Alumni Award Honorees

James Casey '00
Distinguished Alumni award

James Casey '00 is a decorated veteran and retired state trooper currently living in Arizona. Before he came to MCLA, James grew up in Houston, TX., and, after graduating high school, enlisted in the United States Air Force. While enlisted, Casey was awarded the National Defense Medal during Desert Shield/Desert Storm and achieved the rank of sergeant before he was honorably discharged.

As a veteran, Casey entered MCLA as a sociology major, but halfway through his second year decided he wanted to also study history. His goal was always to work in law enforcement, but at the time, he also considered going to law school. Casey had a handful of professors he credits with his academic and professional success, including Dr. Robert Bence, Dr. Daniel Connerton, and Dr. Kailai Huang in the history department. Dr. Steve Green was also a formative part of Casey's time at MCLA. Acting as his class advisor, Green was a sociology professor who was instrumental in guiding Casey through his transition from active duty to full-time academics.

After graduating from MCLA in 2000, Casey was offered a position by the Pittsfield, Mass., Police Department, following in the footsteps of his uncle, who had been an officer for the Dalton, Mass., Police Department. During his tenure there, Casey worked in patrol and as a detective. He worked at the department while simultaneously attending Anna Maria College, where he completed a master’s in criminal justice. He graduated with honors before moving on to work in highway patrol at the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

In 2014, Casey conducted a traffic stop and was shot by a suspect. He required 17 facial surgeries and after a year and a half of recovery, was able to return to work as a state trooper. Following his injuries, he received a Medal of Valor.

One of Casey’s proudest career moments happened while he appeared on the TV show LivePD. He had taken trainings on how to look beyond the initial reason a civilian was stopped and decide if another incident may be at play. And that’s exactly what he did when in 2017 he approached a vehicle that was parked in a no parking zone. He had been patrolling at 9:30 p.m. in a high-crime area off the interstate when he noticed the car held a 37-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy. The older man claimed he was bringing the young boy home, but their location did not indicate that they were heading toward the boy’s address. Upon further investigation, Casey found that the man was in possession of illegal drugs, weapons, and objects consistent with kidnapping. The older man was placed under arrest and charged. Based on his actions, Casey believed this was not the older man’s first incident of this kind. Being able to save the young man has been one of the most rewarding moments of his career. As, he says, about winning this award. “I hold it right up there with my Medal of Valor,” Casey said when explaining the feeling of being honored by his alma mater.
Currently, Casey is working on a book about his recovery, return to work, as well as trial anecdotes from cases he has worked on.

Charlotte Degen '73
Outstanding Service to the College 

Charlotte Degen '73, an elementary education graduate of the College, attended MCLA during a pivotal time in its development. Starting her work as an undergraduate washing dishes in campus dinning, during her second year, the College hired their first ever Dean of Women, Nancy Granger. After Nancy was hired, Degen became one of the first RAs of the then-women’s dorm, Hoosac Hall. Degen’s position as an RA ignited her passion for higher education, particularly in student affairs. In 1974, Degen attended graduate school for a master’s in guidance and psychological services from Springfield College. Concurrently, she held a graduate assistantship as a counselor for personal adjustment and career services. She would later complete a certificate of advanced graduate study in education research & policy from UMASS-Amherst.

Following her work in Springfield, Degen returned to MCLA working in the Alternatives for Individual Development program where she established the colleges learning center serving enrolled students and helping north Berkshire residents prepare for college. The Learning Center ultimately evolved over time at MCLA and several elements of which are now part of the Center for Student Success and Engagement. In 1995, she became the associate dean of students for MCLA and held this position for a decade before becoming the dean of student affairs in 2004 and, finally, the vice president of student affairs in 2012.

Degen’s 40 years of service to the College did not go unnoticed; MCLA named the Charlotte F. Degen Student Aid Fund in her honor.

Along with the numerous professional accolades Degen collected over the years, she often reflects on her time as a student. She cites Professor Joplin’s courses with being the catalyst that opened her eyes to sociological systems and taught her to see residence communities in higher education as such. Degen also mentions Professors Randall Hansis, William Anderson, and Lawrence Vadnais for teaching her how to think critically and creatively about her community and the cultural underpinnings that affect it. To this day, she emulates one of her most influential professors, Samuel Pierce, who constantly connected with his students and helped them understand their abilities and build confidence in their strengths. During her career, Degen made a point to also “notice who is in the room and cultivate what they can contribute.”

When asked about her time at MCLA as both a student and administrator, Degen calls it “the perfect package.” She was able to work a job she loves at an institution she loves. She wrote the first student support services grant over 34 years ago, lead concept work teams and writing of countless successful grants for student development and academic services, and with Jeff Puleri established the intramural equestrian program at MCLA in honor of the former equestrian intercollegiate team coach, Pat Mowbray-Morgan.“It means the world to me to have won this award,” she says.

