Education

Hilde Hein was born in 1932 in Cologne, Germany, and was the first tenured female faculty member at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, serving as professor of philosophy from 1970 until 1999. She was also part owner of Annapurna, an Indian restaurant in Worcester. Hein’s academic focus is the philosophy of museums and the philosophy of women, and one of her main achievements at Holy Cross was to teach a groundbreaking course on the philosophy of women.

 

Catherine Woodbrooks was born in Rumford, Maine on October 27th 1954, and moved to Worcester, Massachusetts in 2002 when receiving the position of Vice President of Student Affairs at Assumption College that she presently holds. She received her Bachelor’s degree in speech pathology and elementary education from the University of Maine Farmington, her Master’s degree from the University of Maine in Orono, and then went on to receive her doctorate in higher education from Ohio State University.

 

Dr. Stephanie Yuhl was born on September 17, 1966 in Santa Monica, California where she grew up in a large family of ten (five sisters, two brothers and her parents). Dr. Yuhl enjoyed being raised in Santa Monica because of the beautiful beaches, lively streets, and the diverse culture. She is the mother of her three children, Julia, Emmitt, and Phineas. Dr. Yuhl attended Georgetown University in Washington D.C. for her undergraduate degree and later attended Duke University where she earned her PhD.

Susan Scully-Hill was born on October 20, 1963 in South Amboy, New Jersey. Having graduated from Michigan State University with her PhD and having worked as a professor at Emporia State University, she came to Worcester in 1998 in pursuit of a teaching position. Throughout the interview, Susan expresses her dedication to her work, her family, the Worcester community, and her efforts to balance each responsibility. She expresses feeling a heavy burden, as a working mom, to meet everyone’s expectations.

Susan Sabelli was born in 1952 and grew up in Connecticut. She came to Worcester in1976 in order to attend graduate school at Assumption College and since graduating with her master’s she has worked at Assumption as a lecturer in Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies and as the Clinical Coordinator of Undergraduate Program in Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies and Graduate Program Rehabilitation Counseling. In this interview, Susan discusses the importance of education and the balance that she was able to have in her life between being a mother and a human services professional.

Brenda Safford was born on August 5, 1956 in Lubbock, Texas. Moving to Worcester with her second husband, Brenda worked within the community and became an adult learner at the age of 38, receiving both her Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in Human Services. Brenda is currently the director of Multicultural Affairs at Assumption College. In this interview, Brenda speaks about her days growing up in Lubbock, Texas, and her experiences with both racial segregation and integration in her school system.

Debra Hopkins was born in 1959 in Worcester, MA where she was raised in the Main South and the Grafton Hill sections of town. She attended Middlesex Elementary School on Hamilton Street, Worcester Central Catholic for middle school, and Holy Name for high school. She briefly attended the University of Massachusetts, but she transferred to the University of Connecticut where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Theater Administration and Psychology.

Dr. Claire Quintal was one of the first women professors at Assumption College. She never married because she chose a career path in lieu of a family, which in her generation were the only two options. She was born in 1930 to a loving Roman Catholic, French-Canadian family where French was her first language.  She grew up in Central Falls, Rhode Island, where she had a happy childhood. Claire attended Anna Maria College in Paxton, MA, and graduated in 1952.