Don't Judge a Passport by its Cover: By Lindsey Beauregard

Lindsey Beauregard

December 11, 2012

JRN 100

Profile Story

Don’t Judge a Passport by its Cover

     Dressed simply in a “Skyhawk Nation” t-shirt, blue jeans and sneakers, her light brown hair tied back in a pony tail. She appears relaxed and comfortable in this familiar setting, sitting at the Residence Life work study desk on a cold Friday afternoon in late November, with memo notes and a paper cup of tea by her side, no would know that over the last four years, when not Stonehill College, she has lived in Honduras, Kenya and Uganda.

     Senior international studies major Jessica L. Mason has traveled very far from home. Not everyone can live life as spontaneously and as unplanned as Mason, who said that if something is planned she doesn’t want to do it. Her spontaneous nature and love of adventure has left this college senior with a well-used passport and many interesting stories.

    Mason grew up in the small town of Dexter, Maine. As a child Mason’s family took many trips from Maine to Massachusetts to visit family in the Bay State. What she remembers most from those trips was the sign that said “Leaving Maine” on a big bridge that signaled the half way point of the ride.

    “Every time we would go past that sign I would get butterflies in my stomach. I’d be like ‘were doing it, were somewhere else, this is great, I don’t know this place.’ And it still happens to this day. Every time I go past that sign I get those butterflies, it’s something new it’s something adventurous,” said Mason.

     The H.O.P.E alternative spring break trips, organized by Stonehill’s campus ministry are what originally attracted Mason to the college. The H.O.P.E program “seemed like a great opportunity, a lot of friends that I made encouraged me to apply for it. They [H.O.P.E] were starting a trip that year to Honduras, and that’s where I decided I wanted to go, and everything started from there,” said Mason.

     While in Honduras volunteering at a school, Mason became friends with the women who taught English. The teacher was volunteering at the school until May.

    After just a few days into the trip Mason decided that she would like to go back to Honduras and take up where the teacher would leave off.

    “By the end of the week I was all set to go back for three months as soon as school got out. So that night, after my finals, I went to my grandmother’s house and halfway through the night, I got up and got on a plane,” said Mason.

     Senior psychology major Caitlin E. DeCortin said that when Mason returned after the H.O.P.E. trip to Honduras, that Mason did not say much, but you could tell it was a great trip and that she was changed for life.

     A year after Mason got back from Honduras she was off again. This time to Africa.

    Mason always knew she wanted to study abroad during her junior year of college. Her original plan was to go to Peru and Chile because she was a Spanish and history double major at the time.  One night two of Mason’s friends suggested that she look at the School for International Training programs before she sent in her application to Peru.

     Just like that she “went on site, scrolled down and- Kenya, health and community development. Rwanda- post genocide restoration and peace building. Those two popped out to me. And I was like, ‘you know what, I’m going to do it.’ So I filled out the application, changed my major and before I knew it I just took off.”

     Her quick decision making process while deciding where next to explore mirrors her sociality.

     Mason’s work-study supervisor, the Administrative Assistant to the Office of Residence Life, Jeanice L. Banks, said that Mason does not associate with a particular group of friends, she just has a lot of friends..

    First-year communications major Parijat Bhattacharjee is one of Mason’s many friends. Bhattacharjee a resident of Agartala Tripura India moved to Stonehill College in July of 2012.

    Bhattacharjee’s anxieties about living with another person quickly disappeared when she was told by their mutual friend Karuna Reang that Mason was a very good girl, was not very girly and would be a very good roommate. Reang became friends with Mason the previous year when she moved to Stonehill.

     Mason is currently filling out an application for a year of teaching and living at an all boy’s school in South America.

      “I would love to go there, it would be another new culture, and I would get to work with kids again, which is something I really like doing,” said Mason.
     Although Mason is a self-described simple and plain person, her traveling experiences and the way she gets an idea and just goes with it, even if it means traveling thousands of miles, makes her anything but- simple or plain.       

Father Hugh Cleary-Winslow Cilfone

Winslow Cilfone

December 10, 2012

Father Hugh Cleary:

     Stonehill College has gotten considerably bigger. Its student body has increased, it’s gained new residence halls but it’s still maintained the same charm it had when it opened its doors in 1948. Reverend Hugh Cleary, C.S.C first fell in love with Stonehill while he attended the college as a seminarian. 

