When Brian Garbecki began his college search, he knew he wanted a smaller school, somewhere far enough from home to feel independent but close enough to stay connected. Though he initially thought he might pursue law, an accounting course at American International College shifted his path toward economics. Ann’s decision to attend AIC was rooted in both practicality and purpose. Paying her own way through school, she needed to commute, and AIC’s nursing program offered both strong academics and the opportunity to build meaningful connections.
Their story began on Ann’s very first day at AIC. Brian, a senior who had worked in the campus mailroom for four years, noticed her when she walked in delivering mail from Financial Aid, where she worked. He was immediately interested. For a year and a half, Brian asked Ann out, and for a year and a half, she politely declined. Still, he showed up, sitting with her almost every day while she waited for her mother to pick her up after classes. Even after graduating and beginning graduate school at the University of Rhode Island, Brian did not give up. One day, he returned to campus with a single rose and asked Ann to attend an AIC dance with him. This time, she said yes.
Their time at AIC was filled with shared experiences that laid the foundation for a lifetime together. They attended dances, participated in Dance Marathon and Greek Games, spent hours talking on the quad, and met often at The Hive. Those everyday moments became lasting memories.
After marrying, Brian and Ann moved to Alexandria, Virginia, where Ann began her nursing career at Arlington Hospital and Brian worked as an International Trade Analyst for the U.S. International Trade Commission. Brian credits Dr. Hemond, head of AIC’s Economics Department, as a particularly influential mentor who encouraged his academic and professional growth. After earning bachelor’s degrees in political science and economics from AIC and a Master of Arts in Economics from URI, Brian’s career in international trade took the couple around the world, including time in Taiwan, Hong Kong, England, Italy, and throughout Europe. Later, he pursued a second bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Western New England University, eventually serving as Director of Facilities at Baystate Medical Center and later as Vice President, Director of Healthcare Construction for Gilbane Building Company for more than 20 years.
Ann’s nursing career was equally distinguished. After returning to Rhode Island, she served as Assistant Nurse Manager on a surgical oncology floor at Roger Williams Hospital. When the family relocated to Massachusetts, she worked in Oncology at Baystate Medical Center for 37 years, building a career marked by dedication, compassion, and leadership.
Together, Brian and Ann raised three children, grounding their family in the shared belief that education and service open doors to healthy, fulfilling, and independent lives. Beginning at age ten, their children were encouraged to participate in community service. Their daughter, Dr. Marissa Hyszczak, earned both her EdD and MA from American International College and now serves as a school psychologist and graduate psychology professor. Their daughter Faith is a kindergarten teacher pursuing a second master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Their son Matthew earned degrees from RPI and MIT and now works as a data scientist for CVS.
Ann remains close with a core group of nursing classmates who gather twice a year, having celebrated one another’s weddings and now grandchildren together. Brian, a member of Alpha Sigma Delta, continues to connect with his fraternity brothers at alumni events, including the Chipman Golf Tournament, and credits fellow alumnus Steve Nemphos for helping keep the brotherhood strong.
From a first-day meeting in the mailroom to decades of shared purpose, careers, family, and global experiences, Brian and Ann’s story is a lasting testament to the connections formed at American International College.
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