MCLA 2024 Commencement

125TH

SATURDAY. MAY 11 | 11 A.M.

AMSLER CAMPUS CENTER

NORTH ADAMS, MA

Alison Blakeslee, Class of 2024

Sajaira Hudson, Class of 2025 and Rachel Lamarre, Class of 2025

Arranged by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Greetings ............................................................................................................

Dr. James F. Birge, President

Sydalee Rinker, Class of 2023

Alyssa Porter, Master of Education Candidate 2024

Conferring of Honorary Degrees ..............................................

Dr. James F. Birge, President

Commencement Address ......................................................................................

Shannon Holsey,

President of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians

Presentation of Candidates

Closing ...................................................................................................................

Recessional

Dr. James F. Birge, President

GREETINGS FROM THE PRESIDENT

To the Members of the Class of 2024:

Congratulations! Today you have achieved a milestone—earning your college degree.

You rose to the many challenges and made incredible sacrifices in your educational journey. And now, you have realized a major accomplishment.

Your degree represents the many hours you have studied, created, performed, volunteered, debated. You have found mentors here, and opportunities to expand your interest and explore your passions. You have made friends you will know for the rest of your life, taken risks, fallen in love, balanced parenting and family with academics, and worked hard at your job (or jobs) while attending classes.

After today, you officially join MCLA’s alumni family. I encourage you to make connections with your fellow alumni and to use the various networks available to you through the MCLA Alumni Office.

Please take the time to thank your personal network of support for being there for you throughout this journey—and remember to support others in this way as you move forward in your life and in your career. We are only as strong as the community we build and nurture.

On behalf of the trustees, faculty, staff, and administrators of MCLA, I offer heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for all that lies ahead.

James F. Birge, Ph.D. President

GREETINGS FROM FACULTY ASSOCIATION

On behalf of your faculty, congratulations on your graduation from MCLA!

It’s been an honor to see you grow as scholars, researchers, creators, athletes, and individuals over your college career. We hope that you take a moment, amid today’s celebration and excitement, to reflect on all you’ve accomplished, all the challenges you’ve overcome, and how deeply you’ve grown as a person.

We’ve watched you excel at presenting your original research at the Undergraduate Research Conference, cheered alongside you as you score goals with your fellow Trailblazers, supported the hard work you demonstrated in writing a Commonwealth Honors Thesis and graduating from the Honors Program, celebrated the sportspersonship demonstrated at MASCAC games and championships, and admired you when you showed resilience in the face of disappointment.

It’s been an honor and a privilege to learn with you as your professors. Thank you for challenging us, forcing us to rethink long-held assumptions, and entertaining us through your art, writing, research, and after-class conversations.

Today, you enter an exclusive community. You are now an MCLA alumni and earned a 4-year college degree. This honor is also a responsibility. As you enter the next phase of your lives, we would like to encourage you to keep in touch, take risks, and continue to make yourself proud.

With gratitude,

Dr. Hannah Noel Haynes President of the MCLA Faculty Association Co-Director of the Honors Program MSCA Union Secretary

TRADITION OF THE GATES

Historically, European universities were often located in walled cities or towns, requiring students to pass through gates or arches to enter the university grounds. The gates symbolized the transition from the secular world to the world of learning, marking a crucial milestone in a student’s academic journey. This tradition was carried over when universities were founded in the United States, and over time, the practice of passing through the gates became associated with two essential events: Convocation and Commencement.

Convocation, held at the beginning of the academic year, is a formal ceremony welcoming new students to the college community. Commencement, held at the end of the academic year, is a graduation ceremony where students receive their degrees and are recognized for their academic achievements. Passing through the gates at Convocation and Commencement serves as a symbolic way of marking the beginning and end of a student’s academic journey, reminding them of the significance of education and the role that universities play in shaping individuals and society.

Today, this tradition continues at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and passing through the campus gates remains a profound and deeply meaningful ritual for students past and present. In 1894 the institution was founded as the North Adams Normal School to provide teacher training to students in North Adams. The first education teachers who attended the Normal School passed through the gates of Murdock Hall, the original North Adams Normal School building that still stands on the MCLA campus today.

As MCLA has grown and evolved over the years, the long-standing gate procession ceremony at Convocation and Commencement has remained a paramount component of the institution’s identity. The gates of Murdock Hall serve as a reminder of MCLA’s roots in teacher education, the important role that the college has played in the Commonwealth, and the transformative power of a liberal arts education.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT

With gratitude and humility, we respectfully acknowledge that Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts stands on the ancestral homelands of the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohicans, who are the Indigenous peoples of this land. Following tremendous hardship after being forced from their valued homelands, they continued as a sovereign Tribal Nation in Wisconsin, which is where they reside today. We pay honor and respect to their ancestors past and present as we commit to building a more inclusive and equitable space for all.

