Around Town

Local residents recognized

Stephanie Nichols of Blandford, MA was named to the Becker College Dean’s List for fall 2012.

A. Robert (Robby) Veronesi has been named to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Dean’s List, Summa Cum Laude, for the Fall, 2012, semester. He is a junior in the College of Communications and Information, majoring in Journalism and Electronic Media, with a minor in geography.

Air Force Reserve Airman 1st Class Colby A. Cannizzaro graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills. Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force. Cannizzaro is the son of Michael and Nancy Cannizzaro of North Loomis Street, Southwick. He is a 2009 graduate of Southwick Tolland Regional High School.

Local Students Named to KSC Dean’s List
KEENE, NH – Keene State College has released the Dean’s List for the fall semester 2012. Among the 1,441 students named to the Dean’s List are:
Christopher Raymond Feyre of Westfield, MA
Laura R Gendreau of Westfield, MA
Shannon M Kane of Westfield, MA
Jason Kyle Miller of Granville, MA
Sean Patrick Millikan of Westfield, MA
The Dean’s List designation is bestowed to those Keene State College undergraduates enrolled in a degree program who have completed a minimum of six credit hours in the semester, receiving no failing or incomplete grades. A 3.5 or higher grade point average on a 4.0 scale is required to earn the Dean’s List honor.

Local Students Named to President’s List at Western New England University
SPRINGFIELD – The following students have been named to the President’s List at Western New England for the fall semester of 2012. Students are named to the President’s List for achieving a semester grade point average of 3.80 or higher.
Andrew M. Sturmer of Westfield, MA, a Senior majoring in Criminal Justice.
William E. Hess of Westfield, MA, a Senior majoring in Electrical Engineering.
Ashley E. Rucki of Westfield, MA, a Junior majoring in Entrepreneurship.
Leane A. Ruelle of Westfield, MA, a Freshman majoring in Forensic Biology.
Dawn E. Heideman of Westfield, MA, a Freshman majoring in Management.
Christy A. LaPlante of Westfield, MA, a Freshman majoring in Pre-Pharmacy.

Local Students Named to Dean’s List at Western New England University
SPRINGFIELD- The following students have been named to Dean’s List at Western New England for the fall semester of 2012. Students are named to the Dean’s List for achieving a semester grade point average of 3.30 or higher.
Holden M Canty of Westfield, MA, a Junior majoring in Accounting and Finance.
Virginia L. Maldonado of Westfield, MA, a Junior majoring in Communication.
Cathleen R. Tenero of Westfield, MA, a Freshman majoring in Communication.
Shaylyn A. Sicard of Westfield, MA, a Junior majoring in Criminal Justice.
Matthew G. Salem of Westfield, MA, a Senior majoring in Electrical Engineering.
Alec M. Bewsee of Westfield, MA, a Freshman majoring in Engineering.
Meagan A. Harrington of Westfield, MA, a Junior majoring in Entrepreneurship.
Chelsea N. Miemiec of Westfield, MA, a Sophomore majoring in Exploratory Business.
Joseph A. Bonavita of Westfield, MA, a Junior majoring in Forensic Biology.
Todd C. Lazarz of Westfield, MA, a Junior majoring in Industrial Engineering.
Stephen P. O’Brien of Westfield, MA, a Sophomore majoring in Law and Society.
Matthew J. O’Connor of Westfield, MA, a Sophomore majoring in Marketing.
Kaley F. Govoni of Blandford, MA, a Freshman majoring in Pre-Pharmacy.
Valerie L. Marcus of Westfield, MA, a Junior majoring in Psychology.
Kristin M. Robtoy of Granville, MA, a Graduating Senior majoring in Psychology.
Shelbie N. Hutchins of Westfield, MA, a Junior majoring in Secondary Education-Mathematical Sciences.
Briana L. Benish of Westfield, MA, a Freshman majoring in Social Work.
Steven B. Bianco of Westfield, MA, a Junior majoring in Sociology.

Christopher Whelan of Westfield, Massachusetts, has been named to the dean’s list in the University of Notre Dame’s College of Arts and Letters for outstanding scholarship during the Fall 2012 semester. Students who achieve dean’s honors at Notre Dame represent the top 30 percent of students in their college.

Bryant University Students Named to Dean’s List
SMITHFIELD, RI – The fall semester Dean’s List at Bryant University includes the following area residents:
Brian Chambers, a Sophomore in Accounting from Westfield
Nicholas Lagoditz, a Sophomore in Accounting from Westfield
Kyle Randall, a Senior in Entrepreneurship from Granville

Air National Guard Airman 1st Class Neal D. Colburn graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills. Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force. Colburn is the son of Alison and John Colburn of Country Club Drive, Westfield. He is a 2012 graduate of Westfield High School.

Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Conn., has announced the Dean’s List for the fall semester 2012. To receive this honor, a student must achieve a 3.6 grade average, based on a 4.0 scale. Nicole Hentnick of Westfield has made the dean’s list.

Renfro participates in legislative internship
WESTFIELD – Andrew Renfro, a student finishing his Associate degree in Business at Holyoke Community College, has been participating in an internship this semester with State Representative Don Humason, Jr. (R-Westfield).
Renfro was offered the internship after contacting Humason’s office to express his interest in working in the office. He joined the legislator’s staff in December after meeting with Humason and his Chief of Staff, Maura Cassin.
“Andrew has been an integral part of my staff so far this year,” Humason said. “He is a terrific addition to my team and is serving the citizens of Westfield very well. I value his opinions as a college student and as a Westfield resident.”
Renfro, 23, is a 2008 graduate of Cathedral High School and is the son of Andrew Renfro, Jr. of Salt Lake City, UT and Lynn Wilson of Westfield, MA.
He is balancing his internship duties alongside classes at Holyoke Community College and part-time work at a marketing firm. Andrew plans to attend Westfield State University in the fall to complete the requirements for a Bachelor degree in Business Administration.
“I’m very pleased to have the opportunity to work with Representative Humason,” said Renfro. “I’m learning a lot about leadership and politics and look forward to applying the skills that I’ve learned here in my future endeavors.”

LOUDONVILLE, NY – Emma Ciborowski, a resident of Westfield, MA was named to Siena College’s President’s List for the Fall 2012 semester. Ciborowski is a junior biology major at Siena. To be named to the President’s List, a student’s grade point average for the semester must be 3.9 or above. Ciborowski was one of 215 students to be named to the President’s List for the Fall 2012 semester.

HAMDEN, CT – Alyssa Desmarais of Westfield, MA has been named to the dean’s list at Quinnipiac University for the Fall 2012 semester. To qualify for the dean’s list, students must earn a grade point average of at least 3.5 with no grade lower than C. Full-time students must complete at least 14 credits in a semester, with at least 12 credits that have been graded on a letter grade basis to be eligible. Part-time students must complete at least six credits during a semester.

American International College announces Fall 2012 Dean’s List
SPRINGFIELD – American International College in Springfield, Mass., has named 417 students to the Fall 2012 Dean’s List. Dean’s List students are full-time students, with a grade point average between 3.3 and 4.0 for the semester.
Marguerite Pratt of Granville was among the AIC students recognized for academic achievement. Pratt is a Junior majoring in Physical Therapy.
Margarita Dunayev of Westfiedl was among the AIC students recognized for academic achievement. Dunayev is a Sophomore majoring in Nursing.
Ethan Atkocaitis of Westfield was among the AIC students recognized for academic achievement. Atkocaitis is a Freshman majoring in Management.
Charissa Beebe of Westfield was among the AIC students recognized for academic achievement. Beebe is a Sophomore majoring in Nursing.
Emilia Berrena of Westfield was among the AIC students recognized for academic achievement. Berrena is a Senior majoring in Nursing.
Liliya Davledzarova of Westfield was among the AIC students recognized for academic achievement. Davledzarova is a Junior majoring in Physical Therapy.
Elaine Dellaripa of Westfield was among the AIC students recognized for academic achievement. Dellaripa is a Sophomore majoring in Nursing.
Elizabeth Freeman of Westfield was among the AIC students recognized for academic achievement. Freeman is a Senior majoring in Nursing.
Melissa Gorneault of Westfield was among the AIC students recognized for academic achievement. Gorneault is a Sophomore majoring in Nursing.
Rebecca Hardy of Westfield was among the AIC students recognized for academic achievement. Hardy is a Sophomore majoring in Physical Therapy.
Nikita Loboda of Westfield was among the AIC students recognized for academic achievement. Loboda is a Sophomore majoring in Nursing.
Emily Manley of Westfield was among the AIC students recognized for academic achievement. Manley is a Sophomore majoring in Nursing.
Mariya Mikhalinchik of Westfield was among the AIC students recognized for academic achievement. Mikhalinchik is a Freshman majoring in Nursing.
Anatoliy Pavlyuk of Westfield was among the AIC students recognized for academic achievement. Pavlyuk is a Senior majoring in Physical Therapy.
Inna Pavlyuk of Westfield was among the AIC students recognized for academic achievement. Pavlyuk is a Freshman majoring in Biology.
Shelly Perry of Westfield was among the AIC students recognized for academic achievement. Perry is a Junior majoring in Nursing.
Rachel Ryan of Westfield was among the AIC students recognized for academic achievement. Ryan is a Sophomore majoring in Nursing.
Joanna Sykula of Westfield was among the AIC students recognized for academic achievement. Sykula is a Senior majoring in Nursing.

