Alumnae/i

Kristin Sundin Brandt ’94, co-founder (with Erin Kane) of Manic Mommies, a community for moms (and dads) trying to manage the combination of work and family, won two silver awards in the 2011 international W3 Awards competition. The website ManicMommies.com -won in the categories of writing/copy and home page. The site was launched in 2011 following a redesign in collaboration with web designer Zach Magoon ’96.

Candice “Candy” Nelson ’71, an associate professor of government at American University in Washington, D.C., had her manuscript Grant Park: The Democratization of Presidential Elections 1968–2008 published by the Brookings Institute Press.

Jo Ann Simons ’75, president and CEO of Cardinal Cushing Centers, was awarded a bronze medal in the parenting category by Independent Publisher, recognizing her book The Down Syndrome Transition Handbook: Charting Your Child’s Course to Adulthood (Woodbine House, 2010).

Sally Bedell Smith ’70 published Elizabeth The Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch (Random House, January 2011).

Janet L. Robinson, former president and chief executive officer of the New York Times Company and now consultant, will address the Class of 2012 at Wheaton’s 177th Commencement, to be held on Saturday, May 19.

Robinson will receive an honorary degree at Commencement, as will two of the college’s distinguished graduates, Deborah Haigh Dluhy ’62 and Barbara Jensky Kovensky ’67.

Robinson joined the Times company in 1983 and was named CEO in 2004. In this role she oversaw and coordinated the company’s operations and business units and worked closely with Times chairman and publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. to chart the company’s direction. (In December 2011 she announced her retirement from the company.)

Her tenure as CEO coincided with a seismic shift in the news industry, as print newspapers have declined and digital media have proliferated. In March 2011 Robinson oversaw the rollout of a digital subscription plan for the company’s web operation, nytimes.com, termed by New York Magazine as “one of the most impressive news sites on the planet.” This “paywall” subscription plan attracted nearly a quarter of a million subscribers in its first months.

A native of Fall River, Mass., Robinson graduated from Salve Regina College, and in 1998 received an honorary doctor of business administration from her alma mater (now Salve Regina University).

She serves on the Presidential Board of Trustees of Salve Regina University and on the boards of the Newspaper Association of America and New England Sports Ventures. She is a member of the advisory board for New York Women in Communications, a member of the Leadership Committee for the Lincoln Center Consolidated Corporate Fund, and a trustee of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Dluhy, who will also be honored at Commencement, majored in art history at Wheaton and earned her doctorate in that field from Harvard University. She later became the first woman to serve as dean of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, and also served as deputy director of the museum during her 32-year career at the MFA.

She has been a trustee of Wheaton since 2000, serving as chair from 2005 to 2010. Previously, Dluhy filled a number of key volunteer roles for the college, including being a member of the President’s Commission and president of the Alumnae/i Association.

Kovensky, also receiving an honorary degree, is president of Experchem Laboratories, a food science and technology company in Toronto. She majored in chemistry at Wheaton and received her master of science degree from the University of Toronto. Kovensky is now recognized as a leading expert in food science and technology. Her many professional affiliations include the Order of Professional Chemists of Quebec, and the Association of Chemical Professionals of Ontario.

A studio art major at Wheaton, Michele L’Heureux ’88 has taken a very creative route to a full-time career in art.

She has worked as a carpenter, environmental educator, grant writer, recruiter, marketing manager, copywriter, alumnae/i relations associate and graphic designer. Coming full circle back to Wheaton, she now is the new director of the Beard and Weil Galleries.

She is responsible for planning and executing four to eight exhibitions each academic year. This includes generating ideas and themes for exhibitions, researching artists, conducting studio visits, selecting artists and works for exhibition, collaborating with faculty and students, and handling all the logistics related to installing an exhibition.

“I love working on a liberal arts college campus, where art takes on new meanings through the eyes and minds of students, who have fresh perspectives and diverse life experiences that they bring to bear,” she says. “In taking this job, I was attracted to the challenge of curating in a new space with new colleagues at a place that I adore.”

For the past two years, L’Heureux has worked as the curator and director of the arts at Brandeis University’s Women’s Studies Research Center, where she still oversees a small gallery dedicated to feminist art exhibitions and programming. In addition, she has guest curated a number of exhibitions at regional venues.

“These experiences have really solidified my interest in curating and have sparked for me a passion for making connections between art and things going on in the community or in the world at large,” she says.

Art was always her first love, but after graduating from Wheaton she went to graduate school to study philosophy—her Wheaton minor.

Before completing her master’s, she went on a journey, driving her pickup truck from Boston to Alaska and back. The two-month odyssey gave her time to reflect on how best to use her creative talents. It also stimulated her interest in the natural environment. She took a job at a Connecticut park and nature center, where she taught environmental education classes, designed exhibits and curriculum, and cared for the park’s farm animals, reptiles and amphibians.

Meanwhile, she continued to work at her art, creating small paintings and drawings that were often inspired by her work at the nature center. Many years later she also earned a diploma in carpentry, and she ran her own remodeling business for a bit.

Her Wheaton education stayed with her.

“What Wheaton cultivated in me was the confidence and creativity to parlay my various skills into something that I wouldn’t necessarily have set out to do but that piqued my interest during a unique life experience,” she says. “That has been the theme for me ever since: Rather than pursue one linear career path, I have pursued various jobs that tap into different parts of me at different times.”

Through all of the “careers,” she made art sporadically, mostly to give away to family and friends. But when she turned 40, she decided it was time “to stop complaining about not having the time or energy to be an artist and do something about it.”

She earned an M.F.A. in painting from the University of Massachusetts–Dartmouth in 2009, and has since exhibited her work in several venues.

Now, she has big plans for the Wheaton galleries, including an exhibition that explores the intersections of science and art, in honor of the new science center. “I’m interested in finding ways to incorporate exhibitions into the curriculum more, to generate exhibitions that showcase both exceptional artistic talent and innovative ideas, and to use the space in more dynamic ways to engage viewers.”

Wheaton students will benefit for years to come from a scholarship fund established through a generous gift from the estate of Helen Dixon Kunzelmann P’65.