Mark Halloran '77
Outstanding Educator Award

Mark Halloran '77 graduated from the College with a bachelor’s in history. During his time on campus, Halloran was involved in numerous clubs, including WJJW student radio, MCLA’s Student Government Association, and intramural sports. Throughout his undergrad years, Halloran thought about what his next steps would be. He considered pursuing a law degree or Ph.D., maybe even becoming a history professor at a college. But he didn’t yet think of teaching as a passion.

After graduation, Halloran stayed at the College to work as a staff assistant in Student Services and Residence Life. Soon, he began thinking about teaching more seriously and decided to pursue a master’s at Colgate University while working at MCLA. Halloran received his master of arts in teaching in social studies and continued at the college as residence director of the Flagg Townhouse Apartment Complex and an adjunct instructor in the History Department.

In 1982, Halloran began earning a master’s degree in public administration at Indiana University. In that time, he was also a graduate teaching assistant and was awarded the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award from Indiana University. In 1984, Halloran began his journey into municipal government. He was selectman for the town of Stamford, Vt., a town administrator in New Hampshire, and then entered the private sector as a regional vice president of an environmental engineering firm.

Still, his inveterate passion for education won. In 1990 he began his role as assistant superintendent in Plymouth, N.H., placing him in the School Administrative Unit 48 (SAU). Fourteen years later, he would be named superintendent, his dream job. In this role, he was able to be involved in everything he’s interested in: teaching, finance, collective bargaining, facilities, and athletics. He also loved being able to work in his community, which is what had drawn him toward municipal government.

Service to the community has always been another driving force for Halloran as an educator. “Make sure no matter where you go, you get involved,” Halloran says. Citing his own experience in MCLA student government, he stresses the importance of being part of the community that you’re joining and living in. “It will make it a much more rewarding experience.”

Halloran praises MCLA’s History Department, saying the professors kept close and nurturing relationships with all of their students. Namely, professors Clark Billings and Randy Hansis were instrumental in Halloran’s education. “There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t use something they taught me,” he said. Mark also cites Ray Sullivan and Tony Ceddia, members of the school's administrative team, as wonderful mentors during his time at the College.
Mark Halloran retired from the SAU after 30 years of service.

Bobby Howland '06
Alumni Humanitarian award

Bobby Howland ’06 graduated from the College with a bachelor’s in sociology. During his time at MCLA, he was a standout player and captain of the men’s baseball team. It was his athletic involvement that began to initially mold him into a leader.
“You learn quickly that how you act sets the tone for the entire team,” Howland said. “You need to be upbeat, positive, and always leading the team to a common goal.” Howland remembers being a first-year student, navigating the team and his place in MCLA’s community; “you’re so young when you get to college, you aren’t a leader yet, you learn.”

His leadership skills were continuously honed as a team captain and again in his role as senior manager of regional transportation for FedEx Ground. He received the Five Star Award, Fedex Ground’s highest honor, which states that the awardee exemplifies a commitment teamwork, integrity and overall leadership. Howland said he has been inspired by many and pulls qualities and techniques from multiple leaders based on what he admires about them and how they motivate and inspire others.

His values as a leader are also evident in his community service and advocacy. In the last decade, Howland became an avid runner and endurance athlete. He became interested in distance running after reading books by Dean Karnazes, a distance runner who ran over 300 miles to raise funds for a young girl who needed a kidney transplant, but whose family couldn’t afford it. This was the spark that Howland needed to begin his journey to help others. In 2016 he found his cause: Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a rare terminal disease that was afflicting his coworker’s family friend. Learning about this heartbreaking disease prompted Howland to make a direct and impactful change. Through his fundraising efforts, he was able to raise $100,000 for the DMD research organization Jar of Hope. He continued his involvement in Jar of Hope through participating in numerous committees before becoming a board member for the organization in 2018.

Howland has been selected as a brand ambassador for Newton Running, Rudy Project North America, and NUUN Hydration for his leadership and dedication to the Jar of Hope organization. His hometown of Branchburg, N.J. even named June 10 as “Bobby Howland Jr. Day” for his commitment to service.

This commitment is something he hopes to instill in his two daughters. Howland is vocal about human rights and environmentalism with his children, family, and friends, especially in regard to the Black Lives Matter movement. When Ahmaud Arbery, a fellow runner, was murdered while on a jog, Howland says he “woke up” to the systemic injustices attacking people of color. He describes racism as an "alarm clock that’s been going off forever, and we pick and choose when to hit the snooze button. I don’t want to hit the snooze button again.” His boundless dedication to helping others and his community makes him an impeccable and compassionate leader. Howland said he sees service as the future of community: “The more we do, the more we help others, the more we serve others, the more we help our communities, it makes for a better culture all around.”

