Along the Walk
Noteworthy stories of campus happenings, faculty news, student accomplishments, and more from our Hartford home
National Champs!
Men’s squash wins CSA title—again.
The top-ranked Trinity College men’s squash team defeated third-ranked Harvard University 5–3 in the Potter Cup Final of the 2026 College Squash Association (CSA) Championships at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center in Philadelphia on March 8, 2026. The Bantams finished their season with a perfect 19–0 record, posting the 16th perfect season in program history en route to their 18th national title.
New Alumni Leadership
Prior to Harvard, Williams served at several other Boston-area institutions, including Bentley University, where she led the university’s alumni and family engagement program, and MIT Sloan School of Management, where she helped advance the school’s alumni and student engagement programs while working closely with the Alumni Board. Learn more about Williams. |
Emily Williams joined Trinity College in January as the inaugural associate vice president for alumni engagement. She most recently served as director of career and alumni engagement at Harvard University Graduate School of Education.Letters
Coach Decker
As a Mentor
I really enjoyed the article “Beyond Winning & Losing” about coaches and mentorship in [the fall 2025] Trinity Reporter. I played baseball under Bill Decker from 2008 to 2011 and had similar experiences to what was described in the article. Coach Decker was not only a successful coach (we won the National Championship during my freshman year in 2008 with a 45–1 record) but also one of the most impactful mentors in my life. I recognized his commitment to student-athletes during my recruiting tour, when he still took the time to show me around campus even though I was on crutches from a football injury. During my time at Trinity, he allowed me to balance my predental and chemistry studies with our practice and game schedules, enabling me to get a well-rounded education at Trinity. I owe so much of where I am today to Coach Decker.
Andy Janiga, D.M.D., ’11
Nashua, New Hampshire
Get in touch!
The Trinity Reporter welcomes letters related to items published in recent issues. Please send remarks to the editor at [email protected] or Sonya Storch Adams, Office of Communications and Marketing, Trinity College, 300 Summit Street, Hartford, CT 06106.
Retiring Faculty Members
The 2025–26 academic year marks the retirement of the Trinity College faculty members listed below.
Dina L. Anselmi
Associate Professor of Psychology
Barbara M. Benedict
Charles A. Dana Professor of English
Robert J. Corber
William R. Kenan Jr. Professor in American Institutions and Values
Jack Dougherty
Professor of Educational Studies
Sean M. Fitzpatrick
Professor of the Practice in Public Policy and Urban Studies
Robert J. Fleming
Professor of Biology
Katherine Lahti
Professor of Language and Culture Studies
Read more about these retiring faculty.
National Book Award Finalist
The debut novel by Trinity College Associate Professor of English Ethan Rutherford, North Sun: Or, the Voyage of the Whaleship Esther, was named by the National Book Foundation as a finalist for the 2025 National Book Award for Fiction.
The National Book Foundation said in its summary, “In North Sun: Or, the Voyage of the Whaleship Esther, the crew of the Esther sets out in 1878 with two purported goals: to embark on a whaling journey in the waning days of the industry and to find a ship and its captain before they’re lost to the sea. This seafaring saga follows a ragtag crew led by Arnold Lovejoy. As the true purpose of their journey comes to light, the cast of characters must scrutinize their own environmental destruction, contend with the unnecessary deaths of humans and animals alike, and consider the lives they’ve left behind on solid land.”
In addition, the American Academy of Arts and Letters announced recently that Rutherford has been recognized with the Rosenthal Family Foundation Award for Literature, which honors an exceptional novel published in the preceding year.
Rutherford previously had written award-winning short stories. “Writing a novel feels much more like a leap of faith,” Rutherford said. “You just have to start walking—one foot in front of the other—without knowing exactly where it’s going, but with a sense of general direction. Then, what you essentially end up doing is letting language lead the way. So, you put the characters together, let them start talking to each other, and see what happens.”
The American Academy of Arts and Letters also announced recently that Rutherford has been recognized with the Rosenthal Family Foundation Award for Literature, which honors an exceptional novel published in the preceding year.
Paul E. Raether Distinguished Professor of English Sarah Bilston, chair of Trinity’s English Department, said that it is wonderful to see Rutherford getting this recognition. “As his students know, he’s an amazing writer and a transformative teacher.”
Volunteer Spotlight
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Randolph “Randy” Lee ’66HartBeat Residency
Trinity College and HartBeat Ensemble—the Hartford-based professional theater company—have formed a partnership that will bring HartBeat to Trinity’s Austin Arts Center as its resident theater company through at least 2028. HartBeat Ensemble, under the leadership of Artistic Director Godfrey L. Simmons Jr. and Managing Director Rhoda Cerritelli, held successful engagements of Jimmy & Lorraine: A Musing in 2024 and Where We Stand in 2025 at Austin Arts Center.
