When a mother’s love and a passion for using one’s gifts in the service of others is a driving force, transformative work takes place.
When Alison (Mason) Shilinsky ’03 learned that her 6-year-old son, Lucas, who was unable to communicate, was diagnosed with Williams Syndrome and autism, she turned to Easter Seals of Massachusetts for an assistive technology evaluation. The test concluded that Lucas would benefit from using an iPad app called TouchChat, which Shilinsky called a “life-changing evolution.” Lucas can now communicate, repeating words that he chooses through the app.
“Easter Seals played a monumental role in helping my son find the words we didn’t know he had,” shared Shilinsky.
To demonstrate her gratitude, Shilinsky began to support Easter Seals by helping to promote and organize the annual Walk With Me event. Her steadfast support for the organization led to her being named chair of the Easter Seals Central Massachusetts Regional Board of Directors. As chair, she seeks to raise awareness of the many services offered by Easter Seals.
“The mission of Easter Seals is to ensure that children and adults with disabilities have equal opportunities to live, learn, work, and play,” she said. “This is accomplished by offering assistive technology, employment and training services, rehabilitation services, and a youth leadership network. In this new role, I hope to make parents, who may have just received a diagnosis for which they weren’t prepared, find resources for their child.”
Her passion is driven by a commitment to service developed as a student at Assumption.
“The importance of service and compassion is emphasized at Assumption,” explained Shilinsky. “I remember my advisor telling me that, after I had established my career, it would be important to find ways to give back to the community, to organizations and individuals that might need assistance.”
Following her graduation from Assumption with a degree in English, Shilinsky attended UMass Amherst for graduate school before embarking on a career in human resources, where she worked for a number of corporations and law firms. She currently serves as senior vice president at Zwicker & Associates in Andover, a law firm with 700 employees. Each day, Shilinsky brings the compassion and encouragement she experienced at Assumption to the employees for whom she works.
“Assumption offered me an exceptional foundation upon which to build my later experiences,” shared Shilinsky. “At the institution, I delved into many topics outside of my major, providing me with knowledge I still draw on every day. My professors at Assumption taught me how to work toward outcomes for the greater good, to be compassionate, even in situations where compassion wouldn’t normally be expected.”
She credits her liberal arts education for helping her succeed both professionally and personally, adding that the curriculum encouraged her to take courses she wouldn’t have chosen herself. “I use concepts I learned in my psychology and sociology courses to assist me in interacting with employees at work and my own children at home,” she said, adding that her accounting course and an Argument and Persuasion course gave her “invaluable confidence” when it comes to having difficult conversations or managing proposals. In another course, her professor stressed the impact one could have on the lives of those in need. As part of the coursework, she spent her time at a group home that served adults with disabilities. “I found the experience to be extremely rewarding and enlightening,” she explained. “I feel fortunate that Assumption encouraged students to have experiences like this. It shows the importance Assumption gives to contributing to the greater good.”
Shilinsky said that Assumption’s mission encouraged her involvement with Easter Seals. “The importance of service and compassion is communicated throughout one’s time at Assumption,” she explained. “Assumption fosters individuals who are socially aware, compassionate, and thoughtful …I felt it from my first visit to the campus.”
