Gertrude Strohhaker Finn, ’l3, was recognized in the Record-Journal for her generosity. When she began her teaching career in 1911, Finn saved money from each paycheck to create a scholarship for public school students in Wallingford, Conn. After she died in 1991, Finn left $360,000 to a privately administered scholarship fund. So far, about 63 students have been awarded scholarships through her foresight.

Lois Hayes Anderson, ’54, taught second grade at Truman Street School in New Haven, Conn., and has lived in Newton, Kan., with her husband, Jay, since 1964.

Arthur Ceccarelli, ’61, M.S. ’69, a retired Milford, Conn., educator was a major league baseball player for the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, and Kansas City (now Oakland) Athletics while attending Southern. Ceccarelli taught at the Kay Avenue School and Milford High School for 30 years.

William P. Wrinn, Jr., ’62, 6th Yr. ’75, was honored by the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents when the Hatton Elementary School preschool center in Southington, Conn., was formally dedicated to William’s memory and his focus on the needs of children in special education.

James Barber, ’64, M.S. ’74, director of Student Supportive Services at Southern, was honored by the state’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission when he received the Leadership Award in January 2008 at the Connecticut state capitol.

Sylvia Nichols, ’64, has been inducted into the Floral Society of American Florists (SAF) at the annual SAF’s convention in Palm Springs, Calif. Nichols is a freelance designer and educator in Cheshire, Conn., and the campus director and design instructor for the Connecticut Florists Association Design School in Monroe.

Marie Sampson, ’65, has been named a Gold Ring recipient by the Water-Oak Gold Circle of Sports in Watertown, Conn. Sampson was the girls’ basketball coach at Watertown High School for 20 years and the girls’ tennis coach for 15 years. Sampson is active in Special Olympics, serving as assistant gymnastics coach for five years.

Trudy Dujardin, ’67, has been invited to join Traditional Home Magazine’s Green Advisory Panel. Dujardin is a national expert on nontoxic building materials and sustainable design.

Mary Lou Alberetti, M.S.N ’69, professor emeriti of Southern, was the featured artist from January through April 2008 at the Marie Louise Trichet Gallery in Litchfield, Conn. Both she and her husband, Robert, professor of art at Western Connecticut State University, have studios in New Fairfield, Conn.

Edward Aston, ’69, M.S. ’74, Cheshire High School swimming coach and former Southern swimming captain, has received the United States Sports Academy Distinguished Service Award.

Gregory Speck, ’69 will retire after 30 years with ABF Freight Systems.

Ruth Irene Eren, ’71, M.S. ’75, M.S. ’84, accepted an invitation to speak to the Woodbury-Bethlehem Special Education Parent Teacher Association in the spring of 2008. Eren was instrumental in developing Southern’s graduate level program in autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disorders with public schools across the state.

Carol A. Flament, ’72, M.S. ’73, has been named director, H.R. Consulting, at Masonicare in Wallingford, Conn. Flament is an adjunct professor at Southern.

Cynthia J. Anderson, ’73, has been promoted to assistant vice president, retirement plan officer with the Washington Trust Company bank in North Stonington, Conn.

John Walcott, ’73, has been named vice president and tax director with the RVI Group of Stamford, Conn. Walcott will focus on development of corporate tax strategy and administration of corporate tax affairs. He earned his M.B.A. from Pace University.

Margaret Borchers, ’74, M.L.S. ’00, has been appointed the director of the Edith Wheeler Memorial Library in Monroe, Conn. Borchers formerly worked at the Derby Neck Library.

Elizabeth M. Osga, ’74, has been named the new superintendent of the Region 18 School Board in Griswold, Conn.

Gary C. Scarpa, ’74, M.S. ’91, and Francesca Scarpa, ’76, are the owners of Center Stage on Center Street in Shelton, Conn. The Scarpas met as students at Southern while working on a summer musical, “She Haunts Me.”

William H. McKernan, ’75, M.S. ’80, has retired after 30 years in the Southington School System in Connecticut. He is now employed as a chemical analyst at Phoenix Environmental Laboratories in Manchester, Conn.

