Sign up for FREE daily enews

Class member Brian Lacey ’72 (photo above left) -- a highly successful entertainment executive and long a champion of the humanities and international scholarship at Saint Michael’s as a donor, trustee and volunteer -- led the push for his class to support the new Center for Global Engagement and efforts of its director, Jeffrey Ayres of the political science/international relations faculty (photo above right).“From the outset, a few of our classmates on the committee discussed ways our class could significantly raise the bar for both the level of class participation as well as the total financial commitment to the College for our 50th reunion,” Lacey said. “We felt it was important to accomplish these goals to demonstrate both the appreciation for our Saint Michael’s experience as well as establishing new benchmarks for future 50th reunion class gifts. Lacey believes a liberal arts education has a much longer trajectory than mere preparation for a career. “The class of 1972 gift underscores our collective faith and commitment that this special Saint Michael’s College experience is transformative and more importantly, will be available for worthy students for future generations,” he said.

Read full story on major Class Gift>>

Attentive listening is first job for College's new Dean of Faculty Gretchen Galbraith

The new Saint Michael’s College Dean of Faculty Gretchen Galbraith is an experienced college administrator and history scholar with deep Vermont roots. She keeps it simple describing her first order of business since starting work July 11: “I need to stop and listen and be attentive.” The new dean said her “listening” of recent weeks helps her identify priorities in light of well-publicized significant dips in the pool of college-aged applicants across higher education and particularly in New England. “Given the demographic slide we’re up against, we’re going to need to be creative in putting together new interdisciplinary offerings that speak to the needs of this generation of students who have already faced so much complexity in their young lives,” she said. Her history studies and later professional leadership of college programs during challenging periods of recalibration contribute to her direct appreciation for liberal arts education and preparedness to advance the distinguishing Saint Michael’s education model and mission through any necessary changes. Since her early youth in greater Burlington as the granddaughter of a social-justice minded Episcopal Bishop of Vermont, right through later years across several states when her dad worked as a high-ranking public health official, Galbraith has been attentive to matters relevant to a leader for a socially conscious and religiously rooted Vermont institution coming through pandemic times. “Part of what drew me to St. Mike’s was the knowledge that the College is poised to both tell its story and to enable students to discern their own stories,” she said.

Read full profile of Gretchen Galbraith>>

Princeton Review ranks Saint Michael’s among top colleges for community service

Saint Michael’s College is being recognized for its longtime mission of and passion for service to the community. The Princeton Review, which issues annual reviews of the best colleges in the country, recently ranked Saint Michael’s College #25 on its list of colleges most engaged in community service. Saint Michael’s College has long focused on how students, faculty, and staff can make an impact on the larger community. Our founders, the Society of Saint Edmund, have their roots in service, hospitality, education and social justice, which is embodied by the College both inside and outside the classroom. “We talk about the importance of purpose a lot at Saint Michael’s,” said Heidi St. Peter, Saint Michael’s Director of Purposeful Learning. “As students begin to discover who they are and how they want to be in the world, we help them find ways to put their passions and gifts into action to better the world around them. That’s how they build lifelong habits of giving back.” Some of the ways through which Saint Michael’s College serves the community include:

* The College’s organization MOVE (Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts), which engages almost 70 percent of the student population in a number of community service efforts locally and beyond. The photo top right shows Apple Picking, a favorite activity to introduce first-years to the rewards of service

* Saint Michael’s College Fire and Rescue, through which student volunteers respond to emergency calls throughout Chittenden County 24/7 (photo above right).

*The College’s Peace and Justice Center, student club, and offering of a Peace and Justice minor, which combines service and education.

“Service is at the core of Saint Michael’s mission,” said Lorraine Sterritt, President of Saint Michael’s College. “What’s exciting is to see our students living this piece of our heritage in action every day. From responding to fire and rescue calls in our community to volunteering in local nonprofits, our students are genuinely excited to do well and do good in the world.”