Mrs. Kunzelmann, a graduate of the Dana Hall School and Vassar College, was the mother of Susan Kunzelmann ’65, who passed away in 1994, and the mother-in-law of Joan Margaret Atwood Kunzelmann ’65.

The establishment of the scholarship reflects the Kunzelmann family’s connection to Wheaton and the strong bonds of friendship that Susan forged at the college, says her sister-in-law Joan Kunzelmann ’65. “She was larger than life.”

One of her classmates, Jean Jones Beard ’65, also remembers Susan as a vibrant person with a strong personality. “Somewhere I have a photo of her. It was taken at school. She’s holding a book, the title of which read Dynamite. That summed up Susan,” Beard said. “She was a feisty, independent, involved, creative student who always kept us on our toes. She went on to become a very interesting woman.”

Alexandra Marshall ’65 described her classmate and friend as an adventurer and an explorer in every way, a French major and a one-time ski instructor who became interested in spirituality and studied theology as an adult.

“Her papers would always be late because she would write a 75-page paper for a five-page assignment,” Marshall said. “I don’t know what her teachers thought of it. But I remember that some idea would catch her interest and she would just pursue it.”

The bonds formed at Wheaton inspired a continuing connection to the family after Susan’s death, said Joan Kunzelmann, and that was important to her mother. “A number of Susan’s friends remained in contact with Helen for the remainder of her life, and she enjoyed their friendship.”

Beyond the connection to the college, the scholarship fund also expresses Helen’s personal commitment to the importance of learning. “Mrs. Kunzelmann felt very strongly about the value of education and she made gifts to a number of educational institutions that were important in her own life and in the life of her children,” her daughter-in-law explained.

Like her daughter Susan, Helen took great pleasure in life, which was evident in her hearty laugh, Marshall said. “She was just very faithful and incredibly energetic. She threw herself into various activities around Bennington, Vt., particularly gardening. Gardening was a big interest of hers.”

While available to all students from New Jersey and Vermont, the scholarship places a special emphasis on assisting students from Boonton, N.J., where Mrs. Kunzelmann grew up, and Bennington, Vt., where she spent most of her adult life.

Her friends and family say those priorities reflect her love for the communities in which she lived. A dedicated gardener throughout her life, Kunzelmann was active in the Bennington Garden Club and the Garden Club of America. She also was a member of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America and a former Regent of Gunston Hall in Virginia.

The Quarterly recently caught up with Trustee Margaret ”Maggie” Dunn Smith ’73, the busy owner and operator of the Warren (Vt.) Store and two luxury inns, Winvian in Litchfield Hills, Conn., and the Pitcher Inn in Warren, Vt. A member of the Campaign Steering Committee, Smith shared her feelings about Wheaton, the campaign and the spirit of giving.

What message do you take from the campaign’s success so far?

In spite of these challenging economic times, philanthropy at Wheaton has never been stronger. Donors clearly understand that a Wheaton education is a transformative experience. Our alumnae/i, parents and friends recognize the importance of donating generously to honor Wheaton’s past and to preserve its legacy for future generations.

Of the remaining priorities for the campaign (student scholarships, student-faculty research funds or the Wheaton Fund), which one means the most to you and why?

All three are of critical importance to the successful completion of this campaign. Personally, I contribute annually to support my endowed scholarship and the Wheaton Fund. Student scholarships are vital to the Wheaton community because they enable qualified candidates to enroll regardless of their ability to pay. My four siblings and I were fortunate to attend liberal arts institutions thanks to the hard work of our parents, who impressed upon us the lifelong value of learning in a rigorous environment. I share my parents’ dedication to the education process and will continue to help qualified students gain access to the same benefits I was privileged to enjoy.

What is the most important message about the campaign that you would want others to know?

Every gift makes a difference and is tremendously appreciated! Our gifts make it possible for Wheaton to hire outstanding faculty, improve campus facilities, build and renovate student housing, and enhance science, technology, the arts and athletics. All of these are necessary to attract a highly qualified and diverse student body. The recent completion of the spectacular Mars Center for Science and Technology is a wonderful example of what can be accomplished when individuals work together toward a common goal.

You recently said that your community’s response to a disaster at your inn in Vermont reminded you of Wheaton. How so?

Last fall, a stream rose 15 feet to become a raging river that ran through Warren, leaving silt, mud and devastation behind. I was completely blown away by the outpouring of the Pitcher Inn and Warren Store staff, friends, acquaintances and strangers who rallied to help. With strong backs, willing hands and loving hearts, they removed six truckloads of dirt and debris — all by hand in a bucket-brigade formation. It was a most amazing display of support. I feel that this same kind of love and attention comes to institutions like Wheaton because of shared bonds and experiences. The right cause bubbles up to the top, and supporters appear. Everyone shares the rewards because they all share a stake in the greater community.

At the time, Jim Chiarelli was the program director for social sciences at Earthwatch. Two nights before he and Britt were set to leave for the field, Chiarelli had an accident and broke his arm and wrist. So it was left to Britt to direct and oversee the project.

“I was given some instructions on how to set up the project, a few thousand dollars and a bag of equipment,” Britt recalls. “I ended up, literally, being thrown in the mix of things and learning ‘trial by fire.’”

Luckily, Wheaton had prepared him: “A lesson I was given at a young age but that Wheaton solidified in a life-changing way for me is that you can do anything you put your mind to,” he says. “If you want to start an interest group, you can. If you want to create your own major, you can. I think society, in particular, popular media, is constantly bombarding people with negativity. Whether it’s a gloomy news story or a colleague telling you it can never be done, we always seem to be pointed to our limits and not our potential. Wheaton not only helps you see your potential, but also provides the tools and support you need to get there.”

The lesson has served Britt well over the years, as he has quickly built a career as an archaeologist—from the Caribbean islands to Canada. His Wheaton education, combined with that summer experience, not only led to the basis of his master’s thesis, but also to the permanent job at Earthwatch right out of college that sent him on his successful way.

Currently, he is a full-time archaeologist with Bison Historical Services Ltd., in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. There, he travels the province conducting projects that help public and private developers comply with provincial and federal regulations designed to protect historical resources. His challenge each day is to facilitate a balance between preserving the fragile archaeological records of the past while making way for the future.

