Bishop Weeks

METROPOLITAN Newsletter for Metropolitan College Students, Faculty, and Alumni Fall 2003 Metropolitan College Commencement 2003: An Afternoon of Recognition and Celebration Outstanding Part-time Faculty Award page 3 MET Welcomes Deborah Rhea to Brussels page 6 Bishop Thomas W. Weeks Sr. 2003 MET College Alumni Award Recipient O n May 18, 2003, Metropolitan College recognized Bishop Thomas W. Weeks Sr. for his outstanding service to the community by honoring him with the 2003 Metropolitan College Alumni Award. A twotime graduate of MET with a B.S. in Business and a Master’s in Urban Affairs, Bishop Weeks spoke with eloquence and passion to the class of 2003, and shared his personal philosophies that have grown out of 23 years of pastoring in his current home of Wilmington, Delaware. After receiving his undergraduate degree in business in the late 60’s, Weeks worked in Boston for Bromley-Heath Tenant Management Corporation, the first tenant management corporation in the nation. During this time, he was the leader of Reachout, a church social action outreach to the minority community. “I was already married by the time I began my undergraduate degree, and we were poor,” says Weeks. “My wife said, ‘Finish that degree, and then go get your master’s, because you’ll need that for what you’ll be doing in your life.’ And she was right!” In 1973, after completing his Master’s in Urban Affairs from MET, Weeks accepted the position of Assistant Director of Urban Renewal for the Wilmington Housing Authority in Wilmington, Delaware, and soon thereafter became the first Executive Director of the Delaware State Office of Minority Business Affairs. But an opportunity to work on a major housing experiment for the Rand Corporation in South Bend, Indiana, took him to the Midwest for the next six years. While at Rand he decided to answer his calling. In 1980, he returned to Wilmington to found and pastor New Destiny Fellowship, and to enter full-time ministry. Bishop Weeks’ service to the city of Wilmington has earned him much recognition. For nine years he was President of the (Continued on page 4) Born and raised in the Boston area, Thomas Weeks recalls the events leading to the turning point in his life that ultimately dictated the course his future would take. “Growing up in Boston, I ran only into subtle racism,” he recounts.“My first experience with the ‘real deal’ came during my on-thejob training in Columbia, South Carolina, as a young man in the Army Reserves. After arriving at our hotel, the cabbie informed me that I couldn’t stay, that there was a ‘colored motel’ on the other side of town. But once we arrived, that motel was booked. It was explained to me that older ladies often opened their homes for room and board, so I ended up taking a room in the home of the most precious person you could ever meet. She gave me a place to stay, breakfast in the morning, and two hours of conversation about the city and the South, all for three dollars!” It was while exploring the city and walking to a church the next day that Weeks was shocked with the realities of staggering poverty. “I was literally crying as I walked through the streets of a neighborhood in Columbia known as Blackbottom. There was filth all around, no sidewalks and no grass, just dirt. There were one-room shacks for homes, most of which had six or seven kids in them. I never did find the church I was looking for.” From this experience, Weeks decided he would devote a chunk of his life to improving the housing situation in poor urban areas. Dean Jay Halfond awards Bishop Thomas W. Weeks. A Message from the Dean A s I think back over 2002–2003, several themes come to mind. First is the imposition of world events on Metropolitan College. Twenty-two of our marine students in North Carolina were deployed to Iraq — two returning just two days before their graduation ceremonies, which they faithfully attended. I am not sure People Magazine’s Sexiest Man of the Year edition qualifies as a world event, but two of the dozen men showcased were MET graduates. I am trying to think of some way MET can claim credit for this remarkable coincidence. The second theme of the year is the unrelenting pace of innovation. One indicator is that we approved about twice the typical number of new courses. New initiatives are not an option, but a necessity. Our enrollments have increased — despite world events and a sagging economy — only because we have started new programs and have a multi-year plan in place. MET is a true entrepreneurial enterprise. We identify new opportunities, seek venture capital from the University, assess risk and forecast anticipated results, and plunge into the unknown — fortunately with success to show for our efforts. Starting this fall, we have a new Master’s Degree in Advertising (in partnership with BU’s College of Communication), a new specialization in Information Security, a new Master’s track in Economic Development and Tourism Management, and soon a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. Most importantly, we are introducing an on-line Master’s Degree in Insurance Management this fall. The reason this is most important brings me to my third theme: The growing importance of distance education. While online students represented none of our enrollments two years ago, and about five percent this past year, I predict within two years more