Becker grads told “anger is not a policy”

By Gary V. Murray TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WORCESTER — Calling them “the stewards of our country's future,” U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, urged 350 Becker College graduates today to meet the challenges that lie ahead with optimism and open minds.

“As tumultuous as the times in which we live are, the educated and the self-disciplined will be the architects of the new world order,” said Mr. Neal, the keynote speaker at the college's 222nd commencement ceremony at the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts.

“There have only been a few moments in our history to rival the sense of anxiety that we as members of the American family feel at this moment. Virtually every institution of human life is now under the magnifying glass of critical analysis.

“But recall that America was born of optimism and that anger is not a policy,” said Mr. Neal, who represents Massachusetts' 2nd Congressional District, which includes Becker's Leicester campus.

“Part of our collective dilemma is the speed with which news travels, how instantly opinions take hold. We should, as this setting of accomplishment and dignity reminds us to, reject the closing of the American mind,” he told his audience.

“Yes, technology insures more information and yes, technology provides us with more misinformation, as well,” said the former Springfield mayor, who is serving his 11th term as congressman.

He urged the graduates to trust their educations, trust their families “and trust your own instincts more than you trust the machine.”

Mr. Neal, a Ways and Means Committee member who teaches politics and journalism part-time at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, was awarded an honorary doctorate degree of humane letters by Becker College.

“This day is both the beginning and the end. You, at this moment, become the stewards of our country's future. The great industrialist Henry Ford II noted, ‘What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity, intellect and resources to do something about them.' That has not changed,” he told the graduates.

BECKER GRADUATES, 2010

ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE
Ashburnham: Jennifer L. Cotter
Auburn: Brittany A. Tolman
Brimfield: Nicole Marie Marchand, High Honors
Brookfield: Clifford G. Comptois
Clinton: Janelle Maree Donnini
Dudley: Kimberly Shevory, Honors
Fiskdale: Susan M. Freeland
Hopedale: Nina M. Abbondanza
Hudson: Cassandra L. Correia; Calvin Feil, Honors
Lancaster: Lindsey Nicole Haxton, Honors
Leicester : Ashley Elizabeth McAvey
Leominster: Mayra Raquel Heredia, Highest Honors
Mendon: Rebecca Marsden Houskeeper
Milford: Abbie E. Townsend
North Grafton: Kelly A. Army, Honors
Northbridge: Holly L. Dupre, Honors
Oxford: Jillian M. Newell; Kimberly A. Perry
Spencer: Shannon Gayle McGinn, High Honors; Ashley I. Nichols, Honors
Sturbridge: Melanie H. Cooper
Sutton: Cristina Budness; Julia C. Fetherolf; Kelly Ann Ford, High Honors
Uxbridge: Kerry M. Sawash
Ware: Meghan Elisabeth Lavoie
Webster: Linda Gill, Honors; Elizabeth Rose Gregory; Laura Jean Orrico, Honors; Corey L. Plouffe
West Boylston: Diane Birmingham O'Connor, Honors
Westboro: William Carrier, Honors
Winchendon: Sara Beth Ruschioni
Worcester: Patricia A. Curtis; John DiCicco, Honors; Angela Smith, Highest Honors; Kelly Anne Lavorati, Highest Honors; Maura Ann Malone, Honors; Erika Rose Muir; Elizabeth Eva Partridge; Stephanie Rios; Jennifer Catherine Robbins; Iliana Saffron; Amy M. Watt.
North Grosvenordale: Melanie L. Cutler, Honors
Putnam: Krystal Rose Baker, Honors

BACHELOR OF ARTS
Barre: Megan Lee McGee
Brimfield: Benjamin Keating
Charlton: Robin C. Torres
Clinton: Johanna Elizabeth Orne, Cum Laude
Fitchburg: Sarah N. Garretson, Cum Laude
Holden: Jay B. Maki
Hudson: Amanda Marie Chaves
Leicester: Jessica Mignault
Marlboro: Debra E. Winske, Summa Cum Laude
Millbury: Heidi Austin; Darlene Belliveau, Magna Cum Laude
North Grafton: Dawn Elaine Donohue, Magna Cum Laude
Northbridge: Karen Marie Reyes
Oakham: Nicole Giaquinto
Oxford: Kyle D. Mahota, Cum Laude; Melissa Ann Patterson, Magna Cum Laude
Princeton: Laura Linda Kuntz
Rutland: Amanda Elaine Hooten, Cum Laude
South Grafton: Joseph Michael Bartlett
Spencer: Kim M. Foley, Cum Laude
Sterling: Timothy J. McAuliffe
Warren: Natasha Lin Garrepy, Magna Cum Laude
Webster: Lucille D. Bernier, Magna Cum Laude; Kelly L. Hachigian; Mark Joseph Mandeville, Magna Cum Laude
Westboro: Sarah A. McNiff, Magna Cum Laude; Laurie Ann Gendron; Ashley M. Palladini
West Brookfield: Alexandria Jae Tonna
West Townsend: Nathar Al-Tukhaim
Winchendon: David R. Drouin, Cum Laude; Nicholas O. Gaffny, Cum Laude
Worcester: Samuel Anyetei Adjei; Cynthia Adu-Gyamfi; Allison M. Bellerive; Kelly L. Boyd; Debra J. Dalbec, Magna Cum Laude; Edward R. Folmer; Saunia M. Ianniccheri, Magna Cum Laude; Jessica Kaminski; Carol A. MacKenzie, Summa Cum Laude; Carmen Mildalia Minaya; Shakitha L. Nickelson; Cheryl Marie Perron, Cum Laude; Thierry Raphael; Lillianna Natasha Brooke Saari; Aaron Sayad; Jennifer S. Silva, Cum Laude; Amy Marie Sullivan; Timothy Dallas Sweeten, Magna Cum Laude; Martha Vazquez
Putnam: Julie E. DiDonato, Summa Cum Laude

