Forever a Pioneer
Against All OddsAlice Pincus '72 G
When you meet Alice Pincus ’72, her calm demeanor and welcoming smile provide a glimpse into the comfortable family life she has carved out. If you engage her in conversation, you will learn about the many challenges she overcame to follow her dreams.
Born in Haiti, Alice was sent as a child to live in the U.S. due to political unrest. Her parents said good-by to their three children with the hope that they would have a better life outside of their native country.
Leaving everything she knew, Alice arrived in New York at the age of 12 to live with her uncle’s family in Bethesda, MD. Although the culture was different and she had to learn English immersed in regular classes, she made the most of her new, educational opportunity. “Given all that my family sacrificed, I knew that I had to embrace my new life head on,” shares Alice. “I was fortunate that the public junior high I attended offered great equipment and exceptional teachers.” Being close to Washington, DC, Bethesda was a favorite location for Congressional families to raise their children.
It was during these early teen years that Alice was introduced to the science lab. At first struggling with the English language, she was drawn to math and science. She ended up forming a life-long bond with these subjects. As Alice looked forward to attending the public high school, her uncle‘s job changed and she was given the choice of moving with them to Guatemala or staying in the U.S. on a student visa.
“I was determined to stay in the U.S. so I wrote to St. Anne Academy in Marlboro, MA where one cousin was a resident student, asking them for a scholarship,” explains Alice. “And, with their positive response began my lifelong relationship with the Sisters of St. Anne. I started as a sophomore and the small-school experience was just what I needed,” she adds. “I participated in almost every activity and learned how to be a leader; but most important I made great friends.”
Alice graduated in a class of 42 students, seven of whom went on to AMC, including Alice and her closest friend, Renee (Malboeuf) Morse’72. “Once again, the Sisters came through by helping me obtain a scholarship and locating a Paxton family with whom I could live. How generous of these families who opened their homes to students who couldn’t afford to live on campus!” she remarks. However, after her freshman year, Alice faced another struggle and had to find work to pay the tuition going forward. She moved to Worcester sharing apartments with struggling students from other colleges, working two jobs while finishing school.
After graduation, Alice again faced challenges. To remain in the States, she had to marry or stay in school. With Sr. Pauline Madore’s assistance, Alice entered the masters in organic chemistry program at Holy Cross, which was going co-ed. She became one of the first women to graduate from the school.
“I went from an all-female to an all-male school, and then entered the work-force during the turbulence of the seventies,” claims Alice. “I promptly learned that women had a long way to go to be taken seriously in what was considered a man’s world.”
Having met other challenges, Alice quickly succeeded professionally, starting her own consulting and contract R&D business, Pincus Associates, in 1983 with the support of her husband, Bob, who joined her full time in 1990. In 1986, Alice became a key founder of a trade organization, RadTech International No. America, and served as its first, full-term president. Her first experience on a board of directors was as chairperson, creating a board.
Once, after a successful business meeting, Alice reflected on her achievements and immediately thought of the scholarship assistance from the Academy and AMC, and particularly of the academic and emotional support from Sr. Pauline, who had been the chemistry department head when Alice attended AMC. She decided to find Sr. Pauline and establish a scholarship in her honor so other international students could realize their dream of a college education.
In addition to fulfilling her educational dreams, Alice was able to find a permanent home in Andover, MA where she has lived for 36 years. “After all the moving around, when Bob and I married in 1974 I told him I wanted to buy a house where we could form a close-knit family and be grounded,” she shares. We are glad she did.
Police Commissioner Makes the Grade
Edward F. Davis '90 G
Lowell, MA native, Ed Davis‘90G, presides as the 40th Police Commissioner of the City of Boston. He was sworn in by Mayor Thomas Menino on December 4, 2006. Prior to becoming Commissioner of the Boston Police Department, Mr. Davis served as the Superintendent of Police in Lowell, Massachusetts for 12 years. He began his career as a patrol officer in Lowell in 1978 and rose through the ranks before becoming Superintendent in 1994. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the National Leadership Award (2002) from the Police Executive Research Forum.
