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¹ú²úÓ´Ó´ honored four remarkable alumnae last weekend during its annual Alumni Reunion. Leslie Scheer ’75, Courtney Whalen ’00 G’09, Kristen Ferraro, ’94 ’08, and Donna Drouin ’68 G’08 were recognized for their leadership, community-mindedness, and support of ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´.

The Recent Alumni Award is given to an alumna of the University who graduated within the last 10 years and shows great promise as a leader. For 2018, the University recognized Kristen Ferraro, Class of ’94 and a 2008 business management alumna from the One Day program. After a successful marketing career at several large companies, Kristen decided to pursue her true passion and is now an actor, singer, and film producer. She was the executive producer of the horror film, “She Came From the Woods,” which has been accepted at over 60 film festivals worldwide and has won over 20 awards. She will play the lead in a web comedy series, “A Coupla Pros,” set to air online in Spring 2019. Ferraro, a firm believer in the mission of ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´, has led LinkedIn workshops, presented at Career Summits, and participated in the University’s Women’s Leadership Conference, including leveraging her professional connections to engage Oprah Winfrey as a speaker. A donor to the One Day program and the Friends of the Performing Arts, Kristen is a member of ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´’s Legacy Society.

The James McGill Carpe Diem Award, named in honor of ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´ graduate James McGill, Class of 1935, recognizes an alumna whose educational, employment and civic contributions truly epitomize the University’s Motto—Carpe Diem (Seize the Day). Donna Drouin, Class of ’68 and a 2008 graduate of ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´’s Master of Science in Communications and Information Management, was the 2018 recipient. Drouin’s 40-year-plus successful career has included positions with major companies such as United Technologies; Aetna; and Optum (UnitedHealth Group). Drouin, Six Sigma Black Belt certified, spearheaded the formation of the Patient and Family Advisory Committee at Middlesex Hospital: a group of patients, family, caregivers, and staff whose mission is to achieve the highest quality, safest, and most compassionate care for everyone served. The group became a model for other hospitals, and today, a large number of Connecticut hospitals have established a Patient and Family Advisory Committee. Drouin is a donor to the University’s Annual Fund, Bold Women, and Keep Us On The Path campaigns. She is also a member of the University’s Legacy Society and a former member of the Alumni Association Council.

Leslie Scheer, Class of 1975, was given ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´’s Bold Woman Award, established to recognize women who have dedicated their lives to being bold, taking risks, and striving to achieve their goals with dignity and passion. As the Executive Director of Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands, Scheer was honored with this award because she has devoted her career to providing care and support to the elderly population. Overseeing more than 175 staff and volunteers who provide services ranging from home care to Ombudsman advocates to Meals on Wheels, Scheer has molded Elder Services into one of the most successful agencies in the Commonwealth. An active alumni member, Scheer is a strong supporter of the Annual Fund as well as the Keep Us On The Path campaign for student scholarships, and has attended the Women’s Leadership Conference, and participated in alumni gatherings.

In 2018, the University announced the establishment of a new award: The Power of One Award. It was established to acknowledge an individual, who, through outstanding philanthropy and service to the University, has carved a path for others to follow. Courtney Whalen, Class of 2000, and a 2009 alumna from ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´’s MBA program, was presented with the inaugural award. Since Whalen graduated, she has maintained strong ties to Bay Path, and has served as president of the Alumni Association Council. Currently, she chairs the fundraising committee and is among the youngest members of the University’s giving societies. Whalen is a data management consultant working in MassMutual Financial Group’s new Center for Excellence and has been with the company for more than 18 years to-date after completing an internship as a ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´ student.