With A Little Help from Their Friends: Members of Wentworth’s Class of 1981 Celebrate 45 Years
Members of Wentworth's Class of 1981, as seen on a New Hampshire golf course in 2010
With enthusiastic spirits, degrees in hand, and new experiences to lean on, the post-graduation journeys of one group expanded far beyond the campus of Wentworth Institute of Technology.
But for some members of the Class of 1981, Wentworth is where it all began.
“There’s something unique about the group that we have,” said John Ferreira, who received his Architectural Engineering degree from Wentworth in 1981. “There’s a number of us that are pretty connected still to this day.”
With represented majors ranging from Architecture, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical Engineering, among others, the 1981 group features those with many different interests and career paths, all initially brought together by a common living space, and a passion for Wentworth.
“We were all kind of grouped in the dorm our first year—all at one end of the hall—and that’s how we all met and got to know each other,” Ferreira reflected. “We started playing softball and football and participating in intramural activities together. We all lived there, and most people stayed through the weekends, and that’s what really connected us.”
“I can still remember meeting each one of them for the first time,” said Howard Plante, an ’81 group member, who graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
When they began their studies at Wentworth, they didn’t realize they were also establishing lifelong friendships and a built-in social network that would span decades.
“Back then, we were in class almost eight hours a day, five days a week. We got up in the morning, we ate together, and we went to classes. And then we’d go catch a Red Sox game or something like that,” Ferreira said.
“These guys are more like brothers to me than my actual brothers,” said group member William Grant, Architectural Engineering ’81.
The classmates remained in touch after graduation, and since 2001, they have been getting together periodically for outings, reunions, vacations, and family celebrations all over the country.
“In 2000, my wife and I bought a cabin up in New Hampshire. It was a very small, 600-square-foot rustic cabin, and it didn’t have a flush toilet. In college, eight of us lived in a house in Brighton during our senior year, and so we got that group of eight together in 2001 at the cabin,” Ferreira said. “We set up tents and slept on floors and sleeping bags and just made the most of it. We just sat around the campfire and told the same stories over and over.”
“From there on, we used the cabin year after year, and then we eventually had 16 people from the Class of ’81 staying in a cabin that had no flush toilet,” Ferreira laughed.
Alongside Ferreira, Plante, and Grant, the core group members include Steve Farrow, Mike Hays, Jeff Goldman, Rodney Van Deusen, Dean Martin, Bernie Andrews, Josh Bowden, Howard Goldman, Bob Gileau, Dave Getchell, Rick Koehler, Joe Cairns, Vinny Spagnoli, Toby Crossman, and Russ Pratt. All have remained committed to attending the reunion gatherings every year.
“When we got to our 25th-year reunion, we wanted to do something special. So, we went to Myrtle Beach. And then for our 30th, we went to Florida. Our 35th, we went to Arizona. Our 40th, we went back to Florida. And now this will be our 45th and we’re going back to Myrtle Beach,” Ferreira said. “For every get-together, we always have shirts made or some other type of memorabilia.”
The outings usually include golfing, relaxing activities, lots of feasts, and good-hearted fun. The camaraderie born from the group’s time at Wentworth anchored their connection to the university well after graduation, and many of the members have assumed active roles as part of the Wentworth Alumni Association (WAA) and on the golf committee for the annual golf tournament.
Motivated by the impact Wentworth had on their own lives, the group established a scholarship to support and empower future students for years to come.
“As we reflected on the role Wentworth played in bringing us together, we felt a strong desire to give something back,” Plante said. “The scholarship is our way of expressing appreciation for the institution that provided not only our education, but also the foundation for a relationship that has enriched our lives in immeasurable ways.”
The WIT Reunion ’81 Endowed Scholarship has been supporting Wentworth students since it was established in 2018 and has been awarded to students across a variety of programs, including Architecture, Civil Engineering, and Biological Engineering.
“The scholarship is about much more than financial assistance; it is a reflection of gratitude for Wentworth bringing our group together, and for the profound impact that the university had on our lives,” said Plante. “We hope that recipients will not only succeed academically, but that they will also build meaningful relationships that enhance their lives long after graduation.”
As the scholarship stands to showcase, from their college experiences to the present day, these members of the Class of 1981 have come to count on each other through important celebrations and events, while learning how to weather any rising storm together.
