By Meghan (Canning) Musante ’02
Rob Donoghue ’13 travels each year from Eastern Mass to reconnect with his peers and professors in the Communication Department out of a deep sense of appreciation. A lawyer living in Mansfield, he says the foundation in journalism he received at Westfield State helped him in the legal world and will stay with him for life.
Each year, the department—known as the “Comm” department—hosts many events for alumni, including staples such as a farm-to-table dinner, the Henry Wefing Memorial Golf Classic (known as “The WEF”) and a Home’COMM’ing reception. The goal is to keep alumni connected to the University, something Professor Suzanne Boniface ’92 knows much about.
Boniface is a graduate of the department herself and knows well the importance of maintaining relationships with her own professors. “There was always a sense of caring that they demonstrated about my studies and my well-being,” she says. “I see the same thing in our department today. I believe the nature of the work we perform with our students builds a strong connection that lasts past graduation day.”
While interning with Boniface, Kristen Michaelian ’17 helped organize an event for the Ad Club of Western Mass.
A group of Advance Public Relations students partnered with alumni in the ad industry to view the Ad Club nominees for Best Commercials of the Year. “It was a great networking event,” says Michaelian, of East Longmeadow. “We had the opportunity to talk to the alumni about their experiences while in college, how they went about finding a job after graduation, and where they are now.”
Jennifer Lafleur ’01 also returned this May to speak at commencement. An actor living in Los Angeles and New York City, she told a sea of graduates that her application to Westfield State was initially rejected. Lafleur made an in-person visit to the Admissions Office to plead for her acceptance, and her moxie paid off. As a student, she became a leader in the Communication Club and Musical Theater Guild.
In photo: Kristen Michaelian ’17, Barbara Daubitz ’89, Professor Suzanne Boniface ’92, and Gina Battista ’19 at last year’s Farm-to-Table event.
