendell- 

Wilder in Delray Beach, 

FL, is wondering whether 

she should remain near 

the ocean or pull up stakes 

to live near family. Shirley 

Holmes Dunlap spends 

winter in Siesta Key, FL, 

and summer and fall in 

Hopkinton, NH. She has 4 

children and 10 grandchildren 

ages 4 to 37. One son 

is a former CSC Trustee; 

2 sisters are CJC grads, 

with possibly more family 

to follow. She’s looking 

forward to seeing everyone 

in Oct. for our 65th. As for 

me (Nancy), I remain in 

touch with Claire ‘Nuge’ 

Nugent Sullivan; keeping 

up with her and Henry in 

FL, at sea and in Newport, 

RI, is a challenge. They’ll 

be attending Henry’s 

Boston College reunion on 

their return to RI. Sadly, 

another friend, Dorothy 

‘Dorsi’ Brooks Tately, lost 

Harold. We spent a great 

weekend at their home in 

East Harwich along with 

the Sullivans one summer 

a few years ago. Nancy 

Wiggin McVickar is living 

in Northfield, VT, near her 

son Gifford. She’s happy 

to be a great-grandmother 

of 2 little girls, Chloe and 

Addlyn LaBonte. Virginia 

‘Ginny’ Horton Adams 

hopes we’ll have a big 

turnout for our 65th. This 

is our time of year to see 

more family, thanks to 

Little Lake Sunapee. Bud 

and I are so lucky to get to 

know our 2 great-grandchildren, 

1 1/2-year-old 

Judah and his little cousin, 

Camryn Joy, 13 mos. 

Best wishes to you all. 

1948 

Phyllis “Les” Harty Wells 

6305 SW 37th Way 

Gainesville, FL 32608-5104 

Phone and fax: 

(352) 376-847 

lesmase@bellsouth.net 


69

Madelon “Maddy” 

Pennicke Cattell had back 

surgery but continues to 

have problems. She’s given 

up driving and gained 

hearing aids this year. 

She’s still pretty mobile 

and has a wonderful time 

at the retirement home 

connected to Penn State. 

Janet “Jan” Kennerson 

Andrews plays golf, walks 

without a limp, drives a car 

without having accidents, 

sees and hears well and is 

able to think clearly. Jan’s 

2 sons are grandfathers 

to grandsons and loving 

the new experience. Six 

of Jan’s grandkids are 

married while number 7 

married in Lake Charles, 

LA, in Mar. Nancy Dexter 

Aldrich in Sugar Hill, NH, 

says Roger was diagnosed 

with macular degeneration. 

He won’t go blind, 

but won’t be able to see 

well. Since then, he’s been 

working with the local VA’s 

Low Vision Clinic. Nancy 

cracked some vertebrae 

and had to be immobilized 

for 7 weeks. Neither 

of the Aldriches can drive 

after dark, so they depend 

on family and friends. 

In spite of all the snow 

and cold, they managed 


to attend their church in 

Plymouth most Sundays. 

Nancy was even able to 

do some cross country 

skiing. Barbara “Bobbie” 

Schulz Watts didn’t have 

much news as her “brain 

was frozen” in VT’s very 

cold winter weather. 

Bobbie sent along Heloise 

“Weezie” Pike Mailloux’s 

Christmas news. I was 

so sorry to hear that 

Weezie lost her husband, 

Ken, from a heart 

attack last Sept. Weezie 

lives at Stonebridge in 

Montgomery, a beautiful 

CCR in Skillman, NJ. Her 

sister Betty’s great-granddaughter 

kindly offered to 

take Heloise and her dog, 

Maggie, to see all 4 of 

Weezie’s sisters who live 

in the New England area. 

Sybil “Billie” Adams Moffat 

says Paul had a surprise 

quadruple bypass but is 

home after 2 months in 

Wake Robin’s rehab unit. 

He is now having occupational 

therapy and physical 

therapy. Sybil adds that 

our class was a leader in 

giving to CSC. Virginia 

“Ginny” Orr Welsh and 

Bob celebrated Bob’s 

90th last summer with a 

complete gathering of all 

10 of their clan, including 

grandchildren from 

Vancouver, Canada! On a 

sad note, they lost daughter 

Lynda’s husband, Alan, 

who died of a heart attack 

last July. Jane Maynard 

Gibson planned to call 

Bobbie Hamilton Hopkins 

for a chat. During the 

Christmas holidays, Jane 

had a phone chat with Jean 

Klaubert Friend. Jean’s 

husband, Paul, fell going 

into a restaurant and had 

to have stitches around 

his mouth. Their dentist 

son-in-law took him to 

the ER. Surgery followed, 

and he had to spend 5 

weeks in the hospital. He 

was home by Christmas 

but was still using a 

cane. Jean said they were 


their triplet family from 

Indianapolis. Frances 

“Fran” Wannerstrom Clark 

enjoyed a wonderful cruise 

around the Adriatic with 

her 2 daughters. Katherine 

“Kay” Heinrich Clark had 

the opportunity to attend 

an interesting 3-part 

series on Muslims and 

Christians. On July 4, 2011, 

Kay and her brother, Pete, 

enjoyed opening the family 

summer place, Heinrich’s 

We have had many wonderful 

trips in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal 

and, in June, Iceland! 

Kirsten Henriksen Fjellheim ’47 

Folly, at Cache Lake in 

Algonquin Park, Canada. 

She had a 2nd visit in Aug. 

Her children are scattered 

between NJ, PA, KS and 

CA. One of our well-seasoned 

travelers, Ann Wyllie 

Jarrett, was on her way 

to Italy with her friend 

Gretchen. They stayed 

with Gretchen’s neice, 

Judy, who lives in Rome. 

In July, Ann suffered from 

a subdural hematoma that 

was causing pressure in 

her skull. She had to have 

2 drains inserted on separate 

occasions before the 

pressure was relieved. In 

Aug. she had lots of rehab 

before beginning to feel 

like her old self. By Sept., 

she was back to biking, 

walking and painting. In 

2011, Ann won Honorable 

Mention in an art show 

and hopes you all saw the 

nice article about her in 

our CSC Alumni magazine. 

Cornelia “Nini” Hawthorne 

Maytag is in great health 

and happily runs in 5 or 

more directions for her 

many commitments. She’s 

grateful to have all her 

children living nearby in 

Colorado Springs. Nini 

was off to NY and was 

looking forward to having 

dinner with roommate 

Nancy “Hob” Hobkirk 

Pierson and Jim. Nini and 

Emily “Emy Lou” Simson 

Croke got together while 

Emy Lu was staying in 

town with her son. Nini 

and Emy Lou talk frequently 

on the phone 

and occasionally meet 

in Denver. She also got

In the past 10 years there have been 

5 new great-grandchildren. 

Claudia (Clara) Lisai Wylie ’49 

together with Carol “Shoe” 

Shoemaker Marck and 

Chuck in June. The Marcks 

attended the christening 

of the new nuclear aircraft 

carrier, USS George H.W. 

Bush (CVN-77). One of 

their grandkids, Jonathan, 

has been accepted at West 

Point and was to start his 

training this summer. As 

for me, Mase and I finally 

put our house on the 

market. We’ve been toying 

with the idea of moving 

to Oak Hammock, a CCR 

with a U of FL connection. 

Those of you who have 

already done this all know 

what it’s like to decide 

what to do with all the 

stuff you collect after 50 

to 60 years of marriage! 

1949 

Elizabeth Reynolds 

Matthews 

5 Wildflower Lane 

Bedminster, NJ 07921 

(908) 234-9033 

elimtth@aol.com 

It’s been a pleasure receiving 

your notes, and your 

immediate response to my 

appeal was appreciated. 

Margot Hageman Smith 

offered to type your news 

before it was sent to Colby, 

so she shall be known as 

co-class correspondent. 

Many thanks for your contribution, 

Margot. From 

Sally Woodbury Handy 

in Lyme, CT, we hear that 

5 fabulous daughters 

surprised her and Parker 

with a wonderful 60th 

anniversary celebration. 

Sally’s many diversions 

include a Bible study 

and book group, as well 

as discovery of the Met 

in HD. Age has slowed 

this pair down, so there’s 

been no quail hunting, an 

activity much anticipated 

for the past 25 years; 

however, they’re both in 

good shape. Julie Hamm 

McDowell has curtailed 

traveling due to some 

health challenges. She’s 

talking periodically with 

Jane Coulson MacDonald, 

who has news of Nita 

Michelini White, Betty 

“Pepper” See Hill and 

Sarah Shove Edwards’s 

husband Bud. Sadly, 2 others, 

Fran Comey Reid and 

Sarah, who were in this 

group, have passed on. 

Julie’s summers are spent 

in the Finger Lakes area 

but Bonita Springs, FL, is 

where she serves on the 

board of her condo association, 

participates in book 

study groups, does regular 

walking and volunteers 

for her church. Reunions 

are seldom since children 

are scattered in Seattle, 

Chicago and Boston and 

her grandchildren chose 

the west coast and NYC. 

Pauline “Pommie” Dunn 

Lanata and Jean Bryant 

Meyer combine varied 

activities. Both are members 

of the Westwood, 

MA, Women’s and Garden 

Clubs, where they cochair 

several committees. 

They take advantage of a 

Council on Aging as well 

as an exercise program. 

Jean visits frequently with 

Priscilla Allen Walton, and 

Pommie keeps in touch 

by phone with Raemah 

Gooley Williams and Mary 

Ann Hamilton. Each 

Christmas, Pommie 

eagerly awaits a family 

portrait of close to 25 

members from Sally 

Jenkins Kimball, who looks 

great. Perhaps Sally will 

send one to the alumni 

office for our publication. 

Jean’s 4 children and 11 

grands live within driving 

distance. Pommie’s 3 

children are also nearby, 

and husband Bob’s offspring 

are scattered over 

the states. She thrives 

on babysitting her 2 

1/2-year-old great-granddaughter. 

Jean Monroe 

Hanna has combined 

the warm climate of 

Jupiter, FL, condo living 

and the beautiful summer 

days in Chatham, Cape 

Cod. Occasionally she sees 

Sally Jenkins Kimball in 

nearby Harwich. Jean has 

2 daughters residing in 

CT. Jean’s husband, Harry, 

passed on very suddenly 

in 2003. When Annabelle 

Gates Broderick retired 

in 1994, she relocated 

to Marco Island, FL, for 

8 months, then escaped 

the heat at a lake in CT, 

but now FL has become 

permanent. Though 

most family members 

are in New England, 

Annabelle and Bill have 

2 daughters residing in 

FL, plus 15 grandchildren 


She’s a dedicated 

painter whose surface 

of choice is gourds, and is 

a member of the Naples 

Decorative Artists Society. 

Pat Hammond, a writer, 

created a New England 

aviation magazine called 

Flying Yankee. She retired 

6 years ago as a reporter 

for The NH Union Leader 

after 25 years of covering 

politics and government. 

Now, reading, her dog 

and sunrises over the 

mountains east of Orford, 

NH, fill her days. A note 

from Hope Cushman 

Cisneros’s husband of 17 

years informs us she is 

unable to correspond because 

she’s an Alzheimer 


71

patient at Emeritas, an 

assisted living facility for 

seniors in the Denver 

area. We send them our 

fondest regards and are 

pleased he informed us 

of her condition. After 

raising 3 children, Doris 

Semisch Shearer returned 

to an 8-hour workday in 

the Hematology lab at 

Harrisburg Hospital, and 

soon became Educational 

Coordinator of the School 

of Medical Technology. 

Remarriage, a move to 

Hershey, PA, and wintering 

in Hilton Head Island, SC, 

as well as trips abroad, 

completed a happy life 

until her husband’s death 

in 2005. Doris is now 

living in Masonic Village, 

a retirement retreat in 

Elizabeth, PA, where she 

has found exciting activities 

and people who 

brighten her life. After 

retiring as Operational 

Manager for a French 

textile firm, Helen Casciani 

“glimpsed 75% of the 

world” after 15 cruises and 

numerous trips including 

Australia, South Pacific, 

Scandinavia, Russia, the 

Pacific Northwest and 4 

visits to the Far East. In 

2011, Ann Poindexter Ives 

and John, in Gainesville, 

FL, celebrated 60 years of 

marriage. Their daughter, 

a Colby-Sawyer graduate, 

has passed on, and 

their son and his wife 

in Gainsville, FL, have 

produced 2 grandsons 

and a great-grandson. 

Ann volunteered at many 


hospitals before John 

retired after 40 years as a 

hospital administrator. She 

and John continue as golf 

officials. Margot Hageman 

Smith lives in a condo 

in Burlington, VT, near a 

daughter and her family. 

Margot has traveled to 

Italy, France and England, 

where she visited daughter 

Anne and her British husband. 

She has a daughter 

in CA and a son in Costa 

Rica. She’s involved in 

needlework, reading, 

‘computering,’ calligraphy 

and a book group. 

Shortly after our 50th 

Reunion in 1999, Verna 

Lou Williams Siedensticker 

and Bob, Pat Jaffer Ellis 

(now Russell) and Bill, 

and Jim and I decided we 

would all return for our 

60th but prior to that we 

would meet to spend a 

night and see a play in 

NYC. Then we learned 

Bill and Bob had cancer. 

Jim’s was discovered later. 

Sadly, all 3 are now gone 

from us. In 2011 Vern took 

son, Bob, and daughter, 

Liz, and their families 

on a Baltic cruise out of 

Copenhagen. Jane Coulson 

MacDonald enjoys the 

warmth of Lake Park, FL, 

in winter, leaving Marion, 

MA, behind her. At the 

home of a mutual friend, 

Jane saw Betty See Hill 

and her husband, John, 

last summer and she said, 

“Matriarch Betty looked 

great.” Jane also keeps 

in touch several times 

a year with Julie Hamm 

McDowell, who lives in 

Bonita Springs, FL. When 

she lived in Manchester- 

By-the-Sea, MA, 35 years 

ago, Jane often saw Nita 

Michelini White, but has 

not been in touch with her 

for 3 years. A great-grandson 

joined Jane’s family 

last Nov., in Durham, NC, 

adding to 2 daughters and 

7 grandchildren. Claudia 

(Clara) Lisai Wylie’s 

granddaughter-in-law 

reports that Alzheimer’s 

prevents Clara from 

keeping touch. In the past 

10 years there have been 5 

new great-grandchildren. 

Clara’s husband died in 

2003. Despite her disease, 

she is smiling or laughing 

and thrives on being with 

family and friends, yet 

forgets later that they were 

there. Betsy Dorrance Daly 

and Bill live in Skidaway 

Island, GA, and rent in 

Wolfeboro, NH, on Lake 

Winnipesaukee for 3 to 4 

weeks every summer. But 

now Bill is living in a retreat 

with dementia; Betsy 

visits every day, rejoicing 

because he recognizes her. 

The Dalys’ 4 sons live in 

Sacramento, MI, NH and 

Savannah, GA. They’ve 

produced 7 grandchildren 


I will write news of 

Susanne Neiley White 

in 2 installments. Her 

husband, George, lost his 

battle with Parkinson’s in 

June 2011, as did my brother 

in Jan. They both had 

a great sense of humor 

and continued acceptance 

until the end. George was 

the 9th Architect of the 

Capitol for 25 years. The 

37 years of the Whites’ 

marriage included travel 

to Australia, where 

George consulted on the 

new Parliament House in 

Canberra, and trips to Bali, 

Nepal, India, Istanbul, 

Paris and London, where 

they met Queens Mary and 

Elizabeth and all the royal 

family, save Diana. Knee 

replacements for Susanne 

were scheduled in Feb. and 

she hoped to have a golf 

club in hand by mid-summer. 

She still has a passion 

for ice skating, tennis, 

paddle and bowling. Next 

issue: news of her active 

offspring. Shortly following 

our 50th Reunion, 

Pat Smith Beach lost her 

husband, Don, and 2 

years later she moved to 

a living center; she does 

every activity with aid and 

a pacemaker. She has had 

to eliminate tennis, paddle 

and golf as weekly sports 

and found bridge as her 

salvation. Along with 3 

daughters, one of whom 

attended Colby-Sawyer, 

Pat traveled to New 

London for our 60th 

Reunion and was impressed 

with the college’s 

growth, but was 

disappointed to find only 

Sally Randall, who lives 

near campus, on hand to 

celebrate. Pat’s 7 grandchildren 

range in age 

from 16 to 32. She enjoys 

watching the youngest 

play varsity soccer and 

basketball nearby. Raemah 

Gooley Williams and her

husband, Bob, live in a 

condo in Norwich, VT. 

Both engage in water aerobics 

3 times a week and 

when away from the gym, 

Raemah volunteers at the 

Dartmouth-Hitchcock 

Medical Center and her 

church. She’s a member of 

the International Women’s 

Club and Hanover Garden 

Club. They snowshoe 

for added exercise. Their 

family consists of 5 children, 

10 grandchildren, 

2 great-grandbabies and 

Mona and Lisa, their 2 

Manx cats. I never did 

connect with Joan Trainer 

Kirsten and Ken after 

our 1999 Reunion. Joan 

has kept in touch with 

Jean Larkum Hardcastle. 

Joan and Ken have done 

considerable traveling, including 

Bermuda, Russia, 

France and many other 

European countries. This 

year, they plan a roundtrip 

from Barcelona to 

Monaco, Rome, Portofino, 

Tunis and Carthage. Close 

to home, the Kirstens 

are entertained at the 

Morristown Performing 

Arts Center. Whenever 

needed, Joan volunteers 

at the Great Swamp 

Watershed Assn. Two 

children live in MI and FL 

and there are 2 grandsons 

and a step-grandson. 

Bobbie Laurie Prescott 

loves her new location in 

Rockport, MA. The water, 

she says, “Has life of its 

own and never ceases to 

be interesting.” Florence 

“Florrrie” Tornquist Tuthill 

still resides in Hindsale, 

IL, where they “have the 

world’s best full-time 

caregiver for Jim, who 

has Parkinson’s.” When 

the weather turns, they 

head for Scottsdale, AZ. 

Since the family is very 

scattered, their 3 children, 

12 grandchildren and 2 

great-grandchildren only 

get together for weddings 

and other special occasions. 

Last year a friend 

and I visited Doylestown, 

PA, where Audrey Bostwick 

has finally retired from 

Equine Studies Program 

at Delaware Valley 

College, where she taught 

the horse and carriage 

driving courses since 

1988. She’s a licensed 

Pleasure Driving judge 

for the American Driving 

Society and the U.S. 

Equestrian Federation. 

She has 7 ponies. Last 

summer Audrey satisfied 

a dream by competing 

once again with Hackney 

horses at the Royal Winter 

Agriculture Fair in Toronto. 

For 33 years, Jean Larkum 

Hardcastle and Dennis 

have bought and sold 

residences in Vero Beach, 

FL. For 22 years they have 

resided in the oceanfront 

community Sea Oaks, 

where they’re active with 

the chorus until they leave 

to spend the summer 

months in Avon, CT. We 

had lunch, and I found 

that Jean had lured Donna 

Oosting Muenzberg and 

Joan Hamilton Sweetland 

to the Oaks, where they are 

quite content. For years, 

Mimi Coffin Ragsdale and 

her husband spent time at 

the theatre, traveling and 

spending summers at their 

home in Mattapoisett, MA. 

She decided to continue 

this way of life after his 

death, from Alzheimer’s, 

2 years ago. Last year she 

and her daughter took a 

Metropolitan Museum 

tour to Cambodia and 

Vietnam. In Mar. they 

took a trip on Sea Cloud 

2 in the Caribbean 

Windward Islands. She 

continues to schedule 

museum exhibits and the 

theatre in her routine. 

1950 

Class Correspondent 

Needed 

Over Mother’s Day 

Bobbie Fetzer Herbert 

and her daughter drove to 

Washington, DC, to stay 

with her granddaughter. 

While there, she had lunch 

with Gloria Demers Collins 

and Priscilla Johnson 

Greene. Bobbie’s oldest 

granddaughter was featured 

on the cover of the 

Christmas issue of In Jersey 

magazine. She’s modeled 

for the magazine several 

times. Their home in Red 

Bank, NJ, caught fire and 

was a total loss, but they’re 

currently rebuilding. 

Bobbie recently returned 

from a week in Puerto 

Vallarta, Mexico, with 3 

friends, and was heading 

to AZ to visit her son and 

his wife. Jane Grayson 

Slover is leading an active 

life in spite of some health 

issues for both her and her 

husband. Their youngest 

son, Tom, now 45, is 

married for the 1st time to 

a girl named Chun. They 

I will never forget my experience at 

Colby Jr. College. Those 2 years 

were so special, they will never be 

forgotten. They helped to shape 

my life that lay ahead. 

Mary Jane Critchett Lane ’51 


73

Alumni from Ohio enjoyed a luncheon in early June hosted by First Lady Karen Waldbillig 

Kasich at the Governor’s Residence. The event was held in memory of Karen’s mother, Leslie 

Moore Waldbillig ’50. Those in attendance included (back row, l to r) Betty Kendig Eastman 

’57, Ellen Gessner Clowes ’62, Jacqueline Loewy ’76, Kevin Lowman, Victoria Strand Weaver 

’75, Michael Clowes, Sherry Smith Hayes ’62, Steve Hayes, Julia Snyder Fink ’55, President 

Tom Galligan, Dorothy Wallsten Drake ’46, Tyler Drake, (front row, l to r) Sibyl Sutton Strickland 

’56, Alice Ensdorf Bergstrom ’58, Lynn Lovelett Elizondo ’77, Sally Gates Johnson ’74, First 

Lady Karen Waldbillig Kasich, Carol Nearing Lehmann ’49 and Meredith Buzzi ’03. 

have a new baby boy, so at 

age 81 Jane’s a new grandmother. 

They live nearby in 

Dallas. Jane plays bridge, 

belongs to several book 

clubs, drives for Meals on 

Wheels and does several 

volunteer jobs at her 

church. The one she likes 

best is to take communion 

to shut-ins. Bobbie 

Bishop MacLean thought 

the new look of the Alumni 

Magazine was truly fantastic! 

Phil and Bobbie returned 

to Bridgton the 1st 

week in Apr. after spending 

the winter at their condo in 

Portland. Their son Andy 

and his wife, Michele, 

are into marathons. 


Members of Andy’s and 

Scott’s families planned 

to run the Bridgton 4 on 

the 4th. Gloria Demers 

Collins reports that before 

Mother’s Day, Bobbie 

Herbert drove down 

from NJ with her daughter. 

Gloria and Priscilla 

Johnson Greene met with 

her for lunch. Gloria meets 

with Priscilla, who lives 

in Springfield, VA, about 

once a month for lunch. 

Gloria’s husband just 

had his 91st birthday, and 

he still plants a beautiful 

garden. Grandson James 

was studying in Tokyo for 

3 months before returning 

to James Madison U. 

Their son Sean continues 

working in the missile 

defense field. Gloria 

still works as a hospital 

volunteer (now 30 years) 

and gives an exercise 

class at the Senior Center 

twice a week. Nancy Frost 

Smith and her husband 

took a 15-day cruise to 

HI, and in Feb. they went 

to Jamaica for 2 weeks. 

1951 

Bobbie Green Davis 

107 Columbia Ave. 

Swarthmore, PA 19081 

(610) 543-6688 

In the summer Elaine 

Wahlstad Littlehales’s kids 

and grandkids come for 

an extended visit. Elaine 

is half of the bookkeeping 

team at church and teaches 

a ladies’ Bible study. At 

the end of Mar., she went 

with a few friends on a 

10-day trip through Israel. 

Nancy MacCalla Bazemore 

in Traverse City, MI, keeps 

busy in her gardens. It has 

been a sad year with the 

loss of her Lab and 3 best 

friends. A cottage lovingly 

call Skunk Cabbage 

Cottage on the Manistee 

River is a wonderful 

getaway and supplies 

interesting cuttings and 

materials for an Ikebana 

group Nancy joined. Her 

daughter Kimberly has 

redone an old dry cleaning 

building and opened an art 

gallery and studios. Nancy 

is the official sitter. Last 

year Pat Day received the 

volunteer of the year award 

from Morton Hospital in 

Taunton, MA. Margery 

Atherton and Sel enjoyed 

the 60th Reunion festivities 

last fall. The Athertons 

went on a cruise along 

the Norwegian Coast in 

June. Eleanor Merklen 

Cambrey writes, “I take 

one day at a time and keep 

busy since Dick passed 

away 2 years ago. I do a 

lot of volunteering at my 

church, garden and play 

golf as much as I can. My 

youngest granddaughter 

graduated from U of 

SC last year. My oldest 

granddaughter finished her

1st year at the Berkshire 

Hills Music Academy. 

My oldest grandson is in 

his 2nd year at USC, and 

the youngest will be a 

senior in high school. My 

sister (Virginia Merklen 

Hutchins ’53) and I went 

on the Colby-Sawyer trip 

to Italy in 2010. I’m now 

taking classes in stained 

glass.” Marguerite Cline 

Almy went to the MA 

Democratic convention in 

Springfield June 2 as a delegate 

for Elizabeth Warren, 

who is opposing Scott 

Brown. As for me, I’m riding 

my bike often and am 

kayaking every sunny day. 

