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Contact:
Liz Cooper
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![MassBay Community College President David Podell stands with All-Program Award winners]( "MassBay Community College President David Podell stands with All-Program Award winners")
MassBay Community College President David Podell stands with All-Program Award winners (left to right), Tyler Hatch, Lillian Flathers, Isaiah Milgroom, Patrick William O’Neal McDonald, Karen Travins, and Nicole Chin, at MassBay Community College’s Commencement ceremony on the Wellesley Hills campus, May 2022 (Photo: MassBay Community College).
WELLESLEY HILLS, Mass. (June 1, 2022) — MassBay Community College honored the Class of 2022 at the College’s 60th Commencement Exercises on Thursday, May 26, 2022. The ceremony celebrated the achievements of 589 graduates. The College offered special honors to seven diverse and talented student scholars who earned a 4.0 grade point average (GPA), nine students who earned the highest GPA in their academic divisions, 28 students who earned the highest GPA in their academic program, the Foster Furcolo Scholarship awardee, and the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education 29 Who Shine awardee.
MassBay honored seven graduates who earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average with All-College Academic Awards, the highest academic honor the College bestows. The awards were present to the following students:
- Maxwell Foster Levy of Hopkinton, MA, Associate in Arts Degree in Liberal Arts
- Lillian G. Flathers of Wayland, MA, Associate in Arts Degree in Liberal Arts: Psychology/Sociology
- Allison McElligott of Upton, MA, Associate in Arts Degree in Liberal Arts: Psychology/Sociology
- Patrick William O’Neal McDonald of Walpole, MA, Associate in Science Degree in Computer Information Systems
- Jeicilene De Souza Moura of Clinton, MA, Associate in Science Degree in General Studies
- Isaiah A. Milgroom of Newton, MA, Associate in Science Degree in General Studies
- Karen Ann Travins of Southborough, MA, Associate in Arts Degree in Liberal Arts: Human Services
Maxwell Foster Levy of Hopkinton, MA earned an All-College Academic Award for his 4.0 GPA, the Division Award for the highest GPA in the academic division of Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as the Program Award for the highest GPA in his academic program, Liberal Arts.
Lillian G. Flathers of Wayland, MA, earned an All-College Academic Award for her 4.0 GPA, the Division Award for the highest GPA in the academic division of Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as the Program Award for the highest GPA in her academic program, Liberal Arts: Psychology/Sociology. Flathers started her college career at a four-year institution, but found that was not the right fit. Flathers always loved reading and writing and she wanted to earn her college degree, so she came to MassBay. She credits her incredible professors, who care about their students’ success. Flathers has been accepted to Saint Michael’s College in Vermont, where she will pursue her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology.
Allison McElligott of Upton, MA, earned an All-College Academic Award for her 4.0 GPA, the Division Award for the highest GPA in the academic division of Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as the Program Award for the highest GPA in the Liberal Arts: Psychology/Sociology program. Before coming to MassBay, McElligott worked in the mental health field and had an interest in psychology. She was familiar with MassBay, because her mother had taken classes here and knew of the educational possibilities. She attributes her academic success to gaining life experience before coming to college, which provided her with the focus to do her best in her classes. McElligott is planning to transfer to a four-year college to pursue her bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Patrick William O’Neal McDonald of Walpole, MA, earned an All-College Academic Award for his 4.0 GPA, the Division Award for the highest GPA in the academic division of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), as well as the Program Award for the highest GPA in his academic program, Computer Information Systems. As a veteran of the United States Air Force, he came to MassBay after he moved to the Boston area. He credits his success to the great professors he had at MassBay, as well as his fellow students, who worked together to stay focused on achieving their goals. O’Neal McDonald will transfer to the University of Massachusetts Boston to pursue his bachelor’s degree.
Jeicilene De Souza Moura of Clinton, MA, earned an All-College Academic Award for her 4.0 GPA, the Division Award for the highest GPA in the academic division of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), as well as the Program Award for the highest GPA in her academic program, Associate in Science Degree in General Studies. De Souza Moura came to MassBay, following in her brother’s footsteps, because the classes were affordable. She credits the remote and online class options for keeping her focused on her coursework, as well as the professors, advisors, and financial aid counselors who provided her with the support she needed. De Souza Moura will transfer to a four-year university in the fall to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Biology.
Isaiah Milgroom of Newton, MA, earned an All-College Academic Award for his 4.0 GPA, the Division Award for the highest GPA in the academic division of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), as well as the Program Award for the highest GPA in his academic program. He attributes his success to the support from his parents and his amazing and influential professors. “I would not be the person I am today without MassBay,” he says.
Karen Ann Travins of Southborough, MA, earned an All-College Academic Award for her 4.0 GPA, the Division Award for the highest GPA in the academic division of Business and Professional Studies, as well as the Program Award for the highest GPA in the academic program of Liberal Arts: Human Services. Travins earned her Associate in Arts Degree in Liberal Arts: Human Services. Karen considers herself to be a “helper bee” and loves working with people. She says she discovered a lot about herself at MassBay, including that she loves to learn. She attributes her success to hard work, determination, and the “amazing and supportive” faculty.