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Athol: Dyan K. Adams, Summa Cum Laude
Auburn: Jessica M. Blais Benevento, Magna Cum Laude; Kathleen A Gregoire, Summa Cum Laude; Debra A. Gremo, Magna Cum Laude; Diane M. Hicks, Summa Cum Laude; Ashley Rebecca Hunter; Gaile V. Pranckevicius
Barre: David J. Rogowski
Bolton: Christine M. Peters, Magna Cum Laude
Brimfield: Patricia Baldina, Magna Cum Laude
Charlton: James R. Black, Summa Cum Laude; Kathleen Richards
Charlton City: Jonathan Peter Samuelson, Cum Laude
Douglas: Matt Brooks, Cum Laude
Dudley: Ryan R. Finlay, Cum Laude; Cheryl A. Kozub, Summa Cum Laude; Christie Marie Penniman
Fitchburg: Tully Lovee Lee
Gardner: Robert Dennis Bergeron Jr., Summa Cum Laude
Grafton: Denise M. Nephew, Summa Cum Laude; Thornton D. Wheeler, Jr., Summa Cum Laude
Holden: Bryan S. Diehl, Summa Cum Laude; Heidi M. Lebeau, Cum Laude; Angela Marie Marra, Summa Cum Laude; Lindsay B. Willens, Magna Cum Laude.
Hubbardston: Tara L. Colonair, Magna Cum Laude; Robynn J. Romanson-Bellofatto, Summa Cum Laude
Hudson: Andrew Scott Barry, Magna Cum Laude; Lauren Anne Barry; Erin Donovan, Magna Cum Laude
Leicester: Tara Dawn Moynihan, Cum Laude
Leominster: Linda T. Hansen, Magna Cum Laude; Tammy Jean Hawkins, Magna Cum Laude; Erin M. Parker, Magna Cum Laude
Linwood: Timothy John Woodward
Lunenburg: Michele D. Allan, Magna Cum Laude
Marlboro: Molly Brodeur-Nesbitt, Magna Cum Laude; Sharon Decker, Magna Cum Laude; Cheryl DiTullio, Summa Cum Laude
Mendon: Christopher Marshall Mehrman
Milford: Hannah Campbell; Jzazja Simone Lewis-Somerville; Amanda J. Smyrnios
North Brookfield: Elizabeth Grace Laird, Summa Cum Laude; Jamie Lavoie; Sheila Lee Marciano, Magna Cum Laude
North Grafton: Kellie M. Conway, Summa Cum Laude; Amy Lynn Gauthier, Cum Laude; Valerie Marie Smith, Magna Cum Laude
Northboro: Stephen M. Dennis, Magna Cum Laude; Lisa J. Lauchart, Magna Cum Laude; Felipe Neto
Paxton: Nicholas M. Curci; Deeana Rosen
Rutland: Nancy L. Dulmaine, Summa Cum Laude; Stephanie M. O'Brien; Kevin A. Peloquin, Cum Laude
Shirley: Tara Maria Rivera, Magna Cum Laude
Shrewsbury: Tara N. Camosse, Magna Cum Laude; Brian D. Chambers, Magna Cum Laude; Mark Paul Grala
South Grafton: Sanaa Cherif Yakine
Southboro: Jonathan Harris Isabelle, Magna Cum Laude
Southbridge: Timothy C. Smeltzer, Magna Cum Laude; Andrea G. St. Germaine, Summa Cum Laude
Spencer: Sonya L. Harrington Kennen, Magna Cum Laude; Michelle A. Ruggiere-Rosum, Summa Cum Laude; Sarah Marie Ryzewski; James A. Sandagato, Summa Cum Laude
Sturbridge: Amanda Marie Young
Templeton: Amanda Marie Morrissey, Cum Laude
Townsend: Bret Alexander Chisholm
Warren: Shannon R. Tibbetts, Summa Cum Laude
Webster: Diana L. Piskala; Elizabeth A. Rekowski; Karen Joan Selznick, Summa Cum Laude; Tiffany Tesell
Westboro: Benjamin Malone
West Boylston: Joseph LaReau, Magna Cum Laude; Alexandra Robbie
West Brookfield: Mel-Jean Gravel, Magna Cum Laude
Worcester: Patricia A. Allain, Magna Cum Laude; Maria C. Cotto, Magna Cum Laude; Jason Christopher Couture, Magna Cum Laude; Leandro P. Dasilva, Cum Laude; Marc Horven Delva; Valeria A. Elissetche, Magna Cum Laude; Aaron David Richman Fill; Susan M. Hall, Cum Laude; Diana Marie Hickey, Summa Cum Laude; Beverly Julian, Magna Cum Laude; Linda K. Kiraithe, Summa Cum Laude; William G. Kwapo; Kristen Alana Laferriere, Summa Cum Laude; Briseina Larti, Cum Laude; Nghia Nelson Le; Christine Marie Losanno; Robyn D. Mays; Michele T. Grenache McDermott; John William Nogatch, Magna Cum Laude; Lori Anne Pinto, Magna Cum Laude; Paris Prince, Magna Cum Laude; Evelyn E. Ramos, Magna Cum Laude; Jose Raul Rodriguez, Cum Laude; Dorinda R. Saraiva-Ortiz; Ryan Robert Wakefield; Rosetta D. Woodson, Magna Cum Laude.