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Student Affairs

Student Affairs

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Division of Student Affairs

Our mission is to create a distinctive learning environment beyond the classroom designed for every student to connect, develop, and thrive.

Whether you are physically with us on campus, or joining us virtually from another location, we are here for you. Our dedicated team of staff is invested in ensuring that you are supported and have countless opportunities to maximize your Bentley experience.

Learn more about Student Affairs

Notable Higher Education Staff Contributions

Awards

ACHA (American College Health Association) Affiliate New Professionals Award 2022-2023
Peter Bellefeuille, Nurse Practioner, Health Center

ACUI (Association of College Unions International) Richard D. Blackburn New Professional Award 2023
Abby Pieger, Assistant Director, Student Programs and Engagement

Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA) Outstanding Change Initiative Award 2021 Bentley University FSL Strategic Planning & Success

Bentley SPEak Award, Advisor of the Year 2023
Julia Barron, Jewish Life Coordinator, Spiritual Life Center 

Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals 2023
Nana Adu, Assistant Director, Student Programs and Engagement

Dedication of the Claudette Blot Multicultural Center Lounge 2023
Claudette Blot, Director, Multicultural Center
Bentley’s redesigned Multicultural Center Lounge was named in honor of Claudette Blot, who, as President Chrite wrote, "has advised, mentored and had a lasting positive impact on so many in our community, but especially our students of color. This will become the first space on campus named after a person of color, and Claudette is tremendously deserving of this honor."

Doreen Floyd "It will be Fine Award" 2021
Claudette Blot, Director, Multicultural Center
This award is presented annually to a member of the division who, facing unexpected adversity, persevered with a program or service and brought it to a positive conclusion.

Doreen Floyd "It will be Fine Award" 2022
Jessica Roche, Police Captain
This award is presented annually to a member of the division who, facing unexpected adversity, persevered with a program or service and brought it to a positive conclusion.

East Bridgewater High School Hall of Fame, 2022 Inductee
Michael Hill, Head Coach, Baseball
Massachusetts Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (MACLEA) Innovations in Community Policing Award 2021 Travis Rixford, Detective Sergeant

Massachusetts Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (MACLEA) Ralph Avery Leadership Development Award 2021
Frank Bourgeois, Chief of Police

Massachusetts Association of Campus Law Enforcement for Meritorious Service (MACLEA) 2022
Carlos Camacho, Officer
John Vickery, Officer
Anthony DiSchino, Sergeant
James Ardizzoni, Security Officer
Michael Amrock, Dispatcher
Travis Rixford, Sergeant

Massachusetts Association of Women in Law Enforcement (MAWLE) Community Service Award 2021
Jessica Roche, Police Captain

Massachusetts Coalition of Nurse Practitioners Nurse Practitioner Hero Award 2021
Jackie Burgoyne, Nurse Practitioner

NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education) Gender and Sexuality Knowledge Community (GSKC) Intersectional Inclusion Award 2023
Nana Adu, Assistant Director, Gender and Sexuality Student Programs, Gender and Sexuality Student Programs Office

NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education) Region I Program of the Year 2021
It's Time for Change: Racial Justice at Bentley
Bentley University, Division of Student Affairs

NASPA (the National Association of College Student Affairs Professionals), Region 1 Scott Goodnight Award for Outstanding Performance as a Chief Student Affairs Officer 2023
J. Andrew Shepardson, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students

Northeast-10 Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year 2021-2022, 2019-2020
Rick Danehy, Assistant Coach, Diving

Northeast-10 Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year 2021-2022, 2019-2020
Mary Kay Samko, Director, Swim Coach

Officer of the Year Awards 2021
Travis Rixford, Sergeant, 2021 Community Engagement Award
Tobe Bartkus, Sergeant, 2021 Police Officer of the Year
James Ardizzoni, Security Officer, 2021 Civilian Employee of the Year

Officer of the Year Awards 2022
Kevin Robertson, Security Officer, 2022 Community Engagement Award
Kate LeBlanc, Security Access Coordinator, 2022 Civilian Employee of the Year