—Land acknowledgment from the Stockbridge-Munsee Community

HONOR SOCIETIES AND SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS

ALANA

Kente Cloth

ALL ACADEMIC SCHOLAR ATHLETES

Gold Sash with MCLA and MASCAC Insignias

ALPHA CHI NATIONAL COLLEGE HONOR SOCIETY

Gold Medallion on a Blue and Green Cord

ALPHA LAMBDA DELTA FIRST YEAR

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY

Gold, Red, White Cords

CHI ALPHA SIGMA NATIONAL COLLEGE ATHLETE HONOR SOCIETY

Bronze Medallion

DELTA MU DELTA BUSINESS

HONOR SOCIETY

Purple, Gold Cords

MULTICULTURAL ADVANCEMENT

Black, Green, Red, and Yellow multi-color Cords

PHI ALPHA THETA HISTORY

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY

Madonna Red and Blue with Multi-Colors

Tassel Cords

PI GAMMA MU HONOR SOCIETY

Blue and White Cords

PI SIGMA ALPHA POLITICAL SCIENCE

HONOR SOCIETY

Red, White, and Black Multi-Colored Tassel Cords

PSI CHI PSYCHOLOGY HONOR SOCIETY

Gold and Blue Cords

RHO PI SIGMA NATIONAL

RESIDENCE HALL HONORARY

Blue, White Cords

SIGMA PI SIGMA PHYSICS

HONOR SOCIETY

White and Green Cord

SIGMA TAU DELTA ENGLISH HONOR SOCIETY

Red and Black

STUDENT PHILANTHROPY PROGRAM

Blue and Gold Cord

WOMEN, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY

STUDIES MINOR

Purple Cords

STUDENT VOLUNTEER

Silver Cords

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

Red and Blue

ART

Hailey Rolon Hudson, NY

ARTS MANAGEMENT

Emily Baker Schenectady, NY

Alison Blakeslee Charlemont, MA

Olivia Bonesteel Averill Park, NY

BIOLOGY

Mahad Ali Pittsfield, MA

Marie Balan Waltham, MA

Dylynn Jane Hardee Pittsfield, MA

Rachel Houghtaling Dalton, MA

Amoure A Joseph Springfield, MA

Deianara Seamans Killeen, TX

Hannah Perault Dalton, MA

Noah StPierre North Adams, MA

Erick Ramos-Jacobo West Valley City. UT

Logan Keyes Cheshire, MA

Britney Lomax Dorchester Center, MA

Christopher J Manley Adams, MA

Courtney Romeo North Grafton, MA

Andrea Roya Cheshire, MA

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Joseph Christopher Aponte Sprinfield, MA

