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Simmons success

Professors aren’t the only experts at Simmons. Many CAS students are already experienced teachers, scholars, communication experts, and community activists, as well as parents and world travelers who seek additional education for personal and professional growth. Some choose Simmons because they are ready to make the transition to a more meaningful career; at least half are career changers. Their combined knowledge and interdisciplinary expertise add meaning and perspective to our programs. In their personal and professional lives — including the careers they pursue upon graduation — Simmons students demonstrate their commitment to helping others.

While their fields vary, Simmons graduate students share the distinctive dedication and leadership necessary to achieve remarkable careers. Together with faculty and alumni, they participate in an active professional network, often leading to alumni-mentored field placements, research collaboration, and career opportunities.

Education

Kristen AbbettKristen Abbett ’00 MATESL
Kristen Abbett always knew she wanted to teach, she just didn’t know what or whom. Trips to South Africa and Nicaragua, and a stint as an assistant teacher at a local high school, provided her with the experiences she needed to answer those questions.

Susan A. Ainsleigh ’93 M.S.Ed., BCBA
Simmons instructor Susan Ainsleigh had never worked with individuals with special needs or even considered a career as a teacher when in 1990 she accepted a job at a private, residential school for children with severe special needs. “I wanted a challenging, interesting job, and when I went to interview, something clicked.” Ainsleigh says she looked forward to being there everyday and soon decided to pursue a master’s degree in special education, which she received from Simmons in 1993.

Janelle BradshawJanelle Bradshaw ’03 M.S.Ed. Urban Education, ’04 C.A.G.S. Educational Leadership
As a pre-law undergrad at Smith College, Janelle Bradshaw was pretty certain of her future — law school and then a professional career as an attorney. But a minor in education and a student teaching assignment her senior year changed all that. “I really loved and valued that experience,” she says. After graduation, Bradshaw pursued a teaching position in Boston and was hired as a fourth and fifth-grade teacher at the Mather Elementary School in Dorchester, the oldest elementary school in the country.

DaQuall GrahamDaQuall Graham ’00 MAT, ’03 C.A.G.S. Educational Leadership
As a child, DaQuall Graham decided he wouldn’t settle for the cards life dealt him. “Growing up as a boy without a father and being conscious of that void can be difficult to brave… I took advantage of any and all positive opportunities and decided I would make a difference with my life.” After securing his undergraduate degree in education from American International College, Graham came to Simmons for his MAT and continued on to obtain his C.A.G.S. in Educational Leadership.

Mark ItoMark Ito ’04 MAT
Whether directing marketing efforts for high-tech companies, running his own business, or obtaining his MBA, this native Californian always found enjoyment in the experience and was willing to adapt to challenges and opportunities. So, when personal circumstances allowed him to explore a new career path, he decided to pursue something he had always wanted to do — teach.

Richard D. LavoiRichard D. Lavoie M.A., M.Ed., Visiting Professor, Special Education
Visiting Professor Rick Lavoie has been advocating for children with special needs nearly his whole life. “When I was 10 years old, I had a family member with severe special needs and I could always reach him and teach him in ways others couldn’t,” explained Lavoie. “This ability became a moving force in my life; it became a mission for me.”

Catherine ZusyCatherine Zusy ’04 MAT
When Catherine Zusy was seven years old and living in Kensington, MD, she organized a neighborhood fair to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. With prizes donated from a nearby general store and a “staff” of four siblings to supervise, she proudly collected $23.70 and appeared on her local television station. “I’ve always had an interest in organizing things,” says Zusy, with a smile.

Liberal Arts

Nathalie HandalNathalie Handal ’91, ’93 English
“I have always been in love with words and never cease to be seduced by them,” says Nathalie Handal ’91, ’93, a poet, playwright and writer living in New York City. “As a child, I told endless stories and was very much encouraged to read. Today, I see the world as a poem — a poem I keep writing and rewriting. All that I observe, that I experience, filters itself into words.”

Meera Lee SethiMeera Lee Sethi ’04 M.A. Children’s Literature, MAT Education
Just one year before Meera Lee Sethi was born in Singapore, a half a world away Chris Van Allsburg penned his first — and Sethi’s favorite — children’s book, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi. Though most people today are drawn to Allsburg’s Christmas classic, The Polar Express, Sethi favors The Garden for its delightful story of a little boy who chases after a dog and ends up in the garden of a mysterious magician.

Laura PrietoLaura Prieto Ph.D., associate professor, History and Women’s Studies
The daughter of immigrants from Argentina and Cuba, Associate Professor of History and Women’s Studies Laura Prieto grew up listening to the tales of her parents’ “early days.” “The past was always a part of my present,” she says. “My parents placed great emphasis on their past and spoke about it often.”

Jyoti PuriJyoti Puri, M.A., Ph.D., associate professor, Sociology and Women’s Studies
Growing up as a young girl in India, Jyoti Puri was always encouraged and supported in her efforts to succeed academically and personally. “I didn’t feel constrained by my gender; it wasn’t even an issue in my life, but there always were inconsistencies,” says Puri.

