Heading for a Great Life at 45

Sue Bologna

When Sue Bologna made the Dean's List during her first quarter of New England Tech, her mother said, "It's about time, I've been waiting 26 years to hear that." Sue had been out of school for 26 years when she decided to enroll at the college. The decision to pursue a degree in Marine Technology was made after she had been laid off from a job in the printing industry, an industry in which she was employed for 20 years. The knowledge that her two teenagers would soon be making career choices of their own made her even more motivated to choose a field that she would find satisfying.

Sue was the "mom" in a class made up of students ranging in age from 19-54. Early in the program, one student's curiosity got the best of him, and he asked Sue why she wanted to become a mechanic. Without missing a beat, she replied, "Why do you?" A career doing manual work probably was always her destiny. While growing up, Sue wanted to work on cars in the driveway with her father and brothers. They didn't think she could contribute, and always sent her back in the house to do the dishes. Within the last couple of years, Sue bought a boat and found she liked repairing it more than sailing it. The decision to enter the Marine Technology program felt very natural.

In the final quarter of the program, with the help of her instructor Ted Chamberlain, Sue landed an internship with Greenwich Bay Marinas. The company has three sites and 1400 slips. Sue completed over 100 hours as a mechanic. Her ability and enthusiasm for the environment did not go overlooked by the general manager, John McGovern. When he asked if she would be interested in the company's newly restructured position of parts manager, Sue jumped at the chance. Her knowledge of working on engines and many other aspects of the marine industry, allow her a good understanding of customers' problems, a great quality for a parts manager. Sue anticipates that it may take up to one year to learn all the responsibilities of the position, and she is definitely up for the challenge.

Sue looks back very favorably at her experience at New England Tech. She and her classmates formed a very cohesive group, and she promises that they will remain in touch now that they have finished the program (September 2001). She acknowledges that throughout the 18 months, she had to juggle a lot to fulfill all of her family and school responsibilities; however, she always stayed focused on the goal of finishing the program. She did it knowing that her mother and children were extremely proud of her. Through their love and support, Sue also feels very proud of herself.

Boch Water Heaters, Inc. recently donated an oil fired water heater to the college's Heating Technology Department. Presenting the equipment to Ron Como (right), Heating Technology Department Chair, was Donna Sheehan, President/CEO of Madison, Wisconsin based Boch, and Richard C. Hadfield, Executive Vice President of Walter F. Morris Company in Canton, Massachusetts, the distributor of Boch equipment.

Computerized Business Management students gathered in the Hall of Fame room to recognize one another's achievements. Awards were given for the Highest Grade Point average in a CBM tech course, Perfect Attendance, and A-Level keyboarding speed. Additionally, the annual Keyboarding Hall of Fame award went to Diane Heisler, who averages 81 words per minute.

Award winners from left to right: Sandra Cuervo, Susana Viveiros, Karen Andrews, Diane Heisler (Keyboarding Hall of Fame award winner), and Rosanna Lake.