Honoring Joan Ando Casabian, ’66, G’78
Above: President Clark, ’83, along with Joan Casabian, ’66, G’78, her husband Edward Casabian, and their children Ed Casabian and Mary Austin.
One crisp November afternoon, Joan Ando Casabian, ’66, G’78, was walking through the BSU campus with her husband Edward, her two children Ed and Mary, and university President Fred Clark, ’83. Joan had been a talented multi-sport athlete in her day, competing on Bridgewater State’s women’s lacrosse, basketball, and field hockey teams, and spent decades sharing her love of sports with other young women throughout her career as a teacher and field hockey coach at Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School. Of course, Joan wasn’t there just to reminisce. Earlier, Ed and Mary had surprised their mother with an endowed scholarship in her name for her 79th birthday, designed to give aspiring female athletes the same opportunities she had as a first-generation student all those years ago. After meeting President Clark in his office to congratulate her and discuss the scholarship at length, Joan and her family were invited on an “impromptu” tour of campus, to supposedly see how things have changed since she had last visited.
Unbeknownst to Joan, her friends and family had been waiting for her in the Martin Richard Institute for Social Justice. As Joan came through the door of the newly renovated building, her three-year-old granddaughter Lily shouted “When will Grandma get here?” – she hadn’t quite gotten a handle on whispering yet, but she gave it a good attempt. While old acquaintances mingled and enjoyed the hors d’ouvres and champagne, Chief Development Officer Ellen Cuttle Oliver, ’82, G’89, and President Clark took to the podium to congratulate Joan and speak at length about the opportunities afforded by her scholarship – a “living legacy” as he called it – before introducing Ed and Mary, who had prepared speeches about their mother and her many accomplishments.
Above: President Clark, ’83, presents Joan Casabian, ’66, G’78, with a BSU diploma at the reception in honor of the endowed fund set up in her name, the Joan Casabian ’66 Endowed Scholarship Fund.
Finally, it was Joan’s turn to address the crowd. After thanking her children and having a laugh about President Clark’s “devious” party plan, and after Lily informed the crowd that Joan was, in fact, her grandmother, Joan briefly reflected on her life, on her time as an athlete, her family, and how important it was to have received a BSU education. As the party began to wind down, the room toasted to Joan Casabian and her incredible legacy. Happy 79th birthday Joan, and here’s to many more.
Above (L to R): Executive Director of Alumni & Development Betsy Dubuque, G’11, Joan Casabian, ’66, Chief Development Officer and Executive Director of the BSU Foundation, Ellen Cuttle Oliver, ’82, G’89, and Assistant Director of Major Gifts, Hillary Leahy, ’14
If you would like to contribute to the fund, you can do so at bridgew.edu/give and select ‘Joan C. Casabian ’66 Endowed Scholarship Fund’ from the dropdown menu.