Winthrop High School Hall of Fame, 2021 Inductee
Courtney Finn, Associate Athletic Director

Presentations

ACUI Regional Conference, November 2022
Student Experience Luncheon: Promoting Student Advocacy through the Lens of Design Thinking

Jessica Miceli, Assistant Director, Student Programs and Engagement, Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL)

ACUI Regional Conference, March 2023
Highlighting Your Programs & Events

Ryan Mahan, Associate Director, Student Programs and Engagement
Abby Pieger, Assistant Director, Student Programs and Engagement

American College Health Association (ACHA) National Conference, May 2023
Developing an Inclusive Express STI Testing Clinic within the Student Health Center

Nora Basile, Associate Director of the Health Center, and Kim Kerrigan

Harvard Book Store, October 2022
Michelle Bowdler, Associate Dean for Health, Counseling and Wellbeing, live interview with Emi Nietfeld, author of Acceptance

NAFSA (National Association of Foreign Student Advisers) National Conference, May 2023
Confounding Case Studies: STEM OPT

Anna Garson, Director of CISS, Bentley University
Susanna Marcucci, Director of International Center, Clark University
Katie Ahlman (NAFSA Region XI Scholar Ombuds and F-1 Portfolio Manager at UMass-Amherst)

NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education) National Conference 2022
Meeting the Moment: A Division's Journey Putting Racial Justice into Practice
J. Andrew Shepardson, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Ben Longstreth, Michael McCorvey, and Jessica Kenerson

Vermont College Coalition for Substance Use Prevention, March 14 2023
Once Upon a Time: Improving How We Craft and Communicate our Work Through Storytelling

Jessica Greher Traue, Director, Community Wellbeing

Publications

Faculty on the Frontlines: Advice on approaching in-person teaching, finding resources on campus, recognizing signs of student distress, and conveying care and community, Marie Christie Institute Quadcast, October 2021
J. Andrew Shepardson, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students

On Telling the Story of Injustice Through Memoir
Michelle Bowdler and Kenny Fries in conversation
Literary Hub, December 13, 2021

One Week, Three Alumni Events. I Love this Job, NASPA Newsletter, January 2023
J. Andrew Shepardson, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students

“There is Harm in Not Talking About it”: On the Power of Sharing Trauma Narratives,
Lynne Reeves Griffin and Michelle Bowdler, Associate Dean for Health, Counseling and Wellbeing.
Literary Hub, January 19, 2023

Transforming Culture During the Pandemic:  Centering Racial Justice, NASPA Scott Academy Blog, October 2021
J. Andrew Shepardson, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students

Is Rape a Crime?: A Memoir, an Investigation, and a Manifesto, 2020, Flatiron Books
Written by Michelle Bowdler, Associate Dean for Health, Counseling and Wellbeing

National Book Award Longlist for Nonfiction, 2020
TIME's 100 Must-Read Books of 2020

Must Read, Mass Book Awards 2020
Publishers Weekly, Best Books of 2020
Boston Globe, Best Books of 2020
BookPage Best Books 2020
Lambda Literary Most Anticipated LGBTQ Books, July 2020
New York Times New & Noteworthy Audiobooks

Literary Hub’s Most Anticipated Books of 2020
Starred Review Publishers Weekly
Starred Review Shelf Awareness

Why Can’t the US Tackle the Rape Kit Backlog?
Michelle Bowdler, Associate Dean for Health, Counseling and Wellbeing.
Ms. Magazine, August 15, 2020

Vaccine Confidence: Building the Case on Campuses with and Without Covid-19 Vaccine Requirements
Jessica Greher Traue, Director, Community Wellbeing
American College Health Association, 2021

 

Professional Organization Involvement

Abby Pieger, Assistant Director, Student Programs and Engagement; Regional Conference Committee 2022, ACUI (formerly known as the Association of College Unions International)

Alexzandria Matos, Assistant Director, Residential Life; member, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA)