“During our first two years, we went through the Blizzard of ’78. We went through the Iran hostage crisis,” Ferreira said. “We were all at the university, and it really bonded us back then.”
“There’s something about the group that’s a true brotherhood,” he continued. “We’ve been through life together—through tragedies and through successes.”
“We have been friends for nearly 50 years,” echoed ’81 group member Rodney Van Deusen, Architectural Engineering. “Through it all, we have always been there for one another.”
Professionally, the group’s influence has transcended the limits of the Wentworth campus and extended into industry partnerships, with many members’ current and former companies adding talented graduates from the university to their workforce.
Ferreira, who retired from Chapman Construction/Design in 2022, said the company—which earned the WAA’s Distinguished Employer Award in 2008—recognizes the rigor of Wentworth’s hands-on programs and the unique aptitudes of its students.
“At one point, we [Chapman] were made up of 50 percent Wentworth graduates,” he said. “To this day, the company still continuously hires from the university.”
For Ferreira and the other members, the ’81 group solidified a sense of belonging during the early days of their education and grew into a support system they all tap into today.
“When my family needed help, the guys all showed up at my father’s home and painted his house,” Ferreira said. “And a lot of the guys have lost loved ones over the years, and there’s no thought—you just jump in the car and go to the service or whatever is needed. There’s a bond there that is really hard to describe.”
“We’ve watched each other grow from young college students into professionals, husbands, fathers, grandfathers, and now retirees,” said Plante. “We have shared countless stories, memories, and laughs, and somehow, the years disappear whenever we get together. We pick up right where we left off, as if no time has passed at all.”
That sense of support came more tenderly this year, with the passing of one of the group members, Mike Hays.
“That really hit us hard,” Grant said. “We were really close, and I think about him every day.”
Ferreira said the group plans to honor Hays at their 45th-reunion outing through specifically designed memorabilia.
“This year, we have T-shirts, and we have golf club head covers, and we have ball markers that are all in memory of Mike,” said Ferreira. “Some have his picture, and some have this year’s date and his initials. We want to have Mike there with us as best as we can.”
Brenda Grant-Hays, who graduated from Wentworth with a degree in Architectural Engineering, married Hays in 1980. She said she’s always valued the companionship the group has shared and is especially grateful for their friendship this year.
“I have only been to five or six of the group’s gatherings, but being an alumna myself, I was more than ‘Mike’s wife,’” she recalled. “Mike passed on a Sunday, and on Monday morning, three of these men and one of their wives, whom I had developed a friendship with, showed up at my house to support me in any way they could.”
As classmates in the Architectural Engineering program, Grant-Hays said she was initially charmed by Hays because of his kindness. Their relationship continued to grow from there.
“We met during my first month at Wentworth when a classmate invited me to a party that Mike was hosting. She knew I was from Maine and that Mike was from Maine, so she wanted to introduce us,” Grant-Hays said. “He later insisted on escorting me back to my apartment building safely, because that’s the kind of gentleman he was.”
“What began as a friendship quickly became a relationship, and in retrospect, I think there’s something about the architectural curriculum that bonded us, because it was so intense that, when we relaxed, there was comfort in being with others having the same experience,” she said.
Having admired the 1981 group’s commitment to stay in touch through the annual get-togethers, Grant-Hays said she’s enjoyed seeing their connection evolve.
“These gentlemen have always felt like big brothers to me, but for Mike, they were a touchstone,” Grant-Hays said. “They loved to get together and kick back, play some golf, and reminisce about their wild adventures, but any time the ‘chips were down,’ more than one of them would be there to support.”
“Sure, over the years, there were gray hairs, broader waistbands, and creakier joints, but their bond has surpassed time,” she mused. “These men hold these times very dearly—that is evident from the thoughtful planning that goes into every gathering and the interactions in between.”
Proud of the group’s accomplishments at Wentworth and beyond, Ferreira expressed gratitude for the university, which has served as a cornerstone for the group’s careers, personal successes, and genuine friendships.
“If I needed someone tomorrow, they would be here. We’re dependable. We can count on each other,” Ferreira said. “Even after all these years, it’s great to know that with this group, you’re going to get what you need to help you get through anything. And that all started with Wentworth.”
“The diploma I received in 1981 hangs proudly on a wall, but the friendships I found at the university are indelibly framed in my mind and have carried me through a lifetime,” Plante added. “For that, I will be forever grateful.”