As a young, single mother reaching for a better life, Barbara-Ann first turned to Lesley for the professional opportunities that a college degree would provide.

“Little did I know that at Lesley I would find a warm, welcoming place with excellent faculty where I could breathe, study, and grow,” she notes. “The professors and staff created a climate of support and of understanding that permeated every aspect of my Lesley experience. Sometimes, the smallest kindness has the most impact. Lesley afforded me the flexibility and support to nurture and spend time raising my son while continuing my education and preparing for a career. Those years are some of my most enduring and fondest memories. This environment is part of the Lesley magic.”

Early in her career, Barbara-Ann worked as a special educator providing services to high school students with special needs. “The ‘head and heart’ strategy that I learned at Lesley and used with my students earned me the moniker of ‘Ma’ instead of ‘Ms’,” she warmly recalls.

After leaving teaching when jobs became scarce, Barbara-Ann pursued a master’s degree and moved on to an impressive career in business. Now as a consultant specializing in enterprise-wide security programs in the financial and government sectors, Barbara-Ann feels that her Lesley experience paved the way for her professional success as a teacher and in business. “With both students and clients, my strategic vision helped me to identify innovative and unique near-and-long-term strategies,” says Barbara-Ann, who is currently consulting for the United States Air Force in the area of information protection.

Barbara-Ann hasn’t limited her impact to professional success. True to Lesley’s educational mission, her life has been focused on service to others and the greater community. She was an adult facilitator with the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership organization, taught a self-defense class to women at a local community center and provides pro-bono consulting to a nonprofit that offers low-income, fully-accessible housing for physically handicapped adults.

Barbara-Ann also served on the Town Council in Durham, New Hampshire, was a gubernatorial-appointee to the Judicial Council of New Hampshire, and was the assistant chair to the New Hampshire Republican Party. She also has served as a committee contributor to the New Hampshire Board of Education.

With all of these commitments, Lesley University remains at the top of Barbara-Ann’s priority list. She is a member of the Benefits Committee of the Lesley University Alumni Council. She says of her work on the Council, “I appreciate this opportunity to give back to the Lesley community and I encourage everyone to get involved with the great work that Lesley is doing today through alumni programming.”

As a member of the Edith Lesley Wolfard Society, Barbara-Ann is making sure that future generations of Lesley students receive the same benefits from their education that she did. Barbara-Ann’s planned gift and her annual giving to the Fund for Lesley are a tribute to her education and Lesley’s mission. “I respect and value all that my Lesley years have brought and wish to honor that through my philanthropy.”

Barbara-Ann wants all alumni to know that they can make an impact by contributing to Lesley. “Just as no kindness is too small to have an impact, no contribution is too small,” says Barbara-Ann, who is just beginning to think about retirement but has already remembered Lesley in her estate plan. “It may be easy to become intimidated by large bequests and to feel that a small donation by comparison may not really matter. But at Lesley, every gift matters. Lesley is changing the world by supporting and educating one student at time. I want to be a part of that – one dollar at a time – now and in the future, and I hope mo

Lesley University’s Art Institute of Boston invites you to experience the unique interpretations of more than 120 talented AIB MFA Alumni from across the United States and beyond as they come together to create one of the largest exhibitions in New England this year. The exhibit, entitled “Objectified,” opens Friday, January 4th at Washburn Hall, 10 Phillips Place, Cambridge, with an opening reception from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The exhibition will run through January 12th.

The theme for this year’s Biennial—“Objectified”—challenges the AIB artists to explore the dynamic range of power inherent in objectifying a subject or conversely, by focusing intently and decisively on a single object. More than 300 people visited the first MFA Alumni exhibition opening, and the University is expecting this event to be just as spectacularly attended.

The AIB MFA Alumni have orchestrated this group exhibition in cooperation with Lesley University as a celebration of the diversity and strength of the creative bonds forged in AIB’s intensive low-residency MFA program. This exhibition is also dedicated toward fostering deeper ties between AIB and the main Lesley University campus as AIB prepares to transition to its new location in Porter Square, Cambridge, MA.

To follow the progress of the show, please visit the exhibition’s Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/AibMfaAlumniExhibition

If you would like to see a list of other attendees, click here.

Join us to reconnect with friends and meet new Lesley connections!

To see a list of other attendees, please click here.

Join us for a chance to meet new Lesley connections and to reconnect with friends.

To see a list of other attendees, please click here.

Join us to reconnect with friends and meet new Lesley connections. We look forward to seeing you in March!

To see a list of other attendees, please click here.

Join alumni and friends for a reception as part of the 2012 Literacy for All Conference. Whether you plan to attend the conference or live in the area and would like to meet local alumni or reconnect with friends – all are welcome.

The Literacy for All Conference is organized by Lesley University in collaboration with New York University, the University of Maine, and the University of Connecticut. The annual conference is the Northeast region’s leading literacy professional development event for teachers, administrators, and literacy coaches. More than 100 literacy and Reading Recovery workshops address topics such as the Common Core State Standards, assessment tools, guided reading, genre study, storytelling, writing workshop, and more.

• Earn up to 14.5 professional development points
• Learn from Reading Recovery and literacy experts and authors
• Get the tools you need to help diverse learners achieve literacy success

CLICK HERE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE NOW >

If you would like to register for the reception, please use the form below. Note: registering for the reception does not register you for the conference, you must visit the website above and register for the conference separately. Conference attendance is not required to attend the reception.