I recently spent time with 

my grandson in Boston, 

who’s planning to get his 

doctorate in math and 

wants to be a professor. I 

spend as much time as I 

can with my children and 

grandchildren. Savannah is 

home for the cold months 

and the rest of the year I 

am home in Nonquitt, MA. 

Hope everyone is well. 

Ruth Gray Pratt enjoyed a 

wonderful 2-week vacation 

in FL on Manasota 

Key in April. During the 

trip, family and friends 

gathered in celebration 

of Ruth’s 80th birthday. 

Her most memorable gift 

was a parasail ride over 

the Gulf of Mexico! Ann 

Houston Conover and her 

husband, Roger, attended 

the party. The Conovers 

winter in Venice, FL, and 

the Pratts see them again 

in Brewster, MA, on Cape 

Cod in June. Ruth is still 

playing bridge every week 

with Mary Louden Eckert 

and Joan White Snively. 

Mary’s husband, Pete, died 

in Jan. Mary Jane Critchett 

Lane is fully retired from 

teaching in both Merrimac, 

MA, and Rockport, MA. 

She and Charlie celebrated 

their 60th wedding anniversary 

last September. For 

18 years they have spent 

their winters in Clermont, 

FL. She writes, “We have 

enjoyed our trips for many 

years and Disney World 

has been a favorite place of 

ours over and over again. 

Such fun! Our travels 

have also included many 

cruises and special trips to 

Europe. Our 6 children are 

very well and our family 

now includes 11 grandchildren 


This large family 

keeps us happily busy and 

we are blessed.” Mary 

Jane’s passion is attending 

painting classes, working 

with acrylics and mixed 

media. She belongs to the 

Rockport Art Association 

and enjoys the extra time 

she is able to devote to 

learning to paint. “I will 

never forget my experience 

at Colby Jr. College. 

Those 2 years were so 

special, they will never be 

forgotten. They helped 

to shape my life that lay 

ahead,” shared Mary 

Jane. If anyone is near 

Rockport, MA, Mary Jane 

would welcome visitors. 

1952 

Marilyn “Woodsie” 

Woods Entwistle 

16 Cooks Mill Road 

Naples, ME 04055 

(207) 693-3503 

mainewoodsie1@ 

roadrunner.com 

Mary Lanius gave a 

lecture in Bangkok for the 

Museum Association of 

Thailand and then went 

to northeastern India 

for 15 days in Nagaland 

and Assam. This summer 

she worked on a 

preservation project of 

the Hotel de Paris, (circa 

1870), a privately owned 

and supported museum 

in Georgetown, CO, that 

was the subject of her 

Bangkok lecture. Richard 

and Sally “Itchie” Hueston 

Day and their son Mark 

flew to Anchorage then 

drove to Denali National 

Park, where they saw a 

show of the Northern 

Lights. They returned from 

Anchorage to Vancouver 

on the Inland Passage 

Cruise for a visit with 

their granddaughter and 

husband in Bellingham. 

Then it was home to SC, 

where they adopted a 

black Lab pup. Last fall I 

met roommates Elizabeth 

“Betty” Carlson Salomon 

and Nancy Angell Turnage 

at grandchild Bev’s condo 

in Portland, ME. For 3 days 

we hiked along the shore, 

climbed a high tower, 

toured Longfellow’s house, 

saw a Hopper exhibit at 

Bowdoin and ended with 

a dinner of fresh lobster 

off my son-in-law Jeff’s 

boat. After her usual winter 

in Man-O-War Cay in the 

Bahamas, Joanne “Judy” 

Fowle Hinds returned to 

NH to resume her hospice 

work, sing in a 200-member 

women’s choir and 

attend her granddaughter’s 

graduation at 

Bowdoin. Judy is looking 

forward to Reunion. Sylvia 

“Dickie” Cookman Hnat 

of Naples, FL, is active 

in several local organi- 

Sally “Itchie” Hueston Day ’52 and her husband, Richard, 

at Denali National Park in Alaska. 


75

zations, plus her church 

and 2 book clubs, volunteers 

at a nursing home, 

has season tickets to the 

Naples Philharmonic and 

loves to travel, including 

several yearly trips to 

see her family: a son, 2 

daughters and 9 grandchildren. 

The oldest, Rick, 

graduated from U Mass. 

Amherst this spring and 

granddaughter Katie 

has followed him there 

on a scholarship. Dickie 

regularly talks to Mary 

Anne “M.A.” Lutz Mackin, 

Doris Smart Sandstrom, 

Nancy Shumway Adams, 

and plans to give Doris a 

ride to Reunion. Beverly 

“Bev” Bump retired in 

Guatemala after working 

in Miami for 10 years to 

be near her family, including 

daughter Heather 

Kuhn Frank ’80, a son, 7 

grandchildren and a great- 

grandson. Her youngest 

daughter, who works in 

Phoenix, will be coming 

to Latin America when 

she retires. Natalie “Nat” 

Clarke Jones celebrated 

her 80th in Mar. with 

daughter Julie on a river 

cruise from Normandy 

to Paris. Back in NH, she 

attended 2 granddaughters’ 

H.S. graduations; one 

is headed to New England 

U in ME, and the other 

to Loyola Marymount U 

in L.A. Look for Nat at 

Reunion; she’s on the 

Reunion committee. In 

Apr. Nancy Shumway 

Adams’s son Bo completed 

his 50th consecutive 

year skiing Tuckerman’s, 


Our whole family got together 

for my 80th birthday and 

went on a cruise out of Miami over 

Christmas to celebrate. 

Betsey Borgerson Stevens ’52 

accompanied by son 

Wyatt, who completed 

his 11th consecutive year. 

Polly Black Koerner is very 

sorry to miss Reunion, but 

her family has planned a 

celebration of her 80th 

birthday that weekend. 

From Chatham on Cape 

Cod, Betsey Borgerson 

Stevens writes, “Our whole 

family got together for my 

80th birthday and went on 

a cruise out of Miami over 

Christmas to celebrate. 

There were 15 of us: 4 

adult children, 7 grandchildren 

and a couple of 

spouses. A great time for 

all to be together, as the 

family is spread all over 

the country.” Betsey hopes 

to be at Reunion to see all 

the changes on campus. 

And finally, another news 

flash from your Reunion 

Committee (Sae, Shum, 

Nat, Noel): “By now you’ve 

read the 1st news flash 

about our 60th Reunion 

Oct. 12-14. We hope you 

are as excited as we are 

about our housing plans. 

Our class will be staying 

at Twin Lake Villa on 

Little Lake Sunapee in a 

brand new lodge with a 

bazillion bedrooms and 

bathrooms and lots of 

amenities. More details 

will follow soon. So mark 

your calendar and plan 

on a stupendous weekend 

with your old Colby 

friends. And remember 

we will be guests of the 

college for lunch and the 

banquet on Saturday.” 

1953 

Jane Pearl Dickinson 

80 Maple Street Unit #204 

Danvers, MA 01923 

(978) 777-2778 

jane.dickinson@verizon.net 

1954 

Jo-Anne Greene Cobban 

9 Mayflower Drive 

Keene, NH 03431 

(603) 352-5064 

Anne Dwyer Milne, Sandra 

Davis Carpenter and Jean 

Cragin Ingwersen enjoyed 

a Road Scholar (Elder 

Hostel) trip to Ashville, 

NC. Anne plans to sail 

on a small cruise ship 

from Bali to Singapore 

in Jan. Dartmouth Week 

in Berlin was scheduled 

for May with her friend, 

Bert Whittemore. Doris 

Gustafson Baran in 

Loudon Co., VA, writes, 

“I’m still teaching Special 

Ed. at Legacy Elementary 

School. I just survived a 

scare with breast cancer. It 

makes you view life a little 

differently. I have 6 grandkids 

and one great-grandchild 

and am loving life!” 

Middleburg Spring Races 

is also in Loudoun Co., 

VA, where Nancy Sellers 

Mion and her husband, 

John, spent an afternoon, 

“thanks to Joan Campbell 

Eliot ’67 and her husband, 

Bob.” Nancy mentioned 

that they had a special visit 

with President Galligan 

and some local alumnae 

on a perfect spring day. 

Carole Binney Haehnel ’55 

MT in VT took a cruise to 

AK about a year ago and 

traveled through beautiful 

country. She has 4 

great-grandchildren, ages 1 

to 2 ½ yrs. old. Carole has 

one daughter now living 

near Keene, NH, and she’s 

also in the process of mak-

ing a move. Joan Durkee 

Reed writes, “Still living in 

the Bethlehem, NH, area, 

although we sold the big 

house and moved into a 

condo for easy living. We 

spend a couple of winter 

months in FL visiting 5 of 

our 10 grandchildren and 

our kids along the way. 

The other 2 children live 

in VT, so we go to many 

concerts, graduations 

and sporting events.” “I 

am sad to report of the 

passing of my husband, 

Jack, after 57 wonderful 

years,” writes Carol Nelson 

Reid. “I live at Brooksby 

Village in Peabody, MA, 

where I enjoy activities, 

going on trips and meeting 

many friends.” She’s 

been enjoying lunches with 

Nancy Paige Parker. Carol 

traveled to London to visit 

her son and his wife, who 

will be living there for 3 to 

5 years. While there she 

took the Eurostar train to 

Paris for 2 days. Carleen 

“Sunny” Madsen Dukstein 

and her husband have 

lived in a Sewickley, PA, 

retirement community for 

8 years, where there are 

many activities to keep 

them busy and active. Her 

husband is an artist and 

spends most of his time 

in the studio. Sunny has 

started working with color 

pencil. They try to get to 

ME every fall, and have 

stopped at CSC campus a 

couple times on their way. 

At Christmas, she keeps 

in touch with Frances 

“Fran” Moody Bacon, 

Carol Myers Ditmore and 

Barbara Frank Ketchum. 

Barbara Knight Price ’55 

MT, who lives in CA, loves 

having her family around 

her, including Ivy, the black 

retriever. That includes 

children and grandchildren 

who returned home to 

assist with her care due 

to changes in her health. 

Nancy Brown Cummings 

says summers are spent 

at the family cottage on 

Newfound Lake, NH. 

Their daughter Eleanor 

Cummings Bowe ’74 and 

Jerry Bowe live in a cottage 

nearby, and the Cummings 

have a condo where 

family and extended family 

come and go all summer. 

Christmas 2011 found 

them in Miami at their 

son Richard and Marcia’s 

home. On Dec. 5, 2011, 

great-grandson number 3, 

Ross Gerald Tornabene, 

arrived to join big brother, 

Graham and cousin, 

Grant Ullman, both now 

2. In Mar. they flew to 

Tahoe to see daughter 

Eleanor and husband’s 

new ski house. Then it was 

on to their home to see 

granddaughters Stephanie 

and Gretchen and their 

growing families. Daughter 

Andrea and Will are still 

nearby in Manchester, 

NH. Andrea is working 

with special needs kids in 

the Manchester Schools. 

Granddaughter Ashley 

graduated cum laude from 

UNH in May 2011. Zachary 

is finishing his 2nd year of 

college. Eleanor and Dick 

are comfortable and happy 

in W. Lebanon, NH. From 

West Ossipee, NH, Ann 

Rosenbach Scott writes 

that she and Roger celebrated 

their 57th wedding 

anniversary in Sept. 2011. 

In Apr. she and one of her 

granddaughters, age 7, 

went on a 4-day cruise on 

the Disney Dream Ship 

out of Port Canaveral. 

Future plans included a 

spring trip to Nassau for a 

weekend with her son and 

daughter-in-law and their 3 

children. “Bill and I spent 

6 weeks traveling from ME 

to NJ to FL, stopping along 

the way,” writes Shirley 

Wright Cantara. “Our 1st 

stop in FL was a visit with 

Percilla “Per” Horridge 

Savacool and her husband, 

Ron, on Pine Island 

on the Gulf. We spent 2 

weeks in Ft. Lauderdale, 

a week in Daytona Beach 

and Easter week in NJ with 

daughter Laura, Mike and 

grandsons Cameron, 14, 

Jordan, 15 and Brandon, 

17.” Joan Potter Nelson’s 

son and grandson started 

their college years at Keene 

State College in NH, and 

moved on to engineering 

schools. Emily Spencer 

Breaugh lives in Traverse 

City, MI. She and Neal 

celebrated their 35th wedding 

anniversary on Aug. 

25. Margot Thompson 

planned to be on Cape Cod 

in Aug. In Sept., she was 

looking forward to a cruise 

on the Dalmatian Coast 

from Croatia to Greece. 

She is a gardener when 

not traveling. From her 

summer home in Wellfleet, 

MA, Barbara Frank 

Ketchum writes, “This past 

fall I took one item off my 

bucket list: My daughter, 

Sarah Ketchum Reilly ’85, 

and I flew to Churchill, 

Canada, and then boarded 

a bus and went out on the 

tundra in the Hudson Bay 

area. Our mission was to 

see the polar bears. Bears 

we saw, and many other 

I’m still teaching 

Special Ed. at 

Legacy Elementary 

School … I have 6 

grandkids and one 

great-grandchild 

and am loving life! 

Doris Gustafson Baran ’54 


77

animals that make the 

tundra their home.” 

Barbara’s winter home 

is in PA. Virginia Sbarra 

Boeck writes, “I am a 

library trustee and very 

busy now since our director 

has resigned and we 

have begun the search 

for a replacement. We 

also have a new dog—a 

Westie!” Glenice Hobbs 

Harmon and Vic went 

from NH to AZ in Apr. for 

a family gathering. In May 

they visited their oldest 

daughter and family in 

Austin, TX, where they 

went on a tour of Lady 

Bird Johnson’s Wildflower 

Center. As for me, Jim 

and I celebrated our 

29th wedding anniversary 

last spring. We enjoy 

discovering unusual and 

interesting places, including 

historical sites along 

less-traveled roads. We 

watch for markers, museums, 

old inns and meeting 

houses. We both have 

enjoyed the outdoor life 

and have a special interest 

in preserving the forest 

and clean water sources 

in NH. When at home we 

grow some vegetables 

and what isn’t cooked up, 

served and shared, we 

freeze for winter meals. 

1955 

Gretchen Davis Hammer 

210 Winter Street 

St. Johnsbury, VT 05819 

(802) 424-1221 

gdh777@hughes.net 


The last issue of the Colby 

Sawyer Alumni Magazine 

was spectacular, I thought. 

Rosie Carhart Keenan 

had a wonderful vacation 

visiting her son Mark and 

his wife in Clearwater, 

FL. She was able to visit 

the surrounding areas of 

St. Petersburg, Treasure 

Island and several of the 

beaches. Rosie is busy 

now helping to arrange her 

high school class reunion 

in the Fall. Marcia Symmes 

Harmon and her partner 

Norm spent part of the 

winter in Boynton Beach, 

FL, taking a trip to St. 

John and then to St. Croix 

during their time in the 

South. Marcia’s grandchildren 

are world travelers 

as well: One spent 

time in London, another 

in Greece, a 3rd went to 

Costa Rica, and a 4th took 

her spring semester in 

New Zealand. After a river 

cruise from Switzerland to 

Vienna, Marcia and Norm 

planned to spend the 

summer in ME, where they 

would catch up with Nancy 

Petke Silverstein and 

her husband. Mary Jane 

“Mimi” Downes Watson 

and her husband spend 

time between Medford, 

MA, where her husband 

is a professor at Tufts U, 

and Harwich, on Cape 

Cod. Mimi has her own tax 

preparation business now, 

after having spent the majority 

of her professional 

life in healthcare. She and 

her husband married late 

and have no children, but 

are enjoying being surro- 

gate grandparents to Joan 

Banning Cassel’s son, and 

Joan Nichols Rizzo’s son, 

as well as her nephews! 

Mimi fractured her hip in 

the fall at a wedding reception, 

but is recovering 

well. Joanne Holden Miller 

and her husband, Jim, are 

almost finished restoring 

their 1803 house in the 

historic district of Canaan, 

NH. Joanne enjoys hooking 

rugs, a craft she’s been 

involved in for the past 27 

years. Stephanie Brown 

Reininger is a member 

of ILEAD, a volunteer 

organization in Lyme, NH, 

where she lives with her 

husband, Rob. Stephanie 

takes classes there, and 

also teaches a watercolor 

class. Her website is theplayfulpainter.com. 

Irmeli 

“Imie” Ahomaki Kilburn 

gets up to Hardwick, VT, 

to visit some close friends 

once in a while. Imie has 

2 grandchildren graduating 

from high school this 

year, and a granddaughter 

who is doing research on 

“far-off continents” for 

a year, having received a 

Watson fellowship when 

she graduated from 

Amherst last year. Imie 

adds that she thankfully 

has 2 VT grandchildren 

who are still in elementary 

school. In the Adirondack 

Mountains of NY, Alethe 

Laird Lescinsky and her 

husband are taking advantage 

of the various outdoor 

opportunities that region 

offers: hiking, canoeing, 

cross-country skiing, etc. 

They’re also very involved 

in doing volunteer work 

in their community of 

Lake Placid. Their 3 sons 

are married, each with 

2 children, the closest 

being near Columbus, 

OH. Their other 2 sons 

married Australian women 

and are living there. Trips 

Down Under have been 

many, and Lethe claims 

that she and her husband 

have actually seen more of 

Australia than they have of 

their own country. For their 

50th wedding anniversary, 

the whole family gathered 

for 2 weeks of fun in the 

sun. Lethe looks forward 

to our 60th Reunion! Jan 

Saylor Turney in Arroyo 

Grande, CA, and her 

husband are now retired 

after working for many 

years primarily in the 

commercial and residential 

design field. She’s now 

involved with some of the 

outreach programs in her 

town, as well as singing 

in her church choir. She 

looks forward to getting 

back in touch with many 

of the Class of ’55! Chris 

Huckel Kinnamon had a 

hip replacement in Mar., 

spending just 2 days in 

the hospital before going 

home, with the assistance 

of the visiting nurses and 

physical therapy. Her husband, 

Tom, is back to playing 

golf after having both 

hips replaced, and is now 

in good health. Their oldest 

son, Tim, is doing well 

after having been diagnosed 

with Stage IV prostate 

cancer. The doctors

feel that he’s progressing 

very well, with many more 

years ahead of him. Life 

in Barnet, VT, for Ken and 

me has come to a close, 

as we are moving back 

to St. Johnsbury. We’re 

looking forward to this, 

as we both travel into 

St. Johnsbury almost 

daily, whether to do 

errands, attend meetings, 

or–for Ken–to 

teach a class at CCV. 

1956 

Nancy Hoyt Langbein 

2 Appletree Drive 

Brunswick, ME 04011 

(207) 729-3879 

loislangbein@gmail.com 

Had a wonderful visit with 

Nate and Marsha Smoller 

Winer, who were in 

Brunswick to celebrate our 

husbands’ 55th Bowdoin 

reunion. The Winers had 

just returned from France 

and England, where they 

celebrated Marsha’s 

75th birthday. One of the 

youngest in our class! 

Another CA gal, Arlene 

Annan DeMoss, called and 

we had a nice chat. She 

reports that all is well in 

San Diego. Received a nice 

note from Edith Braman 

who lives in Middletown, 

RI. She stays in touch with 

Barbara McIntire Haskins. 

Gussie Crocker Stewart 

and Dick spent Christmas 

with her daughter, and 

Gussie’s son and his family. 

They were also together 

for Gussie’s birthday in 

December. Betty Boyson 

Tacy and Steve headed 

to their home at Goose 

Neck Rock’s Beach, ME, 

on Christmas afternoon. 

Sorry we couldn’t deliver 

Christmas snow! Betty 

commented on our 55th 

in 2011. She said, “WOW! 

Where did the years go?” 

M. J. Gilchrest is still working 

part-time and living in 

South Hampton, NY. Ruth 

Rissland Kreuter was in 

Cape Cod twice last summer 

(2011), but did not get 

to ME as expected. They 

still have their Christmas 

trees starting Thanksgiving 

weekend. Sally Marker 

Hayward and I have 

exchanged cards since our 

days after CJC. WOW! I 

always look forward to her 

cards with news. She and 

Don are both well but will 

not be heading to NE this 

year. Marcia Copenhaver 

Barrere’s Christmas 

letter is fun to read and 

newsy. They are on the 

Intracoastal Waterway 

where the boat traffic 

picks up in December, and 

as they say, the rich and 

probably famous head 

South on their beautiful 

yachts! Marcia’s children 

are well. One of them 

worked at the Super Bowl 

and will be working at 

the London Olympics. A 

wonderful Christmas in 

Texas with all their children 

gathered together was 

a real gift to Sarah Rudy 

Terhune and Frank. Sarah 

said it hadn’t happened 

since 1984. WOW! All is 

well health wise. I tried 

to call you, Sarah, when 

Ed and I (Nancy L.) were 

in Gettysburg, but no 

luck. Now, I know where 

Hanover, PA, is! It is nice 

having Nancy Morris 

Adams and Peter so 

near to us in Brunswick. 

We had a very enjoyable 

dinner with them in early 

June. Hope to get several 

classmates together for 

“lobster” soon. Ed and I 

(Nancy Hoyt Langbein) 

celebrated our 50th with a 

3-week trip to NY, PA, VA, 

and DC visiting friends 

(Ed’s classmates, relatives 

and military buddies). 

Great time everywhere we 

went. We drove to Niagara 

Falls to begin the trip. I 

had never been and it is 

really an awesome sight. 

Lynn Millar Cash and Bill 

had a 50th anniversary that 

was spread over the entire 

summer (2011) from NC, 

to NY, to VT with family 

and friends. The trip to 

VT was a bit scary as they 

were ahead of hurricane 

Irene, had an earthquake 

in VA; and a few days 

after arriving in VT they 

experienced the massive 

flooding that followed 

Irene. Lynn says VT will 

be recovering from the 

destruction for years. Our 

prayers are with their 

son, Will, who had spinal 

surgery. All other family 

members are well and 

enjoying life. Thanks to everyone 

for your Christmas 

greetings and notes. Love 

to hear from all of you! 

1957 

Jill Booth Macdonell 

1303 8th Ave. 

Sacramento, CA 95818 

(916) 446-3927 

jillphotoart@yahoo.com 

Mary Knox Tatnall and 

Frank still live in Radnor, 

PA, and continue to be 

involved with non-profit 

organizations. She currently 

serves on the board 

of Surrey Senior Services, 

often driving clients to 

doctors’ appointments and 

on grocery shopping trips. 

She’s also active in sports 

at the nearby Merion 

Cricket Club. For 25 years 

they’ve spent their winters 

at Sea Pines, Hilton Head 

Island, SC. Mary’s daughter 

Edythe, her husband 

Mike Polley and granddaughter 

Lydia live on a 21acre 

farm near Peachtree 

City, GA. Daughter Pegge 

Nelson teaches math and 

science at an inner-city 

school in Seattle. Mary 

occasionally gets information 

on her former roommate 

Eva Lorange Mitchell 

from her husband, Mitch, 

in NC. Robin McDougal 

flew to Quebec City in July 

for an Elderhostel. She’s 

been riding her bike about 

50 miles per week. She 

planted orange and white 

fibrous begonias in the 

front beds and the back of 

her garden is ablaze with 

yellow and pink roses and 

red Valerian. She wishes 

everyone could see her 

garden! Robin is really 



79

everyone at Reunion in 

October! Jane Campbell 

Engdahl shared the sad 

news that her husband 

of 52 years, John, died on 

April 28 following a 65 year 

battle with Type 1 diabetes. 

He had been in failing 

health for the last 10 years. 

The Engdahls moved from 

CT to Rochester, NY, in 

2009 to be closer to one 

of their daughters and her 

family. They settled in a 

small retirement community, 

which was developed 

with Rochester Institute of 

Technology, and are able to 

enjoy many of the benefits 

of the college. Betty 

Kendig Eastman attended 

an alumni luncheon in 

June in Columbus, OH, 

at the Governor’s residence. 

The Governor’s 

late mother-in-law graduated 

from Colby Junior, 

so The First Lady hosted 

the luncheon in memory 

of her mother, Leslie 

Moore Waldbillig ’50. Betty 

reported it was a grand 

time and a beautiful home. 

Betty’s oldest granddaughter, 

Natalie, goes 

to U-Conn and is on the 

tennis team. Janice Eaton 

Atkins and her husband, 

Court’s, daughter Andrea 

recently graduated from 

seminary, and their granddaughter, 

Madeleine, graduated 

from Baylor and is 

engaged to her childhood 

friend, Jake Darsey, a West 

Point grad. Katie Stott 

Shaw spent 20 years living 

in Traverse City, MI, but 

moved to Bozeman, MT, 

in 2000. They love it there 


I have great photos and 

delightful memories. 

Judy Morrison Gentry ’57 

and say it’s a great town in 

which to retire. Katie has 2 

children, 3 grandsons and 

6 step-grandchildren. She 

gave up skiing last year as 

she was afraid she was getting 

too old. Unfortunately, 

Katie has lost touch with 

all her Colby-Sawyer classmates, 

and hasn’t been 

back to NH since her son 

graduated from Dartmouth 

over 25 years ago! If any 

of you are planning a trip 

to Bozeman, Katie hopes 

you’ll be in touch with her. 

