122nd Commencement
Monday, May 9, 2022
Main Auditorium UMass Dartmouth Dartmouth, Massachusetts
UMass Dartmouth Mission
Board of Trustees
UMass Dartmouth distinguishes itself as a vibrant, public research university dedicated to engaged learning and innovative research resulting in personal and lifelong student success. The University serves as an intellectual catalyst for economic, social, and cultural transformation on a global, national, and regional scale.
Robert J. Manning, Chairman ’84, Lowell R. Norman Peters, JD, Vice Chair Joshua P. Bates ’22, Boston Barkha Bhandari ’22, Amherst Mary L. Burns ’84, Lowell Zachary S. Dyer ’22, Chan Medical School Robert Epstein ’67, Amherst Derek S. Houle ’22, Lowell Stephen R. Karam Richard M. Kelleher ’73, Amherst Narcisse M. Kunda ’22, Dartmouth Robert Lewis, Jr. Michael V. O’Brien ’88, Amherst Noreen C. Okwara, M.D. ’12, Boston; ’17, Chan Medical School Kerri E. Osterhaus-Houle, M.D. ’99, Chan Medical School Imari K. Paris Jeffries, BA, MEd, MA ’97, ’99, ’03, Boston James A. Peyser Julie M. Ramos Gagliardi, MBA ’87, Dartmouth Elizabeth D. Scheibel, JD Steven A. Tolman ’99, Boston Victor Woolridge ’80, Amherst Charles F. Wu, MBA
UMass Dartmouth Vision UMass Dartmouth will be a globally recognized premier research university committed to inclusion, access, advancement of knowledge, student success, and community enrichment.
UMass School of Law Mission UMass Law is the Commonwealth’s public law school. We are committed to providing an excellent, affordable, and accessible legal education. Our collegial community respects and promotes diversity in identity and ideas. Our program balances legal theory, doctrine, skills, experience, and professionalism. We strive to graduate competent, ethical, and creative professionals who exercise sound judgment. Our involvement in the legal community enables our students to thrive in a changing profession and to serve the needs of their future clients. We advance justice within and beyond the Commonwealth through our research, writing, teaching, learning, practice, and engagement with the profession.
The permanent record kept in the Office of the University Registrar for each student will certify the award of degree and carry their grades, averages, and honors (if any). At commencement, students graduating with distinction are noted only if that distinction has been earned at the end of the previous semester. The names appearing in the Commencement Program represent an unofficial listing of candidates.
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Land Acknowledgement Statement UMass Dartmouth acknowledges the land that we occupy and on which we sit today as the traditional and ancestral home of the Wampanoag tribes, including: the Mashpee, Nauset, Nantucket, Pennacook, Pokanoket, Pocasset, Seaconke, and other indigenous nations of Southeast Massachusetts. Without them, we would not have access to this gathering and to this dialogue. We take this opportunity to thank and honor the original caretakers of this land. The University of Massachusetts is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, or genetic information in employment, admission to, and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University.
Law Student Speaker Joseph Spadoni
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oseph Reynold Spadoni (J.D. ’22) is grateful to have the opportunity to offer the Student Address on behalf of the Class of 2022, but he would not be in position to graduate at all if not for the tireless love and support of so many amazing people, and he knows he is not alone in that regard. Joseph’s remarks are dedicated to all those who aided any member of the Class of 2022 in their pursuit of this day. Joseph relished his time at UMass Law. He served as an Academic Fellow under the guidance of the amazing Professor Amy Vaughan-Thomas, as a Contract Law and Law Review Note Writing teaching assistant to the irreplaceable Professor Jeremiah Ho, and as a Constitutional Law teaching assistant to the brilliant Professor Dwight Duncan. He was elected as the Executive Notes Editor of the UMass Law Review, where he was able to work with the most remarkable group of Associate Editors. Joseph worked as a judicial intern at the Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts, with Judge Mark A. Hallal, and after graduating, Joseph will be working as a judicial law clerk at the Massachusetts Appeals Court. Additionally, Joseph’s first piece of scholarship, The Unconscionability of the NFL’s Franchise Tag, was published in the University of Denver Sports & Entertainment Law Journal. Before enrolling at UMass Law, Joseph received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy at the College of the Holy Cross in 2016. Joseph would like to acknowledge: his parents, Laura and Reynold, without whom Joseph never would have taken his first few steps, both as a child and as a man; his sisters, Nicole and Stephanie, whose support means more to him than they know; his niece and nephews, Gabriel, Sienna, and Oliver, who kept him grounded in the realities of life outside of 333 Faunce Corner Road; his mentors, Professor Ho, whose guidance, support, and friendship changed Joseph’s life for the better, and Dean Julie Cahill, who tirelessly worked to help Joseph build a trajectory towards his Personal Legend; and finally, the Class of 2022, all of whom Joseph loves more than he can ever express with words alone.
