American International College Alumni

𝐀 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐓𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐯𝐞 🤼‍♂️🐝

Today, we welcomed back Ben McCrillis ’00, one of our 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame inductees for Wrestling, as he returned to campus to film for this fall’s induction ceremony.

It had been 26 years since Ben last visited campus, making this a special homecoming. A two-time NCAA National Championship qualifier and one of the most accomplished wrestlers in program history, Ben built a legacy that earned him a place in the AIC Athletics Hall of Fame. During his visit, Ben shared how meaningful it is to join former teammates Rafael Calixto ’99, Mike Mitchell ’00, and Joseph Pistone ’00 in the Hall of Fame, all of whom were inducted in previous years. Their lasting friendship is a testament to the bonds formed during their time at AIC.

We're thrilled to welcome him back home to AIC and look forward to celebrating his Hall of Fame induction on 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐. Join us as we honor Ben and the entire AHOF Class of 2026. 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐭 www.aic.edu/ahof.

Have you registered for the AIC Athletics Golf Tournament on 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟓?

𝐇𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬! 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 ⬇️

One week👀

We’re just 1 week away from our annual Athletics Golf Classic! There’s still time to register and join us on June 15th as we tee up for a day of golf, competition, and support for AIC Athletics!

Register today at the link in our bio🔗

Congratulations to Seth Dussault ’11, MEd ’15, for representing AIC and so well! 🎉

Spotlight szn✨

Congratulations to Seth Dussault on being named as a finalist in the CSC Spotlight Award!

🐝

President Nicolle Cestero sat down with BusinessWest's Joe Bednar earlier this spring for a wide-ranging interview focused on the College’s response to a shifting higher-ed landscape with updated academic programs, degree options, the importance of the con-campus student experience, and more.

Listen and watch her appearance on the BusinessTalk podcast: https://businesswest.com/blog/businesstalk-with-nicolle-estero/

American International College mourns the passing of Henry Thomas III ’71, MA ’73, a distinguished alumnus, standout AIC running back, and longtime leader of the Urban League Of Springfield, Inc. His decades of service strengthened the Springfield community and created opportunities for countless people.

https://www.westernmassnews.com/2026/05/26/henry-thomas-iii-longtime-urban-league-springfield-leader-dies/

We extend our condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and all who were impacted by his advocacy and leadership.

American International College alumnus and AIC Athletics Hall of Famer 𝐓𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧 ’𝟖𝟒 is currently seeking a living kidney donor after being diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney disease.

A former AIC soccer standout and lifelong West Springfield resident, Ted hopes to continue making memories with his growing family, including his grandchildren.

Please consider reading Ted’s story, sharing this post, or learning more about becoming a living donor through the National Kidney Registry. One share could help save a life.

🔗 https://nkr.org/HGX687

Theodore Pinkerman Needs a Kidney | Can You Help? Theodore Pinkerman is seeking a living kidney donor. Paired exchange may allow you to help even if you’re not a direct match. Confidential screening takes only a few minutes.

Last Friday, May 15, we welcomed more than 130 golfers to East Mountain Country Club for the 𝟒𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐨𝐛 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐟 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 in support of the Bob Chipman Memorial Scholarship and AIC student-athletes. ⛳

Thanks to the continued support of our alumni and friends, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐛 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝 has now grown to more than $323,426, with a goal of reaching $500,000 by June 2028 for the tournament’s 50th anniversary.

📸 View more photos from the tournament in the full online Flickr album here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/aiconcampus/albums/72177720333746944

Thank you to our five student volunteers who assisted at the Alumni Office’s Stage-Ready Station during this year’s Commencement! 🎓🐝

From 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., they helped members of the Class of 2026 look their best before crossing the stage, assisting graduates with everything from adjusting hoods to securing caps and making sure they were stage-ready for their big moment.

Our table quickly became a popular stop during the morning, and it truly took many helping hands to ensure our graduates looked their best for such an important milestone as we celebrated and welcomed the newest members of the AIC Alumni Class of 2026. 💛

Last night, we celebrated the graduating AIC Class of 2026 at the Senior Toast event in the Stinger Pub! 🐝🎓

We were excited to partner with the Center for Student Engagement and SGA President Ireland Stevenson ’26 in hosting this special celebration for our graduating seniors.

Our office was also proud to welcome our newest graduates into the Alumni Association by presenting them with their official alumni pins as they prepare to cross the Commencement stage this Saturday, May 9, 2026.

Once a Yellow Jacket, always part of the hive. 💛