Michael J. Votto, M.S. ’76, and Ann Donarumo Votto, ’72, have three children—two of whom are teachers, and four grandchildren: a two-year old and 18-month old triplets. Michael has been teaching for 36 years in North Branford, Conn., and Ann is employed at Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Conn.

William Riley Dyson, M.S. ’77, 6th Yr. ’82, is a member of the New Haven Board of Aldermen, a state representative since 1977, and co-chairman of the budget-writing appropriations committee for 16 years. Dyson retired from a 37-year teaching career.

Christine L. Engel, M.S. ’77, was named by Governor M. Jodi Rell as the commissioner for the Workers’ Compensation Commission. Engel is an attorney with the Nicholas Law Firm in Torrington, Conn. Before her law career, she was a middle school teacher at Regional School District 14 in Woodbury, Conn. She earned her law degree from the University Of Connecticut School of Law.

Debra (Napoli) Danker, ’79, owns and operates Seniors Helping Seniors In-Home Services in Branford, Conn. During her 30 years in nursing, she has worked in hospitals, education, in surgical centers, and as a nurse athletic trainer.

James V. Harris, ’79, a commander in the U.S. Navy reserve, recently returned from deployment in Iraq. He assumed the position of chief of staff for the Navy Reserve Defense Logistics Headquarters.

Karen Ward, ’79, is a new assistant professor of graphic design and fine arts at Mitchell College in New London, Conn. She brings experience as director of art for custom publication at The Day, and as a freelance graphic designer.

Kevin J. Cunningham, M.S. ’80, heads commercial lending and treasury services for Bank of America throughout New England, New York, and New Jersey. Cunningham lives in Simsbury, Conn., with his wife, Cheryl, and their three children.

Linda Perfetto, ’80, was named nurse administrator for the Connecticut Community Colleges Nursing Program.

Sue Hopkins-Terrell, ’82, coached Norwich Free Academy to its ninth Eastern Connecticut Conference championship. She has been the Wildcat’s coach for all of its championship wins, including eight-consecutive victories. She has been with the program for close to 20 years, the last 13 as head coach.

Katherine Liontas-Warren, ’82, is a professor of art in the School of Liberal Arts at Cameron University in Oklahoma. Liontas-Warren was inducted into the Faculty Hall of Fame in 2008 and has achieved national recognition as an artist.

Karen Rezendes, 6th Yr. ’84, Connecticut’s Teacher of the Year in 2001, was unanimously chosen by the school board to be Danbury High School’s new principal.

Claire Fournier, ’85, has been named the Toffolon School District’s teacher of the year. Fournier is now a candidate to be Connecticut Teacher of the Year. She has been teaching for 30 years.

Don Curioso, ’86, is the production manager at The Boston Conservatory in Massachusetts and has been married for nine years. Curioso is the father of two sons.

Lisa Ioli, ’86, has been named the new director of St. John’s Preschool in Darien, Conn.

Kristin M. Jacobi, M.L.S. ’86, is serving as the president of the New England Library Association. Jacobi also received a sabbatical leave from Eastern Connecticut State University to be the Volunteer Librarian at the Charles Darwin Research Station Library in the Galapagos Islands for three months during the Spring 2008 semester. Her daughter, Ali, graduated from Southern in 2008.

David Ocame, ’86, recently accepted a position at Molecular NeuroImaging, LLC, in New Haven, Conn. He was formerly employed by Yale University as a research associate.

Daniel Scavone, M.S. ’86, became the sixth principal of Holy Cross High School in Waterbury, Conn. He was an assistant principal and athletics director at Woodland Regional High School in Beacon Falls, Conn.

E. Kerry Cardinal, ’87, has been appointed activities director at Ridgefield Crossings in Danbury, Conn. Previously he was the administrator of The Homesteads at Newtown assisted living community. Cardinal is also a graduate of Walt Disney University in Orlando, Fla.

