Campaign Bulletin - December 2008

Wasylean Continues Commitment with Campaign Pledge

Phillip M. Wasylean’s $25,000 pledge to establish an endowed scholarship for secondary education students is the latest example of his deep, longstanding commitment to his alma mater. He has established a $50,000 challenge grant to encourage donor support, matched gifts of $100 or higher to the Class of 1963’s 45th reunion gift appeal, given to the 2009 Annual Fund, supported fund drives, and led alumni events. In recognition of his leadership $1 million gift, the second-largest in the College’s history, the state-of-the-art Wasylean Hall was named in his honor in November 2004. Phil is motivated by his belief that alumni are living proof that the College has provided opportunities to students for over 130 years. “I want to encourage more of my fellow alumni to give back. Our philanthropy is having a positive effect on the College,” he says. He is interested in “ensuring that future students benefit from the personal touch” fostered by the College’s low faculty-to-student ratio, which is essential to maintaining WSC’s high quality, and keeping it affordable.

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Campaign Surges toward Goal with Recent Gifts

In addition to the scholarships profiled in this newsletter, new gifts from generous donors have brought the Opportunity for a Lifetime campaign 80 percent toward the $10 million goal. Recent gifts and pledges of note include:

• A pledge of $11,000, in addition to previous gifts of $13,000, by WSC President Janelle Ashley, Ph.D., and Ray Ashley to establish The Janelle and Ray Ashley Scholarship;
• A pledge of $12,500, in addition to previous gifts of $10,400, by Richard ’54, M.Ed. ’58, Ed.D., and Dolores (Manning) Greene ’55 to create The Richard and Dolores Greene International Student Human Rights Scholarship;
• A gift of $11,000 by Charlotte Spector towards The Dr. Robert M. Spector Scholarship Fund, which she established in memory of her late husband and WSC professor emeritus of history;
• A $25,000 pledge by Alexandria Singh ’85 to establish The Dr. G.B. & Lexi Singh Faculty Fellowship;
• A $30,000 bequest by Robert Mullin ’53, M.Ed. ’56, Ph.D., to establish an endowed scholarship;
• A $10,000 pledge by Foundation Board member Andrew Davis to The Davis Advertising Scholarship in Honor of Marion and Leonard Davis; and
• Over $32,000 in gifts and pledges made so far for the faculty/staff campaign.

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Alumnus Memorializes Wife with Nursing Scholarship

With a gift of $30,000, Retired Col. Joseph Deely ’56, M.Ed. ’58, has established an endowed scholarship in memory of his late wife, Elizabeth, for students who need financial assistance to attain a degree in nursing. “Betty would have been unable to go to nursing school were it not for the Cadet Nurse Corps program,” Joe says. Through this program, Betty attended the Saint Vincent Hospital School of Nursing at no charge. World War II was over when she graduated in 1948, so Betty worked in the private sector. Over the years, she worked with Worcester District Nurses, Saint Vincent Hospital, and as a private duty nurse. Early in their marriage, Betty’s income allowed Joe to pursue a baccalaureate degree in elementary education at Worcester State Teachers College. “I would never have been able to get through Worcester State without her,” he says.

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Donor Recognition and Alumni Events Pique Enthusiasm in Campaign

President Ashley thanked the over 300 gracious guests gathered in Mechanics Hall’s opulent Great Hall for the Distinguished Donors Reception and public unveiling of the Opportunity for a Lifetime campaign on October 16 by saying, “I appreciate all that you have done and continue to do for Worcester State. With your support, we will, through our collective efforts, once again make history when we realize our goal to raise ten million dollars.” A few weeks later, the College welcomed more than 250 people to the annual Scholarship Donor & Recipient Brunch. This event celebrates the generosity and gratitude fostered by the Worcester State Foundation’s scholarship program. The Alumni Tiffany Gates Society dinner was held for the first time at the Foundation’s new property adjacent from the campus on November 18. A record number of members attended. This society for annual donors of $500-$999 is named after the campus’ signature Tiffany gates, which were a gift from the Class of 1915. President’s Circle members, those who give $1,000-$24,999, were the honored guests of President Ashley at a reception and Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra Holiday Concert on December 13. In 2009, many traditional alumni events will take place—alumni chapter gatherings in Florida and New York and the 2009 Reunion Weekend festivities.

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Exploring Cultural Influences in Early Childhood Emotional Development

Assistant Professor of Psychology Beth Russell, Ph.D., has been studying parental behavior for years, most recently for her doctoral work in Human Development and Family Studies. She studied shaken baby syndrome, and this work led to her current research question: How do parents think about their babies’ emotional lives? To answer this question, she is using 90-minute interviews with parents of children under 3 years old. During these semi-structured interviews, Russell asks open-ended questions about such practices as sleep, eating, early education, and soothing. Her research is being funded with a Faculty Mini-Grant, a collaborative effort of the Worcester State Foundation and Office of Academic Affairs. Our faculty are more effective teachers when they pursue scholarly and applied research. They buoy WSC’s prestige when they share their research at conferences and symposia. Mini-grants enable this research on an ongoing basis. Gifts to the Opportunity for a Lifetime campaign can support the mini-grant program. Read more…

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Profile in Achievement

Denise DeMello, a senior from Dighton, Mass., earned her third consecutive Lt. Col. James F. Sheehan ’55, USMC Ret. Academic Excellence Award last spring. The occupational therapy major is also a part-time relief worker at the Wetzel Center, a Y.O.U. Inc. short-term home for children with mental health issues, and cares for children of local families. Denise’s occupational therapy fieldwork has included working at a skilled nursing facility in Somerset, Mass., a day program for individuals with mental illness, and a rehab setting with individuals recovering from things such as stroke and orthopedic injuries. She served as a class officer for the Student Occupational Therapy Association and a freshman mentor. Formerly listed as Presidential Awards, these academic awards were re-named in honor of Lt. Col. James F. Sheehan ’55, USMC Ret. following his gift of $500,000 to his alma mater. Students who receive these awards have the highest GPA in their respective class ranking and have taken all of their courses at WSC. Gifts to the Opportunity for a Lifetime campaign can support similar academic awards.

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