A Newsletter Celebrating Mitchell College Alumni | Summer 2023 | |
Congratulations to the Class of 2023! | |
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At the 79th Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 13,
125 graduates joined the ranks of Mitchell College alumni.
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Connecticut Attorney General William Tong delivered the commencement address. | |  |
Molly Steel-Miller '23 gave the student address. | | |
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From the Alumni Charge:
"Your Commencement does not represent an end of your connection to Mitchell College but an important beginning. As you move out into the world with hope and courage to start a new career or further your education, remember this place...the people who support one another and experience scholarship and community together. Community is the heart of Mitchell College."
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Andrew Castagna '15 delivered the alumni charge. | | |
Soaring to New Heights for a World of Good | |
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A piece of advice that Pauline Batista ’14 would give to Mitchell College students and graduates is, “Take advantage of the fact that the college is so small. Mitchell is very unique with an extremely nurturing environment. It gives you the confidence you need to go on with your career. Don’t be afraid. Just go out there and dream as big as you’d like because the sky’s the limit.”
Currently a journalist and producer for the UN News division of the United Nations in New York City, Batista is thankful for the strong foundation she built at Mitchell as she pursues her own big dreams.
“The generosity of the faculty and the small setting of the college made a huge difference for me as someone who had recently moved from Brazil. I am very grateful for a generous scholarship that I received, and when I think about Mitchell it’s fond memories and beautiful things,” Batista said.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication with a concentration in media production and performance and said that she uses skills and knowledge learned from her coursework and extracurricular activities—like drama—regularly in her job today.
“Classes in persuasion, theater production, filmmaking and video production prepared me well for what I am doing today, especially for knowing how to handle getting that critique when you’re out in the field producing and delivering content. It’s really cool that what I learned in the classroom is what I am doing now in my job,” she said.
After graduating from Mitchell, Batista earned a master’s degree in international studies from the University of Connecticut and continues there in a doctoral program in educational policy, a move which led her to her current job with the UN.
“Mitchell, as a school that wasn’t so overwhelming, helped build the foundation that I needed to go on to UConn, which was a super-overwhelming university experience. Now I’m at the UN, with 35,000 employees. It’s huge, and Mitchell was excellent for helping me build my foundation.”
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Batista said that it’s rewarding to use the combination of her degrees in the work she is pursuing. Prior to her full-time job at the UN, she worked with UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), “an organization that was the blueprint for international relations in the world.” She also said she used filmmaking as “a research method to get the attention of policy makers in Latin American countries.”
Today, she said, “typically the stories that I have to cover have to do with human rights or the intersection of human rights and entertainment. They are stories about what the UN does and about folks who work with the UN as ambassadors. My job is super hectic and super rewarding!”
[Editor’s note: Batista’s interview with Mitchell College Communications was conducted as she waited at the Tribeca Film Festival, hoping to ask questions of celebrity UN supporters. See her UN News tweet to watch her in action!]
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Mariner Alums Brought Love of Sport Overseas | |
Parris Hill Jr. with President Espy | |
Parris Hill Jr. '16
After earning a bachelor’s degree in communication, Parris Hill Jr. ’16, played basketball for Nuovo Cestistica Barletta Basketball in Barletta, Italy.
He said, “Besides the hard grind of basketball practices at Mitch, the communication program helped get me ready for Italy. It really got me out of my shell and more open to things. No one spoke English in my city in Italy, and there were a lot of required duties that I had to fulfill with my team representing the basketball organization. I had to be open to finding ways to interact with my teammates, fans and in my daily travels.”
Currently an environmental consultant specialist for a bio company in Northern California, Hill said his favorite memory of Mitchell is “winning the NECC Championship in 2014. It was the first championship for the program. What a wild day of emotions before and after the game! All worth it. History.”
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Colizel Lewis '18
After earning his bachelor’s degree in health sciences, Colizel Lewis ’18 headed to the United Kingdom, where he played basketball for the Newcastle Knights, part of the British Universities & Colleges Sport league and the National Basketball League, Division 2. But that’s not all he did. While he was there he also earned a master’s degree in regenerative medicine and stem cells from Newcastle University.