     The school has changed a lot since Father Hugh graduated in 1969, but it was his passion for learning and his love for the campus that brought him back to Stonehill when he was hired as the Director of Campus Ministry in 2011. 

     I had a chance to sit down with Father Hugh in Campus Ministry on a cold and overcast morning this past week, but despite the weather outside he was smiling his signature smile that he is known for on campus and invited me into a lounge so we could begin our interview so that I could get the chance to learn more about the man who had worked with two popes and had an experience with the devil. 

     “I was born in New York, New York City, Queens, New York. I have one sister, older, two years older, and one brother, 10 years younger,” said Father Hugh.

     Father Hugh went to the Holy Cross Brothers High School in New York. It was here that he was first introduced to the Holy Cross Order. He knew from a very young age that he wanted to become a priest, but his parents weren’t as excited. 

     “My mother thought I should be married and I would have a more fulfilled life, and my father thought that I should get into public service of some sort but we were a Catholic family, you know, mass every Sunday,” said Father Hugh.

     Despite his parents’ wishes, Father Hugh knew he wanted to become a priest and began seminary here at Stonehill College. 

     Seminary at Stonehill wasn’t a breeze. The seminarians had to sit in the back of classrooms and were prohibited from speaking with the other students. After evening prayer the seminarians would be on what was called “Grand Silence” in which they couldn’t even talk to each other until after breakfast the next morning. 

     Father Hugh would spend his free time playing sports with the other seminarians. “Soccer. I used to run a lot, and some baseball,” said Father Hugh when asked what sports he played in college. 

     The seminarians would take a yearlong retreat after one year at Stonehill called a “novitiate”, which resembled life in a monastery for the young seminarians. “We had milking cows, and pigs, and corn and apples. We just stayed on the property and sold the produce downtown,” said Father Hugh. 

     The experience was really meant to establish whether or not the seminarians had a future vocation within the priesthood. The year away from Stonehill only confirmed Father Hugh’s desires to become a priest. After a year of novitiate, the seminarians returned to Stonehill and took temporary vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Father Hugh then graduated from Stonehill in 1969.

     Father Hugh went to the University of Notre Dame after graduating Stonehill for his masters in theology. The second Vatican Council had occurred and things had become less strict for the seminarians. “We didn’t have to wear our cassock anymore. We could wear regular clothes. We could talk to the students. We could socialize more,” said Father Hugh. 

     After Notre Dame Father Hugh was ordained a priest and assigned to the Holy Cross Parish in South Easton for two years. “I loved it. I would say that taught me how to be a priest more than anything.”

     After receiving masters in counseling psychology from Loyola University, Father Hugh began his work with the poor. “We set up this program, and we went to Our Lady of Good Council Parish in Brooklyn,” said Father Hugh. 

     It was a very dangerous and tough area. Father Hugh was there for 10 years, and although it was often frightening Father Hugh said that it was the best education he had ever received and the best experience of his life.  

     “When we started, there was a big blackout in New York City at the time. There was a policy of containment. People went on a rampage, and they were burning places down,” said Father Hugh.

     Regardless of how frightening or difficult it may have been for Father Hugh to work in this area, he never gave up and constantly worked to make it a better place. 

     Katie Strout, Co-President of the Moreau Student Ministers believes that this is Father Hugh’s most admirable quality. 

     “I admire his ability to care and love for everyone he encounters. He always introduces himself to everyone and is genuinely interested in who they are and what they are doing,” said Strout. 

     Father Hugh then earned his PhD in spiritual formation at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and was assigned to become the novice director in Colorado where he ran the novitiate.

     This is where Father Hugh met Father Stephen Wilbricht, an assistant professor of Religious Studies here at Stonehill College. Father Wilbricht was a novice at the time and has known Father Hugh ever since those days at the novitiate.

     Father Hugh takes his religion seriously as his novices soon learned. 

     “One of the things he used to get mad at us for was dancing. He did not believe that any novice should be seen dancing. So, even if we’d be alone singing and dancing to music, Hugh would chastise us for our inability to follow,” said Father Wilbricht. 

     Afterwards, Father Hugh was elected Superior General, the representative of all the Holy Cross Fathers in the world. Father Hugh spent 12 years in Rome at the Vatican. During this time he met both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.

