SPRINGFIELD — Geraldine de Berly has been named vice president of Academic Affairs and chief academic officer at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC), President John Cook announced.

De Berly’s hiring comes after an extensive search and comprehensive vetting process. Currently vice provost for Continuing and Professional Education at UMass Amherst, de Berly begins her new position at STCC on May 1.

De Berly, who holds a Ph.D. in education administration, has worked in higher education for more than three decades, in both faculty and administrative roles.

At New Mexico State University, she was an associate English as a second language professor, as well as director of the Center for Intensive Training in English. She also worked for 18 years at Syracuse University, University College, including serving as associate dean for Academic Affairs and senior associate dean. University College offers degree, certificate, and non-credit courses and serves as the gateway across Syracuse University for part-time students.

As vice provost at UMass Amherst, de Berly managed a budget with more than $50 million in revenue. During her time, enrollment expanded 6% to exceed 31,000 students. Continuing and Professional Education supported more than 1,800 online courses. Since 2016, six new programs were launched under her leadership.

“Dr. de Berly brings a unique and entrepreneurial outlook to STCC,” Cook said. “In particular, her talents with program development that address community needs speak directly to our mission as a community college.”

Born in Cuba, de Berly is fluent in four languages. She began her higher-education journey at Miami Dade Junior College. She went on to earn her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, a master’s from the University of Essex (England), and her Ph.D. in education administration from New Mexico State University.

SPRINGFIELD — The World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts will present Elms College President Harry Dumay at an Instant Issues Brown Bag Lunch event on higher education, immigration, and the public good on Thursday, April 12 at noon in the Community Room of One Financial Plaza, 1350 Main St., Springfield.

The program is open to the public. The cost with a box lunch — tuna, turkey, roast beef, or vegetarian sandwich — is $20 for council members and $25 for non-members. The cost for members without a lunch is $5 for members and $10 for non-members. The RSVP deadline is Tuesday, April 10. Register by calling (413) 733-0110 or visiting www.worldaffairscouncil.com.

The U.S. has benefited greatly from an international flow of paying college students, talented graduate students, and expert post-doctoral fellows, teachers, and researchers. Immigration policies that seem to make the U.S. unwelcoming to foreign groups threaten that contribution of higher education to the public good. Colleges and universities are assessing how they can respond both on and across their campuses.

A native of Haiti, Dumay has served in higher-education finance and administration at senior and executive levels for nearly two decades. Before joining Elms, he served for five years as senior vice president for Finance and chief financial officer for St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. He is currently a commissioner of the New England Assoc. of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, a board member of the Boston Foundation’s Haiti Development Institute, and a member of the board of directors and finance committee of the Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, N.H. He is also board founder and chair for a small nonprofit dedicated to development projects in Haiti.

The Instant Issues Series is sponsored by Wilbraham & Monson Academy and Sir Speedy. The World Affairs Council is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization established in Springfield in 1926 to promote civil discussion of foreign policy based “on information, not prejudice or propaganda.”

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College named Chris Hakala director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship. The newly created academic-affairs position was developed through the college’s strategic planning process, and the center strives to foster intellectual engagement across the curriculum through evidence-based programs and services that increases collaboration, communication, and community to promote the enhancement of student learning.

“I am excited to join Springfield College and work with such an exceptional group of faculty and students,” said Hakala. “My hope is to turn our Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Scholarship into the premier center in the area. I believe we have all the pieces in place to do this, and our faculty and students will benefit so much from the increased conversations around excellence in pedagogy.”

Hakala brings more than 20 years of experience as a faculty member at various institutions in higher education. Most recently, he served as executive director for the Center for Teaching and Learning at Quinnipiac University. Before joining Quinnipiac, he taught psychology at the University of New Hampshire, Gettysburg College, Lycoming College, American International College, and Western New England University, where he served as director of the Center for Teaching and Learning from 2009 to 2014.

Hakala earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Castleton State College, and his master’s degree and PhD in psychology from the University of New Hampshire.

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) will host a graduate open house today, March 27 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Sprague Cultural Arts Center on the AIC campus located at 1000 State St. in Springfield.

