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Blue GoldB A N N E RT R I N I T Y C O L L E G E

VOL. 3 n NO. 3

FALL 2015

• Trinity Volunteers Key to Giving Day Success

2• Bantam Pride across

the Globe

3• Band of Brothers: Marlynn

and Bill Scully ’61 Honor Alumni Vietnam Veterans

6• Scholars Reception

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Continued on page 3

were instrumental in making each Trinity Night happen.

“One of our goals was to create a strong sense of Trinity pride and connection, so we encouraged attendees to post on social media throughout the event,” says Los Angeles-based volunteer Michael Gilman ’76, P’05. “A fun element of the evening was seeing photos from concurrent Trinity Night gatherings across the country and abroad.”

Each of the six participating Trinity locations put its own twist on Trinity Night. The Boston event, held at The Tennis and Racquet Club on Boylston Street, featured Drew Hyland, Charles A. Dana Professor of Philosophy, who has since retired. Attendees entered for a chance to win a limited-edi-tion national championship squash hat. At the Hyatt Regency’s X Bar in Century City, Los Angeles-area alumni partied to a soundtrack of music by bands that have played at Trinity, including U2.

The kickoff events were just the beginning. On Giving Day itself,

TRINITY VOLUNTEERS KEY TO GIVING DAY SUCCESS On the evening of April 28,

approximately 100 Trinity alumni packed into The

Wayfarer in Midtown Manhattan, which had been decked out for the occasion in Bantam blue and gold banners, balloons, and posters. Professor of Religion and Interna-tional Studies Leslie Desmangles was greeted enthusiastically by guests as a video screen showed a spectacular flyover view of Trinity’s verdant campus. One by one, alumni walked over to two oversized posters to write their responses to the following questions: “What makes Trinity special to you?” and “Which Trinity faculty member had the greatest impact on you?”

The New York event was part of Trinity Night — six alumni gather-ings held at various locations on the eve of the second annual Giving Day, which raised more than $2.2 million for the Trinity College Fund. In addition to New York, Trinity Night events were held in Hartford, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and London. Volunteers

April 29, students, faculty, staff, and alumni gathered in Mather Hall for photos with President Joanne Berger-Sweeney and the Bantam mascot. Photos of students holding handwritten messages about what Trinity means to them were shared on social media using the hashtag #AllinforTrin.

Annual Giving student callers with the Bantam mascot at the Giving Day celebration in Mather Hall: Julia Caffrey ’18, Cari Librett ’18, and Allison Butera ’18

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The focus of this year’s Giving Day was on the Trinity faculty and the unique Trinity educational experience. In the weeks leading up to the event, the Advancement Office launched a social media campaign featuring videos of Professors Desmangles, Diane

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Zannoni, Gail Woldu, and Craig Schneider. Desmangles’s video alone was viewed more than 5,000 times on Trinity’s Facebook page.

Bill Knapp, Trinity’s director of annual giving, said the event exceeded all expectations. “Giving Day is a day to celebrate all the great things about Trinity.” He adds, “We appreciate all of the hard work by our volunteers, and we are already looking forward to next year!”

TRINITY VOLUNTEERS KEY TO GIVING DAY SUCCESS / Continued from page 2

Devon Lawrence ’07 and Tyler Simmons ’07 at Trinity Night in New York City

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June 16 Shanghai reception at the Fountain Bistro

Bantam Pride across the Globe

From Paris and London to Shanghai and Hong Kong, President Joanne Berger-Sweeney met with alumni, friends,

and academic partners during trips to these cities in May and June. Reinforcing Trinity’s position as a global college, in Shanghai she signed a new agreement with our Chinese academic partner, Fudan University. In addition to serving as a Trinity study-away site, Fudan now joins with Trinity to launch the first faculty exchange program between the two institutions. Trinity will host a Fudan professor to co-teach a course next spring. In Paris, Berger-Sweeney participated in her first meeting of the Trinity in Paris/Centre d’Echanges Internationaux (CEI) board, where she met with the five-member organiza-tion that oversees Trinity’s Paris study-away

May 28 London reception at the J.P. Morgan office

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program. The president also witnessed firsthand the Bantam pride that extends across the globe, as she spoke with alumni, parents, current and new students, and friends at gatherings that were hosted by Christian and Margaret Clerc P’17 in Paris, Faraj Saghri ’81 in London, Eugene Shen ’76 in Shanghai, and Alan Schiffman ’81 and Eugene Suh ’89 in Hong Kong. Among the enthusiastic attendees in Shanghai were Trinity’s exchange faculty members and students.

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KICKOFF EVENT: 25 YEARS OF

NEUROSCIENCE AT TRINITY COLLEGE

Thursday, September 17 12:15 p.m.

Mather Hall Washington Room

President Joanne Berger-Sweeney will present on “Of Mice and Men and Girls and Autism.”