Today he works as a researcher at a biotech startup company in South San Francisco, focusing on finding treatment for Parkinson’s disease. He said he looks forward to continuing to grow as a scientist and a professional.
“Mitchell prepared me to live internationally because of the diverse student population that we had. I met so many people during my time at Mitchell with different backgrounds and from various states. Mitchell also prepared me academically to be successful in graduate school in the United Kingdom, and I credit that to the wonderful professors and advisors that I had!” he said.
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Markus Melendez and sister Mikaela in front of the Louvre in Paris |
Markus Melendez '19
Markus Melendez ’19, an assistant property manager for 33Realty, a Poplar Company, in Chicago, spent three summers living and playing professional baseball in several European countries, including France, Germany, Czech Republic and Sweden.
Melendez felt prepared to go out into the world after earning his bachelor’s in
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communication and said, “Mitchell’s diverse student body and faculty were a major contributor to my ability to acclimate to the many different cultures I was fortunate enough to immerse myself in. That, coupled with Mitchell’s ability-based learning model, provided me with the confidence to take a chance and go overseas.”
He stresses the importance of ability-based learning not only for giving confidence to immerse himself in new cultures across Europe but also for transitioning back into a job outside of athletics.
“The emphasis on ability-based learning is one of the things I am most grateful to Mitchell for. I firmly believe that in today’s work environment and society, the ability to adapt is paramount. Learning the skills to do so are what afforded me not only the ability to live out my dream as a professional baseball player while living overseas, but now the ability to transfer into the ‘corporate world’ of property management.”
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Dean Roberts and Marc Goldsmith | |
Goldsmith and Roberts Leave Indelible Mark on the College
Professors Marc Goldsmith and Dean Roberts, who began their careers at Mitchell College in different eras of the last century, recently retired after a combined 91 years of teaching tens of thousands of students. Their contributions are hard to measure, but the standard they set for excellence in teaching remains a constant at the college.
Goldsmith, who came to Mitchell 55 years ago in 1968, arrived in the midst of the Vietnam War. Roberts started 36 years ago, in 1987, years before the explosion of cell phones, laptop computers and smart boards. Times changed for these faculty, as Mitchell College went from a two-year to a four-year school, but their dedication to their students didn’t.
Marc Goldsmith
Marc Goldsmith, associate professor of communication, held myriad roles during his tenure, including dean of students, associate dean for instruction and academic programs, assistant dean for special programs and interim vice president of academic affairs/dean of the college. He also founded the college radio station (WRMC) and coached golf.
“Mitchell has always been a special place, connected to the community. It’s created memories and improved people’s lives,” he said. “I get messaged every once in a while thanking me for what I have done,” he said.
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One thankful student traveled all the way from Texas to New London recently to attend a retirement party given by the college for the two professors. Dr. John Russell ’73 wanted to express his gratitude for his professor in person. The ‘B’ that Goldsmith gave Russell, who was valedictorian of his class, was the lowest grade (and only ‘B’) that he received at Mitchell.
In a thank you for the celebration, Russell wrote, “…Mr. Goldsmith is an honest grader. As a consequence of this fact, his fall semester course was the first occasion in which I had ever practiced serious self-criticism in my own writing. My writing improved thereafter, but slowly…The practice of self-criticism in English composition proved to be a lifetime benefit for me and I am indebted to Mr. Goldsmith more than anyone else for this blessing.” He added that the first ‘A’ that he received on a paper in Goldsmith’s class was regarded by him as “a particularly significant milestone in my academic career.” Russell went from Mitchell to MIT, where he earned four degrees, including a doctorate, in the fields of mathematics, aeronautics and astronautics.
Reflecting on his time at Mitchell College, Goldsmith said, “I will miss the camaraderie of the faculty and the challenge of the classroom. I will miss that the most.”
Dean Roberts
In addition to teaching exercise science and sport management, Dean Roberts committed himself to coaching two Mitchell teams—soccer for 29 years and baseball for 15 years.
“I have loved my dual role as a teacher and a coach. I spent a lot of time with the student-athletes in the classroom and on the athletic fields, and I enjoyed seeing their growth as students, from their first year to their final year. In many cases it was a complete transformation, from recruitment to graduation. As I watched students walk across the stage, I gained satisfaction that I had a positive effect on these young people.”
