St. Lawrence graduates have a thirst for knowledge, are innovative problem-solvers, and make their communities, companies, and the world better places. This periodic roundup features Laurentians at the focus of news stories shared by and within their communities.
Gina Kingsbury ’04
Gina Kingsbury ’04 made an impact on the ice as one of the most prolific scorers in St. Lawrence University Division I women’s ice hockey history. Her dedication to empowering young players as Team Canada’s Women’s Ice Hockey’s Director of Hockey Operations was featured in an article published by NationalPost.com on Feb. 10.
“She wants what’s best for these athletes and what’s best for the program,” said Troy Ryan, Team Canada’s Women’s Ice Hockey Coach. “It’s special to have someone in that role who has been there as an athlete as well. She’s done a great job mixing what the players need as well as what the staff needs.”
Kingsbury majored in psychology at St. Lawrence and is one of many Saints making appearances at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
Karson Humiston ’15
Inspired by a trade show in 2015, Karson Humiston ’15 built her own cannabis staffing website in her final year at St. Lawrence. She shared her journey to becoming the founder and CEO of Denver-based Vangst, a hiring platform for the cannabis industry in an article published by BizJournals.com on Feb. 8.
“We’re growing our team to help us build new products and launch into new markets,” she said. “It’s all with the idea of helping cannabis employers get connected with talent.”
Humiston was a government and economics double major at St. Lawrence.
Derrick Pitts '78
Derrick Pitts '78 is the chief astronomer at the Franklin Institute, a science museum in Center City Philadelphia, and the director of the Fels Planetarium. His dedication to reducing barriers to accessing astronomy through the City Skies program, which inspires students to explore the night sky throughout the Philadelphia region, was published in the February 2022 issue of Sky and Telescope Magazine, the premier national periodical for amateur astronomers. A subscription is required to read the article.
"I love what I do, I love where I work. But I grew up in an inner-city neighborhood where I knew no one who had that kind of occupation," Pitts said. "...City Skies is a force multiplier."
Pitts was a geology major at St. Lawrence.
Kelly Curtis M’14
Kelly Curtis M’14 is representing Team U.S.A. as she competes for gold in Women's Skeleton at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China. She shared what inspired her to take up the high-speed sport in an article published by NJ.com on Jan. 31.
“But when you’re on the sled and you get to feel everything around you – you get to see very little because your head is buried – it’s a very different feeling. You just have to embrace whatever’s going on at the moment and block everything else out. I think that’s the effect I love most about it.”
Curtis earned a master’s degree from St. Lawrence in 2014 and is one of many Saints making appearances at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
Jessica Normandeau ’15
Jessica Normandeau ’15 is focusing on sustainability as the captain of her new commercial fishing boat in Bristol Bay, Alaska. She shared what inspired her to work in one of the largest commercial wild salmon fisheries in the world, where roughly 1% of fishing boats are run by women, in an article published by ValleyReporter.com on Jan. 22.
“[It’s] a good way to live seasonally. I thought I’d do it for a few years but it turned into a career,” said Normandeau. “I had to claw my way in, as a woman. Every single year you see more and more women. It’s really cool.”
Normandeau was a double major in English and art and art history at St. Lawrence.
Alison Domenico ’09
As a Skating Saints alumna, Alison Domenico ’09 is calling the shots as one of Team Canada’s assistant coaches at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China. She shared the important role her coaches played in her career during an interview with CBC Sports published on Jan. 21.
"Hockey is in my blood, it's my passion. But the athletes are just such an important piece. It was a big reason why I got into coaching," said Domenico. "My coaches had such a positive impact on me as a person and a hockey player. And I thought being able to have that ability to do that for other people would be unbelievable."
Domenico was a double major in sociology and speech and theater at St. Lawrence and is one of many Saints making appearances at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
Molly McMasters ’20
Molly McMasters ’20 navigated the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic by leaning into her artistic nature and turning to members of the North Country community for guidance. Her determination to launch her own painting business was featured in an article published by NNY360.com on Jan. 17.
“I’d never seen a woman mechanic, truck driver, construction worker, or house painter, so I just assumed it wasn’t something I was able to do,” said McMasters. “But after graduating SLU and speaking with women in my community like Alicia Taillon, Hailey Hodge, Carol Pynchon, my mom Suna Stone, and my Aunt Peg, I was inspired and had a ‘eureka’ moment where I felt that I could do whatever I wanted.”
McMasters was a double major in conservation biology and art and art history at St. Lawrence.
Varick A. Chittenden ’63 M’66
Varick A. Chittenden ’63 is the founder of TAUNY (Traditional Arts in Upstate New York). His lifelong commitment to North Country arts and culture was recognized with the Benjamin A. Botkin Prize from the American Folklore Society and featured in an article published by NNY360.com on Jan. 15.
“I’m thrilled with the way [TAUNY] turned out,” said Chittenden. “It’s not, by any means, just my work. A lot of people through the years, including lots of volunteers, have helped to make that happen.”
Chittenden majored in English at St. Lawrence.
John Mezzalingua ’89
CEO and founder of JMA Wireless John Mezzalingua ’89 has been following his entrepreneurial spirit for over 20 years. His recent business venture, aimed towards bringing new life to Syracuse and developing new 5G cellular technology, was featured by Syracuse.com on Jan. 12.
"This isn't just a five-person metal-bending shop," Simpson said. "This is hundreds of employees. And not only are they making this investment in the city, but they're making it on the South Side of the city of Syracuse, which has been the neighborhood that has been most historically disinvested in our community's history."
Mezzalingua majored in economics at St. Lawrence.
Jodi Burnash ’95
Jodie Burnash ’95 is harnessing her 21-years of education experience to provide onsite professional development and mentoring to new teachers at Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES. Her dedication to supporting her district was featured in an article published by AuburnPub.com on Dec. 22.
“I am very excited to be a part of this partnership to empower schools through both immediate and long-term planning and delivery of evidence-based practices that increase student engagement, improve student achievement, and build teacher capacity,” said Burdash.
Burnash was a psychology and fine arts double major and music minor at St. Lawrence.
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