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Order of Exercises
Student Awards
Academic Procession
Academic Achievement Awards Full-time student: Katelyn Fisher Part-time student: Jennifer L. Carosi
The audience is requested to remain seated until after the processional has been completed.
National Anthem UMass Dartmouth university chorus under the direction of Professor Tianxu Zhou – Recording Welcome Mark A. Fuller, Chancellor
External Legal Education Award (CLEA) Jeremy T. Hersh
Greetings from the Dean Eric J. Mitnick
Connecticut Attorneys Title Insurance Company (CATIC) Foundation, Inc. Award Abigaelle A. Ngamboma
Greetings from the Board of Trustees Mary L. Burns Greetings from the Alumni Association Castell Abner, Jr. ’97 President of the Law Alumni Association Student Address Joseph Spadoni ’22 Announcement of Awards Eric J. Mitnick, Dean Hooding of the Candidates and Conferring of Juris Doctor Degrees Mark A. Fuller, Chancellor Eric J. Mitnick, Dean Recessional
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Clinical Legal Education Award (CLEA) Amanda Marie Bloxham Beers
Dean’s Service Award Rbrey Duane Singleton Pro Bono Award Raven R. Francomano 768 hours of pro bono work St. Thomas More Award Joseph Spadoni Student Bar Association Hon. Francis L. Larkin Amicus Award Kaelyn J. Hilliard Samantha-Rae Hook Thurgood Marshall Social Justice Award Marc J. Conforto
2022 School of Law
Eric J. Mitnick Dean
Juris Doctor Recipients Firaas Z. Akbar Basil Munzer Al-Qaneh Alexandra Amico* Ana M. Amores Kymberly K. Ashley AnaMarie N. Augustyn Noah J. Aurelio* Miryam L. Banuelas Andrew J. Beechinor Larry Steven Beene Amanda Marie Bloxham Beers Benjamin D. Bernatz** Augustina Amanfo Boateng Matthew A. Borges Kaitlyn N. Brown William S. Brown Christopher S. Cappucci Jennifer L. Carosi** Marc J. Conforto** Kristen M. Coohill Judith Patricia Cruz Caballero Raissa C. De Castro Silva Levi W. Eckman* Dolapo Damilola Emmanuel* Arabella Elizabeth Enos Jenna Lee Fernandes** Katelyn Fisher*** Angela G. Flanagan* Raven R. Francomano* Sebastian Gabriel Garcia-Holguin Erynn A. Gifford* Sydney Anne Goldstein Ryan J. Gulley Maeve Jeanne Healy Jade Ellen Heaven* Margaret N. Henry Jeremy T. Hersh** Austin M. Hevey Kaelyn J. Hilliard* Samantha-Rae Hook Allison Jacome William Jennings***
Devon M. Johnson* Kendall M. Kapitzke* Kevin R. King** Kara L. Kocurek* Manasseh Konadu Benjamin D. LaPointe Quan N. Le Molly Suzannah Lesser Shya C. Lewis MacKenzie J. Long Ryan J. Manning Jonathan T. Marinelli** Christian Masiello Brett D. Mueller*** Abigaelle A. Ngamboma Riley O’Brien Megan B. Owens Charles F. Pansler Mark J. Perrone Alyssa Marie Petroff** Sarah E. Pierson Andrew Victor Ramirez Benjamin M. Reis Shanicquah Mercedes Reynolds Bryan D. Sack* Brian Jordon Sanger* Matthew A. Scavitti Rachel Lewis Schepart Nina I. Schulze Jason Irving Simmons Rbrey Duane Singleton Joseph Spadoni*** Jason G. Spilka Jhoanna Faye Sylio Bryan J. Texiera** Gage M. Thomas Patrick F. Walsh Kristiana M. Warner** Yifan Xia Leslie Ann Young* Laura Stephanie Zavala Copland Adam Zwetchkenbaum** Honors designations - pending final grades *** Summa Cum Laude ** Magna Cum Laude * Cum Laude