Parker Beard ’10, ’12 (who earned an associate and a bachelor’s degree) wrote in a thank you to Roberts: “…I was struggling to get the hang of college and I thought about quitting. You took me under your wing, you made sure I didn’t give up, you pushed me to go get help. I remember that you told me you wanted to see me on stage on Graduation Day…without your guidance, I wouldn’t be where I am in my life today!”
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A self-described high school “underdog,” Roberts said he has related to many Mitchell students.
“I was not the best student and didn’t have many leadership opportunities. But there were people along the way who gave me the confidence to succeed. In turn, here I saw many students flourish in the classroom and on the playing field. They were given the opportunity to become campus and athletic leaders at Mitchell.”
Through their tireless dedication and steady commitment to student success, Marc Goldsmith and Dean Roberts have had a lasting impact on Mitchell College. They have inspired countless students to find their purpose and achieve their goals. Likewise, they have inspired the faculty who remain to continue their legacy of providing a student-centered learning environment that builds confidence and prepares students to make their mark in the world.
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SAVE THE DATE: Destination Mitchell 2023
October 13–15
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Make Mitchell your destination for Fall Weekend 2023! Come back to Mitchell and celebrate our school’s 85th anniversary and, if you are a "Class of 3s," your graduating class’s special year.
Begin your weekend at Friday’s evening event, and on Saturday cheer on our athletic teams at the tailgate, followed by a special “Class of 3s” celebration with your fellow alums. Round out the weekend with Sunday’s brunch. But most of all, relive your Mitchell memories with those who made your time here special!
Friday, October 13
Evening celebratory event on campus
Saturday, October 14
Tailgate Party—Cheer on our athletic teams
“Class of 3s” Celebration—Join your fellow alums for a reception with light refreshments
Sunday, October 15
Brunch on Campus
MORE TO COME CLOSER TO THE EVENT!
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Calling All Class of 3s Alumni | |
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Connect with your classmates and volunteer to help us make the Class of 3s Celebration at Fall Weekend a blast by helping us plan the event!
Contact: Jen Welsh, Director of Alumni Engagement
Email: welsh_j@mitchell.edu
Call: 860-701-7929
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Mitchell Milestones
Share your milestones (births, graduations, marriages, moves, new jobs, etc.) here. Please include your contact information.
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Cynthia (Paltrineri) Klocek '94 works as a realtor in central Massachusetts.
Kathryn Poniatowski '13 works for the Ocean Avenue LEARNing Academy in New London as a job coach with students from Pre-K to 21 years doing vocational tasks. She is engaged to Mitchell alum Andrew Collins '11. An August 2024 wedding is planned.
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Johnny Banks '15 earned an M.A. in educational psychology from the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. He now works at the UConn Avery Point campus as an academic advisor.
Jaleesa Peeples '16 has worked as an English as a Second Language instructor at Canada Institute Schools, Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi, South Korea.
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Hannah Corrigan '21 has a new job with the Needham (Mass.) Parks and Recreation Department as assistant director in charge of aquatics.
Anna Lambert '22 accepted a position as a behavior technician at Attain ABA, helping children and adolescents who are on the autism spectrum.
In Memoriam
Harold Lewis Cole Jr. '58
Rachel Pfanner '01
Natalie Capeles '12
Cristian Pataquiva Medina '23
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Mitchell Hub Benefits Growth Plans for Employers and Employees
The Mitchell Hub for Digital Innovation and Educational Excellence is a resource for both employers looking to upskill their workforce and for employees preparing to take the next step in their careers.
As an employer, you can integrate the Mitchell Hub into your company’s growth plan by offering online learning to your employees. A variety of career tracks in topics critical to achieving your business goals are available (including technology, healthcare, business operations and management). Courses are offered with flexible timing, accommodating work schedules. If you are an employer wanting to learn more, please connect with Karen Bellnier, director of digital innovation, at bellnier_k@mitchell.edu or 860-701-5415.
As an employee, you can use the Mitchell Hub as a center for professional learning and upskilling, earning online microcredentials for in-demand careers. Your success as a learner is supported every step of the way. Advisors, mentors and support staff are available to help choose your course and be successful in completing it. For more information, visit hub.mitchell.edu.
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