FAMILY WEEKENDOctober 23-24

Visit classes, attend athletic events, meet faculty and adminis-

trators in both academic and social settings, and enjoy Trinity at the height of the fall semester.

www.trincoll.edu/Parents

HOMECOMINGNovember 13-14

Join alumni and students for a classic fall weekend on our

beautiful campus. Watch our Bantams take on the Wesleyan

Cardinals.www.trincoll.edu/Alumni/

Homecoming

F A L L DAT E S T O S AV E

Charles H. McGill III ’63, Patricia McGill, Ambassador Liu Jieyi, President Joanne Berger-Sweeney, and Xiangming Chen, dean and director of the Center for Urban and Global Studies and Paul E. Raether Distinguished Professor of Global Urban Studies and Sociology

Scholars Reception

Jim Cuminale ’75, P’09 was the featured speaker at the annual Scholars Reception on March 26, which was attended by

approximately 300 scholarship donors, scholar-ship recipients, and their families. As a contrib-utor to the Summit Scholarship Program and to his own Cuminale Family Scholarship, Cuminale offered his insights on the scholars’ futures and their potential for success. Guest speakers Bridget Reilly ’16 and Justin Fortier ’18 shared the impact that the scholarship support has had on their lives.

Jim Cuminale ’75, P’09, Justin Fortier ’18, Bridget Reilly ’16, and President Joanne Berger-Sweeney

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McGill Lecture Delivered by Chinese Ambassador

His Excellency Liu Jieyi, the Ambassa-dor of China to the United Nations, delivered the annual McGill Lecture

in International Studies on “China’s Role in the United Nations” on April 1. Ambassador Liu reflected on the U.N.’s role in the past, shared its current priorities, and looked toward “chartering a future to seek collective solutions to problems they’re facing today.” The event was co-sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and United Technologies Corporation. The McGill International Studies Fund was established in 1996 with a gift from Patricia C. and Charles H. McGill III ’63.

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PRESIDENTIAL FINANCIAL AID

LEADERS INITIATIVE OPENS DOORS

In just eight months, generous alumni and parents have responded to the Presidential Financial Aid Leaders

initiative by providing more than $10 million in new scholarship support for deserving young Bantams. Presidential Financial Aid Leaders are donors who make an individual commitment of $125,000 or more, qualifying for a one-to-one gift match from Trinity. Strengthening scholarship support is a top agenda item for President Joanne Berger-Sweeney, and the funds will support highly qualified students with demonstrated financial need. Angel B. Pérez, who joined Trinity on June 1 as vice president for enrollment and student success, believes that a stronger financial aid program at Trinity will open our doors to an even more talented and diverse pool of students from around the globe. “The support that our alumni and other friends provide through their philanthropic giving ensures that we can offer opportunities to top-notch students, regardless of their financial circumstances.”

To learn more, please contact the Office of the Director of Development at (860) 297-2369 or christopher.french@trincoll.edu.

Wassong Lecture Explores Classical Greece

Josiah Ober, the Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis Professor in Honor of Constantine Mitsotakis, Professor of Political Science and Classics at Stanford University, delivered

the Shirley G. Wassong Memorial Lecture on April 27. Ober discussed how the rise of classical Greece was the result of political breakthroughs and economic development and how Greece’s downfall was a result of its enemies using its own tactics against them. Support for the Shirley G. Wassong Memorial Lecture comes from a fund established in 1996 by Joseph F. Wassong, Jr. ’59.

Professor Josiah Ober, Assistant Professor of Classics Meredith Safran, Joseph Wassong IV, Professor of Philosophy Maurice Wade, Rebecca Skinner, and Joseph F. Wassong, Jr. ’59

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BE AN EARLY BANTAM

Support the Annual Fund, and show your

Trinity pride. Set up a recurring gift today.www.trincoll.edu/GivingToTrinity

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Time and distance have no boundaries, as evidenced by four Trinity alumni and

Alpha Delta Phi brothers. In 2011, Marlynn and Bill Scully ’61 made a significant endowment gift to Trinity and established The Vietnam Veterans Recognition Scholarship Fund, a need-based scholarship, in honor of six members of the Trinity family who served during the Vietnam War. This spring, the Scullys have added another endowed fund to include three more honorees: Dr. Warren Kessler ’62, Judson Robert ’62, and Jeffrey Chandor ’64.

Bill Scully ’61 and the new honorees share a special brotherly bond, and their friendships have stood the test of time. All four were members of Alpha Delta Phi and have kept in touch over the years through alumni Reunions and annual fall gatherings in Vero Beach, Florida, Scully’s home state.

Establishing a second fund further cemented the Scullys’

commitment to their noble cause. “Marlynn and I wanted to honor the Trinity grads who served our country and provide the College with an opportunity to offer scholarship aid to worthy potential scholars,” says Scully. The Scullys now have eight endowed funds at Trinity, and in 2010, they were

inducted into the College’s Wall of Honor, celebrating their lifetime philanthropy.

