The master of ceremony was alum Robert  Johnson, the current President and CEO of Special Olympics Massachusetts (SOMA). Johnson began his career as a Special Education Teacher and as a Special Education Administrator serving as Massachusetts’ Chief Compliance Officer for Special Education and helped to develop Chapter 766, our state’s comprehensive special education law and authored the state’s regulations for the approval of private schools that serve publicly funded special needs children.

Johnson is a member of the undergraduate class of 1970 and graduate class of 1972. He received an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree in 2010.

“Those in attendance represent our most generous donors who have recognized the importance of stepping up, and we are profoundly grateful,” said  Donald Bowman, Westfield Foundation Director. “It is our fervent hope that, in the coming weeks and months, we can illustrate to you the power of major gifts, planned gifts, and transformative gifts – and to provide the opportunities for you to consider joining us in major academic initiatives like university’s upcoming 175^th anniversary in 2013.”

During the gala, there was a special ceremony to rename the Scanlon Living Room the Loughman Living Room in honor of the late Celeste Loughman, former professor of English at Westfield State. Loughman worked as a professor for 26 years until her retirement in 1998 and served two terms as chair of the English department. She received the university’s Distinguished Service Award in 1980.

With the passing of Loughman and her husband, the Loughman estate transferred $300,000 to the Westfield State University Foundation to create an endowed scholarship fund to support students majoring in English. The scholarship will be given annually to a sophomore, junior, or senior majoring in English that demonstrates academic achievement and financial need.

University president Evan S. Dobelle said he appreciates the relationships formed between the university and the community and hopes to strengthen those bonds.

“Our ongoing relationships with the City of Westfield and numerous not-for-profit organizations are enhancing quality of life on campus, while our faculty, staff and students offer outstanding service wherever they are needed in the community as eager volunteers, interns and board members,” Dobelle said.

Meersman, a dual secondary education and history major, has served as the student representative to the Westfield State University  Board of Trustees for three consecutive terms. Additionally, he has served as the student representative to the Westfield State Strategic Planning Committee, as an active member of the Student Government Association, and as a member of the Student Advisory Council to the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education. He also represented the university at the Clinton Global Initiative University Conference in 2010.

Meersman said he is grateful for his time as student trustee and hopes to have left a lasting impression on the board.

“Whenever I take on a role like student trustee I make sure that when my time is over and I have done my work, that I leave whatever it is behind a little better than when I got there,” Meersman said. “ My only hope is that I have done that and that the students who come after me will do the same. It has been a lot of work, frustrating at times, but incredibly rewarding.”

Meersman was honored as a 2011 President’s Award recipient for his leadership skills.  His community service efforts include raising money for the annual Neighborhood Association Turkey Drive, Head Start Westfield “All I want for Christmas” campaign, and leaf raking for the Cancer House of Hope. Meersman  also is an Eagle Scout.

The students will be honored  Thursday, May 10 at a State House ceremony attended by Governor Patrick, state education officials, campus presidents, faculty and students.

“These exceptional students have earned the respect and admiration of the whole Commonwealth," said Governor Deval Patrick. "I look forward to seeing all the ways they will contribute to a better Massachusetts.”

“The collective brainpower of students like the 29 Who Shine is the Commonwealth’s biggest asset in the global competition for industry and jobs,” said Richard M. Freeland, Commissioner of Higher Education. “I am thrilled to see this level of achievement by our public college and university graduates.”

Each of Massachusetts’ 29 public college and university campuses selected its own honoree for the 29 Who Shine awards based on criteria established by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. Students were required to be residents of Massachusetts who had a strong academic record and a history of civic engagement. Please visit http://www.mass.edu/29whoshine/home.asp for more information.

As for Meersman, he was pleasantly surprised to be recognized.

“It is an absolute honor and I thank each and every person who had anything to do with the process for the impact they have made on my life over the past four years,” Meersman said.

Westfield State University President Evan Dobelle felt Meersman’s honor was much deserved.

 “Ryan’s maturity, his self-awareness and his desire to achieve his goals make him a role model for many of his peers,” said Dobelle. “I predict a bright future for him, wherever his career takes him.”

