College Awards 487 Degrees During Commencement

06.08.2009 —President Leary announces Blake Chair in Ethics, College’s first endowed chair

LONGMEADOW, Mass.—On Sunday, May 17, Bay Path College held its 112th Commencement exercises, awarding 484 degrees to traditional undergraduates, One-Day-A-Week Saturday College undergraduates, and graduate students from the Graduate School and Bay Path Online, the College’s distance learning center offering graduate degrees and certificates. In addition to presenting graduates with their respective degrees, the College bestowed three honorary degrees upon Nancy Jane Fitzpatrick, owner of Roaring Inc. and vice chairman of Fitzpatrick Companies Inc.; Dora Robinson, president and chief executive officer of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Services Inc.; and Founder of the Freedom Writers Foundation, Author and Educator Erin Gruwell, who delivered the keynote address.

The Commencement ceremony marked the first graduates from Bay Path’s Burlington Campus as well as the first graduates from Bay Path Online. Robert L. Malone of Mulkilteo, WA, received his master of science degree in nonprofit management and philanthropy from the Bay Path Online program, and he gave the student address for the Graduate School. Jewel Cadet of Brooklyn, NY, served as the speaker for the traditional undergraduate class, while Rose Colon of Springfield, MA, represented graduates from the One-Day-A-Week Saturday College.

This year’s Commencement ceremony also featured a mother and daughter in the Class of 2009. Ana M. Jackson of Worcester, MA, received an undergraduate degree in business through the One Day program, while her daughter Taneesha C. Freidus, also of Worcester, earned a degree in liberal arts.

Several graduates were honored during Commencement for their academic achievements. Graduating Summa cum Laude, Brandy E. Deveno of Southwick, MA, received the Wilfred D. Wright Valedictory Award for holding the highest cumulative grade point average in the traditional baccalaureate degree class. Ashley Weils of Fort Ann, NY, graduated Summa cum Laude and earned the Salutatory Award for having the second highest cumulative grade point average in the traditional baccalaureate degree class.

The One-Day-A-Week Saturday College Valedictory Award was presented to Claudette Dinnall of Springfield, MA, while Corrina M. Wcislo of Monson, MA, received the One-Day-A-Week Saturday College Salutatory Award. Both women graduated Summa cum Laude. Vickie Langford of East Longmeadow secured the Paul E. Thissell Valedictory Award for holding the highest grade point average in the associate degree class, and graduated Summa cum Laude.

Bay Path also presented the prestigious Eagle Award to Sarah Palmer of Topsham, ME. Palmer, who graduated Magna cum Laude, was selected from the Class of 2009 as the graduate who had a significant impact on the Bay Path community by exhibiting an overall positive attitude and demonstrating leadership in campus activities and athletics, while maintaining a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5. Established in 2007, the Eagle Award is sponsored by the Rev. Dr. Enzo V. and Mrs. Mary Lou DiGiacomo.

In addition to conferring degrees, Bay Path College presented the first Trustee Service Award to Trustee Emeritus and Co-founder of Friendly Ice Cream Corp. S. Prestley Blake, who celebrates his 50th anniversary this year on the College’s Board of Trustees. Prior to the award presentation, Bay Path President Carol A. Leary announced the establishment of the College’s first endowed chair, the S. Prestley and Helen Blake Endowed Chair in Ethics, which was funded by a generous gift from Mr. and Mrs. Blake.