Marie CelestinMarie Celestin ’00, ’02 GCS
Serving in the name of public good is a central attribute of the Simmons student. Take a look at energetic social activist Marie Celestin ’00, ’02 (GCS) who has a guiding hand in numerous organizations like Mass Vote, the Girls’ Coalition, Project HIP HOP, Youth on Board, and the National Youth Action Council. Celestin also hosts Girl TV, a weekly cable program, and directs the G.I.R.L.S. Project, an annual conference that provides a forum for girls to speak out and be heard on various social, economic, and educational issues.

Other Accolades

Laurel Thatcher Ulrich '72 (English) won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for history for her book A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, which was also turned into a film adaptation not only of Ballard's life, but also of the meticulous work of Ulrich.

Internationally published poet, playwright, and writer Nathalie Handal ’91, ’93 (English) edited The Poetry of Arab Women: A Contemporary Anthology, an Academy of American Poets bestseller and winner of the Pen Oakland/Josephine Miles Award.

Historian Kate CliffordLarson ’95 (GCS) is the author of Bound For The Promised Land: Harriet Tubman, Portrait of An American Hero and a consultant for the National Park Service’s Harriet Tubman Special Resource Study.

In America’s Second Tongue: American Indian Education and the Ownership of English, Ruth Katern Spack ’70(English) examines the effects of English-language instruction policies on Native-American students.

Master's in Communications Management

Kelley Chunn ’90 MCM
Scandals like those at Enron and Andersen Consulting have shaken consumer confidence in corporate America. It’s no longer good enough to operate “business as usual.” Kelley Chunn, MCM graduate and principal of Kelley Chunn & Associates, says organizations are standing out and gaining customer loyalty by affecting positive social change through the use of culturally sensitive cause-related marketing campaigns.

Lynn Ingraham Cole ’97 MCM
Serving in the name of public good is a central attribute of the Simmons student. Just ask Lynn Ingraham Cole ’97 (MCM), executive director of the Children’s Center in Augusta, Maine, who works tirelessly to ensure that the private non-profit agency helps children with special needs develop the learning skills they need. In her free time, Cole recently co-founded Hardy Girls Healthy Women, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering young women.

Barbara MoultonBarbara Moulton ’04 MCM
What’s it like working for the nation’s first subway system? For Barbara Moulton, director of marketing communications at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), it’s fast-paced, exciting, and eventful. “No two days are ever the same,” says this 14-year MBTA veteran.

Mark O’Day ’99 MCM
Growing up the son of an America’s Cup winner and Olympic Gold medalist sailboat racer, Mark O’Day ’99 learned a great deal about sailing- especially the importance of looking ahead to anticipate wind shifts and what other boats may do. He applies that same principle to his work as director of marketing for Comcast (formerly AT&T Broadband/MediaOne).

Carolyn Grimes ’01 MCM
“The work I did in the MCM program helped me obtain my current position as Director of Graduate Service Programs at The Scott/Ross Center for Community Service where I have the opportunity to work with graduate students, faculty and staff at Simmons…"

BJ Bliss ’01 MCM
"…After completing my MCM degree at Simmons, I was not only able to obtain a senior consulting position as an organization change consultant, but my salary increased immediately by 33 percent…"

Rebecca H. McCullough ’03 MCM
"MCM has given me the confidence to relocate and change careers and has helped me leverage my strengths, professional desires and knowledge into a meaningful career in the nonprofit sector…"

Dual-Degree in History/Archive Management

Hobson WoodwardHobson Woodward ’04 M.A. History, M.S. Archives Management
Despite having a medieval history professor for a mother, Hobson Woodward had no intention of becoming a historian when he grew up. Funny how things change! Now a graduate student at Simmons, Woodward is working to complete the dual-degree program in History and Archives Management, while managing responsibilities as a husband and father.

Jonathan lilJonathan Lill '03 M.S. Library and Information Science
"The Simmons program allowed me to draw on my background in art, and it showed me the crossover among my fields of interest," says Lill. "It then opened the doors for me to obtain practical experience at area libraries and archival organizations while I attended classes. I feel I'm well prepared for my job search."

Sarah WatkinsSarah Watkins '00 M.S. Library and Information Science
"Using USS Constitution as a lens, 205 years of American history comes alive. One of the best things about my job is connecting people with history in engaging ways. The archives at the museum are an important part of the memory of USS Constitution."

Gifted Educators

The Simmons graduate education programs attract dedicated students who in turn become dedicated, gifted educators.

Michelle Burgos ’02 (M.S.Ed., Urban Education), a teacher at Rafael Hernandez School in Boston, received a 2002 Boston Teacher of the Year award. Cambridge elementary teacher

Karen Fitzgerald Spaulding ’97 (MAT) was one of 200 teachers in the country honored with the 2002 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science.

Margaret Hug ’95 (MATESL) made a bright impression during her Fulbright studies in Mexico — and now works as program director for the Mexican Fulbright Commission.

Liz Martineau ’01 (M.S.Ed., Behavioral Education) opened her own school for children with autism, the Nashoba Learning Group, in Westford, MA.

 

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