Simmons, who also is a visiting lecturer in theater and dance at Trinity, said, “HartBeat Ensemble is thrilled to announce our collaboration with Trinity College and its Austin Arts Center. After joining the Trinity faculty, I had a greater appreciation for the College’s commitment to the community and to the arts. The students, faculty, and staff truly embraced our first two productions, and we look forward to more and deeper connections that will bring artists, the Hartford community, and the Trinity population into conversation.”
HartBeat’s residency at Trinity will include productions, workshops, community outreach programs, internships for Trinity students, and presentations of work and artists in the spirit of HartBeat’s commitment to social justice theater.
President’s Medal for Science and Innovation
Pediatrician and geneticist D. Holmes Morton, M.D., IDP’79, H’90, who has dedicated his career to treating Amish and Mennonite children of Pennsylvania afflicted with genetic illnesses, received the 2025–26 Trinity College President’s Medal for Science and Innovation, which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the STEM fields.
Trinity President Dan Lugo presented Morton with the award at a ceremony in February. Morton delivered the Presidential Distinguished Lecture after being introduced by Henry A. DePhillips Jr., Vernon K. Krieble Professor of Chemistry, Emeritus, who taught Morton at Trinity.
In his talk, “Plain Genomics: Road Taken—In Search of Meaningful Work,” Morton discussed his education and his career, which included founding the Clinic for Special Children in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, with his wife in 1989. He also spoke about some of the genetic diseases and disorders he has studied for decades, including glutaric aciduria type 1, and about why Amish and Mennonite communities consider young patients with these diseases to be “special children.”
The alumnus said that his job also involves sharing stories about his patients and educating others about his work. “[Trinity] was a place that gave me a very valuable education, not only in the sciences but also in writing stories,” Morton said.
The day after the ceremony, Morton joined Lugo for a fireside chat and engaged in casual conversations with students from selected classes and clubs in the Underground Coffeehouse.
During his time in Hartford, Morton explored English, psychology, chemistry, and mathematics before earning his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He spoke highly of his mentors, including two Trinity faculty members—DePhillips and William M. Mace, professor of psychology, emeritus—who were in attendance.
In recognition of his work, Morton has received 10 honorary degrees—the first from Trinity in 1990 and most recently from Juniata College in 2024—as well as the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism and a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellowship “genius grant.
Recent Publications
Alain Badiou und die Künste
Erik Vogt, Gwendolyn Miles Smith Professor of Philosophy, and Michael Zangerl
Turia + Kant, 2026; 321 pages
The Gift of Experience: Remarkable Encounters and Misadventures in the Global Pursuit of Waves
Harvey Zendt ’72
Stillwater River Publications, 2025; 136 pages
Transit Tourism: The Iconic Art and Design of 22 Subway Systems around the World
David Seltzer ’74
Schiffer Publishing, 2025; 268 pages
Dream Big and Win: Translating Passion into Purpose and Creating a Billion-Dollar Business
Liz Elting ’87
Wiley, 2024; 264 pages
And Journal, That’s That
Michelle York Hope ’91
BookBaby, 2025; 317 pages
If you have a recent publication that you would like listed in The Trinity Reporter, please submit a copy to Sonya Storch Adams, Office of Communications and Marketing, Trinity College, 300 Summit Street, Hartford, CT 06106. Questions? Email [email protected].
Elting Center Set for Vernon StreetInnovation and entrepreneurship at Trinity College will soon have a new home on campus thanks to a lead gift from former Trustee Elizabeth “Liz” Elting ’87. The Elting Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship will be built on Vernon Street, adjacent to the Cornelia Center, which houses the Construction began in late spring 2026, with an anticipated opening in fall 2027. Designed to foster collaboration, creativity, and hands-on learning, the building will include student accelerator rooms, classroom and conference spaces, and a gathering space for events. The facility also will serve as a visible hub where students, faculty, alumni, and community partners may engage in innovative and entrepreneurial work across disciplines. “Trinity gave me the foundation to not just dream big but to act on those dreams,” said Elting. “My years at Trinity showed me that the real value of a college education isn’t just what you learn in the classroom; it’s who you become because of it. The professors, the community, the experiences—they shaped my life and helped to set me on a path of exciting discovery and opportunity. I wanted to give something back that would do the same for current and future Trinity students.” In 2022, Trinity established the Center for Entrepreneurship to expand opportunities for students, faculty, and alumni through experiential learning, programming, mentorship, and partnerships that help students develop an innovation mindset and skills to tackle real-world problems. The new space will build on that work, creating an environment designed to deepen collaboration and to broaden access to entrepreneurship across the College. Danny Briere, Ruane Family Executive Director of the Elting Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, described the new building as the next step in the center’s evolution. He notes, “This new space allows us to create more opportunities for mentorship, collaboration, and hands-on learning and to deepen our connection to the Trinity Plus curriculum, where experiential learning helps students turn ideas into action and innovation into impact.” |
Center for Career and Life Design. The new building will create a dedicated, purpose-built space for Trinity’s Elting Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.New VP
Trinity College welcomed Rich Majerus as vice president for strategic planning and marketing and communications in April 2026.