than a quarter of our enrollments will be taking on-line courses. The Insurance Management program represents a partnership between the major insurance professional association and Boston University, and a blend of a non-credit designation with an academic degree.This is a prototype for other master’s specialties we plan to introduce in the coming years. We plan to be a leader in quality, web-based learning — employing a model that is highly interactive, engaging, and rigorous. My fourth theme is the re-engagement of MET’s alumni. This has been an extraordinary year as we reached out to our alumni and friends, and created a dynamic, illustrious, and committed advisory board to help lead Metropolitan College towards its future goals. MET has been a catalyst in the success of many. This Board exemplifies the pivotal function that MET can play in personal achievement. Thank you for your continued support of MET College. Sincerely, Metropolitan College Dean’s Advisory Board Current as of June 2, 2002 Randolph H. Brinkley, MET 1980, CA President, Boeing Satellite Systems (former) Patricia Chadwick, MET 1975, NY Founder and President, Ravengate Partners, LLC Jay Halfond, Dean Boston University Metropolitan College Steven M. Garfinkle, MET 1972, MA Managing Director, Battalia Winston International Gurinder Singh Nihal, MET 1992, NY Vice President Private Banking, Citigroup(former) Louis Leo Kaitz, MET 1978, MA Chairman of the Board, National Lumber Company Peter J. Raimondi, Esq., MET 1980, MA President and Co-Founder, The Colony Group Thomas Costello, MET 1996, NY Senior Correspondent, CNBC; Contributing Correspondent, NBC News Richard B. DeWolfe, MET 1971; 1973, MA Chairman and CEO, The DeWolfe Companies Michael Kiklis, MET 1988, DC Partner, Sonnenshein, Nash & Rosenthal Philippe Rixhon, MET 1981, International Partner, Accenture N. Rumesh Kumar, MET 1981, International Senior Relationship Manager, Corporate and Institutional Banking Dubai Bank, UAE Carol Russell, SED 1961, MA Co-Founder and Owner, Westport Rivers Frederick Dulles, NY Partner, McFadden, Pilkington & Ward Arnold S. Lerner, MET 1974, MA Vice Chairman, Enterprise Bank Robert Russell, MA Co-Founder and Owner, Westport Rivers Thomas Wesley Weeks, Sr., MET 1969; MET 1974, DE Bishop, New Destiny Fellowship Mati Weiderpass, MET 1985, NY Founder and former CEO, Watch World International Leon E. Wilson, MET 1975, MA EVP and Managing Director, Fleet Investment Services Col. Bryon Young, MET 1981, DC Director, Army Contracting Agency, US Army Martine P. Dulles, MET 1973, NY President, Dulles Designs, LLC Joanne S. Luciano, Ph.D., MET 1982, MA Founder and Chief Science Officer, Predictive Medicine John Ebersole, MA Associate Provost, Boston University Terrence P. Finley, MET 1990, NJ Founder & President, West Point Thoroughbreds, Inc. Mohit Mamudi, MET 1982, International Chairman, Amacom U.K. Ltd. Michael J. McCabe, MET 1987, NY Partner, BM Global Services Edward Francis, MET 1978, CT Vice President and General Manager, Hamilton Sundstrand Space, Land & Sea Jean L. McCluskey, MET 1974, MA Vice President/Director, Parsons Brinckerhoff Joseph P. Mercurio, MET 1981, MA Executive Vice President, Boston University Gilbert Garber, MET 1993, MA Chairman, Garber Travel 2 METROPOLITAN In Tribute to a Legacy: ach year, Metropolitan College acknowledges a part-time faculty member who demonstrates MET’s commitment to inspire students in their quest for knowledge. At Commencement 2003, the award was renamed to honor a professor that exemplified the best in teaching. Dr. Roger J. Deveau, a BU graduate and faculty member at the graduate military programs on North Carolina’s army bases, lost his battle with cancer on February 2 at the age of 59. Deveau dedicated his life to connecting with students on a personal level and influencing their future decisions. In his 25 years of service to MET, he taught over three thousand students, including fifteen hundred members of the military, and took over one thousand airline flights on behalf of the College. “Roger’s connection with Boston University was very important to him,” said Dean Jay Halfond. “He was a gifted teacher who bonded with students at Camp Lejeune and Cherry Point, as well as with those in his classes overseas and in Boston.” Lawrence Watson, director of MET’s Graduate Military Programs, spoke of Roger at Commencement ceremonies as a demanding, indefatigable, and gifted teacher who exemplified the caliber of teaching required of MET faculty. “It is our hope,” he added, “that this award keeps his legacy alive.” The first recipient of the newly named award, the Roger Deveau Memorial Outstanding Part-time Faculty Award, went to Richard J. Kattar, faculty member for the Department of Administrative Sciences. Dick Kattar, who began his career as a Private in the U.S. Army, retired from the armed forces as Commanding Officer and went on to become a successful entrepreneur. He joined MET College as an instructor in 1997. “Teaching at MET is a unique experience in the sense that you are given a mission and the resources as an instructor,” states Kattar, “but you are also given autonomy. This academic freedom is tremendous and ultimately encourages innovation.” Awarded for his knowledge, passion, and obvious enthusiasm for his teachings, Kattar has earned great praise from his students, and has taught such courses as Starting and