The Springfield College Department of Biology and Chemistry presented the 23rd annual Britton C. and Lucille McCabe Lecture featuring Mark S. Tisa ’79, MBA, PhD, on April 13, 2022 in the Appleton Auditorium in the Fuller Arts Center.
Tisa returned to the campus to discuss the key attributes that helped him successfully transition from earning his Bachelor of Science in biology at Springfield College, through his career, and ultimately to his leadership role at the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. He talked about the embodiment of the Springfield College Humanics philosophy, and his goal of inspiring achievement in individuals ready to embark on their careers.
“One of the best choices I ever made was coming to Springfield College,” explained Tisa. “I fell in love with the campus right away, and I always enjoyed the personal connections I made with faculty when I was a student, the faculty really helped me develop as a student and a professional.”
For the past 35 years, Tisa has held increasingly responsible positions at the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife—MassWildlife—including senior aquatic scientist and deputy director. He is responsible for the administration of all programs and activities for the division, including fisheries, wildlife, natural heritage and endangered species, forestry, and land stewardship programs. He represents the agency at the state and national levels.
“Dr. Tisa is a nationally recognized leader in the fisheries and wildlife community and it was a tremendous honor to have him back on campus to speak to our students about the path to success,” added Springfield College Associate Professor of Environmental Biology Justin Compton. “His message was timely, relevant, and important for our students to hear and hopefully take to heart. I will continue to work with Mark in a number of ways to grow our environmental science program and provide current and future students with opportunities for field work and entry into the field of fisheries and wildlife management.”
The Britton C. and Lucille McCabe Lecture has been in existence at Springfield College since 1997 and honors longtime professor of biology at the College, Britton C. McCabe, and his spouse, Lucille McCabe. The lecture series brings noted professionals in the health, biological, and physical sciences to Springfield College to discuss timely topics and discoveries.
