A Business Man, A Board Member, A Coach, A Role Model–A Saint Anselm Alumni

There are many programs, events, reunions, and even associations that keep St. Anselm graduates associated with the college. However, it is not often alumni such as Tom Bullock stay as involved as he has. Post-graduation Bullock pursued a career in sales through starting a business named Amoskeag Beverages—a successful alcoholic beverage distribution company about twenty-minutes north of Manchester, NH. Along with managing his company, Bullock is a highly regarded board member of the Hawk Hockey Association, and most recently took on the role as the sponsor/coach of the newly-founded boy’s club hockey team. His contribution is not only supplemental with the monetary support he provides but also with his dedication and loyalty to those who he interacts with and impacts on a daily basis.

Being in the midst of the hockey season, and with a record of 11-9, it is necessary to recognize the achievements of this club program that was initially expected to diminish within the first few months. Although the group of boys that comprise the club team are a talented bunch, when the club team was first established in 2010 by student Bryan McCormack, a sophomore at the time, the team was dependent on its members to donate their own money for food, transportation, and uniform. And due to the expense of ice-time and money for reffing, the team was unable to hold a home game. The school provided the club with the allotted amount of money but hockey is an expensive sport and therefore this money hardly covered the cost of ice time; the lack of funding really threatened the club and the possibility of its future existence. But with Bullock’s help, the club team has been able to hang up their old, hand-me-down, practice jerseys and instead sport an entirely new uniform. They are provided a bus for transportation to their distant away games as well as food before the game. According to Mike Maffeo, a senior criminal justice major and player on the club team, “Having Bullock really helped us have some structure that we didn’t have before without a coach and he even helped us establish some systems of play. You can tell that he really wants to help and that he really cares and that is probably what we needed most. I think his most valued contribution was the money that allowed us to host our opponents in St. Anselm’s own Sullivan Arena.” Bullock’s involvement with the varsity hockey programs and most recently, as aforementioned, the boy’s club hockey team has allowed for the teams to develop into some of the most successful and thus, reputable programs at the St. Anselm College. Bullock’s selflessness allows for both the varsity and club teams to have the means and support of an exemplary St. Anselm alumnus.

Easy Access

  Every year Saint Anselm graduates hundreds of students. Some of these students use their newly issued bachelor’s degrees to pursue careers, some choose to further their education at a graduate school, and some start having families of their own. As both Amy and I have mentioned in previous blog posts, the affiliation with these students and their alma mater does not culminate after the students shake hands with the president of the college, Father Johnathan, and receive their diploma. Many keep in close contact with several of their classmates and also faculty that they have grown close to over their time spent at the college. But what happens when it becomes time for the children of these alumni to choose a college? Do these prior relationships and attendance at the institution themselves affect the admission of their own child applying? 

     Legacy preferences or legacy admission is a type of preference given by educational institutions to certain applicants on the basis of their familial relationship to alumni of that institution. Should legacy applicants be considered comparable to an applicant with no prior family involvement? Those in favor of “keeping the legacy alive” assert that legacies should receive preferential admissions because they are generally a higher class of student and come from a family of high expectations; they enhance the student body and balance the affinity to admit students from poor backgrounds. The counter, those who do not support legacy preference, argue that legacy admissions are done for the sake of business, not enriching the academics of the school. It undercuts the whole idea that college admission is a meritocracy.

     There is no solution that can satisfy both parties without a compromise—colleges either scrap legacy preferences, or they don’t. So what is the appropriate resolution? I think it comes down to what is fair. Although many people argue that “life isn’t fair,” our institutions should be. Our society’s platform encourages emancipation and equality, yet there is nothing free or equal in legacy preference because it honors certain applicants over others based on qualifications other than meritocracy. If a student wishes to attend the same school as their parents, then they too should be required take the necessary steps to obtain that goal and not rely on what their family members have done for that college or university. If a student does not qualify to be admitted into the school on his or her own accord, then he or she does not belong at that school. 