Operating New Ventures, Leadership in Management, and Behavior in Organizations. On hand at Commencement to present Richard Kattar with his award was Mrs. Jeannie Deveau, wife of the late Roger Deveau. “I am very honored and proud to be the first recipient of this newly named award,” Kattar expressed. “Professor Deveau had a wonderful reputation. Receiving this award offers me the challenge to live up to the principles he possessed, and also encourages me to continue doing my part to further Metropolitan College and Boston University.” Richard J. Kattar (left) receives Part-time Faculty Award from Jeannie Deveau and Director of Graduate Military Programs, Lawrence Watson. E The Roger Deveau Memorial Outstanding Part-time Faculty Award In Remembrance In her home, Dean Jay Halfond awards Peg House with a MET certificate honoring her courage and perseverance. Margaret Hanna House (1943-2003) School of Education employee and Metropolitan College student Margaret “Peg” Hanna House died April 28 after a four-year struggle with Lou Gehrig’s disease. Despite the struggle with her disease, and spinal damage through much of her adult life, Peg House tenaciously pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree from MET, only eight courses short at the time of her death. For the last 17 years, Peg House worked as Communications and Field Service Coordinator at the School of Education in addition to pursuing her B.A. degree. In her final year, MET’s faculty worked closely with her on independent projects to help her pursue her dream of completing her degree, a dream her family said helped sustain her will to live. Her colleagues, and Dean Halfond, honored her in a ceremony on March 26 in her apartment with a MET certificate for her remarkable perseverance. Her poem on Emily Dickinson might have applied to her as well: Her cadenced eye and serene ear Pulled the styptic phrase from ether, added the graceful turn tersely with eagle vigilance. Margaret House is survived by son Andrew Johnston and daughter Iah House. FALL 2003 3 Weeks: (Continued from page 1) Interdenominational Ministers Action Council of Delaware and presently is the Second Vice President. Since 1999, he has served as Chairman of the Wilmington Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners and is presently on the Development Committee of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League. With the support of the city and his family, particularly his wife, Dr. Leona Brown Weeks, he is embarking on an urban revitalization project in Wilmington that, to Weeks’ excitement, is giving him the opportunity to utilize his degrees in business and urban affairs. After searching for the last ten years for suitable land on which to expand his ministry and community outreach, Weeks is now overseeing a major expansion project in a long neglected poorer section of Wilmington. “When I received my two degrees from Boston University I had no idea the impact my education would have on the future course of my life,” Weeks shared with the class of 2003. “Today, I am embarking on my most exciting adventure. The church I pastor has bought land and buildings in a depressed area of Wilmington, Delaware. With that land, and a building the city has given to us, we have begun revitalizing a neighborhood in a way that only a church can do. My degrees are now invaluable to my church and to me for the education I received and for the doors they opened.” For someone who is close enough to retirement, Weeks muses, everything coming into play in this way is a unique thing to be experiencing. “My education,” he adds, “has provided me with priceless experience for the task I now face.” Pulitzer Prize Winner Sacha Pfeiffer A mong the two recipients honored at this year’s Commencement with the 2003 MET College Alumni Award was 1994 graduate and Pulitzer Prize winner Sacha Pfeiffer. Recognized for her distinguished service to the profession, Pfeiffer graduated cum laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and History from MET and was part of The Boston Globe Spotlight team that broke news of the sex abuse scandal within the Catholic Church in 2002. Pfeiffer, a native of Columbus, Ohio, began her work as a reporter with the Dedham Times where her dedication and creativity allowed her the opportunity to join The Boston Globe a year later. In 1999, she became a staff reporter and covered prominent court cases, such as the medical malpractice lawsuits filed after the death of Celtic’s star Reggie Lewis. Her fast-paced career continued to accelerate when she joined the Globe’s Spotlight team in November 2000, a move that eventually brought her and Alumni Development Officer Anthony the Spotlight team a Pulitzer Prize for Barbuto with Alumni Award Recipient their investigations into the Catholic Sacha Pfeiffer. Church scandals. In 2002 alone, her four months of careful research into the scandals led to 800 stories that uncovered difficult material, ultimately implicating several clergy. Says Pfeiffer, “I believe our research spurred significant changes within the Catholic Church that will prevent future abuse.” The MET College Alumni Awards were established to recognize outstanding alumni who exemplify the spirit of the community and the innovation that pervades Metropolitan College. Bringing BU to the Workforce MET Forges New Corporate and Community Partnerships I n an