Saint Michael's This Week: Sterritt to retire, Artificial intelligence ethics, Alumni model leadership

SAINT MICHAEL'S NEWS

Alumni model leadership and social impact to first-years: 'Authentic, wise, humble, inspiring'

This spring, Introduction to Purposeful Learning II is exploring the topics of social impact and leadership with the first-year class. One highlight in these first few weeks was having four alumni share their journey from Saint Michael's College to where they are now. They offered students insights into what they’ve learned about purpose, impact, and leadership along the way. Each was authentic, wise, humble, and inspiring – the best of Saint Michael’s! A big thank you to Michelle Kayser ’08 (Diplomat-in-Residence, U.S. Department of State, top right photo), Adam Johnson ’03 (educator and founder of Democracy Prep, lower right photo), Zania Campos ’05 (Director of Emergency Management and Business Continuity, Boston Medical Center, bottom right photo) and Mary Joan (MJ) Picone ’87 (social work and founder of the Emmaus Migrant Advocacy Project, bottom center photo). One student commented, “It’s amazing what can happen when you make use of the many resources available here at St. Mike's.”

Our students also engaged with faculty, staff, and students involved in the Centers for Global Engagement and the Environment to learn about the many opportunities available to them in the coming years – from fellowships to internships to abroad experiences. A number considered Undergraduate Professional Endorsements and the entire class will work individually with Career Coaches from the Boucher Career Education Office to have a resume ready to find summer work when they’re home during March break.

-- Heidi St. Peter '96, director of Purposeful Learning (bottom left photo)

WCAX interviews L'Hote of philosophy faculty about artificial intelligence ethics for higher ed

Professor Crystal L’Hote of the Saint Michael’s philosophy faculty did an interview this week with reporter Melissa Conney from WCAX Channel 3, the Burlington-area CBS affiliate, airing Tuesday of this week. They talked about ChatGPT, a popular new Artificial Intellegence (AI) “chatbot” some educators fear might be used by college students to cheat on work they submit. A chatbot is software that simulates human-like conversations with users via online chat. Its key task is to answer user questions with instant messages. This particular chatbot, ChatGPT, has shown the capacity to create written work based on parameters of style and content that the user sets, often producing quite credible-appearing academic papers, for instance -- or even poetry. Crystal brought to the interview her expertise on the ethics around AI in a higher education setting, focusing on ChatGPT.

Watch Crystal in WCAX interview on ChatGPT>>

MOVE steps up to support transitional-housing kids at close-by hotel

A Saint Michael’s College student who works the front desk at Days Inn across Route 15 from the Colchester campus saw a need for more positive supervised activities among the children of families housed there through a state transitional housing program. She decided to do something about it. Rachel Daby ’24, a junior history major from Essex Junction, said Days Inn has a contract with the state to shelter the homeless population and eventually get them into stable housing through Vermont’s Emergency Housing and Transitional Housing program within the state’s Economic Services Division. “We have many families and children that stay at the hotel and there is not much room or ability for them to play and hang out,” she said. “Staff members try their best to be lenient and understanding, but as a business it can be difficult and stressful for us to have the children running around, yelling and playing unsupervised in a way that could cause injury. We needed to find an outlet for that energy.” She said that after talking it over with a Days Inn manager, “it dawned on me that the Saint Mike’s Community might be a really great way to go about this” – so in August, shortly before the fall semester, she emailed Lara Scott, director of MOVE, which is the community service arm of Edmundite Campus Ministry at the College. Soon a group of St. Mike's student volunteers was going across Route 15 weekly to lead fun activities for those children in transitional housing -- a temporary program that is well received by student volunteers and clients alike.

Read full story on Rachel Daby Days Inn initiative>>

Saint Michael's part of a Virtual Job Fair highlighting strong job market across state

From a press release appearing on the website of Vermont Business Magazine recently appears news of an upcoming February 23 Virtual Job Fair. Saint Michael’s College and particularly its Career Center Director Ingrid Peterson are among the key organizers. Here’s the opening of that report: “As students and graduates explore the job market this spring, Vermont’s colleges remind them they don’t have to look far to find life-changing career opportunities. On Thursday, February 23, the Vermont Department of Labor, the University of Vermont and Saint Michael’s College will collaborate with Champlain College, Middlebury College, Norwich University and Bennington College to host the inaugural Vermont Virtual Job Fair to connect job seekers with some of the top employers in the state. ‘Students and employers will be able to connect more easily by meeting virtually during this event, giving students a wider range of potential jobs, and employers a more diverse pool from which to recruit’ said Saint Michael’s College Director of Career Education Ingrid Peterson. ‘We’re excited that students will have this opportunity to connect with employers throughout Vermont, thanks to this partnership of colleges and universities across the state.’ The virtual job fair will feature a variety of Vermont-based companies from different industries including research, engineering, aerospace, science, education, finance, and more. The City of Burlington, Darn Tough, Galen Healthcare Solutions, Hayward Tyler, Johnson Lambert, and Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance will be among the many companies represented.