Commissioner Davis was also the recipient of the prestigious NIJ Pickett Fellowship and attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government’s Program for Senior Government Executives at Harvard University. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from New Hampshire College and a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Anna Maria College.
Commissioner Davis has served on the PERF board of directors and was a founding member and first President of the Massachusetts Major City Chiefs Association.
In the recent past, Commissioner Davis shared his thoughts on his career and law enforcement in general. Here is a summary of his thoughts.
Commissioner Davis, why did you enter the criminal justice field?
“I have always been interested in working in law enforcement, particularly for the local police force, since I can remember. My father was a police officer in Lowell where I grew up and I was able to gain first-hand knowledge of what his work entailed. I started my career as a police officer and really enjoyed my role in protecting local neighborhoods. I liked being out of the office, walking the streets and interacting with the public. I still do.”
Why did you select Anna Maria College to continue your education?
“The Catholic Mission of the College was a major draw for me. I grew up in the Catholic education system and always believed it delivered a superior product. AMC was also one of the first Colleges in the area offering criminal justice programs for individuals with full-time careers. Once I started the program I became impressed with the instructors and the overall content of the classes.”
How has AMC helped your career?
“The professors were great and understood what their students needed to learn. Many had been or were currently working as practitioners in the field. I remember one of my instructors, Jim Brick, a former Assistant District Attorney, who made a tremendous impact on my professional life. Through his support and knowledge, I became involved in researching DNA, which in the late 80’s was just coming into the forefront of law enforcement. At the time, DNA evidence was being used effectively in London and as a result of my studies at AMC, I was able to become knowledgeable about important this cutting-edge program. It really has made a significant difference.”
What issues do you see facing Criminal Justice Professionals in the future?
“From where I sit right now, budgeting will continue to be a major concern. Large metro areas will have to carefully evaluate what works and what doesn’t work so that the limited funds police forces are receiving can be used to implement programs that are the most effective. For example, I think large communities need to build-up community policing programs and pull-back on other initiatives that have less impact on maintaining the safety of our communities, which of course is our first priority.”
Carrying Out the Tradition of an AMC Education
Edith Mooney LaVigne '63 G
Edith Mooney LaVigne ’63, the youngest of three daughters in the Mooney family, did not envision herself graduating from the same alma mater as her two older sisters. Edith wanted to carve out her own path and thought that she needed to attend a college other than Anna Maria to do so. It turned out however that AMC was the right choice for Edith and, despite the fact that her sisters Ann and Peggy had already blazed the trail at Anna Maria Edith was able to become a woman in her own right.
“My sister Ann was six years older than me, so she had already graduated from Anna Maria when I began my freshman year,” shares Edith. “Peggy was in her senior year so even though the campus was fairly small, I was able to make my own friends and create my own niche.”
All three Mooney sisters commuted from their Holden home except for Peggy’s last semester on campus when both she and Edith lived in the residence hall. Edith majored in sociology and minored in education at Anna Maria and fondly remembers one of her professors, Mrs. Mary Plunkett. According to Edith, Mrs. Plunkett was “sensible and down to earth. She was very wise and had a great sense of humor,” she adds.
Edith points to something Mrs. Plunkett shared with her students, words of wisdom that no doubt impacted some of her future choices. “I remember her telling us that whatever group or organization we joined, we should eventually take a position of leadership,” explains Edith.
Edith not only remembered these words, she lived them out later in life when she launched the Friends of the Paxton Library, served as the organization’s president numerous times and remained a trustee for 15 years.
Other hallmarks of an AMC education impacted Edith’s future. After graduating, she along with four other students joined Extension Lay Volunteers of America in an effort to give back to others. “The teachings of the Sisters of Saint Anne regarding social justice and working toward the common good really resonated with me,” states Edith. “I truly value the experience I had working as part of this volunteer organization teaching fifth graders in Oklahoma. I came to admire the people, who may have been short on material things but rich and full on values and an appreciation for life.”
