UMass Dartmouth celebrates 44th Annual Alumni Awards
UMass Dartmouth held its 44th Annual Alumni Awards Ceremony November 6, 2014, at the Claire T. Carney Library. UMass Dartmouth alumni were invited to attend a reception followed by the presentation of awards at 7 p.m. that evening. The UMass Dartmouth Alumni Association Awards were created to give recognition to those alumni and members of the administration, faculty or staff who have been outstanding in their service to the university or in their career accomplishments.
Honorees included:
Roger Dugal '70, JD '89
UMass Law Alumni Association
Ambassador Award
Roger Dugal is a founding member of the UMass Law Alumni Association and was president from 2008-2009. Despite not running for re-election, he continues to offer insights at each board meeting and frequently gives advice to Law School students and potential applicants. In addition, Roger is the longest serving member of the UMass Dartmouth Alumni Association Board of Directors; he currently is parliamentarian. Roger received the
Association's Alumni Service Award in 1998.
Award presented by Herbert Kusako, Jr. JD '89
Catherine O'Keefe, PhD '13
UMass Dartmouth Alumni Association
Young Alumna Award
Catherine ("Cate") O'Keefe is a research associate in the Department of Fisheries Oceanography at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST). Cate's work has focused on cooperative research related to fisheries resource surveys, fisheries monitoring, fisheries management/policy, and bycatch.
Award presented by Steven Cadrin
Nuno Couto '97
UMass Dartmouth Alumni Association
Volunteer Service Award
Nuno Couto is founder and principal consultant at Optimal Partners Consulting, LLC, an IT consulting company in Boston that specializes in project management of large systems implementations within higher education. He is a consultant/project manager on a multi-million dollar implementation in the Research Administration area at Harvard University.
Award presented by Matt Camara '10
Jean F. MacCormack
UMass Dartmouth Alumni Association
University Service Award
Dr. Jean MacCormack was named chancellor of UMass Dartmouth in September, 1999. She led the campus through a decade of major transformation, including the historic opening of the UMass School of Law, the state's first public law school. University enrollment grew from 6,900 to 9,400; residential housing nearly doubled to 4,500 beds; research funding grew from $7 million to $26 million annually; more than 150 new and innovative faculty members were attracted to the campus; annual private support grew from $3.9 million to $16 million; and facilities expanded on campus and throughout the SouthCoast, including the Star Store campus in New Bedford, Advanced Technology
Manufacturing Center in Fall River, Charlton College of Business, Research Building, classroom upgrades, new fitness center, athletic fields and the Ferreira Mendes Portuguese-American Archives.
Award presented by Jennifer L. Granger '05
Richard Aubut '75
UMass Dartmouth Alumni Association
Achievement Award
Richard Aubut is the president and CEO of South Shore Hospital. He is a 1973 graduate of the College of Nursing and received his masters in nursing from Boston University. Richard is a leader and innovator in the health care field, touching many lives with his caring and mild manner.
Award presented by Theresa Brum '76
Valquiria Ribeiro, JD '05
UMass Law Alumni Association Alumni
Achievement Award
Valquiria Castiglione Ribeiro is an immigration and family lawyer who provides free legal assistance to indigent and low income people in Bristol County through her work with the Private Attorney Involvement Project, the Attorneys Representing Children (ARC) Project and the Probate and Family Court's lawyer-for-the-day program. She is actively involved with South Coastal Counties Legal Services, a non-profit corporation for which she provides free civil legal services to low income and elderly residents.
Award presented by Ryan Benharris, JD '05
Stephen Marshalek, JD '94
UMass Law Alumni Association Alumni
Achievement Award
Steve Marshalek has been an assistant Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts since 2001 and currently is Chief of the Southeastern Massachusetts Regional Office in New Bedford. In addition to his managerial responsibilities, Steve maintains an active case load handling a variety of administrative law and trial division cases. He is especially proud of the work his office has done to support municipalities affected by the large number of foreclosures and abandoned properties. Steve's office works closely with officials from local communities in implementing the Abandoned Housing Receivership Program. The program's success can be seen throughout Southeastern Massachusetts where more than 50 vacant and abandoned properties were brought back to full use.
Award presented by John Masella, JD '06
UMass Dartmouth distinguishes itself as a vibrant, public research university dedicated to engaged learning and innovative research resulting in personal and lifelong student success. The University serves as an intellectual catalyst for economic, social, and cultural transformation on a global, national, and regional scale.