     “John Paul was a real extrovert and would meet people all the time. During the week he would have his own private mass up in his residence, and he would invite people to that all the time. Benedict is more personable. When you do meet him one on one he spends more time with you. He is very spiritual and very gentle, and he has got a reputation out in the world, the media has really done a disservice to him.”

     One of the biggest obstacles that Father Hugh has had to face in his life as a priest is that of loneliness. “You have to learn how to live alone, and in a way you make a movement from loneliness to solitude,” said Father Hugh.

     Father Hugh found himself facing a time of solitude when he was on a retreat in New Mexico with only one other individual, the guest master. While on a walk in the desert Father Hugh saw a dark, shadowy figure on the small mountain off in the distance. 

     Father Hugh’s wave wasn’t reciprocated but he could feel the gaze of the man as he continued with his walk. 

     The guest master explained that it may have been a brujo, or demon of the desert. 

     After this experience Father Hugh met a hiker who often hiked the desert. 

     Not long after meeting this hiker, the man became lost while on one of his hikes. While searching for him with the Sheriff, Father Hugh looked up and saw the dark, shadowy figure on the mountain once again. 

     The hiker was discovered on the third day of the search with multiple broken bones. He had frozen to death. 

     “Every Lent there is a gospel story of the temptations of Jesus in the desert and I tell that story and say how things like money is wonderful but it can destroy us, pleasures of life are wonderful but they can destroy us, power is great but it can destroy us,” said Father Hugh. 

     “So, that’s like maybe meeting the devil,” said Father Hugh after explaining the story of the hiker and his death.

     Father Hugh began his career as a seminarian here at Stonehill, and after meeting two Popes, traveling the world, and seeing the devil he has returned back to his alma mater. 

     Senior Stephanie Allen has only known Father Hugh for a few months but she already has a very positive view of him.

     “I think that Father Hugh is a very genuine person. He is always smiling. You can tell he appreciates Stonehill and the students. He likes getting to know people and hearing what they have to say,” said Allen.

     It is this appreciation of Stonehill that is at the roots of Father Hugh’s next goal. 

     “I love my faith, and to me it just means everything to me. It enriches my life. And, I can’t imagine living life without a relationship with God’s love. And, somehow or other I feel the culture here at Stonehill is more secular rather than faith oriented,” said Father Hugh. “I want to help the faith grow here at Stonehill.”

 

Nathan Robitaille.Profile Story

Nathan Robitaille

Journalism

Mr. Tierney

Profile Story



Who really is #8?

A sneak peek into Stonehill College Football’s Zaire Reiph

You may have seen him on the gridiron of W.B. Mason Stadium tearing up the opposing defenses in his beloved purple Skyhawk jersey. You may also catch him in the colonial courts on a Saturday night with his shirt off dancing with the ladies; or even in the library trying better himself in the classroom. Wherever it is you happen to run into this fun loving young man, you’ll always be greeted by his pearly white, wide smile. You definitely can’t miss it.

There are many things that standout when you see Mr. Reiph, such as his many tattoos, which his parents do not approve of; or his ripped abdominal muscles that everyone gets to see when he wants to impress the fairer of the opposite sex. One thing that sticks out the most though is his very uncommon name, Zaire.

When asked about how he obtained the name, he said, “When I was born, my parents had trouble coming up with a name for me. At the time he was being born, his older brother Serge was learning about Africa while he was in school, and “he mentioned the name Zaire to them”. This then sparked a light bulb in his father’s mind to go on”. My father is a big Mohammed Ali fan. He has a bunch of videotapes of all his fights and he has the “Rumble in the Jungle” in his collection. I’ve seen that one a few times”, said Zaire. This boasted two of the best heavyweight boxers in the history of boxing, between Ali and George Foreman. The country the fight was in was the country of Zaire. This is what his parents decided to name him. Although he was born eighteen years after the match, Zaire knows all about “The Rumble in the Jungle”. Now 38 years after Ali beat George Foreman for the heavyweight crown in 1974, Zaire Reiph is doing his own ‘rumbling”, on the football field that is.