In announcing Majerus’s appointment, Trinity President Dan Lugo said, “Rich is a leader with deep experience in higher education, data, and operational strategy. He brings a breadth of expertise across institutional strategic planning, marketing and communications, enrollment, advancement, and operations—a unique combination that will help us guide Trinity’s next chapter.”
Majerus comes to the College from the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), where he served as vice president of expeditions. In that role, he led a global team across 12 campus locations and oversaw a wide-ranging portfolio that included wilderness courses, alumni programs, custom education, and youth initiatives.
Prior to NOLS, Majerus served as vice president of planning and strategy at Queens University of Charlotte, where he led the development and execution of the university’s institution-wide strategic framework. This work advanced a set of interconnected priorities: expanding economic mobility, strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration, investing in employee success, and elevating brand visibility to position Queens for long-term impact and sustainability.
He previously served as assistant vice president for advancement strategy and donor relations at Colby College, where he played a key role in the launch of the Dare Northward campaign, the largest campaign undertaken by a liberal arts college. Originally set at $750 million and ultimately expanded to $1 billion, the campaign helped elevate Colby’s national profile and led to the launch of a new institutional brand of the same name.
Majerus began his career in enrollment at his alma mater, Carleton College, before leveraging his expertise in enrollment data and modeling as a founder of Third Coast Analytics (TCA), a higher education data science and strategy firm that was acquired in 2016.
Majerus holds a B.A. in sociology and anthropology with a concentration in educational studies from Carleton and an M.A. in sociology from the University of Notre Dame.
Around Hartford
The Butler-McCook House & Garden
396 Main Street
Hartford, CT
About two miles northeast of the Trinity College campus sits the Butler-McCook House & Garden—Hartford’s oldest remaining house—built in 1782 and home to four generations of a prominent family. Visitors may tour the home, part of the Connecticut Landmarks statewide network of historic house museums that has dubbed it “a time capsule of Hartford’s past and the history of one family.” The home boasts original furnishings and décor, and its exterior looks much the same as it did nearly 250 years ago. The restored Victorian ornamental garden behind the property continues to be tended by the West Hartford Garden Club.
The landmark’s proximity to Trinity isn’t the only connection between the house and the College: The McCook Academic Building, completed in 1963, was named in 1964 for the McCook family, which included 11 Trinity alumni, including the Reverend John J. McCook, Class of 1863, professor of modern languages, who also was active as a fundraiser for Trinity. McCook also engaged in groundbreaking research in the field of social work.
The Butler-McCook House & Garden is open for tours May through December on the first Saturday of the month from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., with tours running on the hour and the last tour departing one hour before closing. The site also offers a portfolio of Hartford walking tours in the spring and fall and a free jazz concert series in the historic garden during the summer. In addition, public programs, events, and special tours are available by advance registration. For more information, please email [email protected].
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Faculty Focus
Committed to Community
Trinity regains Carnegie classification
In recognition of its strong institutional commitment to community engagement, Trinity College has received the 2026 Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement. The Carnegie Foundation describes community engagement as collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities—whether local, regional/state, national, or global—for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity.
Athletics Hall of Fame
Trinity College Director of Athletics Gavin Viano announced the Trinity College Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025, listed below. The group, along with two individuals who deferred prior inductions—Ryan Bak (Hall of Fame Class of 2020; cross country and track and field) and Bea Gratry (2024; field hockey, women’s lacrosse)—were set to be officially inducted into the Hall of Fame at an on-campus ceremony during Reunion Weekend in June 2026.
Gretchen MacColl Cook ’00 (basketball)
Cook was a member of the women’s basketball program for four seasons (1996–2000), helping guide the Bantams to the 2000 East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) Women’s Basketball Championship. She was a two-time D3hoops.com All-American (1998, 2000) and a 2000 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division III All-American. Cook is the program’s all-time leader in field goal percentage (.582) and 20-point games (18) and ranks second in career rebounds (724) and free throws made (314). She netted 1,170 career points, ranking fourth in program history. Cook earned ECAC All-Conference honors and New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) All-Conference honors twice, along with being named D3hoops.com All-Region, New England Women’s Basketball Association (NEWBA) All-New England, and a D3hoops.com Preseason All-American.