The open house is for the working professional looking to attend graduate school and is designed to give prospective students access to all the information they need in one convenient location while providing an opportunity to meet faculty, staff, and other students in order to gain insight to AIC programs, admission processes, college financing, and housing.

According to Kerry Barnes, AIC’s dean of Graduate Admissions, “AIC offers an array of master and doctoral degree programs in business, psychology, education, and the health sciences, including nursing, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, with blended and online programs to help advance career opportunities. We know that time is extremely valuable between demanding work schedules and family life. Our goal is to offer an open house that welcomes working professionals and makes it easy for them to gather helpful information as they consider next steps in their career aspirations.”

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College has selected Professor Samuel Headley of the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation in the department of Exercise Science as its inaugural recipient of the Karpovich Chair for Wellness at Springfield College. This award honors and supports Headley’s record of scholarship and innovation in exercise science.

It is a competitive, three-year, honorary appointment that promotes interdisciplinary research across health-science fields through the testing of ideas and the creation of new initiatives and practices that have the potential to be brought to scale and lead to a sustainable avenue of scholarship that would be competitive for future external funding. The new chair will pursue collaborative and interdisciplinary scholarship in the area of wellness.

Graduates from the class of 1954 established an endowment in honor of their 50th reunion to recognize Peter Karpovich, a member of the Springfield College faculty from 1927 until 1969. He was a founder the American College of Sports Medicine and is widely considered the father of exercise physiology in the U.S., having published more than 130 journal articles in the field.

A professor of exercise physiology, Headley joined Springfield College in 1992 as an assistant professor, receiving promotion to associate professor in 1997 and to professor in 2003. He is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and a registered clinical exercise physiologist. He has served as a principal investigator or co-investigator on numerous grants and contracts, including a major award from the National Institutes of Health and, most recently, a contract with Relypsa Inc. to examine nutritional, behavioral, pharmaceutical, and counseling interventions with patients suffering from chronic kidney disease.

As the first Karpovich Chair awardee, Headley will lead a nationwide team of 12 scholars and researchers to delve into the potential interactions of prebiotic supplementation and moderate aerobic exercise training on critical health concerns of chronic kidney-disease patients, ranging from inflammatory responses that predispose kidney patients to premature death due to cardiovascular disease to psychological markers of health and well-being.

“Our group is excited for this opportunity to test our hypotheses because we believe our work has the potential to positively impact upon the lives of patients who have chronic kidney disease,” Headley explained. “The study that we have proposed is the result of the collaborative efforts of members of our research team.” The Karpovich chair comes with a commitment of $40,000 annually over three years to support the project.

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) joined the Hispanic Assoc. of Colleges and Universities (HACU) as an associate member.

HACU was established in 1986 with a founding membership of eighteen institutions. It now represents more than 470 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher-education success in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Latin America, and Spain. While member institutions in the U.S. represent only 13% of all higher-education institutions nationwide, together these colleges and universities are home to two-thirds of all Hispanic college students.

HACU’s commitment to Hispanic achievement in education ranges from kindergarten through graduate school and into the work force of tomorrow. Key among the organization’s goals is to improve access to and quality of post-secondary educational opportunities for Hispanic students.

“The educational enrichment that results from a culturally diverse population is one of our strengths,” said American International College President Vince Maniaci. “As an institution, AIC has a higher dedication to provide access, opportunity, and diversity for all students as they make their way in a rapidly changing world.”

SPRINGFIELD — The Zoo in Forest Park is hosting its first-ever Wine Safari on Thursday, March 29 from 5 to 8 p.m.

The concept of Wine Safari is unique to the area. Up to eight tasting stations will be set up throughout the ninth-floor art gallery at 1350 Main St. in Springfield, where guests will enjoy red and white wines from around the world, including Australia, California, Italy, France, South Africa, Germany, and Argentina.

Each tasting station — and each region represented — will feature animals from the Zoo in Forest Park that are indigenous to that area. Guests will sample wine, interact with the animals, and learn about the animals’ natural habitats. Zookeepers will be on hand to provide information about the animals and lead any interactive activities.

The event will also include the auctioning of an original piece of artwork, depicting the zoo’s resident leopard, Oz. The painting was created and donated by prominent Springfield artist John Simpson.