“The dominant type of archaeology conducted today is known as cultural resources management,” says Britt. “This is archaeology that is done by private firms like Bison on behalf of clients (oil and gas companies, government agencies, housing developers) in order to meet state, provincial and federal regulations.”

The mandate of regulations, for the most part, is to preserve the heritage resources that are discovered on sites. However, government officials try to avoid standing in the way of development, so sometimes projects go forward regardless of whether historical resources are involved, as long as there is proper documentation of what is there, says Britt.

He investigates areas slated for development through a combination of a visual surface reconnaissance, strategically placed shovel tests, and full-scale excavations to assess for any historical resources. Those resources can include items such as stone tools; ceramic and glass fragments; ethnobotanical items such as seeds and pollen; soil features (old fire pits known as hearths); landscapes modified by humans (rock quarries, mounds); and historic structures. On one project in northern Alberta, Britt and his crew uncovered a projectile point that dated to between 9,000 and 10,000 B.P. (Before Present).

The goal is to “preserve” history by extracting as much information as possible. In the end, many of the resources are preserved because the client chooses to relocate the project rather than invest in the work necessary to properly document the site, which involves excavation of up to about 5 percent of the site.

Joe Moravetz, a senior project archaeologist at Bison Historical Services Ltd., and one of four partners who own the company, notes that, in Alberta, there are thousands of culturally significant areas.

“Sean has discovered and recorded many new historical resource sites,” says Moravetz. “On most occasions, his recommendations have ensured preservation of heritage resource sites because of changes to the development footprint. On some occasions, when the development footprint cannot be altered, Sean undertakes a mitigation strategy consisting of an archaeological excavation with the main goal being to collect archaeological information.

“While development cannot be avoided, the recovery of artifacts and the interpretation of those finds provide the story, in effect, answering the basic questions of when the site was used, who was there, what they did, and how they did it. Sean’s contribution to archaeological knowledge through recommendations of avoidance or mitigation of archaeological sites within the path of proposed developments is invaluable to the preservation of our record to be enjoyed by future generations.”

A project that Britt conducted not long ago at a location known to have historical resources illustrates both the challenging as well as rewarding nature of his work. When he arrived at the site last year, development was already under way. Part of the site had been destroyed without a proper assessment. He got the client to give a stop-work order so he could examine the area. His investigation uncovered the fact that the location had been a quarry where stone tools were made during prehistoric times.

“The interesting part of the site was that the material they used was quartzite from a glacial erratic. A glacial erratic is a stone that is moved from one location to another via glaciers thousands of years ago. The government is interested in this project, as it could provide insight into how First Nations peoples used glacial erratics, and specifically, the southern Alberta glacial chain. The project is currently in review and, if the developer cannot avoid the site, we will hopefully get a chance to excavate it and uncover a little more information about our past.”

The joy of digging into this kind of information is exactly why he became an archaeologist in the first place.

Britt has a master’s degree in historical archaeology from the University of Massachusetts-Boston, where he wrote his thesis, “Fueling the Fire: An Examination of Inter-relationships between Humans and the Environment through Colonial Caribbean Fuel Sources.” He presented the paper at the Society for Post-Medieval Archaeology’s Annual Conference in 2005, and it was published last spring in the Journal for Historical Archaeology.

For an archaeologist, having excellent writing skills is just as important as having a good shovel. Britt credits Associate Professor of History John Bezis-Selfa for helping him develop his writing.

“He was certainly a tough grader—I have the papers with his famous multicolored pen marks to prove it—but his creative criticism made me a much better writer,” says Britt, who calls him his favorite professor to this day.

Bezis-Selfa remembers him well, too. Britt was in the first First-Year Seminar that the professor taught at Wheaton, and he went on to take a number of courses from Bezis-Selfa, including an independent study on the history of plantation societies in the Caribbean. A small clay pot that Britt brought back from that summer on Nevis sits on display in Bezis-Selfa’s office.

“Sean is one of the most curious, adventurous, risk-taking students whom I have had the privilege to teach,” Bezis-Selfa says. “I recall attending the celebration of Sean’s graduation at his home, where his mother exclaimed, mostly in amusement but with a tinge of befuddlement, that she had sent two children (including Sean’s older sister, who also studied archaeology) to college, where they learned to dig in dirt.”

After Wheaton, Britt started work at Earthwatch full time as an expedition coordinator. Within six months, he was promoted to assistant to the chief science officer, who coincidentally was Marie “Scooter” Studer ’83.

In 2005, he began working at the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative in Canada, where he previously had helped foster a memorandum of understanding with Earthwatch. He started as a coordinator at Yellowstone, and, again within six months, was promoted to director of conservation, where he was responsible for a budget of more than $800,000, developing a vision and the work plan for a U.S.–Canada transboundary conservation program and managing a staff of five. In 2009, he started at Bison.

When he’s not getting the scoop on history there, he’s still outdoors, indulging his other passion—fly-fishing.

His interest in fly-fishing began when he was 15 years old and blossomed when he moved to Calgary, where he lives within eight  minutes of a world-famous blue-ribbon trout stream (the Bow River). “When I moved here,  my fishing went from a few days a year to a hundred a year. Now, I’ve expanded my fly-fishing résumé to include Mexico and Cuba.”

For fun (and extra money) he works part time for the local Fish Tales Fly Shop. He’s become quite the expert at it. He’s written a manual on custom rod-building, will be rewriting the shop’s manual on fly-fishing, and is planning to lead a fly-fishing trip to Mexico this year. He’s also started his own company, Tightlines Productions Ltd., which makes fly-fishing maps of local rivers. Later this year, the Canadian fly-fishing championships come to his hometown and he hopes to put together a team to compete in tournaments.

He has even found a way to combine his interests. Last April, he presented a talk titled “Archaeology for Anglers,” recognizing the fact that the majority of archaeological sites are found in and around river drainage systems, with hundreds of them in Calgary alone. He talked about the nature of archaeological sites, what to look for, and what to do if you encounter something while in or around the water. His hope is that his fellow anglers can help preserve the past while enjoying their time on the water.

