JAMES MONKS, SR. is keeping up a hectic pace as a volunteer with numerous organizations, especially AARP. He is president of Chapter 4561, a spokesman for the "Divided We Fail" Program, instructor for the Driver Safety Program, and Zone Coordinator for Dutchess/Putnam Counties. Jim also delivers Meals on Wheels in Hyde Park, NY where he lives, and is a member of the board. He is retired from the U.S. Naval Reserve for 30 years and is very active in the American Legion. He volunteers with several more organizations but did not have time to mention them all!

BARBARA DiSTASIO, who retired several years ago from PepsiCo, is an extremely busy member of WCC's Volunteer Corps. In addition to being a Sr. Writing Tutor, Barb is now also a Reading Tutor for three hours each Thursday. She also works at the front desk in the Academic Support Center one and a half days per week, and volunteers one hour per week to work in the Conversation Partner program. Barbara wrote an article on "The Wonderful World of Tutor Talk" which appeared in the Academic Support Center’s spring publication, "Learning Advocate."

1957

CONRAD BREMER and PATRICIA PETRICH BREMER will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in July. They met at WCC, got engaged on Valentine’s Day, and were married on July 5th, 1958. Conrad ("Dutch") Bremer was on the WCC basketball team, and Pat Petrich wrote for The Clipper News and was a member of the Newman Club. The happy couple will be celebrating with a small family party this summer.

1958

GEORGE SEPE and his wife, Vivian, recently moved from Connecticut to Richmond, Texas to escape the cold and the annual fall leaf pickups. George wrote: "As I sit here at my desk it is 72 degrees outside. It's February and my daughter in Connecticut just informed me that they are having freezing rain there. WOW...now I know why we moved. Selling our old home was hard, but the home we bought here is twice as big and half the price. My wife and I (and our two dogs) now live in a 4- bedroom home with 12- foot ceilings. We are retired and feel very fortunate. A word of wisdom to the new graduates: Invest heavily in your retirement and PLAN for it; no one will do it for you! My email is geosep@comcast.net. Hope to talk to yah...!"

1960

JOHN VASZKO writes: "I graduated so long ago I was at the Battle Hill site; the Valhalla site only had secretarial classes. Since then I graduated from SUNY College of Education at Oswego, moved to Maryland and had three kids. Have remarried to the best woman in the world. Had a career in education for 40 years and now that I'm retired I write Mystery stories. I'm about to be published for the first time and the book should be on the market soon. My publisher and I are finalizing changes and workng on the cover design. The name of the story is Mystery at the Inn, and it takes place at a bed and breakfast in Somerset, Pennsylvania. The setting is real and the story uses the building as a backdrop. I expect to get a few more published so some day when I’m on the Oprah show I’ll tell them that I was a graduate of WCC. Thanks for the chance to tell my story to anyone that may have been in my class back in 1960."

1962

JOHN W. ROBSON, former Director of Corporate Risk Management and Insurance at Anheuser-Busch, is enjoying retirement immensely. John lives on Horseshoe Creek Farms, a 37-acre horse ranch in Missouri which he built himself. He raises and trains horses and gives lessons as well. John was a business major at WCC and would like very much to get back in touch with some of his friends from 1961-1962. His e-mail is johnwrobson1@yahoo.com.

1976

STEPHEN FRALEY, Program Coordinator of Fathers Count, a Family Services of Westchester program, recently completed a book entitled Community Integration Workbook, a guide for individuals in transition and for those who counsel and advise them. The Workbook was designed to provide guidance to persons caught up in the vicious cycles of unemployment, homelessness, chronic welfare, drug addiction, criminal behavior, and mental health challenges--and who are making a serious attempt to change their situation. The book offers counseling to those in transition from such institutions as halfway houses, prisons, and homeless shelters, with the goal of helping them become productive members of society once again. It is equally useful for the counseling professional who provides individual or group counseling to persons transitioning into mainstream society from an institutional setting. The book can be purchased from Biddle Publishing Company in Maine and will soon be available at Barnes & Noble stores. Stephen Fraley teaches continuing education courses at WCC and works in the Academic Support Center.

BOB CONGIONTI is Director of Operations for Eluci International, Inc., a Japanese cosmetic component manufacturer in East Rutherford, NJ. Bob recently wrote to the Alumnews: "I attended WCC from 1982-1985, graduated with an Associates in Business Marketing and played for the Men’s Soccer Team for 2 years under Coach Yasinsak.

"I can honestly say they were 2-plus memorable years, from an athletic and educational perspective to having a great time with many friends, both old and new. The professors we had at the time were fantastic and I am sure it still holds true today. One professor that my friends and I still discuss on occasion today is Professor Frank King – what an excellent teacher! Playing soccer was my passion (now I can only watch it!) and at the time I attended WCC I was extremely proud to be part of a team full of talented players and WCC always did have great talent playing the sport. Although it was a dream of mine to one day become a professional in the sport, I did not receive the recognition many on and off the field believed I deserved in order to advance.

"Now I live in Rockland County close to family and friends, have a great wife, 3 daughters and a career that has allowed me to achieve success through hard work and an education from WCC."

