University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass Community Salute
Congratulations to all of our 2017-18 UMass Community Salute recipients! Thanks to the Massachusetts Lottery, we were able to recognize five extremely deserving members of the UMass community throughout the course of the UMass Men’s Basketball season.The Massachusetts State Lottery is an essential source of unrestricted local aid for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In Fiscal Year 2018, the Lottery returned $997 million in net profit to the Commonwealth to support all 351 cities and towns. Examples of how these funds are utilized include public safety staffing and equipment, snow removal, local road improvements, programs for seniors, and parks and recreation projects and services.
Here’s a closer look at our 2017-18 recipients and the contributions they’ve made to our community:
Don Gallagher
January 30, 2018
As the current Director of Student Life and Dean of School Culture at Chestnut Academy Middle School, Don serves teens by mobilizing resources for the Springfield Public Schools to partner with private businesses and public non-profit agencies. This relationship has allowed for students at Chestnut to experience real-world business simulations, tour area college campuses, participate in programs for arts and athletics and to be active in community organizations that teach positive leadership skills such as Boys and Girls Club of America, Girls, Inc. and many more. Outside of his job, Don coaches basketball and soccer, volunteered as a mentor with Big Brothers/Big Sisters and served as the founding president of the North Amherst Community Farm which is an organization devoted to preserving farmland and promoting sustainable farming practices in our community.
Rita and Laurie Leaman
February 3, 2018
In 1968, Rita and a few other Amherst community members founded the Skating Club of Amherst with the goal of providing opportunities for people to learn how to figure skate and to provide a place for people to skate. This year will be the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Skating Club of Amherst and it currently has ten (10) coaches and over 150 members ages four (4) and up. The Skating Club of Amherst has had several members go on to compete in both the regional and sectional level competitions. Today, Rita and her daughter Laurie, dedicate their spare time to serve the over 150 members and grow the club.
Dr. Genevieve Chandler
February 14, 2018
Dr. Chandler, an associate professor of Nursing at UMass Amherst, founded a program called Changing Minds, Changing Lives in 2015. Most recently, what Dr. Chandler put together was funded by the NCAA to bring the program to athletics on the premise that resiliency is something that can and should be taught, developed, and built. This program has helped over forty (40) student-athletes here at UMass overcome challenges and advance their development both on the field and in the classroom. Dr. Chandler recently represented UMass with Jim Helling, presenting Changing Minds, Changing Lives at the 2018 NCAA convention. The presentation is now posted on their website and is being implemented by other universities and colleges.
Jackie Brousseau-Pereira
February 21, 2018
Jackie is currently the Academic Dean and Director of First Year Seminars in the College of Social and Behavioral Services here at UMass. In that role, she works with many of the College’s 4,000 undergraduates, providing guidance and support for their academic performance. Jackie has worked with her colleagues to develop the SBS Pathways initiative, which helps students consider and integrate the many facets of their college career – not just academics, but also activities like sports and clubs, internships, research and study abroad experiences, and more – to help them figure out who they want to be at UMass and beyond.
Michael Chunyk
March 3, 2018
Michael is a psychotherapist at River Valley Counseling Center in Easthampton. There, he focuses on working with men who have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He uses seminars and other forums to help alleviate the stigma of seeking help. In his spare time, Michael is the Public Relations Director at Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen and Pantry in Chicopee. Through the hard work of Michael and the team, Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen and Pantry has helped over 12% of Chicopee’s population who face food insecurity.