Movie producer Michael Uslan will be the guest speaker. Uslan is best known for producing the films of the Batman franchise from Batman in 1989 to the upcoming The Dark Knight Rises. An avid comic book collector, Uslan was the first instructor to teach “Comic Book Folklore” at an accredited university.

Class of 2012 President Meaghan MacDonald said that Uslan’s background was more of a deciding factor in choosing him for commencement speaker than his involvement with Batman.

“He came from a middle class family, went to a state school, and made something of himself because of his imagination and drive, “MacDonald said. “We chose him because we felt he would be very relatable to the graduating class.”

Uslan also will be receiving an honorary Doctor of Arts degree. Other honorees include: Eleanor Clift, editor of Newsweek, member of the McLaughlin Group and a political analyst and pundit, who will receive a Doctor of Humane Letters.  Clift has written six books, most recently Selecting a President (Fundamentals of American Government) which explains the US electoral system with anecdotes from past campaigns.

Author and President of George Washington University Stephen Trachtenberg will receive a Doctor of Public Service. Trachtenberg serves as chairman of the Atlantic 10 Conference Presidents Council and created the School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University, which is now named in his honor.

Massachusetts State Treasurer Steven Grossman will receive a Doctor of Public Service. Grossman was a founding board member of Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth (MassINC) and developed the Small Business Banking Partnership, which is helping to infuse more money into small businesses and create more jobs in Massachusetts.

In total, 1100 students from 31 different majors will be walking at commencement. The undergraduate degrees that will be awarded are Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Education, and Bachelor of Social Work.

Doors open at 1:00 pm. There is no reserved seating except for graduates, faculty, and administration. No tickets or reservations are necessary to attend. Please enter the Center’s main entrance on Falcon’s Way across from the parking garage entrance. There will be a reception immediately following the ceremony on the concourse off the arena.

As a courtesy to other guests, please do not bring noisemakers to the commencement ceremony. For more information including parking instructions, please visit the website at www.westfield.ma.edu/commencement.

Desrosiers’s poem is titled, “I Wanted to be Wonder Woman” and explores the concept of the world of fantasy saving readers from reality.  Desrosiers said that she turned to the world of fiction to escape the pain of being bullied as a child.

“I lived very much in my books. They helped me deal with others whose motives I didn’t understand. I depended on my literature and fantasies to keep me sane.”

While bullying is not a topic Desrosiers had written on before this anthology, “I wanted to be Wonder Woman” spawned several other poems about that period in her life.  

Desrosiers believes the focus on bullying is long overdue and hopes that the anthology strengthens that focus.

This is Desrosiers’ sixth year working at Westfield State. Her poems have appeared in numerous publications including Pirene’s Fountain, BigCityLit, and the New Millenium Anthology. Her book of poetry “The Philosopher’s Daughter” will be released next year. For more information on her creative work, visit www.loridesrosiers.com .

 The anthology is printed by Skyhorse Publishing is distributed by W.W. Norton to major bookstores across the country.  It is also available on amazon.com.

Desrosiers’ poem is just one component  in Westfield State’s commitment to bullying prevention. Westfield State will continue to provide programming  and awareness activities throughout the year.

Published: Saturday, April 28, 2012, 2:33 PM
By Jennifer DiRosario, The Republican Intern

For him, it began as a teenager when he spent some of his youth growing up in the segregated south.

For her, it began when she worked in the office of former Gov. John A. Volpe in Boston in the 1960s.

Together, Evan and Kit Dobelle have followed paths in life dedicated to equality, politics and the advancement of education for every person they meet.

Public service has been a hallmark in each of their lives; Evan Dobelle is president of Westfield State University, while Kit Dobelle most recently served as co-chair for Pittsfield’s celebration of its 250th anniversary as a city.

The paths they took as individuals and a couple provided them “(an) incredible front-row seat on history,” as Kit Dobelle says. Each played key roles in the White House administration of former President Jimmy Carter; for her, that included watching first-hand as the famed Camp David peace accord for the Middle East was signed in 1978.

