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Strong Foundation of Abilities Helps Student Juggle Athletics, Honors, Internship

Dec 8, 2025 | Stories

A Mitchell baseball player and Honors Program student, senior business major Savier Paige balances schoolwork, practice, and an internship.

He is grateful to use the technology, communication, and problem-solving abilities gained through Mitchell’s Ability Model, woven throughout the curriculum. Savier applies the skills at his internship with Quinn, Hary & Gellar, a New London marketing and communications firm.

Mitchell College requires every student to complete an internship.

“I found my internship by working with Paul Dunn in the Integrative Career Development office. I was looking for an opportunity that would align with what I want to do long-term for a career.”

During his semester-long internship, he works two to three days each week in the office.

“My days vary, posting calendar listings for clients on various websites and platforms. I also search for visual assets in the public domain that can be used in design. Then I keep track of the details on an Excel spreadsheet—whether they are videos or photos, horizontal or vertical—and do other tasks. Sometimes I figure out how to get information on my own, thinking of different ways to get it, working down the ladder,” he said.

“I had the opportunity to sit in a meeting for the firm’s biggest client, helping plan a 60th anniversary celebration. We talked about costs, food, promotional levels for sponsors, a silent auction, and other things. I was able to give input on the design of a brochure, sharing my ideas on what I thought was visually appealing.”

The thing he likes best about his internship is building connections with the people who work at the firm.

“My favorite part of my internship is the people. Everyone is high energy and conversations are exciting. It’s a small group that feels like a family. I love to come to the office every chance I get, and I am comfortable enough that I can ask for help from anyone.”

Looking Toward the Future

When he graduates, Savier said he will probably seek opportunities in marketing and sales. He also has an interest in gaining experience in public relations, graphic design, and web design.

“As I am exposed to more, I can figure out exactly what I would like to pursue.”

Back on campus, Savier said that sometimes it’s challenging to balance everything. He attributes his success to his favorite Mitchell traits: a calm and beautiful location on the water and a strong, close-knit community that feels like a family.

“Everybody cares about each other in our school whether they know someone or not. And that creates a family within the school.”

Looking toward the future, Savier said, “Mitchell has prepared me in a great way for after graduation. I get one-on-one interaction with professors, and the opportunities outside of school are better, in my opinion, than at a bigger school. I enjoy focusing on what I need to get done to prepare myself for the future and look forward to looking back and thanking Mitchell.” 

Savier Paige

Unexpected Turn at Mitchell Puts Alum on Path to Help Others

Dec 2, 2025 | Stories

When AJ Marini ’24 enrolled at Mitchell College as a transfer student, he intended to play baseball for the Mariners and major in sport management.

“From the very beginning I wanted to stay involved in athletics long after my own career would finish,” he said.

Little did he know that his collegiate baseball career would be cut short by injury and that he would later pursue a career helping and guiding other athletes.

“One of the biggest challenges I faced as a student-athlete was tearing my shoulder twice. That ultimately forced me to stop playing baseball, a sport I loved. I had always identified as an athlete and suddenly that part of my life was taken away.”

Finding Purpose

After the initial shock of his life change, he focused on “finding purpose beyond the field.”

“I suddenly realized there was more to life than just sports. My injury pushed me to grow as a student and as a person, and the experience taught me resilience and adaptability. I focused more on my academics and developed stronger leadership and communication skills. I also found new ways to stay connected to teammates through my coursework and campus involvement.”

AJ credits the Mitchell faculty and staff with helping him transition out of baseball.

“The incredible faculty and staff went above and beyond. They taught me in the classroom and guided, mentored, and supported me through every challenge, both on and off the field. Their encouragement helped me find new purpose. It pushed me to reach my full potential as a student, leader, and a person. Looking back, I was drawn to Mitchell for its close-knit, supportive community. From the start it felt like a place where I could truly belong and grow. Growing is just what I did.”

After graduating from Mitchell (and delivering the student address at his commencement ceremony), he enrolled in a master’s program in sport management at the State University of New York at Cortland.

As a graduate student, he interned with STEER for Student Athletes. The community-based nonprofit organization provides mentorship and support services to student-athletes, helping them graduate from high school, prepare for further education, or enter the workforce.

AJ plans to use this experience to pursue career opportunities in advising, student-athlete development, mentorship, or possibly college athletic administration.