Zaire graduated from the St. Luke’s School in New Canaan, Connecticut where for two years he was a two way starter at running back on offense and safety on defense. He attended this private school in eighth and ninth grades, then he transferred in his sophomore year to Brien McMahon; a public school where he was part of their football program as well. He then returned to St. Luke's his junior year where he was welcomed back to the team and named team captain upon his return. The coaches and teammates of Zaire for the Crusaders of St. Luke’s were certainly glad he came back. Zaire rushed for 1,034 yards and scored 13 touchdowns, while recording 68 tackles on defense. Dante Brito a teammate of Zaire now at Stonehill, but an opponent in high school, said,” he is extremely talented, with a lot of speed and from what I’ve seen from our junior years in high school until now, he hasn’t reached his potential”.

After having a stellar junior season, Zaire started to get some recognition for his play on the football field from many schools across the country. In fact, before even suiting up for the first game of his senior year he was named the MVP at Schuman's National Underclassmen Combine, which attracted 250 top players to New Jersey from all over the east coast. After winning the MVP of the combine, that earned him an invite to the Ultimate 100 East Combine in Matawan, New Jersey. This featured the top 100 high school prospects in the Northeast. These accolades made Zaire work even harder in trying to go play football for a division one program at the highest level. However calls stopped coming in and the division one schools lost some interest in him which led Zaire to begin to doubt his skill set. Small injuries started affecting his play and his senior year went from all he ever hoped for to somewhat mediocre. He was still named to the All Connecticut State team and played alongside his current teammate Joe DellaVecchia in multiple all-star games. In which they developed a strong bond together knowing they were going to play at the same school after the all-star festivities subsided. “He’s a hard worker, great teammate, friend and a good football player”, said Della Vecchia.

Even though the division one schools weren’t showing any interest anymore, the next highest level which is division two came into play and Zaire took full advantage of the schools recruiting him. One of them happened to be a prestigious liberal arts institution in Easton, Massachusetts called Stonehill. Zaire was the number one recruit on their radar and he was offered a scholarship which was the main thing he wanted to get. After taking a few visits and coming on a recruiting trip to the school he fell in love. The coaches, the players, the academic prestige and even some recruits he met while visiting, made the choice that much easier for him to decide to sign his letter of intent.

Now a Stonehill Skyhawk, Zaire came in freshman year wide eyed and ready to take on any challenge thrown at him. He started every game his freshman year scoring 2 touchdowns and making big plays when the Skyhawk’s needed them. His roommate Nate Morris said, “Zaire is very talented, always positive, very football orientated. He works hard in all he does”. But while he's proven to be a talent on the gridiron, Zaire is anything but one dimensional.

He also excels in the classroom with a love for math and science and carries a 2.8 grade point average as of right now. Though he does not know what he wants to major in, after interviewing him, he said that he came in as a communications major. Unfortunately he decided he would drop communications and would like to try healthcare courses because of his caring spirit for others. Teammate and good friend Tom Linden said, “After getting to know him this year, we became much closer and he truly does care for all of his friends and loved ones around him”. Some of his buddies tend to joke that he cares a little too much about the girls around him, but they all say that’s his choice. “As long as it doesn’t affect his play for us we don’t care what he does”, Nate Morris said with a chuckle.

So far Zaire has been living the life and loving the choice he made of coming to Stonehill. Everyone here, students, teachers, coaches, lunch ladies, they all love Zaire. His good personality, positive attitude make him so easy to get along with. The friends he’s made, the troubles (with girls mainly) he’s gone through has made him a better person overall. Zaire said, “I’m a firm believer of you have to know where you came from to move further in your life”. He’s learned from his mistakes and plans on taking advantage of his opportunities and living his life to the fullest to make his parents and brothers proud.

Coming off a decent sophomore campaign for this high spirited young man has him hungry for the future in his craft. Football will forever be this student-athlete's calling card and he hopes that his final seasons at Stonehill College are memorable for him and his teammates. “We definitely want to get a winning season for the upcoming year. We haven't had one in a long time," Zaire said. "We have plenty work to do, but we've been working hard in the offseason, putting a lot of effort in so we'll be ready for the next season. I'm going to make sure I do all I can. I can't wait for the season to start and get on the field”.

It sure sounds like #8 Zaire Reiph is ready to rumble.


Zaire Reiph-Profile Story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPIkpeh6DGQ&feature=plcp

The Ascent of Bailey Paradiso, Olivia Schneider

Olivia Schneider

The Ascent of Bailey Paradiso

     She is carefree when it comes to competition, not to mention new to the collegiate level. Yet, Stonehill freshman Bailey Paradiso brings to the Women’s Tennis program its first ever singles ranking in the Northeast-10 Conference and helped the team gain an overall record of 7-0 for the fall.