Dan Semosky, ’87, is the new head of Oxford law enforcement, overseeing the work of three other resident state troopers and nine Oxford police officers. Semosky lives in Newton, Conn., with his wife and daughter.

Lynn Waldron, ’87, is a Latin teacher at Southington High School and was recently recognized as the 2008-2009 teacher of the year.

Karen Elyse, ’89, has been promoted to executive director, events and sports marketing, of Golf Digest in New York, N.Y. Elyse also will oversee a number of annual events including the Golf Digest Celebrity Invitational and the Golf Digest Publications Celebrity Chef Class.

Lynn Zaffino, ’89, is the children’s librarian at the Easton Public Library. Zaffino and her husband, Michael, ’88, have owned and operated a used bookstore in Guilford, Conn.

Colleen Angela Palmer, M.S. ’90, 6th Yr. ’93, has been selected as the superintendent of public schools in Monroe, Conn.

John Bogart, ’91, has been promoted to president of Integro in Meriden, Conn. The Oxford resident joined the company as sales and marketing manager in 1995. In 1999, he was promoted to vice president of sales and marketing.

Albert Municino, M.A. ’91, has attended the New Jersey Library Association conference and has been invited to attend the New Jersey Academy of Library Leadership conference. He looks forward to attending the Canadian Library Association conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, as well.

Lee Panagoulias, Jr., ’91, M.S. ’98, 6th Yr. ’05, has been promoted to assistant principal at Branford High School in Connecticut.

John W. Barile, ’93, M.S. ’96, 6th Yr. ’98, formerly of West Shore Middle School, is now the principal at Joseph A. Foran High School in Milford, Conn.

Ron L. Landry, ’93, is a newly ordained deacon of the Diocese of Bridgeport. Landry was a radio personality, producer, and writer for several Connecticut stations before changing careers. He has been a teacher at Franklin School in Stratford, Conn., for 14 years.

Kiran Pal Singh, M.S. ’93, was recently promoted to senior manager at Baxter Healthcare. Singh lives in Mullica Hill, N.J.

Michael Susi, ’93, has accepted the position of principal of Haddam-Killingworth Middle School in Connecticut.

Alexandria Earl-Givan, ’94, a Pan American Games gold medalist, was inducted into the Wilbur Cross High School Hall of Fame in April 2008.

Christopher Oliveira, ’94, has been appointed by Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell as a family support magistrate. Oliveira is an attorney with a solo practice in Old Lyme, Conn., that focuses on family law. He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Law and received his master’s degree from Columbia University.

Michelle Aube-Barton, 6th Yr. ’95, received the Texas National Distinguished Principal Award. Aube-Barton lives in El Paso, Texas.

Donald Collins Barbee, Jr., M.S. ’95, a former police officer and FBI agent, now leads the Brooksville, Fla., county’s state attorney’s office. In this position, the six-year veteran prosecutor will make the final call on whether to file or drop criminal charges. He also will handle extradition cases, public records requests, and internal office matters.

David DeRosa, ’95, is a practicing chiropractic physician and presented, “The Three Solutions to Your Health Problems” at the Meriden Public Library, as reported in the Record-Journal.

Kelvin Jefferson, ’95, has been named head basketball coach at South Kent School in Kent, Conn. Jefferson served as the men’s basketball team captain at Southern and led the New England Conference (NECC) in rebounding as a senior.

Judith L. Hinkle, M.L.S. ’96, has been installed on the Norwalk High School Teachers Honor Roll by their alumni association. Hinkle resides in Westport, Conn.

Carrie Goldkopf, ’97, has joined the Elite Health Services of Cos Cob, Conn. Goldkopf specializes in the areas of strength and conditioning personal training and various therapeutic massage modalities.

Alice M. Jain, ’97, was awarded the Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing. Jain is a case manager with the East Lyme office of Connecticut Visiting Nurse Association.

Dawn Higginson, ’98, has been selected by the Board of Selectmen in Oxford, Conn., as the town’s library director. The Friends of the Library in Oxford hosted a reception for her in February 2008.

Ian Neviaser, M.S. ’98, 6th Yr. ’98, has been selected as the new principal for Valley Regional High School in Guilford, Conn.