Logan Ayala Troy, NY

Anais Badio Casselberry, FL

Kirsten Barrett Oneida Castle, NY

Jenna Bateman Pittsfield, MA

Jacob Bendik Shaftsbury, VT

Tyler Canata Lanesborough, MA

Robert S Correia Waterbury, CT

Gabe Dias Shrewsbury, MA

Brad Dowd Garrison, NY

Quentin Gittens Pittsfield, MA

Kumar Lewis East Elmhurst, NY

CHEMISTRY

Justina Elizabeth Pardi Niskayuna, NY

Ethan McWhirt Adams, MA

Nathan Morse North Adams, MA

Curt Nitzsche New Bedford, MA

Jayco Jesus Pena Salem, MA

Ash Pixley Adams, MA

Paul Roeder Pittsfield, MA

Peter Sherman Bethlehem, PA

Nathan Walerowicz Sanborn, NY

Robert Wiltsie III Castleton, NY

Molly Wojnicki Adams, MA

Aleasia Yeaton North Adams, MA

Jamarri Young Acton, MA

Molly Wojnicki Adams, MA

COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION

Irving Mogene Auburndale, MA

COMMUNICATION

Mamadou Diallo Brooklyn, NY

Karesha Graham Brooklyn, NY

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Ryan Bradley Marshfield, MA

Aaron Brooks North Adams, MA

Johnluke Kunce Pittsfield, MA

Benjamin Major Norton, MA

Darren O’Leary Cheshire, MA

EDUCATION

Christopher J Manley Adams, MA

Alexandra Pierce Bennington, VT

ENGLISH

Salimatu Bah Randolph, MA

Pablo Calderon Providence, RI

Corin Carpenter Attleboro, MA

Thailia Chee Cheshire, MA

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Ty Mazzeo Averill Park, NY

Sean Murphy Leander, TX

Johnny Pierre-Perez Jr. Cambridge, MA

Michael Swint North Adams, MA

Illia Vasilevich Pittsfield, MA

Aris Yu Teaneck, NJ

Jheneay Rose Watkins West Yarmouth, MA

Mason Willard Chesterfield, MA

Eleanor Signe Gubbins Plymouth, MA

Alicia Loughman Adams, MA

Edgar Perez Brooks Brockton, MA

Chloe Smith Pittsfield, MA

HISTORY

Emily Durkee Johnsonville, NY

Joshua Gould Boxford, MA

David Alfred Lennon Adams, MA

HEALTH SCIENCES

Michael Bankowski Tewksbury, MA

Fatma Ceylan Pittsfield, MA

Christopher Duff Pittsfield, MA

John Hankel Fishkill, NY

INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

Julia Conturso Unionville, CT

Charity Grace Curtiss Great Barrington, MA

Kaitlyn Giron Pittsfield, MA

Clarence J. Givhans Brooklyn, NY

Alexander D. Hall Pittsfield, MA

Tara A.R. Jones-Nutting Becket, MA

Michelle Kroboth Pittsfield, MA

Stacie G Morris Adams, MA

Jacqueline Maria Moulton North Adams, MA

Sydalee Rinker Easthampton, MA

Serena Wiita Gardner, MA

Alia Hashem Adams, MA

Alyssa Mercier Pittsfield, MA

Finley J. Root Pittsfield, MA

Bryan Rosario Queens, NY

Emily Olsen Maynard, MA

Jennifer M. Parker Pittsfield, MA

Amber Scott Pittsfield, MA

Diane L. Shaheen Lee, MA

William D. Shanahan Dracut, MA

Miranda Stracuzzi Pittsfield, MA

Jheneay Rose Watkins West Yarmouth, MA

Jesseca Williamson Westhampton, MA

MATHEMATICS

Bobita Atkins Holbrook, MA

Emily Downing Norton, MA

Tyler-Earl Trzesiara George Pownal, VT

PERFORMING ARTS

Emi Bailey Framingham, MA

Joe Cook Auburn, MA

Georgia Dedolph Saugerties, NY

Sara Lynn Elser Pittsfield, MA

Luna Hayes Dalton, MA

PHYSICS

Mason Willard Chesterfield, MA

POLITICAL SCIENCE

Taylor Hope Philadelphia, PA

Andrew Levesque Clarksburg, MA

Nicholas Strezynski Lenox, MA

Paul Davila Valqui Pittsfield, MA

Bee Kelsey Billerica, MA

Bob Lane Kittery, ME

Jax Marer Cohoes, NY

Dana McCormick Bennington, VT

Max Murray Gansevoort, NY

POLITICAL SCIENCE AND PUBLIC POLICY

Em Marlay-Wright Albany, NY

Andie Schafer Brighton, CO

PSYCHOLOGY

Ella Katherine Arthur Williamstown, MA

Maya Bachmann-Delgado Belchertown, MA

Lydia Ann Beeler Worcester, MA

Emma Claire Carpenter Adams, MA

Philip C. Evans Pittsfield, MA

Vincent Giacomozzi Wareham, MA

Mark Hayden Cheshire, MA

Wallace Matthew J. New Marlborough, MA

Chantelle Monaghan Erving, MA

RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY

Hannah Blake Clarksburg, MA

Danielle L. Boulais Pittsfield, MA

Alyssa Bullett Bennington, VT

Caroline Coffield Bennington, VT

Kathryn Kopetchny Dalton, MA

Calvin Atticus O’Neil Chestnutt Hill, MA

Luis Rivera Adams, MA

Juliana Alexandra Rodriguez Rodriguez North Adams, MA

Janeilah Vazquez South Boston, MA

Ellie Walter-Goodspeed Auburn, WA

Sarah R Williams Stephentown, NY

Molly Wojnicki Adams, MA

Olivia Zaleski Adams, MA

Kristina Piazza Feeding Hills, MA

Julia Rose Rabideau Clifton Park, NY

Chelmose Senat Forestdale, MA

Victoria Skubel Adams, MA

SOCIOLOGY

Katherine Bailey Shelburne Falls, MA

Tyler Cotting Holliston, MA

Mahoganye Davis Pittsfield, MA

Cole Desroches Adams, MA

Lauren Diamond Williamstown, MA

Giovanna Henry Duxbury, MA

Heather Hughes Cropseyville, NY

Grace Krzanik Adams, MA

Annalyse Lewis North Monmouth, ME

Abigail Morrison North Adams, MA

Noah Singer Cedar Falls, IA

Victoria Tynan Pittsfield, MA

CERTIFICATE OF ADVANCED GRADUATE STUDIES

James Heffron Brewerton, NY

Noah Merksamer College Station, TX

Jake Pinkston Great Barrington, MA

Ellie Rizzo Lenox, MA

Amanda Simmes Queensbury, NY

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Diana El Hariri Saie Stamford, VT

MASTER OF EDUCATION

Randal Adams Fullerton, CA

Andrew J. Agostini Williamstown, MA

Bethany Baer Adams, MA

Raymond Crobok Jr. Hoosick Falls, NY

Evanna Huda Pittsfield, MA

Dana F. Johnson Windsor, MA

Derrick Martin Pittsfield, MA

Michael McCormick Pittsfield, MA

Mikayla Menin Peru, MA

John T. Sawyer Johnsonville, NY

Alyssa Sydney Porter Boylston, MA

Conferral of a degree occurs when the registrar finalizes the student’s academic record and confirms that all requirements have been satisfied. Participation in the Commencement ceremony does not constitute conferral of the degree. Similarly, inclusion of a student’s name in such publications as the Commencement program does not confirm eligibility for the degree.

MASSACHUSETTS

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS

375 CHURCH STREET

NORTH ADAMS, MA 01247