News Archives

Largest Single Donation in College History

Apr 7, 2022 | News

Pictured above: President Espy shares news with faculty and staff about the historic gift.

Mitchell College President Tracy Y. Espy announced that Mitchell College was gifted its single largest gift in its 84-year history. The $3 million gift was given by an anonymous donor and includes a challenge match of $1 million, raising the potential benefit to $4 million.

“This historic gift comes at a transformational moment for Mitchell College….Building on the College’s remarkable foundation of delivering an outstanding educational experience to students of all learning styles, Mitchell College aligns our mission with the future of higher education.”

— Tracy Espy, Ph.D., President, Mitchell College

For Mitchell, this future includes an array of pathways for students to achieve their goals, in both career and service, offering expert supports to ensure student success. Our tremendously generous donor recognizes the unique commitment and ability of Mitchell College to offer exceptional education for a kaleidoscope of learners, representing the spectrum of diversity in race, gender, class, ethnicity and neurodiversity.”

“We are deeply grateful to our generous donor, as well as to President Espy – whose unwavering commitment to further propel Mitchell College’s distinctive competence of creating a culture of belonging and educational excellence for the full diversity of learners inspired our compassionate benefactor to support Mitchell’s remarkable future.”

— Richard D’Avino, Chair, Mitchell College Board of Trustees

The donor of the $3 million to Mitchell prefers to remain anonymous, but stated, “I fully support the Mitchell College mission, the welcoming environment where all diversity is celebrated and all potential is realized, and President Espy’s vision for the future.”

Partnership with Univ. of Saint Joseph Offers MSW

Mar 31, 2022 | News

Pictured above (left to right): Joseph Pardee, Mitchell College director of facilities; Dr. Elizabeth Beaulieu, Mitchell College vice president for academic affairs; Dr. Tara Broccoli, Mitchell College professor of behavioral sciences; Dr. Tracy Y. Espy, president of Mitchell College; Dr. Raymie Wayne, USJ professor of social work; Dr. Rhona Free, president of USJ; Dr. Anthony DeJesus, USJ director of the MSW program; and Dr. Michelle Kalis, USJ provost.

Soon residents in Southeastern Connecticut and beyond who are interested in pursuing a Master of Social Work (MSW) won’t have to travel far to do so.

The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) in West Hartford, Conn., is partnering with Mitchell College to use its New London campus as a satellite campus for the master’s program. Classes taught by USJ faculty will be offered in the evenings and on weekends, and local agencies will serve as partner sites for student clinical training.

The agreement was signed today by Dr. Tracy Y. Espy, president of Mitchell College, Dr. Rhona Free, president of the University of Saint Joseph, Dr. Elizabeth Beaulieu, Mitchell College vice president for academic affairs, and Dr. Michelle Kalis, provost of the University of Saint Joseph.

“Expanded behavioral health access is one of the areas cited by Gov. Ned Lamont and his Workforce Council. Mitchell College very much looks forward to working in partnership with the University of Saint Joseph, sharing our resources to fill today’s abundant need for social work professionals. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students, particularly in our psychology and criminal justice programs, and for others in the greater Southeastern Connecticut community.”

—President Espy

President Free said, “This new partnership between the University of Saint Joseph and Mitchell College will make it possible to meet some critical workforce needs in the New London region and provide a convenient way for potential students to earn degrees that are not currently offered nearby. We will start with a master’s in social work but hope to expand, taking advantage of Mitchell’s outstanding facilities and location and USJ’s record of success preparing students for health care, education and social service careers.”

Dr. Tara Broccoli, Mitchell College professor of behavioral sciences, said, “The collaboration with the University of Saint Joseph is an exciting opportunity. The flexibility of the program will appeal to students, as they can select a two- or three-year program sequence to fit their needs. The hybrid method of delivery is especially responsive to adult students, improving their accessibility of the program.”

Espy also noted that Mitchell College is expected to create a graduate-level mental health degree in the next couple of years, developing a program for credentialing mental health professionals, in alignment with the governor’s call for expanded behavioral health access. These programs may be offered via distance, hybrid and HyFlex formats and fall under the college’s recent award of federal funding for the creation of its Digital Innovation Hub for Educational Excellence.

Children’s Learning Center at Mitchell College Welcomes New Director

Mar 8, 2022 | News

The Children’s Learning Center at Mitchell College recently welcomed Linda Hunter-Williams as its new director. In this role, she oversees the operations of the center and leads the staff in providing a nurturing and safe educational environment for its preschool program. Experienced as a classroom teacher, early learning program director and community college instructor, Hunter-Williams holds a Master of Education from Cambridge College.

Growing up in Louisiana, I was surrounded by an amazing village of concerned, caring and supportive teachers, which is why I became an educator. I believe all children should receive a quality early learning experience. Parents and teachers together play an important role in the education of children, which includes meeting the needs of individual children. I look forward to creating a link between home and school, ensuring that family members are actively involved in their child’s early educational experience.

Dr. Elizabeth Beaulieu, Mitchell College vice president for academic affairs, which oversees the Children’s Learning Center, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Linda to Mitchell College. Her lifelong passion for educating the youngest learners among us shines through in her collaborative approach to their education. She is a wonderful advocate for their needs and will also be an inspiring mentor for our college students studying early childhood education.”

The Children’s Learning Center at Mitchell College uses a Reggio Emilia-inspired approach to the curriculum that makes children partners in the learning process. The Center serves as a Laboratory School for Mitchell students, where they are actively engaged as researchers, interns and assistant teachers. This partnership ensures an innovative approach to best practices in the fields of human development and early childhood education. Mitchell College offers majors in early childhood studies (with optional teacher certification) and in psychology.

Camara-Harvey Joins Athletics Staff

Mar 8, 2022 | News

Kimberly Camara-Harvey, Mitchell College’s new associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator, recently arrived on campus ready to contribute to the success of Mitchell’s student-athletes.

Camara-Harvey said, “Mitchell’s Department of Athletics has had some amazing accomplishments, and I know there are even more on the horizon. I’m very excited to be part of what next. The staff, both in athletics and throughout the college community, is clearly dedicated to the success of students, and I’m really looking forward to being a part of that. I love seeing the student-athletes reach their goals, not just athletically but also in the classroom and beyond graduation.”

She joins the Mariners following a seven-year tenure at Johnson & Wales University in which she served as both a head softball coach and administrator.

Camara-Harvey will oversee all internal operations for Mitchell’s department, which is comprised of 12 varsity sports and services over 200 student-athletes. She will also serve as the compliance coordinator and Title IX Deputy, and as SWA she will be involved in senior-level management decisions at both the campus and conference levels.

“We are excited and delighted to add Kim to our team. She brings an extensive, successful track record in both the coaching and administrative side of collegiate athletics, and she is already making a positive impact on our student-athletes and staff.”

—Matt Finlayson, Director of Athletics

Prior to taking over the JWU program, Camara-Harvey served as an assistant softball coach and admissions coordinator at Webster University in St. Louis, Mo. She was also the head softball coach at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pa. from 2006-12, as well as an assistant softball coach at UNC-Wilmington in Wilmington, N.C. from 2001-06.

Camara-Harvey earned a degree in mathematics at the University of Rhode Island, where she was a four-year letter winner and two-year captain on the softball team. She also holds a Master of Business Administration from Webster University.

Academic Honors Recipients Announced for Fall 2021

Mar 7, 2022 | News

Congratulations to the following Mitchell College students named to the Fall 2021 Dean’s List (3.50+ GPA) or the Commendable Scholar List (3.0-3.49 GPA) .

Students must meet the following requirements to be eligible for either Commendable Scholar or Dean’s List:

1. Must be a matriculated student.
2. Part-time students are eligible for commendable scholar status for every 12 calculable credits completed.
3. Must have a grade point average between 3.0 and 3.49 for the given semester (Commendable Scholar) or 3.50 and 4.00 for the given semester (Dean’s List).
4. May not have any Incomplete, Satisfactory (S), Unsatisfactory (U), Withdrawal or Failing grades for the given semester.

Dean’s List

Mitchell Basketball—Men and Women—Head to NCAA Championships

Mar 3, 2022 | News

Across the campus, Mitchell College Mariners are celebrating as the school claimed not one but two 2022 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championships for both men’s and women’s basketball, a first in the college’s history.

Both teams will compete in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Division III Championship on Friday, March 4. The men go up against Randolph-Macon College at Randolph-Macon in Virginia. The women travel to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore to take on Christopher Newport University, another Virginia school.

This is the first appearance for Mitchell women’s basketball in the NCAA tournament and the third for men’s basketball.

Men’s and women’s basketball make up two of 14 varsity teams at Mitchell College, where over 40% of the students are varsity athletes. With the two recent championship wins, Mitchell now counts 19 Conference Championships in recent years.

Beyond the court or field, Mitchell’s coaches combine strong professionalism with a commitment to building relationships with each student, supporting them in a game, meet or match and in the classroom.

Coach Todd Peretz, now in his 23rd season as head coach of Mitchell College men’s basketball, said, “Heading to the NCAA Tournament is so special. No matter how many times you go, you can’t help but be overcome with waves of emotion. It never will get old. We are telling our guys there is no pressure on us. Regardless of who we play, we need to play our style and embrace this wonderful opportunity.”

“Mitchell men’s basketball is a unique program in that, for a smaller institution, our team is made up of players from all over. We have kids from Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Florida and international students. The group makes it fun to go to practice every day.” —Coach Peretz

Coach Courtney Burns, in her fifth season as head coach of Mitchell College women’s basketball, said, “Mitchell women’s basketball has truly developed a culture these last five years. It’s more than a basketball program. It’s a family. These players play for something bigger than themselves, not only for each other but for the college. It shows in the ways in which they compete and represent themselves on a daily basis. WE>ME.”

“Every player, every coach and every manager plays a key role in our success as a program. These student-athletes and the women’s basketball alumni have put so much into this program, day in and day out. To watch the group walk up the ladder and cut down their first championship net in the NECC championship was a special moment that I will never forget.” —Coach Burns

MVP Players in NECC Tournament

Junior Mikey Buscetto and senior Amina Wiley were named tournament MVPs.

Peretz said, “Mikey has been a terrific addition to our program as well as many other newcomers and our returning players.”

Burns said, “Amina will finish her career as the most decorated women’s basketball player to ever play here. She’s earned that through her hard work over the last four years. She has continued to improve and perfect her game, and she deserves all the accolades that have come her way.”

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