Suffolk University Oral History Project

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  Oral history interview with Stephen Hicks (SOH-004)

  Stephen Hicks and Alan Duchemin

  In this interview, Professor Stephen C. Hicks reflects on his career at Suffolk Law School. He discusses his educational background and early teaching career; his direction of Suffolk Law School’s graduate programs, including the master’s degree in global law and technology, a program which he founded; the importance of international legal education; and Suffolk’s influence on other law schools. Professor Hicks concludes by discussing his hopes for the future of Suffolk Law School’s international programs.

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  Oral history interview with Walter H. Johnson (SOH-021)

  Walter H. Johnson and Vendy Tran

  Walter Johnson, a professor in Suffolk University’s Department of Physics, discusses his career at Suffolk, which began in 1971 as a part time faculty member and continues today as he serves as professor and chair of the department. The interview covers how Johnson became interested in physics, his educational background, what sparked his interest in teaching, his teaching methodology, and his work as a physicist. Johnson also describes the changes he has observed in Boston and at Suffolk, as well as his outlook for the university. He concludes by offering his advice for students who are currently entering Suffolk as freshman.

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  Oral History Interview with Vicki Karns (SOH-070 video recording and transcript)

  Vicki Karns, Clifford Bellefeuille, and Joseph Tonjes

  In this interview, Professor Emerita Vicki Karns discusses different aspects of her early career and her time at Suffolk University as a faculty member in the Communications Department. Karns details her extensive involvement in student-focused programs such as the Student Government Association, the Performing Arts Office (PAO), and the Forensic Debate team. She describes the founding and evolution of the PAO, including involvement in running Fall Fest and Spring Fest as well as her roles in preforming arts festivals and theatre productions. She goes on to explain the nuts and bolts of running Suffolk’s forensic debate team and the importance of that kind of experience for undergraduate students. She also discusses how she got into communications and how the field has changed over the course of her career. The interview concludes with a discussion of her role in creating and directing the CAS 101 program for first-year students, plus her experience teaching online courses and at Suffolk’s former campus in Dakar, Senegal.

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  Oral History Interview of Rudy Kass, Wendy Ballinger, and Janet Putnam (SOH-041, audio recording and transcript)

  Rudy Kass, Wendy Ballinger, Janet Putnam, and Julia Howington

  In this interview, longtime Ford Hall Forum members Rudy Kass, Wendy Ballinger, and Janet Putnam reflect on the history of the Forum and how it has changed over the years. They discuss notable past speakers, especially activist Margaret Sanger and politician David Duke. The interviewees describe the challenges and rewards of planning and moderating discussions as well as the production of Ford Hall Forum's radio series, The New American Gazette. The interview ends with their thoughts on the future of the Ford Hall Forum.

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  Oral History Interview with James Kaufman (SOH-071 video recording and transcript)

  James Kaufman and Fatou Yatma Thiam

  In this interview, Jim Kaufman, the former managing director of the Modern Theatre and the Theatre Department at Suffolk University, discusses his educational background, early career, and his start at Suffolk University. He describes the evolution of Suffolk’s theatre program and the university’s growth from the 1990s until 2021. He also reflects on the key figures and moments that defined his experience at Suffolk University, including the value of collaboration and the importance of student-led projects.

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  Oral History Interview with Bernie Keenan (SOH-062 video recording and transcript)

  Bernard Keenan

  Bernard (Bernie) Keenan, reflects on his 48 years at Suffolk University Law School, including his experiences as a faculty member and in administrative roles as associate dean, interim law school dean, and as interim provost. He describes his beginnings as a faculty member at the law school, his early mentors, the relationships he built over his years at the university, and his continued love of teaching. He reflects on the development and growth of the law school including two pivotal events: the move into the new building and achieving accreditation by the American Association of Law Schools. This leads to a discussion of the university’s overall development and his role as interim provost. He concludes with recollections of his transition back to the faculty, his committee assignments, important colleagues, significant aspects of his career at Suffolk, and his post-retirement plans.