Admission to Wine Safari is $35, which includes the wine tasting, animal interactions, and a variety of hors d’oeuvres. A cash bar will be available. This event is for ages 21 and up. All proceeds benefit the Zoo in Forest Park and Education Center. Tickets are available on the Zoo’s Facebook page or through its website, www.forestparkzoo.org.

TURNERS FALLS — On Feb. 23, the United Arc held its annual Coffee & Conversation event, an opportunity for legislators in Western Mass. to hear the stories of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

This year, the Coffee & Conversation event brought together experiences in seeking full community inclusion, from the joys of work to struggles against bullying and for full access to education, to the process of gaining acceptance at school and extracurricular activities.

One of the speakers was Tonya Lanpher, parent of a child with autism and a family support specialist at the United Arc. “I think the hardest thing is that people just don’t understand,” she said. “If we can help people understand, then we can create full community inclusion. People don’t understand each other if they don’t spend time together. That’s why full community inclusion is so important.”

Event attendees included U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern; state Sen. Stan Rosenberg; state Reps. Steve Kulik and Solomon Goldstein-Rose; Jon Gould, aide to state Sen. Adam Hinds, and Chris Cappucci, research director for state Rep. Paul Mark. They shared their thoughts on full community inclusion and the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The event was co-sponsored by the Greater Athol Area Advocates for Families with Special Needs, and First Light Power Resources was a supporting sponsor. Other sponsors included 2nd Street Baking Co., Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters, and Greenfield Savings Bank. John Howland, CEO of Greenfield Savings Bank, and Linda Ackerman, assistant vice president and branch manager of the Greenfield Savings Bank Turners Falls branch, were also in attendance.

Founded in 1951, the United Arc provides services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families in Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, and Worcester counties, helping them achieve the universal goals of inclusion, choice, and independence.

FLORENCE — Tom Schiff, the founder and executive director of Phallacies Inc., will receive an Innovative Initiative Award in March for his work with the nonprofit, which helps men create healthy masculinities through dialogue and theatrical performance.

Schiff will receive the honor in person from the Men and Masculinities Knowledge Community of the National Assoc. of Student Personnel Administrators at the organization’s 100th annual conference in Philadelphia on March 3-7. The honor comes as Schiff is poised to begin to expand the organization in the region to reach and impact a broader audience of men of all ages.

Phallacies Inc. provides leadership development, health education, and violence prevention for men via dialogue and innovative educational theater. It was born four years ago through Schiff’s work as a health educator at UMass, where he also founded the Men and Masculinities Center.

Through Phallacies, people who identify as male between the ages of roughly 19 and 35 engage in a dialogue about masculinity and the intersections with other identities, health, violence, and relationships, and then create performance pieces as educational and thought catalysts to encourage changing the cultural scripts about masculinities. Performances take place at colleges, human-service organizations and forums, conferences, and local high schools and middle schools.

Men who are involved include teachers, staff from youth and human-service agencies, and medical students. “They’re interested in getting support for themselves about how to be healthier as a man — physically, emotionally, and psychologically — and to find support for that. They are trying to rethink what it means to be a man in the world,” Schiff said. “People also get involved because they’re interested in violence prevention. Men need to speak up and speak out about these issues to help support more men and boys in creating healthy masculinities.”

Schiff holds a doctoral degree in organization development from UMass, a master’s degree in therapeutic recreation from Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, and a bachelor’s degree in history with certification in secondary social studies from the State University of New York at Cortland.

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) has been named to the list of “Better for Veterans” organizations across the country, earning the 2018 Military Friendly School designation by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs.

Now in its 16th year, the Military Friendly Schools list provides a comprehensive guide for veterans and their families using data sources from federal agencies, veteran students, and proprietary survey information from participating organizations in order to help them select the best college, university, or trade school to receive the education and training needed to pursue a civilian career.

Institutions earning the Military Friendly School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey completed by the school. For the first time, student survey data was taken into consideration for the designation. More than 1,300 schools participated in the 2017-18 survey, with 849 earning the designation.