     Jackie Bouchie, from the class of ’10, is a friend and fellow teammate of mine. Knowing that her father graduated from Saint Anselm years ago in the class of ‘78, I decided to ask her a few questions regarding her choice to come here and if her decision was influenced by her family or if it was her own objective. Jackie, like many, is a legacy but also had the G.P.A., test scores, and extra-curricular that warranted her fair admission. This is both acceptable and respectable. The school was not making a business decision or being laidback with Jackie because the college based their decision on her merit and not allegiance.

     America works to promote the idea of equal opportunity through campaigns such as Affirmative Action which seeks to encourage impartiality in universities and colleges throughout the nation. If equal opportunity is as important as we preach, then endorsing legacy admission is a direct contradiction and thus should not be merited.

Michelle LaCombe

Grade Inflation at Saint Anselm College

While Saint Anselm College might be well-known to those who are from New England, not many people know about it on the west coast, or many other areas for that matter.  Born and raised in California, I know for a fact few people know about Saint Anselm College.  As my graduation date grows closer and closer, finding a job is extremely vital.  There has been much controversy around campus about Saint Anselm’s grading policy; whether it is fair or not and how your GPA could greatly affect future job opportunities.

Saint Anselm College has received national attention for attempting to rid the trend of grade inflation seen on the campuses of many colleges and universities around the United States.  In fact, the grade point averages are much different and much lower than other colleges; “At Saint Anselm, the top 25% of the class has a 3.1 GPA; the median grade at the college is around a 2.50 GPA.”  Students at most colleges in the United States must earn a 3.5 GPA or greater to make Dean’s List, while students at Saint Anselm only have to earn a 3.0 GPA. Despite having lower grade point averages at St. A’s, grade inflation hardly exists making the offered classes seem that much harder.

In 2006, Fox News did an article on Saint Anselm College and their anti-grade inflation policy.  Former Dean of the College Father Peter Guerin said that today’s “parents may view universities as a consumer market in which they’re in a way paying for the diploma…Students who attend class regularly and are paying tuition feel that they should be receiving that A, even if they have not deserved it.”  Saint Anselm College really strives for students to do their very best and earn their grades honestly, not just giving students good grades.

So what is the problem with this you ask?  Well, it is great for students to earn their grades the hardworking and honest way, but doesn’t this make it harder for graduates to get jobs when employers look at their resumes?  To me, it would be hard to sit down and explain to your employer that you attended a very challenging school and that it was completely against grade inflation so you had to work that much harder for your grades.  Most would probably say “sure, sure. Everyone says that.”  Despite these aspects being hurdles to jump over, don’t worry, most Saint Anselm alumni fend for themselves very well when it comes to getting a job out of college.  Stated in earlier posts, alumni of Saint Anselm College are very successful, having such jobs as working for Disney, heading the secret service office of the United States, heading the Boston FBI, and being the head director at a well-known hospital, does not really prove that grade inflation is all that bad.  Clearly it does something for the students; it does not burden them, rather it helps them.

The current president of the college, Father Jonathan DeFelice, is quoted as saying, “I cannot speak for everyone, but if I’m headed for the operating room, I will take the surgeon who earned his or her “A” the honest way,” in support of Saint Anselm’s stringent grading system.

– AZ

Alumni Under the Spotlight: Which Path Will You Choose?

 Many students enter the college unsure of what they want to do, where they want to go, and what would make them happy. This is not unusual—how can one be expected to determine what they want to do for the rest of their life and the fledgling age of 18? Well, not many can and not many do.

There are various paths a student at Saint Anselm College can take. But how does one know what path will lead them in the right direction? This small college comprised of about 2,000 students offers various course majors and minors that cater to students and their interests. The majors vary from accounting to theology but the majority of students major in English, business, psychology, biology, and politics. But how do these majors pay-off after graduation? According to PayScale Corporation, the leading college major that results in the highest paycheck is engineering. Although Saint Anselm does not offer a major in engineering or other particular majors that lead the graduate into positions offering the highest wages (on average), it still offers a plethora of opportunities. Some of Saint Anselm’s most renown alumni in regard to their reputable positions demonstrates that the key to success is not choosing the major that leads to the highest salary, but rather doing what you want to do; doing what you love.