ALISON PINSLEYreports that she has been accepted for membership in the Anne Hutchinson Chapter of the DAR and was installed at their annual meeting in May.

CHRISTOLYN WILLIAMS, an Associate Professor in the Behavioral/Social Science Department at WCC, received her Ph.D. in History from the City University of New York Graduate School and University Center (CUNY-GC). Dr. Williams recently published a chapter on Childhood in Antigua and Barbuda in the Greenwood Encyclopedia of Childrens Issues Worldwide (2008).

ROSE A. SICKENIUS, former treasurer for the village of Ossining, is the new director of finance for the Town of Lewisboro in Westchester County. Prior to her new appointment she was treasurer of Ossining from 2003 to 2007; treasurer of Port Chester from 1999 to 2003; deputy comptroller of Mount Pleasant from 1998 to 1999; and deputy treasurer of Croton-on-Hudson from 1989 to 1998. In addition to her many years of municipal financial experience, she has also worked in private industry, holding chief accountant positions at the Croton Time Corporation and Andlinger & Company Inc.

Rose majored in business accounting at WCC and holds a bachelor’s degree in business and public administration from SUNY Empire State College.

JULIANA HUGHES HANBRIDGE, R.D., M.B.A. is a graduate of WCC's Food Service Administration - Dietetic Technology Program. She went on to Marymount College for a B.S. and then to Pace University for her M.B.A., but she says that "WCC was my best educational experience ever!" She recently moved to Oneonta, NY and is an adjunct professor in the Food/Nutrition Program at the SUNY college there. Her long-term goal is to be a college professor and she is currently exploring Ph.D. programs.

THOMAS AMMAZZALORSO, a teacher of United States History and Government at McKinley Technology High School in Washington, DC, is the author of a $100,000 grant from AARP. The Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Award, named in honor of AARP's founder, was granted to MTHS for continued support of their programs addressing the challenge of connecting generations and fostering greater civic engagement among their students and their community. The award is part of AARP's 50th Anniversary celebration.

 On hearing the great news, Tom stated that he and MTHS were "deeply honored and humbled" to have been chosen by AARP for this award.  "A spectacular future is now unfolding for DC Public Schools," he said, "and the students of McKinley Technology High School represent a new generation of leadership for the entire Washington, DC Metropolitan area.  This is an award which will greatly assist them in developing that leadership."

ANTONIO CORREIA and his wife Doris moved to Bo-nita Springs, Florida last year. Antonio is now working for a new TV station, Channel 12 in Bonita Springs, while Doris is working hard at being retired after 33 years of teaching.

JACQUELINE GREENFIELD, ADN ('95)is a Certified Nurse-Midwife at Metropolitan Hospital Center in New York City. She has been on staff there since 1999 and provides full-scope midwifery care including well-woman gynecology, family planning, prenatal care and labor and delivery services to the women of East Harlem. She is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Midwifery from SUNY Downstate Medical Center.

GINA FARLEY HIGGINS, who earned an AA in Liberal Arts from WCC, has received her Master’s Degree in Nursing from the U. of Rochester, and is now a board certified psychiatric nurse practitioner in Connecticut.

FLAVIE BAGNOL, former TV news producer, has joined Thrillist as a director of communications. Thrillist is a free e-mail lifestyle guide for successful young men. Each edition of Thrillist features a fun and fresh take on the best food, drinks, services, travel, gadgets, the latest men's fashions, and more. Flavie invites WCC alumni to subscribe to the free email at www.thrillist.com.

EVANGELINE NEUFVILLE graduated from the WCC nursing program with an AAS degree and is now pursuing her Bachelors in Nursing. She is attending the UNCW/RNAccess online part-time program and plans to graduate in May 2009. Evangeline is currently working in a level four psychiatric hospital in Jacksonville, North Carolina.

MICHAEL ANTHONY CUBRIA graduated with an A.A.S. in Human Services. He went on to Lehman College and in 2007 received his Bachelors in Social Work. He applied and was accepted into the advance standing program at Fordham University, and on May 19th of this year he graduated from Fordham with a Masters in Clinical Social Work. He plans to take the NYS licensure exam in July or August. Michael currently works as the Director of Operations for the Maitri Center in Yonkers, New York, a division of Greyston Health Services.

THERESA MATOS graduated from WCC with an honors AA degree in Social Science and in 2007 she received a B.S. in Applied Psychology from NYU. For the past year she has been earning graduate credits toward a Master's in Health Education while working as a graduate assistant at the U. of Connecticut teaching freshmen about health and wellness. Theresa was recently accepted into Columbia University Teachers College Doctoral Program in Health Education and has been awarded a scholarship; she will begin her doctoral studies at Columbia this fall. "I credit my academic success to my WCC education", said Theresa. "WCC was the key stepping stone to my academic career."

RENATA KELLY graduated from Columbia in May with a 3.3 GPA. She happily reported that in her final semester she got A's for research in the Neuroscience Lab and the Dept. of Psychiatry Behavioral Research Program. "I'm certain that I would not have a degree from Columbia if I did not go to WCC," she said. "I would not have applied without all the people who assured me that I was capable of graduating from an Ivy-League school. I want you to know that I am extremely thankful for the whole institution."