MCC To Hold Three Commencement Ceremonies for Class of 2022

For the 50th Commencement in the college’s history, Middlesex Community College is excited to once again return in person. To keep students, employees and guests safe, Middlesex will host three separate ceremonies on Tuesday, May 24 for the Health programs; Wednesday, May 25 for the Business, Legal Studies, Public Service and STEM programs; and Thursday, May 26 for the Education and Liberal Studies programs.

“Commencement is one of the most important days of a person’s college experience and it is a tremendous honor to witness our students walk across the stage,” said Phil Sisson, MCC’s President. “These students completed the majority of the work for their degrees or certificates during the COVID-19 pandemic, facing a shift to online and hybrid learning amid a number of personal and professional challenges. We are happy to have found a way to return commencement to an in-person format. We look forward to being together for these special days of celebration of our students accomplishments.”

Middlesex is proud to celebrate the diverse backgrounds, experiences and needs of the graduating class of 2022. The age range is 15 to 77, with the graduates representing 11 states and 65 countries. There are 40 veterans, 17 Dual Enrollment High School graduates, 63 MCC employees and 39 percent of the graduates are first generation students.

“As they celebrate their commencement from MCC, the graduating class of 2022 has shown their resilience in the face of unprecedented obstacles and circumstances brought on by the pandemic,” said Rebecca Newell, MCC’s Dean of Students. “We honor this year’s diverse and impressive graduates who will continue on to four-year schools, enter the workforce, and prove themselves as productive members of the Commonwealth. We are proud to be a part of their journeys.”

The 2022 graduating class have made a number of accomplishments during their time at the college. There were 168 Associate in Arts, 599 Associate in Science and 155 Certificates, as well as 73 students who earned more than one award.

MCC’s Health programs pinned 116 graduates, and 43 students received department awards for their achievements. While 11 students made the Commonwealth Commitment to attend a Mass. state four-year college or university, MCC’s Commonwealth Honors Program graduated 32 scholars, and 128 are members of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the national honor society for two-year colleges.

Yuri Alarcon and Maggie Montoya were named to the 2021-2022 All-Massachusetts Academic Team and MCC Business Administration Transfer student Tara Barlett was named MCC’s “29 Who Shine” by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education.

“It is an amazing feeling to know that someone can take my words, understand my mission, and choose to support me with a financial contribution,” Barlett said. “My overall MCC experience has been great. I have wanted this experience for so long – and now that I’m in the middle of it – I’m excited to be here.”