Read more about special recognition>>

‘These are our students’: Panel describes present era’s pressures for incoming class

Experts agree that students rising up through high school and into college might display increased levels of anxiety or need additional support in place through their institutions, panelists told Saint Michael’s College faculty and staff who gathered August 18 in the McCarthy Recital Hall to learn how they can best support the incoming class of first years. Moderators Tim Mackin and Heidi St. Peter of the Academic Affairs and Purposeful Learning offices respectively said Saint Michael’s College is working to be proactive in meeting students where they are, while preparing also for any additional trials that come with post-COVID-19 learning. Panelists joining the moderators in a nearly two-hour discussion and question session were: Erin Brady, social studies teacher at Colchester High School; Aanika Devries, science teacher at Union-32 High School; Michaela Fitzpatrick ‘91, director of counseling at Xaverian Brothers High School (Westwood, MA); Bob Hall, counselor at Colchester High School; and Becky Wigglesworth, professor in the Saint Michael’s Education Department.  (photo Kaylee Sayers ’23)

Read full story on Thursday panel discussion>>

Special seminars create space for exploration, conversation

The Junior and First-Year Seminars at Saint Michael’s College create a space for exploration, conversation, and renewed global and local perspectives, contributing a thought-provoking and essential part of a liberal arts education. That is the view of many College leaders, faculty and students who are the seminars’ chief constituents and enthusiasts. They see the seminars approach as more flexible and desirable than the alternative of more prescriptive and specific course requirements for different majors. Along with reading the Common Text, which for the 2022/23 school year is The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans, Saint Michael’s College first-year students can expect to take a First Year Seminar course. These courses are not only an introduction to fellow first-years but also an introduction to critical thinking, academic writing, and deep thought about the community and world. Professors across multiple departments craft and teach a writing-intensive course through which students can expect to learn and discuss a plethora of social, political, and philosophical issues. The topics of these seminars differ from other courses available throughout a student’s time at Saint Michael’s College. Kaylee Sayers, student author of this article, was in this Recital Hall audience (file photo above right) just pre-pandemic (2019) to hear a presentation on a First Year Seminar Common Text.

Read full story on seminars>>

Hannah Bishop '22 keeps a St. Mike's streak going, earning national business scholarship 

Congratulations to Hannah Bishop ‘22, the Saint Michael’s College Chapter’s latest recipient of a national Sigma Beta Delta Scholarship (formerly Fellowship Program) for 2022. Each Chapter may nominate one member annually to this competitive national Scholarship program. Hannah, a major in Business Administration and minor in Media Studies, Journalism, and Digital Arts, is from Queensbury, New York. Hannah is the first St. Mike’s awardee who will use her scholarship to support graduate study in 2022-2023 at Saint Michael’s as a candidate for Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT program) for Elementary Special Education. Hannah indicates she will also serve as a Graduate Assistant Coach for the Saint Michael’s varsity women’s lacrosse team this year. Hannah is the seventh consecutive Saint Michael’s College nominee to receive a Scholarship/Fellowship Award, and is the campus Chapter’s ninth awardee since 2009. Previous awardees: Jessica Waterbury ’09; Christopher Kopka ’10; Justin Colletti ’16; Connor Mitchell ’17; Ashley McGann ’18; Alana Parker ’19; Kara Gailiunas ’20; Nicole Anderson ’21. In her bio for the honor society’s April 8, 2022 induction, Hannah said: “The most meaningful aspects of my Saint Michael’s College experience are the people and opportunities to make a difference. Throughout my time at St. Mike’s I have volunteered with MOVE as a core team leader for Best Buddies, as a mentor with Little Brother Little Sister, as a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and The Red Cross Blood Drive, as well as attended a service trip to Baltimore, Maryland. I have also been an orientation leader, business society member, honors program mentor, and played on the women's lacrosse team.  St. Mike’s has so many options for getting involved, giving back to the community, as well as meeting and working with some amazing individuals along the way!” Special appreciation is due Professor Karen Popovich, as Hannah’s Faculty Recommendation writer.

Humble service marked early history for Founders Annex

The following interesting historical account about a Saint Michael’s College building (and photos) first appeared recently as a post on the Facebook page of the Winooski Historical Society that the author, Joseph Perron, administrates:  “While it has been a little over a year since Founders Hall at Saint Michael’s College was disassembled and demolished, one vestige of the original college edifice remains. To the west of where Founders Hall formerly stood on College Parkway/Route 15 is a wood frame structure once attached by a corridor to the main hall known as “Founders Annex.” This building was constructed around 1910, and originally contained the kitchens and housing above for college staff. In 1933 an order of consecrated religious women known as “Les Soeurs Ste-Marthe” arrived at Saint Michael’s College to provide domestic services such as the cooking and laundry duties for the Fathers and Brothers of St. Edmund who ran the college.” The lower photo at right shows the sisters. The top photos show Founders Annex today (left) and earlier in its history from an exterior view.