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  Oral history interview with Charles Kindregan (SOH-019)

  Charles P. Kindregan and Alain Duchemin

  In this interview, Charles Kindregan, Jr., distinguished research professor of law at Suffolk Law School, discusses his educational background and professional career as an educator. Mr. Kindregan also reflects on his research interests, published work, and achievements, especially in the family law field, as well as his experiences and the changes he has witnessed at Suffolk Law School since he began teaching there in 1967. Mr. Kindregan concludes by discussing his family’s connections to Suffolk University.

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  Oral History Interview with Dr. Paul Korn (SOH-072 video recording and transcript)

  Paul Korn, Megan Bateman, and Elizabeth Glina

  Dr. Paul Korn, a retired psychologist and professor emeritus of psychology discusses his 40-year career at Suffolk University. He describes the evolution of the Suffolk’s Counseling Center throughout his career, including the nature and composition of the staff, the role of the Center at Suffolk, and the Center’s community-based approach to providing mental health services for students and other members of the Suffolk community. He discusses his involvement in fostering a number of community-based programs intended to ensure acceptance, learning, and growth among students and faculty including creating a campus chapter of Students Organized Against Racism (SOAR), a Gay and Lesbian support group, a peer counseling program, and a Helping Skills Course. More broadly, Dr. Korn discusses the ways in which Suffolk’s culture surrounding mental health and anti-racism have shifted and how the counseling needs of students increased over the years. Additionally, he speaks about how his practice as a counselor was affected by the relationships he built with students and faculty inside and outside of Suffolk University’s Counseling Center. The interview concludes with a discussion of Dr. Korn’s impact on the university and how Suffolk University impacted his life.

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  Oral history interview with Myra Lerman (SOH-005)

  Myra Lerman and Gregory Fidler

  In this interview, Myra Lerman, assistant dean of undergraduate programs at Suffolk University’s Sawyer Business School, reflects on her career at Suffolk, which began in 1982. She discusses her educational and career background; the positions she has held at Suffolk; the positive relationships she has with Suffolk students; her commitment to the university; the attributes that make Suffolk special; and what she sees in Suffolk’s future. She concludes by reiterating her love of Suffolk University and its students.

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  Oral History Interview with Doris Lewis (SOH-061 video recording and transcript)

  Doris Lewis and Patricia Reeve

  In this interview, Doris Lewis, Professor Emerita of Chemistry at Suffolk University, reflects upon her educational background, her teaching at Suffolk, and her professional work in the sciences. She begins with a review of her upbringing in West Virginia, the experiences and influences that propelled her to pursuing a professional career in chemistry, and some of the challenges of being a woman in the field of chemistry. She discusses her beginnings at Suffolk University, her tenure as chair, and her many contributions to the department over 37 years, including the expansion of the Forensic Science program, interdisciplinary collaborations with Suffolk’s MBA program, and creating a popular series of courses related to food and nutrition. Another notable development was her role in establishing a Suffolk University chapter of the American Chemical Society and the many professional development opportunities that were made available to her students as a result of this connection. She concludes by sharing fond memories of the students and colleagues who impacted her career.

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  Oral history interview with Michael Linquata (SOH-035)

  Michael L. Linquata and Julia Howington

  In this interview, Michael L. Linquata, a 1950 graduate of Suffolk University, reflects upon his experiences during World War II as well as his experiences as a student and trustee of Suffolk University. In the first part of the interview, Mr. Linquata discusses his early life in Gloucester, Massachusetts and his military service during WWII as a combat medic in Europe and later as a prisoner of war after his capture by the German Army. The second part of the interview focuses on his post-WWII experiences back in the United States, including his time as an undergraduate at Suffolk University during the 1950s, his accomplishments as a Suffolk University trustee, and how Suffolk University prepared him to take on leadership roles in his community.