 

 

Michelle Parsons (class of ’97) is recognized as one of Saint Anselm’s “spotlight alumni.” She works as a research microbiologist at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Parsons advises federal agencies on when to recall produce and shut down domestic outbreaks in food-borne illnesses. Although these outbreaks have decreased over the past decade, Parsons is still faced with as many as 10 domestic outbreaks a year.  Another alumnus under the “spotlight”, Martha Henry graduated in the class of ’96 majoring in psychology. Henry uses her passion concerning adoption, the half-million-plus children in foster care, to work with the children and also spread consciousness in her job as the director of the Office of Foster Care and Adoption at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Henry expresses her outlook in her book, Adoption in the United States: A Reference Book for Families, Professionals, and Students, to demonstrate what a serious yet overlooked situation adoption within the United States really is. The release of this book gained her recognition and since has appeared on National Public Radio, Cosmopolitan Magazine, and the Today Show.

Every year another few hundred Saint Anselm students are expected to transition from the close-knit, family-like atmosphere of the college to the rigid, harsh realities and challenges found within the “real world.” These aforementioned Hawk graduates were and are successful because they pursued what they are passionate about and want to take part-in day in and day out. They wake up every morning motivated to work—and exemplify that the key to happiness and success is finding something you love to do, whether that is a high-paying engineering job or a low-wage kindergarten teacher.  

 

Michelle LaCombe

Top Five College Majors: Success without them!!

Graduating college is one of the biggest moments of a student’s life; where are you going to go next?  What will you pursue as a career?  Are you going to live at home before getting your own place?  All of these questions cannot be answered by everyone right away, but experts have found that specific college majors can be more beneficial for students than others.  As well-known and successful as Saint Anselm College is, they actually do not offer most of the top 5 listed majors that lead in salaries:

1. Aerospace Engineering – $115,000
2. Chemical Engineering – $110,000
3. Computer Engineering – $105,000
4. Electrical Engineering – $103,000
5. Economics – $100,000

The highest paying jobs out of college typically involve taking an engineering major, which would be a hard job to get if your college does not offer this specific field.  However, you can’t blame your school for not offering certain majors.  Since Saint Anselm is a liberal arts college, you will only find the basic fields, such majors as biology, Criminal Justice, English, and Psychology.  It is important to note however, that even if Saint Anselm did offer such majors as engineering, students wouldn’t be able to handle all the work requirements, considering humanities, language and theology classes are required.

Despite only offering basic majors on the campus of Saint Anselm, many alumni have been just as successful with jobs and finances once they graduated.  One alumnus, Dr. Michael Mascia ’68 is now a medical director of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Quality Improvement at the Tulane University Hospital in New Orléans, which was a refuge center during Hurricane Katrina.  In addition, another top alumnus, Warren Bamford ’80 has worked in the FBI for more than 21 years.  From 2007-2010, Warren served as the head of the FBI in Boston’s office, during which the FBI finally caught the infamous James “Whitey” Bluger: formerly the second most wanted criminal under Osama Bin Laden.

Bamford '80

Saint Anselm College does not offer the most popular majors for undergraduates, however Saint Anselm does offer majors that have been beneficial for graduates to successfully pursue a career in a field they enjoy. Judging by the success of the two Saint Anselm College alumni, Dr. Michael Mascia ’68 and Warren Bamford ’80, it is clear that graduates from Saint Anselm College are capable of running and operating large industries and corporations.

So far, despite not offering engineering majors at Saint Anselm, such majors as Criminal Justice and sciences (pre-med) can actually be just as rewarding as the top paying majors in college.  So don’t be alarmed St. A’s students when looking at statistics of top majors because most likely yours will not be listed, but with continual hard work and dedication to furthering your education and career, you can be just as successful within your major.  Criminal Justice and science majors are not the only successful majors at Saint Anselm, there are plenty more as well which will be examined later on!!

– Amy Z.

Filling the Shoes of a Historic Leader

With the exciting, yet scary sight of graduation now in the eyes of St. A’s senior class, Abbot Matthew Leavey has some “graduating” plans as well.  Abbot Matthew has led the abbey and college for a solid 27 years now, and will retire on June 5^th.  Historically, the election of a new abbot has only happened four times in the abbeys history.  His role on the hilltop has been a solidifying factor in the success of the college; he is the monastic community’s religious superior and spiritual leader, governed lay members who share responsibility for the college, and taught in the psychology department.  But, what will we do without him?

