Pictured (From left): Fitchburg State University’s Director of Military and Veteran Services Nolan Buck, volunteer for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve and veteran Pat Donnelly, Scapparone, Gauvin, and Gauvin’s mother, Katie Gauvin.
When Julia Gauvin was notified by the Massachusetts Air National Guard that she was deploying to Jordan for six months in the middle of her senior year at Fitchburg State University, one of the first things on her mind was how she was going to take classes and complete all the credits needed in order to graduate on time when she returned home.
Gauvin, struggling to grasp whether or not she would graduate with the Class of 2025, tapped into her main resource at the university – Professor Renee Scapparone – for advice and a structured plan moving forward.
Scapparone – a faculty member in the Business Administration Department and Gauvin’s academic advisor – created a plan where Gauvin logged a nine-credit internship and also took her final three credits in an online accelerated course.
“Dr. Scapparone and I worked together on figuring out how I can take classes and finish all the credits needed to still graduate when I returned home,” Gauvin said. “Dr. Scapparone was adamant that we were going to figure out a solution, and thanks to her we successfully did. If it weren't for Dr. Scapparone, I am not sure if I would have graduated on time.”
Thanks to Dr. Scapparone’s unwavering support, Gauvin nominated her advisor for the Patriotic Employer Award through the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), which is an organization known for recognizing members that go above and beyond to support military personnel in an employer/education environment. The award reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a wide-range of measures, including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence if needed.
Gauvin was joined by Fitchburg State’s Director of Military and Veteran Services Nolan Buck when Scapparone was presented with the award from the ESGR.
“I wanted it to be very special,” Gauvin said. “I did not tell (Scapparone) about it and made it a surprise. I told her that I was going to stop by her office to chat and say ‘Hi’ since I had just returned from my deployment. My mother, Nolan Buck, and a member of the ESGR were all there to award and congratulate Dr. Scapparone. It was an emotional awarding, having most of us ladies in tears.”
The impact was felt in her heart, says Scapparone.
“I totally did not expect this to have happened,” Scapparone said. “I thought I was just going to see Julia to welcome her home. I was humbled and honored by Julia's recommendation for me to receive such an award. As I told them that day, Julia is the one who deserves to be honored for all of her great accomplishments. During active duty with the Air National Guard, Julia was able to maintain academic honors throughout her studies.”
“This award is more than a recognition of Dr. Scapparone’s extraordinary mentorship -- it’s a testament to the kind of university we strive to be,” University President Donna Hodge said. “At Fitchburg State, we don’t just support students like Julia Gauvin, we walk with them, especially when the path gets complicated. I’m deeply proud of the commitment shown here: a student serving her country, a professor refusing to let distance or deployment interrupt a dream, and a university living out its promise to those who serve. This is who we are.”
While the award Gauvin submitted was presented directly to Dr. Scapparone, the university was also recognized through the Statement of Support for the Guard and Reserve.
“That’s a formal acknowledgment showing that Fitchburg State is committed to supporting members of the National Guard and Reserve,” Buck said. “It reinforces that what we’re doing here isn’t just about individuals, but it’s also building this bridge to a larger culture of support and connections for those who serve and have served.”
While overseas, Gauvin didn’t lose touch with Scapparone, despite the over 5,000-mile distance from Jordan to Fitchburg.
“I had a few Zoom calls while I was deployed overseas,” Gauvin said. “When we had our calls, we would have to call at a little bit of unusual hours because of the eight-hour time difference. Dr. Scapparone was very adaptable and made any time that worked for me also work for her. They consisted of 50 minutes talking to each other and catching up on how everything was going and about 10 minutes on advising information.”
Gauvin said that she looked forward to those chats because Scapparone was “so supportive and I knew she was by my side everyday that I was overseas.”
She added: “Those calls showed me how much Dr. Scapparone cared about me as a person, not just as her student.”
That special attention and the familiarity of home is something that Gauvin will never forget.
“The support that I received from Dr. Scapparone was more than I could've wished for or imagined,” Gauvin said. “While deployed, it is important to receive support, because sometimes there are tough days being away for that duration of time. Dr. Scapparone was by far one of my biggest supporters.”
Scapparone didn’t fail in her pledge to stay connected with Gauvin while overseas.
“I had promised her and her parents that I would keep in touch with her,” Dr. Scapparone said. “Meeting with her via Zoom gave us both the opportunity to see each other, and for me it gave me peace of mind that she was safe. I guess I did not realize how much this meant to Julia.
“It is extremely important for me to be there for my students, not only as their academic advisor/professor, but also as a mentor in their life.”
Gauvin, currently a Staff Sergeant who works as a Logistics Planner, has been a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard for roughly six years. She was deployed in Jordan for six months (Oct. 2024 to April 2025). While deployed, she worked on the redeployment of the Combat Search and Rescue units that were stationed in Jordan.
“It was a very rewarding and educational deployment,” Gauvin said. “I am thankful that I was able to deploy and complete my education at the same time.”
Dr. Scapparone was adamant that we were going to figure out a solution, and thanks to her we successfully did. If it weren't for Dr. Scapparone, I am not sure if I would have graduated on time.
Gauvin, 23, grew up in Granby – a small town in Western Massachusetts – and recently moved to Nashua, N.H. She received her bachelor’s degree in Business Management in May.
“I was honored to be able to be part of Julia's journey and hope to continue to be part of her life,” Dr. Scapparone said. “Julia is an amazing person who will continue to soar.”
As a member of the Fitchburg State softball team for three seasons, Gauvin tallied a career .316 batting average with 4 home runs, 47 RBIs and 105 hits. She was tabbed to the MASCAC All-Conference First Team in 2022 and Second Team in 2023.
“I loved Fitchburg State the whole time I was there, and was very thankful it was the school I chose to attend,” said Gauvin, adding that she had to leave school halfway through her freshman year to go through basic training.
As a 17-year-old, Gauvin enlisted in the Air National Guard during her senior year of high school. The military has been a family affair, as both of her parents recently retired from the Guard.
She says that she plans on commissioning and becoming an officer within the next few years.
“Joining the Guard is one of the best decisions I have made, as it has helped me drastically with college benefits and has shown me half of the world,” Gauvin said. “I plan to stay in the Guard for at least 20 years, and even more.”
Buck says that “we’re building something really special here at Fitchburg State,” and believes that the University is a place where the military/veteran students are seen, supported, and celebrated.
“Whether they’re navigating VA benefits, connecting with local military nonprofits, or just trying to find their place on campus, we’re here for them,” Buck said. “And stories like Julia’s remind us all why this work matters.”