Reunion Weekend 2026
More than 800 alumni from classes ending in 1s and 6s returned to the Hilltop from June 5 to June 7 to celebrate Reunion Weekend. “It was wonderful to welcome so many alumni, family, and friends back to the Hilltop,” said Joseph Emmons ’04, assistant vice president of alumni relations and engagement. “It’s a reminder that being an Anselmian doesn’t end at graduation, but that it stays with you for your life.”
The weekend began with a new tradition, a celebration under the tent which welcomed not only the reunion classes, but members of shoulder classes.
Saturday was a mix of old and new traditions—from the annual Christopher Q. Cabana ’89 Fun Run/ Walk and the Military Tribute in the morning to the first Pub and Paint in the afternoon. Alumni also had the opportunity to tour the new Grappone Hall, and get a sneak peek of the Chapel Arts Center’s upcoming exhibit.
Saturday ended with the induction of more than 100 members of the Class of 1976 into the Order of Golden Anselmians. “The Class of 1976 represents a group of exceptional individuals who have not only excelled in their respective fields, but have also carried the torch of our institution’s values and principles with great dignity,” said Jean Alessi-Chinetti ’89, Alumni Council secretary.
At the induction dinner, James Flanagan, P ’23, P ’25, senior vice president and chief advancement officer, presented Frank Pfeffer ’76 with the Walter J. Gallo ’58 Alumni Volunteer Award for his dedication to the college. Other reunion classes gathered around campus to have dinner with their classmates, and then ended the night in the Pub. Sunday wrapped up the weekend with the Alumni Memorial Mass and a champagne brunch.
By Anna Brennan-Curry
Photos by Kevin Harkins and Debbie LaFrance
Saint Anselm College Honors Legendary Coach Keith Dickson
On Saturday, January 31, 2026, Saint Anselm College honored beloved former men’s basketball coach Keith Dickson (center, below), prior to the men’s basketball game against the Adelphi Panthers. “Please join us […] in thanking Coach Keith Dickson for 38 years of excellence, leadership and unforgettable memories on the Hilltop,” shared Andrew Litz ’78, retired associate dean of students. “Coach Dickson, your impact on Saint Anselm College, the Northeast-10 Conference, Division II basketball, and everyone who has worn the Hawks uniform will be felt for generations to come.”
In front of a full gymnasium, students, alumni, faculty, staff, and more took time to honor Dickson’s legacy. Dickson was appointed as the head coach for Saint Anselm College’s Men’s basketball team in 1986. For the next 38 years, across 37 seasons, he built one of the most successful programs in Division II history. He led the Hawks to 22 NCAA Tournament appearances and 10 Northeast-10 Conference Championships—the most of any team in league history.
He coached the team to 719 wins in 1,095 games, captured two regional championships in 2000 and 2019, made two Elite Eight appearances, and guided the Hawks to a Final Four appearance in 2019.
Individually, Dickson was honored as a 5-time Northeast 10 Conference Coach of the Year, a 2-time regional coach of the year, and coached seven All-Americans during his career.
“Thirty eight years of success have earned Coach Dickson not only a banner, but a permanent tribute here inside Stoutenburgh Gymnasium,” said Litz. “With 719 career wins, Coach Dickson became one of just five NCAA head coaches across any divisions with 700 victories while only coaching at one institution.”
During the ceremony, former players Chris Paul ’22 and Tim Guers ’19 unveiled a banner to honor Dickson’s accomplishments. Then, former players Jimmy Moore ’06 and Darren Clough ’96 came forward to unveil a new part of the gymnasium floor which honored Dickson as well. The men’s team went on to beat Adelphi 77-75 in the game.
By Anna Brennan-Curry
A DOSE OF COMPASSION: STEFANIE IANNALFO, R.N., B.S.N. ’10
Stefanie Iannalfo, R.N., B.S.N. ’10 is no stranger to hard work. As an adult oncology nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital, she has poured love and dignity into every patient interaction she’s had over her 15 years on the job. As a testament to her high-level care, she was honored with a Daisy Award in 2024—a patient-nominated recognition for extraordinary nurses.
This level of success as a nurse certainly takes dedication, along with a deep understanding of others. Iannalfo says she learned both during her time at Saint Anselm College.
Even as a college student, Iannalfo was not afraid of hard work in service of others. At the end of one school year, she noticed the abundance of food and supplies left behind while students moved out of their dorms. She began to wonder if the food could be donated to those in need, rather than thrown out.