ongoing effort to provide quality programming to the greater Boston area, Metropolitan College has expanded its capability to work directly with local businesses, government, and professional associations to build partnerships, create new program initiatives, and recruit students for MET degree programs. Recently, Judy Marley, formerly of New England College of Finance, joined the staff to expand these corporate partnerships and relationships. Along with Dean Jay Halfond, undergraduate recruiter Laura Jackman, and program directors Kim Blanchette, Larry Watson, and Elizabeth Nassar, Marley is working with employers to utilize the capacity of MET’s offerings and expertise. Building on the reputation and visibility of Boston University, the corporate partnership strategy brings BU closer to the workplace. MET’s services to companies include: keynote presentations by BU faculty, onsite advising for employees, and materials for corporate newsletters, all of which showcase the company’s tuition remission and development opportunities via MET College. Special arrangements are also available to companies that have a sustained number of employees attending programs or who host onsite degree or certificate programs. MET’s academic quality has consistently attracted new students. As a result, enrollments have steadily increased. Now, Metropolitan College will work with Human Resource professionals and others who are seeking to build new employee retention and development strategies. These MET services leverage internal training opportunities, support business units in companies where training resources have been reduced, and provide employee development through career paths aligned with MET courses and degree programs. MET College Development Consultant Judy Marley. For further information on MET’s corporate partnership programs, please contact Judy Marley at 617-353-8427 or jmarley@bu.edu. 4 METROPOLITAN Daniel Ranalli’s work is in the public collections of over twenty-five museums here and abroad including the Museum of Modern Art (NY), Boston Museum of Fine Arts, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the Smithsonian National Gallery of Art. Since 1974 he has had over one hundred solo and group shows of his work and has received numerous artist fellowships and grants including those from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and Earth Watch International. MET’s graduate program in Arts Administration, now one of the most highly regarded in the country, has more than sixty matriculating students. Asian Works: A Series of Photographs by Professor Daniel Ranalli on View at Clark University hile on sabbatical in early 1999, Professor Daniel Ranalli, founding director of Metropolitan College’s graduate program in Arts Administration, had the opportunity to travel throughout Asia. He returned to his studio in Cambridge, Massachusetts, inspired by the images, ideas, and people he encountered on his journey. Ranalli reflects on the resulting photographic works, on exhibition this fall at Clark University. Experiencing Asian art in situ had a profound effect on my notion of the sacred — particularly as it relates to the idea of tranquility. In my upcoming exhibition, Asian Works, more than 25 pieces will be shown from several series I have been working on since my travels in Thailand and Nepal in 1999. The representation of the Buddha, as well as ideas about man’s place in the natural and spiritual world, all had an intense effect on the work I began to do when I returned to the states. Included in the exhibition is a series of Buddha Photograms, in which I sought to create luminous images of the Buddha by projecting light through drawings I made onto photographic paper. My Zen Dunes pieces, the most recent series in the show, are temporary raked sand pieces that evoke both the particular landscape of the Outer Cape and the quiet harmony of the Zen Garden. Created on the beaches of Provincetown, Truro, and Wellfleet, these color photographs examine the relationship between the found and altered landscape. Over the years several ideas seem to have endured in my art. I have been very interested in the interplay between control and chance in my work, as well as in the idea of transcendent time — both seen and implied. My work has been enormously affected by my travels in Asia and the Americas, as well as by the Outer Cape, where I have spent summers for the past 20 years. Recognizing this, I have come to think of my work as a kind of personal natural history. W Daniel Ranalli: Asian Works September 30 – November 22, 2003 University Gallery, Goddard Library Clark University 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA Gallery Hours: Tuesday, 11 am to 7 pm Wednesday – Saturday, 12 pm to 5 pm Artist’s Discussion and Opening Reception Thursday, October 9, 4 pm to 5 pm FALL 2003 5 Deborah Rhea Taking an American Approach to the International Marketplace I n July, the Boston University Program in Brussels, Belgium, welcomed Deborah Rhea as its new director. Rhea, who received her doctorate from the University of Virginia and an MBA in Finance from James Madison University, brings international expertise to the Brussels program, from her experience at the American Embassy in Switzerland to her extensive research on the professional and personal benefits of the international educational experience, which served