“American International College is proud to assist those men and women who serve our country,” said AIC President Vince Maniaci. “The college recognizes the value of the many educational and leadership experiences that occur in the Armed Forces, and the excellent foundation that military experience provides. In turn, we give veteran students transfer credits for service in the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard, helping service members and veterans get a head start on earning their degrees.”

SPRINGFIELD — The Melha Shriners, a philanthropic organization based on fun, fellowship, and Masonic principles, announced the official election and installation of their potentate (president) and his Divan (executive board). At its annual meeting, the Melha Shriners presented the potentate’s fez to Glenn Surprenant, the 108th top-ranking Shriner in Western Mass. as the organization enters its 120th year.

A lifelong resident of Western Mass., Surprenant graduated from Classical High School and later pursued his passion for laboratory sciences. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree from American International College in 1976, he became a registered medical technologist in Laboratory Sciences and is currently the director of Radiology at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. 

In 1976, Surprenant married Diane Ruggeri, an assistant nurse manager, Labor & Delivery for Baystate Medical Center. After many years of observing other members of his family join the Masonic fraternity and then the Shrine, Surprenant was raised a Master Mason in the Indian Orchard Lodge in February 2006 and joined the Melha Shriners in March 2006. He has been an active member and past president of the Hadji Unit in 2014. During parades, he can be seen driving one of the brightly colored Jeepsters.

Surprenant’s journey toward becoming the head Shriner in Western Mass. began in 2014 when he was appointed to the Divan line. The fellowship he espouses is seen throughout the Shrine and Shriners Hospitals for Children – Springfield, as his cousin, Al “Poppy” Surprenant, is a member of the clown unit; his brothers, Joseph and Gary Surprenant, are both board of governors members at the hospital; and his son, Andrew, is president of the Melha Oriental Band Unit.

The First Lady’s project, titled “Nursing Education: Making a Difference for the Kids,” will raise funds to provide items not normally allocated in a hospital budget; these educational items will assist the nurses in the transition to acute pediatric rehabilitation care. Said First Lady Diane, “I’d like to add more educational items that will help the staff to do even greater things than they are doing now. My hope is that my project will provide additional tools and the necessary training to expand the high-quality care the children receive here in Springfield.”

SPRINGFIELD — The Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) Foundation awarded a $5,000 grant to Community Music School of Springfield (CMSS) through its Quality of Life Grant Program in honor of Jeanmarie Deliso, CFP.

Through its global grants programs, the MDRT Foundation is committed to building stronger families and communities around the globe. This year, the MDRT Foundation will award more than $1 million in MDRT member-endorsed grants to more than 200 charitable organizations worldwide. Representing the MDRT Foundation, Deliso will present this grant to Community Music School of Springfield on March 23 at its board meeting.

“Special-education students are highly impacted by music, yet historically they have not always had the same access to music education as their typically-developing peers. Nationwide, there is a lack of specific training for music educators to work with special-needs populations,” said Eileen McCaffery, executive director of Community Music School of Springfield.

Trained in both music and special education, CMSS faculty work with Springfield classrooms to teach general music concepts in a way that is accessible to special-education students. The AMP Institute expands the reach of this work by training educators to use these methods in their classrooms.

CHICOPEE — College of Our Lady of the Elms has appointed accomplished higher education finance executive Katie Longley, CPA, of Abilene, Texas the college’s new vice president of Finance and Administration.

Reporting to the president, Longley, who will join Elms College March 26, will be responsible for the strategic oversight and management of the college’s financial resources and operations.

Longley comes to Elms from Abilene Christian University in Texas, where she currently serves as associate vice president of finance. She held successive positions as controller, tax director, and payroll manager, and senior accountant during her tenure with ACU. 

Prior to her work in higher education, Longley was in public accounting, working as an associate for Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP, and then becoming a senior auditor for Davis, Kinard & Co. She holds a master’s degree in accountancy and a bachelor’s degree in business administration, both from Abilene Christian University. 

“I’m very thankful to have been chosen as the new vice president of Finance and Administration for Elms College,” Longley said. “I look forward to making the move to Western Mass. and serving the students, faculty, and staff in ways that contribute to the core values and the mission of the college.”

Longley fills the position vacated by Brian Doherty, MBA, who retired from the college earlier this year.