Despite his retirement, he will continue to serve on the Abbot President’s Council of the American-Cassinese Congregation of Benedictine Monasteries, and will also continue to serve the abbey and college in new ways that are yet to be determined.  Along with that, it is interesting to note that he is one of the longest-serving abbots in the Benedictine Order Worldwide, which makes him therefore entirely deserving of retirement.  The question is how will this affect Saint Anselm’s monastic community and the rest of the college’s services?

While I have never personally met Abbot Matthew Leavey, many students at Saint Anselm have; mostly through monastic aspects.  Being not very religious as I am, I have missed out on the support and connections that some of current and past students have shared with Abbot Matthew Leavey.  One alumnus, who graduated last year, Alexa Hingston, shared some wonderful experiences; “Abbot Matthew Leavey was one professor I could always count on; whether it was in the classroom, church, or outside the classroom, he has always been there to support Saint Anselm’s students with continuous, encouraging words.”  As it seems he has had such a large impact on the college as a whole and its students, a match-worthy candidate is vital to the continued success and future of Saint Anselm College.  Who will be next?

– A.Z.

Helping alumni while inspiring current students

Alumni do not just stand in the hall shadows of the school, or sit in empty seats in a classroom, they continue to inspire current students, help them when in need, and learn ways to contribute back to the college. While it may seem that a typical college alumni blog would only share tidbits of information on past individuals, some, such as the West Virginia University blog, shares with us more than just that.  Even though this blog incorporates few typical small paragraphs describing current jobs of alumni, family statuses, and accomplishments, they are still present because it is helpful and interesting to follow the success of past students.

Most importantly, two specific posts in the WVU Alumni Blog, Alumni are powerful sources in helping students achieve success, and Young alums vital to future of WVU, are much more useful than solely stating where their alumni are today.  The first post speaks specifically to alumni of WVU, in hopes of educating them on how they can be of help once current students graduate.  Most students who are months away from graduating face the horror of not finding a job right out of college.  This post presents several ideas for current employed alumni that will help graduates of WVU be integrated into the workforce by possibly becoming part of alumni’s companies.  The other post is also vital because it discusses how critical young college alumni are to the future of WVU.  Most college students actually graduate and feel lost and no longer connected to the college, but staying in contact with older alumni will allow them to continually feel connected to the school.

West Virginia University does a great job incorporating their alumni into the continued success and future of the college.  Without this blog reaching out to alumni, some new and some old, most would actually just leave their four years behind them without staying connected.  The blog is effective, one, greatly because it presents ways for alumni to reach out and help current students, while two, displays posts to show current students where their alumni are today.

Amy Zappen

The ties in which keep us connected

On January 9, 2012 a blog was written by “Tara”, alumnus of the University of West Virginia. She, and about 120 other WVU alumni, boarded a plane on Wednesday January 4, 2012 to attend an event reminding them of their most spirited collegiate years. The alumni crowd journeyed south to Miami in anticipation of the Orange Bowl where the Mountaineers played Clemson, filling the Sun Life Stadium with a valiant gold and blue. While the fans duked it out in the stands, the teams competed belligerently out on the field—but the WVU Mountaineers came-out with the win.

The purpose of this blog was to demonstrate how the ties made in college do not untie once a diploma is received and a cap is thrown in the air. This blog seems to be commercially oriented but also a bit independent in that the University publishes the blog, yet the real bloggers are WVU alumnus. The uniqueness of this particular blog is its appeal and over-all usefulness. This blog is written by the alumni and is a way for current students and recent graduates to meet, network, learn, and communicate from earlier grads. The article I read, Orange You Glad We Won, provides the readers and intended audience—both current and graduated WVU students, faculty, and staff—with an update of a fun event that occurred, reinforces school spirit, and reassure current students that WVU life and activities do still exist after graduation in “the real world”.

Michelle LaCombe