Kaite (Bonneville) Rosa '10
Blue & Gold Alumna Award

Kaite (Bonneville) Rosa ’10 has been a dedicated member of the MCLA community since her junior year of high school, when she first visited the College. Having instantly fallen in love with the campus, Rosa applied early decision. She was so confident in her goal of attending MCLA that she decided not to apply anywhere else. Since receiving her acceptance letter, Rosa has more than proven her loyalty to the College and to supporting future students’ experiences.

In her first year, Rosa was a member of LEAD Academy as well as the Center for Service. She continued her involvement in these programs by volunteering for the Center for Service’s Write Stuff program and mentoring first-years in LEAD Academy. She was also heavily involved in the Pi Upsilon Pi sorority as new member educator and vice president. She was editor-in-chief of the Beacon Newspaper, a Residence Area Security Monitor (RASM), and even joined Harlequin and Yorick (two of the theatre clubs on campus).

When Rosa began her senior year of college, she wanted to expand her experience beyond the activities she had dedicated herself to previously and decided to get involved in other ways. It was this year that she made her Student Government Association debut and also joined the admissions ambassador team.

Rosa’s dedication extends well beyond her four years at MCLA. Having joined the MCLA Alumni Association Board of Directors in 2017, Rosa worked tirelessly on committees to help promote the mission of the College. She is now serving her second term as vice president. This, she says, is her favorite way to be involved with MCLA as an alumna. “Especially lately,” she elaborates, “we have a really passionate group making sure students and alumni alike have a positive experience.”

Along with her duties as vice president, Rosa is also an award-winning writer and accomplished marketing professional. Currently, she works as the director of content marketing at Axonius, a cybersecurity tech company. Her responsibilities include developing content and communications strategies, as well as overseeing content production, design, and brand compliance. 

“There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t use something I learned at the Beacon,” Rosa says. During her time on the paper, the staff was light and a couple of key roles were left vacant. This meant she had to be able to balance many tasks, which is integral to her career now. Since Rosa primarily works in start-up companies, the editor-in-chief role at the Beacon perfectly primed her for being able to wear many hats professionally. Even in her professional life, Rosa beams with Trailblazer pride; at every company she has worked at since graduation, she has been instrumental in helping to recruit one, if not more, MCLA alumni to join her. “There’s something really special about our alumni,” she says. “We are hardworking, humble, we roll up our sleeves and get work done, and employers can see that come to life.”

Meg Skowron '71
Outstanding Educator Emeritus Award

Meg Skowron ’71 is a life-long educator. Since fourth grade, Skowron knew she wanted to be a teacher. In her earliest memories, she recalls helping her teacher correct papers (something she still loves to do) as the moment she fell in love with education.

She began her journey by attending MCLA. Normally a homebody, Skowron found her first semester to be a seamless transition to college, as she had to commute during that time while Hoosac Hall (then the women’s dorm) was finishing construction. This allowed her to get a feel for college while still having the comfort of her home life. Though she applied to six other colleges, MCLA was the first to welcome her into the fold with an early acceptance. That, coupled with the hands-on experience of teaching at the Mark Hopkins School her sophomore year, made MCLA the perfect place for her to plant her roots.

Skowron’s teaching experience was only enhanced by the wonderful mentors she was surrounded with every day on the College’s campus. Bill Mahoney, an art teacher, made her think outside the box. She remembers one particular class in which he gave the students an assignment to make something completely original and “never seen before." This inspired Skowron to create a sculpture of daises and bumblebees out of hardboiled eggs, egg yolk, and egg whites. Mahoney had definitely never seen anything like it.

She also credits her speech teacher with giving her confidence in public speaking. Not only did this greatly improve her lecture skills, it also allowed her to develop a new passion: theatre. Skowron was heavily involved in Harlequin, the College’s musical theatre club, and was a member of Delta Psi Omega, a theatric arts honors society. She even participated in a couple of the school’s plays.
Aside from teaching and theatre, Skowron also owned a craft shop for many years and managed a staff of nine other women, which allowed her to teach in conjunction with her entrepreneurial passions.

Skowron is also a dedicated member of the St. Charles Church in Pittsfield. Skowron has been in charge of decorating the church for liturgical celebrations and seasons for over 40 years. She is also a lector and member of the parish's finance committee. In addition, she was named Catholic Woman of the Year in 1991 by the Diocese of Springfield, Mass. When reflecting on her service projects, she remembers the friendships she cultivated and the warm feeling of community, she says “volunteering really just gives me so much joy.”

Now retired, Skowron thinks fondly of her career and the steps that brought her there. MCLA, she says, is a huge part of that. “It didn’t end when I graduated.” Winning this award means the world to her, she said. “I feel like I’m being recognized for everything I’ve done with my life . . . It’s a very special feeling.”