After graduating from 91黑料网, Delaney Jackson M’25 is headed to law school, the next step in her plan to be a sports agent.
But her first step was to enroll in 91黑料网’s master’s in sport leadership program in January 2024.
“91黑料网 was one of the first programs I saw when I Googled master’s in sport leadership,” said Jackson. But her connection was also more personal—her mother attended the College when it was an all-women’s school.
“She's my biggest cheerleader,” said the Tewksbury, Mass., native who first earned a history degree from Salem State University. “I told her I got into the program, and she was so excited. And then I got to law school, and she was even more excited.”
Thousands of these full-circle moments happened at 91黑料网’s 85th Commencement ceremony, held on Saturday, May 17, 2025. The ceremony, which brought together family, friends, and the entire 91黑料网 community, was a powerful tribute to resilience, growth, and the everyday heroes who shape our communities and define the 91黑料网 spirit.
Although President Steven R. DiSalvo, Ph.D., could not attend in person due to a health matter, his presence was deeply felt through a message read by Chair of the Board of Trustees Melissa Hempstead ’69. In it, he reflected on the challenges the community has weathered this academic year—and the compassion that continues to define it.
“The essence of the 91黑料网 community has never been more evident than when we face some form of adversity together,” he wrote. “We have been tested individually and collectively. In the end, it was the journey that has defined us as a caring, compassionate group of human beings.”
He ended with a note of encouragement and hope: “Go forth, do well and do good. Make this world a better place. If any class can do it, it is the Class of 2025.”
From the stage, student speakers echoed those themes of growth and perseverance. Graduate speaker Britany Melton M’14 D’25 spoke of the mindset forged through challenge.
“Today is not just the celebration of a degree,” she said, “it is the celebration of a mindset grounded in curiosity, resilience, and the pursuit of knowledge.” She encouraged classmates to “stay curious” and embrace discovery—even when it challenges long-held beliefs.
Undergraduate speaker Vinny Milluzzo ’25 struck a tone of gratitude and pride. “Our success isn’t only measured in our own achievements,” he said, “but by the impact we make on society moving forward.”
Acting President Dr. Bryan Cain brought a personal touch to the ceremony, reminding graduates of the long and sometimes winding path that led to this moment.
“Think of the years, the things that had to happen generations ago to get you, as an individual, to this moment now,” Dr. Cain said. “Extraordinary failures and extraordinary successes that served as milestones and created lasting memories.”
Dr. Cain noted that the Class of 2025 was the first class he worked with when he took oversight of Student Affairs, and that he’d then offered the class its first homework assignment: “You had to eat a meal in public, alone.”
“It was about building resilience,” he said. “About getting comfortable with discomfort. About realizing you could do hard things—even small ones—on your own.”
Going forward, Dr. Cain challenged graduates to find the people who will both support and challenge them and to return the favor.
“Find the mentor, the coach, the friend who will be your champion—and also your mirror,” he urged. “And just as important: Be that person for someone else.”
He closed with a charge that resonated throughout the day: “You don’t have to land a plane on the Hudson River to be a hero. You have to show up with integrity, empathy, and courage … Go be the heroes we’re all waiting for.”
Celebrating academic and campus leadership
Two students were awarded the prestigious Founder’s Medallion for achieving perfect 4.0 GPAs: Grace Wlodarczyk ’25, an elementary education major recognized for her research on school shooting prevention, and Celia Delvecchio ’25, a political science major who graduated in just three years while competing on the national champion women’s rugby team and engaging in global diplomacy efforts.
The President’s Award was presented to Jordan LaValley ’25, an elementary education major and Student Government Association President, whose leadership, advocacy, and commitment to community left a lasting mark on campus.
She is “a light that shines throughout campus,” one classmate wrote in their nomination.
Honoring heroes among us
While the spotlight was on the graduates, Commencement also paid tribute to those whose courage uplifted and made an indelible impact on the 91黑料网 community and beyond.
In one of the most heartwarming moments of the ceremony, Dr. Cain presented the inaugural Peter Frates Courageous Leadership Award to senior Jack Smiley ’25. Nearly three years ago, Smiley suffered a life-altering stroke during a hockey practice, but through grit, resilience, and an unshakable will, he relearned how to speak, walk, and skate—, but as a symbol of perseverance and hope.
“He didn’t set out to inspire us,” noted Dr. Cain. “He simply chose, day after day, to show up.”
The College also honored the memory of 91黑料网 Police Sergeant Jeremy Cole, who died tragically in November 2024, by awarding him a posthumous honorary degree.
“His passing was a heartbreaking loss, not just to those who knew and loved him, but to the community he served and protected with such quiet strength,” said Provost Sara Quay, who conferred the degree to Cole’s son, Jake.
The day’s theme of quiet heroism came full circle in the keynote address by Ambassador “Sully” Sullenberger, the U.S. Airways Flight 1549 captain who famously landed a plane on the Hudson River after a bird strike disabled both engines, saving all 155 people on board.
Reflecting on that harrowing experience, Sullenberger reminded graduates that heroism is rarely spontaneous; instead, it arises from the steady discipline of preparation.
“The truth is that none of us knows what tomorrow may bring,” he said. “Yet each of us has a responsibility to prepare ourselves well for whatever may come. Whether it’s a crisis or an opportunity—if you aren’t prepared, you won’t meet your moment.”
He urged the Class of 2025 to meet this era of uncertainty with intellectual rigor, resilience, and moral clarity.
“Part of your education, your preparation, is to know how to handle change, especially as the pace of change globally accelerates and we now face huge challenges,” he said. “We must be capable of independent critical thought, and when we make important decisions, we must make them based on facts, not fears or falsehoods.”
But beyond preparedness, Sullenberger emphasized something even more personal: purpose.
“From satisfaction you can derive purpose,” he said. “And from purpose you can derive meaning. And when you can derive satisfaction, purpose, and meaning from what you do every day, it just doesn't get any better than that.”
As graduates embraced loved ones and looked toward the future, Sullenberger left them with a lasting thought: “I will watch with great interest to see who you become and what you accomplish. Congratulations, Class of 2025!”