History is always on his mind, even while fishing, because it’s so important, he says. “I’ve always been interested in history and the role it could play in our present and future. We as humans think we know everything, but if you look at history, we tend to make the same mistakes over and over again, especially regarding the depletion of our natural resources. My only hope is that we can learn from some of our past mistakes.”

Members of the Class of 2014 flocked by the hundreds to meet with nearly 50 alums who volunteered their time at the Sophomore Symposium on January 28. The annual event connects current students with alums to discuss potential career paths in everything from neuroscience to new media. Plenary speakers (pictured seated above, left), Christine Koh ’95, founder and editor of bostonmamas.com, and Christopher Paquet ’03, acting executive director for the Office of Emergency Management and Response in New York City, talked about the skills they each gained from a Wheaton education. Becky Hemperly ’88 (left), director of contracts and royalties at Candlewick Press Publishing, shared her insights. This year, the transformational event boasted an increase in alumnae/i participation by 70 percent.

Joseph Lavoine ’06 designs new computer game

When Joseph Lavoine ’06 graduated from Wheaton with a degree in computer science, the iPhone was still a year away from release and the iPad was just a gleam in Steve Jobs’s eye. Six years later, he’s using his education to create original games for Apple’s best-selling devices.

Lavoine has founded his own gaming company, Done Right Studios, which put out his first release in October 2011. The 99-cent puzzle game, “Origami Adventure,” challenges players to quickly choose between different colored animals to rack up points. “It’s a game about timing coordination—a bit like the old classic ‘Tetris,’” Lavoine explains. “Players choose between different origami animals—from cats to whales—that move at different speeds. The object of the game (to rack up points) is to get multiple animals of the same color in a row. But since the animals move at different speeds, players need to be crafty about which one they pick to make sure they keep having the same color hit the other end of the screen in sequence.”

The game has gotten five-star reviews on the Mac App Store website and is on sale in eight languages. It’s clear from reading the comments that children as well as adults have found “Origami Adventure” challenging and addicting.

Lavoine, a Massachusetts native, started playing video games as a kindergartner when his parents bought him an Nintendo and the original “Super Mario Bros.” But he always loved books, as well.

“The first thing I ever wanted to grow up and become was an author,” Lavoine says. “But one day it struck me that I should combine my two favorite things, and write and create whole games, not just stories.”

That made Wheaton a natural fit. He was able to indulge both his interests by loading up on computer science and English classes.

Lavoine’s capstone was a yearlong independent study project he did as a senior. He learned the Java computer language and created his own multiplayer online gladiator game.

“Joe poured himself into his project work and soon emerged as a student leader among his computer science peers,” recalls Professor Mark LeBlanc, who taught Lavoine’s First-Year Seminar. He describes Lavoine as “someone who leverages his technical skills with broader thinking from the liberal arts and, in his case, with a true entrepreneurial spirit.”

After graduating, Lavoine impressed would-be employers with his senior-year project, and found jobs working on a number of major franchises, including Sim City and Dungeons and Dragons. But when the Boston startup he was working for downsized in 2010, he quickly decided to strike out on his own.

Creating “Origami Adventure” turned Lavoine into a true small businessman. He designed and engineered the game himself, sometimes working 60 to 70 hours a week, but also had to find outside contractors to contribute artwork, music, sound effects and translations.

“Even though I often worked from morning into the night, when you wholly own something, all the work somehow seems different,” he says. “At the same time, working for yourself also requires a lot of discipline.”

With his first game under his belt, he is now moving forward with a new project (“a combination of Lord of the Rings and FarmVille”) that he hopes to release for the iPad later this year. He’s looking to attract other entrepreneurially minded Wheaton students or graduates to work with him on art design and marketing the game.

Photo collage by David Laferriere, images from Done Right Studios

One feature film.

Five main roles.

Three hundred actors auditioning.

It doesn’t take a math major to know that the odds of ending up on the big screen in this scenario aren’t the greatest.

But Trisha Carr ’08—a math major—went for it anyway. And it paid off.

She received one of the five main roles in the full-length independent feature film Brilliant Mistakes, which is scheduled to be released this summer. Although she has performed on stage for many years, this was her first try at a film role. She plays Erin Penney, a college-age girl whose sister, Gabby, gets into a horrible accident. The Salisbury Film production centers on Gabby’s fiancé, Marcus, and how he and Gabby’s family react to and cope with the accident.

Carr’s pleased she got the role, but not completely surprised. She always knew majoring in math could lead to a wide variety of opportunities.

“From my experience, employers in nearly all fields value math majors because a degree in mathematics is essentially a degree in logical, critical and creative thinking. Math is problem solving at its core,” she says. “I love finding solutions, making sense of things around me. To me, math is fun and beautiful. It’s everywhere around us: money, nature, architecture, music, art and theater.”

Trisha Carr ’08 (left) in a Brilliant Mistakes scene. Photo: Starportal Productions, LLC © 2011

By day, Carr works full time as a market research analyst conducting research for clients to determine “the story” from hundreds of pages of data so that she can deliver that story in a clear, concise way. By night, she does similar work—getting the story out—on stage as an actress and a choreographer.

“At Wheaton I was able to balance my intellectual interests and my love for performing. I’m still doing that,” says Carr, who has a minor in dance.

She was a member of the Wheaton College Dance Company for four years, co-captain her senior year. And she is still involved with the company, returning to choreograph once or twice each year.

In fact, it was through her experience with the dance company and the encouragement of Professor Cheryl Mrozowski that she first discovered her passion for choreography, Carr says. “Without that experience I’m not sure it would be a part of my life today.”

In her home state of Connecticut, she regularly performs and choreographs. In the past two years she has performed in 10 productions, including Annie, 42nd Street, Carousel, The Producers, Oliver!, Kiss Me, Kate, Funny Girl and two productions of A Chorus Line. Last winter she was chosen to choreograph a production of Rent at the Warner Theatre, a 1,800-seat venue in Connecticut.