Brian Bain, Head Coach, Golf; Player Development Regional Manager at PGA of America, 2012 to present

Caroline Horne, Associate Director, Orientation & Student Onboarding; 2023 NODA (originally known as National Orientation Directors Association) Region IX Leadership Team, Digital Content Coordinator; NODA Region IX Conference Committee, Marketing & Communications; member, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA)

Christine Lookner, Associate Dean, Student Equity and Inclusion; member, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA)

Dick Lipe, Director of Sports Information; Selection Committee Chair, College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-America Hall of Fame Committee; East Region Chair & Voter for D2SIDA Women’s Basketball media poll

Francis Bourgeois, Chief of Police; member, International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA); member, Massachusetts Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (MACLEA); member International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP); member, Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association (MCOPA); Police Executive Research Forum (PERF); New England State Police Information Network (NESPIN)

J. Andrew Shepardson,
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students; Board Member (2017-2021) and Chair (2021-present) National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) James E. Scott Academy; Board of Directors (2021-present), Marie Christie Institute

Jared Berman, Assistant Director, Student Affairs Strategic Projects and BentleyPlus Program Director; member, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA)

Jessica Greher Traue, Director, Community Wellbeing; New England College Health Association: Treasurer (and past president); American College Health Association Board of Directors: Region 5 (NY and New England Affiliates) Representative; Campus Covid-19 Vaccination and Mitigation Initiative, a national health promotion collaboration between the CDC and ACHA, Deputy Chair of the Steering Committee 2021-2022. Publications Working Group 2022, Year 3 Advisory Board 2022-present; Healthy Waltham, Advisory Board, 2019-present

Jessica Miceli, Assistant Director, Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL); 2022 ACUI Region VIII Conference Planning Team, Pre-Conference Mentor Program Coordinator & Student Experience & Entertainment Coordinator

Jessica Spencer, Head Coach, Field Hockey: Division II representative, National Field Hockey Coaches Association Board of Directors; Chair, Northeast-10 Conference Field Hockey Coaches; Coach/Umpire Task Force, National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA); Film & Exchange Technology Committee, National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA)

Jim Murphy, Manager, Athletics Operations, Men’s Lacrosse Coach; Board of Directors member, Intercollegiate Men’s Lacrosse Coaches Association

Joey Pacis, Head Coach, Volleyball; Chair, Northeast-10 Volleyball Coaches; Mentor, American Volleyball Coaches Association; Voter, AVCA Division II Top 25 poll

Julia Matthews, Director, Health Center; member, New England Health Association (NEHA); member, American College Health Association (ACHA); member, College Health Administrators and Nurse Practitioners (CCHAAND)

Kevin Curtin, Head Coach, Track & Cross-Country; Member, NCAA Division II Cross Country Sport Committee; Poll Ranker, USTFCCCA National Women’s Cross Country Division II

Keliana Doyle, Residence Director, Residential Life; member, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA)

Lauren Hubacheck, Director, Strategic Projects and Communication; member, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA)

Mallory Loggins, Assistant Director, Health Promotions; member, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA)

Mary Kay Samko, Director of Aquatics and Swimming Coach; Chair, Northeast-10 Conference Swimming Coaches

Michelle Dabenigno, Director, Student Programs and Engagement; Regional Conference Committee, 2022, ACUI (formerly known as the Association of College Unions International); member, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA)

Michelle Frizzell, Program Coordinator, Student Programs and Engagement; ACUI Regional Board, ACUI (formerly known as the Association of College Unions International)

Nicole Chabot-Wieferich, Associate Dean, Student Programs and Engagement; member, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA)

Peter Forkner, Director, Counseling Center; member, Association of University College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD)

Taylor Bastien, Head Coach, Women’s Lacrosse Coach; Regional All-American Committee, Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association; Coaches Poll Voter, Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA)

Vanessa Velasquez, Student Success and First-Generation Support Coordinator; member, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA)

Vaughn Williams, Director of Athletics; NCAA Division II Management Council (January 2023-January 2027)