Nominations for Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Young Alumni

Nominations for the 2012 Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Young Alumni Awards are now being accepted. 

The Distinguished Alumni award is given to an alumna or alumnus of Southern Vermont College or its predecessor, St. Joseph College, in recognition of a combination of career, community service and personal achievements.

The Distinguished Young Alumni award is presented to an alumnus or alumna of Southern Vermont College who has graduated in the previous ten years, and who has received recognition as an emerging leader through professional and/or community achievements; who had achieved a position or distinction noteworthy for one so recently graduated; and who has served as an outstanding role model for current and future SVC students.

If you are aware of an individual who qualifies for either of these prestigious honors, please submit their name and qualifications electronically to the Alumni Office. You may also mail nominations to: Daryl Kenny, SVC, 982 Mansion Drive, Bennington, VT 05201.

Denise Welch Land '97 Chosen as SVC 2011 Distinguished Alumna

After reviewing the qualifications of an impressive group of candidates, the Alumni Association Executive Committee has selected Denise Welch Land '97 as the SVC/SJC Distinguished Alumna for 2011.

Denise was a summa cum laude graduate in Criminal Justice as well as a star athlete in soccer, basketball and softball, with membership in the Hall of Fame to prove it. She was the first woman officer hired by the Bennington Police Department, and is very grateful to former SVC Distinguished alumni Rick Gauthier '91 nad Paul Doucette '90 for their leadeship. Since 1998 she has worked for the Department of Immigration and Naturalization, now the Department of Homeland Security, and was recently tapped by the FBI to serve as a liaison between that organization and the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Aside from keeping us all safe from the "bad guys", Denise, a self-described "family girl", is kept busy by husband and best friend, Chad, and their two adorable daughters, Jadyn and Makayla. They live in Utic, NY, near both sets of parents. She comes from a very close-knit family, whose praises she cannot sing loudly enough! SVC sports fans, during Denise's tenure, will remember her Mom and Dad as regualr attendees. She credits them and her brother with making her who she is today. She thinks this closeness was a significant factor in her attraction to the intimacy of SVC.

This past fall, Denise went above and beyond the call of duty to assist SVC senior Garang Ayang. This remarkable young man is a refugee from Sudan. In November he learned of the untimely death of his father, and wanted to return home to see his widowed mother. Denise stepped up to the plate to help Garang get a visa, enabling that visit to happen. In the days following his meeting with Denise, faculty and staff remarked that it was the first time we'd seen Garang smile since he'd gotten that dreadful phone call. That was, in no small part, Denise's doing.

An outstanding student; a stellar athlete; a respected professional; a compassionate community member; and a loving wife, mother, daughter and sister. The Alumni Association is pleades and proud to name Denise Welch Land '97 as SVC's 2011 Distinguished Alumna.

Past Recipients:

2010 - Edward Haberek, Jr. '89
2009 - Richard B. Gauthier '91
2008 - Benjamin F. Patten II '84
2007 - Michael Donoghue '71
2006 - no award given
2005 - Ira J. Wagner '83
2004 - no award given
2003 - Penny Rich Smith '77
2002 - no award given
2001 - James Baker '91
2000 - Kim Hall-Sprague '89
1999 - Robert I. Walker '87
1998 - Robert Mather '93
1997 - Marilyn K. Douglas '62
1996 - Paul Doucette '90
1995 - Katherine Baranowski Hooper '89
1994 - John Seaton '89
1993 - LeAnne Holt '82
1992 - John Morrissey '82

ZachAry Garafalo '09 is Distinguished Young Alumnus

The Southern Vermont College Alumni Association has selected Zachary Garafalo '09 as recipient of its Distinguished Yound Alumni Award. Originally from Natick, MA, Zach graduated form SVC in December of 2009 with a bachelor's degree in History and Politics. He immediately went to work as YOUTH POWER! Coordinator for Families Together in Albany, NY, where he mentors youth with social, emotional and behavioral challenges, helping them learn about their rights and responsibilities as citizens.

Zach also oversees the Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP), a federally funded program for young people with disabilities who are at risk of entering the juvenile justice system. As the state coordinator, he developed a training curriculum that has become the national model.

In February 2011, Zach chaperoned a delegation of students to President Obama's National Youth Summit. Only 350 young people from across the country were selected to attend this event. The Summit focused on the President's 2020 college completion initiative. (SVC was the national collegiate kick-off site). He has also provided consulting services on youth leadership to government agencies, non-profits and community based organizations in Massachusetts and New York.

Zach begins post-graduate studies in History and Politics at the College of Saint Rose in the fall, but remains strongly connected to Southern Vermont College, where he is an active participant on the Alumni Board, serving as its Treasurer. We are pleased to honor the achievements of this remarkable young man.