|
88th
Commencement Exercises: May 14, 2005
Janette Polaski flashes a celebratory
smile. |
Click
here
for more Commencement photos.
May,
2005—Assumption’s
88th Commencement was a celebration of firsts. The day marked the
first time that the event was held on the H.L. Rocheleau baseball
field, due to construction for the new Multi-Sport Stadium—and
it was also the first time that Assumption College graduated a set
of quadruplets.
Mary Wood of Stow, MA, one of the quads and the
Class of 2005’s valedictorian, delivered a moving speech.
She began with a recollection of her reaction to the events of September
11, 2001, when she was in her first weeks at the College, and how
the tragedy turned strangers into friends as the campus mourned
together. She also spoke of the support she and her fellow graduates
received while progressing through their careers at Assumption.
“Collectively,
the faculty and staff of Assumption College have a clear vision
of not only what the students should learn, but also how they should
live their lives,” she said. “We hear that ‘it
takes a village to raise a child’; it also takes an entire
college to prepare a graduate.”
Salutatorian Andrea Mullins of Bristol, CT introduced
commencement speaker Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, one of the foremost
authorities on the role of religion in the contemporary world. A
former Lutheran clergyman who converted to Catholicism and was ordained
in 1991, Rev. Neuhaus has written and lectured extensively on civil
rights, international justice and ecumenism. As editor-in-chief
of the Institute’s journal, First Things, he brings
a thoughtful Catholic voice to many public debates. (To
read the full text of his speech, click here.)
Fr. Neuhaus addressed the crowd on the topics of faith and moral
integrity.
“How we live depends on for whom we live,” he said.
“The great tragedy of our lives is to live for ourselves.
If we are wise, we revere God first.”
Famed theatrical director Michael Ritchie, the current artistic
director of the Los-Angeles based Center Theatre Group, also received
an honorary degree at the ceremony. Ritchie, a native of Worcester,
attended Assumption in the 1970s.
The Commencement became a family affair as quadruplets Mary,
Michael, John, and Katherine Wood walked
across the stage to receive their diplomas, all with academic honors.
After their 16 consecutive years of school together, the siblings
will follow their individual dreams. Mary, a double major in Art
History and Studio Art, will work toward a master’s degree
in art history at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Mike,
an English: Writing and Mass Communications major, is pursuing a
master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications at
Emerson College. John and Katie, both accounting majors, have accepted
full-time positions at PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Boston and will
fulfill their CPA requirements through Northeastern University this
summer.
Devon T. Driscoll received the St. Augustine Award
from the Center for Continuing and Professional Education, which
is given annually to the Continuing Education baccalaureate student
graduating with the highest quality point average. Driscoll maintained
a 3.95 GPA while attending school and working full-time, focusing
on psychology to enhance his work as a counselor for troubled youth.
He plans to continue his studies in counseling on the graduate level.
By the close of the ceremony, officials had awarded a total of 583
associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees to the Class
of 2005.
MBA grads (including four Assumption employees).
From left: Angela Freitas, Melissa Kocon, Mimi Royston, Ron
Scott, Rob Pingeton, Mary Ellen Blunt, Linda Ducharme, and Theresa
Simokonis. |
Lucas Del Cid (l.) and Kali DeCouto show
off their shiny new diplomas.
|
Brian Robinson celebrates his achievement
with his mother.
|
|
Commencement speaker Fr. Richard John
Neuhaus addresses the crowd.
|
Roommates Colleen Cassidy (l.) and Liz
Gill say goodbye to Assumption.
|
Valedictorian Mary Wood shares her thoughts
with her class.
|
More information on Commencement 2005 can be found here.
To order the 2005 Commencement Video (on DVD or VHS),
click here.
For more information on how to order official Commencement
photography, click here.
|
