New! Read about Trustee Chairman John M. O'Brien III '74, the 2008 Alumnus of the Year.
To read about David P. Kruger '68/G'72, 2007 Alumnus of the Year, click here.
To read about Donald G. Campbell '73/G'79, 2006 Alumnus of the Year, click here.
Alumnus of the Year Award Recipients
|
1970 |
Stanley O. Smith '22/H’54 |
Alumnus of the Year News
April 2009
Annual Alumni Appreciation Dinner Honors
Those Who Go the Extra Mile for their Alma Mater
Alumni leaders honored at the Alumni Appreciation dinner on April 28 “are true role models to their peers and are exemplary in transforming the College,” said Alumni Association President Mat Nelson ’93. “These individuals participate on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, the Alumni-in-Admissions program, with our athletic teams, and work to increase the presence of the College in the community. They are the pride of Western New England College, always making an impact that is felt on campus and beyond.”
Pictured at the event at Rivers Memorial Hall is Trustee Amy B. Lewis ’88/G’00 presenting the Raymond Meyers Award to Neville S. Bogle ’75/G’81. The award is for outstanding service to the volunteer management committee. View photo album/slide show.
Bogle worked with the late Raymond Meyers ’51/G’64/G’01 in shaping the Alumni Association and has devoted his time, talent, and treasure to the College for more than 30 years. Bogle said Meyers was “a man of integrity. Over the years he contributed significantly to the College in his volunteering activities. It was fitting that an award was named in his honor.” Meyers was “a gentleman of great distinction,” he added. I tried my best to emulate some of his style and approach to addressing and resolving issues as we pursued the goals of the Alumni Association.”
Trustee Chairman John M. O’Brien III ’74, who was named Alumnus of the Year, “has seen the College through a myriad of changes, helping it grow into the fine institution we know today,” said David Kruger ’68/G’72, last year’s Alumnus of the Year. “We are thankful for his help in building the College’s momentum during one of the most exciting eras in its history.”
O’Brien and his family were unable to attend the event. Accepting the award on his behalf was Trustee Alfred A. LaRiviere ’51/H’95/H’01.
Also presented with alumni awards were Scott F. Davis ’76 (Alfred A. LaRiviere Award for Outstanding Service to the Alumni Association Board of Directors), Deirdre C. Merlino ’01 (special projects award), Randy J. Milou Jr. ’03/L’06 (Young Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award), and Engineering Professor Eric W. Haffner (Faculty/Staff Service Award). “This event provides yet another opportunity to thank alumni for their overwhelming support,” said President Anthony S. Caprio. “The College’s success depends on a whole host of players, especially the champions of our alumni family.”
Nelson, the emcee for the evening, also acknowledged Skookum Award of Excellence winners in attendance, as well as members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, and faculty and staff present at the festivities. Special thanks were also given to sophomore finance major Samantha Vigliotti, who presented a musical slide show of alumni events over the past year.
April 2008
Alumni Appreciation Dinner Honors Individuals
Who Provide Significant Service to the College
“It is the dedication of people like David Kruger that make an institution great,” said Alumni Association President Mat Nelson ’93 in presenting the College’s vice president for finance and administration with the Alumnus of the Year Award at the annual Alumni Appreciation Dinner. The event took place on April 17 at the Elmcrest Country Club in East Longmeadow, MA. To see a photo album/slide show of the festivities, click here.
Kruger ’68/G’72, who will retire from his current position after serving as an Western New England College administrator for 35 years, has overseen balanced budgets and important building projects during his vice presidency, including the addition to the D’Amour Library with its TV studio and digital learning center, the renovation of the St. Germain Campus Center, and the Blake Law Center addition and renovation project.
“Aside from all the wonderful people he had been has been associated with during his 42 years at the College,” said Nelson, “the highlight of his career has to be the approval by the Board of Trustees to start a School of Pharmacy, along with his involvement in seeing a plan created that adds the first new school on campus in over 40 years.”
