Governor Baker to Speak at Undergrad Ceremony on Friday
AMHERST, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Amherst will award more than 7,400 degrees at the Undergraduate, Graduate and Stockbridge School of Agriculture commencements on Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11.
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker will be the featured speaker at the 149th Undergraduate Commencement on May 10 at 4:30 p.m. at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. The governor will address an anticipated crowd of about 20,000 family members, friends and other guests as approximately 5,500 undergraduates receive their bachelor’s degrees at the Commonwealth’s flagship campus.
Baker and two alumni, Major General Jody J. Daniels, commanding general of the U.S. Army Reserve’s 88th Readiness Division, and Martin G. Jacobson, a businessman and lifelong supporter of UMass and its athletics program, will be bestowed honorary degrees during the ceremony.
The student speaker will be Daniella Iannuzzi of Wakefield, Mass, a finance major and education minor. Iannuzzi is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.
Earlier in the day, more than 1,900 doctoral and master’s students will be awarded their degrees in ceremonies beginning at 9 a.m. at the Mullins Center, where Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy will lead the speakers.
The Stockbridge School of Agriculture will hold its Commencement on May 11 at 1 p.m. in Bowker Auditorium, Stockbridge Hall.
Also, 10 members of the graduating class will be honored as 21st Century Leaders at the Undergraduate Commencement:
- Ramsez Amon of Brooklyn, N.Y., with a bachelor’s degree in individual concentration.
- Aiste Balciunaite of Bala Cynwyd, Pa., a double major in chemical engineering and biochemistry and molecular biology.
- Patrycja Bugajska of Enfield, Conn, a kinesiology major.
- Bryan Chua of Singapore, with dual degrees in chemical engineering and environmental science.
- Jackson Cote of Framingham, a journalism major.
- Kelsey DeWolfe of Shrewsbury, a political science major.
- Mahdiar Edraki of Iran, a mechanical engineering major.
- Jiya Nair of Shrewsbury, a double major in operations and information management and political science.
- Jaclyn Nicholson of Gardner, a double major in communication and marketing.
- Jessica Ulloa of Lynn, with a degree in psychology.
Two graduating seniors will be recognized during the commencement ceremony for their leadership and executive ability as Jack Welch Scholars. They are:
- Andrew Metz of Longmeadow, an industrial engineering major who plans a career in the wind energy industry.
- Rachel Sanderson of Framingham, an accounting major who has accepted employment with PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Services.
To ensure that Undergraduate Commencement is a memorable and enjoyable experience for graduating students and for their guests, the campus will close for regular business operations at noon. Regular building access will resume on Monday, May 13.