“Westfield State is so studentoriented, it breeds a sense of community,” says Alice Perry, Ph.D., J.D., assistant professor of criminal justice.She’s not alone in that thought. Many describe Westfield State as a community as opposed to a university. Its small size gives the unique opportunity for students and faculty to engage on a deep level. To keep that connection strong long after the pomp and circumstance, different departments on campus have started to develop alumni groups.
Led by Dr. Vic Ascolillo, Ph.D., J.D., Dr. Perry, and Marian McGovern M’88, the Westfield State Criminal Justice Alumni group officially formed in 2015 after a year of planning. “We thought that if we could put up pictures of successful alumni in our department, that would serve to inspire and motivate our students,” Dr. Perry says.
The purpose of the Criminal Justice Alumni group is to mentor students; it allows students who have specific career goals in mind to speak to and shadow professionals who work in those roles. The group is run by a board of 10 criminal justice alumni, representing local, regional, and national agencies. Any of the University’s more than 7,000 criminal justice alumni are welcome to join the group.
In March, this alumni group held its inaugural Criminal Justice Alumni Hall of Fame, and 11 alumni were inducted.
“Knowing the sacrifice, dedication, and commitment these professionals have to the rest of us, it became our mission to honor them,” says Dr. Perry. The group also launched the Criminal Justice Alumni Speaker Series, which invites alumni to Westfield State to speak to the campus and local community. The most recent speakers were a panel of professionals who responded to the Boston Marathon Bombing crisis, which Dr. Perry says was “standing room only” and “all the students talked about for days.” Dr. Perry says the group benefits alumni just as much as the University. “The alumni are brought together by bonding over topical issues,” Dr. Perry says. “It keeps us informed on how to keep our program fresh and alive.”
Alumni also benefit by being introduced to students who could become future interns, like Luke Visconti ’16, who interned in Washington, DC, at the FBI headquarters because of an alumni connection.
The CJ group has inspired other departments on campus. The Education Department has started organizing an alumni group and held a “Celebration of Retired Teachers” event in March, and the Communication Department is in the beginning stages of developing an alumni group. The Music Department has an upcoming alumni, student, and faculty concert, which Dr. Andrew Bonacci says builds upon the connection students form as undergrads by spending time together performing.
Dr. Bonacci says, “Connecting alumni and faculty of varied decades with current students by performing live music is a wonderful way to nurture this bond.”