Read full story on Virtual Job Fair>>

Reception for new global engagement staffer attracts students, campus leaders

This past Wednesday, members of the Saint Michael’s community gathered in the international student lounge in St. Edmund’s Hall 120, for a welcoming reception for Rosemary Yargici, the new Director of the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (photo at right in turqoise sweater with shawl, chatting with faculty and staff at the reception). Those present to welcome Rosemary included President Lorraine Sterritt, Vice President for Academic Affairs Jeffrey Trumbower and Dean of Faculty Gretchen Galbraith. Center for Global Engagement Director, Professor Jeffrey Ayres, provided brief introductory comments, confirming his excitement for Rosemary’s arrival, both for the College’s international students and for the Center. A number of both undergraduate and graduate international students were present (top right photo), as were many other College employees (top left photo), enjoying the opportunity to socialize over coffee, tea and refreshments. Rosemary joins the a strong global engagement team at the Center, including Director Jeffrey Ayres, Office of Study Abroad Director Peggy Imai, Peace Corps Prep Coordinator Allison Cleary, Director of Undergraduate and Post-Graduate Fellowships Patricia Siplon, and Lisa Lagerquist, director of international enrollment.

Nominate a Future Knight program seeks alumni to join in key outreach

From February 12-18, the College is celebrating our Nominate a Future Knight program. While some of us found the Saint Michael's community by a stroke of luck, and others because it was already a part of a family legacy, many Saint Michael’s graduates found their way here because another Purple Knight told them that this community is the place where they should be. If you’re an alum who’s looking for a way to give back to Saint Michael’s, this is your opportunity to grow our community and show a high school student what it means to have Purple Knight pride. Not only will the students you nominate qualify for a $1,000 annual alumni referral grant should they enroll, but we’ll also send them a St. Mike’s notebook to help them plan ahead and find their purpose! If you want to nominate a current senior who hasn’t applied yet, you have until February 18 to submit their name and contact information. The Admission and Alumni Engagement Offices thank you for your support in the next generation of Purple Knights!

Read more on how to Nominate a Future Knight>>

Stanger is a guest on environmental podcast

Not long ago, Professor Trevien Stanger of the Environmental Studies and Science faculty got a nice shout-out by an environmental podcaster named Nicole Asquith, on her podcast “In the Weeds.” She writes on a website introduction to this podcast that David Abram’s The Spell of the Sensuous and Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass are the two books that really kicked of the idea for her podcast. She continues about the recent episode with Trevien: “To discuss The Spell of the Sensuous, I reached out to Trevien Stanger, instructor of environmental studies and science at St. Michael’s College in Vermont and all around smart and thoughtful guy. We examine the two influences that support Abram’s shift from a mechanistic to an animist view of the world: phenomenology, a philosophical movement started by the German philosopher Edmund Husserl in the early 20th century, and the teachings of indigenous shamans that Abram encountered during his travels as an itinerant sleight-of-hand magician in Southeast Asia. Most of all, we try to understand what it would mean to experience the world the way that Abram would want us to, as a dynamic and relationally-rich encounter with the more-than-human.”

Hear Trevien on environmental podcast>>

Burlington history site shares vintage aerial photo of 'Miketown' campus

The Burlington-area local historian Bob Blanchard frequently posts on his Burlington-Area History Facebook site with photos or information of interest to Saint Michael's community members and alumni -- and so it was this week, when Bob shared the above image along with the following information, in a post: "Aerial view of the St. Michael’s College campus. Undated, but probably not long after the war. The numerous wooden buildings that were moved over from Fort Ethan Allen are all in place, constituting what came to be known as “Miketown.” These facilities dramatically increased the campus area, and enabled the college to deal with the boom in student population caused by returning veterans. Farm buildings can still be seen at the extreme right on Route 15."

CAREER CORNER

Explore on-campus student employment perks

Employers are seeking college graduates with specific competencies and the ability to articulate those skills clearly. The Saint Michael’s approach to student success ensures our students are prepared and engaged to best compete for great post-grad opportunities. On-campus student employment is an effective and beneficial tool in working toward your professional goals. It may seem intimidating to add a new job to an already busy schedule, but on-campus employment provides advantages for students who choose to work.

Nearly every department on campus hosts student employees in some capacity with approximately 400 campus jobs. Student jobs are real jobs with impact and value. You can expect to gain a strong sense of community, earn extra income, develop a résumé, make professional connections, and more. Student employees have an opportunity to develop a broad range of workplace skills while preparing you for the real-life professional experiences you’ll encounter post-graduation.

