Two Framingham Students Graduate from Assumption College

Assumption College’s 97th Commencement ceremony was held May 17 on the campus’s H.L. Rocheleau Field, where 463 Bachelor of Arts degrees; 217 graduate studies degrees (Master of Arts and Master of Business Administration) and certificates; and 35 Continuing and Career Education degrees (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science, and associates) were awarded.

Thousands of students, their families and friends, trustees, and other special guests were on hand to celebrate the graduating classes achievements and hear the inspirational messages delivered by keynote speaker attorney and humanitarian Francis X. Hogan, Assumption College President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D., and valedictorian Katie Leduc ‘14 of Hudson, N.H.

The following Framingham l students were awarded Bachelor’s degrees:

Molly Deneen graduated with a major in Marketing and a minor in Chemistry.

Stephanie Oliveira graduated with a major in Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies.

In his welcoming remarks to the Class of 2014, President Cesareo shared, “As you prepare to go forth from Assumption where your education has fostered a nobility of character, a mind open to infinite beauty, and a heart that banishes selfishness, along with the faculty, staff, and administration I congratulate you on all that you have accomplished and I challenge you to take what you have learned to lead a life beyond the self by contributing your time and talent in service to the community so as to create a better world for future generations.

“At some point during your journey of these past four years, within each of you, a spark ignited a flame. A flame of duty, a flame of knowledge and a flame of passion for your chosen field. Allow that flame to be the light that others follow, for others to emulate. Be the light in the darkness of the world.”

Hogan spoke of the need for the graduates to become courageous leaders in their community and to always act “in the service of the truth.”

In her valedictory address, Leduc, a psychology major, told her fellow graduates, “Our Assumption education has equipped us to assess the deeper meaning and the significance of our actions and experiences. It has challenged us to be better people, not just better students.

“Many of us have accomplished things that benefit or serve others, while simultaneously enriching ourselves, such as working for a political campaign, going on a SEND trip, and volunteering through the Reach Out Center,” she continued. “When you consider all that you have done-all that we have done as a class-it is astounding.”

During the ceremony, honorary degrees were conferred upon Hogan as well as four other distinguished individuals: the Very Reverend Fr. Benoît Grière, A.A., superior general of the Augustinians of the Assumption; Janice “Jan” L. Fuller P’92, former member of the Assumption College Board of Trustees and retired vice president of finance at Refco Inc./IDG New England; her husband Mark W. Fuller P’92, vice president of Worcester-based Benefit Development Group and treasurer of the George F. & Sybil H. Fuller Foundation; and Dr. Paul Carpentier, M.D., CFCMC ‘82, president of the Gardner, Mass.-based In His Image Family Medicine clinic, where patients receive care consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church for infertility and other gynecological needs.

Founded in 1904 by the Augustinians of the Assumption in Worcester, Mass., Assumption College offers 42 majors and 48 minors in the liberal arts, sciences, business, and professional studies, through an educational experience grounded in the rich Catholic intellectual tradition coupled with professional programs.