“Although they may seem disparate, I would say there are definite similarities between math and performing, and especially with dance and choreography,” she says. “Math and dance both deal with ideas such as spatial awareness, patterns, counting and symmetry. In dance, you constantly have to learn patterns and reverse them quickly, and in choreography you have to be able to creatively explore configurations in your mind, thinking about their aesthetic potential. All of these skills are also used in math. Math, acting and choreography all balance analysis and intuition.

“It’s very important to me to do what I love and to maintain a balance in my life. Performing and choreographing are two passions of mine. They don’t need to be my primary job to make me happy, as long as I get to participate in them.”

During a semester abroad, Alison Mehlhorn ’11 got a glimpse of maternal health care in rural South Africa. She was troubled and inspired.

Now, the 2011 Wheaton graduate has won a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship that will allow her to follow her dreams of improving health care for women and children, particularly in the developing world.

Mehlhorn, who graduated summa cum laude with a major in biology, will be enrolled next fall at the University of London’s School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, working toward a master’s degree in reproductive and sexual health research. She was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Camden, Maine.

“Due to gender discrimination, women and girls are generally the most marginalized members of any society and therefore are often the poorest both in terms of economics and health,” Mehlhorn says, explaining her interest in the field of study.

“I am interested in understanding the global health issues facing women today, the policies that have been developed to address these problems, and the implementation success of such programs aimed at improving women’s health.”

The Nobleboro, Maine, native says she arrived on the Wheaton campus aspiring toward a career in medicine, but not convinced that it was within her reach.

“It wasn’t until Wheaton and my experiences during college that I realized it was something I was truly passionate about and something I could realistically achieve,” says Mehlhorn, who is currently working as a research assistant in a neurology lab at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

Mehlhorn developed as a scholar through deep immersion in her subject. She served as a research assistant to Professor Shawn McCafferty; conducted genetics research as an intern at the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine; and completed an honors thesis involving genetic analysis of grey harbor seals. She also held positions at Wheaton as a teaching assistant and a tutor in biology.

The Wheaton Trustee Scholar says that her experiences while studying abroad in South Africa helped to crystalize her growing fascination with public health issues for women and children.

“Through the program I performed a study project that allowed me to work in the maternity ward of a rural hospital and get a glimpse of maternal health in this still racially divided country,” she says. “This glimpse contrasted drastically with the view of health I had when interning at a local women’s clinic in my hometown during the previous summer.”

Study at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine will fit her interests particularly well, says Mehlhorn. “This program focuses study on the developing world and it is a great introduction to policy-relevant research.”

The purpose of the ambassadorial scholarship program is to further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries. While abroad, scholars serve as ambassadors of goodwill to the people of the host country and give presentations about their homelands to Rotary clubs and other groups.

Photo by Nicki Pardo

If she had a uniform—maybe something in a nice Army green or navy—Meg Riggs ’97, a foreign service officer, might have an easier time explaining her job.

She works for the U.S. Department of State helping to build important relationships that promote peace, but she is the first to admit that educating friends and family at home about what she does is sometimes the hardest job.

”I, like my family and friends, share in the pride and appreciation for the members of our community in the military,  who ‘serve’ the country in uniform. Unfortunately, that same pride doesn’t always extend to the civilians serving the country overseas,” she says.

Currently, she is the chief of the Public Diplomacy Section at the U.S. Embassy in Burkina Faso, a small, landlocked country in West Africa. Her office is responsible for being a liaison with the media; managing the Fulbright and other exchange programs offered by the U.S. government there; providing the resources available to the public in an American library; and, overall, developing people-to-people relationships between the U.S. and Burkina Faso.

“Diplomacy is the foundation of peace,” says Riggs, who double majored in political science and Italian studies at Wheaton. “Wars throughout history have been driven by the need for sustainable economics and individual liberty. Diplomacy aims to avoid these impasses by maintaining friendships between nations to ensure respect is the foundation underneath difficult policy conversations.”

She has worked for the State Department since 2000. Her assignments have taken her to live in the Republic of Georgia (2004–2005), the Republic of Liberia (2005–2009), and now in Burkina Faso, since 2010. (She received a Meritorious Honor Award and a Superior Honor Award for her service in Liberia.)

Riggs has been interested in the field of diplomacy since high school. “The protests in Poland for independence and then the fall of the Berlin Wall were extremely influential. I knew then that I wanted to play a role in the process of bringing two sides together. It was a simplistic teenager’s dream, but the concept of working to find a common ground for peace and prosperity still holds true. I enjoy knowing that what I have done matters and contributes in some way, even if it is small.”

Working in foreign countries has been a family affair. Riggs’s husband, Greg Brown, is an educator who works on U.S.–funded projects that aim to increase the quality of education in developing countries. And they have a 2-year-old daughter who goes everywhere they go.

The entire family was on campus in November when Riggs returned to speak to students about her work, at the invitation of Professor of Political Science Darlene Boroviak, who still serves as her mentor.

“Wheaton is one of the most meaningful experiences in my life. The connection with the college, my professors and friends are a cornerstone to who I am,” says Riggs.

It was here that she figured out what she needed to succeed in her work, or any work for that matter. “I learned that skills and creativity trump memorized knowledge. To be prepared for new assignments and a changing world, it is more important to know how to learn, where to go to find information, and that you have a solid foundation of knowledge upon which to apply that data. We have no way of knowing what jobs will be available to us in the years to come, but Wheaton makes sure you are ready to prepare yourself for that job market.”

Mary Mallon Nyman was featured in the March newsletter of the Cradle Foundation, a Chicago-based adoption agency. The writer and artist was adopted there at age six weeks. In the newsletter, she talked about visiting the foundation for the first time since she was a baby, her family life growing up (which included studying abroad during her freshman year of high school) and going to Wheaton. “I was very happy [at Wheaton],” said Nyman, who earned a bachelor’s in English. “I was co-editor of the literary magazine and took every art class offered.” While in graduate school at Boston University, Nyman landed an assistantship in the Department of English, studying with Pulitzer Prize winner and former Poet Laureate of the United States Robert Lowell. After completing her master’s degree in English literature, she taught English for more than two decades at the high school and college level. She has published a volume of poetry, a novel (When the Leaves Fall), a textbook, short stories, as well as essays in a variety of literary magazines. Since retiring in 1994, she has pursued what she most enjoys—painting her favorite areas of Maine, Cape Cod, Tuscany and Provence, the newsletter pointed out. She also makes handcrafted jewelry and has continued to take art classes. “I live in a beautiful spot in Wareham, Massachusetts,” she said, “eighty feet above Buzzards Bay with woods behind me. It’s the perfect place for an artist.”

More online:

View her work and a list of her upcoming events and shows at marynyman.com.

Craig Mooney ’92

A bustling schedule filled with international gallery exhibitions is coveted by most working artists. For Craig Mooney ’92, that dream is reality.

The Stowe, Vt., representational oil painter will have his work exhibited in several galleries this fall, including at Enid Lawson Gallery in London; Shain Gallery in Charlotte, N.C.; and Jules Place in Boston.

Mooney’s atmospheric works, which feature elements of science found in the natural world, renderings of human silhouettes, and imagined cityscapes, offer a glimpse into his formative years. Growing up in Manhattan, he was heavily inspired by his father, a physician and amateur artist, as well as by a book about Leonardo da Vinci.

“I was fascinated with da Vinci’s explorations of the human form, and scientific renderings,” recalls Mooney.

At Wheaton, he followed his two passions and majored in biology and minored in studio art, which gave him a well-rounded education, he says. “I studied biology and subjects that weren’t related to art, while also discovering that art history was one of my favorite subjects. It helped me link historical and scientific explanations of art, which can be abstract.”

As he took more art courses, Mooney envisioned a life devoted to creativity and was encouraged by the “pure enjoyment” and freedom he experienced in courses like Professor John Grady’s documentary film course.

“Wheaton was an incubator for me,” says Mooney. “It was supportive and encouraging of divergent paths, and I didn’t feel pressure to choose my vocation while in school.”

After college, he worked in a clinical research laboratory and apprenticed as an editor for the film Remains of the Day before launching a painting career in 2000. His paintings have been shown in galleries from Nashville to Milan, and have been commissioned by New York Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical College, and Condé Nast.

Though Mooney’s résumé boasts an impressive array of galleries and touch on a variety of subject matter, his artistic inspiration remains constant through the years and informs his upcoming exhibitions.

“Communing with nature is essential to my work,” he stresses, highlighting his belief in the important role that universality plays in his process.

“Art allows us to remove ourselves from our current lives and conditions. My work isn’t specific to any place, yet there’s a sense of familiarity amongst viewers,” he says. “My paintings aren’t rooted in an esoteric philosophy; they try to express a mental state of calm and serenity. I think they appeal to people in the process of healing.”

Alums, students and professors square off in croquet

You’ve heard of the French Open. You’ve seen the NBA Playoffs. The World Series? Please. We’ve got the Research Rivalry Cup, baby!

It started here at Wheaton in 2008 when Blair Rossetti ’09, a member of Professor of Biology Robert Morris’s research team (the Urchinites) challenged Kyle Judkins ’11 and the other students of Professor of Biology Ed Tong’s lab (the A-Team) to a game of basketball.

“Though we were the instigators, we lost!” Morris reports.

The following year, the Tong lab won again, in a game of capture the flag. Finally, in 2010, Morris’s team bounced back, with a win in kickball.

The rivalry game, which this year was croquet on Chapel Field on May 5, has become such an event that alums come from all over Massachusetts to play. Participants included: Kyle Glass ’11, April Greene-Colozzi ’09, Emily Green-Colozzi ’10, Timothy Horan ’10, Ali Hussain ’11, Mark Iampietro ’09, Madeline Keyes ’10, Lawrence Mulcahy ’99, Robert Manguso ’10, Amanda Rawson ’09, Blair Rossetti ’09 and Tatsushi Shintaku ’11.

The croquet match was an interesting display of, well, it was a display. “We played through one semidignified round with all 26 players taking turns, realized that even the first-year lab members were going to graduate before we finished at that rate, and decided to end it with an all-out, no-holds-barred croquet free-for-all,” says Morris.

And the winner? Urchinites. The record stands at 2–2.

“Unfortunately, if you measure success in the amount of dignified and skillful croquet exhibited, the Research Rivalry Cup Challenge was a dismal failure,” said Morris. “On the other hand, since we measure success by the amount of laughter generated, camaraderie felt, and fun had by the whole group, it was an unqualified success. Great fun for current students, alums and professors all.”

Work hard.

Play hard.

That’s how we roll at Wheaton.

After extensive research, the nominating committee has selected the following candidates for the Alumnae/i Association Board of Directors. Elections will be held on October 20. In accordance with the bylaws of the Alumnae/i Association, additional nominations may be made for positions other than alumna/alumnus trustee. Nominations must be submitted in writing at least two weeks before Homecoming. Nominations should include relevant information about the candidate, written consent from the nominee, along with at least 30 signatures from alumnae/i representing no fewer than three classes.

Patricia “Patty” Rose Landry ’01

• National class officer chair
• Manager of annual giving at the Children’s Aid Society of New York
• Involvement: Class vice president, 2007–2016; volunteer for the Filene Center, 2009–2012, and Wheaton Regional Club, 2010–2011

Connection: “From the moment I stepped on campus during visiting day, I knew Wheaton was a special place. During my four years I met many wonderful friends, staff and professors both inside and outside of the classroom. My time outside of the classroom, especially, is where my transferable life and professional skills developed. My time as a member of the field hockey team, a preceptor, student mentor, programming council vice chair and eventually a class officer have all taught me more than I could have ever imagined. Students, staff and faculty gave so much to me, I continue to stay connected to help give back, and it doesn’t hurt that I also get to be around the most amazing people. I am grateful.”

Goal: “I have had the opportunity to be involved with my wonderful Class of 2001 since graduation, first as class secretary and for the past six years as class vice president. As I continue to serve as class vice president, I look forward to the opportunity to get to work with and learn from the many other class officers. I hope to gain more insight into the board in general and have the opportunity to serve as a voice for many of my fellow alums. I want to help build resources and access for class officers outside of the ALC/Reunion cycle and improve communication.”

Surprise: “I am a total science geek! I love astronomy, going to lectures, coloring in coloring books, I am 100 percent afraid of the dark, and I know how to moonwalk.”