     Paradiso started strong in her collegiate career with a win against Franklin Pierce University in September and never looked back, finishing the fall season with a combined singles and doubles record of 20-7.

     Paradiso who plays first singles and doubles for Stonehill’s team is so carefree about her success in fact, that it often strikes many people as unusual.

     “With most of the team being very competitive and serious, her laid back funny personality reminds everyone that sometimes you just need to have fun and enjoy playing,” says team captain Paige Frost.

     Frost, a senior and veteran on the team, teamed with Paradiso this fall in first doubles with an overall record of 12-3 according to the official site of the Skyhawks. Frost says of Paradiso, “She focuses on playing her best every time she plays, and that seems to be a very successful focus for her.”

     It seems that Paradiso herself agrees. “When I’m on the court I will snap into a zone where I am so completely focused, even having my friends watch me, they’re like ‘I have never seen you like that before.’”

     Stonehill College is part of the Northeast-10 Conference that is constructed from 16 teams in the New England region. Paradiso was named the NE-10 Player of the Week twice in the fall and Rookie of the Week honors four times during her brief career at Stonehill by the Conference.

Even after all these accomplishments, Paradiso remains humble. I asked the freshman about her feelings on her Stonehill career so far. She casually responded that she loves the school and her experience on the team and that it’s been successful. I laugh and remind her just how successful.

     Paradiso, a native of Birmingham, Michigan, picked up many sports at a young age, but says she was pushed around. Then one day at her country club she saw a college player one day and instantly knew that tennis was for her.

     The freshman credits Women’s Tennis Head Coach, Pam Arpe, for her enrollment to Stonehill. Being from Michigan, Paradiso was not familiar with Stonehill. However, Stonehill offers Healthcare Administration, Paradiso’s desired major.

     From then out it was a done deal, according to Paradiso. “Tennis was the biggest part because right from high school I knew I wanted to play tennis in college,” Paradiso said. “Whenever I play it takes up my life.”

     Despite her great success this fall the eighteen-year old admits that her personality is not intimidating compared to most college players, but that her style on the court reflects her naiveté off of it.

     “People have definitely taken advantage of me for being too nice,” she recalls with a laugh. “But I’ve also made life long friends.”

     For being so friendly in a sport that often attracts many intense and competitive players, Paradiso has climbed to the top of the Northeast-10 record books quickly. However, she is not new to success, although she failed to mention it to me.

     According to Stonehill’s women’s tennis page in high school Paradiso won five individual state titles and three singles and two doubles state championships for Marian High School in Bloomfield, Michigan.

     How does she remain so modest, many must wonder, just as I did? Women’s Head Tennis Coach Pam Arpe gives credit to Paradiso’s parents. Arpe addresses Frost, team captain, and sarcastically asks, “Do you think Bailey is close with her mom?” Frost lightly laughs, as the answer to that question is a definite “yes.”

      Arpe may be onto something. Paradiso proudly says “My mom has always said ‘Stay true to who you are; don’t be intense. It’s just a game; you’re having fun.”

     Paradiso and the rest of Women’s Tennis start practicing for their spring season immediately upon their return from winter break in January. The spring schedule looks to battle more challenging teams, according to Arpe. No matter, Paradiso will surely be there to aid the women’s team in every way she can, sporting a humble and fresh attitude on and off the courts.

Caroline Gorman- Seniors Take Over

Caroline Gorman

December 10, 2012

Professor Tierney

Reporting and News Writing

            As Stonehill College’s men’s Basketball set off into their season as the “2011-2012 Northest-10 conference Tournament Champions” they have some worries after losing their strong seniors, Andre Tongo, Sean Lowry and Patrick Lee, the team’s assistant coach. This doesn’t stop the team from being confident in the abilities that these seniors have going into their 2012-2013 season.

            Brian Hamor, from Schenectady, N.Y. is a 6 foot 2 inch guard who performs extremely well with teammate 6 foot 1 inch, Sam Markle from Brandoford, Connecticut. These two are known as an unbeatable force when coming down the court.

