- Fergus M. Clydesdale '66G
- Arlindo Jorge '50
- Dr. Tisata Kajiyama '69G
- Dr. Jess Kane '70
- Thomas O'Brien
- Carmel Valianti '79
- Dr. Jess Kane
Generating Smiles - Dr. Jess Kane '70
Jess Kane likes to see a healthy smile. This makes sense since he is a successful orthodontist and an associate professor at the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston. And he is also a philanthropist and volunteer, bringing much-needed dental services to remote areas of the world.
Kane is cofounder of Project Stretch, a charitable organization founded in 1988 that provides disadvantaged children around the world with free dental care. The organization’s efforts are supported through fund-raising events and private contributions. The doctors donate their time, and many pay their own travel expenses. “We’ve traveled to Africa, Lithuania, Venezuela, and Mexico, New Orleans after the hurricane, and around Massachusetts to provide care to children,” says Kane. “We do it because we’re able to . . . we’ve been fortunate in our own lives, and we’re happy to provide dental services for those who are less fortunate.”
Kane is a life member and past president of the UMass Amherst Alumni Association. He has volunteered his time on numerous committees on campus and currently serves on the UMass Amherst Foundation Board of Directors. He is also a founding member of the UMass Club in Boston.
A proud alumnus, Kane has encouraged many students to enroll at UMass Amherst, including his own children, Dr. Jamie Kane ’00 and Lauren Kane ’05G. He and his wife, Andrea, often host receptions for students in their home and talk about their own campus experiences and professional and philanthropic endeavors. Kane also invites students to shadow him at his dental practice. “It’s the best feeling in the world when, two or three years later, you meet a parent somewhere and they say, ‘Thank you. My child had a wonderful experience at UMass Amherst and they chose to attend because of you.’”
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