Phyllis Goldfine Berenson 

sends her regards to all 

classmates. Her volunteer 

activities include serving 

as a Docent at the Taft 

Museum of Art, preparing 

salads at the Sycamore 

Senior Center, Alzheimer’s 

Assoc., and working at the 

gift shop of the Evergreen 

Retirement Community. In 

May she and her husband 

participated in the 

Escape Route Tour of John 

Wilkes Booth, a 12-hour 

event from D.C. to VA. 

Their grandson, Jacob has 

completed his 2nd year 

at Kalamazoo College in 

MI and interned at the 

Holocaust Museum in 

D.C. this summer. He is 

planning a 9-month stint 

in Ecuador for his 3rd 

year of college. His sister, 

Emily completed her 1st 

year at Rhodes College in 

Memphis, TN, and was 

a counselor at a camp in 

Ashville, NC, for kids with 

autism and other learning 

problems. Harriet Fiorito 

Kelly wrote me, “Seeing 

your email address makes 

me wonder if you are 

somehow working in 

photography, which has 

become my passion! After 

all, Grandma Moses took 

up painting quite late in 

life”! Harriet has started a 

photography committee in 

her garden club and it has 

become extremely popular. 

She has been singing with 

a group called the Hudson 

Bells for about 30 years. 

The group recently celebrated 

its 50th anniversary. 

The Hudson Bells originally 

started as a project 

of the Junior League of 

Westchester-on-Hudson 

in 1962. They sing 4-part 

harmony at nursing homes 

and hospitals at least once 

a week. “It’s a little like The 

Buzzin’ Dozen,” Harriet 

says! The grandson count 

is now up to 8—not one 

little girl in the bunch! Her 

husband, Ken, is doing 

better after being hospitalized 

with congestive heart 

failure last fall. Madge 

Hewitt Staples retired last 

year and spent most of 

the recent months selling 

her home and downsizing 

to a smaller one. She 

volunteers at the hospital 

one morning a week in 

outpatient surgery and 

hoped to pick up another 

day. Her girls are spread 

around with just one 

living nearby in Lincoln, 

NE. Her grandchildren 

are all grown up. Madge 

says, “Doesn’t seem as if 

I should be that old, but I 

guess we all are.” Suzanne 

Vander Veer had a chance 

to see Elaine McKenzie 

Kutrosky in March, and 

Robin McDougal and Kim 

Yaksha Whiteley visited 

for the Philadelphia Flower 

Show. Suzanne hoped to 

see Robin again in Aug. for 

her son Scott’s wedding in 

Salida, CO. Scott owns 2 

river companies in Co and 

AZ. The wedding was on 

his land on the Arkansas 

River and the bride and 

groom rafted down the 

rapids in full regalia to the 

reception! Audrey Russell 

Wayland is retired from 

the real estate business 

after 25 years. She enjoyed 

the business but decided 

it was a little much at this 

point. She is now taking 

life easy, and is in 2 book 

clubs, goes to art openings, 

enjoys the beach, 

photography and friends. 

Audrey has 2 wonderful 

sons and 4 beautiful 

grandchildren. Son Mark 

and his family live on 

Selden Cove in Hadlyme, 

CT. LauraLee turned 13 in

Aug. and has qualified 

for world championships 

in Irish dancing. She has 

competed in Kilarny and 

is all over the US. Teddy 

is 10 and is active in cub 

scouts, tennis and golf. 

Audrey’s older son, Peter, 

is divorced and lives in 

Boulder, CO. He has 

2 beautiful daughters, 

who are 10 and 8, and he 

shares equal time with 

them. They are both great 

little soccer players and 

do a lot of hiking and 

camping with their Dad. 

Audrey would love to 

see any of you who are 

in the area or passing 

through. Judy Morrison 

Gentry recently enjoyed 

an amazing 3-week trip 

“Down the Danube,” 

which continued with a 

special visit to the home 

of new friends in Munich, 

and relatives in Chicago. 

She visited Prague (Czech 

Republic), then Linz 

(Austria), Durnstein, 

Wachau Valley, Vienna, and 

on to Bratislava (Slovakia), 

Budapest (Hungary), 

Munich (Germany), and 

charming little villages 

between the high points. 

“I have great photos and 

delightful memories,” 

she said. I, Jill Booth 

Macdonnel, continue to 

photograph homeless and 

poor people for consciousness 

raising and 

fundraising. I’m on a park 

board, hoping to make a 

conservancy like Central 

Park has done in NYC. 

Any ideas? Write your 

experiences, strengths 

and hopes—what’s 

meaningful in your lives? 

1958 

Cynthia Grindrod 

van der Wyk 

Huntington Harbour 

Bay Club 

4167 Warner Ave., #105 

Huntington Beach, 

CA 92649 

(714) 330-4190 

cindyinhb@hotmail.com 

In the last month, I 

received news from 2 

alumnae; their stories are 

included here. Please let 

me hear from all of you. 

Judy Cameron Barwood, 

who graduated with a full 

degree in 2009, keeps 

busy since Wendell died a 

year ago. She enjoys time 

with her 6 grandchildren 

(3 in VT and 3 in KY), 

and spends some time in 

Tucson, AZ, at their 2nd 

home at SaddleBrooke. 

She also enjoys genealogy 

research, quilting, riding, 

golf, paddle tennis and 

Curves. Charlotte Winchell 

Johansen and Kai have 3 

daughters. After the girls 

graduated from college, 

Lockheed offered Kai a 

job in Yorkshire, England, 

and they stayed 13 years. 

While there, they traveled 

to Rome, Russia, China, 

Africa and other places. 

The girls gave them 8 

grandchildren: 2 daughters 

are in the Bay Area near 

Charlotte and Kai, and one 

lives in McCall, ID. The 

Debbie Bray Mitchell ’79 

and her aunt Nancy Wiesner 

Conkling ’58 at the 4th 

annual alumni event hosted 

by Debbie and her husband, 

Bill, at their Hanover, 

N.H., home. 

Johansens are golfers, 

and bought a home on the 

5th hole of the golf course 

where they spend a couple 

of months in the summer. 

A few words about me, 

Cindy Grindrod van der 

Wyk: I’m still employed by 

Pageantry World, my flag 

company for 31 years. The 

flag business has suffered 

just like every business 

here lately, so I’ve created 

some new ideas for getting 

business. I also formed a 

“woman owned” corporation 

called WIP (Women 

in Power), Inc. with my 

daughter and granddaughter. 

Our 1st product is 

www.straightshooterusa. 

com, an invention by my 

son-in-law (our corporate 

engineer). I still drive my 

hot chili-pepper-red Saturn 

Sky convertible. Doesn’t go 

as fast as our old Corvette 

did in its prime, but guys 

still want me to race and 

then they laugh when they 

see who is behind the 

wheel: One hot Mama! 

1959 

Jane Bruns Lenher 

10438 East Watford Way 

Sun Lakes, AZ 85248 

(480) 883-1096 

asburyjane@aol.com 

Marsha Halpin Johnson 


Elkins, NH 03233 

(603) 626-4506 

marnamhj@gmail.com 

Norma Penney became a 

resident at the Lighthouse 

Nursing Care Center and 

Rehab in Revere, MA, due 

to an inability to walk. She 

enjoys concerts, arts and 

crafts, pokeno and card 

games. Last summer a 

group went to see West 

Side Story in Boston. 

In Oct. they went to the 

Dennisport Yacht Club for 

dinner and entertainment, 

and to the Boston Pops for 

a holiday concert. Bruce 

and I, Marsha Halpin 

Johnson, have had a good 

but busy year. We went 

on trips to Turkey and 

Morocco, spent Christmas 

in Grand Cayman with 


and went on a cross-country 

trip last fall to see 

some of the U.S. and 

visit our son. I continue 

my involvement with the 

Friendship Family program 

at Colby-Sawyer, placing 

100 international students 

with local families 

who provide friendship, 

facilitate cultural exchange, 

bridge a connection to 

the local community and 


81

help with the transition to 

the U.S. and small town 

living. This year we had 80 

families from surrounding 

towns plus faculty and 

staff from the college. 

1960 

Patricia Canby Colhoun 

1122 Burnettown Place 

The Villages, FL 32162 

pccolhoun@gmail.com 

I am happy to report that 

I’ve had positive responses 

to the new format of the 

Alumni Magazine. Julie 

Dougherty Egenberg and 

John enjoyed 6 months 

in Naples, FL, and returned 

to Stowe, VT, for 

the summer. Julie traveled 

with a friend during the 

last 2 weeks of Aug. on 

a Hurtigruten cruise up 

and down the Norwegian 

coast. Sue Barto Monks 

reported that Bill had his 

10th surgery on Feb. 8 to 

remove lesions on the 

right lung and all went 

well. In Jan., the Monks 


went with 12 others for 

a theatre trip to London. 

The 3rd week of Apr. saw 

them visiting friends in 

Nantucket. In June they 

planned to take Heather, 

their 15-year-old granddaughter, 

to Ireland. Judy 

Provandie Johnson visited 

the campus this spring 

with her grandson, who 

hopes to play soccer in college, 

and was amazed at 

the changes. Judy is retired 

but still subs in the local 

school system and is very 

active in the Friends of 

the Belgrade (ME) Public 

Library. Two of Judy’s 

grandchildren are juniors 

in high school and the 

youngest, Ryan, is in middle 

school. Judy visited NJ 

to see her granddaughter, 

Katie, play softball. Katie is 

planning to attend Central 

CT State U. In Mar., Carol 

“Sherm” Sherman House, 

Carol Whittemore Todd 

and Ann “Meri” Skeels 

Nielsen went with Judy 

to Panama City, FL, for a 

week. Sherm lives there 

and was able to get a con- 

do overlooking the ocean. 

Claire Lippincott Flowers 

wasn’t able to join “The 

Colby Chicks,” who are 

more like the Golden Girls. 

They shared meals, played 

bridge, swam, toured and 

reminisced. Meri, her husband, 

and their children 

and grandchildren are busy 

in VT. Sherm’s daughter 

Bonnie and her husband 

live in FL. Her other 

daughter, husband and 4 

grandchildren live in UT. 

Carol still works for Amtrak 

but is thinking of retiring. 

Sharley Janes Bryce was 

contacted by Charlene 

Wolcott Gray after the 

last magazine. They both 

have daughters living near 

each other in Seattle, and 

their granddaughters go to 

the same school. Sharley 

is in Portland during the 

summer and in Tucson 

during the winter. Charlene 

and her husband spend 

their winters in CO, and 

summers on Torch Lake, 

MI. They have a home in 

Rochester Hills that is near 

their 2 sons and families. 

We went on trips to Turkey and 

Morocco, spent Christmas in 

Grand Cayman with children and 

grand-children, and went on 

a cross-country trip last fall to see 

some of the U.S. and visit our son. 

Marsha Halpin Johnson ’59 

Charlene has 5 teenage 

grandchildren in MI; 2 attend 

the U of MI and want 

to be doctors. Another 

graduated in June and 

attends Butler in IN. Two 

are in high school, so the 

Grays follow their baseball, 

lacrosse, golf and more. 

Eleanor “Ellie” Tomlinson 

has a new English Cream 

Golden Retriever named 

Lily. Ellie plays a lot of 

squash, works in her 

garden and makes sure 

that Lily does not terrorize 

her 4 cats. Ellie planned 

to go to her 50th Reunion 

at Colby College in June. 

Anne Bishop Yetman and 

her husband, Norm, are 

retired. Norm taught at the 

U of KS for 43 years and 

Anne owned a gourmet 

gift shop in Lawrence 

for 26 years. They spend 

at least 2 months each 

summer in Stone Harbor, 

NJ. Their daughter Jill 

lives in L.A. with her family. 

Their son Doug and his 

family are in Denver, and 

their son Sekouba and his 

family are in Lawrence. 

In May Anne and Norm 

went to the Salzburg 

Global Seminar for their 

6th year. Brenda Hirst 

Stone retired in 2006. She 

earned a BA, MA and PhD 

in psychology. She was 

an elementary school 

teacher and then worked 

as a school psychologist. 

In 2007 Brenda and her 

husband, Greg, took on 2 

Cockapoos, Higgins and 

Eliza. They’re registered 

Delta Society Pet Partners 

and have been visiting

Colby-Sawyer Flashback! 

Do you recognize these alumnae skiers? If you can identify 

any of them, please contact College Archivist Kelli Bogan at 

kbogan@colby-sawyer.edu or (603) 526-3360. 

schoolchildren for 5 years. 

Eliza wrote a book, The 

Yellow Bag, which tells children 

how exciting it is to 

be a therapy dog…I know 

as I have one, too. Brenda 

and Greg are fortunate to 

have both daughters in 

the area. Margaret is an 

assistant professor at the 

Community College of RI 

and Sarah is an equestrian 

who trains and teaches 

dressage. Brenda’s oldest 

granddaughter is a chemistry 

major at the U of MA 

Dartmouth and would like 

to be a large animal vet. 

Their 2nd oldest granddaughter 

is a small animal 

sciences major at Bristol 

Agricultural High School. 

When not working with her 

dogs, Brenda plays bridge, 

gardens and reads as 

much about Shakespeare 

as possible. They enjoy 

attending Shakespeare and 

Company performances in 

Lenox, MA. Sarah “Sally” 

Stevens Johnson Rood 

says Morgan loves food 

and she loves to cook. 

She enjoys being outside, 

walks, library visits, and 

PBS and sports on TV. She 

has found the Internet addictive, 

especially helpful 

with an Alaska Gold Rush 

journal. Barb Swanson 

Smith and Lyman are 

happy at home on the 

top of Jolly Farm Road. 

They went to visit Ellen 

Cook Barnes in GA. Sally 

Kimball Campbell and Tom 

welcomed a new grandchild 

in June. Judith “Judy” 

Butler Shea has been 

babysitting in UT and still 

enjoys skiing. I, Patricia 

“Patty” Canby Colhoun, 

have just returned from a 

week in Paris visiting my 

daughter, Annie. Now I am 

getting ready to head back 

to Boothbay, ME, for the 

summer with my Toller, 

McKinley and my Lab, 

Charlie, who is a Reading 

Therapy Dog. We worked 

with 2 students this year 

and will start earlier when 

I return in Oct. While in 

ME I will volunteer at the 

Y front desk, help with 

a kiosk at St. Andrews 

Hospital, play golf and 

mahjong, and enjoy being 

back with old friends. 

1961 

Susan Olney Datthyn 

56 Pressey Court 


(603) 526-2283 

susanolneydatthyn@ 

hotmail.com 

Martha Clark lives in 

Hanover, NH, and is a 

member of the President’s 

Alumni Advisory Council 

at CSC. She enjoys keeping 

up to date on the college. 

The meetings are twice a 

year and are all-day events. 

Nancy Hemmings Fuchs 

of Gilford, NH, is also 

a member of the council. 

Diane Tefft Young in 

Columbus, OH, had a single 

lung transplant on Oct. 

10, 2010, at the Cleveland 

Clinic. Her diagnosis is 

idiopathic pulmonary 

fibrosis. Diane wrote a 

book about her transplant 

experience called 

Humbled by the Gift of Life: 

Reflections On Receiving 

a Lung Transplant, which 

is available on amazon. 

com. Her son and daughter-in-law, 

along with their 

children, have been an 

amazing support system. 

Diane still works part time 

as a chemical dependency 

counselor. She says 

she enjoys seeing fellow 

alum Sally Reynolds Carlin 

several times a year. Susan 

Heath Bint had lunch with 

Taska Wakefield Hener 

’62 MT in Falmouth, MA. 

They enjoyed catching up 

and sharing memories 

from the good old college 

days. I’ve heard a lot 

of favorable comments 

regarding the new look of 

the CSC alumni magazine. 

It’s a nice and welcome 

change. I hope all is well 

with everyone and wishing 

good health to all. 

1962 

Gail Graham Lee 

3980 Lakemont Drive 

Bonita Springs, FL 341334 

gailcracker@comcast.net 

Hi everyone. Hope you all 

are in your 50th reunion 

mood and will join the following 

classmates in New 

London on October 12- 

14th. As of 6/10/12 Connie 

Earl, Lynn Dysart Elwell, 

Ellen Forbes, Sherry Smith 

Hayes, Gail Graham Lee, 

Susanne Landa Moliere, 

Pat White Nash, Jan 

Goodwin Rupert, Marcia 

Mayer Snyder, Jill Schofield 

Wainwright, Mitzie 


83

A Passion for 

Painting 

Gail Constantinides Morrison ’62 

Some people are lucky enough to 

discover their true calling early in life. 

And others are fortunate to find a 

new direction when their lifelong path 

has led them as far as it can. After 

taking art classes in high school and at 

Colby Junior College, Gail Constantinides 

Morrison ’62 didn’t pick up 

a paintbrush for 30 years. When she 

finally did, at age 50, she found herself 

anew, becoming a celebrated, 

award-winning artist. 

It happened in Italy. In 1992, 

Morrison, still in her first career, was 

in Genoa writing a marketing plan 

for a new aquarium. Captivated by the 

country, she began to study the 

language. “I kept meeting people who 

were painting,” she remembers. “I 

thought, ‘I 

want to do 

this.’” 

When her 

marketing 

contract 

ended, 

Morrison 

decided to 

stay, enrolling 

in a 

three-month 

artists’ 

workshop 

in the Tuscan hills. “I think I was 

accepted because I was a woman of 

a certain age, with money,” she 

says, merrily. 

The other participants were art 

students less than half her age, but 

Morrison was undeterred. After all, 

she had already proven herself fearless 

by traveling around the world for a 


Gail Constantinides Morrison, shown in her studio, returned to painting at age 50 

and is now a well-known artist in the Cincinnati art scene. 

year, in 1989, in an earlier attempt to 

find her passion. When the workshop 

was over, her instructor told her not to 

stop painting. She hasn’t. 

Returning to the States, Morrison 

went to Cincinnati to visit one of 

her sons. Planning to stay for six 

weeks before returning to her home 

in Chicago, she found a short-term 

studio space in the city’s Over-the- 

Rhine district. Two decades later, she 

is still there, her studio part of the 

Pendleton Art Center, a space that 

houses more than 100 artists. Today 

Morrison is a well-known artist in 

the thriving Cincinnati art scene who 

sells paintings and wins awards. Her 

style has evolved from the plein air 

Italian landscapes of her early work to 

more classical, Old World still lifes. 

“I constantly see techniques, application 

of paint, color that I want to 

explore,” she says. “It’s a singular 

battle, me and the brush, very competitive 

within.” 

While Morrison’s output has slowed 

in recent years, she still would rather 

be in her studio than anywhere else. 

As for Italy, to which she regularly 

returned every summer for 15 years, 

Morrison has not been there in a 

while. Next year she plans to visit 

Rome with another painter, revisiting 

the country that sparked her midlife 

renewal. 

“I have to get my Italian fix,” she says. 

— Mike Gregory

Fraker Wynkoop, Susie 

Webster Suplee, Vicki 

Clark Linville, Karen Loder 

Davis, Gail Constantinides 

Morrison, Wynne Jesser 

McGrew, Sue Shonnard 

Brenner, Sally Mollenberg 

Lawlor, Linda Caldwell 

French, Myrna Lloyd, 

Judy Park Kukk, Ellen 

Gessner Clowes, Suzanne 

Mayberry McCollum, 

Pam Tobey Reilly, Susie 

Clay Wunderlich, Robin 

Leach Moody, Susan ‘Bo’ 

Jannicky Brownwood, and 

Judith Bodwell Mulholland 

are all planning to attend. 

We all hope you will join 

us in what is going to be 

a very special weekend. 

As a result of pleading for 

news via email, I have received 

13 responses, some 

of which I will convey to 

you this issue with others 

that will be in the next 

issue. Suzy Fitz Peterson 

retired in 1998 from a 20year 

career in medical research 

at the University of 

CO Health Sciences Center 

working as a biochemist. 

She took 10 years off to 

raise her 2 daughters and 

now has 3 grandchildren. 

She and her husband, 

Allen, have lived in their 

beautiful Timberframe 

home, which she designed, 

in the Winter Park 

area since 2004 when her 

husband retired, but after 

3 years he began working 

part time for the company 

he previously sold. 

They are both guides for 

the SkiMeisters (a large 

group of 55 and over 

skiers, hikers, cyclists, etc.) 

at Winter Park. Some of 

their travels have included 

sailing up the Willamette 

and Columbia Rivers to 

the Snake, taking a cruise 

from Seattle to Anchorage 

and onto Denali, clipper 

ship cruise around the 

BVI, taking a 16-day trip 

through Italy, and taking 

a hiking tour through 

England and Scotland. 

Kathy Oram Why went to 

Katie Gibbs in Boston with 

her Abbey roommate, the 

late Ellie Fales Hibbert, so 

they could both learn how 

to do something to earn 

them a living. She married 

Hank in 1966 and had 2 

boys and a girl in short order. 

They lived in Villanova, 

PA, where they enjoyed 

their children’s activities, 

took as many ski trips as 

possible, summered at 

their NH cottage, and did 

lots of volunteer work. 

Kathy had a part time job 

which she loved, and Hank 

worked for Philadelphia 

Electric his entire career. 

In 1998 they rebuilt their 

Lake Winnipesaukee 

cottage and moved to 

Wolfeboro, NH, where 

they have made many 

new friends. Coincidently 

Priscilla “Patch” Hatch 

Jones lives right down the 

street from them. She is 

sorry that they will be 

traveling at reunion time, 

but she wants us gals to 

have a great time and take 

a lot of pictures to post on 

the Colby-Sawyer website. 

Pat McMahon Barton- 

Dobenin wrote that in 1991 

Classmates Sherry Smith 

Hayes ’62 and Ellen Gessner 

Clowes ’62 enjoyed catching 

up at the Colby-Sawyer 

College alumni luncheon 

at the Governor’s Residence 

in Ohio. 

her husband applied for 

restitution of his family’s 

properties after the fall of 

the Berlin Wall and then 

the Velvet Revolution in 

what is now the Czech 

Republic, and in 1992 after 

the majority were returned 

to him, he moved back to 

the country of his birth. 

She remained in TX until 

they were certain that all 

was worth it and moved 

there in early 1994. She 

is now semi-retired but 

continues to teach English 

to 10 students. Their son 

followed them to the 

Czech Republic and has 

now taken over most of 

their businesses. Their 

daughters remain in TX 

and between their 3 children 

they have 8 grandchildren 

ranging in age from 

9 months to 16 years. Her 

husband continues to be 

active and is on the board 

of the private Czech forest 

owners association, plus 

he represents the Czech 

Republic on the board of 

the European private forest 

owners association. Ellen 

Cordingley Maitre and her 

husband, Tom, are both 

retired. They have been 

living in Coeur d’Alene, 

ID, for 8 years and love it. 

They are in a rural setting 

on 10 acres complete with 

6 foster cows during the 

summer months. They 

have 2 grown sons and 3 

grandchildren, all of whom 

live in southern CA. They 

keep busy, as she is an 

avid gardener and Tom 

takes care of the pastureland 

and the timber 

projects. Carol Schmid von 

Wattenwyl and her parents 

took a trip to Switzerland 

in 1963, and she never left 

after meeting and marrying 

her husband, Jean-Jaques. 

Fifty years later they have 

4 grown children and 4 

grandchildren all living 

in Switzerland. Life has 

been good, and they are 

thankful for their health, 

close family, wonderful 

friends, and are privileged 

to be living in such a 

stable and secure country. 

They are really enjoying 

retirement, having a chalet 

in the mountains which 

they visit frequently to 

go hiking, cycling, swimming, 

or to just relax. 

At home Schmidy keeps 

busy babysitting, playing 

bridge, attending book 

club, walking the dog, and 

gardening. She is not able 

to attend our reunion but 

wishes everyone a won- 


85

derful weekend. Margot 

‘Mitzie’ Fraker Wynkoop 

and her husband, Steve, 

are enjoying retirement 

in Denver, CO, and one 

of their favorite activities 

is hosting visiting foreign 

professionals and students 

for the Institute of 

International Education. 

They are also spending 

a lot of time in IL with 

Mitzie’s mother, who is 

still in good shape at 93, 

and in Nantucket with 

various family members. 

Her step-granddaughter 

lives in Los Angeles so 

periodically they get to CA 

to visit. Bill Riker wrote to 

inform us that his wife, 

Christy Hale Riker, passed 

away in Jan. from uterine 

cancer. Betty Elliot Platais 

and her husband inherited 

her family’s farm along the 

Concord River in Carlisle, 

MA, where she has raised 

Connemara ponies for the 

past 40 years and served 

as national president of 

the American Connemara 

Pony Society from 2001 to 

2004. Chickens, rabbits 

and a corgi keep the farm 

busy as their 2 daughters 

and 4 grandchildren come 

and go. Her husband, 

Maris, is well known as a 

New England landscape 

artist, and his studio overlooking 

the ponds and pastures 

of ponies is always a 

buzz of activity with many 

students and visitors. 