“He knows exactly where everyone is and no matter the space, he will get the ball right into your hands,” says Hamor about his teammate Sam, Markle, is a strong ball handler and is always unexpected when it comes to his skills and knowledge of the court. “You never expect him to do half the things he does, but when he does them. They always work,” says Hamor. “I wouldn’t make half the points I did if it wasn’t for his capability of getting the ball right to me,” says Hamor. “This season will be a challenge without Andre who was one of our strongest players, but I do not doubt the capabilities that this team has and the success we can do,” says Markle himself. Both Markle and Hamor think highly of each other’s capability of achieving success on the court. “Brian doesn’t give up, regardless of the circumstances,” Markle says confidently. Hamor is known as a strong offensive and defensive player. Hamor enters his senior season 58 points shy of becoming the 36^th 1,000 point scorer in program history. He also received Most Outstanding Player- NCAA Division II East Regional. “He has a strong mind set and you can never doubt his commitment to the team,” says teammate Markle.

            6 foot 7 inches, the teams strongest forward transferred from Quinnipiac University, Raheem May-Thompson. “There was definitely a transition from Quinnipiac University to Stonehill since QU was division one, but Stonehill fights harder than any team I know and the bond of our team is indescribable,” says Thompson.

Thompson is from London, England so, the team has become his family. Thompson handles the ball well in tough situations and somehow always manages to get it right into the hoop. “He has determination in his eyes and just takes one step right to the hoop,” says junior teammate, Mitch Amelio. Although Thompson has only been on this team for one season teammates say, “he clicks right in, he doesn’t mess up the rhythm,” says Markle and Hamor.

            Adam Fazzini is a guard, 6 foot 6 inches, a strong and well balanced leader for the 13 other players on the team. “Adam is a strong player but an even smarter teammate, he knows exactly what to say and knows exactly what should be done,” says teammate Thompson. Although Adam is known to be quiet, on the court he is much different. His years here have really given him a successful career.

“Yes we lost some amazing players who brought us to the success we have today but that does not mean we cannot get there ourselves again. We gained a lot of strong players, such as Jack Cole, Carter Smith and Josh Heyliger, gaining such strong guards and forwards, our team has a high shot of even breaking more records than before,” says Fazzini.

            Even though the team lost three valuable seniors, they believe the team is stronger than ever and they believe that they will have success and achieve everything they possibly can. Losing players only gives the team a chance to step and up become the team everyone and themselves views them to be.

Erin Leo Profile Story

Interview Link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-917C6Ye9c&feature=youtu.be   Erin Leo

News Writing and Reporting

Professor Tierney

12/11/12

Profile Story

If you were to ask Marianna Consiglio what she wants to be when she grows up, the 16-year-old from New Fairfield, CT would firmly tell you she wants to be a doctor with a concentration in sports medicine.

It was a career path she never would have considered before her injury; an injury that not only changed her desired profession, but has completely altered the way she lives her everyday life.

Nearly four years ago in April of 2009, Consiglio stepped out onto the field to play goalie in a youth lacrosse game. Halfway through the game, after already making half a dozen saves, Consiglio stepped up to block yet another shot from a girl less than five feet away from her.

She blocked the shot, but it came with a price.

The loud crack as the shot rebounded off of Consiglio’s helmet made the whole crowd cringe. The force of the ball caused her head to snap back against her helmet, doubling the impact of the hit. Within seconds she was dizzy and had a throbbing headache, but she continued with the game. Afterwards, however, she knew something was very wrong.

“By the time I had gotten home, I was throwing up and could barely see,” Consiglio said.

Her mother rushed her to the emergency room where she was diagnosed with a concussion, not an uncommon injury in sports.

“At first I didn’t think it was that big a deal—a lot of kids get concussions and recover without significant issues,” said Laura Consiglio, Consiglio’s mother.

However, three months and three different neurologists later, the symptoms from the concussion, specifically the debilitating headaches, had not subsided, and she was referred to Boston Children’s Hospital Sports Injury and Concussion Clinic. An ImPACT test revealed significant cognitive impairment in her visual and verbal memory scores.

“The doctor at Boston told us that the younger the athlete, the longer it generally takes for them to recover from concussions,” recalled Laura Consiglio. “He prepared us that it might take up to 12 weeks for her to fully recover, which I remember thinking no way!”

As it turned out, Consiglio and her mother are now wishing it had really only taken 12 weeks.