Deciding to take action, Iannalfo kicked off a food drive to benefit the local Manchester community. With help from the now-retired director of the Meelia Center for Community Engagement, Dan Forbes ’81, and dean of students, Susan Gabert ’91, as well as a few friends, she collected unwanted food and other supplies from students as they left campus for the summer.
“We were so in over our heads. We got more donations than we could have ever imagined,” says Iannalfo.
What followed were late nights and early mornings spent loading U-Hauls, organizing donations, and coordinating drop-offs, all in the midst of final exams and moving out of their own dorm rooms. But Iannalfo and her small team got the job done.
“I remember leaving that first drive and calling both Dan and Sue, and just saying, ‘We did something much bigger than ourselves,’” says Iannalfo. “I believed in the magic of FCF and wanted everyone to experience it.”
The initial success planted a seed for what ultimately became Iannalfo’s legacy on the Hilltop: the Food, Clothing, and Furniture (FCF) Drive that still operates on campus today.
Even though she and her friends planned to carry on the FCF through their tenure at the college, Iannalfo never imagined that nearly two decades later the Food, Clothing, and Furniture Drive would become the fixture on campus that it is today. With more than 30 student volunteers, the 2025 FCF Drive distributed household items to 70 local families. The items were all donated from Saint Anselm students, faculty, staff, alumni and other members of the community.
She is in awe of the fact that the program has not only endured the test of time, but has also become a resource that community members in and around Manchester can rely on for support.
“Every year I hear it’s happening again, my heart gets full knowing there are committed people out there still,” she says.
Iannalfo believes her experience building FCF helped her see the magic that comes from helping others—something she does every day as a nurse.
“We all worked so hard [at FCF] because we knew the end result was a gift to us: a gift of absolute fulfillment, of feeling love from and for every complete stranger we met,” she says.
“That is nursing. Patients are strangers to us, but, regardless, I try to show up, giving them my all, showing them love, dignity, and respect, because I know what immeasurable gift I will get in return.”
By Samatha Jette ’20
Photo by Kim Casey
THE CALL OF THE WILD: DECLAN KILEY ’21
On any given evening this past winter, Declan Kiley ’21 was probably watching one of the most spectacular sunsets in New England: from the Quay, a lookout on Mount Adams in New Hampshire. The sweeping view extends west into Vermont—and it’s a short walk from Gray Knob, the camp where Kiley has lived and worked for much of the past two years.
A caretaker for the Randolph Mountain Club (RMC), Kiley helps the organization manage its four camps on the northern slopes of the Presidential Range: the Perch, Log Cabin, Crag Camp, and Gray Knob, which is nestled just below the treeline on Mount Adams. The camps provide shelter, water, and an outhouse for a small fee to hikers trekking through the White Mountains. The RMC also maintains the surrounding trail network, a service it has provided since the early 20th century.
Caretakers work alternating weeks, carrying in seven days’ worth of food and supplies before each shift. At the camp, their work is defined by small but important tasks, like chipping ice out of the spring and stirring waste in the composting outhouses. This past winter, Kiley discovered that defending his cooler from a curious pine marten would also be part of the routine. Outside of his official duties, Kiley volunteers on search and rescue operations, aiding lost or injured hikers.
Kiley ascended rapidly from White Mountains newcomer to caretaker. He arrived at Saint Anselm in 2017 and enjoyed hiking on the campus trails, but didn’t visit the White Mountains until his junior year. He was immediately hooked.
“I was really drawn in, really fell in love with the White Mountains,” Declan Kiley ’21 he says. “And a big part of that was the sense of exploration, of finding something new.”
Kiley began spending all of his free time in the mountains, even working at a hiker hostel in exchange for lodging. “I would finish my homework on Thursday or Friday, then drive up and hike a new peak,” he says. By the end of his first winter of hiking, Kiley had summited the state’s 48 4,000-foot peaks three times over.
Kiley completed his most recent season of caretaking in April. He’s leaving the door open to future seasons at Gray Knob—and plans to work some substitute shifts when other caretakers need a break—but for now he’s working as a stone mason and considering a return to school to study forestry, with the goal of eventually working in land and natural resource management.
Whatever he does next, his caretaking experiences will stay with him. From the solitary “zero nights” when he had no guests to the full houses, he’s enjoyed the mountain lifestyle where the hard work of caring for the mountains mixes with simple pleasures. That ethos is summed up by the sign he hung from his door at Gray Knob, listing the camp’s rules: “Sign the register … Claim a mattress … Privy is out back door to the left … Don’t miss the sunset at the Quay!”
By Marc Chalufour
Photo Courtesy of Declan Kiley ’21