From a young age, Barbi clearly had a penchant for teaching, often guiding playmates in games and projects. As she grew older, her passion for education became increasingly obvious, including teaching her Turkish grandmother to read English. When it came time for Barbi to think about a profession, it was clear that teaching was her niche and Lesley was the place to follow her dream. “Enthusiasm seemed to carry the day and I was granted admission,” recalls Barbi of her Lesley interview.

Barbi and her husband Paul in front of the new facilities for New Chapter

When Barbi graduated from Lesley, teaching jobs were scarce. She worked at a small daycare in Cambridge, while she continued explorations in meditation that had begun while at Lesley. This interest led to a lifelong personal and business partnership when she met Paul Schulick in a meditation group in New York. The son of a pediatrician, Paul had a passion for healing through gaining a deeper understanding of whole foods and natural supplements, and soon after Barbi and Paul married, they purchased Mother Earth, a natural food store in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Before long Paul’s forays into herbal formulation had eclipsed their small store, and in 1986, the couple moved to Vermont to devote their energies to the fledgling New Chapter. New Chapter vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements are a whole-food complex easily recognized and absorbed by the body. Products are sourced from organic fruits, vegetables, herbs, and superfoods and cultured in probiotics to deliver the full spectrum of natural benefits.

“We founded New Chapter nearly 30 years ago out of a desire to bring the healing value of nature’s botanicals into people’s lives,” says Barbi, who characterizes her role with the company as guiding the cultural heart of the organization. “Our mission then was the same as it is today: to deliver the wisdom of nature to all those seeking natural wellness. It is our hope that people will experience a new chapter in health from using our products, and join us in offering gratitude to the healing sustenance of herbs and whole foods.”

When Barbi looks back on the twists and turns of her life story, she credits Lesley, and faculty such as professors Paul Fideler and her exposure to renowned educator John Holt, with instilling in her “an empowerment of self.” According to Barbi, Lesley recognized her potential. “At Lesley, my passion for teaching and many friendships developed.”

And, teaching has continued to play a significant role in Barbi’s life. She home schooled her daughter for many years, and after her daughter and son graduated from The Putney School, Barbi stayed on to offer assistance to students who needed extra help.

When asked to sum up the lessons she has learned since graduating from Lesley, Barbi says, “Listen to your heart, it knows best. Ignite a passion for giving through your work, combine it with a tenacity that will not allow you to just settle, and make it fun.”

Marc Brown, author of the renowned children’s book series Arthur, will join Lesley as the Fall 2012 Strauch-Mosse visiting artist lecturer. This exciting discussion on idea creation and character development will shed light on the process behind these successful books and allow a rare look into the behind-the-scenes of the world Brown has created through his work.

Click here to see a list of attendees who have already registered.

George E. Hein, one of the most respected thinkers and writers in the museum field, is Professor Emeritus at Lesley University in the Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences and Senior Research Associate with the Program Evaluation and Research Group (PERG), which he co-founded in 1976.

After a warm introduction by Lesley University President Joseph B. Moore, Clinton entered the stage to a standing ovation and praised Lesley’s leading role in teacher education, lauding the far-reaching impact and importance of training excellent teachers who benefit individual students’ futures and bolster the future of our nation and economy.

President Clinton’s lecture was followed by a thought-provoking, thirty minute question-and-answer session with Lesley University President Joseph Moore.

President Clinton presented an inspiring speech to a full house, capturing the conflict and inequality that plague the world, while demonstrating a vast breadth of knowledge and making a rousing case for global citizenship and cooperation.

President Clinton discussed his foundation’s efforts to improve life’s opportunities for people across the globe in the areas of health, education, and employment. He presented the audience with compelling data, stories, analysis and a self-deprecating sense of humor.

His lecture was followed by a thought-provoking, thirty minute question-and-answer session with President Moore, during which President Clinton adeptly, and with great detail, fielded topics ranging from conflict in the Middle East to the biggest threats that our democracy faces in the coming years. President Clinton received another standing ovation from the audience.

President Bill Clinton poses with senate candidate Elizabeth Warren at Wednesday’s event.

“It was a privilege to represent Lesley University and to engage with President Clinton on such a range of compelling topics on the stage of Symphony Hall. We are honored to sponsor this year’s Boston Speakers Series, and thrilled that President Clinton was able to open such an outstanding lineup of activists, authors and world leaders,” said Lesley University President Joseph B. Moore. “The speakers series echoes the foundation of a Lesley University education by presenting speakers with broad perspectives, deep experience and a scholarly focus that inspire us to examine critical issues, challenge conventional thinking, and frame new ideas. Lesley University presents seven speakers in this year’s series to engage with the Greater Boston community and highlight a diverse range of contemporary issues.”

“This was a tremendous opportunity for Lesley University to bring President Clinton to Boston to commence this illuminating series,” said Deborah Schwartz Raizes (’69), Chair of Lesley University’s Board of Trustees. “Our graduates are lifelong learners who believe in the importance of engaged citizenship, freedom of expression and scholarship, and our partnership with the Boston Speakers Series is a wonderful celebration of that tradition at Lesley.”

Following President Clinton, the series will feature best-selling author Jeanette Walls; journalist Lisa Ling; 21st-century warfare expert P.W. Singer; co-chair of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility Erskine Bowles; former president of Mexico Vicente Fox and Andes Mountain crash survivor Nando Parrado. Click here to learn more.