After fulfilling her one-year commitment to Extension Lay Volunteers of America, Edith returned to the Holden area and taught at the Jefferson School in Holden. In 1965, she married her husband of 45 years, Tom LaVigne and dedicated the rest of her life to raising four children. Today, Edith resides on the Cape with Tom and enjoys spending time with her now eight grandchildren.
Edith also continues to enjoy giving back and taking leadership roles in the community. Both she and her husband are involved with Cape Cod Hospital, and Edith has once again signed on as a Trustee at Anna Maria College, having served in this capacity from 2001-2007. “I am excited to be able to be involved with my alma mater during a time of great change,” she shares. “I am very pleased that College is aspiring to academic excellence and working hard to re-establish AMC as a leader in quality, Catholic education. Anna Maria was very good for me. I would definitely recommend it to others.”
Planning for Future Generations
Rick Radesky '98 G
Walking into the office of Richard Radesky ‘98G is like entering a microcosm of CNN with multiple computers and a flat-screen TV operating at the same time. A successful entrepreneur, Rick is at the top of his professional game and makes sure he remains this way by keeping ahead of the curve in our fast-paced global economy.
Rick began carving out his own life path after graduating Shrewsbury High when he decided to join the Navy as a way to earn money for college. After his stint in the service, Rick joined the work force and began to pursue his education part-time: first at Tidewater Community College in Virginia, where he earned an associate’s degree in business, and later at Worcester State, where he received his bachelor’s degree in psychology. Although Rick had accomplished a great deal in a short time, he had higher aspirations for himself.
“When I first graduated from high school, I thought an associate’s degree would open up job opportunities for me,” shares Rick. “However, I soon realized that if I wanted to achieve my personal goals, I would need a master’s degree to ensure that I had a leg up over the competition.”
Rick began pursuing his MBA at Bryant College but soon transferred to Anna Maria. “The educational experience being offered at AMC was much more to my liking,” explains Rick. “The small classes and engaged faculty with real-life experiences made all the difference. In addition, its more competitive price made AMC a much better value,” he adds.
His time at AMC was well spent as his new MBA made Rick very competitive in the marketplace. “I learned about total quality management, which was in high demand in many industries in the mid-to-late-‘90s,” says Rick. “My AMC education began to open up doors for me in the business world.”
After assisting to streamline operations at United Health Plan, Rick’s strong entrepreneurial spirit motivated him to move beyond the corporate world and serve as a consultant in process management. It was during this time that he found a passion for day trading. After a brief stay in Florida, Rick returned to Massachusetts to build a career in wealth management.
“I found that I really enjoyed helping others plan for their future,” claims Rick, whose engaging personality was well received by many individuals in the greater Worcester community seeking financial management advice. “Before I knew it, I was the co-creator and host of a show called Planning for the Future, which first aired on WORC-AM and then later on television on Channel 3,” he adds. “The show was very successful and featured numerous experts in the field of finance, many of whom came from AMC.”
Today, Rick owns a very successful Ameriprise franchise in Worcester and was recently listed in the top 7% of wealth managers by Boston Magazine. Although he has come a long way since graduating from AMC, Rick has never lost sight of how his alma mater helped him spiral to the top of his profession. “My education at AMC provided me with much more than book knowledge. My professors taught me how to think and how to apply a practical knowledge to real world experiences,” shares Rick.
According to Rick, he is at a point in his life when it is time to give back. As a financial planner, he can’t think of a better way than to endow a planned gift at Anna Maria College.
“Planned giving fits with who I am both personally and professionally,” explains Rick. “It demonstrates to others how important it is to learn how to manage your money. It also supports another one of my passions: education,” he adds. “The gift I am leaving AMC will provide a full, four-year scholarship for one student a year for as long as Anna Maria exists, which I expect will be forever.
In addition to this generous gift, Rick will soon be teaching in the business department at AMC. “I can’t wait to share my knowledge with students about real-world experiences so that they can be better prepared to understand life’s ups and downs.”
The Anna Maria College Community is very grateful to Rick for his generosity and for insuring that future AMC students will be able to benefit from his good will.