These days, they are less in the limelight, but still concerned about the need for people of all ages to pursue their education and to consider being active in public service.

“I determined the best way I could contribute to make a difference (in people’s lives) was as a college president,” said Evan Dobelle during a recent interview together with his wife in his office at Westfield State.He said he was “called to political action” in the late 1950s and ‘60s when his family lived in Florida and he spent his high school years seeing first-hand the day-to-day realities of the segregated south.

“The best way for me to promote civil rights was through being involved in political campaigns and with candidates who I thought were speaking out on the issues throughout the country in those years in the late 1950s early ‘60s,” Evan Dobelle said.

The couple met in Boston when Kit Dobelle was working for Volpe’s office. “Working in political things led to my going back to school and getting involved in studying education,” Kit Dobelle recalled. She became a “non-traditional student” at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where she earned her bachelor’s degree in education.

Their shared interest in education and in politics (Evan Dobelle was working for former U.S. Sen. Edward M. Brooke, the nation’s first black senator and, ironically perhaps, a Republican) would eventually lead them to their time spent where each did a stint as Carter’s chief of protocol. Kit Dobelle also later served as chief of staff to First Lady Rosalynn Carter, while Evan Dobelle worked for the Democratic National Committee, serving as its treasurer and deputy director. He also helped lead the presidential nomination exploratory committee for Carter’s vice president, Walter F. Mondale.

Don Treeger
This is a portrait of President Jimmy Carter,
inscribed to Evan Dobelle, who served as
chief of protocol to the former president

Then came the inauguration, and then came the invitation for Evan Dobelle to serve in D.C.

“The chief of protocol is a position where the president wants someone who’s going to be with them a lot, particularly to travel the world, and also represent them directly to heads of state and heads of government,” Evan Dobelle said. “Someone they trust implicitly, and it was a unique opportunity.”

He served as protocol chief in 1977 and 1978, and Kit Dobelle succeeded him from 1978 to 1979. During that time they traveled to 30 different countries and represented the United States in several historical events. She oversaw the ceremonies during the 14 days of the Camp David peace talks in which Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin met to negotiate a peace treaty between their nations.

Evan Dobelle has more light-hearted memories of attending the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 1977, marking her 25th year on the throne; this year, she’s marking her 60th anniversary. He can recall lunching with a then unmarried Prince Charles and lighting a cigarette for the late Princess Margaret, the queen’s sister, when smoking was not yet verboten.

Don Treeger, The Republican
Westfield State University president Evan S. Dobelle shares a lighter
moment with his wife, KIt Dobelle, during an interview about their lives in public service.

Evan and Kit Dobelle talk about their time at the White House
After serving at high level posts in the Carter Administration,
Evan and Kit Dobelle have a million stories to share. 
Watch Video

Though their paths in life have intertwined at times, the Dobelles have not yet formally worked on a project together; they do support each other’s work by attending events together and share the common bond of public service.

“We need to live by Horace Mann’s quote ‘Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity,’ “Evan Dobelle said.

Jennifer DiRosario is a senior at Westfield State University and past intern at The Republican; she will graduate with a degree in communications on May 19.

The EKG course will be held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:30-9:30 starting May 29^th and running through July 3^rd. The total cost of the course is $700 which includes the certification examination fee and textbook.

Other Allied Health courses that Westfield will be offering this summer include Introduction to Patient Care, Medical Assisting Exam Preparation, CPR, and First Aid. Intro to Patient care will be offered in a Brick and Click format and will run from May 25^th-June 29^th; the cost will be $400. Medical Assisting Exam Prep will be offered every other Saturday from May 26^th-August 4^th and will cost $600. CPR and First Aid classes will be every other Thursday in May.

To register for the CPR and First Aid classes, please contact Joel Perkins at jperkins@westfield.ma.edu.  For all other classes, please contact Jessica Tansey at (413) 572-8319 or jtansey@westfield.ma.edu.

College for Kids runs from to July 9^th to August 3^rd and includes a variety of activities for children ages 5-16. Classes are offered in the morning and afternoon and run for one week. Some of the classes that College for Kids will be offering this summer include Amazing Animals Play-Doh, Lego Robotics, Coolest Cake Boss, and Junior Police Academy. Instructors for each class have a unique expertise in the course subject matter. Prices range from $120-$200. Parents can also opt for early drop-off or late pick-up for an additional $10.

Teen U offers a residential college experience to teens ages 14-17. Opening up the dormitories, dining commons, and academic buildings, Teen U will give teens the opportunity to explore college life while also engaging in fun and educational activities. Teens participating in Westfield CSI will spend two weeks working as a team with other students to solve a murder using forensic science, criminal justice, and the latest in crime scene investigation technology. This program also includes college prep workshops.

Students participating in Teen U’s Flight Academy, offered in partnership with Westfield Flight Academy, will spend one week receiving practical hands-on flight instruction both on the ground and in the air.  Topics covered in this program include rocket science, robotics, weather, math, astronomy and aviation law. Westfield CSI runs July 8-July 20 and Flight Academy runs July 22-July 28. Each program costs $1500.

Please visit www.westfield.ma.edu/cfk for more information about College for Kids or www.westfield.ma.edu/TeenU for more information about Teen U. For additional questions or to register, please contact Meaghan Arena at (413) 572-8355 or marena@westfield.ma.edu.

Classes will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays from May 29-August 2. Students can opt to attend during the morning session or the afternoon session. The cost for the class is $1200.

The Division of Graduate and Continuing Education will also be offering other non-credit allied health courses including EMT, First Responder, Medical Assisting Exam Preparation, Medical Terminology, EKG training, and more.

For more information or to register, please contact Jessica Tansey at (413) 572-8319 or jtansey@westfield.ma.edu.

We have a very exciting Orientation program planned for you and the staff is busy planning your arrival!

• New Student Orientation Information

Please note that registration opens May 1st! Please check back then for the registration forms and other important Information in regards to registration!

If you have questions please do not hesitate to contact the New Student and Parent Orientation program at nso@westfield.ma.edu or call us at 413-572-5619.  Our staff will be available to answer your questions, calm your fears, and assist you with your needs.

Concerning the significance of his book, Dr. Imeh explains: “This project transcends typical anthropological studies of African art and culture; this is extremely personal. My grandmother, who I hardly knew, went through this ritual prior to her marriage to Grandpa. Now having written this book, I have come to imagine my grandmother in a totally new way. Daughters of Seclusion started quite unexpectedly during my doctoral studies at Yale University, when I discovered an Ibibio cultural object in their Art Gallery; it was a sculpture of a fattened bride. The project rapidly progressed after I took a few curious steps of faith that involved travel to Nigeria, where fortune befell me, and I was witness to a rare sighting of a secluded fattened bride. In many ways, my study has involved my family, here in the USA and in Nigeria. I have had the unique opportunity to engage remarkable bodies of knowledge, contribute to my field, and reconnect with my family in ways that I could never have imagined.”

Dr. Imeh’s book discusses the connections between "fat and beautiful" women and regional conceptions of power, gender construction, social critique, visual art, music, and the aesthetics of seclusion in Ibibioland and throughout the Cross River area. The book also addresses contemporary Ibibio Diaspora artists such as Victor Ekpuk, Otobong Nkanga, and Tony Okonofua, who use their works to discuss many philosophical layers that comprise the identity of the ancient "fattened bride."

Dr. Imeh, the son of Nigerian immigrants and a scholar of African Diaspora aesthetics, researched the project during his time at Yale University, and was invited to present portions from his project at the prestigious 98th Annual College Arts Association Conference (2010) as a panelist in the "Arts of Africa: Recent Issues and Trends" forum.  He will be signing copies of his book on Saturday, May 5^th at the Rush Arts Gallery at 526 W 26th St # 311 New York, NY (website: www.rushartsgallery.org) , from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. His book is available on both Amazon.com (link: Daughters of Seclusion) and Peterlang.com (link: Daughters of Seclusion.)