Read full story on Founders Annex history>>

Two from Institutional Advancement join other fundraisers for conference

Rachael Allen (bottom photo right, speaking and gesturing during a breakout session) and Shelby Priest from the College's Office of Institutional Advancement represented St. Mike’s at the GiveCampus Partner Success Day. The event took place on August 11 at the brand-new Joyce Cummings Center at Tuffs University in Medford, MA, and was a wonderful opportunity to learn from and network with other members of the fundraising community from throughout New England, Rachael and Shelby said. GiveCampus is an industry leader in fundraising and its platform is used by Saint Michael's to process online donations and power fundraising campaigns throughout the year. 

Dragonboat team has fun for a good cause, and even wins a race

Every year Dragonheart Vermont hosts the Lake Champlain Dragon Boat Festival to raise funds for cancer support and wellness programs in the area. Hundreds of community members -- and typically including a team from Saint Michael’s for many years -- paddle for a cause. The Dragon Slayers crew, shown in these photos, at top during a race and at right in an informal team photo, are made up of faculty, staff, alumni, friends and family of the Saint Michael’s community. Reports team captain Allison Close from the College Mailroom: “In our first race we were against UVM (Groovy UV) and Champlain College ( Making Waves), and we came in second beating UVM. We unfortunately lost our second race to Union Bank.  We paddled hard and had a lot of fun on the hottest day of the summer! I believe this is our 14th year at the Festival. The teams this year consisted of 17 people: 16 paddlers and one drummer (Kendra Smith of Human Resources). We had eight alumni, most of whom are also faculty and staff. We also had 12 returning paddlers. Participants this year along with Close and Smith:  Karen Close (Allison’s Mom); April Yablonsky ’01; Robin Patti (April’s sister); Clayton Grant (Robin’s Fiancé … getting married 10 days after the festival); Janel Roberge ’12 (currently the Coordinator of Online and Nontraditional Programs); Matt Schulz (Janel’s significant other); Annika Coloney ’21 (former Mailroom student worker); Sarah Coloney ’26 (Annika’s sister and hopefully future Mailroom student worker); Roark Thomas ‘22 (currently works in the Mailroom soon to be teaching in Essex); Gary Baker (Facilities); Lauren Read (Web Content Strategist); Shelby Priest (Development); Sydney Rybicki ’18 (Alumni Office); Delaney Goodman ’20 (Finance); and Cameron Farnsworth (HR).

Penny Federici joins admission team 

Penny Federici started work on August 1 as the College’s new associate director of admission marketing & communications. Previously Penny worked from 2018 to 2022 at Assumption University in Massachuetts as the assistant director of marketing for enrollment management, and prior to that from 2012 to 2017 at Mount Saint Charles Academy in Woonsocket, RI, as the marketing & communications director. She lives in Providence, RI, and has been working remotely from her current home in Providence, RI. Penny shares that she is engaged to John Humes who is also from Rhode Island. “We will be getting married on March 25, 2023. The ceremony will be at Saint Augustine Church in Providence and the reception will be at OceanCliff in Newport, RI. My favorite hobby is traveling and I love spending time with my family, friends, kitty (Cookie), and puppy (Vito). John and I are also HUGE Disney folks!” Of her interest in working for Saint Michael’s, she said, “I was ready to advance in my career. As an assistant director at Assumption - a small, liberal arts, Catholic college in New England - when I saw the Saint Michael’s associate director position, I knew it would be a perfect fit and the exciting new opportunity I was looking for. My thoughts were further solidified when I met members of the Saint Michael’s community and experienced how kind and welcoming everyone was (and continues to be!)." She said her favorite part of working in higher education “is being part of one of the most important decisions in a student's life. Every prospective student is discovering the mark they want to make on this world. My involvement in that is a responsibility I don't take lightly which is why the work I do is so important to me. I love being part of a student's development and, as the mission statement says, '...the enhancement of the human person.' However, enhancement of the human person is something we should always be striving for, even throughout our adult lives. I believe that all people, regardless of race, job title, financial status, religious or political views - all the topics that challenge us these days - should be celebrated and valued for what makes each of us different.”

“I understand that there is a thoughtful way to communicate with people so I approach all of my interactions with kindness and strength while being empathetic and fair,” she said. “I’m a passionate and dedicated lifelong learner who asks thoughtful questions. I approach tasks proactively, but I’m also flexible, resourceful, and responsive. I’m effective in communicating with others – from personal interactions to formal presentations. I embrace opportunity and truly put my heart into all that I do because I want to make a difference. This is my promise in how I will support the mission of the College and the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on campus.”

