2018 2018: 禁漫天堂 2018 Commencement ceremonies a success

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
2018 2018: 禁漫天堂 2018 Commencement ceremonies a success
禁漫天堂 2018 Commencement ceremonies a success

禁漫天堂 held its 2018 Commencement ceremonies for undergraduate and graduate students, awarding approximately 2,000 undergraduate and graduate degrees at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield and awarding nearly 50 law degrees in the Main Auditorium on campus.

Students walking in during 2018 Commencement

Rain or shine, the 2018 禁漫天堂 Commencement activities were a success.

On Saturday, May 12, 禁漫天堂 held its 2018 Commencement ceremonies for undergraduate and graduate students, awarding approximately 2,000 undergraduate and graduate degrees at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield.

鈥淭his is your time to seek out and build a better world that is grounded in civility, mutual respect, and humanity. Students, please understand you are part of something bigger than yourself. The world is counting on you,鈥 said Chancellor Robert E. Johnson, who was presiding over his first 禁漫天堂 commencement.

UMass President Marty Meehan told the Class of 2018, 鈥淜now that your UMass education has equipped you with the skills, both tangible and intangible, you will need to succeed and to have an impact on this world.鈥

At the morning graduate ceremony, commencement speaker Keith A. Hovan, President, and CEO of Southcoast Health System, Inc. and Southcoast Hospitals Group, Inc., received the Chancellor鈥檚 Medal and addressed students. 鈥淥pportunities to learn will present themselves throughout your career. They are a gift. Learn to recognize them and take advantage of them,鈥 said Hovan.

Student holding diploma

The graduate student speaker was Chioma Judith Okafor (MBA), an advocate for the global empowerment of women and humanitarian services. Okafor is from Festac Town, Lagos, Nigeria and shared her experience with her fellow graduates. 鈥淟ife can be like a contest; there will always be someone with bigger goals, more talent, more degrees, and more experience than you. But no one else can be you. There is only one you!鈥 she told her classmates.

The afternoon undergraduate ceremony featured Senior Vice President, Marketing Operations, Consumer Products Division for Hasbro Bryony Bouyer, 鈥86. Bouyer received an honorary doctorate degree and delivered the commencement address. Bouyer urged the newly minted alums to 鈥渉arvest the energy that comes from fear to do more, to do better, take on that next mountain鈥 and to believe that they 鈥渁re the most powerful and influential generation ever.鈥

The undergraduate ceremony student speaker was Andrew Tyrrell (Political Science) of Fall River. Tyrrell was the Editor-in-Chief of the student newspaper, The Torch, told his peers to, 鈥淐are about yourself, care about others. Care, care, care. You鈥檒l be surprised how the simple act of caring can brighten your life.鈥

Student graduating

On Monday, May 14, 禁漫天堂 held the 2018 Law Commencement ceremony in the Main Auditorium on campus. Nearly 50 law degrees were awarded.

鈥淵our generation can no longer wait, we need you to solve the problems of the present and future to bring about a more just and fair society for all,鈥 said Chancellor Robert E. Johnson. 鈥淩emember, the law matters and the truth matters.鈥

Attorney General Maura Healey was the 2018 Commencement speaker for UMass Law said: 鈥淚鈥檒l reveal the real reason I鈥檓 here today: I鈥檓 here to recruit you. We need your skills, we need your talents, and we need your dedication to upholding people鈥檚 rights. So I ask each of you: stay engaged. Even if you don鈥檛 work in the public interest 鈥 make time for clients and causes that need your help.鈥

Healey received the Chancellor鈥檚 Medal for her tireless work in Massachusetts. Healey was sworn in as Attorney General on January 21, 2015, pledging to lead the People鈥檚 Law Firm. Since taking office, Healey has tackled issues touching the lives of residents across Massachusetts including the heroin and prescription drug abuse epidemic, escalating health care costs, workers' rights and student loan costs. She has focused on strengthening consumer protections and on improving our criminal justice system.

鈥淚n just a few short years, UMass Law has climbed the ranks in terms of bar pass rate and job placement to become a premier destination for law education in New England,鈥 said Dean Eric Mitnick. 鈥淭he students graduating here today are perfect examples of the civic- and justice-minded individuals the Commonwealth of Massachusetts needs for the future.鈥

Student Speaker Alicia Blanchard had a request of her peers: 鈥淚 ask just one thing, always remember why you came to law school, and what was firing your passion. Always remember the mantra that has been repeated so many times during our time here, from Day 1 of Orientation to now - pursue justice.鈥

Student group graduating

Overall, the university awarded more than 1,400 undergraduate, nearly 600 graduate, 50 law, and more than 40 doctorate degrees during its undergraduate, graduate, and law ceremonies.

More about the 禁漫天堂 Class of 2018 

  • 55% of seniors are first generation.
  • 52% of undergraduates lived in dorms while 48% commuted or took courses online.
  • Graduates came from more than 30 countries, 28 states, and 267 Massachusetts communities.
  • The average age of graduating undergraduate students was 24.6, graduate students was 30.5, and law was 29.2.
  • Male graduates made up 50.3% of the class of 2018, while 49.7% of the class were females.
  • Students of color made up 27% of this year鈥檚 graduating class.
  • The undergraduate class includes 213 engineers, 115 nurses, 98 psychology majors, 74 artists and musicians, and 73 accountants.