Roger Williams University Announces Fall 2012 Dean’s List
BRISTOL, RI – The following local residents are among those to be named to the Roger Williams University Dean’s List for the Fall 2012 semester:
Granville, MA resident Kelsey Platanitis, majoring in Biology
Huntington, MA resident Emma Long, majoring in Mathematics
Full-time students who complete 12 or more credits per semester and earn a GPA of 3.4 or higher are placed on the Dean’s List that semester.

Daniel J. Slowick of Huntington, Mass., a freshman majoring in electrical engineering, was named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2012 semester at Clarkson University. Dean’s List students must achieve a minimum 3.25 grade-point average and also carry at least 14 credit hours.

Kathryn E. Chambers of Westfield, Mass., a senior majoring in biomolecular science and chemistry, was named a Presidential Scholar for the fall 2012 semester at Clarkson University. Presidential Scholars must achieve a minimum 3.80 grade-point average and carry at least 14 credit hours.

Dr. Bashar Hanna, Delaware Valley College’s vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty, announced that Ashley Kirby of Westfield, MA, has been honored for academic achievement by being named to the fall 2012 Dean’s List.

Endicott College Announces Dean’s List Students
BVERLY – Endicott College is pleased to announce the Dean’s List students for fall, 2012. In order to qualify for the Dean’s List, a student must obtain a minimum grade point average of 3.5, receive no grade below a “C”, and be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits for the semester. The following students have met those requirements:
Kristin Halls is the daughter of Jeffrey & Julie Halls of Westfield, MA. Kristin is a Senior majoring in Interior Design.
Mary Kane is the daughter of Dan & Christine Kane of Westfield, MA. Mary is a Senior majoring in Liberal Studies Teacher Licensure.

Colby-Sawyer College has named Kyleigh Alexis Lund from Chester, MA, to the Dean’s List for academic achievement during the 2012 fall semester. To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must achieve a grade-point average of 3.50 or higher on a 4.0 scale while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours in graded courses. Lund, a member of the class of 2016, is majoring in Nursing.

BRIDGEWATER – The following area residents were among 800 undergraduate students who received bachelor’s degrees from Bridgewater State University at its 26th Winter Commencement Convocation held Jan. 25: Andrew D. Baird of Westfield

Olivia Gamble Earns Dean’s Award at Colgate University
HAMILTON, NY — Olivia Gamble was a recipient of the Dean’s Award for academic excellence during the 2012 fall term at Colgate University, where Gamble is a member of the Class of 2015.  The Dean’s award was given in the Fall Academic year. To be eligible for the Dean’s Award, a Colgate student must achieve higher than a 3.30 average while enrolled in at least four courses. Gamble is a graduate of Westfield High School, and lives in Westfield, MA.

Local Residents Named to Dean’s List at Salve Regina University
NEWPORT, RI – The following hometown residents were named to the Dean’s List during the fall 2012 semester at Salve Regina University:
Brigid Sawyer of Westfield, MA, a freshman majoring in Philosophy .
Chelsea Sliwa of Huntington, MA, a senior majoring in Administration of Justice .
To qualify for the dean’s list, full-time undergraduate students must earn a minimum grade point average of 3.6 with no grade below a “B” in that semester.

Jodi Wagner Trained by UMass Dartmouth as Lead Mentor
NORTH DARTMOUTH – Jodi Wagner, a teacher from the Southwick Tolland School District has been chosen to train as a Lead Mentor to new teachers, joining a select group of more than 150 of the state’s top teachers in the Project SUCCESS program.
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s Center for University, School, and Community Partnerships (CUSP) is training some of the state’s top teachers to mentor their colleagues in “high-need” areas like special education, English as a Second Language, science and math.
“We know that teacher quality is the most important school-related factor in student learning,” said CUSP Executive Director Karen O’Connor. “By preparing Lead Mentors to support beginning teachers, Project SUCCESS will build the capacity of beginning teachers to help students to reach their full academic potential.”
This comprehensive program prepares Lead Mentors through a nine-month graduate-level course, 15 online video lectures, virtual office hours, live videoconferencing and phone consultations with instructors, and three face-to-face seminars.
At the end of the program, successful Lead Mentors will have the academic knowledge and mentoring skills necessary to mentor new teachers, and train other mentors in their home school districts.
All Lead Mentors who successfully complete the graduate course will be eligible to participate in the Mentoring in Action Massachusetts Academy, an on-line community where they are able to network and share ideas after their preparation year.
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) selected CUSP to lead Project SUCCESS with funds from the federal Race to the Top program. Massachusetts was one of 12 states to win Race to the Top funding in a highly competitive process.
“A central goal of the state’s successful Race to the Top application was to ensure that every student in every classroom in the Commonwealth is taught by a great teacher,” said JC Considine, spokesman for DESE. “Project SUCCESS is focused on improving teacher effectiveness and retaining teachers by providing ongoing support to experienced teachers as they serve as mentor leaders to new teachers.”
Project SUCCESS Director Carol Pelletier Radford designed the proposal and partnered with school district superintendents across the Commonwealth to customize training to fit local needs.
Last year cohort 1 included 60 mentors hailing from 21 school districts and this year cohort 2 includes 153 Lead Mentors from over 50 districts across the Commonwealth.
MORE ABOUT PROJECT SUCCESS
Project SUCCESS stands for School University Collaboration Committed to the Educational Success of All Students. The goal of the program is to create a quality mentoring culture to strengthen the teaching profession statewide, ensure new teachers receive the support they need in their beginning years, and give Massachusetts students the best instruction possible.
For more information about this program and photos of cohort 1 completers go to cuspma.org and click on Project SUCCESS Mentoring in Action Academy.
On the web: http://readabout.me/achievements/Jodi-Wagner-Trained-by-UMass-Dartmouth-as-Lead-Mentor/5493244.