Returned ID story attracts TV news attention

Burlington-area media seemed charmed to learn of a story featured in this newsletter previously about a 1980 graduate, Winnie McCormick, who found her old College ID in a box during a move and followed her conscience to return it to Saint Michael's after all these years. It inspired reporters from two local TV news stations to interview Winnie along with Dawn Ellinwood, the College's vice president for student affairs/dean of students, since Dawn is the person who gratefully received Winnie's returned ID and spread the word.

Watch WCAX report by Katharine Huntley>> See Channel 22 and 44 report by Isabel Schonemann>> 

John Boutin '79 marks milestone with VermontBiz at lakeside event

VermontBiz celebrated its 50th Anniversary on August 17 at the Lake Champlain Sailing Center. The company -- a print magazine and business news website that produces daily reports sent statewide -- also marked the 30th anniversary of the magazine that began as Vermont Business Magazine under the ownership of John Boutin '79 (right) and Timothy McQuiston. Business leaders from throughout the state joined in the celebration. Vermont Governor Phil Scott presented the 2021 Deane C Dave Outstanding Business of The Year Award to Healthy Living Market (photo below left, showing Scott in the background and the winning business owners at the podium). The event drew many current or former employees of VermontBiz, one of whom was John’s fellow Saint Michael’s graduate, Betsy Walters Drury ’92, seen with John in this photo below right. John is the son of the late Bernard Boutin '45, the first lay president of Saint Michael's College. The Boutin Commons townhouses on campus honor the family's enduring association with and support for Saint Michael's.

Read full report from VermontBiz about the event>>

Edmundite Missions President McEachern '91 named to the Saint Michael's Board of Trustees

Edmundite Missions CEO and President Chad McEachern '91 was named to the Board of Trustees of Saint Michael’s College.“Saint Michael’s College played a key role in my life,” said McEachern in a report appearing in the Selma Sun newspaper in the Alabama city where the Missions has its headquarters. “The education, the mentorship, and the spiritual guidance I received there have helped shape my life and career. I feel honored to have a chance now to give something back to this extraordinary institution.” Said Saint Michael's President Lorraine Sterritt in the same report: "I am absolutely delighted that Chad McEachern ’91 has been appointed to the Saint Michael's College Board of Trustees. Mr. McEachern's energy, deep fundraising experience, and clear commitment to the College's mission to Do Well and Do Good will be a great benefit to Saint Michael's."

Read story in the Selma Sun>>

Ryan Hay '19 takes reins of community service through Edmundite Campus Ministry's MOVE

Ryan Hay '19 started work at Saint Michel’s on August 15 as assistant director of Edmundite Campus Ministry community service. Directly following his 2019 Saint Michael’s graduation, Ryan moved just outside of Barcelona, Spain, to teach English in a Catholic Elementary School. After his year there, he was a Team Lead for Target in his hometown area near Glens Falls, NY. He is relocating to the Burlington/Essex area. “I have a strong interest in language learning, traveling and teaching myself new instruments,” says Ryan. “I am a trained violinist and at the moment, I am teaching myself how to play the cello.” Ryan was heavily involved in co-curricular activities during his time as an undergraduate, including work in the MOVE office, Campus Ministry retreats and the orchestra on campus. “After being away from the college for a few years, it felt right to move back to this community and continue to grow,” he says. “I hope to bring a positive energy and to engage with students every day. The MOVE office has always had an open-door policy and I look forward to leaving my door open to engage with the community and to welcome students.” 

Marc Archambault '84 recruited to serve as advancement VP at Missouri Western State 

Marc Archambault '84 was recruited by Missouri Western State University to serve as its as vice president for university advancement and executive director of the Missouri Western State University Foundation earlier this year. He and his wife, Amy McGough '84, recently celebrated their 38th wedding anniversary in their new hometown of St Joseph, Missouri just north of Kansas City. Marc will oversee advancement activities of Missouri Western, including development and alumni relations. He will serve as a member of the president's cabinet and as executive director of the MWSU Foundation, the not-for-profit charitable organization that raises private support for Missouri Western’s mission. From a MWSU press release: "Archambault most recently served as senior vice president for philanthropy and alumni engagement at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where his ... team attracted a university-record number of donors in 2020-21. Archambault began his 22-year philanthropy career at Purdue University where he oversaw the university’s statewide foundation relations program and advancement for Discovery Park, a cluster of applied research centers focused on innovation and economic development. He subsequently served as vice president of college advancement at Harvey Mudd College, before going on to lead both the advancement programs and university foundations at Utah Valley University and Western Kentucky University. Archambault is a graduate of Saint Michael’s College in Vermont, where he earned baccalaureate degrees in both English and Physics. He also holds a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy in Indianapolis."