For a year, doctors monitored her cognitive function and prescribed several different medications intended to ease the headaches. By March 2010, she had recovered cognitively, but the headaches had yet to go away. Marianna was then diagnosed with Chronic Daily Migraine. Now, in 2012, she has seen seven different neurologists, tried five different naturopathic remedies, and been on countless medications. Still, she experiences near constant headaches and has not gone more than six days without a headache since her initial injury four years ago.

Now, the daily migraines she experiences turn everyday into a battle.

“The hardest part about having the headaches for so long is always missing stuff with my friends and family, and always feeling like I have to explain it to them,” Consiglio said.

As a junior in the middle of her high school experience, not being able to hang out with her friends or attend their birthday parties can be hard. It’s a luxury most other students take for granted.

“She has to cancel a lot of the time because she doesn't feel well,” said Courtney Leo, 16, one of Consiglio’s best friends. “Sometimes she can stay the entire time at a party or sleepover, but other times she won't come or she'll leave early.”

Leo goes on to say that even though they are upset when Consiglio has to cancel on plans, her friends understand and want nothing more than for her to get better.

“A lot of people might think she over-exaggerates her symptoms, but I'm sure she would want nothing more than to hang out with her friends more,” said Leo.

Her condition has impacted her family as well. Having gone through all of the ups and downs with her, they hate seeing her struggle and are frustrated at the lack of a cure.

“It is so frustrating to see her in pain and not be able to do anything to help her,” said Laura Consiglio. “Or more like, everything I do to try and help her is futile.”

Her older brother, Timothy Consiglio, 17, feels the same way.

“Seeing her in pain every day and having trouble helping her get through it is the hardest part,” he said. “You just feel helpless, and that’s the hardest thing to cope with and overcome for all of us.”

However, the biggest obstacle for Consiglio and her family so far is school. Though she has a 504, a medical form that allows her to miss school and assignments without consequences, she struggles daily with make-up work and dealing with teachers who don’t understand her condition. She has not been able to attend a full month of school since her injury.

“I’ve had to come up with totally different school strategies,” Consiglio said. “I used to procrastinate to the last minute to start and finish my assignments, but now I know I have to do them right away when I feel good because I don’t know when the next headache is going to come on and prevent me from doing it.”

She goes to a local tutor regularly and has had to finish classes over the summer to receive credit for them. The school has also rearranged her schedule so that she has a free study the first and last period of the day in case she has to come in late or leave early.

“She gets very stressed out about missing and late assignments,” said Laura Consiglio. “She is determined to do well and wants her grades to reflect her true ability.”

Despite the many challenges, Consiglio has been able to keep up in school and has been able to complete all of her requirements, even if they are just handed in a little later than everyone else.

“She always has a ton of make-up work, even over the holidays and the summer,” said Timothy Consiglio. “But she works so hard and always manages to get it done.”

Even more impressive, is the fact that this year she was inducted into the National Honor Society in her high school. NHS requires all of their inductees to have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 and maintain it throughout the rest of their high school career, a feat many normal students cannot achieve, proving just how hard Consiglio has worked to continue doing well in school.

After all, she needs to keep up her grades if she wants to pursue her career path of becoming a doctor, and follow her dream to help others with similar conditions.

“I’ve missed a lot of school, but I also know that many people wouldn’t be able to keep up their grades like I have, so I am even more determined to become a doctor in sports medicine,” she said. “I know how bad athletes want to get back on the field.”

Perhaps most impressive of all, however, is that despite the amount of pain she experiences daily, she doesn’t let it dampen her spirit, and does everything she can not to let it stop her from being a normal kid. She also credits her family, for always being there for her.

“Each one of my family members are my biggest support system,” Consiglio explained. “I love them all and couldn’t do it without them.”

Her family continues to hope for a better future right by her side.

“I am so proud of her determination,” said Laura Consiglio. “But she is sick of being sick, and I keep hoping that tomorrow will be better for her. I promised her we would not stop until we found a doctor to cure these headaches.”

Even with the many set-backs she has encountered, Marianna has always maintained a positive outlook and believes that she would not be the person who she is today had she not been injured so long ago.

“It has certainly taught me some of my most important lessons in life,” Consiglio said. “I’ve missed out on a lot, but I’ve also come to realize who my true friends are and what really matters to me.”

The quote she now sets her life by and draws strength from is the one she thinks best describes her whole situation.

“It’s not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.”