Thanks to his unexpected turn at Mitchell, AJ is now poised and excited to pay forward the support he received.

“It’s important to help others see the same opportunities and support that made such a difference in my own journey.”

Kervick Receives Literary Award for History of Windsor Locks Canal

Oct 9, 2025 | Stories

J. Christopher “Chris” Kervick, an instructor of local history at Mitchell College, was recently awarded the 2025 Literary Award by The Connecticut Society of Genealogists for his book “The Windsor Locks Canal: Yankee Enterprise and Irish Muscle.” The award recognizes the most outstanding genealogical resource of the year.

Since 2022 Kervick has brought his love of history to students in the Thames at Mitchell College program through his “New London Stories” course. Together they have researched and written numerous articles about New London history, some of which have been published by The Day and its imprint The Times newspapers.

The result of over 20 years of research, Kervick’s book tells the story of the creation of the 19th-century Windsor Locks Canal, which served as the backbone of a water-powered industrial center.

The historically detailed book is of interest to genealogists because it humanizes the 400 Irish laborers who built the canal. Kervick introduces the reader to many of the remarkable men by name and identifies laborers who remained in the area and raised families following completion of the canal.

“The Windsor Locks Canal, Yankee Enterprise and Irish Muscle” (Madison, CT: The Connecticut Press, 2025) is available for checkout at the Mitchell College Library. It is also available for purchase in both softcover and hardcover editions online from Amazon Books, Barnes & Noble, and IngramSpark.

Kervick recently completed three terms as First Selectman of his hometown of Windsor Locks, Connecticut, and, prior to that, served as a Connecticut Judge of Probate. He has been practicing law for over 37 years. A 1984 graduate of Fordham University, he is a 1987 graduate of Catholic University, Columbus School of Law.

Mitchell Faculty Host ‘Pints & Professors’ Speaker Series in Downtown New London

Oct 2, 2025 | Stories

Mitchell College faculty are taking their knowledge and expertise from the classroom to the street (Bank Street, New London, that is!), giving back to and engaging with the local community.

“Pints & Professors,” a free speaker series for the public, kicks off on Monday, October 6, at 7 p.m. at The Social Bar + Kitchen, 208 Bank Street, New London. (Watch for announcements about additional talks.)

Professor Luke Walden, M.F.A., who teaches digital communication at Mitchell, will share his perspective as an “accidental historian,” filmmaker, educator, and co-director of the documentary “The Narcotic Farm” (2009). The film, which aired nationally on public television, explores the story of America’s first federal narcotics prison-hospital in Lexington, KY. The institution became both a treatment center and a research hub and is considered the “Ground Zero for American’s first war on drugs.”

Professor Elyse Gessler, Ph.D., event organizer, said, “Knowledge and education are two things that everyone should have access to. I wanted to create an intentional event where we leave campus, meet the public in a relaxing and approachable space, and have some engaging discussions. In my experience, there is nothing that brings people together like good food and drink. Giving our faculty an opportunity to share their research, practitioner, and education experiences over a pint make for a fabulous event to showcase the depth of knowledge and expertise across the Mitchell College faculty.”

Watch “The Narcotic Farm” here: https://vimeo.com/91392115
Read about the researchers’ experiences here: https://lnkd.in/g_hYPDAS
Read more from The Social and reserve a table here.

Mitchell Internship (and Fandom) Led to Working with WNBA Team

Aug 6, 2025 | Stories

Longtime Connecticut Sun fan Kilian Okech ’25 joined the team for the summer as a community relations ambassador. In his internship role, he works with the organization that is part of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).

The sport management major, who played on the Mitchell men’s basketball team, said, “When it came time to find an internship, I already had the idea to work with the Connecticut Sun.”

Kilian worked with Paul Dunn in the Integrative Career Development Office to secure the internship.

“Thanks to his connections, I was able to apply and get a response quickly,” Kilian said.

Tasks on Game Day
Kilian attends every home game at Mohegan Sun and handles other aspects of his work remotely. On game day he arrives in the morning to work in the office and arena before the game. Pre-game tasks include helping to prospect leads for groups to attend games. He also assists with “seat notes,” envelopes containing special offers that are placed at seats around the arena.