After a long career as an 

occupational therapist specializing 

in developmental 

disabilities, dysphasia, 

and autism, she retired 


from her position with the 

State in 2006, but before 

long she was consulting 

again 3 to 4 days a week at 

the local day habilitation 

programs of developmentally 

delayed adults in the 

communities near their 

home. Suzanne Mayberry 

McCollum and her husband 

are retired and still 

live in CT. Their 3 daughters 

married and produced 

10 grandchildren who all 

live within 10 miles of their 

home. Two grandchildren 

are already in college. She 

and David travel a lot and 

still ski and play lots of 

golf. They feel very lucky to 

have their health and the 

wherewithal to enjoy this 

lifestyle. She looks forward 

to seeing everyone at our 

reunion. Lynne Wavering 

Shotwell wrote that they 

just got back from Naples, 

FL, where they winter, to 

Chicago where they still 

maintain a home. She and 

Chip welcomed grandchild 

number 4, and her 


joined them in MI 

for the July 4th holiday. 

They spend most of their 

time in Naples, and from 

there they cruise to the 

Bahamas in their boat 

where they have a little 

house on one of the tiny islands. 

They spend a lot of 

time fishing. Lynne keeps 

much too busy during the 

winter involved with The 

Conservancy of SW Florida 

and the Naples Botanical 

Garden. Lots of work and 

lots of fun! She is sorry to 

miss our reunion, but has 

other plans at that time. 

Barbara Clune Sims and 

her husband, Larry, live in 

Niceville, FL, which is in 

the panhandle right across 

the bay from Destin. They 

retired early, 16 years ago, 

and moved from their hectic 

life in Los Angeles to 

FL. While in LA she had a 

fun and interesting career 

in marketing with both 

Mattel Toys and Warner 

Bros. Her positions offered 

her the opportunity to travel 

extensively in the USA 

with some travel abroad 

as well. Now that they are 

retired, they have taken 

many trips around the 

country by car. They also 

love cruising, which has 

taken them to many interesting 

places. They both 

play golf so their clubs are 

always with them. She also 

has a new hobby, oil painting, 

which she thoroughly 

enjoys. Her old McKean 

roomies (Margaret Fisher 

Van Setter and Judy 

McPherson Marks) and 

their husbands get together 

with Barbara and Larry 

about once a year, which is 

great fun. They are looking 

forward to reunion and 

hope that others from 

McKean will also be there. 

Your reunion committee 

consisting of Gail 

Constantinides Morrison, 

Mitzie Fraker Wynkoop, 

Wynne Jesser McGrew, 

Karen Loder Davis, and 

yours truly are working 

hard to help make our 50th 

reunion a special time, 

but our classmates with 

whom we have wonderful 

Colby-Sawyer Flashback! 

If you can identify any of these alumnae, please contact 

College Archivist Kelli Bogan at kbogan@colby-sawyer.edu 

or (603) 526-3360. 

and lasting memories are 

what make any reunion. 

Please join us on October 

12th for our class dinner 

cruise on Lake Sunapee 

to begin celebrating.

1963 

Donna Dederick Ward 

4350 Queen Elizabeth Way 

Naples, FL 34119 

(800) 935-2440 

hungrytrout@comcast.net 

1964 

Kathy Conathon Reardon 

1040 General Lafayette 

Boulevard 

West Chester, PA 19382 

(610) 738-4982 

kathyr1230@aol.com 

Editor’s Note: Welcome 

and thank you to Kathy 

Conathon Reardon, 

who has volunteered to 

serve as the new class of 

1964 correspondent. 

I, Kathy Conathon 

Reardon, am pleased to 

serve as the new correspondent 

for our class. 

Please be sure to send me 

your news! Katherine “Kay” 

Gilkeson Hughes and 

Brian live close to my son 

Tiger and his family near 

Denver. Kay’s son Scott 

lives a couple of miles 

from Jack and me in West 

Chester, PA. We haven’t 

been able to get together 

in CO yet, but we did have 

dinner with Kay and Brian 

in PA. I hear from Ann 

Franklin Ewig and Hedy 

Ruth Gunther quite often. 

We are looking forward 

to our 50th, and hope to 

get Pam Materne Shirley 

to leave HI and join us. 

Pam found out that Linda 

Ware Bragg died about 2 

years ago. My husband, 

Jack, has recovered from 

bladder cancer, and plans 

to retire in July. Nancy 

Woodring Hansen writes, 

“On May 14, we became 

great-grandparents to Julia 

Josephine Richmond. It is 

great that they live only 1 

1/2 miles from our home, 

so I go to visit almost 

every day. We are looking 

forward to a family reunion 

at the Cape this summer 

with the whole family 

there. My granddaughter 

Laura will be a senior in 

high school next year and 

I am hoping she is going 

to look at Colby-Sawyer.” 

Alice Lawton Lehmann 

is enjoying her 2 grandsons, 

ages 4 and 2, who 

live close by. She and Bill 

continue to be semi-retired, 

keeping a small 

portion of their business 

development company 

active. Alice is still active, 

running, swimming and 

biking, and was looking 

forward to summer vacation 

time at their cabin 

on Sebago Lake in ME. 

1965 

Chris Murray McKee 

518 Burpee Hill Road 


(603) 763-2761 

ctmckee@tds.net 

Ann Hodgkinson Low 

retired a year ago from 

several community volunteer 

boards. She and Cal 

now spend time in Dataw 

Island, SC, in the spring 

and fall, where they enjoy 

golf and their friends. 

Their son, Curtis H Low 

’97, is married and living 

outside Boulder, and son 

Don and his wife and 2 

grandsons are in Napa. 

They’re looking ahead to 

their 50th Reunion. Pam 

Dodd and her husband, 

Tom Connellan, live in 

Orlando, FL. She has 2 

sons, one stepdaughter 

and 7 grandkids between 

infant and age 11. The 

kids live in the NY and 

Chicago areas and Austin, 

TX. Pam’s mother, Peggy 

Van Duser Hurlbut ’40, 

lives in Palm City, FL and 

is doing very well at 91. 

Pam writes, “I’ve been an 

Internet marketer for the 

past 7 years. My current 

site is on Lyme disease, 

which both my husband 

and I have. I also do social 

marketing for one son, 

a NYC executive coach 

with his 1st book due out 

next year on taking smart 

risks.” Leslie Seymour 

Wears and Ken have had 2 

sad losses in the last year: 

Leslie’s dear mom a few 

days after Christmas at 

age 92, and her husband’s 

sister in Apr., just before 

her 72nd birthday. Their 

son Grey and his girlfriend 

Angie Simpson still live 

in North Hollywood, CA, 

where he’s a freelance animator. 

In Aug., Leslie’s son 

Ty moved from living near 

them in OH to the Phoenix 

area, where he owns a pool 

service business. They 

love to travel: Leslie writes, 

“Ken and I have been to 

weddings in NY, DC, WV 

and MI in the last year and 

to visit family in CT, CA 

and AZ.” She shares the 

care and fun of horses with 

her neighbor in their connected 

pastures and volunteers 

weekly at a reading 

service for the blind and a 

therapeutic riding program 

for children. Leslie is in 

touch with Linda Marshall 

Dygert, who lives in Afton, 

NY. Penny Griffith Dix 

and Dennis are still in 

Avon, and Dennis is still 

working while Penny has 

been retired for 7 years. 

“I’m very involved in 

museum volunteer work 

as well as enjoying my 

family: 3 married children 

and 7 grandchildren,” she 

writes. She was about to 

leave for Nags Head, NC, 

for 7 days where all 15 of 

them would be together 

at a rented house on the 

ocean. Penny and Dennis 

take one trip abroad each 

year; this year they planned 

to go to St Petersburg, 

Russia and Norway, sailing 

the Baltic on a 4-masted 

clipper ship. Sue Hewson 

Wise has another new 

granddaughter, Sasha 

Mehlem, who was born in 

Oct. 2011 in Denver! Tina 

Biggs Ferraro spent the 

winter in Stuart, FL, and 

got together with Georgie 

Sawyer Hutton, who lives 

in Vero Beach. Georgie 

is quite the golfer and 

played in her Club 

Championship. Besides 

all the CSC Board activities 

Tina is involved 


87

in, she chairs a group 

of 16 members at the 

Bay Club that schedules 

lectures, cooking classes 

and demonstrations. Being 

Chair of Tournaments 

is also keeping her busy 

now that golf season has 

started. Last Nov., 6 gals, 

including Tina’s sister, flew 

to Rome and met friends 

from the Bay Club who 

have an apartment there. 

She was to head off to 

Turkey in May for a 17-day 

trip including touring, 

hiking and sailing. Chris 

Murray McKee still lives in 

New London and is selling 

real estate at Coldwell 

Banker Milestone. Her 

husband, Tom, is retired 

from US Foreign Service 

and works as a land 

steward volunteer at the 

Society for the Protection 

of NH Forests. Chris is 

still involved with the New 

England Handicapped 

Sports Association, 

teaching skiing to disabled 

people. She’s also on 

Colby-Sawyer’s President’s 

Alumni Advisory Council, 

staying in touch with 

the college and learning 

about the incredible 

changes there. Chris and 

Tom have 2 kids and 3 

granddaughters who 

live in Boulder, CO, and 

Charlottesville, VA. Chris 

has been talking with Tina 

Biggs Ferraro and Ann 

Hodgkinson Low about 

getting together for the 

50th Reunion. “We would 

love to hear from anyone 

who would like to help us 

contact people,” she says. 


My granddaughter Laura will be 

a senior in high school next year and 

I am hoping she is going to look at 


Nancy Woodring Hansen ’64 

“We have some special 

thoughts about activities.” 

1966 

Susan Weeks 

3 Winona Circle 

Lebanon, NH 03766 

(603) 448-6962 

susan.e.weeks@ 

hitchcock.org 

As an empty nester, Hilde 

Body Clark moved from 

OH to CA in 2001 for her 

husband’s business. She 

writes, “What a marvelous 

adventure it has been 

to move to where we 

knew absolutely no one! 

Along the way, we lost our 

parents, found a wonderful 

church with awesome 

people (including Colby- 

Sawyer graduates!), saw 

2 of our kids get married, 

became grandparents 4 

times, and have 2 of our 

3 grown children living 

within a half hour of us.” 

They still travel to Pointe 

au Baril, Ontario, Canada, 

by car every summer to 

their island cottage and 

trek back West via different 

routes. They traveled to HI 

and Australia some years 

back and hope to go to 

Jerusalem in 2014. Perry 

Crouse Jeffords and husband 

Jeff have been retired 

for a while and live in Vero 

Beach, FL, in the winter 

and northeast PA in the 

summer. Their son Morry 

and wife Karen live with 

their daughter, Teagyn, 

in Morgantown, PA, and 

daughters Abby and Laura 

are in San Francisco. Perry 

and Jeff like to fish and 

play golf, and since 1999 

they have done at least 

one long-distance hike 

every year. This “hobby” 

has taken them to the 

British Isles, the summit of 

Kilimanjaro, South Africa, 

Tasmania, New Zealand, 

Nepal, and Patagonia. 

Since 1984, Joan Thacher 

Tiffany has worked as 

Laura Cogswell ’72 and 

Susan Weeks ’66. 

Executive Director and 

now Senior Director with 

the International Honors 

Program (IHP), a small 

comparative study abroad 

provider with a focus on 

the environment and social 

justice issues. She and 

her husband live in the 

South End of Boston and 

summer in Marion, MA, 

where she grew up. They 

have 2 children: Thacher, 

33, married to Lily Pollans, 

and Kathrene, 31. After 

a 46-year career in marketing/market 

research, 

Rebecca Ketchum is in 

the process of retiring and 

looks forward to having 

only deadlines that are 

related to seasonal needs 

in her garden. Ultimately 

she plans to leave the CT 

shoreline and live yearround 

in her home in ME, 

a.k.a. the Sophie May 

Home, a house built in 

1845 that’s on the National 

Register of Historic Places. 

She keeps in touch with 

Edith “Edie” Denious 

McAlpin and Katharine 

“Kathy” French Keenan, 

fellow Burpee residents. 

Carol Robertson Milld 

retired from MA General

Hospital as a medical 

administrative assistant 3 

1/2 years ago and moved 

with her husband, Alan, a 

retired MA public school 

teacher and track coach, to 

Holly Springs, NC, which 

is just outside of Raleigh. 

They keep active by going 

to the local YMCA, which 

is run by a Colby-Sawyer 

graduate. Hobbies include 

walking, bike riding, 

gardening and knitting at 

a local yarn shop. Her son 

John lives in San Francisco 

with his girlfriend and 

has his own landscaping 

business. Daughter Allison 

lives in Chicago and is 

the Director of Housing 

Initiatives for the Mayor’s 

Metropolitan Caucus. She 

graduated from Bowdoin 

College in 2004 and went 

on to earn a graduate degree 

in public policy at the 

U of Chicago, where she 

was awarded a full fellowship. 

Carol’s mom is alive 

and well and still living in 

the Boston area. They do 

a lot of traveling between 

San Francisco, Chicago 

and Boston. Carol’s sister 

Susan Robertson Butler ’71 

lives on their same street. 

This past winter Nancy 

Wright Heim, her husband, 

David, and their dog 

Millie visited Carol on their 

way from PA to FL. Laura 

Braman Corcoran and Tim 

spend 9 months in Naples, 

FL. Tim retired several 

years ago. Their other 

home is on Cape Cod, but 

they decided to put that 

house on the market. They 

have one son who turned 

30 in Sept, who works in 

Abu Dhabi. Jan Sargent 

Simblist is working part 

time as a consultant for 

Quest Diagnostics, attending 

medical staff meetings 

at nursing homes in CT, 

giving infection control 

advice, and passing on 

any laboratory informa- 

tion that pertains to 

care of the elderly. Earlier 

this year Jan attended the 

tribute to Becky Irving 

’42 MT, the beloved 

director of the medical 

technology program at 

Colby-Sawyer. Jan lives in 

a rural part of CT, so is 

often busy with gardens 

and farmer’s markets. 

She joined the Lebanon 

Garden Club last year 

and kayaks on the lake a 

mile away. She’s spending 

considerable time planning 

her 50th high school 

reunion for next year. Jan 

writes, “My parents, who 

live in MA, seem to need 

my help a little more often 

than before. My granddaughter 

graduates from 

high school this year. It’s 

nice to have 2 of my sons 

close by in NY. My eldest 

and his wife are in TX, 

where he is a professor 

at SMU.” This year Jan 

and her husband traveled 

to FL to visit with 

friends and family, and 

also went to southwest 

France. Barbara Jackson 

Wade writes, “Reporting 

in for 1st time (shame on 

What a marvelous adventure it 

has been to move to where we knew 

absolutely no one! 

Hilde Body Clark ’66 

me!).” Barbara married 

Philip (Dartmouth ‘66) in 

1967, held an odyssey of 

jobs and homes whilst he 

completed medical school, 

internship and residency. 

They then settled in 

and around the Boston 

area raising 3 daughters, 

who (post-college and 

their own wanderings), 

settled in the suburbs 

of Burlington, VT. Post 

retirement, having always 

loved NH (hence CJC and 

Dartmouth), the Wades 

moved north to Lyme, 

NH, where they have been 

for the past 12 years. “We 

are enjoying the Upper 

Valley, the proximity to our 

daughters and 6 grand 

children, and the luxury of 

free time to pursue hobbies 

and travel,” she says. 

I, Susan Weeks, turned 65 

this past Dec. and now I’m 

officially a “senior” with 

my very own Medicare 

card. Whoopee! However, I 

still work full time and love 

it. I’ve enclosed a photo of 

myself and Laura Cogswell 

’72. Laura and I both work 

in neonatology division at 

the Dartmouth Hitchcock 

Medical Center. She’s the 

transitional long term care 

nurse coordinator and 

has been in nursing here 

at DHMC for 36 years! I 

support the attending physicians 

within the division 

and am also the program 

coordinator for the fellowship 

program. Gardening, 

volunteering and my dogs 

continue to be my biggest 

activities outside of work. 

I plan on looking towards 

full retirement in the 

next couple of years so I 

can do some traveling. 

1967 

Sis Hagen Kinney 

104 Downing Drive 

Summerville, SC 29485 

(843) 871-2122 

kinivan06@gmail.com 


89

Suzanne “Zan” Reber 

Merriman had a bout with 

breast cancer, discovered 

just before Thanksgiving, 

but all is well now. Her 

grandson Aaron is headed 

for Penn next year and 

her daughter Lexi is at 

Brentwood College School 

on Vancouver Island, with 

one year left. Her husband, 

Paul, just finished doing a 

PBS series on investment 

and is working on e-books 

on the same topic. They 

planned to spend the summer 

on Bainbridge Island, 

and Seattle, WA, but will 

return to San Miguel de 

Allende in central Mexico 

in Sept. Dorcas Sheldon 

Adkins has retired from 

the WA Area Bicyclist 

Association and she and 

partner Pat Munoz now 

have 5 grandchildren 

between them. Cheryl May 

Zellers keeps busy since 

her grandchildren either 

play softball or hardball 

or are on a swim team. 

Her oldest grandchild is 

Zachary, 16, and Zac’s 

brother Nicholas, 4, is the 

youngest grandchild. Both 

of her daughters live in the 

same town as Cheryl and 

hubby Michael—Jersey 

Shore, PA. The whole family 

planned to vacation this 

Sept. at the Outer Banks 

in NC. Michael is going 

to retire in about a year, 

and she retired officially 

last year, after working 8 

years for the Funky Freezer 

neighborhood ice cream 

truck that her youngest 

daughter and her husband 

own. They have a new pit 


mix dog, Daisy. Cheryl and 

Michael won’t be coming 

to the Reunion because of 

their Outer Banks vacation 

but she wishes she could 

be there! Frances “Francie” 

King in Marblehead, MA, 

took a communications 

gig at Boston U in development 

last fall because she 

couldn’t resist the “lure 

of another big fundraising 

campaign.” She says 

there’s a lot of creativity on 

the young team. Francie 

is still keeping up with her 

personal history business, 

www.HistoryKeep.com, is 

finishing up 3 books, and 

hoped to take on another 

one this summer. The 

word “retirement” will be 

in her vocabulary, too, one 

of these days. Whitney 

McKendree Moore says 

2011 was a rough year for 

husband Barry medically, 

but thankfully, all is well. 

Their son Ned is majoring 

in Classics at Bard College 

and has one year left. 

By the time this column 

appears in print Whitney 

and Barry will be retired 

and on Medicare! She’s 

stayed in touch with Ann 

Blackman ’66 and highly 

recommends Ann’s books, 

especially the recent one 

about Julia Taft. Whitney 

also stays in touch with 

Wendy Weinstein Fish, her 

former roomie in Boston. 

Whit’s had 2 articles and 

one book published in the 

last year: one article in 

Cruising World Magazine 

and another in Points East 

Magazine; and a book 

through Westbow Press 

called Whit’s End: the 

Biography of Breakdown 

(which is available at 

Amazon). Prudence 

Hostetter enjoyed another 

nice winter at her farm in 

Wellington, FL, and was 

able to ride every day. Her 

son is 15 and driving the 

car, and doing well in both 

the driving and in being a 

9th grader. Prudence has 

been doing a lot of walking 

and using her camera to 

snap the birds and animals 

around the farm. Allison 

Hosford and Roger are 

still in northern NJ on a 

very small-scale farm, and 

are doing well. She’s been 

water coloring for the past 

7 or 8 years. Allison and 

Roger are giving day-long 

workshops on farming 

on a small scale. They 

have a website, www. 

twopond.com, for anyone 

interested in seeing 

what their farm is like. 

Elizabeth “Beth” Holloran 

Bourguignon is still 

working at the Needham 

Children’s Center, and 

they were looking forward 

to Red Sox games and 

going to ME. She took 

an online course at the 

local community college 

and found the computer 

lingo challenging. Lynne 

Farrington Miller is retired, 

and she and her husband, 

Neil, live in a 55+ golfing 

community in North Ft. 

Myers, FL. They each have 

their own golf cart and play 

golf as often as possible! 

As for me, I’m probably 

going to be retired by the 

time this goes to press. 

Teaching has been a 

challenge these past 2 

years. Husband Bobby and 

I are hoping to move to 

the Raleigh/Durham, NC, 

area as soon as our house 

sells to be near children 

and grandchildren. We’re 

basically healthy, despite 

the fact that we’re both 

on Medicare! We’re not 

actively searching for 

another dog (our beloved 

Golden Retriever, Maggie, 

had to be put down in 

late Sept. 2011), but we’ll 

be open to anything. 

1968 


Needed 

Heidi Gray Niblack and 

John are still dividing their 

retirement time between 

Palm Beach, FL; Lyme, CT; 

and NYC. They had a great 

trip to Hong Kong and 

Angkor Wat, Cambodia, 

last Nov., and they’re planning 

a trip to Portland, OR, 

and Vancouver this fall. 

JoAnn Franke Overfield 

says it was fun to see 

many of Becky Irving’s ’42 

MT former students at 

the CSC luncheon in her 

honor. JoAnn had a chance 

to visit with 2 classmates, 

Georganne Hoffman 

Berry and Meredith 

Worthley Motyka. Like her, 

Georganne strayed from 

med. tech, but Meredith 

is still doing med. tech- 

related work. Susan Austin 

Kraeger is enjoying life

Heidi Grey Niblack ’68 with President Tom Galligan and CSC 

Board Chairman Tom Csatari taken in NYC last September. 

on St. Croix and was sure 

to point out that the St. 

Croix weather is much 

more enjoyable than New 

London, NH, weather! 

1969 

Debi Adams Johnston 

3727 Moorland Drive 

Charlotte, NC 28226-1120 

(704) 542-6244 

navypub@aol.com 

Meredith Bennett writes, 

“My husband, Tom, retired 

from the U of VA but 

continues to pursue his 

interests in computers 

working with other scientists. 

My mother, Jeane 

Morrison Bennett, who 

graduated with the Class 

of ’37, injured herself while 

chasing one of our cats 

and is now in assisted living 

at a wonderful facility 

here in Charlottesville. I’m 

spending a lot more time 

riding at the barn with access 

to a great trail system. 

We recently added a dog 

to our animal inventory, 

which has been a lot of fun 

for both of us.” Jane Hyde 

Williams and her husband 

of 41 years, Craig, moved 

to the San Francisco Bay 

Area in 1977, following 

their jobs. They now have 

2 CA boys, Hunter, 28, and 

Chris, 25! In 1982, Jane 

launched an investment 

management company 

with a partner, who is now 

retired. Over the years, 

they’ve developed a particular 

capability in serving 

women, many of whom 

are going through major 

life transitions. Jane and 

Craig are doing more traveling: 

They visited Hunter, 

who was in Singapore in 

2011 for his work, and this 

year they joined Chris for 

2 weeks in Australia. Their 

principal travel, though, 

remains their annual 

pilgrimages back to the 

coast of ME, where they’ve 

built a home side-by-side 

with Jane’s 2 sisters. 

1970 

Gail Remick Hoage 

64 Valley Road 

New Durham, NH 03855 

(603) 859-3241 

gail@michaelsschool.com 

Gale Spreter has no 

grandchildren to report 

on, but has a 10-year-old 

cat and 10-month-old 

puppy living in her NYC 

apartment! Her apartment 

brings lots of visits from 

friends while they’re in 

the city. Her most recent 

guest was Christy Hoyt 

Walmsley, who lives in 

Australia. In 2011 Sarah 

Haskell was in Cape Town, 

South Africa, celebrating 

the New Year with her 

brother, Weston, and 

friends, and they signed 

on as crew for a friend’s 

sailboat that was crossing 

the Atlantic heading back 

to ME via the Caribbean. 

Upon her return, she 

launched the closure of 

her 4-year global peace 

project, “Woven Voices: 

Messages from the Heart.” 

She raised over $4K to 

complete this project. 

Then her beloved brother 

Weston was killed in a 

construction accident, and 

her life has been turned 

upside down. Here are her 

blog and website should 

you wish to read more 

about it: www.sarahhaskell. 

com, www.wovenvoices. 

blogspot.com and www. 

macomberloomsandme. 

blogspot.com. Gail Beever 

Cook has been married for 

38 years to Andrew Cook 

and is living in Shropshire, 

England, working for 

Operation Mobilization. 

She’s the mother of 3 

girls and grandmother 

of 4. Joan Kirby Ragsdale 

lives in Dallas, though 

she makes an occasional 

foray to New England to 

visit family in the Boston/ 

Southern NH area or for 

a Cape Code vacation. 

She has 4 daughters, and 

her 1st grandchild was 

brought into the family in 

Nov. 2011. She stays fit by 

running daily, about 150 

miles per month. Jeannette 

Colardo Vermilyea and her 

husband are both retired; 

they spent the winter in 

FL in their RV, returning 

home in Apr. They love 

camping, visiting friends 

and traveling. Her son Jeff 

lives in Windham, NH, 

and gave her the 1st grandchild, 

Ryan. Son David 

lives in Bristol, RI, with 

his wife, Heidi, so she’s 

busy between NH, RI and 

FL. As for me, I’m looking 

forward to a fabulous 

summer reunion in VT 

with Beth Constantinides 

Meurlin, Susan Pomerantz, 

Valerie “Val” Turtle, Lynn 

Winchester, Deb Marcoux 

Deacetis and Karen 

Dunnett. Don’t miss the 

Colby-Sawyer Facebook 

page—they have their 

regular college site and 

their alumni page, and it 

helps to stay in touch. 


91

1971 

Ellie Goodwin Cochran 

58 Heather Street 

Manchester, NH 03104 

(603) 626-5959 

elliegc@myfairpoint.net 

Editor’s Note: Welcome and 

thank you to Ellie Goodwin 

Cochran, who has volunteered 

to serve as the new 

class of 1971 correspondent. 

Ellie Goodwin Cochran 

started a 3-month sabbatical 

on July 1, 2011. Her 

son Andy is an operations 

manager for the Major 

League Baseball network. 

Ellie plans to relax and try 

to figure out if she is retirement 

material, and determine 

the next steps for her 

daughter Sarah, who has 

developmental disabilities. 

Sarah happily works 

at the Elliot Hospital’s 

Rivers Edge. Ellie recently 

graduated from Leadership 

NH and still loves her job 

as director of philanthropy 

at the NH Charitable 

Foundation, and enjoys 

her work as a trustee at the 

NH Institute of Art and the 

NH Bar Foundation. Susan 

Ruesch lives in Bristol, 

NH, still working full time 

doing office nursing at 

Franklin Hospital Internal 

Medicine. She has 2 grown 

daughters, one working 

at LRGHealthcare as a 

nurse, the other living in 

VT raising 3 little ones. 

Annie Alger Hayward is 

happy that her beloved 

classmate Annie Pouch 

Aronson and her husband, 


Joe, are moving into the 

new and vibrant art district 

in Boston, where they’ll 

be much closer. Annie 

and Joe are empty nesters, 

while Bill and Annie 

Alger Hayward’s daughter, 

Katie, just completed her 

freshman year at Boston 

College. “The Annies” stay 

in close touch with Margot 

Woodworth Seefeld and 

Mira Fish Coleman, as well 

as Bonnie Pratt Filiault 

and Jean Bannister on 

Cape Cod. In fact, Bonnie’s 

son Brett is currently 

painting the Hayward’s 

house in Marstons Mills. 

During the spring, Nancy 

Bokron Lavigne and her 

husband, Jeff, attended 

the wedding of a friend’s 

son in Charlottesville, VA. 

They spent a few days 

in Washington, DC. The 

highlight of the week was 

when another son of a 

friend gave them a private 

tour of the West Wing at 

the White house. They 

also spent some time 

with her old friends from 

ME, Kit Lunney and her 

husband, Rick Barton, 

Ambassador and Assistant 

Secretary for Conflict and 

Stabilization Operations 

at the US Department of 

State. Candice Corcoran 

Raines competed in the 

US Olympic Archery Team 

Trials at Texas A&M. She 

continues to compete at 

the highest level in archery, 

and is currently the oldest, 

by 20 years, on the national 

ranking circuit. She’s 

finally retired from the 

Tuckerman Ski Patrol and 

(L to r) Nancy Bianchi Miller ’72, Deborah Ross Chambliss 

’72 and Linda Kelly Graves ’72 had some fun at a recent 

wedding celebration. 

the US Ski-Orienteering 

Team, but joined the 

Magic Mountain Ski 

Patrol and is now on the 

Master’s US Ski-O Team. 

Last winter they traveled 

to Slovakia and Austria 

for the World Masters 

Ski-O Champs. Candi and 

Thayer continue to teach 

at Green Mt. College in 

Youth Development and 

Camp Administration and 

Adventure Recreation, and 

run Roaring Brook Camp 

for Boys in Bradford, VT. 

Mary Lou Sibley Wolfe, 

her husband, Cory, and 

their son Alex live in 

Sammamish, WA, where 

there’s skiing to the east 

and sailing to the west. 

Alex will graduate from 

high school in 2013. 

1972 

Linda Kelly Graves 

880 Tannery Drive 

Wayne, PA 19087-2343 

(610) 688-0230 

dikeroka@aol.com 

Alas, I have little to report 

to you all and here we 

are on the verge of our 

40th Reunion and Colby- 

Sawyer’s 175th birthday! I 

have again recently spent a 

wonderful weekend in the 

company of my roommate, 

Nancy Bianchi Miller and 

our across-the-hall friend, 

Deborah Ross Chambliss, 

attending the marriage 

of Nancy’s oldest son, 

Jamie, in Quebec City. Lucy 

Main Tweet is hoping her 

book on knitting will be 

published this fall. I would 

like to acknowledge the 

passing of our classmate 

Robin Gross. Robin lived 

across the hall from me 

in Abbey our freshman 

year. She was a vivacious, 

smart, motivated and still 

full of energy late at night. 

Her sense of humor had 

us laughing all the time 

and nothing was too wacky 

not to try! Robin went 

on from Colby-Sawyer 

to Cornell’s School of 

Nursing, where she 

received her BSN in 1974. 

Robin worked in pediat-

(L to r) Liz Hough-Harden ’73, Nancy Gillen Kunis ’72 and 

Patty Brown Kinnunen ’72. 

ric nursing and pediatric 

oncology for many years. 

In more recent years, she 

moved to Portland, ME, 

where she passed away 

last May. Those of us who 

knew Robin will always 

remember her energy, her 

sense of fun, and her deep 

compassion for others. 

She will be sorely missed. 

1973 

Nancy R. Messing 

908 Ponce de Leon Drive 

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 

(954) 779-7449 

nrmessing@aol.com 

1974 

Sue Brown Warner 

48 Spring Street, unit 7 

Greenwich, CT 06830-6129 

(203) 629-1454 

Susan.Warner@terex.com 

Susan Smart Ferguson 

is entering her 13th year 

working for the Blue 

Springs School District 

in Blue Springs, MO. She 

enjoys having her summers 

free for travel and 

spending time with her 2 

grandchildren, Helena, age 

4, and Breck, age 2. She 

was looking forward to a 

family vacation to Disney 

World and Jacksonville 

Beach with her children 

and grandchildren in 

July. George and Susan 

will celebrate their 38th 

wedding anniversary in 

Sept. Two of their children, 

Geoffrey and Sarah, live in 

the Kansas City area with 

the grandchildren and 

the middle son, Andrew, 

lives in Scottsdale, AZ. 

Though they miss him, 

they love visiting the AZ 

desert! Susan still hears 

from Colby Dorm friends 

Pam Moe Dunn, Holly 

Hurd DiMauro, Debbie 

Lawrence Forman and 

Ann Flanders Damon. 

1975 

Jill McLaughlin Godfrey 

19500 Framingham Drive 

Gaithersburg, MD 20879 

(301) 926-7164 

Jillgodfrey25@gmail.com 

Caryl Diengott 

34 Hattie Lane 

Billerica, MA 01821 

(978) 436-9998 

cdiengott@comcast.net 

After graduating from 

Colby-Sawyer in 1975, I, 

Caryl Diengott, spent 2 

years working and then 

earned a BSW from Suffolk 

University. What a culture 

shock! I was a commuting 

student in a coed school, 

the first time in that situation 

since the 4th grade! 

I moved to NY to be near, 

and then marry, my (1st) 

husband, where I was a 

social worker for 10 years 

until our return to Boston. 

The marriage ended, and a 

few years later I re-married 

my 2nd (and last) husband, 

Evan Pressman, who 

works as a project manager 

for the federal government. 

We live in Billerica, 

MA. I’ve been working as 

a medical social worker 

for 32 years, mostly with 

chronically ill and/or 

terminally ill (oncology 

and renal social work are 

my passions). I returned 

to school (Boston College) 

when I was 39 to finally 

obtain my MSW. I sing in 

my Temple choir and enjoy 

walking and exercising. 

We are involved with our 

several nieces and nephews’ 

lives, and we travel 

a few times a year, mostly 

to England, where Evan’s 

brother, sister-in-law and 

niece and nephew live. 

We enjoyed a trip to the 

Cayman Islands in May. 

We’ve traveled a lot to the 

UK (Scotland, Ireland, 

Wales), Paris once, Israel 

twice, as well as the US 

National Parks. Once you 

start, you get a bug to continue 

to travel. Please feel 

free to send your updates. 

If you are in the area, I’d 

love to see you again. I did 

hear from Arden Avedisian 

once. I also shared a 

high school reunion with 

Carolyn Foley and Donna 

June. My first year roommate 

Bonnie Chaisson 

Keirnan ’77 and I found 

each other on Facebook. 

Summer 2012 finds me (Jill 

McLaughlin Godfrey) with 

the last of our 4 children 

having graduated from 

college, and my husband 

Scott and I deciding what 

our next adventure will 

be. I have retired from 

a radio broadcasting 

career, am currently back 

in school and managing 

a small boutique. Life so 

far has been a blast and 

a blessing! Karen Chani 

recently moved to a new 

home in Hanson, MA, 

and has been working at 

BCBSMA for 15 years. She 

is very active in her local 

choral group. If she has 

any free time, it is spent 

walking along the Cape 

Cod Canal, long weekends 

in ME, and theater parties 

in Boston and NY! Barbara 

Petzoldt Koski has graduated 

her youngest son 

from Northeastern, and 

she and her husband are 

retiring in Old Lyme, CT. 


93

They have been traveling 

and gardening and 

enjoying old friends. If 

there are any Colby-Sawyer 

graduates in the area, 

Barbara would love to hear 

from you! Nancy McIntire 

Zemlin’s youngest son 

recently graduated from 

U of ME, Orono. Marsha 

Meyer Hall has lost count 

of the number of times 

they have relocated for 

Steve’s career, but they 

are currently loving OH. 

Sandy Comstock continues 

to enjoy her beautiful 

home in ME and her 

gorgeous daughter, Hallie! 

That’s all for the class 

of 1975. Thanks to all 

who responded. 

1976 

Janet Spurr 

52 Rowland Street, Apt. 1 

Marblehead, MA 01945 

(781) 639-1008 

spurr1@msn.com 

Richard “Dick” Baynes’s 

son Barry Lewis ’07 received 

his master’s degree 

from Rivier College on May 

12. Susan is doing chair 

weaving—cane and rush— 

and Dick continues to 

carve signs and cribbage 

boards as well as build 

rustic furniture. Candace 

“Candy” Collamore Paine 

and her husband have 

been living in Colorado 

Springs, CO, for 16 years. 

They have 2 children, 

Shawn, 27, and Heather, 

25, living and working in 

Las Vegas, where they 


I have been doing high-tech 

public relations for about 22 years, 

and now I work part time out of 

my home office. 

Amelie Johnson ’77 

graduated from UNLV. 

Their youngest daughter, 

Stephanie, 23, lives and 

works in Durango, CO. 

She graduated from Fort 

Lewis College in Durango 

in 2011. Heather was 

married in May 2011 in 

Colorado Springs to Ehrich 

Madsen of Las Vegas. 

Candy’s husband, Scott 

(New England College 

’78), is a financial planner 

with Ameriprise and works 

out of their home. Candy 

recently accepted a new 

position with the public 

school district as Child 

Find Coordinator. Barbara 

Anne Tilney Brune ’76 with 

her daughter Tilney, who 

graduated from Wheaton 

College on May 19, 2012. 

Carroll recently completed 

a kitchen renovation. 

She went to the Breton 

region of France for her 

nephew’s wedding at the 

end of May, and hoped to 

have some Cape visiting 

time during the summer. 

Katherine “KB” Burke 

went to Southeast Asia 

in Feb. She visited Siem 

Reap in Cambodia and 

saw Angkor Wat and all 

the major temples, and 

rode elephants across the 

Mekong River and through 

the jungle in Laos. She 

ended up in Hanoi and 

Halong Bay in Vietnam. 

1977 

Wendi Braun 

5 Carnegie Place 

Lexington, MA 02420 

(781) 863-1502 

Wendi_Braun@msn.com 

Hello to all the ’77 alum! 

As I write this article, my 

son is home from college, 

having completed 

his sophomore year at 

Lafayette College in PA. 

We’re very excited about 

our daughter, Alexandra, 

graduating from high 

school and attending 

the U of SC in the fall. 

June Bascom still lives 

in Montpelier, VT, with 

Michael Hoffman, her 

partner of 18 years. She’s 

been with the State of VT 

Agency of Human Services 

for 27 years, working 

to improve the lives of 

people with developmental 

disabilities. The state office 

complex where she works 

was flooded in Tropical 

Storm Irene, causing over 

700 state employees to 

be displaced. It will be 3 

more years before they can 

return to newly renovated 

offices. June enjoys being 

active and the outdoors. 

Amelie Gardella Johnson 

writes, “I live in Dover, 

MA, with my husband, 

Tom, and 2 wonderful 

children, Gus, 15, and 

Olivia, 13. We spend our 

summers in Falmouth on 

Cape Cod. After Colby- 

Sawyer, I went to Wheaton 

College in Norton, MA. I 

have been doing high-tech 

public relations for about 

22 years, and now I work 

part time out of my home 

office.” Kathy Brown

Kay Kendrick Reynolds ’78, Morah Alexander ’78, Sue Gallup 

Filin ’77, Karen Griffiths Smith ’78 at Peter Christian’s in 

New London. 

Teece’s daughter Erica, 

29, started a new job in 

NYC, where she’s been 

living for 7 years. Alex, 26, 

graduated from Simon 

School of Business at the 

U of Rochester with his 

MBA last June. He was to 

head to HI in July to join 

Teach For America’s staff. 

Samantha, 23, completed 

her 1st year of graduate 

work in Public Health at 

Hunter College in NYC. 

Kathy volunteers at a food 

and clothing distribution 

organization called The 

Survival Center. Husband 

David is still very involved 

with his wholesale 

plumbing and heating 

business, opening new 

branches and growing the 

business. Jennifer “Jen” 

Harwood Peterson writes, 

“My husband and I have 

2 daughters, one of whom 

has just graduated from 

Syracuse U. Our other 

daughter works in the 

biotechnology field in CA. I 

keep myself busy working 

in the family business and 

see Heidi Platt Gruskowski 

’78 and Meredith Andrews 

Benjamin on a regular 

basis.” And in closing, 

from Fairfield, CT, Carolyn 

Adams Skiba writes, 

“Nothing new, nothing 

has changed (except 

my weight), life is 

good!” I hope you all 

are enjoying life too! 

1978 

Jody Hambley Cooper 



(603) 526-4667 

jcooper323@aol.com 

Editor’s Note: In the last 

issue of the Colby-Sawyer 

Magazine, class news from 

Karen Griffiths Smith ’78 

was inadvertently credited 

to Kay Kendrick Reynolds 

’78. Our sincerest apologies 

to both ladies. 

1979 

Debra Bray Mitchell 

17 Rope Ferry Road 

Hanover, NH 03755 

(603) 643-7138 

dbraymitch@gmail.com 

By the time you read this 

Bill and I will have hosted 

our 4th annual cocktail 

reception for CSC alumni 

and friends. We have so 

much fun entertaining 

students, current parents, 

old and young alumni, 

and administration in our 

home. I encourage you all 

to attend a function in your 

area, or, better yet, host 

one of your own. Contact 

the Alumni Office for help 

and information. Karen 

Huntley Freeman wants all 

Abbey alums to check out 

the Abbey Dorm Group 

on Facebook. Karen, Josie 

DeBragga-Levendosky 

and Kathy Scott Rowell 

’80 also invite all to come 

back for the Alumni Fall 

Festival Oct. 12 -14, 2012! 

Sue Kearns Hubbard in 

Summit, NJ, reports on 

her 2 young boys (Peter, a 

high school freshman, and 

Kyle, a 6th grader) and lawyer 

husband of 16 years, 

Eric. They spend most of 

their free time on playing 

fields and ice rinks all over 

NJ or listening to their 

“Guitar God” son, Kyle. 

Sue’s best friend from 

Colby-Sawyer, Mary Bartlet 

“Barty” Nicholson ’81, of 

Seattle, WA, visited last 

summer with her 2 girls, 

Kelsea, 20, and Molly, 16. 

Sareen Sarna has been 

VP of Central Intake with 

the Beacon/Amedisys 

Hospice for the past 7 

years, after completing a 

15-year career with Bristol 

Myers Squibb in a variety 

of roles. Sareen lives in 

Dover Point, NH, with 

her husband, John Gesek. 

They’ve been renovating 

their waterfront home for 

the past 2 decades. Along 

with 2 dogs they have 7 

godchildren they travel 

the world with, including 

Turks and Caicos, where 

they rented the home of 

Terry O’Neil Jaxtimer ’76. 

1980 

Lee Hartwell Jackson 

Cypress Creek Estates 

6180 9th Avenue Circle NE 

Bradenton, FL 34202-0561 

(941) 747-0406 

Lifegrd121@aol.com 

1981 

Pamela Aigeltinger Lyons 

436 Round Hill Road 

Saint Davids, PA 19087 

(610) 989-0551 

pamalyons@verizon.net 

1982 

Melissa Buckley Sammarco 

Viale Alessandro 

Magno, 446 

00124 Rome 

Italy 

011-39-06-509-8273 

mbsammarco@virgilio.it 


95

Leading the Charge 

Mary Drueding ’83 

2012 has been quite a year for 

Mary Drueding, an alumna and 

former coach of Colby-Sawyer’s 

equestrian team who since 1995 has 

been the head coach for St. Lawrence 

University. In January, Drueding 

received the Lifetime Achievement 

Award from the Intercollegiate 

Horse Show Association (IHSA). She 

then thoroughly validated that honor 

when St. Lawrence went on to win 

the IHSA National Championship in 

May, the school’s first in 35 years. 

Drueding laughs heartily as she 

reflects on the bounty this year has 

brought her. “If you are going to turn 

50, this is the way to do it!” 

Raised in Princeton, N.J., Drueding 

began riding horses at age eight, 

and continued to ride while studying 

Business Administration at Colby- 

Sawyer. Three years after graduation, 

she was working in Boston as an 


accountant, convinced she was the 

path she was going to follow. Then 

she received a call from her former 

coach at Colby-Sawyer, wondering 

if she’d like to come back to her alma 

mater as an assistant coach. “It was 

toward the end of tax season,” Drueding 

recalls. “I wasn’t enjoying it as 

much as I’d hoped.” 

Drueding took the job, and in 1989 

she helped lead Colby-Sawyer’s 

equestrian team to its first national 

championship. Two years later she 

became Colby-Sawyer’s head coach, 

and three years after that, in 1994, 

she led the team to its second national 

championship. The next year she 

took on the job of revitalizing St. 

Lawrence’s program, which she has 

done with resounding success. 

Her key to success, she believes, is 

her ability to explain the inherent 

challenges of the sport and the way it 

Mary Drueding ’83 had lots to celebrate this year: A national championship for 

her St. Lawrence equestrian team and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the 

Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). Photo: Tara Freeman 

is judged. “You are trying to create 

an athlete who best exemplifies the 

ideals of classical riding and doing it 

on a strange horse that they meet 

for the first time,” she explains. “My 

strength is to be able to convey those 

concepts to a very willing, hardworking 

rider.” 

In addition to her recent honors 

and achievements, Drueding was 

inducted into the Colby-Sawyer 

Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. Yet she 

remains down to earth and goodhumored 

about the accolades that are 

piling up around her. While honored 

to receive a Lifetime Achievement 

Award, she rightly points out that she 

still has plenty to give to the sport that 

she adores, and she will have to do 

just that quite soon. 

“You win in May, you’re the champion 

for the year, but starting Sept. 1,” she 

says, “you have to claw and scratch 

your way back for next year.” 

— Mike Gregory

1983 

Gail Smart Scibelli 

#1 The Bridge 

Port Washington, NY 11050 

gscibell@organic.com 

1984 

Lisa Reon Barnes 

11 Allen Place 

Sudbury, MA 01776 

(978) 443-6816 

lisarbarnes@hotmail.com 

1985 


Needed 

Carla Byers has accepted 

a position as Assistant 

Director of Planned 

Giving at Brigham and 

Women’s Hospital. She’s 

moved back to Andover 

and is getting used to 

a long commute. 

1986 


Needed 

Judith “Judy” Jarvis 

Densmore is pleased to 

report that her daughter, 

JoAnna Densmore, headed 

to Colby-Sawyer this fall 

as a freshman. Margaret 

“Meg” Mill is in a career 

transition and hoping to 

start a business involving 

the design of needlepoint 

dog collars. She still 

loves living in Boston. 

1987 


Needed 

Editor’s Note: Special 

thanks to Sudie Brown 

Danaher for serving as 

the Class of ’87 correspondent 

since 1998. 

Laura Hoffman Boucher 

Ely still lives in Mystic, 

CT. She has a 13-year-old 

daughter and 15-year-old 

son, 2 cats and 2 dogs. 

She’s been re-married 

for 7 years; her husband 

was her neighbor growing 

up in elementary school. 

They just finished building 

a post and beam house 

over the last 5 years. They 

love riding bikes, sailing, 

hiking, running, swimming 

and doing an occasional 

triathlon. When Laura’s 

not driving her children 

around, she works as a 

health coach. She went 

back to school in 2004 and 

did a 4 year energy medicine 

program and then 

completed the Institute 

for Integrative Nutrition 

health coaching program 

in 2008. Her website is 

www.inwardhealth.com. 

1988 


Needed 

Editor’s Note: Thanks 

to Letticia Kelly Brown- 

Gambino for serving as 

the Class of 1988 correspondent 

since 2007. 

1989 

Carrie Cherubino McGraw 

311 Mountain Cloud Circle 

Highlands Ranch, 

CO 80126-2208 

(720) 344-2612 

Mcgraw.carolyn@ 

gmail.com 

1990 

Janette Robinson 

Harrington 

13 Sherwood Road 

Hingham, MA 02043 

(781) 749-2571 

Harrington21@verizon.net 

1991 

Gretchen Garceau-Kragh 

315 Adams Street 

San Antonio, TX 78210 

(210) 226-7079 

shoeless94@hotmail.com 

1992 

Elizabeth Bryant Camp 

48 Rowell Hill Road 



(603) 526- 3723 

ecamp@colby-sawyer.edu 

Jennifer Barrett Sawyer 

57 Field Road 

Marston Mills, MA 02648 

(508) 428-9766 

jjmasawyer@comcast.net 

Kirsten Girard Soroko lives 

in Derry, NH, and was 

married this past Feb. to 

Matt Soroko, who works 

as an RN at Concord 

Kirsten Girard Soroko ’92 

with her husband, Matt, 

and children Emmie and AJ. 

Hospital. Kirsten teaches 

language arts and is 

one of the Differentiated 

Instruction Curriculum 

coaches at Hampstead 

Academy in Hampstead, 

NH. She also coaches 

tennis and cross country 

and loves working with 

middle-school students. 

Kirsten’s daughter, 

Emmie, just finished 4th 

grade and her son, AJ, 

completed 3rd grade. 

Brenda Manus White is 

living in Hopkinton, NH, 

with her husband and 

children Jamie, 18, and 

Salone, 15. Brenda is a 

teacher at the Windy Hill 

School here on campus. 

Amy Kosky Kurja and I 

(Beth) were able to catch 

up over lunch in Amy’s 

hometown of Wenham, 

MA. Amy and husband 

Ed have 3 children: Olivia, 

10, Claire, 8, and Jake, 4. 

Kelly Lynch Collins writes, 

“I went to Las Vegas in 

May for a week to meet 

up with my parents, who 

were on vacation. In the 

early Fall I’ll be attending 

the Formula 1 race in 

Austin—the first F1 race 

to come back to the US 

since 2004. In between, I’ll 

be riding my new motor- 


97

I have been married for 17 years 

to my husband Chris and we have 

four children. 

Judy Dupuis Munchrath ’92 

cycle. Then I’ll finish 2012 

in NH with my parents 

for Christmas and back 

to CA to ring in the New 

Year on the slopes of some 

as-yet-undecided Tahoe 

ski resort.” Jen DuBose- 

Lombard is still living in 

Chicago with her husband, 

Rich, and children Aidan, 

2, and Alex, 6. Jen thanks 

everyone who was in touch 

after the article about her 

business, Lizzy Lift, was 

featured in a recent edition 

of the CSC Magazine. 

She attended Merritt 

Schaal’s 40th birthday 

celebration. Jen and Rich 

hope to return to campus 

to celebrate our 20th 

Reunion this fall. Deborah 

“Twinkie” Damron Boles 

lives in Chelmsford, MA, 

with her husband, Randy, 

and 2 boys, Chase, 10, and 

Hunter, 7. Deb is a clinical 

pharmacy specialist at 

Lowell General Hospital, 

providing care for cardiac 

patients. Deb is also an 

associate professor and 

preceptor for MA College 

of Pharmacy and was 

recently awarded Preceptor 

of the Year 2011-2012 for 

her work with pharmacy 

students from the college. 

Deb looks forward to 


catching up with everyone 

at our reunion in Oct. 

Chrissy Lyons Agosto is 

collaboratively teaching 

grad school courses with 

Dr. Kathleen Porcaro, 

creator of the LINKS educational 

program, which 

connects reading, thinking 

and writing skills. She 

attended the Music Moves 

Minds conference at 

Conservatory Lab Charter 

School in Brighton, MA. 

Chrissy teaches in-service 

professional development 

courses to her fellow 

colleagues in Everett. She 

plays softball for a league 

in Saugus, MA. Judy 

Dupuis Munchrath writes, 

“I always enjoy reading the 

updates and I don’t think 

I’ve ever sent anything in 

about me in all of these 

20 years! I’ve always felt 

kind of ‘between’ classes 

because I started with 

the class of ’91 but took a 

year off between sophomore 

and junior year, and 

graduated with ’92. I live in 

the Dallas/Ft. Worth area 

in TX, and literally drove 

down here the day after 

college graduation with 

Laura Hoefer Kochen, and 

we’ve both made this area 

our home since. I have 

been married for 17 years 

to my husband, Chris, and 

we have 4 children: Luke, 

15; Garrett, 13; Joy, 11; and 

Libby, 9. I’ve been staying 

at home doing the ‘mom’ 

thing, which you can 

imagine with four kiddos 

is busy! I had the privilege 

of volunteering with Girl 

Scouts this year as the 

manager of our tri-city 

service unit, overseeing 

and facilitating the merge 

of 2 service units into one 

for a total of close to 700 

Girl Scouts. It was quite a 

year! Recently I was hired 

to teach kindergarten 

starting in the fall. I’m 

over the moon excited 

because the school I’ll be 

teaching at is wonderful! 

I’m hoping to attend the 

reunion weekend in Oct. 

and reconnect with classmates.” 

As for me, Beth 

Bryant Camp, life remains 

active and full with my 

family and my work here 

at the college. I have truly 

enjoyed reconnecting with 

so many of you as we 

anticipate and prepare for 

our 20th Reunion, Oct. 12- 

14. If you’re on Facebook, 

please join the Class of 

’92 Reunion page! Also, 

I will be hosting a spe- 

cial cocktail party for our 

class the Saturday night 

of Reunion weekend at 

my home in New London 

and all are welcome! 

1993 

Dawn Hinckley 

986 Briarcliff Drive 

Santa Maria, CA 93455 

prettygyrl911s@gmail.com 

1994 


Needed 

Editor’s Note: Thank you 

to Matt Reed for serving 

as the Class of ’94 

Correspondent since 2008. 

Anthony Barbier writes, 

“I was recruited as a 

product manager at Apple 

based in CA. I have been 

to Vietnam, China, Japan 

and the Philippines and 

sometimes think my 2nd 

home is an airplane. I have 

been coaching football 

for my son’s school and 

my wife, Kristin, is busy 

running our foundation. 

Hoping to get to one of the 

Reunion events at some 

point to see everyone.” 

1995 

Caroline Miriam Herz 

350 East 62nd Street 

Apartment 2D 

New York, NY 10021 

(212) 688-6998 

cherz@ur.com

Kate Ireland DelliColli ’98 

and Jeff DelliColli ’95 on 

their August 2011 wedding 

day. 

1996 

Stefanie Lord Baumblatt 

430 Society Street 

Alpharetta, GA 30022 

(404) 472-7198 

stef.baumblatt@gmail.com 

Diane Marsden Morley 

12 Albert Road 

Peabody, MA 01960 

(781) 929-5708 

Itty17@aol.com 

1997 

Amy-Jo Sichler Baringer 

13 Margaret Drive 

Wilton, NY 12831 

Regan Loati Baringer 

22622 Quiet Lane 

Leonardtown, MD 20650 

(301) 997-0781 

rrbaringer@ 

md.metrocast.net 

1998 

Jamie Gilbert Kelly 

10-2 Countryside Lane 

Middletown, CT 06457 

(860) 305-4641 

sportsmassage01@ 

hotmail.com 

Chris Quint 

130 Granite St 

Biddeford, ME 04005 

christopher.quint@ 

gmail.com 

Hello, Class of ’98. We are 

1 year away from our 15year 

Reunion. Stay tuned 

for plans coming from 

CSC and hopefully you 

all will be able to make it 

back and visit with some 

old friends. I’m living 

in Biddeford, ME, with 

my wife and 2 kids and 

working as the Executive 

Director of the ME State 

Employees Association, 

SEIU Local 1989. Nate 

Camp just finished his 11th 

year as a teacher/coach at 

Kearsarge Regional School 

District and is enjoying 

time with Beth Bryant 

Camp ’92 and their 2 girls. 

Amy Carroll is putting 

her master’s degree in 

Professional Counseling 

Psychology to good use as 

the Dir. of Programs at the 

Riverview School on Cape 

Cod. Marty Binette is a 

middle school teacher and 

high school track coach for 

the Ipswich School district 

and living in Amesbury, 

MA, with Missy Eckman 

Binette ’99 and their 2 

kids. Mark Macenas is 

doing great in NC with his 

18-month-old daughter, 

Zoe, and his wife, Hilary. 

Sam Hamilton is teaching 

human anatomy and 

medical microbiology for 

the Bayside High School 

Health Science Academy in 

Norfolk, VA. Kate Ireland 

DelliColli was married 

to Jeff DelliColli ’95 in 

Aug. 2011. Rob Peaslee 

’95, Donnie Varnum ’95 

and Sean Cushing ’95 

served as groomsmen 

and Chris Audet ’94, Pat 

Desmond ’95 and Charles 

Erik Macenas ’94 (far left) and his brother Mark Macenas 

’98 (far right) with their parents, Mark’s wife, Hilary, and 

daughter Zoe. 

“Obie” Miller ’95 were in 

attendance as well. Kevin 

Webster and Beth Ferreira 

Webster are busy with their 

boys and youth sports 

in Dartmouth, MA. Kelly 

Ervin Packett added a baby 

girl, Delani, to her family 

in Aug. 2011 and will be relocating 

to Woodbury, CT. 

Kelly keeps in touch with 

Elise Picard Howe and 

says she is doing great. 

Melissa Morgan passed 

her licensed clinical 

social work exam in Apr. 

1999 

Suzanne Blake Gerety 

4 Captain’s Way 

Exeter, NH 03833 

(603) 772-2546 

suziek212@yahoo.com 

Hi, Class of ’99! Adrienne 

Shrekgast Frost welcomed 

baby girl Grace Kathryn 

on Mar. 26. Right now 

she’s home taking care 

of her and enjoying her 

time as a new mom. 

Adrienne enjoys time with 

fellow CSC friends and 

alums Heather Gardiner 

Shupenko, Sara Burman 

Wantman ’00, Katie 

Reagan Mooney, Kara 

Crane Fonseca and all of 

their babies, too. Heather 

Gardiner Shupenko writes, 

“Finley ‘Finn’ Joseph was 

born on Mar. 24. Noah, 

4.5 years, and Tucker, 18 

months, are excited about 

their new baby brother. 

I am totally loving being 

a mom to 3 boys.” 


99

2000 

Jennifer Prudden 

Montgomery 

147 Grove Street 

Melrose, MA 02176 

(978) 852-2601 

jprudden@yahoo.com 

Tara Schirm Campanella 

978 Jubilee Court 

Lemoore, CA 93245 

taracampanella@ 

hotmail.com 

Hi all! I, Jen Prudden 

Montgomery, gave birth to 

a healthy baby boy named 

Davis Peter Montgomery 

on May 23. Otherwise, all 

the rest is the same with 

me. I’m teaching 3rd grade 

in Andover, MA, and living 

with my husband, Brian, 

and our dog, Hinckley, in 

Melrose, MA. Katie Sykes 

Follis says everything is 

pretty much the same for 

her—2 kids, dog, cat, job, 

husband. I got to visit with 

the Follis clan in Feb. for 

Katie’s daughter’s birthday 

party. We all went to Zanna 

Campbell Blaney’s house 

in Goffstown, NH, for a 

big gathering with many 

other CSC friends: Keith 


Jen Prudden Montgomery 

’00 and her husband, Brian, 

welcomed their son Davis 

into the world on May 23. 

Perkins ’99 and Tracey 

Guarda Perkins ’01, Amy 

Potter Drummond and 

Drew Drummond ’02, and 

many more. There were 

definitely more children 

than adults! Zanna continues 

to work at Bedford 

High School (NH) as a 

school counselor and is 

kept busy by her little ones, 

Cavot and Merrick, who 

just turned 1. Kate Lovell is 

living in Walpole, MA, and 

working in Boston. Keep 

your eyes open for her on 

the big screen as she has 

a line in a movie that re- 

(L to r) Tara Strand Balunis ’00, Rebecca Banas ’00 and Carla 

Tornifoglio Breen ’00 with Michelle on her wedding day. 

cently came out, “Crooked 

Arrow.” Jessica Dannecker 

Gullo has moved to NJ 

to live with her husband, 

Fred. She’s still working 

at the same job, but 

now works from home 

and travels back to NH 

frequently to visit family 

and for work. Tara Strand 

Balunis and her husband 

welcomed their 1st child, 

Elizabeth Belle, on Dec. 

17, 2011. Michelle Berger 

Lefebvre writes, “I’m still 

in CT and working full 

time in the law firm. Our 

daughter, Hailey, is 7 now 

and our son, Zachary, is 3. 

I met up with Cindy Bailey 

Mace in Holyoke, MA, for 

a visit with my youngest 

and her son, Ryder.” Jenn 

Wallerstein McPhee gave 

birth to son Cash Thomas 

on Dec 2, 2011. This kid 

is already a world traveler 

with stamps in his 

passport, from going to 

Boston at 3 weeks old— 

where he had some cuddle 

time with Andrea Goupil 

Stone ’99—to having 

his 1st swim in HI on his 

way to meet the relatives 

in Australia. Jenn’s plan 

is to be a stay-at-home 

Michelle Miller Birckhead ’01 

married Christopher Birckhead 

on October 8, 2011. 

mom, for at least as long 

as they live in Phoenix. 

Hayley Cozens Campbell 

was to graduate on June 

3 with her master’s in 

Organizational Psychology 

and Leadership. She’s 

still living on the beach 

in Winthrop and is in 

touch regularly with Kate 

Lovell and Kerry Fleming. 

2001 

Kristy Meisner Ouellette 

45 Whippoorwill Road 

Litchfield, ME 04350 

207-576-0181 

kristy.ouellette@maine.edu 

My husband, Jason, and I 

welcomed our son, Eben, 

into the world on Dec. 17, 

2011. We are in love with 

our little guy and are enjoying 

our new roles as parents. 

Kristin Ozana Doyle 

has a 2-year-old, Abigail. 

Kristin still sees Jennie 

Cocchiaro Labranche 

and they are enjoying 

mommyhood together! 

Sara Hammond writes, 

“I am a staff attorney 

at the Jeanne Geiger Crisis 

Center in Amesbury, MA. 

The JGCC is dedicated to 

serving victims of domestic 

violence. This May 

will be my final meeting as 

a Winton-Black Trustee on 

the Colby-Sawyer College 

Board of Trustees. I have 

been honored to serve the 

college in this capacity and 

will continue my involvement 

at CSC.” Michelle 

Miller Birckhead married

Christopher Birckhead on 

Oct. 8, 2011, at the Park 

Savoy in Florham Park, NJ. 

The wedding was attended 

by fellow CSC alums 

Tara Strand Balunis ’00, 

Rebecca Banas ’00 and 

Carla Tornifoglio Breen ’00. 

They honeymooned in 

the Mediterranean on a 

2-week cruise with stops in 

Spain, Italy, Greece, Malta 

and Turkey. Tracey Guarda 

Perkins is still working 

in the Colby-Sawyer 

College Admissions Office. 

The walls of Colgate hall 

are still the same but 

the campus is busy and 

growing and changing, 

so come and visit! Her 

daughter Abbey turned 

4 this summer and she 

and Keith Perkins ’99 are 

enjoying the life of just 

trying to keep up with 

her. Brooke Morin Black 

is still teaching history in 

NY and coaching soccer 

and lacrosse. She’s living 

in CT with her husband, 

little boy, and dog Colby, 

and is looking to expand 

her family this year. 

Karrie Whitmore Swindler 

welcomed daughter Leah 

Scarlett in July 2009. 

Patrick Kelly ’02 and 

Melissa Hazelton Kelly 

welcomed their 1st child, 

Zain W.H. Kelly, to the 

world on Dec. 18, 2011. 

Pat received his elementary 

teaching certificate 

from the Upper Valley 

Educator Institute in June. 

Sarah Outten and her 

fiancé, Michael Horan, got 

engaged last Nov. In Jan., 

they traveled to Cabo San 

Finding a Hole in the Market 

Andrew Cesati ’02 

It was the crunch of snow that brought 

Andrew Cesati from his New Hampshire 

home to the ski slopes of Colorado and 

Utah. But an altogether different crunch 

—that of tasty, fresh-packed pickles— 

guides him now. As co-owner, with his 

wife Allison, of the Yee-Haw Pickle 

Company, Cesati is suddenly finding success 

in a hungry market for wholesome 

snacks. 

After graduating with honors from 

Colby-Sawyer’s English Program, Cesati 

was hired by the U.S. Ski Team, eventually 

moving out west to Crested Butte, 

Colo. It was while Allison was laid up 

with a knee injury that Cesati, looking for 

healthy snacks for her, made a fateful 

trip to the store. 

“All the pickles were junk,” he says 

dismissively. “Loaded with sugar, yellow 

dye #5, made in India and shipped 

over.” He quickly realized there was a 

hole in the market for locally made, 

natural pickles. 

The couple began to make pickles 

in their home. “Living in Crested Butte, 

we were five hours from anywhere,” recalls 

Cesati. They found themselves traveling 

for hours to Denver to buy produce 

and then hauling hundreds of pounds of 

cucumbers back to their test kitchen. In 

the spring of 2011 they relocated to Park 

City, Utah, determined to launch their 

pickle company in earnest. 

After some time to get their bearings— 

finding a kitchen, a line on produce, 

a supplier of glass jars, and becoming 

Andrew Cesati and his wife Allison are the co-founders 

of the Yee-haw Pickle Company. 

certified—the Cesatis brought their 

first batch to a local farmer’s market in 

August. “We were prepared to sell about 

four jars,” says Cesati. Instead, they 

were cleaned out of eight cases, their 

entire inventory. 

Today, just a few months later, Yee-Haw 

pickles are sold in regional Whole Foods 

stores, and Cesati has high hopes for 

national distribution. The Cesatis are in 

the process of creating their own manufacturing 

plant, after being dissatisfied 

with outsourcing possibilities. With 

any luck, the crunch of Yee-Haw pickles 

will make their way back East in the 

near future. 

— Mike Gregory 

Learn more about the Yee-Haw Pickle 

Company at yeehawpickles.com 


101

(L to r) Heather Thomson Arrighi ’01 with her daughter 

Gabby, Grace Gravelle ’01, and Chris Roofe ’01 with his sons 

Johnny and Tommy got together for a winter mini-reunion. 

Lucas for a “rehearsal” 

honeymoon and look forward 

to their actual honeymoon 

in Barbados. Celia 

Lozeau Goodman writes, 

“I am still enjoying staying 

home with my 2 boys. At 

the end of this school year 

I will be returning to NH 

to visit the family before 

we move to Calgary, AB, 

Canada. We are really 

excited for this move!” 

Sarah Outten ’01 and her 

fiancé, Michael Horan, 

celebrate their engagement 

on the Connecticut Wine 

Trail. 


2002 

Nikki Fowler Martin 

44 Van Buren Street 

Albany, NY 12204 

(315) 854-0641 

Nicole.martin3@gmail.com 

Cheryl Lecesse 

48 Lowell Street 

Wilmington, MA 01887 

cheryllecesse@gmail.com 

It’s so hard to believe that 

it’s been 10 years since our 

snowy graduation. Angela 

Langevin Heavey has completed 

her Ph.D. in Human 

Resource Studies at the 

ILR School at Cornell U 

and is getting ready to 

move to Miami, FL, where 

she has taken a position as 

assistant professor in the 

College of Business at FL 

International U. Matthew 

Sweeney recently changed 

jobs, and is now the director 

of clinical services for 

Advocates Inc.’s Waltham, 

MA, office. Stephanie Roy 

Ziniti and her husband 

bought a house in Aug. 

2011 in Nashua, NH. Kerri 

Tuttle Boardman and her 

husband, Jeff, welcomed 

their 1st son, Joel, on Oct. 

15, 2011. Kerri is an inclusion 

special ed. teacher in 

Swansea, MA, and loves 

being a mom. Erin Hardy 

Yelle and her husband, 

Jeff, welcomed their 3rd 

son, Noah Riley, on Mar. 

1, 2012. Jeff is in his 4th 

year of dental school, and 

they’re looking forward 

to moving back to the 

Northeast to their families 

when he’s finished. Erin 

teaches fitness classes part 

time in addition to staying 

at home with the little 

ones, but hopes to build 

up her personal training 

business soon. Kelly 

Wigmore Mastroianni’s 

4-year-old son, Dominic, 

became a big brother 

on Apr. 19, 2012, to Cole 

Stephen Mastroianni. 

Drew Drummond and 

Amy Potter Drummond 

’00 welcomed William 

Andrew Drummond to the 

family on Nov. 19, 2011. 

Addison loves having a 

baby brother around. Drew 

now works as an account 

manager for Clean Energy 

Fuels in Concord, NH. 

Congratulations to all! 

Neill Ewing-Wegmann 

exhibited his artwork 

from Feb. through Apr. 

2012 at Sanctuary Gallery 

in downtown Portland, 

ME, with fellow alumnus 

Eric Peterson ’00. His 

son, Shanon, turned 8 on 

May 19 and his daughter, 

Penelope, 2 1/2, is doing 

a great job at potty 

training. Andrea Chula 

Emery and Eric Emery 

’04 are enjoying their 

new home in VT and their 

precious Ayela. Cathleen 

“Cassie” Doran Koslosky 

was set to start a master’s 

degree program in 

Aug. through Georgetown 

U to become a nurse 

practitioner. She recently 

participated in the Run 

for Your Lives Zombie 

5K with Alisha Diliberto. 

“We spent the day getting 

chased by zombies 

and running through the 

mud,” she writes. “So 

Neill Ewing-Wegmann ’02 

and his daughter Penelope 

at the opening reception 

for Neill’s recent art exhibit 

at Sanctuary Gallery in 

Portland, Maine. 

Kerri Tuttle Boardman ’02 

with baby son Joel.

Alisha Diliberto ’02 and 

Cassie Doran Koslosky ’02 

recently took part in the Run 

for Your Lives Zombie 5K 

and survived the experience! 

fun!” I hope to see you all 

during Reunion Weekend! 

2003 

Lisa Noyes-Hardenbrook 

124 Lita Lane 

Newmarket, NH 03857 

litha81@hotmail.com 

I hope this note finds 

everyone well. I had 

a busy spring helping 

Kayde Czupryna Gower 

prepare for her Apr. 14, 

2012, wedding to her best 

friend Doug. Leading the 

way down the aisle were 

Courtney Stevens ’04, 

Meghan Oriel Wallas, 

maid of honor Natasha 

Deane O’Donnell, and 

myself. Kristen Wolslegel 

Lutz and Jenny Woodbury 

’04 were also on the 

dance floor celebrating 

the Gowermania! The new 

Gowers were then whisked 

away to Disney World 

Beth Morel Blair ’03 with 

her husband, David, and 

their daughter Ariana. 

for their honeymoon. 

Jess Wilfert is living on 

Martha’s Vineyard, working 

at the YMCA as a PT 

and wellness coach. Justin 

Svirsky has been spending 

available weekends at 

Rye Beach with family and 

friends. He was also able 

to attend some Celtics 

games with Joel Tuite and 

Marc Bourget. Katy Bishop 

Kulakowski and husband 

Mark became 1st time 

parents on Feb. 11, 2012, to 

a baby boy named Macklin 

Bishop Kulakowski. On 

Kayde Czupryna Gower ’03 

and her husband, Douglas, 

on their April 2012 wedding 

day. 

May 6, 2012, Beth Morel 

Blair and David Blair 

welcomed a baby girl 

named Ariana Elena. 

2004 

Eric Emery 

6354 South Chase Street 

Littleton, CO 80123 

(303) 936-6409 

e_rock04@hotmail.com 

(L to r) Kristen Wolslegel Lutz ’03, Juliana Faccenda (non- 

CSC grad), Deborah Griffin (non-CSC grad), Jenny Woodbury 

’04, Natasha Deane O’Donnell ’03, Meghan Oriel Wallas 

’03, Courtney Stevens ’04, bride Kayde Czupryna Gower ’03 

and Lisa Noyes Hardenbrook ’03 take a moment from 

dancing to pose for a CSC group photo. 

Mary Lougee Lambert 

65 Church Street 

Newport, NH 03773 

Mary.F.Lambert@ 

gmail.com 

I hope this issue of the 

magazine finds everyone 

well! Amanda Ashe got 

married in Aug. 2011 and 

has moved into a new 

home with her husband. 

She’s still living on the 

ME coast and working 

in banking. Lauren Barry 

Annarelli and Melissa 

Tobin were 2 of her bridesmaids 

and were up to 

visit for her bridal shower. 

Amber Tombarello Orr 

and her husband, Ethan, 

are currently stationed 

at Fort Drum, NY, where 

her husband is a captain 

in the Army. Their son 

Camden is 2 and they 

had identical twin boys 

in June! Stacey Fraser de- 

Haan is still working in 3 

museums and is thankful 

to have such great jobs 

given the tough economy 

and competitive field. She 

and her husband keep 

plugging away at updating 

her grandparents’ old 

house in Lexington, MA, 

making it feel more like 

their own. Stacey sees CSC 

friends on a regular basis. 

2005 

Monica Michaud 

5 Hall Street 

Lewiston, ME 04240 

michaud_monica@ 

hotmail.com 


103

Amber Tombarello Orr ’04 

with her husband, Ethan, 

and their son Camden. 

Cody O’Leary 

1808 South Albany Road 

Craftsbury Common, 

VT 05827 

codyoleary@gmail.com 

Marissa Zinsser Hayes 

and her husband launched 

their 1st business, Dream 

Desserts, a gluten-free 

desserts company. Their 

website is www.dreamdessertbars.com 

and they 

just became a national 

seller via Foodzie.com. 

Gwen O’Neil Beaudet and 

Chris Beaudet are still 

living in TN and working at 

local hospitals. Their son, 

Camden, is 2. Meaghan 

Smith Beaulieu began 

a new job in Sept. 2011 

as a guidance counselor 

at Bradford Elementary 

School. She also had a 

baby boy in Dec., Collin 

Daniel Beaulieu, weighing 

in at 9.1 lbs. and 21.25” 

long. Meaghan keeps in 

touch with Kristy Gerry. 

Meaghan celebrated at 


a baby shower for Jackie 

Sullivan Genest ’06 in 

April, who was expecting 

a baby at the beginning 

of June. Other CSC alum 

in attendance were Alana 

Barton Pelletier ’06, Jessie 

Kamal ’06 and Jackie’s sister, 

Michelle Sullivan ’08. 

Katie Harrigan Holley and 

Ben Holley are pleased 

to announce the newest 

member of their family, 

Ava Rose, born on Mar. 

16 in NYC. Jenni Beaulieu 

Calvi got married in June 

2011, graduated from 

MGH Institute as an RN 

in Aug., and gave birth to 

a baby boy, Dominic, in 

Dec. Jenni and her family 

moved to FL in June 

because her husband, 

a commissioned officer 

in the US Navy, became 

a pilot. Laura Lepene 

Guyette and Jeff Guyette 

are married and living in 

Concord, NH. Allison Kelly 

will be saying a bittersweet 

farewell to Boston 

and Children’s Hospital 

Boston and moving to 

CT in June to her fiancé’s 

house in Wallingford. 

2006 

Douglas B. Cote 

11190 Lady Jane Loop #302 

Manassas, VA 20109 

(703) 647-9784 

napoleon1030@aol.com 

As always, the Class f ’06 

has been busy. Kathryn 

Mills is working at Healthy 

Achievers, a corporate 

health screening and 

immunization company, 

and is living on the 

NH seacoast with Rob 

Ryder ’03. They visited 

Las Vegas last May, and 

enjoy seeing many CSC 

alums. Shawn Fleisner 

got engaged to Sarah 

Dow ’07 after 8 years 

together. On a personal 

note, last year I founded 

American Frontiers 

Education Group, which is 

an international education 

consulting firm. We work 

to place international 

students in high schools 

and universities throughout 

the US, and place 

them with host families, 

and provide care 

throughout their time 

in the US. Check out 

our website at www. 

american-frontiers.com. 