Hannah Placzek Named to Hartwick College Dean’s List

ONEONTA, NY – Hartwick College sophomore Hannah Placzek, of Westfield, MA, daughter of Kathleen MacLean and Vincent Placzek, has been named to the fall term Dean’s List at Hartwick. Inclusion on Hartwick’s Dean List is an indication of excellent academic work, including the completion of a full course load with at least a 3.5 grade point average based on a 4.0 scale. Placzek is majoring in mathematics.

Local Students Named to The College of Saint Rose Dean’s List for Fall 2012
ALBANY, N.Y. – The College of Saint Rose in Albany, N.Y., today announced that the following local residents were among 805 students named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2012 semester: Crystal Tarris of Russell and Cassandra Hawk of Westfield. Full-time students who complete a minimum of 12 credit hours and achieve a semester grade-point average of at least 3.5 with no grades of D, F, Incomplete or Pass/Fail are eligible for inclusion on the Dean’s List.

Local Residents Named to Stonehill College’s Fall 2012 Dean’s List
EASTON, MA – Stonehill College recently named the following local residents to its Dean’s List for the Fall 2012 semester. Westfield resident Olivia J. Almeida, a member of the class of 2013. Chester resident Victoria J. Ware, a member of the class of 2016. To qualify for the Dean’s List at Stonehill, students must have a semester grade point average of 3.50 or better and must have completed successfully all courses for which they were registered.

Westfield Resident Makes Dean’s List at
PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Juliet R. Janicik, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Andy Janicik of Westfield, has been named to the fall 2012 Dean’s List at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York. Janicik, a sophomore, is a Psychology major and Religious Studies minor. To be eligible for the Dean’s List at St. John Fisher College, a student must have attained at least a 3.3 grade-point average for the semester.

Brittany Hughes of Westfield Earns Dean’s List Honors at Nazareth College
ROCHESTER, NY – Nazareth College is proud to announce that Brittany Hughes of Westfield, has been named to the dean’s list for the Fall 2012 semester. Hughes is a junior studying Communication Science & Disorders.A student’s grade point average must be at least 3.5 or above, and they must complete 12 credit hours of graded work that semester in order to be included on the dean’s list at Nazareth.

Mary Sypek Named to Dean’s List at Tufts University
MEDFORD, MA – Tufts University recently announced the Dean’s List for the Fall 2012 semester. Among these students is Mary Sypek of Westfield, MA, class of 2013. Dean’s List honors at Tufts University require a semester grade point average of 3.4 or greater.

As a result of the grades that he earned during the Fall 2012 semester, Christopher Hart has been placed on the Dean’s List. Appearance on the list is limited to students that completed a minimum of 15 credit hours (excludes P/NP) with a minimum 3.75 grade point average during the semester.

Brittany Hughes of Westfield Earns Dean’s List Honors at Nazareth College
ROCHESTER, NY – Nazareth College is proud to announce that Brittany Hughes of Westfield, has been named to the dean’s list for the Fall 2012 semester. Hughes is a junior studying Communication Science & Disorders. A student’s grade point average must be at least 3.5 or above, and they must complete 12 credit hours of graded work that semester in order to be included on the dean’s list at Nazareth.

Local Students Named to University of Hartford Dean’s List
WEST HARTFORD, CT – The University of Hartford is pleased to announce the following local students have been named to the Dean’s List for Fall 2012.
Rebecca Camerlin of Westfield
Rebecca Cameron of Westfield
Sean Tanguay of Westfield

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