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2022 Recognition
Academic Fellows Basil Munzer Al-Qaneh Noah J. Aurelio Levi W. Eckman Katelyn Fisher Angela G. Flanagan Devon M. Johnson Alyssa Marie Petroff Joseph Spadoni Jason G. Spilka Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity Award Raven R. Francomano Megan B. Owens Public Interest Law Fellows Noah J. Aurelio Augustina Amanfo Boateng Matthew A. Borges Christopher S. Cappucci Judith Patricia Cruz Caballero Arabella Elizabeth Enos Jenna Lee Fernandes Katelyn Fisher Sydney Anne Goldstein Maeve Jeanne Healy Margaret N. Henry Kaelyn J. Hilliard Allison Jacome Devon M. Johnson Manasseh Konadu Ryan J. Manning Abigaelle A. Ngamboma Riley O’Brien Alyssa Marie Petroff Sarah E. Pierson Matthew A. Scavitti Jason Irving Simmons Rbrey Duane Singleton Jason G. Spilka Jhoanna Faye Sylio Law Review Board Editor-In-Chief Kevin R. King Managing Editor Angela G. Flanagan Executive Articles Editor Abigaelle A. Ngamboma Executive Notes Editor Joseph Spadoni Business & Conference Editor Alyssa Marie Petroff Technology Editor William Jennings 6
Lead Editors Jennifer L. Carosi Katelyn Fisher Brett D. Mueller Staff Editors Benjamin D. Bernatz Sydney Anne Goldstein Jeremy T. Hersh “Servant of Justice Award” for performing 100 hours of pro bono or community service Miryam L. Banuelas Rachel Lewis Schepart Joseph Spadoni Patrick F. Walsh Adam Zwetchkenbaum “Leader for Justice Award” for performing 200 hours of pro bono or community service Noah J. Aurelio Augustina Amanfo Boateng Matthew A. Borges Christopher S. Cappucci Judith Patricia Cruz Caballero Levi W. Eckman Arabella Elizabeth Enos Jenna Lee Fernandes Katelyn Fisher Raven R. Francomano Sydney Anne Goldstein Maeve Jeanne Healy Margaret N. Henry Kaelyn J. Hilliard Samantha-Rae Hook Allison Jacome Devon M. Johnson Manasseh Konadu Ryan J. Manning Abigaelle A. Ngamboma Riley O’Brien Mark J. Perrone Alyssa Marie Petroff Sarah E. Pierson Brian Jordon Sanger Matthew A. Scavitti Jason Irving Simmons Rbrey Duane Singleton Jason G. Spilka Jhoanna Faye Sylio Laura Stephanie Zavala Copland Faculty and Staff Marshals Chief Marshal Professor Phillip E. Cleary Faculty Marshal Professor Dwight G. Duncan Staff Marshals Julie Cahill Sandra Leger Silva
Congratulations from the UMass Law Alumni Association! As you determine where the next steps lead you—whether you remain in the SouthCoast, relocate for your dream job, or take some time to decide—a network of supportive UMass Law alumni are here to support you. There are many ways for you to be an engaged UMass Law alum starting today!
Stay connected to UMass Law through the Corsair Network Sign up for the Corsair Network, where you can maintain and build connections with UMass Law alumni eager to mentor you as you begin your careers. Tap into a powerful network and valuable resources exclusive to the UMass Law alumni community. Update your contact info here at corsairnetwork.com
You’re invited to join the entire UMass Dartmouth and UMass Law community back on campus for Blue & Gold Weekend, October 14-15! Look for information to come about programming, especially for UMass Law alumni.
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