Kruger remarked how rewarding it is to look around campus and see the buildings he helped create. “Any time I’ve taken on a project, I’ve focused on not just getting it done, but how to notch it up, how to make it better,” he said. “When we renovated the Campus Center, the question was, ‘How can we turn the lower level into the living room of the campus?’” Indeed, the project met with rave results when it was unveiled in 2004 and continues to be a ‘wow’ factor during campus tours.
According to President Anthony S. Caprio, Kruger has “never held back” in his service to the College. “Everyone is aware of your unique role. We cannot come up with ways wonderful enough to thank and to praise you.”
Kruger, who also established the David P. Kruger Endowed Scholarship, is pictured receiving the award from Alumni Association President Mat Nelson ’93. Other Alumni Award winners were: William E. Dupuis ’79, a two-year Alumni Trustee (Alfred A. LaRiviere Award for Outstanding Service to the Alumni Association Board of Directors); Trustee and former Alumni Association President Amy B. Lewis ’88/G’00 (Raymond Meyers Award for Outstanding Service to the Alumni Association’s Volunteer Management Committee); Sonia Maldonado ’04 (Alumni Association Special Projects Award), and Thomas P. Florence ’82/G’87 (Award for Outstanding Service to the Alumni Association’s Alumni Outreach Committee). The Alumni Association Award for Faculty/Staff went to Assistant Director of Admissions Christopher A. Wystepek ’02, who couldn’t attend the dinner because he was on a student-recruiting trip in California.
The event, emceed by James Tierney, a dual major in economics and mathematics, and a 2007 Skookum Award recipient, also acknowledged some of his fellow Skookum Award winners in attendance, members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, faculty and staff present at the festivities, along with Trustee Alfred A. LaRiviere ’51/H’95/H’01. Special thanks were also given to freshman business major Samantha Vigliotti, who presented a musical slide show of alumni events over the past year.
April 2007
College Recognizes Alumni at Annual Appreciation Dinner
Give back in proportion to the benefits you receive—from your family, employer, co-workers, and alma mater. That was the message from Trustee Donald G. Campbell ’73/G’79 after being presented with the Alumnus of the Year Award at the annual Alumni Appreciation Dinner April 19.
Campbell, the vice chairman of TJX Companies in Framingham, MA and co-chair of Transformations: The Campaign for Western New England College, advised those gathered at Rivers Memorial Hall to help the College by donating their time, energy, and resources. “I am sure that all alumni present tonight are here because you value your education,” he said. “So I encourage you to give back. Seek to provide our College with the benefits of your experience, and, to the extent you are able, provide financial support to Western New England College’s Comprehensive Campaign.”
Campbell is pictured at the center with Trustee Kim Mac Leod ’73, 2005 Alumna of the Year, and Daniel McLaughlin ’96, immediate past president of the Alumni Association.
The event, emceed by senior communications major Lacey Girard, honored alumni leaders, student leaders, volunteers, staff members, and donors. Among those feted were Alumni Association President Daniel McLaughlin ’96; who received the 2006 Alfred A. LaRiviere Award for Outstanding Service to the Alumni Association Board of Directors; and Mike Coffey G’79, who was presented with the Award for Outstanding Service to the Alumni Association. McLaughlin’s award was presented by Lynelle Weaver ’97, former assistant director of alumni programs at the College. Brian Toohey, assistant coordinator of campus events, and catering manager Ann Ruete both received the Alumni Association’s Award for Faculty and Staff.
Also acknowledged some of the 2006 Skookum Award winners in attendance, several student leaders, staff members, and Trustees present at the event: C. David Trader, and Alfred A. LaRiviere ’51/H’95/H’01 and his wife Marian.
Campbell’s award was presented by Trustee Kim Mac Leod ’73, last year’s Alumna of the Year. According to College President Anthony Caprio, Campbell embodies all that a college would hope to see in its alumni: “You personify the ideal Western New England College alumnus because you are humble and intelligent; you develop your expertise and knowledge, applying them to a focused goal; you have a strong work ethic; you wish to succeed and see your organization succeed; and you have a manner and way of managing that allows others to perform to their fullest.”