Sarah Georges Lenes ’05

• National regional chair
• Alumni relations officer, University of Vermont
• Involvement: Co-chair, Wheaton Fund, 2011–2015; class officer, 2010–2015; member of the Reunion gift committee (2010 co-chair)

Connection: “I continue to volunteer for Wheaton because it was an alum who connected me to Wheaton in the first place. From the minute my mother and I drove down Howard Street, I knew Wheaton was for me. Today, I volunteer so that I can be that alum to help other future Lyons add Wheaton to their list of schools to tour.”

Goal: “I am thrilled to be serving my alma mater in a different volunteer capacity than I previously have. I hope to increase Wheaton’s regional activity across the country to strengthen our alumnae/i body, which in return will enrich the lives of our current student body and the college for many years to come.”

Surprise: “I first learned about Wheaton at the Eileen Fisher store in the Copley mall in Boston. My mom and I were shopping during a break from college visits. Wheaton wasn’t on the list. An employee, who was a senior at Wheaton at the time, asked what I was doing, and I told her I was on a college search trip. She told us about Wheaton and the rest is history.”

Jane Martin ’74, P’11

• Association president
• Owner of The Photo Editor
• Involvement: Filene Center volunteer, 2009–2012; Alumnae/i Board member, 1998–2010, director-at-large, national Reunion chair, 2008–2010

Connection: “Wheaton has been my home for 40 years, the source of my most long-standing friendships, and a place I return to for inspiration, energy and creativity. It’s where I return to renew myself.”

Goal: “This is my third tour of duty on the board of directors. Each time is different. Working with younger alums gives me more information about the college, and how it is both different and fundamentally the same as it was during my years there. I learn a lot from younger alums and I get a sense of the legacy and the history from older alums, who have given us so much. My goals are to engage more alumnae/i, particularly those from the 1990s and the first decade of the 2000s. We need more alums to participate, contribute and take ownership of the Alumnae/i Association. We need their time and their talents, and I hope to tap into this vast resource.”

Surprise: “I’m a really good country and western dancer. I have the Texas boots to prove it. Two-step anyone?”

Matthew “Matt” Strekel ’03

• Alumnae/i trustee
• Xavier High School (Conn.), director of advancement
• Involvement: Class officer, 2010–2013; member of the annual giving committee, 2011–2012; APAC volunteer since 2003

Connection: “As a senior in high school, Wheaton was the last school I visited and the only school I applied to (early decision). It was home for me, and remains for me an important part of who I am. I met some of my best friends during my four years at Wheaton. I am also forever indebted to [former] dean Sue Alexander and [theater professor] David Fox, who made sure I took full advantage of everything that was offered during my four years.”

Goal: Serving as a trustee at Wheaton is on my bucket list. Nerdy? Yes. But very exciting for me. Wheaton is at an absolutely critical juncture, and to serve on the board now means to be a part of decisions that will affect the life of the college for many years to come. As a 30-something male alum, I believe Wheaton can do a great deal to harness the power of our constituency group; we have a lot to offer as an institution that already has a strong foundation as a former women’s college. My top priority is to serve as a reliable voice for the alumnae/i to the board, ensuring that Wheaton’s future is as stable and strong as possible.”

Surprise: “I play bass guitar in a rock cover band. Mostly in the basement at a friend’s house two or three times a week. It’s a lot of fun and a great way to blow off some steam.”

1 alum drove the farthest. Mary Humphreys Steele-Klein ’62 drove cross-country from Seattle and was the very first attendee to register at Mary Lyon Hall.

4 foreign countries were represented.

25 golf carts buzzed around to assist.

30 states were represented.

40 dozen eggs were cracked for brunch.

1,693 meals were served over two and a half days.

1962 The Class of 1962 had the highest number of attendees and percentage of members in attendance at more than 50 percent. The group won all three Reunion class awards.

Since graduation, Joseph Donahue ’10 has been a Peace Corps volunteer in a rural Moroccan town called Ait Oumghar. “I had wanted to do the Peace Corps ever since learning about it in high school from a teacher who was a returned volunteer. When I graduated from Wheaton, I decided this would be the best time for me to do it.” He is working on various health- and youth-related projects, including teaching health and English classes and helping a women’s association write a grant to furnish a new workspace and support small-business training. “While the connection may not be outwardly apparent,” says Donahue, “I am constantly drawing from my experiences as a sociology major in my current work. The courses I took at Wheaton have enabled me to view things through a ‘sociological lens,’ which has proven invaluable while living in a foreign culture with different gender, race and ethnic dynamics. It has given me greater understanding of my current situation, and, as a result, more patience. Similarly, I frequently find myself using my sociological research skills (often subconsciously) to explore phenomena in my new community.” Donahue’s commitment ends in May 2013. “Immediately after the Peace Corps, I am not quite sure what I will do. This experience has opened me up to working and living abroad. However, I know that within a few years I want to continue my education and study clinical psychology.”

Beverly Fowle Fiertz’s sons, left to right, Stuart, Carey and Randy join their father Alden Fiertz, front, at the dedication of Bev’s House.

The Upper Valley Haven of Vermont recently held a dedication ceremony for the Beverly Fowle Fiertz Community Center, also known as Bev’s House at the Haven. Beverly, a former Wheaton trustee, died in 2010. Her husband, Alden Fiertz, sponsored the naming of the house as a tribute to his wife of 56 years.

Located in White River Junction, Vt., Bev’s House is a busy activity center offering after- school and adult programs as well as legal services. The themes of community, social justice and expressive arts that were important to her are now at the center of the house, noted officials at the Haven, which provides temporary shelter, clothing, food and educational programming for homeless families and adults in need.

At the Aug. 5, 2012, dedication ceremony, Alden painted a vivid portrait of Beverly as “a strong, multidimensional woman who had wells of compassion for those in need, deep investment in her community and a willingness to take action.” And Jeff Shields, retired Vermont Law School president, spoke about Beverly’s ability to “do great things and do them at an accelerated pace.”

