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Lindsey Turowski awarded key to the City of Newport for kickball league

salvetoday Posted On June 16, 2022

Lindsey Turowski, director of integrated marketing strategy and brand deployment in the Office of Strategic Communications and Public Affairs, has recently been award the key to the City of Newport by Jeanne-Marie Napolitano, the mayor of Newport.

The key to the city was given to Turowski to recognize over 10 years of hard work and community building as she created and ran RI Kickball. RI Kickball is a non-profit 501(c)7 sports league that has been a positive point of social and athletic connection for locals residing on Aquidneck Island.

“Over the past 11 years and 20 seasons of RI Kickball, I have had the privilege of making many lifelong friendships and partnerships with local businesses because of RI Kickball,” said Turowski. “I am forever grateful that I took the plunge and started this league with the help of my husband Carson and my friend Valerie Mey-Altenburger all those years ago.”

Turowski (right) with Jeanne-Marie Napolitano (left), the mayor of Newport.

The brainchild of Carson and Lindsey Turowski, kickball is being played on Monday nights in Morton Park and Toppa Field throughout the spring and fall. The idea came to the couple in 2011 after seeing how popular the game has become in Washington, D.C., which has thousands of players participating in leagues across the city.

Ever since founding RI Kickball in 2011, the league has been at max capacity with 12 teams and approximately 220 players per season. Over the years, RI Kickball has had 36 different teams play from a variety of backgrounds — including the Newport Police, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Naval War College, the IYRS School of Technology & Trade, Marine professionals and more.

“In the past, league leaders have thanked me with a small gift or just a mention of thanks to the whole at the season awards party,” said Turowski. “This time they had been working behind the scenes to have the key to the City of Newport awarded to me …. To think that they planned this for me and went to the city is really meaningful.”

Kickball is a great sport for a variety of people to play, according to Turowski. Anyone with some athletic ability can play and participate in it, and it’s also a sport that allows for multiple genders to be good players.

“These folks are now my friends for life thanks to kickball,” Turowski said. “When you are awarded something like this, you remember it forever.”

For more information on the league, go to RI Kickball’s website.

Salve Spotlights / Student Life

Ashley Koffink heads to Boston College for master’s degree in social work

salvetoday Posted On June 16, 2022

This fall, psychology major Ashley Koffink ’22 will pursue a master’s degree in social work at Boston College, specializing in clinical social work with children, youth and families. She plans to become a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), with a long-term goal of opening her own private practice for children and adolescents with mental illness and PTSD.

Koffink said that Laura Kcira-Barry, disability services coordinator, and Dr. Paula Martasian, associate professor in the Department of Psychology, had a tremendous impact on her personally and academically. “I credit them for getting me where I am today,” she said. “Their words and encouragement will help me continue to be a success in both my academics and my future career as a social worker.”

One of the most important things that Koffink learned during time at Salve Regina is the diversity that exists in the world and how necessary it is to analyze the bigger picture of a person and situation. She believes this knowledge will directly impact her future career as a social worker.

“We are not all the same, and we come from different cultures, religions and backgrounds,” she said. “Taking the time to get to know a person, where they live, what their family is like, etc., can help you be a support system.”

Koffink urged incoming students not to worry about declaring their major. She started as a biology major but quickly became intrigued by her psychology classes. Even though some of the classes she took were intimidating, the professors she worked with made her experience enjoyable.

“My experience at Salve Regina has been life-changing,” she said. “I have grown as a person academically and spiritually. I walked into this beautiful campus with hopes of finding new friends, experiences and knowledge, and I am leaving with so much more.”

Article written by student writer Taylor Majkowicz ’22

Faculty/Staff

Anne McDermott elected as president of EASFAA

salvetoday Posted On June 15, 2022

Anne McDermott, director of financial aid at Salve Regina, has recently been appointed as the president of the Eastern Association of Financial Aid Administrators (EASFAA).

McDermott has been an EASFAA member ever since she began her financial aid career in 2007, and she has held a leadership position since 2017. Her first volunteer leadership position was as the president of the Rhode Island Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, and she worked within EASFAA in this role from 2017-2020.

In 2019, she was awarded the State Representative of the Year award. In 2020, McDermott served as one of the EASFAA conference co-chairs, and her committee was awarded Committee of the Year by offering a robust virtual conference during the pandemic.

