Colby-Sawyer College will celebrate its 178th Commencement on Saturday, May 7, graduating approximately 310 students and recognizing them and other individuals for academic excellence, outstanding contributions to society, and service to the college and community.
The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. on the college’s front lawn. Twenty graduating students participated in the study away program, and close to 100 percent completed internships. Class members are moving on to positions with companies including Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, UPS, Third Wave Fund and The Walt Disney Company, and attending graduate schools that include Boston University, Lesley University, Northeastern University, Notre Dame and University of Georgia.
Graduating Student Awards
Jillian R. Jacobs, a business administration major from Otisfield, Maine, has been selected as the Senior Commencement Speaker and will deliver an address titled “Passion, Compassion, Humor and Style.”
The Colby-Sawyer Award, given to the senior who exemplifies the college’s ideals of personal dignity, intellectual growth and contributions to campus life, will be presented to Rebecca Leanne Hashem, a nursing major from Webster, N.H.
The David H. Winton Baccalaureate Award, which recognizes the graduating student with the highest cumulative grade point average, will be announced at Commencement.
Community Awards
Colby-Sawyer will recognize these members of the college and greater community for outstanding contributions to the life of Colby-Sawyer and its students.
Colby-Sawyer Academic Vice President and Dean of Faculty Deborah A. Taylor, Ph.D., of New London, and Colby-Sawyer Board Chair Thomas C. Csatari, J.D., of Hanover will receive the college’s highest award, the Susan Colgate Cleveland Medal for Distinguished Service.
AssociateProfessor of Fine and Performing Arts Hilary Walrod, M.F.A., will receive the Jack Jensen Award for Excellence in Teaching, the college’s highest faculty award, and deliver the Commencement Address, “Living with Contrast.” Professor Walrod is a resident of Hopkinton.
The Nancy Beyer Opler ’56 Award for Excellence in Advising will be given to Associate Professor of Social Sciences and Education Kathleen Farrell, Ph.D. She is a resident of Webster.
The Town Award will be presented to attorney Brad Cook of New London.
The Gown Award will be presented to Professor of Humanities Patrick Anderson, Ph.D., of South Sutton.
The Judith Pond Condict ’62 Award for Excellence in Service will be presented to New London resident Mary McLaughlin, M.Ed., director of Residential Education at Colby-Sawyer College.
The Distinguished Alumni Award will be presented Nancy Hoyt Langbein ’56 of Brunswick, Maine.
To learn more about the award winners, visit http://colby-sawyer.edu/commencement/awards/.