Dr. Joe Onofrietti
Vice President for Student Affairs
Dr. Onofrietti (Dr. Joe as he is known on campus) first started as an adjunct professor in the Graduate Management program in 1999 and in 2001 was hired as Associate Dean of Students and Director of Residence Life. He served in that capacity from 2001 until 2004 when he was promoted to Dean of Students. In June 2019 he was promoted to Vice President of Student Affairs. In this capacity he serves as the senior student affairs officer at the College. He provides leadership and supervision to a professional team responsible for Athletics and Recreation, Counseling, Community Standards and Student Conduct, Community Service and Service Learning, Family Programs, Health Services, Multicultural Programs, New Student Orientation, Residence Life and Housing, Student Activities, and the Jean Yawkey Center. He also works closely with Mission and Ministry. Dr. Joe serves as Co-Advisor to the Emmanuel Student Government Association and on the President's Cabinet at Emmanuel.
Dr. Joe earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Rutgers University in New Jersey where he was a student leader and Resident Assistant, a Master of Education from the University of Vermont and a Doctor of Philosophy in higher education administration from Boston College. He has worked in Student Affairs at the University of California at Davis, the University of Maine, Framingham State University and Daniel Webster College (Nashua, NH).
In addition to his work in student affairs, Dr. Joe has taught personal and professional leadership in the Graduate Management Program at Emmanuel and The History of Higher Education in the Master of Education Program at Salem State University.
Dr. Joe is "dad" to Emmanuel mascot Emma, the Saint Bernard.
Dr. Jennifer Forry
Dean of Students
Title IX Deputy
Dr. Jennifer M. Scott Forry (Dr. Jenn) joined the Emmanuel College community in 2019 after serving in a variety of roles at Newbury College and MCPHS University. During her 11 year tenure at Newbury, she served as Dean of Student Affairs, Assistant Dean of Students, and Director of Residence Life and Community Standards. In her role as Dean of Students at Emmanuel, she oversees Residence Life & Housing, the Counseling Center, the Health Center, Community Standards, and Student Affairs Operations, and Co-Advises the Student Government Association.
A graduate of Franklin Pierce University (B.A.) and Suffolk University (M.Ed.) she completed her doctorate of education (Ed.D.) in higher education leadership at Regis College. She holds several civil rights investigator certifications through the Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA) and has been invited to present her Title IX research on the local, national, and international levels, most recently at Trinity College in Dublin. Forry is a past president of the Boston Area College Housing Association (BACHA) and Massachusetts College Personnel Association (MCPA) and an active member of NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education where she serves on the Region I board. In acknowledgment of her commitment to the profession, NASPA invited her to travel to England in 2017 to collaborate with student affairs professionals to explore best practices in the United Kingdom and United States.
In addition to her work in student affairs, Dr. Jenn can often be found cheering on the Saints at games and activities, is an avid reader, and volunteers in her hometown of Brookline as a School Site Council Representative. Born and raised in the Boston area, Forry resides in Coolidge Corner with her sons Liam and Aiden.
Publications
Forry, J., DiBartolo, N., and Dixon, D. (2018) Conduct and the Community: A Residence Life Practitioners Guide. Association of Student Conduct Administrators and Association of College Housing Administrators - International. Co-Authored Chapter 5, Crafting and Creating Conduct Processes.
Forry, J. (2018) Conduct and the Community: A Residence Life Practitioners Guide. Association of Student Conduct Administrators and Association of College Housing Administrators - international. Author of Case Study 1.1, empowerment.
Susan Benzie
Assistant Dean of Students/Director of Residence Life & Housing
Title IX Deputy
Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Susan immigrated to Massachusetts over twenty five years ago. Susan graduated from College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA in 2002. She completed her Master of Science in management from Emmanuel College in 2005. From 2003 to 2005, Susan was an Assistant Director/Resident Director for Loretto Hall at Emmanuel College. She then proceeded to work as an Academic Advisor for Emmanuel's Graduate & Professional Programs. Susan returned to Residence Life as the Director in 2009.
Mary Beth Thomas
Assistant Dean for Community Standards and Family Programs
A native of Providence, Rhode Island, Mary Beth earned her Bachelor of Arts in political science from Emmanuel College and a Master of Education in college student development and counseling from Northeastern University. Mary Beth brings a variety of Student Affairs experience to her current role having worked in Admissions, Orientation and First Year Programs, Academic Advising, Financial Aid and Student Center Services at Emmanuel College, Boston University and the Higher Education Information Center, Boston.
As Assistant Dean, Mary Beth is responsible for overseeing the student conduct system, working closely with Residence Life staff and Campus Safety to ensure a safe, respectful and inclusive environment for all students. Additionally, Mary Beth works closely with the Associate Dean of Students to plan and implement Family Weekend. She is member of the Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA), the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), Kappa Gamma Phi National Catholic College Graduate Honor Society and Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honor Society.
Outside the office Mary Beth enjoys the sea shore, a good book, long walks, good food (hence, the walks) and time with her family and friends.
Maryellen Page
Project Manager for the Office of Student Affairs
Maryellen joined the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs in January 2020. Maryellen has been with Emmanuel College since November 2013, first as the Office Manager/Student Worker Coordinator for the Cardinal Cushion Library and then as a Benefits Specialist for Human Resources. Maryellen received her Masters of Science in Management at Emmanuel in May 2018. Prior to her career in Office Management, Maryellen taught Junior High for the Archdiocese of Boston from 1985 through 1999. She is the mother of two grown sons.