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  Oral History Interview with Fred Marchant (SOH-048)

  Fred Marchant, Berthe De Valle-Diaz, and Danail Mitkov Koychev

  Fred Marchant, a professor emeritus in Suffolk University’s English Department and founder of the Poetry Center and Creative Writing Program, discusses his poetry, teaching, and continued involvement with the university post-retirement. He describes the meaning behind specific lines of his poetry, and how he combined his love of poetry with a love of teaching at Suffolk. Marchant discusses his time serving in the military during the Vietnam War, including leaving the military as a consequence of becoming a conscientious objector. He also describes the university’s growth and changes to its culture as an undergraduate institution from the 1970s until present day. The interview concludes with a discussion of the potential of Suffolk’s emerging retirement association and the importance of preserving institutional memory.

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  Oral history interview with Joseph McCarthy (SOH-023)

  Joseph McCarthy and Han Young Oh

  Joseph McCarthy, a Suffolk University professor for over thirty years, discusses his career at Suffolk and how the school, the student body, and the city of Boston have changed over time. A professor in the Department of History and the Department of Education and Human Services, McCarthy describes his personal educational background, how he came to work at Suffolk, and his thoughts on higher education in general. The interview concludes with McCarthy’s reflections on his career and on the Suffolk University faculty.

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  Oral History Interview with Betsy McDowell (SOH-064 video recording and transcript)

  Betsy McDowell and Sarah Ann Lawton

  In this interview, Betsy McDowell, former associate director of Suffolk University’s Career Development Center, begins by reflecting upon her educational background and early career. She describes her career at Suffolk, including her specific roles, the development of the department, her work creating programs for students, meaningful collaborations with campus colleagues, and her approach to mentoring students. She concludes with career advice for students and alumni post-graduation, as well as talking about her life post-retirement.

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  Oral History Interview of Dorothy M. McNamara (SOH-014)

  Dorothy M. McNamara and Louis Connelly

  Dorothy M. McNamara reflects on her forty-seven year career at Suffolk University, during which she served as stenographer, law school recorder, bursar, and finally as alumni secretary until her retirement in 1974. McNamara discusses her experiences working at Suffolk; the University’s founder Gleason L. Archer; and various students, professors, and administrators who passed through during her tenure. She also remarks upon her relationship with the students and the honorary degree she received in 1954.

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  Oral history interview with Dorothy M. McNamara

  Dorothy M. McNamara and David L. Robbins

  Dorothy M. McNamara reflects on her forty-seven year career at Suffolk University, during which she served as stenographer, law school recorder, bursar, and finally as alumni secretary until her retirement in 1974. McNamara discusses her experiences working at Suffolk; presidents of the university; the general alumni association that she helped start; and the addition of buildings to the Suffolk campus. She also remarks upon the fiscal management techniques that allowed Suffolk University to stay open during the Great Depression, World War II, and the Korean War.

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  Oral History Interview with Anthony Merzlak (SOH-055 video recording and transcript)

  Anthony Merzlak and Fred Marchant

  Tony Merzlak, Professor Emeritus of English and past department chair, discusses his upbringing and education in Los Angeles and then his Ph.D. studies at Harvard. He goes on to describe his arrival at Suffolk, his many and varied teaching experiences over the years, his tenure as chair, and his contributions to the English Department’s overall educational approach. Merzlak describes teaching as his vocation and how Suffolk provided an inspiring and sustaining environment for him. He then discusses the authors and courses that he loved to teach, year in and year out, plus memories of the students and colleagues who had meant the most to him over his lengthy career at Suffolk. He also reflection on Suffolk’s evolution in the years leading up to his retirement.

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  Oral History Interview with James Nelson (SOH-047)

  James Nelson, Derek Briand, and James Usovicz

  James “Jim” Nelson, the former Athletic Director at Suffolk University, discusses his forty-seven years at the university. Coach Nelson describes his early life, including his time attending, and playing, basketball at Boston College with basketball legend Bob Cousy. He discusses the growth of Suffolk University, the evolution of the athletics department, the various roles he played on campus, and notable sports highlights such as Suffolk’s participation in the NCAA championship tournaments. The interview concludes with Nelson’s account of the touching story of a Suffolk hockey player, John Gilpatrick, who was paralyzed during a game and miraculously regained his ability walk years later.