Read full item about Marc Archambault>>

Fr. Michael Carter '12 has published article in UVM History Review

Fr. Michael Carter, S.S.E. ’12 had an article published recently in the University of Vermont History Review. His article had the title “The New Dividing Line: The School Question Viewed Through the Lens of Political Cartoons in the Election of 1876.” An author biography from the Review notes that Michael, a Burlington native, presently is a graduate student in history at UVM with special interests in the First World War and its impact in Vermont. Also from that author bio: “A Catholic priest, Michael has worked with communities from Salem, Alabama to Salem, Massachusetts. Currently teaching as an adjunct at St. Michael’s College, Michael is known to enjoy strange movies and loud music.”

Joy-Michele Johnson '99 leads ethics commission

Joy-Michele Johnson '99, Woodland Park, NJ, was appointed as the Executive Director of the New Jersey State Ethics Commission, Trenton, NJ, in June 2022. The Commission has jurisdiction over 100,000 New Jersey Executive Branch employees and Special State Officers with regard to enforcement and compliance with the State Conflicts of Interest Law and Uniform Ethics Code, Commission Rules, and Executive Orders. She oversees a staff of attorneys who are responsible for training, compliance and confidential investigations. For three years prior to her appointment to the Commission, Joy-Michele served in New Jersey Governor Philip D. Murphy's administration as Senior Counsel in the Governor's Authorities Unit. 

Enduring student-faculty bonds lead to new heights

Sullivan Miele ’20, now assistant director of admission for the College, is a former student of Sherry Pachman, a lecturer in classical and modern languages/Spanish, from his first year at St. Mike’s. Recently, Sully shared this photo of himself with Sherry on a hike up Camel’s Hump last week -- “ almost six years after having her class! I thought it provided a good example of the personal relationships that our students create with their professors even after they’ve graduated," Sully says.

Colby '02 now instructional coach for teachers

Career news for an 2002 alumna recently from the Conord Monitor daily newspaper/website in New Hampshire: “Superintendent of SAU 24 Schools Jacqueline Coe, Ed.D, announced the appointment of Maureen Colby as an instructional coach working with teachers to enhance the quality of their lessons and improve student outcomes. Coaches also serve as partners, walking alongside teachers as they enhance their professional practice. The coaching team works within and supports the work of SAU 24’s Professional Learning Communities, and they are active members of the SAU Leadership Team. Colby is an experienced educator who taught English at John Stark Regional High School for the past 20 years. She is a graduate of St. Michael’s College and holds a Master of Science in Education from the University of New England and an M.Ed. Leadership in Curriculum Administration from Southern NH University."

Read full item from Concord Monitor>>

Tortolano to lead church music choral reading session, September 25 on campus

A church music, choral reading session will be held at the Rehearsal Room 134, McCarthy Arts Center, Saint Michael's College, Colchester, VT on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at 3 p.m. The program is free and open to the public. William Tortolano, Professor Emeritus at Saint Michael’s, will direct the music of ecumenical diversity. A free packet of 20 compositions is published by GIA and WL Publications of Chicago. Music will include a Mass setting and a wide range of Roman Catholic and Protestant styles. After a hiatus due to the pandemic, this will be an opportunity to not only energize choirs, but also to reemerge them to their worship leadership. Tortolano’s career has included 50 years teaching at Saint Michael’s; six published books; over 75 editions of music; concerts in the United States, Canada, Italy, Scotland, England, the Netherlands and Notre Dame in France. He received the Papal Honor, Pro Ecclesia Et Pontifice from his worldwide leadership in Gregorian Chant. For further information, contact Tortolano at home: 802-899-3564 or email, wtortolano@smcvt.edu (please include your phone number).

View upcoming public events  on the campus of Saint Michael's College.

Jobs at Saint Michael's College

Explore current opportunities at Saint Michael’s College for yourself or share with your network to help grow our community of talented, dedicated, and mission-driven colleagues. This week’s highlights include: 

See all current opportunities on the SMC Career Portal

Saint Michael's This Week is produced by the Office of Marketing and Communications and written by Mark Tarnacki, Staff Writer, Marketing and Communications.  Visit Saint Michael's online at smcvt.edu 

Vermont Business Magazine 365 Dorset Street South Burlington, Vermont 05403

This website developed by OFF GRID MEDIA LAB