2007 

Ashley Rodkey 

56 Meetinghouse Road 

Pelham, MA 01002 

(413) 253-7867 

rodkeyah@yahoo.com 

Melissa Ferrigno 

42 Wolf Road Unit 1112 

Lebanon, NH 03766 

Ferrig015@hotmail.com 

Stephanie Guzzo 

47 Crestwood Drive 

Hollis, NH 03049 

(603) 465-95802 

stephanie.guzzo@gmail.com 

Jess Kingsbury married 

Brent Austin in July. Brent 

proposed to Jess while 

on vacation in Mexico in 

Jan. John Johanson was 

hired this past collegiate 

baseball season as the 

assistant baseball coach 

at The U of the Ozarks 

in Clarksville, AR. Steph 

Guzzo continues to work 

at St. Mary’s College of 

MD as the advisor for the 

Student Athlete Advisory 

Committee. She was 

recently named the District 

3 Young Professionals 

Representative for the 

state of MD and is also 

the chair for the Young 

Professional Committee 

of MD. Kathryn O’Neil 

deBros was recently hired 

as a special ed. teacher at 

Bennington School, Inc., 

a residential treatment 

center in Bennington, VT. 

Kathryn and her husband 

moved to Bennington 

in June. Ashley Rodkey 

was hired as a special ed. 

teacher and autism specialist 

for an autism program 

in the Northampton, 

MA, Public Schools. 

Congratulations on everyone’s 

accomplishments, 

new jobs and weddings! 

Jess Kingsbury ’07 and her 

fiancé, Brent Austin.

2008 

Sarah Heaney Pelletier 

PO Box 2041 

Wolfeboro, NH 03894 

(603) 930-5433 

SH.Heaney@gmail.com 

Class of ’08, I hope this 

finds you well and a big 

thank you to everyone 

who sent in updates! 

Ashlee Willis earned a 

doctorate in physical 

therapy from Franklin 

Pierce U and has started 

working at Hampstead 

Sports and Rehab as a 

physical therapist. She 

also recently spent some 

time catching up with 

Kyle Koch Taylor, Lindsey 

Santoro and Professor 

Jean Eckrich in New 

London. Charlie Belvin 

completed his 2nd Tough 

Mudder; his team’s theme 

was “The Avengers,” with 

each member dressed 

as a superhero from the 

movie. Stephanie Kimball 

is enjoying her role as 

The Hulk, or Charlie Belvin 

’08, as you may know him, 

competing at the Tough 

Mudder! 

Courtney Bodine Harvey 

’08 with her son, Geoffrey 

Jermain. 

marketing manager at 

Chadwick Martin Bailey 

in Boston. Zachary Irish 

is the assistant director 

of student life at Daniel 

Webster College. He is 

also the president-elect 

for the Residence Life 

Association of the Granite 

State and the district 

coordinator for the North 

East Association of College 

and University Housing 

Officers. Zack and his 

wife live in Nashua, NH, 

with their one-year-old 

son. In Apr., Amanda 

Kowalik presented at the 

American Association 

of Neuroscience Nurses 

conference in Seattle. The 

poster was titled, “Moral 

Distress: Long term care 

of an acutely ill patient.” 

2009 

Elizabeth Cressman 

40 Susan Drive 

Tewksbury, MA 01876 

(978) 851- 5147 

ecressman1986@ 

yahoo.com 

Colin Bellavance 



colin.bellavance@ 

gmail.com 

Nicole Poelaert 


Duxbury, MA 02331 

npoelaert@yahoo.com 

This year we’re seeing 

many ’09 grads finishing 

up their master’s programs. 

Abby Cramer is 

one of them. She finished 

her graduate program 

from Simmons College 

Graduate School of Library 

and Information Science, 

with a master’s of library 

and information science. 

Chantalle Pelletier received 

her master’s in experimental 

psychology at Rivier 

U. She’s also excited to 

have spent the summer 

in Peru with her fiancé, 

David. Before returning 

to the States, she taught 

English at an institute. 

Chantalle is now searching 

for research jobs around 

Boston. Jeanine Audet 

recently moved to Chapel 

Hill, NC, with Lyndsey 

Walsh ’08 and her adopted 

dog, Zoey. She plans 

to attend the U of NC 

at Chapel Hill for her 

master’s. Julie Thurston 

is busy in Haverill, MA, 

working at Northeast 

Behavioral Health as an 

outpatient clinician. 

She’s putting her recently 

earned master’s in clinical 

mental health counseling 

with a concentration in 

substance abuse to good 

use. Nicole Poelaert is 

celebrating her 1st year in 

her house in Pembroke, 

MA. She makes time to 

relax with her dogs on 

Duxbury Beach, and she 

recently adopted a crazy 

kitten named Tito. Moving 

to NY, Sean Ahern’s thesis 

is on the use of communication 

metaphors by The 

Clash in their music and 

album art. He also wrote a 

paper on the Scott Pilgrim 

series published online 

at the U of Roma Tre 

in Italy as a part of their 

OL3Media journal. His 

current research leads him 

to a paper on the depiction 

of Clark Kent in the age 

of WB teen dramas for 

a book on the television 

show Smallville. Kathryn 

Migliaccio began a 2-year 

journey working towards 

her master’s in museum 

education at Bank 

Street College School of 

Education in NYC. Kristen 

Romanko continues to 

work as a preschool teacher 

in Weston, and coached 

a 14-and-under volleyball 

team earlier this year. She 

hopes to continue coaching 

in future seasons. 

Aubrey Thomas started 

grad school at Emerson 

College, where she’s studying 

communication management 

with a concentration 

in public relations 

and stakeholder communication. 

She also was 

elected to CSC’s Board of 

Trustees as a Winton-Black 

Trustee. Megan Comolli 

continues her studies at 


105

VT Law School. She spent 

the summer interning in 

AK as the Public Defender. 

Elizabeth Cressman was 

accepted to Worcester 

State U and officially 

started the MS in speechlanguage 

pathology 

program. She moved to 

the Worcester area in 

the summer of 2011, 

and continues to work 

full time while going to 

school at night. She also 

took a brief vacation to 

Paris where she explored 

all the sights of the city. 

2010 

Neil May 

1 Valley Street 

Derry, NH 03038 

(603) 425-6727 

neilmay10@gmail.com 

Darcy Mitchell Celeste 

was married on July 9, 

2011, to David Celeste at 

Woodlands Country 

Club in Falmouth, ME. 

She’s working at Unum 

Insurance and also bought 

a house. Linnea Williams 

is currently working as 

a finance administrator 

in Beverly, MA. Lynn 

Williams is living in 

Charlotte, NC, where she 

attends UNC Charlotte. 

Lauren Campiglio, Megan 

White and Amy Hebert all 

graduated from Springfield 

College in May. Lauren 

received her master’s in 


psychology with a concentration 

in student 

personnel administration. 

Megan received a master’s 

in sports management and 

currently works for Sport 

and Wellness in Danbury, 

CT, as a multi-sport and 

events director. Megan 

Ruggiero graduated from 

Emerson summa cum 

laude with a master’s 

degree in publishing and 

writing. She was awarded 

a Bookbuilders of Boston 

scholarship, and is currently 

freelancing for McGraw- 

Hill Higher Education. 

Lindsey Randlett got a job 

working for HealthFitness, 

a corporate fitness corporation, 

at their Fidelity- 

Merrimack, NH site. As for 

my summer, I, Neil May, 

went whitewater rafting 

on the Penobscot River 

in ME, and everything 

Darcy Mitchell Celeste ’10 

and her husband, Dave. 

went swimmingly, if you 

catch my drift. In case you 

didn’t, I’m saying I fell in 

the river and had to drift 

for a few minutes until 

another raft pulled me 

to safety. Overall it was 

a good time and I hope 

to do it again next year. 

2011 

Jaycee McCarthy 

1220 W Roscoe St 

2nd Floor 

Chicago, IL 60657 

(781) 367-6240 

Jmccarthy.07@ 

my.colby-sawyer.edu 

Ashley Jette 

PO Box 182 

Tamworth, NH 03886 

603-305-6697 

ajette.07@my.colbysawyer.edu 

Jaycee McCarthy accepted 

an offer with Teach for 

America, and was to travel 

to Chicago in early June 

to begin teaching as a 

special ed. teacher. He’ll 

be in Chicago for 2 years. 

Amber Cronin works as a 

reporter for the Forecaster 

newspaper in Falmouth, 

ME, covering the towns of 

Brunswick and Harpswell, 

ME. She is also the head 

girls’ cross country coach 

and distance coach at 

Cape Elizabeth High 

School. Meghan Steele 

is a graduate student at 

UNH Manchester, working 

towards her master’s in 

public health, and will 

be graduating in spring 

of 2014. She recently 

got a prestigious internship 

through the 

Occupational Health 

Internship Program, a 

Colby-Sawyer was well-represented at the July 2011 wedding 

of Darcy Mitchell Celeste and her husband, Dave. Those 

gathered for the celebration included (front row, l to r) Kristin 

Sawyer ’12, Brittany Mailman ’10, Darcy Mitchell Celeste 

’10, Shayln McEntire ’10, Stacey Guptill, (2nd row, l to r) 

Liz Cotreau ’10, Amanda Jones ’10, Genny Moore ’10, Sarah 

Zirnkilton ’10, Julie Crisafi, (back row, l to r) Kim Shannon ’10, 

Matt Parker ’08, Trevor Davis ’08, Brian Doucette ’09 and 

Max Johanson ’10.

program of the Association 

of Occupational and 

Environmental Clinics. 

After graduating from 

Colby-Sawyer, Emily 

Dionne decided to go back 

to school for hospitality 

management. She recently 

finished her culinary 

certificate (also received 

her state certifications in 

purchasing and inventory, 

food production, sanitation 

and nutrition) and 

will have her associate’s 

in hospitality management 

by next spring. 

Emily was recently hired 

as an assistant chef at the 

Greenwood Mountain Inn, 

will be starting another job 

as a cashier at L.L. Bean, 

and has also started her 

own photography business 

on the side. Ashley 

Godin works at Journey 

Forward, a non-profit 

exercise facility working 

with individuals who have 

spinal cord injuries, as a 

neuro-recovery specialist. 

Shortly after graduation in 

2011, Katie Murray moved 

to Burlington, VT, and 

got a job at Fletcher Allen 

Health Care, working in 

the Office of Clinical Trials 

Research as a clinical 

research coordinator for 

adult oncology drug-industry 

trials. She writes, “I 

work full time, but recently 

have been trying to find 

time to do some of the 

activities I once enjoyed 

at Colby-Sawyer College, 

including dance, yoga and 

mentoring.” Edy Spencer 

lives in Burnham, ME, and 

is working as a certified 

nursing assistant in a residential 

facility for individuals 

diagnosed with mental 

retardation. Ashley Jette is 

working full time as an officer 

at Dartmouth College 

with the Dept. of Safety 

and Security. Her goal after 

graduating from CSC was 

to get into the law enforcement 

field, and she’s 

still working towards that. 

Andrew Francis is living in 

Portland, ME, and working 

as the Communications 

Associate at the ME 

People’s Alliance (alongside 

Rebecca Ober 

’05), a progressive 

community organizing 

group with over 32,000 

members across ME. 

2012 

Courtney Pike 

40 Terry Hill Road 

Fairlee, VT 05045 

802-522-0711 

cpike.08@my.colbysawyer.edu 

Kassie Pike 

40 Terry Hill Road 

Fairlee, VT 05045 

802-522-0158 

Kpike.08@my.colbysawyer.edu 

Christina Graziano was 

completing an internship 

abroad in Perth, 

Western Australia, for her 

last semester at Colby- 

Sawyer. She worked at an 

Australian football club as 

Molly Prudden ’12 and her 

sister Jen Prudden Montgomery 

’00 at the Graduate 

Dinner Dance on campus 

in May. 

a marketing intern, where 

she was responsible for 

their website, Facebook 

pages, and newsletters 

and flyers. She had 

already studied abroad in 

Brisbane, Queensland, 

Australia, during her junior 

year and just had to go 

back. At the beginning of 

June she was to head back 

over to Brisbane, where 

she’d be anxiously waiting 

to see if she’d been 

accepted for a master’s 

in sports psychology at U 

of Queensland to start in 

Mar. 2013. Michael Baker 

has joined the U.S. Army 

and left for basic training 

on May 29th. Bernardine 

Bernard is working as an 

assistance coordinator for 

On Call International in 

Salem, NH. In this role she 

specializes in delivering 

life-determining assistance 

during medical emergencies 

anywhere in the world, 

as well as coordination 

of transportation home 

after accidents or illnesses. 

Over the summer 

Bernardine enjoyed a large 

family reunion in Miami, 

which brought together 

relatives from Haiti, the 

Bahamas, Boston and 

Florida. Bernardine hopes 

to continue her education 

toward a law degree. 

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107

In Memoriam 

In Memoriam 

Spring/Summer 2012 

1931 

Barbara Herrick Winters — March 11, 2006 

1932 

Marion LeRoy — April 27, 2005 

Virginia Rood Larkin — January 29, 2000 

Mary Moline Grubbs — July 1, 1993 

1933 

Jane Gage Charlton — December 29, 2011 

Eleanor Worcester Mansfield — March 30, 2010 

1935 

Jane Newberry Foran — September 19, 2010 

Barbara Gay Bender — December 6, 1992 

Catherine Whited Shoemaker — October 5, 2008 

1936 

Dorothy Munn Friedrick — May 31, 2011 

Dorothy Jones Williams — August 19, 2010 

Sylvia Bennett Winton — January 17, 1999 

Barbara Bradford Young — May 15, 2008 

Estelle Pierce Dow — April 23, 2012 

1937 

Phyllis Klunder Murphy — July 23, 2007 

Dorothy Roe Prill — November 25, 2008 

Dorothy Egger Parlatore — March 17, 2012 

Esther Ellet Mayo — February 10, 2012 

Joan Chandler Beer — November 26, 2010 

1938 

Elizabeth Champlin Bottorf — March 2, 2012 

Mary Trafton Simonds — March 27, 2012 

Nina Parker Gardner — April 20, 2012 

1939 

Doris Harger O’Brien — June 16, 2012 


1940 

Elizabeth Schantz De Pauw — June 29, 2011 

Janet Canham Williams — January 21, 2012 

Jane Winey Heald — February 13, 2012 

Harriet Tillinghast Fuller — March 28, 2012 

1941 

Constance Rice Wood — January 28, 2012 

Katharyn Crane O’Loughlin — March 12, 2012 

Ruth Richardson Emery — November 5, 2011 

1942 

Sylvia MacIntyre Hargen — February 22, 2011 

Mary Williams Herrick — April 1, 2011 

Virginia Wells Radasch — May 14, 2012 

Elizabeth MacMillan Briggs — March 25, 1998 

Ruth Murray Carkeek — February 12, 2012 

1943 

Barbara Griswold Britton — August 16, 2011 

Barbara Tinkham Conant — June 11, 2012 

1944 

Alice Fisher Bassett — December 28, 2011 

Margaret Jardine Van Dine — December 21, 2011 

Sarah Schell Wright — December 16, 2011 

Barbara Phillips Mello — April 13, 2012 

1945 

Grace MacDonald Ross — February 19, 2012 

Lydia E. Klein — July 31, 2009 

1946 

Phebe Westcott Mullen — November 27, 2009 

Elsie Regan Bailey — February 3, 2012 

Jean Cammett Olsson — June 6, 2012 

1948 

Margaret Perkins Lombard — March 9, 2012 

Pauline ‘Polly’ Carver Watson — April 26, 2012 

Marjorie Pollack Barger — June 16, 2012

1949 

Alison Gregg Sousa — January 9, 2012 

Joan ‘Pete’ Peterson — April 17, 2012 

1950 

Susan Morrison Mayer — April 16, 2012 

Joyce Payson Lenz — April 26, 2012 

Avis Wilcox Van Vleet — June 2, 2012 

1951 

Marcia Hammond Gillcrist — June 17, 2011 

Elizabeth ‘Gertrude’ Booth Pilling — May 21, 2012 

1952 

Mary Tate Howson — November 24, 2011 

Margaret Kunkel Ploss — August 30, 2011 

Ruth Maroney — December 29, 2011 

Marcia Sullivan Ziehler — August 22, 2006 

1954 

Sally St. John Faulkner — December 22, 2011 

Martha Miller Wogisch — May 13, 2012 

Pauline Dadian Fischer — May 4, 2012 

1956 

Marguerite Granger DeLuca — January 7, 2012 

Mary Bacon Parke Ostheimer — October 24, 2011 

Louise ‘Liz’ Zeller Curley — January 29, 2012 

1957 

Virginia Putnam Kinkead — April 5, 2012 

Barbara Rosenthal — March 3, 2011 

1958 

Maryann Macy Wayland — November 20, 2011 

Brenda Wilson Wakefield — January 1, 2001 

1959 

Emily Meyer Michalopoulos — August 23, 2006 

1960 

Martha Harrison Sims — February 10, 2011 

1962 

Janet Dickerman Lyons — December 16, 2011 

Christy Hale Riker — January 12, 2012 

1963 

Susan Sweet Lombard — March 27, 2012 

1969 

Christine Tackley — June 1, 2012 

1976 

Leslie Mednick — September 11, 2011 

Former Faculty 

Reva Elaine Bailey — June 22, 2012 

Boyd Carr — November 23, 2011 

Pauline Gosselin — May 25, 2010 


109

In Memoriam 

Beloved Professor Emerita and Coach 

Reva E. Bailey 


F 

aculty Emerita 

Reva E. Bailey, 86, 

an admired 

professor and 

coach at the 

college from 1962 

to 1986, died on June 22, 

2012, at New London 

Hospital. 

Professor Bailey was a gentle, genuine 

person and a strong advocate for 

students. 

Professor Bailey was born 

in Arlington, Ohio, the 

daughter of Roi E. and 

Ruth L. (Solt) Bailey. She 

earned a B.S. in Physical 


Education and Recreation 

and completed her 

master’s degree at Bowling 

Green State University. 

After teaching in Ohio and 

Michigan for a number 

of years, Professor Bailey 

joined Colby Junior 

College. She was chair of 

the Women’s Physical 

Education Department, 

which became the Exercise 

and Sport Sciences Department 

and the Athletics 

Program, and coached 

basketball, volleyball and 

cross-country skiing. She 

was also instrumental in 

organizing the college’s 

Equestrian Program. 

Director of Student 

Affairs and alumna Nancy 

Teach ’70, ’84 met 

Professor Bailey in 1968. 

“Reva would always greet 

me with a big smile, take 

my hand, look me in the 

eyes and ask how I was 

doing,” Teach recalls. “She 

taught me how to ski at 

King Ridge. Reva cared 

deeply about Colby-Sawyer 

students, colleagues and 

alums. I admired her 

positive attitude.” 

Bailey was also well known 

for her sense of humor. 

“She was very much a 

prankster and at the ready 

to pull off a practical joke 

or retell a funny adventure,” 

adds Teach. “Even 

during her last few weeks 

she had that twinkle, that 

rascal expression. Humor 

was one of her finest 

qualities.” 

Director of the Windy Hill 

School and Associate 

Professor of Social 

Sciences and Education 

Janet Bliss ’71 remembers 

Professor Bailey well. “I 

adored Reva,” she says. 

“When I was a student at 


everyone was required to 

take a sport. For me it was 

archery and golf, two 

things I had never imagined 

doing. There was 

never a more encouraging 

and genuinely nice person 

than Reva. I always tried 

harder because she insisted 

I had plenty of potential. 

Turns out I could hit 

that golf ball pretty well! 

Over the years I continued 

to admire Reva’s gentle 

and kind demeanor, and 

her longtime support 

of and interest in Colby- 

Sawyer College.” 

Professor Bailey’s colleagues 

also admired and 

respected her. “Reva was 

one of the most genuine 

people on this planet,” 

says Director of Athletics 

Deb McGrath. “I remember 

how much she gave of 

herself to her teams, her 

colleagues and this college 

that she loved so dearly. 

Her smile was infectious 

and I will never forget her 

distinctive chuckle!” 

Trustee Emerita Patricia 

“Pat” Kelsey taught 

physical education courses 

at Colby Junior College and 

found Professor Bailey, her 

boss, a great joy to work 

with. They remained close 

over the next 30 years. 

“Reva was just a marvelous, 

gentle, lovely person,” 

Kelsey says. “She was 

devoted to her students 

and to the college.” 

She is survived by her 

longtime friend and 

companion Barbara J. 

MacDonald and her sister, 

Marcia Haenszel of 

Marion, Ohio; two nieces, 

a nephew and several 

cousins.

Alumna, Trustee Emerita, Legend 

Susan Morrison Mayer ’50, P’75 


S 

usan Morrison 

Mayer of Newbury, 

N.H., a member 

of the Class of 1950, 

died on April 16, 

2012 at the age of 

81. She earned an associate 

of arts degree from 

Colby Junior College and a 

bachelor’s degree in education 

at Tufts University 

in 1953. 

Mayer joined the Board 

of Trustees in 1981, serving 

until 1990, and again from 

1997 to 2006. Over the 

years, she was active on 

many board committees, 

including as chair of 

Academic Affairs. Mayer 

also volunteered as a 

Susan Morrison Mayer was deeply involved in 

college life as an alumna, trustee and benefactor. 

class agent, as co-chair of 

her 30th, 40th, 45th and 

50th class reunions, as a 

member and president 

of the Alumni Association 

board, and as a regional 

chair for The Campaign for 


The college also benefited 

from Susan and her 

husband Gerald Mayer’s 

generous philanthropy. 

The couple established 

two endowments, the 

George A. Giles 

Presidential Initiatives 

Fund in 2000 and 

The Gerald and Susan 

Mayer Faculty and Staff 

Development Fund in 

1992. Named in honor 

of Susan’s 

grandfather, 

the Giles Fund 

supports the 

president’s 

highest 

priorities. 

The Mayer 

Fund enables 

faculty and 

staff to pursue 

their professional 

interests 

and deepen 

their expertise 

through 

conferences, 

sabbatical 

research, 

advanced 

course work and travel. 

Susan and Gerry were also 

involved in and financially 

supported the college’s 

effort to move the 

Colbytown Lodge (now 

Lethbridge Lodge) to campus 

for students’ social 

and recreational use. 

In recognition of their 

extraordinary service and 

philanthropy, Susan and 

Gerry received the college’s 

highest award—the 

Susan Colgate Cleveland 

Medal for Distinguished 

Service—at Commencement 

1995. They were also 

named as members of the 

Legends Society, the highest 

recognition level for 

benefactors. For service to 

her class and the college, 

Susan received the Alumni 

Service Award in 1990. 

Former Chair of the 

Board of Trustees Anne 

Winton Black ’73, ’75 

first met Susan Mayer 

when she was a young 

alumna. They shared a 

love of the college, and as 

Black took on volunteer 

positions and advanced to 

the Board of Trustees, 

Mayer became a mentor 

and role model to her. 

“I saw in Sue the epitome 

of a Colby-Sawyer graduate: 

A person of integrity, 

good humor, devotion 

to her college, boundless 

generosity and endless 

curiosity,” Black says. “Sue 

never took herself seriously, 

but took very seriously 

her service to Colby-Sawyer 

College, its faculty, staff 

and students. With her 

marriage to Gerry, she 

found a perfect partner, for 

their outlooks on life were 

so similar. They embraced 

fully their ability to leave 

behind something better 

for their care.” 

Black believes Mayer’s 

legacy will continue to 

exude a powerful presence 

at the college. “I will 

always remember Sue for 

her tender heart, her 

boundless energy, and the 

care with which she 

attended to all the people 

and places which were 

meaningful to her,” 

Black says. 

Mayer’s daughter, Robin 

McNutt, graduated from 

Colby-Sawyer in 1975, 

followed by Robin’s 

daughter, Katelin McNutt, 

in 2010. She is survived by 

her and Gerry’s eight 

children and their many 

grandchildren. 


111 

In Memoriam

In Memoriam 

Professor Emeritus Remembered 

Boyd H. Carr 

by J.M. Clark ’11 

P 

rofessor 

Emeritus Boyd 

Harding Carr Jr. 

passed away 

Nov. 23, 2011, 

in New London 

at the age of 95. 

Professor Carr taught 

classes in organic and 

inorganic chemistry in the 

Science Department at 

what was then Colby Junior 

College from 1964 to 1981. 

He also held a leadership 

position on the Campus 

Energy Committee, 

an early effort to reduce 

energy consumption. 

Born in Midland, Mich., 

on July 28, 1916, to 

Boyd Harding Carr Sr. 

and Mildred Sleight 

Carr, Professor Carr was a 

dedicated scholar and 

graduated at the top of his 

class from Midland High 

School. At the University 

of Michigan he majored in 

chemical engineering, then 

transferred to Middlebury 

College, from which he 

graduated with an A.B. He 

later earned a master’s 

degree and Ph.D. in 

chemistry from Michigan 

State University. 


Professor Carr was a 

full-time research assistant 

at Princeton University 

during the Second World 

War in metal organics, 

plastics and special 

electrics materials for the 

U.S. Defense Department. 

The materials were used 

to build electrical components 

needed for the 

cockpit instruments of the 

Corsair fighter planes. 

At Norwich University in 

Northfield, Vt., Professor 

Carr began teaching 

chemistry and served as a 

member of the Vermont 

Bureau of Industrial 

Research. He also spent 

time at the University of 

Vermont as a National 

Institute of Health Training 

Fellow and laboratory 

assistant in the medical 

school. In addition to 

these institutions and 

Colby Junior College, he 

also taught at Windham 

College and Arizona 

State University. 