Derick T. Newton, ’98 was recognized by the Carroll Star News in Carroll, Ga., for positively influencing the quality of life in their county. Newton, an ordained minister, holds membership in the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce and is chairman of its membership committee. He also is chairman of the local chapter of the NAACP economic development team and writes a financial column for the Carroll Star News.

Karen (Signor) Pappas, ’98, was honored by Platt High School in Meriden, Conn., at the 2008 Athletic Hall of Fame annual dinner. Pappas was a standout swimmer who established school swimming standards that survived 25 years. Pappas had set seven school records upon graduation from Platt in 1984.

Tung Hoang, ’99, held a silk screening workshop on the New Haven Green during the International Festival of Arts and Ideas in June 2008.

Michelle Lazurek, ’00, and her husband run the Sunday services of the Praxis Church in Wallingford, Conn. The church is part of the Christian and Missionary Alliance and was started with 12 members. Lazurek is a head teacher at the Wallingford YMCA’s Learning Community Day Care at Choate Rosemary Hall.

Diana Manousos, ’01, who earned her master of fine arts degree from the University of Arts in Philadelphia, has also been teaching at Norwalk High School. Manousos had her art on display at the Bella Luna Café in Norwalk, Conn., in March 2008.

Ioan Pop, ’01, has been working for the New York Police Department Intelligence Division since June 2005 as an Intelligence Research Specialist.

Gina Malgieri, ’02, has been named marketing and community relations manager for Ashlar of Newtown, Masonicare’s nursing and rehabilitation facility. She will manage all marketing and community outreach initiatives for long-term care and the short-term inpatient rehabilitation program.

Keith Rafaniello, 6th Yr. ’02, was appointed principal of Wamogo Regional High School in Litchfield, Conn.

He was the director of technology for Plymouth Public Schools.

Janet Colandrea, ’03, led a jewelry-making workshop at The Arts Center in Killingworth, Conn., in May 2008.

Richard Conroy, M.L.S. ’03, is the new executive director for the library in Essex, Conn. Conroy worked most recently as director of information technology services for the Stratford Public Library. He resides in Middletown, Conn.

Carol J. Martin, M.S. ’03, has been appointed the Westport Housing Authority’s executive director. The position is part-time and Martin will continue as director of housing development at a Bridgeport-based not-for-profit organization that develops permanent, supportive housing, primarily in Fairfield County, Conn.

Jeffrey F. Solan, 6th Yr. ’03, is the Dodd Middle School’s new principal in Cheshire, Conn.

Christopher Machol, M.S. ’04, is the junior varsity football coach for Lewis S. Mills High School in Burlington, Conn. Machol is the former wellness teacher and coach of Farmington High School’s junior varsity and freshman football team.

Amanda Valden, ’04, of Portland, Conn., a holistic-health counselor, operates Healthy Plate Healthy Path, which helps people restructure how they eat and achieve their personal goals. A student at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City, she became a certified holistic counselor in June 2008.

Shawn Fields, M.L.S. ’05, is the new director of the Huntington Branch Library in Shelton, Conn. Fields previously worked at Quinnipiac University’s Arnold Bernard Library.

Jeffrey Hilliard, ’05, was the winner of the Michael C. Reilly Memorial “Hard Charger” Award at his graduation from the Connecticut Fire Academy.

Shawn M. O’Brien, M.S. ’05, is an owner of ExcelFitness in West Hartford, Conn., and completed his first bodybuilding show in July 2007. He is a certified health/fitness instructor with the American College of Sports Medicine and has been an educational instructor for that organization for a number of their annual national workshops.

Susan Kirkeby, ’07, is working as a summer associate for the law firm of Halloran & Sage, LLP, in Hartford, Conn. Kirkeby is a member of the class of 2010 at the University of Connecticut School of Law.

Anthony Fantano, ’08, is the musical host of The Needle Drop, a WNPR radio program, which is an affiliate of National Public Radio. He can be heard on Saturdays at 10 p.m.