The honorees’ call to duty is inspirational. Dr. Warren Kessler ’62 served one year in the U.S. Navy with MCB-3 in Da Nang, caring for his battalion and providing medical care for numer-

ous orphanages. U.S. Marine Corps Captain Judson Robert ’62 was assigned to the Force Logistics Group in Da Nang, providing supplies and forming perimeter security at the Da Nang airstrip. U.S. Army Lieutenant Jeffrey Chandor ’64 was awarded two Bronze Stars: one for heroism in ground combat and the other for meritorious achievement with hostile forces.

Kessler, now retired after practicing medicine in San Diego for more than 40 years, is deeply touched to be among the honorees. “Bill is a warm, kind, and most successful person,” he says. “Trinity is fortunate to have him share his success.”

Read about the Scullys’ first

Vietnam Veterans Recognition

Scholarship Fund in the fall

2011 Trinity Reporter. Visit

commons.trincoll.edu/Reporter.

Marlynn and Bill Scully ’61

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BAND OF BROTHERSMARLYNN AND BILL SCULLY ’61

HONOR ALUMNI VIETNAM VETERANS

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R E C E N T M A J O R G I F T S

Robert A. Bose ’67 >> To establish the Bob ’67 and Barb Bose Scholarship Fund

James W. Cuminale ’75, P’09 >> To establish the Cuminale Family Scholarship Fund

Randolph J. Friedman ’70 >> To establish the Randolph J. Friedman Scholarship Fund in honor of Dr. Michael R. Campo

Nancy T. Hector ’78 >> To establish the Nancy T. Hector ’78 Family Scholarship Fund

Dr. Alexander Levi ’67 >> To support the Class of 1967 Scholarship Fund

Dr. Robert A. Moran ’85 >> To establish the Dr. Robert A. Moran ’85 Scholarship Fund

James J. Murren ’83 >> To support the Fields of Excellence project to upgrade the baseball field

William P. Scully ’61 and Marlynn Scully >> To establish The Vietnam Veterans Recognition Scholarship Fund (2015)

Andrew S. Terhune ’78 >> To establish the Andrew S. Terhune ’78 Scholarship Fund

Cornelia Parsons Thornburgh ’80 >> To establish the Women’s Leadership Council Scholarship Fund

W. James Tozer, Jr. ’63 >> To augment the W. James Tozer, Jr. Scholarship Fund

Kathryn Eklund Wise ’88 >> To establish the Wise Family Scholarship Fund

Below is a sampling of major gift commitments Trinity’s generous donors

have made to the College in recent months.

T H A N K Y O U !More than 9,600 donors helped us

exceed our $9.25 million Trinity College Fund goal

in fiscal year 2015.

To see how your gift makes great things possible for Trinity students and faculty, view our

slide show on www.trincoll.edu/GivingToTrinity.

Blue & Gold Banner is published each academic semester to inform donors and friends of Trinity College about the far-reaching impact of their support.

Please address all inquiries to:Advancement CommunicationsPhone: (860) 297-4278e-mail: julia.chianelli@trincoll.eduwww.trincoll.edu

Joanne Berger-SweeneyPresident and Trinity College Professor of Neuroscience

John P. FracassoVice President for College Advancement

Jenny HollandDirector of Communications

Christopher FrenchDirector of Development

Sonya AdamsDirector of Editorial Services

Julia ChianelliDirector of Advancement Communications

Contributors:Henry “Hank” Butler ’17Michael HardyChuck Packard ’16

Design: 2k Design

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Bantams Roost in Advancement OfficeMost Bantams graduate

from Trinity and leave Hartford, taking jobs

across the country and the world. Some of those alumni, however, are called back to their alma mater, serving in the Advancement Office, where strengthening alumni ties to the College and securing the financial support that Trinity requires to thrive are the charge.

One of those eight alumni is Melissa Bronzino Regan ’87, associate director of alumni relations. Regan comes from a large Trinity family — her father was a professor of engineering, her brother graduated in 1984, and she and her husband graduated in 1987. (Several of her cousins are also Bantams.) In 1990, Regan joined the Annual Fund team, and two years later, she worked with then-trustee Don McLagan ’64 in the founding of the Long Walk Societies.

“Trinity is all about relationships,” says Regan. “I’ve been lucky to build my career here, and I’ve had

Melissa Bronzino Regan ’87, May Thoong ’08, Carol Darr IDP ’03, Sean Meehan ’05, Michelle Deluse ’12, Noelle Marchaj M ’13, and Jennifer Wrobel ’07 (not pictured: Bill Curren ’75)

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the chance to work with and get to know generations of Trinity alumni.”

Noelle Marchaj M ’13, senior associate director of annual giving, was not an alumna when she began working at Trinity, but she is now. She has earned her master’s degree in American studies. “Over the past five years, Trinity has given me many opportunities and memories for which I am so thankful,” says Marchaj. “I am proud to be a part of the Trinity community.”

For Sean Meehan ’05, assistant director of leadership giving, working in the Advancement Office was an opportunity to give back to the College he loves. “I’ve always been grateful for the education I received as a student at Trinity and for the friendships I walked away with,” he says. “There’s a very bright future ahead for Trinity, and whatever I can do to help our alumni, parents, and friends of Trinity to achieve this future, I’m thrilled to play my part.”