Sally Thayer Cronin ’92 (women’s soccer)
Cronin becomes the first member of the women’s soccer program to be enshrined in the Trinity Athletics Hall of Fame. She was a member of the program for four seasons (1988–91) and sits as the program’s all-time leader in points (89) and goals (36). A two-time Division III All-New England selection, Cronin ranks third all-time in assists (17) and holds the single-season records for points (26) and goals (11).
Dave Kiarsis ’71 (football)
Kiarsis was a member of the football program for three seasons (1969–71) and ranks third all-time in career rushing yards (2,949) and career touchdowns (30). He was a 1970 Kodak All-American selection after leading the nation in rushing yards with 1,374, averaging 171.8 yards per game, both of which are single-season program records.
Sean Killeen ’09 (baseball)
Killeen was a member of the baseball program for four seasons (2006–09), leading the Bantams to back-to-back NCAA World Series appearances, including Trinity’s lone national championship in 2008. H is ethe program’s all-time leader in games played (159), games started (156), at-bats (561), runs (181), hits (220), doubles (51), walks (98), and runners caught stealing (38). Killeen was a three-time NESCAC First Team All-Conference selection and became the third player in program history to claim the conference’s Player of the Year Award in 2009. Killeen was a two-year captain, guiding the Bantams to back-to-back NESCAC titles in 2008 and 2009. He holds the single-season record for games played (46), runs (57), and doubles (18) and ranks second in career triples (11) and third in career home runs (28), career runs batted in (158), and career total bases (377).
Doug Kisielius ’05 (men’s ice hockey)
Kisielius was a member of the men’s ice hockey program for four seasons (2002–05), helping lead the Bantams to back-to-back NESCAC Men’s Ice Hockey Championship game appearances, including a victory over Middlebury for the 2003 NESCAC crown. He was a two-time All-American selection, taking home First Team status in 2005, along with a two-time All-New England selection and a three-time NESCAC First Team All-Conference selection. Kisielius ranks third all-time in career saves (2,011) and career shutouts (9), fourth in goaltender minutes (4,492), and eighth in goals against average (2.59) and save percentage (.912).
Tucker MacLean ’95 (wrestling and rowing)
MacLean was a member of the wrestling program for four seasons (1991–95), becoming one of the most decorated wrestlers in program history, and a member of the rowing team for four seasons. He was a three-time NCAA Division III All-American, a three-time New England Champion in his weight class, and the 1992 New England Co-Rookie of the Year. MacLean was a three-time NCAA Division III National Qualifier, taking fifth in 1993 and 1994 before finishing third nationally in 1995 at 190 pounds. A two-year team captain, MacLean ranks second all-time in program history in career wins (121) and career winning percentage (.883, 121–16). He was inducted into the New England Wrestling Association Hall of Fame in 2003. Deborah Cronin Strymish ’84 (field hockey, women’s swimming and diving, track and field) Strymish was one of the most decorated swimmers in the history of the Trinity women’s swimming and diving program. She earned All-American honors twice in the 100-yard breaststroke, along with a pair of relay honors. Strymish also helped anchor a Bantams team that delivered 19 straight wins from 1982–84 while qualifying for nationals three times and setting the school records for the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke. She also was a member of the field hockey and track and field teams during her time at Trinity and collected Trinity’s Susan E. Martin Award for the top female scholar-athlete.
Deborah Cronin Strymish ’84 (field hockey, women’s swimming and diving, track and field)
Strymish was one of the most decorated swimmers in the history of the Trinity women’s swimming and diving program. She earned All-American honors twice in the 100-yard breaststroke, along with a pair of relay honors. Strymish also helped anchor a Bantams team that delivered 19 straight wins from 1982–84 while qualifying for nationals three times and setting the school records for the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke. She also was a member of the field hockey and track and field teams during her time at Trinity and collected Trinity’s Susan E. Martin Award for the top female scholar-athlete.
Keith Wolff ’96 (basketball)
Wolff was a member of the men’s basketball program for three seasons (1993–96) and was instrumental to the Bantams first-ever NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball National Championship Semifinal appearance during the 1994–95 season. He was a 1996 NABC All-American, 1996 NABC All-District selection, and the 1996 NESCAC Player of the Year, while adding a pair of ECAC and NESCAC All-Conference selections. Wolff is the program’s all-time leader in career free throw percentage (.859) and ranks third in career points (1,448). With 47 points against Worcester State on December 3, 1994, Wolff matched the program record for points in a game and set the single-game record for three-point field goal percentage (.900). Off the court, he became the program’s first CoSIDA/CSC Academic All-American and a two-time CoSIDA/CSC Academic All-District selection.
