Assumption Announces Student-Scholars as Class of 2022 Valedictorian, Salutatorian

Assumption University has announced that Nicholas Macchione ’22, of Leominster, and S. Chase Davenport ’21, of Princeton, will address their classmates as valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, during Assumption’s 105th Commencement on Sunday, May 8, at the DCU Center in downtown Worcester.

As salutatorian, Davenport will introduce the Commencement speaker, Worcester Red Sox Chairman and Principal Owner Larry Lucchino, while Macchione will reflect on the Class of 2022 past four years before the conferral of degrees.

“Among several honors relative to Commencement, the valedictorian and salutatorian are among the highest honors as these students will impart upon their peer’s final words of wisdom as they formally conclude their undergraduate studies,” said Paul Douillard, Ph.D., interim provost and academic vice president. “Through their tireless work, commitment to academics, and engagement in co-curricular activities offered by the University, Nicholas and Chase have demonstrated an unsurpassed passion for Assumption. They have embraced the University’s mission to form graduates known for their intellectual seriousness, thoughtful citizenship, and devotion to the common good.”

Macchione is a candidate for graduation with a bachelor’s degree in history and music with a minor in Italian studies, which was enhanced when he spent a semester studying at the University’s campus in Rome. He is an Augustine Scholar whose commitment to academics has been recognized with the Moggio Prize for Best Short History Essay; departmental awards in history and Italian studies; and membership in the Phi Alpha Theta History Honors Society. Macchione was named to the Dean’s List from fall 2018 to fall 2021.

During his four years at Assumption, Macchione was deeply engaged in the campus community. He served as a teaching assistant in the Department of History; a tutor in the Academic Support Center; and an admissions ambassador for the Office of Enrollment Management. Macchione is also active in the Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band, music ministry and various theater productions. He has participated in Moot Court, the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Model Senate, and intramural sports. He studied abroad in Rome in the Fall of 2019. During the pandemic, Macchione served as a project manager for Sew the Masks, a nonprofit that assembled cloth masks to discourage the spread of COVID-19.

Davenport is a candidate for graduation with a bachelor’s degree in political science and minors in economics, global studies, and Spanish. He has been named to the Dean’s List every semester since 2018, and earned recognition as the 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2000-21 American Hockey Coaches Association Scholastic All-American. Davenport is also a member of the University’s NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee where he fosters communication and relationships between the academic and athletic departments. 

Outside of the Assumption community, Davenport served as the student representative to the Town of Princeton’s Board of Selectmen. In this role, he oversaw community outreach efforts, represented the views of Princeton youth, and provided input on town deliberations. 

Macchione and Davenport were chosen from among the top ten students in the Class of 2022 by a committee composed of the president and vice-president of the senior class, the chairs of the Commencement Committee, two faculty representatives from the Commencement Committee, and the associate vice president for academic affairs.