“What I noticed most during those difficult times was the bond that people had to our association and to one another,” said McDermott. “Absolutely nobody was leaving a colleague out to dry. Every difficult decision that was needed during that season felt just a little lighter because we were part of a team.”

In early 2021, McDermott was elected as president elect of EASFAA for 2022, and she started her official presidential year at the EASFAA conference in Baltimore, Maryland, in May of 2022.

“The benefits of my EASFAA volunteerism have been far greater than I could have ever imagined,” said McDermott. “Having a network of people who understand the industry and are there to support one another has been a gift. Because of the EASFAA network, financial aid administrators are never alone. I have found not only that EASFAA has helped me grow professionally, but I have also made some lifelong friendships.”

EASFAA aspires to be a leader in the development of empowered financial aid professionals. It promotes and supports the advancement of its members in higher education utilizing training, advocacy, education and leadership development opportunities.

EASFAA fills the unique role of providing professional services to both its individual members and state associations, and it also acts as an advocate for regional policy positions with the United States Congress and the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA).

“Having worked for many years at a Catholic Sisters of Mercy institution with a strong connection to mission, I often find myself thinking about the importance of mission statements and how mission statements can be put into practice,” said McDermott. “One of the biggest priorities of the association will be to bring new people in, help them to improve their skills and provide the support they need … to keep them in our industry as better, stronger, more confident aid professionals.”

Student Life

Salve Regina’s Best Buddies named Outstanding Chapter of the Year for second time

salvetoday Posted On June 14, 2022

For the second time in three years, Salve Regina’s chapter of Best Buddies has been selected as the Outstanding Chapter in Rhode Island.

Best Buddies International is the world’s largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through empowerment and meaningful friendships. Salve Regina’s local Rhode Island chapter partners about 40 students with 40 members of the community with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The 2022 recognition was announced in a letter from Krista Thurstone, Best Buddies International’s deputy director of programs.

“Your team absolutely deserves this as we were so blown away by your application and all of your hard work despite this year’s obstacles,” Thurstone wrote. “We are SO grateful for all of you and are just so excited to continue to support all of the amazing work you are doing in Newport for inclusion of people with disabilities.”

Caroline Duseau, ’22, Salve Regina’s chapter president who graduated in May with a double major in elementary and special education, said many things set Salve’s Best Buddies chapter apart.

“This award means the world to Best Buddies at Salve. It is a reminder that what we do is valued in our community and in making the world a more inclusive place,” Duseau said. “We have some of the most dedicated members that I have ever worked with. Their love, passion and work for our organization was clear through the whole year.”

Duseau said the chapter organized one event and one meeting each month during the school year, while balancing both in-person and virtual gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our members always look forward to seeing each other and making Best Buddies happen no matter what,” she said. “We held club trainings with guest speakers, and we had an end of the year friendship dance.”

The aforementioned dance featured a Drums Alive class, awards for each member, a walk on the red carpet, crowns, tiaras, snacks and a whole lot of smiles, according to Duseau.

“Caroline has done an amazing job in her role as chapter president,” said Debra Cherubini, their faculty advisor who also serves as assistant professor and chair of Salve’s nursing department. “She consistently demonstrated strong leadership, mentoring, and creativity in the execution of her role. We are so proud of all our students.”

Follow Best Buddies on their Instagram account.

Athletics / Event Coverage

Salve Regina’s sports teams hosting summer clinics and camps

salvetoday Posted On June 14, 2022

Many of Salve Regina’s sports teams are hosting a variety of clinics and camps this summer in June, July and August. These camps and clinics are for a range of ages and abilities. Most are for high school students who are interested in pursuing college-level sports, but some are for younger students who are beginning to hone in on their athletic abilities.

More events may be added, so please check Salve Regina’s athletics website for an up-to-date list of all clinics and camps.

Baseball Prospect Clinics
Monday, June 27, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Monday, August 8, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Seahawk baseball is offering several prospect clinics for position players, pitchers or both on June 27 or August 8. These multi-session clinics include a pro-style workout, drills, batting practice, arm maintenance and routines for pitchers, campus tours, instruction, collegiate evaluations and more. These clinics are meant for high schoolers, and there is an option for both full-day or half-day attendance.