She was the oldest student at the law school when she enrolled at 52. After graduation, she worked at Vermont Legal Aid, representing those who could not afford a lawyer. Honoring her work, Alden funded Bev’s House to host legal services in partnership with the law school, where students represent low-income clients in court.

The newly dedicated building will also support another of Beverly’s passions: the use of art to encourage the growth of self-esteem, and the capacity for expression in people unaccustomed to being heard.

Instrumental in the development of the center was Beverly’s art instructor and friend, Annette Compton Fiertz ’80. Beverly and Annette became acquainted attending Vermont Wheaton Club meetings. Annette was a Vermont-based artist who graduated magna cum laude in three years from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in art history. She also received an M.F.A. in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York, where she won the Paula Rhodes Award for distinguished work.

Alden met Annette for the first time after Beverly’s passing. Annette curated an exhibit of Alden and Beverly’s life together for Beverly’s memorial services, as well as the hanging of Beverly’s paintings at the Haven. Their friendship blossomed, and Alden and Annette were married in February 2012, just three months before Annette passed away on May 11, 2012, after a brief bout with cancer.

History is full of unheralded figures whose achievements rarely show up in a textbook or class lecture. For the past 15 years, Cynthia “Cyndy” Douglas Bittinger ’68, who teaches a Vermont history course, has worked to bring those figures into the spotlight.

At the Community College of Vermont, Bittinger has been researching and teaching about the contributions of lesser-known Vermonters—women, Native Americans, and African Americans, who unbeknownst to many have made an indelible mark on the Green Mountain State.

That research led to the publishing of her new book, Vermont Women, Native Americans & African Americans: Out of the Shadows of History (The History Press, 2012). It’s a “multicultural narrative” that she plans to assign in her college classes, but she also hopes middle and high schools use it, too.

“Vermonters come from all different backgrounds,” says Bittinger. “All of us need a usable history—one where we can identify with historical figures and be inspired to make our own history.”

Her desire to dig into information and engage in advocacy stems back to her time at Wheaton. As a student, she wrote for the college newspaper. “I spent each Sunday night crafting articles and editorials for the weekly edition. That gave me tremendous confidence to go out in the world and write,” says Bittinger, whose mother, Frances Crosby Allen, was in the Class of 1937.

Bittinger attended Wheaton during a time of social and political change—the civil rights movement, protests of the Vietnam War, and women’s liberation. Never the bystander, she attended and helped organize provocative lectures with her friends—notably one delivered by birth control advocate Bill Baird.

“We wanted to bring new viewpoints to campus,’’ she says.

The author even changed her major from history to government and interned in 1966 with Massachusetts Senator Edward Brooke, the first African American elected to the U.S. Senate by popular vote.

“As much as I enjoyed the study of history, the study of government gave me a more targeted focus,” said Bittinger, adding that her most influential professor was Jay Goodman. “I could understand the functions involved in governing and how various nations responded to change.”

She graduated from Wheaton with departmental honors and enrolled in Columbia University’s Teachers College in 1969, after which she taught history at a New Jersey high school for three years. She then worked for two New York City mayors and for the state of Massachusetts, and raised three children before moving to Hanover, N.H., in 1988. There, she became director of the Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation (in Plymouth, Vt.), the only membership organization preserving the legacy of the 30th president. She started teaching at the Community College of Vermont in 1994.

She regularly shares her knowledge of Vermont history in lectures and on Vermont Public Radio, where her commentaries can be heard by an estimated 180,000 listeners. Somehow, she still finds time to read with elementary school children, direct a women’s networking group in her region, and serve as a docent for the Hanover (N.H.) Historical Society.

Bittinger says she hopes that by writing her book she can inspire future history makers.

—Steve Holt

Photo by Jon Gilbert Fox

When she was a child, some of Sandra Ohrn Moose’s favorite moments were spent in conversation with her parents around the dinner table, where each would relate the events of the day.

“My father was a businessman—treasurer for the New England Electric System. His work sounded fascinating to me,” she recently recalled. “I was always interested in his descriptions of what he did and the various issues of his business day, as he recounted what happened and what he found to be of interest or frustrating.”

Those lively conversations led her to major in economics, which led to a career in business consulting, and eventually earned her seats at the tables of many a boardroom, in both the corporate and philanthropic sectors. Her numerous leadership roles include being the presiding director of Verizon Communications and the president of the board of trustees of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

The most recent nod to her business strategy and leadership skills came this summer. Moose was selected as chair of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Board of Trustees. She is the first woman elected to the position since the creation of the foundation in 1934, after serving on the foundation’s board of trustees since 2000.

Retiring chairman Stephen L. Brown had great praise for her upon the announcement of her new role: “For more than a decade, it has been my great pleasure to serve with Sandy Moose on the Sloan Foundation’s board of trustees,” he said. “She is engaged, insightful and passionately dedicated to the foundation and its mission.”

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a philanthropic institution based in New York City that makes grants in support of original research and education in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and economic performance.

“It is an honor to have been selected to be the chair,” said Moose, Wheaton trustee emerita. “Sloan is a wonderful institution undertaking worthwhile research which has had a history of making significant impact. I feel privileged to be given the opportunity to be of service in this way. It is gratifying that my colleagues have such confidence in me.”

The work at the foundation in many respects is an extension of what she has done throughout her long career at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), which she joined in 1968 and ultimately became a senior managing partner and director. Moose, who has a Ph.D. and an M.A. in economics from Harvard University, is believed to be one of the first female management consultants to rise to the profession’s top ranks at a major firm.

At BCG, she has worked as consultant to CEOs and top management teams in a broad range of industries—particularly financial services, telecommunications, and consumer goods—advising them on an array of strategic, organizational and financial issues. She was also the managing partner of BCG’s New York office for more than 10 years. She continues to serve as a senior advisor to BCG.

“I inherently enjoy solving problems and helping people,” she says. “Consulting at its core is a caring profession.”

Moose, who received an honorary degree during Wheaton’s Commencement in 2009, credits the college for helping her build her confidence through the leadership roles she had on campus and for preparing her well for graduate school, which gave her additional credentials.

“There were few women in my era in business,” she notes. “Having a doctorate in economics helped me to not only ‘get through the proverbial door,’ but also to establish credibility once through the door.”