Reunion Weekend 2024
From Friday, June 7 to Sunday, June 9, 2024, Saint Anselm College hosted nearly 750 alumni, from classes ending in 4’s and 9’s, and their guests for their reunion weekend. Members of the class of 1974 were also inducted into the Order of Golden Anselmians.
“This weekend, we had the chance to welcome back so many alumni, family, and friends back to the Hilltop,” said Joseph Emmons ’04, assistant vice president of alumni relations and engagement. “Their support and love for the college are part of what makes the Anselmian experience so unique.”
During the weekend, attendees reconnected, celebrated, and attended a variety of seminars including a Meet the Dean event with Diane Uzarski, D.N.P., M.P.H., R.N., from the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences, and a Benedictine Traditions event which delved into topics such as beekeeping, beer, and hospitality. Alumni also relaxed, played cornhole at the alumni barbecue, pickleball on the tennis courts, gathered by the decades for dinner, danced the night away under the tent on the campus green, and listened to live music at the Pub.
Attendees also spent time honoring classmates who were no longer with them at the Military Tribute and the Alumni Memorial Mass. During the Military Tribute, Capt. Mary Jo O’Dwyer Majors, R.N., M.S.N., Nurse Corps, U.S.N.R. (Ret.) ’69 also took time to remember Walter Gallo ’58, H.D. ’08.
“Thank you for your time, service, and dedication to make this place special,” said Joseph A. Favazza, Ph.D., president of Saint Anselm College, at the volunteer thank you reception. “Together, we ensure the perpetuity of the college. We are so grateful— and fortunate—to have such a caring, committed community.”
By Anna Brennan-Curry | Photos by Debbie LaFrance and Leah LaRiccia
Digital Pioneer: Nancy McGovern, Ph.D. '82
The first time Nancy (Nance) McGovern, Ph.D. ’82 knew archives were a thing, she was on a field trip to Boston’s JFK Library with Professor Malachy McCarthy her junior year. The history major says she’d always loved history, and had learned technology with her dad, so that trip and the discussions of archival theory principles ignited a spark in her.
That spark still burns four decades into a career as an archivist and digital preservation manager, working at such esteemed organizations as the National Archives and Records Administration; the Open Society Archives in Budapest, Hungary; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research; and Cornell University.
A pioneer in this emerging domain, McGovern is said to be the first digital preservation officer anywhere. She was awarded the Emmett Leahy Award in 2023, which recognizes an individual whose contributions and accomplishments have a major impact on the records and information management profession. Her digital preservation curriculum and good practice resources have informed and been implemented by academic programs and organizations worldwide for more than 20 years.
“Professor McCarthy got us excited about archives, and about what the possibilities were,” says McGovern. “Most of what I’ve done since then is at the intersection of archives history and technology—and it started at Saint A’s.”
The college’s strong academic curriculum, intense writing requirements, and a National Press Club internship prepared her well for her next degrees; in fact, she says her master’s was easi- er than undergraduate.
“I learned to write everything, no matter what we were taking, even biology, we were always writing,” she remembers. “And that was invaluable.”
McGovern admits it can be tricky to explain what she does. As a digital preservation manager, she guides institutions to identify and prepare digital content of all types, including digital documents, images, videos, websites, and data, and devise a strategy to preserve it for future use.
At the Center for Electronic Records at the National Archives, McGovern worked on one of
the earliest software programs to validate electronic records, and throughout her career, she developed good practice for digital preservation, including policies and workflows. Since 2002, she has led the Digital Preservation Workshop more than 60 times, “to ensure digital content is available to the future,” she says.
It’s these efforts to coach the next generation of archivists that inspire McGovern now. A partner in her own firm, Global Archivist, with her wife and lead archivist Kari Smith, McGovern helps organizations of all kinds preserve their digital collections. She’s interested in storytelling as a digital preservation strategy, and hopes to turn her Ph.D. into a boot camp for organizations.
“People will say, ‘Oh, I have the CD with my Ph.D. on it, from back in the day.’ That’s not digital preservation. That’s archaeology,” McGovern says. “People have finite lifetimes, but organizations do not, and when they go away, there’s also a way to sunset them so that things are not lost. ... If you have content that is in digital form, there are trusted ways of managing it so that it stays readable and available for as long as you need.”
