Trifecta of Success
Three alumni credit Springfield College for providing opportunity and preparing them for outstanding achievements.
When Joe Arruda ’22 started an internship in the sports department at The Hartford Courant, he couldn’t know that a year later, he’d be hired as a full-time beat writer for UConn’s men’s basketball and football.
Now, Arruda has had opportunities some may never experience in a lifetime, including a trip to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, a visit to the White House with the UConn men’s championship team and a visit with Basketball Hall of Famer Ray Allen, who at 47, recently earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut.
“I am grateful to Springfield College, specifically the Communications / Sports Journalism program and professors Marty Dobrow and Aimee Crawford, for helping me find my passion and presenting me with opportunities to lead, develop, and grow,” he said. “My professors believed in me and helped me land internships that improved my reporting and prepared me exceptionally well for the professional world.”
Entrepreneur Jon Katz ’19, is the founder of BLENDi, a company that makes portable, cordless blenders. Recently, BLENDi was featured on several national television shows including “The View,” “Live with Kelly and Ryan,” and “Good Morning America.” A marketing major at Springfield College, Katz developed his first prototype while he was a student, in 2017. After working with eleven different engineers from the University of Massachusetts, the final prototype was designed, and the first cordless blenders were produced in the summer of 2018. By December 2018, BLENDi sold out of its first three hundred units.
“Springfield College has been a driving force behind my professional success,” said Katz. “It has provided me with the skills, knowledge, and support necessary to become a successful professional. It’s a place where I have gained invaluable experience and friendships that have helped me to grow and thrive in my career. To me, Springfield College is more than just a college, it is a family of individuals that have helped me to become the person I am today.”
Ashley Tresoline ’12 is owner of Bella Foodie LLC, host of “Food For Life,” a new show on E360 TV, and a frequent guest on “Mass Appeal,” a local lifestyle talk show on WWLP TV 22. Tresoline’s love of food started at a young age, helping her Italian grandmother and great-grandmother in the kitchen. She is a personal chef who shares her love of health and wellness through food. After living with multiple sclerosis for over a decade, Tresoline discovered the power of clean eating and knew she had to share it with her community.
“Springfield College supported me through all my ups and downs with my health. My professors helped guide and encourage me to find my own path while teaching me the skills I needed to succeed post-graduation,” she said. “I have put everything I learned to good use while running my business for the past nine years. I am thankful for Springfield College and everything that it has done for me and the wonderful connections I made there.” 