MassBay awarded nine Divisional Awards to the graduates with the highest GPA in each of the five academic divisions. Those awardees include:
- Automotive Technology Divisional Award
Tyler Hatch of East Falmouth, MA, with a 3.892 GPA, earning his Associate in Science Degree in Automotive Technology: GM - Business and Professional Studies Divisional Award
Karen Ann Travins of Southborough, MA, with a 4.0 GPA, earning her Associate in Arts Degree in Liberal Arts: Human Services - Health Sciences Divisional Award
Nicole Chin of Brookline, MA, with a 3.925 GPA, earning her Associate in Science Degree in Radiologic Technology - Humanities and Social Sciences Divisional Award
- Maxwell Foster Levy of Hopkinton, MA, with a 4.0 GPA, earning his Associate in Arts Degree in Liberal Arts
- Lillian G. Flathers of Wayland, MA, with a 4.0 GPA, earning her Associate in Arts Degree in Liberal Arts: Psychology/Sociology
- Allison McElligott of Upton, MA, with 4.0 GPA, earning her Associate in Arts Degree in Liberal Arts: Psychology/Sociology
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Divisional Award
- Patrick William O’Neal McDonald of Walpole, MA, with a 4.0 GPA, earning his Associate in Science Degree in Computer Information Systems
- Jeicilene De Souza Moura of Clinton, MA, with a 4.0 GPA, earning her Associate in Science Degree in General Studies
- Isaiah A. Milgroom of Newton, MA, with a 4.0 GPA, earning his Associate in Science Degree in General Studies
MassBay also awarded 28 Program Awards to the graduates with the highest GPA in each of College’s academic programs:
- Program Award Winner — Accounting
Devika De Silva Jayasuriya of Framingham, MA - Program Award Winner — Automotive Technology: GM
Tyler Hatch of East Falmouth, MA - Program Award Winner — Biotechnology
Katarina Pesic of Revere, MA - Program Award Winner — Business Administration
Evan Dyer of Newton, MA - Program Award Winner — Computer Information Systems
Patrick William O’Neal McDonald of Walpole, MA - Program Award Winner — Cybersecurity
Alan Newcomer of Shrewsbury, MA - Program Award Winner — Information Systems Technology & Management: Technology
Eric K. Hormeku of Bellingham, MA - Program Award Winner — Criminal Justice
Edward Vincent Denty of Natick, MA - Program Award Winner — Early Childhood Education
Aouatef Zehouani of Framingham, MA - Program Award Winner — Liberal Arts: Elementary Education
Rebecca Louise Lorentzen of Chestnut Hill, MA - Program Award Winner — Engineering
Karen Marie Connors of Brooksville, FL - Program Award Winner — Mechanical Engineering
Brandon Ayrton Choque Molina of Framingham, MA - Program Award Winner — General Business
Hannah Brown of Needham, MA - Program Award Winner — General Business: Hospitality Management
Katherine Bates Peck ofNeedham, MA - Program Award Winner — International Business
Mabrouka M. Boukraa of Cambridge, MA - Program Award Winner — General Studies: Associate in Arts
Margaret D. Carter-Brooks of Dorchester Center, MA - Program Award Winners — General Studies: Associate in Science
- Jeicilene De Souza Moura of Clinton, MA
- Isaiah A. Milgroom of Newton, MA
- Program Award Winner — General Studies: Mathematics
Christina Joa Lim of Duluth, GA - Program Award Winner — Liberal Arts
Maxwell Foster Levy of Hopkinton, MA - Program Award Winner — Liberal Arts: Communication
Amanda Aiello-Dapper of Cambridge, MA - Program Award Winner — Liberal Arts: English
Casey Winthrop of Wayland, MA - Program Award Winner — Liberal Arts: Psychology/Sociology
- Lillian G. Flathers of Wayland, MA
- Allison McElligott of Worcester, MA
- Program Award Winner — Liberal Arts: Human Services
Karen Ann Travins of Southborough, MA - Program Award Winner — Nursing
Kathleen Degnan Goss of Southborough, MA - Program Award Winner — Paralegal Studies
Brenda Kestenberg of Newton Upper Falls, MA - Program Award Winner — Radiologic Technology
Nicole Chin of Brookline, MA
Also recognized was Stefan Ghelli of Mendon, MA who was awarded the Foster Furcolo Scholarship to attend the University of Massachusetts Boston, and Skyler Hope Michaud of Charlestown, MA, who was recognized as MassBay’s awardee for the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education’s 29 Who Shine Award.
MassBay Community College is the most affordable higher education option in MetroWest Boston, offering a robust portfolio of courses and more than 70 associate degree and certificate programs with flexible day, evening, and weekend classes in Ashland, Framingham, Wellesley Hills, and online. MassBay students receive an unmatched educational value by earning stackable credits that transfer to bachelor’s degree programs, and workforce-ready skills necessary to advance careers in high-demand fields such as health and life sciences, automotive technology, engineering, business, cybersecurity, and the humanities. MassBay’s Associate Degree in Nursing (RN) and Practical Nursing (LPN) programs were both ranked as the #1 Nursing Program in Massachusetts in 2020-2021 by national nursing advocacy organizations RegisteredNursing.org, and PracticalNursing.org. Since its founding in 1961, MassBay has been accredited by several governing bodies and remains firmly committed to its mission of meeting the needs of the diverse local communities it serves. We value the intrinsic worth of all individuals, collectively in pursuit of inclusiveness and prioritize our work towards achieving equity within our community and beyond.