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  Oral history interview with James Nelson (SOH-006)

  James E. Nelson and Kate Budsilko

  In this interview, James E. Nelson, Director of Athletics at Suffolk University, discusses his educational background and his long career at Suffolk. Coach Nelson discusses his experiences growing up in Cambridge, Massachusetts; how his interest in athletics developed; and his experiences at Suffolk since joining the Athletics Department in 1966. He concludes by discussing the pride he takes in being a part of Suffolk’s athletics program.

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  Oral History Interview with Han Young Oh (SOH-030)

  Han Young Oh and Stephen O'Brien

  Han Young Oh, a Korean-American student at Suffolk University, discusses his multicultural background and his experiences from Korea. He later compares his past to his present as he discusses the pros and cons of America. Oh expresses opinions about the student body and American educational system as he concludes with a short explanation of his future goals.

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  Oral history interview with Bernard Ortwein (SOH-020)

  Bernard M. Ortwein and Joshua Sheppard

  In this interview, Bernard M. Ortwein, professor of law at Suffolk University Law School and graduate of Suffolk Law, discusses his educational background and career as a legal educator. He also reflects on his research interests, his tenure as an associate law dean, his involvement with the creation of the summer law program at the University of Lund in Sweden and his international teaching experiences. Professor Ortwein also details the evolution of Suffolk Law School and the legal profession. He concludes with a discussion of his family’s longstanding connection to Suffolk University and advice for aspiring law students.

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  Oral History Interview with Richard Pizzano (SOH-032)

  Richard Pizzano and R.J. Meurin

  In this interview Professor Richard Pizzano, an alumnus of both Suffolk University and Suffolk University Law School, discusses his experiences as a student and his career as a professor of law at Suffolk University Law School. He explains his views on education in general, his philosophy on teaching, and the topics of grading and admissions. He also speaks of the law school’s relationship with the surrounding community and focus on public interest law.

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  Oral History Interview with Martha Richmond (SOH-043)

  Martha Richmond and Sabrina Carter

  Martha Richmond, a former Suffolk University professor of biochemistry and director of the environmental studies program, discusses her education, teaching career, and her experience as a woman in the field of science. Richmond describes the changes in her field over the course of her career and the evolution of the science program at Suffolk. She relates her experiences working with colleagues, serving on university committees and mentoring students. She also discusses her retirement as well as her post-Suffolk work. The interview ends with Richmond expressing her enduring admiration for the Suffolk University community and her love of teaching.

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  Oral History Interview with Ilene Seidman (SOH-076 video recording and transcript)

  Ilene Seidman, Ashley Johnson, and Kaitlin Whalen

  Ilene Seidman, a professor emerita and former associate dean of Suffolk University Law School, discusses her early law career, including her time at Harvard University Law School. Seidman provides details about her advocacy work on behalf of low-income clients, domestic violence and sexual assault victims, and her involvement with Harvard University’s AIDS clinic. She describes her career at Suffolk University including her roles as a clinical professor and associate dean, her involvement with Suffolk University’s Accelerator-to-Practice Program, and the overall development of Suffolk’s clinical law program. Throughout the interview, she reflects upon her overwhelmingly positive memories of Suffolk University, especially her relationships with colleagues and students.

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  Oral History Interview with Beatrice Snow (SOH-027)

  Beatrice Snow and Ben James

  Beatrice Snow, a former professor and chairperson in Suffolk University’s biology department discusses her early life, educational background, and her teaching career at Suffolk. She describes Suffolk’s evolution over the past four decades including changes to the campus, the growth of the sciences, and changes to the university’s overall culture. She goes on to describe the establishment of the Arthur S. Friedman Field Station located in Cobscook, Maine. Dr. Snow’s interview recording abruptly ends due to a technical issue.