Do you have questions about how to find a job, which departments are hiring, or what you want to do on campus? Schedule an appointment with Sasha Keck, HR specialist for student employment, via Handshake. Sasha can help you navigate available jobs, address your résumé questions, and help you get working on campus. Whether you’re just getting started or have a few questions – this is a great time to reach out and make the connections you need to get started.

ALUMNI NEWS

Law & Order role for Markey ’84 just one stop in a diversified career on stage, screen, beyond

When the call came in, Kathryn Markey ’84 was ready to respond to the scene and put her rigorous training and experience to good use.
This particular recent “call,” explains the New York City based actor/director and longtime Saint Michael’s Summer Playhouse regular, was to play a parole officer of the New York City Police Department for the long-running NBC TV police drama Law & Order. “One time I was mistaken for a cop in a pizzeria in New Rochelle,” Markey posted in late January on social media in telling friends of her latest role. “Tonight hopefully I will be more successfully mistaken for a cop on Law & Order …” “Every New York based actor works on Law & Order,” Markey said later in an interview. “The series has been running for more than 20 years and there are currently three editions of the show – the original, Special Victims Unit, and Organized Crime.” This recent appearance was on the original version.

Read full story on actor Kathryn Markey>>

Leys '22 heading to Guatemala for Peace Corps

Saint Michael’s College alumna Jane Leys '22 is among the first Peace Corps volunteers to return to overseas service since the agency’s unprecedented global evacuation in March 2020. The Peace Corps suspended global operations and evacuated nearly 7,000 volunteers from more than 60 countries at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jane graduated in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and played varsity women’s lacrosse for the Purple Knights. She will serve as an agriculture volunteer in Guatemala. “I grew up hearing stories of my dad’s adventures during his time as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana in the 1980s. I always knew that someday I wanted to join too,” said Leys. “I am looking forward to connecting with new people while learning about a new culture. I hope to grow my world view and understanding of people whose life is vastly different from my own upbringing in New England.”

Read full story on Peace Corps volunteer>>

McEachern '91 shares his love for St. Mike's, Edmundites in EWTN interview appearance

Chad McEachern '91 is president and CEO of Edmundite Missions, serving great needs to offset poverty in Selma, AL, and the deep South since the founding of the Missions in 1937 by two priests from the resident religious order that also founded Saint Michael's College, the Society of St. Edmund. In an extended interview with Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J. on Fr. Mitch's regular EWTN Live show this past Wednesday before a live audience airing nationally and beyond, Chad told some of the history of the Missions, its good work to meet needs in Selma, its recent response to a devastating tornado that damaged much of the historic city, and his personal journey from Saint Michael's under the life-changing influence of the Edmudites to lead the Missions for the past 15 years. Fast-forward to about the 40 minute mark of this interview at the link below to hear Chad speak specifically about his experience as a Saint Michael's student and with the Edmundites, continuing well after his graduation.

Watch Chad McEachern in EWTN Live interview>>

Dana Cole '89 takes position at Hildene

Dana Cole ’89 of Arlington, VT, recently shared career news:

“I am now working at Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home, as Private Functions Director. My job at this gorgeous historic venue is to sell, manage and produce weddings.” He was a journalism major at Saint Michael's

Visit Hildene site>>

Boston alumni event draws dozens to social, Celtics game

Let’s go, C’s! Saint Michael’s alumni donned their green (and purple!) and gathered in Boston this past Wednesday, February 8. We cheered on the Celtics at the TD Garden as they faced off against the Philadelphia 76ers, a heated conference match-up. A pregame social at Causeway Restaurant and Pub kicked off the night that saw dozens of Purple Knights swap St. Mike's stories. From the class of 1967 through the class of 2022, the purple and gold spirit was vibrant up and down Legends Way. Representatives from the College included Sydney Rybicki ’18, M’21, Assistant Director for Alumni & Family Engagement, Carla Francis, Major Gift and Gift Planning Officer, Kevin Ralph, interim VPIA, and Chris Kenny ’86, P’18, Director of Athletics. The game tipped off at 7:30 p.m. and the Saint Michael’s squad cheered the Celtics onto victory, with a final score of 106-99. Thank you to everyone who came out to support the Celtics– we’re looking forward to the Saint Michael’s pride returning to Boston for Purple and Gold Day on Thursday, March 30. Photos: Top left, pregame social, George Bowen ’92 and Carla Francis are visible in the front; top right, Jay London '03 and Mike Lorizio '99 with their sons; direct right, the view from the game.

--D. Sydney Rybicki '18, Assistant Director for Alumni & Family Engagement

ATHLETICS NEWS

UPCOMING EVENTS

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