MassBay Community College honored the Class of 2023 at the College’s 61st Commencement Exercises on Thursday, May 25, 2023. The ceremony celebrated the achievements of 692 graduates. Special honors were awarded to three talented student scholars who earned a 4.0 grade point average (GPA), five students who earned the highest GPA in their academic divisions, and 31 students who earned the highest GPA in their academic program.
The three graduates with a perfect 4.0 grade point average received an All-College Academic Award, the highest academic honor bestowed by MassBay. The award was presented to the following students:
Mena Fenwick of Natick, MA, who earned an All-College Academic Award for her 4.0 GPA, as well as the Division Award for achieving the highest GPA in the academic division of Business and Professional Studies, and the Program Award for the highest GPA in her academic program, Liberal Arts: Elementary Education. Fenwick came to MassBay to pursue her dreams. She attributes her success to her family, especially her five-year-old son, who keeps her motivated and determined to be her best self, and her mother, to whom she turns for support when things get tough. Fenwick will attend Wellesley College in the fall. She plans to teach special education at the middle school level and help reform special education policy. Fenwick received her Associate in Arts degree in Liberal Arts: Elementary Education at the College’s commencement ceremony.
Claire Kearney of Walpole, 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. Kearney came to MassBay after her brother attended the College and spoke highly of his experiences. She attributes her success to the support of her family and friends, as well as taking time to determine which field of study she wanted to follow. Kearney loves art and enjoys working in a managerial role. She will continue her education in the fall, majoring in Arts Administration at Simmons University in Boston, MA. She received her Associate in Arts degree in Liberal Arts at the College’s commencement ceremony.
Jesse Okoche of Weymouth, 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, Mechanical Engineering. Okoche came to MassBay as an international student from Botswana and chose MassBay over other community colleges due to the College’s annual STEM Expo and the appeal and promise of MassBay’s slogan, “Start Here Go Anywhere.” He will attend Yale University in the fall and plans to double major in mechanical engineering and political science. Okoche attributes his success to the work ethic his father instilled in him, as well as the faculty and staff he worked with at MassBay, saying that he could not have gotten into Yale without them. He received his Associate in Science degree in Mechanical Engineering at the College’s commencement ceremony.
MassBay awarded five Division Awards to the graduates with the highest GPA in each of the five academic divisions. Those awardees include:
- Automotive Technology Division Award
Joseph Butler of Jamaica Plain, MA, who earned the Division Award Honor for his 3.9 GPA, the highest GPA in the academic division of Automotive Technology. Butler came to MassBay seeking a career change to reinvent himself after the pandemic. He always enjoyed tinkering and found automotive technology the enjoyable change. Butler attributes his success to a wealth of life experiences. He is currently working as a Chevrolet technician at Mirak Chevrolet in Arlington, MA, and he looks forward to continuing his work in that role. Butler received his Associate in Science degree in Automotive Technology: General Motors at the College’s commencement ceremony.
- Business and Professional Studies Division Award
Mena Fenwick of Natick, MA earned a Division Award Honor for her 4.0 GPA, the highest GPA in the academic division of Business and Professional Studies.
- Health Sciences Division Award
Courtney Schultz of Oxford, MA earned a Division Award for her 3.97 GPA, the highest GPA in the academic division of Health Sciences. Schultz was interested in Radiologic Technology because she likes the combination of science and patient care. She attributes her success to her parents and boyfriend for always supporting her and pushing her to do her best. Schultz appreciated her MassBay instructors for their consistent willingness to provide help outside the classroom when needed. She will begin working as a Radiologic Technician at UMass Memorial Medical Center in June. Schultz received her Associate in Science degree in Radiologic Technology at the College’s commencement ceremony.
- Humanities and Social Sciences Division Award
Claire Kearney of Walpole, MA earned a Division Award Honor for her 4.0 GPA, the highest GPA in the academic division of Humanities and Social Sciences.
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Division Award
Jesse Okoche of Weymouth, MA, earned a Division Award for his 4.0 GPA, the highest GPA in the academic division of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
MassBay also awarded 31 Program Awards to the graduates with the highest GPA in each of College’s academic programs:
- Program Award Winner – Accounting
- Jason Manucci of Framingham, MA
- Program Award Winner – Accounting MassTransfer
- Phuong Ho of Southborough, MA
- Program Award Winner – Automotive Technology: BMW
- Jake Lydon of Ashland, MA
- Program Award Winner – Automotive Technology: General Motors
- Joseph Butler of Jamaica Plain, MA
- Program Award Winner – Automotive Technology: Toyota
- Robert Summers of Walpole, MA
- Program Award Winner – Biotechnology
- Megan Walden of Framingham, MA
- Program Award Winner – Business Administration
- Briana Beach of Marlborough, MA
- Program Award Winner – Computer Science
- Kelly Ojukwu of Bellingham, MA
- Program Award Winner – Criminal Justice
- Brian Proctor of Wareham, MA
- Program Award Winner – Cybersecurity
- Choden Thakuri of Sudbury, MA
- Program Award Winner – Early Childhood Education
- Terry Murphy of Framingham, MA
- Program Award Winner – Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Steven Hopkins of Framingham, MA
- Program Award Winner – Engineering
- Frances Power of Waltham, MA
- Program Award Winner – Engineering Design
- Jorge Ramirez of Waltham, MA
- Program Award Winner – General Business
- Kayla Gooch of Framingham, MA
- Program Award Winner – General Business: Hospitality Management
- Yocheved Fleischmann of Newton, MA
- Program Award Winner – General Studies: Associate in Arts
- Andrew Fetherston of Ashland, MA
- Program Award Winners – General Studies: Associate in Science
- Hannah Shestack – Taunton, MA
- Program Award Winner – Information Systems Technology & Management: Management
- Nivedita Chakraborty – Shrewsbury, MA
- Program Award Winner – Information Systems Technology & Management: Technology
- Paulette Schmidt – Marlborough, MA
- Program Award Winner – International Business
- Sheila De Los Santos – Revere, MA
- Program Award Winner – Liberal Arts
- Claire Kearney of Walpole, MA
- Program Award Winner – Liberal Arts: Communication
- Benjamin Dubnow – Berlin, MA
- Program Award Winner – Liberal Arts: Elementary Education
- Mena Fenwick of Natick, MA
- Program Award Winner – Liberal Arts: Psychology/Sociology
- Erin Gallagher – North Grafton, MA
- Program Award Winner – Mechanical Engineering
- Jesse Okoche of Weymouth, MA
- Program Award Winner – Liberal Arts: Human Services
- Wendy Giblin – Dover, MA
- Program Award Winner – Life Sciences
- Marie Kiessling – Franklin, MA
- Program Award Winner – Nursing
- Amanda LaRosee – Hudson, MA
- Program Award Winner – Paralegal Studies
- Jennifer Rahall – Framingham, MA
- Program Award Winner – Radiologic Technology
- Courtney Schultz of North Oxford, MA
PHOTO CAPTION: MassBay Community College graduates (left to right) Azalea Rodas who served as a student marshal, Mena Fenwick, Jesse Okoche, Joseph Butler, Courtney Schultz, and Claire Kearney, at the College’s 61st Commencement Ceremony, Wellesley Hills, MA, May 2023 (Photo/MassBay Community College).
To learn more about MassBay, visit massbay.edu
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.
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