Professor Emerita 

Rebecca “Becky” Brewster 

Irving ’42 remembers 

him as “popular with the 

students,” and that they 

would often refer to him as 

Uncle Boyd. “He had a 

Professor Carr had a good sense of humor and was popular 

with students. 

good sense of humor, 

always got along well with 

the students and was 

a good colleague,” she 

recalls. 

Professor Carr is also 

remembered for his many 

hobbies, including skiing, 

tennis and woodworking. 

It was not unusual to find 

him building additions onto 

his home or repainting 

his beloved Volkswagen. 

He is survived by his 

wife, Shirley (Lent) Carr 

of New London, and 

daughters Sandra, 

Kimberly and Pamela.

Distinguished Alumna, Life Trustee 

Emerita, Class Secretary 

Mary Trafton Simonds ’38 


M 

ary Trafton 

Simonds, a 

member of the 

Class of 1938 

and a life trustee 

emerita, died 

peacefully at the age of 94 

in Lexington, Mass., on 

March 27, 2012. 

Simonds received her 

associate’s degree from 


and went on to earn a 

bachelor’s degree in 

economics from Mount 

Holyoke College in 1940. 

After college, she worked 

at The Babson Institute 

in Wellesley, Mass., and 

at Liberty Mutual Life 

Insurance Company as a 

financial analyst. During 

World War II, she volunteered 

with the American 

Red Cross. 

In 1942, Mary married 

John Langdon Simonds. 

They raised three children 

and lived in Cambridge 

and Belmont until his 

death in 1999. 

Simonds was devoted to 

her alma mater and served 

with distinction as her 

class secretary for 20 years 

and on the Board of 

Trustees for 35 years. As a 

The college was a high priority in the life 

of Mary Trafton Simonds. 

trustee, she strove to 

improve the quality of life 

and academic standards 

for students, and she was 

instrumental in the decision 

to establish an elected 

position for alumni trustees. 

She described her 

work as a trustee “one of 

the most important accomplishments 

of my life.” 

She was given life trustee 

emerita status in 1976. 

In 1979, Simonds received 

the Alumni Association 

Service Award 

for outstandingcontributions 

to the 

college. She 

was a member 

of the Reunion 

Planning 

Committees 

in 1988, 1998 

and 2003, and 

served as 

Reunion 

Committee 

chair in 1993. 

For her 

decades of 

devotion to 

the college, 

she was 

presented with 

the 2005 Distinguished 

Alumni Award. 

“Mary was an intelligent, 

dedicated, generous and 

affable alumna and leader, 

beginning in her student 

years and continuing 

through the rest of 

her life,” said President 

Tom Galligan. “Mary 

was an active and loyal 

trustee and a beacon 

of good common sense 

and wisdom for several 

presidents of the college, 

including me, who turned 

to her for advice and 

counsel. She loved our 

college and will always be 

in our minds and hearts.” 

Vice President for 

Advancement Beth Cahill 

noted that for 74 years, 

Mary Trafton Simonds was 

an ambassador, advocate 

and a financial and 

volunteer leader for the 

Class of 1938 and her 

college. “Mary’s bright 

smile and gracious style 

attracted friends to her 

side, and her thoughtfulness 

and wisdom afforded 

her leadership opportunities 

throughout her life,” 

said Vice President Cahill. 

“After her family, Colby- 

Sawyer was one of Mary’s 

special priorities, and we 

are better for her friendship 

and care.” 

Simonds is survived 

by her three children, 

Virginia S. White 

of Dover, Mass.; Robert L. 

Simonds of Belmont, 

Mass.; and William T. 

Simonds of Concord, 

Mass., along with seven 

grandchildren and one 

great-grandchild. 


113 

In Memoriam

In Memoriam 

Trustee Emeritus, War Hero 

Richard M. Underwood 



T 

rustee Emeritus 

Richard M. “Dick” 

Underwood 

passed away 

peacefully, 

surrounded by his 

family, at home in Palm 

City, Fla., on June 22. A 

seasonal New London 

resident, Mr. Underwood 

served on the Colby- 

Sawyer College Board of 

Trustees from 1992 to 

2001. 

Trustee Emeritus Richard Underwood will be 

remembered for his sense of humor, humility, caring 

nature and perseverance. 

As a member of the 

Board of Trustees, 

Mr. Underwood served on 

a variety of committees, 

including the Audit 

Subcommittee, Enrollment 

Management, Finance 

and the Investment 

Subcommittee, which he 

chaired from 1996 to 2001. 

A graduate of the 

Coast Guard Academy, 

Mr. Underwood served 

as an aviator in the Coast 

Guard for 10 years and 

performed many rescue 

missions, including six 

trips on May 6, 1954, to 

airlift 36 injured seamen 

from the USS Bennington 

to safety. He retired from 

the Coast Guard with the 

rank of commander. 

Until his retirement in 

1990, he was the president 

and CEO of NEC Technologies, 

a business he 

began with a handful of 

employees and developed 

into a $1.2 billion computer 

and communications 

company. 

Mr. Underwood was 

passionate about his 

family, golf, poker, sailing 

and bridge. He will be 

remembered for his sense 

of humor, humility, caring 

nature and perseverance. 

“Dick was a wonderful 

man and a great friend of 

Colby-Sawyer,” President 

Tom Galligan said. “Whenever 

he was in town he 

would make sure to stop 

by, say hello and catch up 

with the college. Dick 

always had a smile on his 

face and fond words for 

Colby-Sawyer.” 

He is survived by his 

second wife, Jane Underwood, 

of Palm City, Fla.; 

son Richard Underwood 

and his wife, Suzanne, of 

Concord, Mass.; another 

son, Steven Underwood, 

and his wife, Trish, of 

Acton, Mass.; and daughter 

Carol Underwood 

Femia and her husband, 

David, of Groton, Mass. 

He was predeceased by his 

wife of 38 years, Nancy 

Merritt Underwood ’50, 

who died in 1991. 

Memorial contributions 

may be made to Lake 

Sunapee Region VNA and 

Hospice, P.O. Box 2209, 

New London, N.H. 03257.

Honorary Life Trustee, Parent, Benefactor 

David L. Coffin 


D 

avid L. Coffin 

Sr., honorary life 

trustee, parent 

of two alumni, 

and benefactor 

of Colby-Sawyer 

College, died on July 14, 

2012 at age 86 in Hartford, 

Conn. A resident of 

Sunapee, N.H., Bloomfield, 

Conn., and Naples, 

Fla., he was the son of 

Dexter D. Coffin Sr. and 

Elizabeth Dorr Coffin. 

Coffin joined the Colby 

Junior College Board 

of Trustees in 1962 and 

served on the board until 

his retirement in 1978. 

He was board chair from 

1969 to 1973. 

In his role as trustee, 

Coffin was a respected 

leader and advisor. He 

served as chair of Colby 

Junior College’s 50th 

Anniversary Fund and 

oversaw the production of 

the college’s first campus 

master plan, which outlined 

the capital fund drive 

to build the new library/ 

learning center. 

Coffin was a generous 

supporter of the college, 

and the Coffin Field 

House in the Dan and 

Kathleen Hogan Sports 

Center is named in his 

honor. In May 1981, the 

Board of Trustees awarded 

him honorary life trustee 

status. Colby-Sawyer 

College presented him 

with its highest award, the 

Susan Colgate Cleveland 

Medal for Distinguished 

Service, in May 2000. He 

also received honorary 

degrees from Colby-Sawyer 

College and his alma 

mater, Trinity College. 

“David was a wonderful 

leader and advocate 

for Colby-Sawyer College 

as board chair, board 

member, parent and 

friend,” said President 

Tom Galligan. “He 

understood the special 

nature of an education 

at a small college, where 

students, faculty and 

staff work and learn 

together and make their 

communities better.” 

Two of his children, 

David L. Coffin Jr. ’75 and 

Deborah Coffin ’76, 

attended Colby-Sawyer. 

Born in Windsor Locks, 

Conn., in 1925, Coffin 

served in the U.S. Naval 

Reserve in World War II 

and was based in Naples, 

Italy. Coffin was awarded 

the Victory Medal, the 

American Theatre Medal 

and the European Theatre 

Medal for his exemplary 

military service. 

Coffin joined The Dexter 

Corporation in 1947 

and was the seventh and 

last generation of the 

family to lead this Fortune 

500 company. He initially 

held positions in sales 

and as general manager, 

and in 1958, at age 32, 

he succeeded his father as 

president and then as 

CEO. Coffin led the 

company for 29 years and 

was regarded as one of 

the most respected 

corporate leaders in the 

country. 

He is survived by his wife 

of 38 years, Marie Jeanne 

Cosnard des Closets 

Coffin of Sunapee, N.H.; 

daughter Deborah L. 

Coffin of Springfield, N.H.; 

son Robert G. Coffin of 

Canton, Conn.; and four 

stepchildren, Henry Bissell 

of Atlanta, Ga.; Charles 

Bissell of Glastonbury, 

Conn.; John Bissell of 

Marietta, Ga.; and Caroline 

d’Otreppe of Suffield, 

Conn. David was predeceased 

by his son, 

David L. Coffin Jr. of 

Atlanta, and his brother 

Dexter D. Coffin Jr. of 

Hobe Sound, Fla. 

David L. Coffin was a respected leader 

and advisor as a member of the 

Board of Trustees. 


115 

In Memoriam

In Memoriam 

Kindergarten Teacher, Alumnus, Friend 

Peter W. Shanks ’98 

by Kimberly Swick Slover and Janet Bliss 

P 

eter W. Shanks, development laboratory 

a Colby-Sawyer school. 

alumnus and 

well-loved In addition to his teaching 

kindergarten responsibilities, Shanks 

teacher at the volunteered as a teaching 

Windy Hill School, passed assistant in upper-level 

away of kidney failure Child Development 

on Aug. 1, 2012, at the courses each semester. He 

Veteran’s Hospital in brought great joy and 

White River Junction, Vt., enthusiasm to them and 

at age 54. 

enriched our college 

students’ understanding 

and appreciation for 

the intelligence of children 

and the value of play in 

supporting their 

development. 

Shanks was a member of 

the U.S. Army 10th Special 

Forces (Airborne) from 

1976 to 1980. He worked 

for the Claremont Police 

Department in 1981-1982 

before returning to the 

Special Forces in 1982. He 

retired from the Army in 

1994. 

His interest in teaching 

and working with children 

led Shanks to the Child 

Development Program at 

Colby-Sawyer College, 

where he excelled and was 

awarded the David Winton 

Baccalaureate Award for 

the highest grade point 

average in his class. He 

graduated in 1998 with a 

B.S. in Child Development 

and certification in Early 

Childhood Education. 

Since then, Shanks has 

been a wonderfully creative 

and caring kindergarten 

teacher at the Windy Hill 

School, the college’s child 


“Peter was an extraordinary 

friend, learner, 

teacher, mentor and 

collaborator, as well as 

an advocate for Windy 

Hill School and Colby- 

Sawyer College,” says Janet 

Bliss, director of Windy 

Hill and associate professor 

of Social Sciences and 

Education. “His relationships 

with young children, 

co-workers, college 

students, staff, faculty and 

community members were 

characterized by generosity, 

humor, intelligence, 

inventiveness and an 

attitude of ‘sure, we can 

make that work.’ 

“Peter touched the lives 

of many in his role of 

Windy Hill teacher; he was 

beloved by countless 

Peter Shanks leads a merry band of kindergarteners on 

an adventure in learning. 

children and college 

students as well as by his 

coworkers,” Bliss adds. 

“One of his greatest 

strengths was his ability to 

relate to children … to 

make them feel special 

and believe they could 

accomplish great things.” 

Shanks was also the 

technology wizard of 

Windy Hill School 

and shared his fondness 

for digital gadgetry with 

everyone around him. His 

collaboration with coworkers, 

college students 

and child development 

faculty led to regional and 

national presentations 

on the school’s innovative 

uses of technology in 

the education of young 

children and student 

teachers. His contributions 

to the lab school and 

the Child Development 

Program were widely 

recognized as cutting edge 

among a broad spectrum 

of professionals, according 

to Bliss. 

Shanks is survived by 

his wife, Julia Brisbane, 

and son, Connor, of 

Elkins; daughter Erica 

Steeves, her husband, 

Chris, and grandson, 

Mac, of Alaska; daughter 

Alyssa Shanks of Alaska; 

and son Brennan Shanks 

and his wife, Jillian, of 

Seaside, Calif. 

Shanks was buried 

at Arlington National 

Cemetery in Washington, 

D.C. In lieu of flowers, 

donations may be 

sent to The National 

Kidney Foundation at 

www.kidney.org

The Crown Jewel of Colby Hill 

by Kelli Bogan 

Colgate Hall has been 

the academic heart 

of campus for 100 of this 

institution’s 175 years, 

but a larger, more majestic 

building once stood in its 

place. The story of the 

brick Colby Academy 

building, which reigned 

over Colby Hill from 1870 

to 1892, is lost from living 

memory now, but this 

anniversary year is the 

time to recall a tragic, yet 

ultimately triumphant, 

chapter in our history. 

By the 1860s, it had 

become clear that to 

remain competitive, the 

academy (known then 

as the New London 

Literary and Scientific 

Institution) would need an 

endowment to pay for 

good teachers, equipment 

and a new main building. 

Susan Colby Colgate, the 

school’s first principal, 

pledged $25,000 toward 

the construction of a new 

building if the academy 

could raise the remaining 

$75,000. The goal was 

later increased, as historian 

Henry K. Rowe writes 

in A Centennial History 

1837-1937 Colby Academy— 

Colby Junior College, to 

“buy more land and put 

up a modern building of 

brick and stone on the 

crest of the hill”… to serve 

as a landmark for the 

countryside and where 

“one could catch glimpses 

of far horizons, and the 

winds that brought ozone 

to the lungs might blow 

away the cobwebs in the 

students’ minds” (115). 

The academy was successful 

in its fundraising and 

a cornerstone for the 

new structure was set on 

July 28, 1868. 

The building was dedicated 

on July 7, 1870 as part 

of the academy’s commencement 

exercises in an 

all-day celebration full of 

music and speeches. Rowe 

describes the town’s new 

crown jewel: 

The brick academy building stood where Colgate now stands. A fire in 1892 destroyed the building 

but not the institution. 

The new building 

was constructed in the 

ornate architecture 

of the period. It was of 

brick with granite 

trimmings, and was 

finished in hard wood 

from New Hampshire 

forests. The builders 

took pride in the local 

origin of the materials. 

Sand was brought from 

Little Sunapee and clay 

was drawn from Sutton 

Mills for the bricks, 

which were burned in 

kilns located on the 

grounds. The stone 

foundations and 

finishing were hauled 

from King Hill. The 

structure towered 

three stories above 

the ground and had a 

mansard roof. Two 

towers in harmony with 

the rest of the structure 

rose still higher. The 

belfry tower was one 

hundred and eleven feet 

high, commanding a 

wide sweep of vision. In 

it was a pendulum one 

hundred feet long, 

which vibrated as the 

building felt the blasts of 

winter beat upon it. The 

building had a total 

frontage of one hundred 

and eighty-six feet 

(119). 


117 

From the Archives

From the Archives 

Amazingly, just one day 

of school was missed because 

of the fire, a testament 

to the institution’s resiliency. 

The building served 

two purposes. The west 

wing was dedicated to 

academic purposes and 

housed classrooms, 

a library, a chapel and 

recitation rooms. The east 

wing provided boarding 

accommodations for 100 

women as well as parlors, 

a music room and housing 

for the lady principal (male 

students lived in Colby 

Hall). There was also a 

dining room, kitchen and 

laundry and gymnastic 

facilities. Students worked 

and lived in this towering 

brick building for more 

than two decades, although 

despite its appearance 

of prosperity, the 

academy was accumulating 

alarming amounts of 

debt and its old buildings 

were in need of repairs. 

On April 25, 1892, tragedy 

struck. The students had 

left the school in midafternoon 

for the annual 

mayflower expedition to 


the North Sutton woods. 

As they returned in early 

evening, they saw a cloud 

of smoke billowing up 

over the hill and heard the 

clamorous tolling of the 

Baptist Church bell. 

“Hurrying as fast as horse 

power could take them 

they reached the academy 

in time to see flames 

pouring from the third 

story windows…With 

a rush they charged upon 

the building, grabbed 

their belongings from the 

rooms on the lower floors, 

carried out most of the 

books from the library, and 

saved three pianos and 

some of the other furniture 

...There was no fire apparatus 

in town and nothing 

could be done but watching 

the building burn… 

When [the fire] burst 

through the roof of the 

tower the building was 

doomed. In two hours 

nothing but smoking ruins 

remained of the building 

which twenty years before 

had been dedicated 

with so much congratulation 

and satisfaction,” 

writes Rowe (174). 

Those who lived on the 

third floor lost nearly 

everything and 50 girls 

were homeless by nightfall. 

The New London townspeople 

found places for 

them to stay for a few 

nights, and the Heidelberg 

summer hotel, formerly 

the ladies’ boarding house, 

was reclaimed and outfitted 

for the rest of the 

academic year. Makeshift 

classrooms were set 

up in Colby Hall, the town 

house, the vestry and in 

private quarters, and 

the Baptist Church was 

used as an assembly 

hall. Amazingly, just one 

day of school was missed 

because of the fire, a 

testament to the institution’s 

resiliency. In the 

June 1892 edition of 

The Colby Academy Voice, 

a writer whose byline was 

just the initial G. notes 

that the trustees held a 

meeting on May 19, 1892 

and voted to “rebuild the 

academy at once on the 

old site… Colby Academy 

promises to remain forever 

on Colby Hill!” 

The old campus buildings 

were renovated and 

ready for classes the 

next fall, but despite the 

urgent desire to rebuild, 

the school’s financial woes 

stalled progress to such a 

degree that the building 

materials accumulated to 

meet that goal had to 

be sold off. The blackened 

ruins of the brick building 

stood as a sad reminder 

of the academy’s loss, 

and not until the turn of 

the century was Colby 

Academy fully functioning. 

By 1908-1909, Colby 

Academy was more 

prosperous, with 149 

students, and the remains 

of the old brick building 

had crumbled into dust 

(Rowe 216). “The traces of 

the fire on the campus 

had been obliterated by 

nature, but nothing could 

make the school forget 

its misfortune as long as 

activities must be confined 

to cramped and altogether 

inadequate quarters,” 

writes Rowe.

With high morale and 

loyal students, it was 

finally time to restore the 

academy building (Rowe 

222). 

Mary Colgate, daughter 

of Susan and her husband, 

James B. Colgate, carried 

on her family’s legacy of 

devotion to the school 

by donating vital financial 

support to the building 

project. In the spring 

of 1911, as soon as the 

weather allowed, ground 

was broken; the corner- 

stone was laid during 

Commencement week. A 

year later, the new colonial-style 

brick structure 

was dedicated as Colgate 

Hall in 1912. 

On the ground floor, 

writes Rowe, were “offices 

and parlors, a beautiful 

chapel…and classrooms. 

At one end of the building 

were a large dining room 

and kitchen facilities. The 

upper floors provided 

more classrooms, laboratories 

and studios, with 

dormitory accommodations 

and accessories. For 

a time, the library found 

quarters on the lower floor. 

A powerful heating plant 

and a laundry occupied the 

basement. Outside of 

the structure a brick power 

house was erected [now 

James House] covering the 

artesian well…the pumps, 

the dynamo for lighting 

purposes, and the 60horse 

-power engine” 

(Rowe 225). 

Colgate Hall stood 

alone on the hill when it 

was dedicated in 1912, 

the first building on what 

would become known 

as the New Campus. The 

building has evolved since 

then, and yet it remains 

the academic heart of a 

growing campus, built with 

the foresight, dedication 

and sacrifice of generations 

who came before. 

Through trials of fire and finance, the institution we know as Colby-Sawyer has persevered and thrived. It is just as true 

now, as it was a century ago, that “there is no place in New England, always famous for excellent schools, where health and 

education are more fully assured than on New London Hill. Students … are greatly benefitted by a residence of a few years 

in this old country town” (Rowe). 


119

Epilogue 

by Barbara “Bobbie” Fetzer Herbert ’50, ’80 

I 

have always 

loved airplanes 

and flying. 

My first flight, 

at age 15, was 

in a Ryan open 

cockpit plane, 

piloted by an Air Force 

instructor who helped 

me don my parachute. 

From that time on, I just 

wanted to be up in 

the sky. 

In September 1947, I 

was at home in Scarsdale, 

N.Y., and looking at 

colleges. My father told 

me he would pay for two 

years at any school east 

of the Mississippi, and 

that I could be a teacher, 

a nurse or a secretary. 

But I wanted to fly, and 

thumbing through the 


catalog, I saw a picture of 

a P-51 Mustang—a World 

War II fighter—on the 

quad. I was excited to learn 

that the college offered 

aviation courses such as 

Navigation, Aerodynamics 

and Meteorology and 

immediately sent in 

my application. I was 

thrilled to be accepted 

into the Aeronautical 

Secretary Program. 

From Room 206 in 

Burpee Hall I could look 

down on the quad where 

that P-51 was tethered. 


The instruments had been 

removed so we could 

study the construction, 

operation and use of each 

one. We also manned 

a weather station set up 

outside Colgate Hall. 

I talked President 

(H. Leslie) Sawyer into letting 

me form an Aviation 

Club so we could connect 

with the Dartmouth 

College Flying Club. We 

hosted events on campus, 

and at one of these I met 

my future husband, Dana. 

He owned a Globe Swift, a 

low-wing, retractable gear 

airplane that looked like a 

WW II fighter. Thus began 

an exciting courtship in the 

skies. Dana would pick me 

up for a date and we would 

fly off to dinner in the city. 

As students, we flew 

several times for the 

instruction courses. One 

of us would lay out the 

flight course, another 

would handle radio communications 

and a third 

would keep a log. Harold 

Buker, a New London 

man who later led the New 

Hampshire Department 

of Aviation, was the pilot. 

He agreed to give me a 

discount if I brought him 

more students who wanted 

to learn to fly. Occasionally 

I rented a J-3 Cub on my 

own and would fly low 

Up in the Sky 

over the campus, bank the 

airplane, fold down the 

side and yell to my friends 

on the ground. I was 

always in trouble with 

my house mother, 

but it was worth it. 

One of my college instructors, 

Dr. J. Duane Squires, 

got me a job so that I 

could pay for my flying 

lessons and plane rentals. 

I never told my parents 

about my lessons and 

spent my senior year flying 

a plane with skis on Lake 

Sunapee. Right after my 

graduation ceremony, 

I asked my parents to 

drive me to the airstrip 

in Newport, where I 

climbed into a plane and 

took off solo. My parents 

were astonished, 

but I think my father was 

secretly rather pleased. 

I went on to get my 

private, commercial 

and instrument ratings 

and joined The Ninety- 

Nines, the International 

Organization of Women 

Pilots founded by Amelia 

Earhart. I feel privileged 

to have known Amelia’s 

sister, Muriel Reeve 

Lindbergh, and many early 

women pilots, as well as 

some of the Womens’ 

Auxiliary Flying Squadron 

(WAFS) who flew in WW II. 

I am still a member of 

The Ninety-Nines and have 

logged a lot of time flying 

to every state, Canada and 

Caribbean islands. I envy 

the women who fly for the 

airlines and the military 

today, though my contacts 

in aviation have allowed 

me to fly with the National 

Guard on refueling 

missions and in organizing 

survival clinics for 

pilots. I have met women 

pilots from all over the 

world, competed in air 

races and piloted a variety 

of aircraft. And to think 

it all started with a Colby 

Junior College catalog. 

Jingyao Guo

Photo: Gil Talbot 

matt Danahy ’05, our 

4,000th donor, crosses 

the ceremonial finish 

line held by Chair of the 

board of trustees 

tom Csatari and president 

tom galligan. 

We Met the 4K Challenge 

4K 

With the overwhelming and inspiring 

support of alumni, colleagues, trustees 

and friends, Colby-Sawyer College 

successfully met the 2011-2012 4K 

Challenge. 

proposed by trustee Dave payne 

and his wife, bev, the 4K Challenge 

involved a small group of donors 

who promised to reward the college 

with $200,000 in additional funding 

if the Colby-Sawyer fund reached a 

record 4,000 donors, including 

3,000 alumni. 

Ultimately, 3,021 alumni and a total 

of 4,329 donors joined the Challenge, 

increasing alumni participation 

from 17 percent to 24 percent 

in one year. an astounding 58 

percent jump in the number of 

donors resulted in a record-setting 

$1.8 million in contributions to 

the 2011-2012 Colby-Sawyer fund. 

thanks to each and every one 

of you for your unwavering support 

of Colby-Sawyer College over the 

course of this race to the finish 

line. you went the distance with us, 

and current and future students 

will benefit from your devotion 

and generosity. 

Support this year’s Colby-Sawyer Fund at www.colby-sawyer.edu/giving

office of advancement 

541 main Street 


ChAnge ServICe requeSteD 

NoN-profit 

orgaNizatioN 

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PAID 

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permit 86

Fall 2012 Issue - Colby-Sawyer College

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