In addition, Kilian observes office calls about ticket sales and other questions. At game time, he helps fans at a concessions table or booth. He said he uses the Mitchell Abilities, especially diversity/global perspectives and social interaction, to effectively interact with the broad mix of fans.

When he transferred as a sophomore to Mitchell, Kilian was drawn to the college for a variety of reasons. He liked the opportunity to play basketball, Mitchell’s waterfront location, and its campus and residence halls. He said his Mitchell advisor supported him in helping transfer past credits to be on track to graduate.

Future Plans
Through his internship Kilian has a close-up and behind-the-scenes look at a professional basketball organization.

Looking to the future, Kilian said, “My internship has inspired me to continue going after a career in the front office at a sports organization. Mitchell has good internship options for students. The great help I received from Paul Dunn and my peers at the Sun have prepared me and given me the valuable experience that I need to take the next step.”

Kilian plans to pursue a master’s degree in sport management.

Kilian Okech stands in front of a mural feature Connecticut Sun basketball players.

Psychology Majors Sweep Commencement Achievement Awards

Jun 11, 2025 | Stories

Psychology majors from the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences “swept” the awards for highest academic achievement at the 2025 Commencement ceremony, with Isabella “Bella” Avalos named Valedictorian, and Allison Blum and Thomas Progano tied as Salutatorians.

Bella and Allison talked about their career goals and how they will use their favorite psychology courses to advance their professional lives.

Forensic Psychology and Rehabilitative Justice

Bella, who minored in criminal justice, hopes to pursue a doctorate in forensic psychology and work as a licensed clinician for incarcerated individuals in corrections and reentry programs.

“I am interested in studying behavior and the factors that guide it. There are many fields where psychology is used, and it intersects with criminal justice, another interest of mine. When I chose my major and minor, I wanted to understand how they are used together within the justice system,” she said.

Bella has a long-term goal of working in therapy in the justice system but also conducting research on rehabilitative justice for the corrections community. She currently interns in probation in Orange County, California, where she works with incarcerated youth in a rehabilitative capacity.

“This work is something I value greatly and a core reason for me wanting to pursue a career in forensic psychology.”

She cited the Mitchell College courses that she will draw from in her work in psychology and her day-to-day life.

“Psychology of Well-Being was one of my favorite courses at Mitchell. Psychology focuses a lot on abnormalities and dysfunction, but this course provided different principles to living a fulfilling life that I found helpful not only for my career but also personally. I also enjoyed Behavioral Statistics because it gave me the foundational knowledge to discern and interpret data that was extremely helpful with my research at Mitchell for my Honors Program thesis, ‘An Analysis of the School-to-Prison Pipeline.’ One of my career goals is to contribute to the growth of my desired field through research. This class provided good preparation.”

Marriage and Family Therapy

Allison will start graduate school in the fall to work on a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy.

“Mental health is so important to me, and I love helping others feel good about themselves. I have been in therapy for a long time, and it’s been so helpful to me. My hope is to help others in the same way,” she said.

One of her favorite Mitchell psychology courses will inform her work in graduate school.

“In my Family Systems course, I loved taking a deeper dive into each family dynamic and how it affected the person. I found the course to be very helpful because I was introduced to the research of psychologists Drs. John and Julie Gottman. I admire the Gottman Institute and their view on how relationships work. I like looking at the bigger picture when it comes to the person and why they are the way they are.”

Allison examined relationships for her Honors Program thesis, “Power Dynamics in a Coach Athlete Relationship.”

She also found her Grad School and Beyond class helpful as she prepared to apply for graduate school.

Allison looks forward to pursuing her goal of earning her master’s degree and becoming a licensed therapist.

“In the future, I hope to have an established practice helping others, especially those who are married with children. I would love to help people be great parents who help create wonderful children who will grow into wonderful people.”

Class of 2025

While the Behavioral and Social Sciences faculty celebrated the spotlight on this group of students from their program this year, the graduating class of 2025 distinguished themselves academically across all programs:

  • 44 were Honor Society members
  • 28 graduated cum laude
  • 35 graduated magna cum laude
  • 4 graduated summa cum laude

In the above photo, l-r: Professor Jen Mauro and Dr. Joanna Gentsch, professors of psychology, Allison Blum, Bella Avalos, Thomas Progano, and Dr. Nancy Parent, chair of Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences