By Andrew Petropulos
This past spring, Springfield College alumna Jennifer Criniti Tirillo was named Connecticut Athletic Trainer of the Year by the CATA. Just a few months later, her husband Marco Tirillo received a similar statewide recognition: Assistant Principal of the Year for Connecticut.
While careers in education and athletic training are seemingly different, both professionals implement aspects of the Springfield College Humanics Philosophy in their leadership and impact.
Both Jennifer and Marco Tirillo graduated from Springfield College in 2004, majoring in Athletic Training and Sport Management, respectively.
“I knew by my junior or senior year of high school that I wanted to pursue athletic training as my area of study,” Jennifer said. “It was the reputation for athletic training, the reputation in athletics, and this ability to create a lifelong network that was attractive.”
“I was looking at Springfield and Trinity,” Marco said. “I was actually looking to wrestle at one of the schools. I did my overnight at Springfield, and I loved it there. I felt it was everything that I already was, and I felt I could be more going there. The major, which was I wanted to be a physical education major and health minor, which is what I did. Just knowing the connections and the network that comes from being in that program was amazing. It’s what drew me there.”
Springfield College has heralded its Humanics Philosophy since its founding in 1885. The concept itself dates back to the ancient Greeks, emphasizing the importance of educating the “whole person,” known on campus as the spirit, mind and body. To implement this philosophy into the Springfield College experience, the core curriculum has been designed to expose students to multicontextual roles through themed exploration and core capstone work.
Additionally, the Humanics in Action program provides participants with volunteer opportunities that connect students with community needs in schools and neighborhood organizations.
“Community service aspects of it were encompassed into the work we were doing both as the Springfield College wrestling team and as a student for the physical education program,” Marco said. “As silly as it is, some of the things that we used to have to do, not walking on the grass, saying hello to every student that walks by or any adult that goes by, it sets a tone for the type of person that you’ll be and the connections you can make. I still instill that to today with all my students.”
Faculty, too, are connected to this philosophy, with a professor annually awarded the Distinguished Professor of Humanics Award. These features of life at Springfield College reflect the mission to educate the whole person in preparation for service to others, no matter what major or future occupation.
“I think just having exposure is important to make us into well-rounded human beings,” Jennifer said. “It’s all, you know, valuable experiential type of situations that are like, oh, yeah, I’ve done something like that. Or, oh, I’ve never volunteered before. They rip the bandaid off at Springfield and are like, hey, we’re going to clean up a field or we’re going to go pick up garbage or get you out of those comfort zones by creating opportunities.”
The health-science focus of many accelerated programs at SC highlights the integration and value of educating the spirit, mind, and body. In these types of clinically oriented occupations, client dissatisfaction can stem from a variety of sources. The American Physical Therapy Association, for example, cites empathy and emotional intelligence as key skills for rehabilitation beyond scientific literacy. This nuance requires clinicians to understand clients on a holistic level.
“One of the things that I found that was really challenging for a lot of athletic trainers is staffing and not having enough athletic trainers for their patient population,” Jennifer said. “And that’s a big system to try to correct. So I wanted to make my little dent by creating a space that was treating people as humans. There’s that aspect of literally just creating space and time and without judgment for people who are experiencing pain and injury.”
Marco’s education brings a nuanced perspective to the position of vice principal. He graduated from Springfield with a Health and Physical Fitness degree, attained a Master’s degree in Experiential Health and Healing, and worked for several years as a physical education teacher.
“I look at it more as a coaching position,” Marco said. “You don’t want to really be only a disciplinarian where you’re just giving consequences or ruling with an iron fist. You’ve got to treat it almost like you’re King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Everyone has a piece of the say in it, and everyone’s got to work together. It’s always a learning experience through each other.”
The CATA Award is considered for outstanding contributions to the athletic training profession in Connecticut. Jennifer started her private practice, Concentric Care and Wellness, in 2021 after many years of traditional athletic training. Her new practice is designed to serve clients on a deeper level.
“The whole spirit, mind, and body approach is everything to what I do as an athletic trainer and now as a business owner,” Jennifer said. “I always operate under the lens of treating people holistically, every part of that person, not just their physical pain or injury. I feel like I should have the Springfield logo on my business logo because it literally is the framework of how I practice.”
The Assistant Principal of the Year Award for Connecticut similarly highlights service to others. The award criteria are based on the quality of learning opportunities provided for students, along with leadership, service and contributions to learning, and collaboration with staff. It is awarded annually to elementary, middle and high school assistant principals, who are also recognized by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
“I don’t have all the answers and neither do others,” Marco said. “We have to work together to be able to solve it and be able to further what we’re trying to do. Whenever I work with students, I always try to make it a learning experience, talking with them, working through what happened, what could have occurred better in the choices, what were the reasons why you made that choice and helping them to think about it so it doesn’t happen again.”
Since their days of being introduced to the Humanics philosophy of Springfield College, the Trillio’s have brought an intentional care for spirit, mind and body of others, from their shared belief in the power of service. Their efforts are a model to the students on Alden Street looking to engage in meaningful, impactful occupations after graduation.