Kayla O'Brien - Profile Story

Kayla O’Brien

Professor Tierney

Journalism

11/16/12

Leslie Buffo: A Modern Day Saint

     When Mother Teresa herself blessed Leslie Buffo it’s as if the giving spirit of this saint was transferred right into Buffo because going out of her way to help others is one ambition that she fulfills daily.

     Leslie Buffo made a life-changing decision in 1989 when she was 31-years-old to ship off to Calcutta, India and work with the living embodiment of goodness and compassion, Mother Teresa. Buffo volunteered at the Home for the Destitute and Dying. The residents of this home were mostly elderly persons whose families could no longer care for them because of a lack of finances. Buffo explained how she felt that the love and care the residents received lifted their spirits and gave them peace of mind.

     When she arrived in Calcutta, Buffo went to the Missionary of Charity Mother House where Mother Teresa and the other religious sisters lived. She was assigned to work in a hospice for the sick, destitute, and dying in Kalighat because of her prior medical experience. Buffo assisted the physician with several tasks including suturing wounds, draining fluid from the abdomen of a young girl with liver disease, administering injections, and evaluating new residents when they arrived.

     “The doctor I worked with said that many people who came to Kalighat were able to heal faster due to the consistent and compassionate care of the sisters and volunteers,” Buffo said.

     Buffo wasn’t just healing others while she was in India. She was also there to heal herself. She had just ended her marriage and was suffering from a broken heart and spirit. She had always admired everything Mother Teresa stood for and knew that working with her would allow her to work on rebuilding her own spirit.

     “I knew that Mother Teresa was doing God's work here on earth. I knew that she would be a good teacher and that being in the daily presence of people working with their hands, hearts, and souls to help others, I would be healed,” Buffo said.

     Buffo was born in 1958 and grew up in Natick, Massachusetts but currently resides in Westborough.  She is one of six children of Larry and Emily O’Brien and is now married with two children. Even growing up, Buffo always seemed to put others ahead of her and showed a passion for volunteering early on in her life.

     Her sister, Susan Leger, described how Buffo was always involved in organizing events in high school and had a very natural way with people which allowed her to make friends easily. Leger shared a story that perfectly illustrates Buffo’s commitment and dedication to serving others during this time.

     “Leslie was involved in the blood drives, but had trouble gaining enough weight to be able to participate. She would gorge on ice cream to try and boost her weight over 110 pounds,” Leger said.

     Her other sister, Margie Reed, shared how Buffo was always there for her growing up.

     “She was like a second mother to me - comforted me when I had nightmares, introduced me to city life in Boston,” Reed said.

     Karen O’Brien, Buffo’s sister-in-law, hasn’t known Buffo for as long as her sisters have but can still attest to the woman’s ability to put the needs of other ahead of her own.

     “One year my husband was not home on New Year's Eve and I was alone with my kids because they were all very young. Leslie gave up her New Year's Eve to spend it with me so I wouldn’t be alone. This shows Leslie's selfless nature and her gift to always put other people's happiness over her own,” O’Brien said.

     It is this part of Buffo’s character that is admired by all. However, even though Buffo always had a caring nature about her, it wasn’t until she volunteered with Mother Teresa that she decided to dedicate her life to helping others.

     “Mother Teresa’s understanding of the love of God and the example of Jesus' life was very simple: to see the person before us as someone worthy of all our love, to serve simply and with all our hearts. This is the motto that I currently base my life off of and so this experience was extremely life-changing for me,” Buffo said.

     All Buffo’s friends and family can clearly see the effect this experience has had on her.

     “Mother Teresa was an angel sent by God to help those in need, and not just in need of medical help, but in need of spiritual help. While Leslie observed her work, I know she began to believe that she would follow in her footsteps,” Leger said.

     Today, when she is not working as a physician’s assistant, Buffo volunteers at a hospice with the Notre Dame Hospice program in Worcester where she visits elderly people who are dying. She also participates in several activities with her son’s Boy Scout group and with religious education in the schools. She tries to live her daily life always with the teachings of Mother Teresa in the back of her mind and everyone that knows her would agree that she succeeds at this.

     “The woman Leslie is today is loving, caring, helpful, and kind, one who always tries to bring people together, helping to mend hearts and families,” Leger said.

     Leslie Buffo looked up to Mother Teresa, however, everyone that knows Buffo will tell you that she embodies the same qualities of kindness and compassion that this saint did and in this way has become one herself.

Video: Interview With Leslie Buffo