By Annie Sherman '99 | Photo by Jared Morneau
40 Under Forty Inducts Two Alumni
The New Hampshire Union Leader has inducted two Saint Anselm College alumni to its 2024 class of 40 Under Forty, a program that honors 40 New Hampshire natives under the age of 40 for their dedication to the betterment of the community. Kat Bourque ’14 and Richard Parsons ’10 were the two alumni featured in this year’s class.
Kat Bourque ’14 earned her bachelor’s in International Relations at the college and went on to earn her juris doctorate at Suffolk University Law School. She is now the vice president of Policy and Corporate Relations for Unitil. Recently, Bourque raised $30,000 for Best Buddies in New Hampshire as a Champion of the Year candidate. She also serves as a mentor to two girls at Girls Inc. in Manchester, and is a board member at NHSCOT. Bourque is motivated to give back to her community, and believes that “we can only continue to thrive so long as people remain involved and committed to ensuring our state’s success through volunteerism, service, and engagement.”
Richard Parsons ’10 earned his bachelor’s in politics at the college, and is now the director of Government Relations for RYP Granite Strategies. Recently, Parsons was named the 2023 Granite YMCA’s Most Dedicated Branch Champion after heading up the Concord YMCA’s annual campaign. Monies received help provide financial assistance for childcare, memberships, day and overnight camps, and the YMCA Youth Food Program. He also serves as vice chair of the Granite YMCA of Concord Advisory Board, as well as secretary of the board of directors for Stay Work Play NH. Parsons is motivated to give back to his community, and believes that volunteer work is “a vital experience to gain new perspectives, and have a sense of purpose and a better understanding of your community.”
A Wide World of Sports: Cody Jones '17
When Cody Jones ’17 arrived at Saint Anselm College in the fall of 2013, he knew he eventually wanted to pursue a career in sports. “I wasn’t sure if it would be in sports writing or production,” Jones says, “but I wanted to be involved in sports in some capacity.”
As a sophomore, he served as sports editor of The Crier, at a time when Saint A’s was considering moving from Division II to Division III. “I had to do a lot of research to understand how [athletic] scholarships would be impacted and whether certain sports teams would make the transition,” Jones says. “I learned a lot about the principles of storytelling and had the opportunity to interview our college president, athletic director, coaches, and players; it seemed larger than life at the time.” By senior year, Jones served as editor-in-chief of The Crier, overseeing the operations of the whole newspaper while also covering high-profile Hawks athletics stories.
These days, as an associate producer for ESPN’s SportsCenter, Jones’ handiwork—from Super Bowl highlights to standout plays from March Madness—can be seen by millions. However, the lessons he learned on the Hilltop remain engrained. “One of the biggest things about storytelling I took away from Saint A’s was how to take what’s most interesting with sports and convey that in the most compelling way,” Jones says. “Father Jerome [Day], who was the faculty advisor for The Crier, always motivated us
to cover the right stories and do it comprehensively.”
For Jones, that often means editing together interviews, highlights, and B-roll footage to bring a story to life in an environment that is fast-paced and with news that is constantly evolving. “The games drive what we do, and the [top story] can change on a dime,” he says.
Jones’ journey from The Crier editor to Bristol, Conn.-based ESPN included two years earning a master’s degree in sports communication and media from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn., and gaining experience through an internship
at a local television station, where he edited local high schools’ sports highlights in 2019. “I learned the ins and outs of studio production, and I really enjoyed building the show and driving story ideas,” Jones says. He credits Associate Professor Jonathan Lupo’s film class with teaching him how to tell a story visually. “From a production standpoint, I learned a lot of principles in that class,” he says.
Jones’ drive and portfolio landed him a nine-month contract for the entry-level job of production assistant at ESPN in 2019, and despite a global pandemic—which largely shuttered sports for several months—Jones persevered and landed a full-time role with the network in 2021. Over the past four years, he’s had two promotions, including his most recent ascent to associate producer. In the process, he’s also earned two Emmy Awards as part of the team that produces ESPN’s signature show, SportsCenter. That recognition, Jones says, reflects a collaborative culture involving hundreds of people—from editors, writers, and producers to on-air talent—to make each episode a success. “I’ve learned that communication, understanding your resources, and knowing when to ask for help is very important,” he says.
Jones, who now lives in West Hartford, Conn., says his career goal is to remain at ESPN and continue to climb the production ladder. He has advice for other Anselmians interested in pursuing sports-related careers: “It’s important to network with as many people as you can and find internships with local sports teams. Get all the hands-on experience you can and keep at it; success doesn’t happen overnight.”
By Matthew Broderick | Photo Courtesy of Cody Jones '17