as the basis of her dissertation. In a recent interview, Rhea highlights the methodology behind the Brussels program and the benefits of the American approach to business education. What makes the Brussels program so unique? The multicultural composition of the faculty, international mix of students, and location in Europe’s most international city firmly establish the Brussels program as a leader in international business education. These international qualities, though, are firmly rooted in Boston University’s educational precepts, which make the program the very best combination of high quality American education with an international outlook and sensitivity. How is the Brussels program’s approach to the American method of teaching beneficial in the European business structure? Students in American business schools are encouraged to think independently, with an entrepreneurial outlook, and seek out creative solutions for common problems. The Brussels program affords students the opportunity to acquire solid knowledge of running a business while learning how to function effectively in a variety of cultural and social arenas. How are your previous business experiences able to enhance the Brussels program? Over the years I have started, owned, and sold my own businesses as well as worked with other people’s start-ups. I have worked in the not-for-profit sector, corporate industry, and academia. I have, during the course of my life, worked in retail and corporate sales, development, business consulting, tax consulting, international diplomacy, administration, and finance. These experiences are useful as a teacher in the classroom and as a resource to counsel students on career choices. The opportunity to lead the Boston University Brussels program is the culmination of my professional aspirations and I look forward with unalloyed enthusiasm to the challenges that lie ahead. How will this program affect students and the future of international business? Research — my own as well as others — proves that an international educational experience enhances the personal and professional lives of the participants. The graduates should have a better understanding and tolerance for the ways different cultures conduct business and thereby be more successful in their own international business ventures. As the population of graduates grows and they rise to positions of leadership in their fields of endeavor, they will apply and pass on the philosophies and ideas they learned at our program. The MET College Alumni Association Furthering the MET Community B oston area MET alumni, in conjunction with the MET Alumni Association, held its first social gathering at Club Longwood in Brookline, Massachusetts. The evening featured a reception and wine tasting by renowned Master of Wine, Clive Coates. Coates, publisher of his award-winning fine wine magazine The Vine, introduced the alumni to eight classic grape varieties from different regions of France, Italy, and Germany. The reception gave alumni the chance to meet Dean Jay Halfond, members of the Dean’s Advisory Board, University administration, and other alumni. The MET Alumni Association promotes fellowship among MET alumni, provides opportunities for personal and professional networking, and organizes events and resources for all graduates. The Alumni Board is currently seeking members who are interested in staying involved with the College. For further information about the Alumni Association and volunteer opportunities, contact Anthony Barbuto at 617-353-2976 or abarbuto@bu.edu. 6 METROPOLITAN Igniting the Fuse The Part-time Master of Science in Advertising his fall, Metropolitan College, in conjunction with the College of Communication, will offer an exciting and intensive part-time Master of Science degree in Advertising.The program, developed in consultation with top-industry experts, is fast-paced, comprehensive, and intended for the motivated, working professional. In advertising, creativity and experience are keys to success. Professor Tobe Berkovitz, Associate Dean of the College of Communication, says the MS in Advertising will stimulate and inspire prospective students. “The program is excellent for professionals or individuals that want to move into a solid career in the advertising industry,” he states. “The curriculum is a mix of the professional training you need in order to launch a successful career in advertising. Our classes offer a foundation in communications so that you acquire the breadth and depth of knowledge to succeed in the highly competitive T marketplace.” Berkovitz, also a professor for the program, specializes in media strategy and time buying and works as a producer of political commercials. He has been interviewed by NBC, CNN, CBS, and was a political analyst during the 1998 election in Boston. “Faculty for the program are full-time faculty members working at COM teaching advertising to graduate students,” adds Berkovitz. “They are professionals that have worked in Chicago and New York at major advertising agencies and client corporations.” Program instructors, such as Christopher Cakebread and Sue Parenio, bring their experience and expertise in the field to the part-time program at MET. Cakebread’s background includes media planning at Hill, Holliday, Connors & Cosmopulos, Inc., as well as working for several major clothing designers in New York City as a media placement consultant. Parenio’s experience as Senior Vice President at Ogily & Mather Advertising Professor Thomas Fauls (left) and Tobe Berkovitz, Associate Dean of the College of Communication, host an Information Session for the new MS in Advertising. Agency in New York is equally impressive, as was her role as key creative on the Maxwell House Coffee, Avon Cosmetics, Hallmark, and Chesebrough-Ponds accounts. Furthermore, Parenio received the prestigious Gold Effie as well as a Cannes Bronze Lion for her work on advertisements for Jell-O. Besides mastering the essentials of advertising, students will study international marketing, electronic commerce, mass communication, promotional strategy, advertising and society, and financial and managerial accounting. For more information on the Parttime Master of Science in Advertising, visit www.bu.edu/met/advertising, or contact Assistant Dean Sonia Parker at 617-353-2975 or soparker@bu.edu. JOIN THE CAREER ADVISORY NETWORK I would like information about: ❏ Alumni Events Name General occupation field Length of time in position Year of graduation and degree/major Other schools (Year of graduation/major) Business address Business telephone Home address Home telephone City @ ✃ ❏ Alumni Scholarship ❏ I would like to join the Career Advisory Network The Career Advisory Network (CAN) gathers Boston University students and alumni for informational discussions about careers. Through a database of more than 1,300 alumni advisors in more than 50 professions across the U.S. and abroad, students and alumni can obtain information about the job market and the skills and preparation required to work in each advisor’s job field. CAN is not a job referral network, and advisors do not provide internships or job openings, but it is a good way to make initial contacts in a new city and make career connections in a different field. Please mail the completed form to Anthony Barbuto, Alumni Development Office, Boston University, 599 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215. You may also e-mail metalum@bu.edu. ❏ Career Networking ❏ Alumni Board Positions Employer Job Title Specific duties and responsibilities Preferred method of contact (check one): Home ❏ Letter ❏ E-mail Office ❏ Letter ❏ E-mail State Fax State @ Zip code Business E-mail City Home E-mail Zip code FALL 2003 7 Boston University Metropolitan College 755 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 02215 NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID BOSTON MA PERMIT NO. 1839 Publications Coordinator Suzzanne Ochoa Contributing Writer Michael Thill Special Thanks to Rebecca Alssid Anthony Barbuto Judy Marley Daniel Ranalli Stay in contact with MET! www.bu.edu/met Bob & Carol Russell Sharing the Fruits of their Labor Every semester, the Russells open their vineyard and winery to MET’s wine and food pairing courses offered through Lifelong Learning. In their popular class, “Getting Your Hands Dirty at Westport,” students experience first hand the process of winemaking, from grape harvesting to bottling, often with a special focus on the Winery’s renowned sparkling wines. According to Alssid, the Russells are not only recognized for their roles as educators and community supporters, but are dedicated to the preservation and utilization of farmlands. “Bob and Carol are active members of organizations promoting their ideals of sustainable agricultural,” she states. “As local growers they uphold their important beliefs and pass them on to our students.” For more information on the Elizabeth Bishop Wine Resource Center, visit www.bu.edu/lifelong/wine or call 617-353-9852. The Westport Rivers Vineyard and Winery can be reached at 508-636-3423 or on the Web at www.westportrivers.com. B ob and Carol Russell turned their passion into their life’s work.Twenty-one years after taking on the challenge of building a vineyard and winery in scenic Westport, Massachusetts, the Russells transformed the Smith Long Acre Farm into one of the most beautiful and premier vineyards in New England. Today, Westport Rivers Vineyard and Winery is a successful family-owned wine, beer, and food center hosting public and private tastings, tours, and educational events. Bob and Carol Russell host wine and food courses at their winery in Westport, MA. Since 1996, Bob and Carol Russell have shared their dedication to winemaking as members of the advisory board of Metropolitan College’s prestigious Wine Resource Center, named in honor of the late Elizabeth Bishop, a devoted lifelong supporter of the culinary arts and wine education. The Elizabeth Bishop Wine Resource Center, established to study the nature and role of wine and other spirits, offers educational programs that explore viniculture, enology, wine history, economics, and the psychological, physiological, and cultural phenomena of wine and food consumption. Bob Russell serves as Chairman of the Executive Committee that oversees the mission and educational vision of the Center. “Both Bob and Carol have been exceedingly generous at giving their time and energy in building the Wine Resource Center,” says Rebecca Alssid, director of Lifelong Learning for Metropolitan College. “It’s been a wonderful, beneficial partnership.” Boston University’s policies provide for equal opportunity and affirmative action in employment and admission to all programs of the University.