2025 Graduate Commencement
Friday, May 16, 2025
Four-thirty in the evening
Westfield State University
Mass Mutual Center
President Linda Thompson, Dr.P.H., MPH, DNP (hc), RN, FAAN
William Salka, Ph.D., Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs
Ali Salehi, Chair, Board of Trustees
Program Overview
Graduates may order up to one copy of the 2025 Commencement commemorative print program through the form provided in their Westfield State University email. Orders must be received by Friday, May 30th. All programs will be mailed as they are available.
Schedule of Events
WELCOME
William Salka, Ph.D., Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs
COLOR GUARD
Westfield State University Police Officers
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM
Dylan Lasante, Class of 2025
GREETINGS
President Linda Thompson, Dr.P.H., MPH, DNP (hc), RN, FAAN
Ali Salehi, Chair, Board of Trustees
THE COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS
Shannon A. Brown, D.L. (hc), Chief Executive Officer at ActionLogics
PRESENTATION OF
THE JOHN F. NEVINS OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR AWARD
William Salka, Ph.D., Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs
CONFERRING OF DEGREES
President Linda Thompson, Dr.P.H., MPH, DNP (hc), RN, FAAN
Ali Salehi, Chair, Board of Trustees
PRESENTATION OF DEGREES AND ACADEMIC HOODS
Nora Padykula, Ph.D., LICSW, Dean, Division of Graduate and Continuing Education
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION REMARKS
Colleen Murphy Clifton ’11, President, Westfield State Alumni Association
University Leadership
WESTFIELD STATE UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Ali R. Salehi, Chair
Melissa A. Alvarado ’99, Vice Chair
Gloria B. Williams, Ed.D. ’77, Secretary
Daniel Currier, Class of 2025, Student Trustee
George Gilmer ’92
Theresa A. Jasmin
Tessa Lucey ’89
Chris Montemayor ’90, ’09, Alumni Trustee
Michael O’Rourke ’73
Jay Queenin
Hon. William C. Reichelt ’09
SENIOR ADMINISTRATORS
President Linda Thompson, Dr.P.H., MPH, DNP (hc), RN, FAAN
William Salka, Ph.D., Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs
Michael Freeman, Ph.D., Special Assistant to the President on University Strategies and Chief of Staff
Kevin Hearn, Ph.D., Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs
Richard Lenfest, Jr., Director of Athletics
Lisa McMahon, Interim Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Melinda Phelps, General Counsel and Vice President for Government and Community Relations
Stephen Taksar, Vice President for Administration and Finance
ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP
Brian Jennings, Ph.D., Associate Provost
Nora Padykula, Ph.D., LICSW, Dean, Division of Graduate and Continuing Education
Sabine Klein, Ph.D., Interim Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Ziblim Abukari, Ph.D., Interim Dean, College of Professional Studies
Our Proud Graduates
* indicates an Anticipated Graduate
Candidates for the Degree of Master of Arts
Applied Behavior Analysis
Krysa Boyce*
Felicia Anne Ewing
Kathryn Amanda Hernandez
Nina Mushenko*
Brittany Smith*
Mariah Winterle
Counseling
Jay Joseph Apitz
Christina Barthen
Emilee Ann Rocquel Boivin
Gabriel Collazo Rodriguez
Shauna Lyndsey Condon
Precious Jaleesa DeJesus
Janna Delgado
Madesyn Dyer
John F. Farrell
Elizabeth Carswell Finelli
Maya Renee Flanary
Mayanh Forbes
Brialynn Funk
Meghan Elizabeth Garrity
Elizabeth Mary Gokey
Erin Jean Harlow
Jonah Thomas Hintz
Alexandria L. Kennedy
Jennifer Susan Montagna
Tyler Ochs
Nora Olsen
Greta Puc
Karli Jean Rigali
Rachel E. Rocklin
Kiana Rochelle Saroce
Dana T. Sisco
Xandria Elizabeth Sotomayor-Wright
Alyssa L. Williams
MaryKate Wise
Christina Rose Zarlengo
English
Lindsey Sarah Watson
Candidates for the Degree of Master of Education
Biology
Colin A. MacDowell
Early Childhood Education
Amanda Frogameni
Elementary Education
Cameron William Carter
Jordyn Comtois
Rachel Conklin
Joseph Stankiewicz
Daniel Sullivan
Lauren Carlotto
History
Emily Lauren Conroy
Kevin J. Lucey
Mathematics
Chelsea M. Baker
Kaylee Alycia Cutler
Gianna Marjorie Perella
Movement Science
Eric Hill Balslov
Chelsea Ann Belsito
Evan Michael Bourque
Jennifer Lynn Brandi
Daniel John Cobill
Melissa Demirjian
Casey Kathleen Hodges
Kierra McCarthy
Kristin Mientka
Hannah Marie Stebbins
Reading Specialist
Elizabeth Tighe Boughan
Courtney Elizabeth Ciras*
Lori Ann Dearborn
Nathaniel Ferreira
Stephanie Jarvis
Sarah L. Monroe
Lindsey Irene Wassung
Special Education
Courtney Lynn Beauregard
Abigail Bernier
Natalie DeMaio
Kyra Edgerly
Molly Brigid Finnegan
Cassandra Marie Fleck
Kelly L. Fulmer
Rachel J. Gagnon
Daniel Gifford
Casey Guy
Zachary Armand Houle
Lauren Instasi
Paige Shay Jelliffe
Kyle Jones
Carlie McIntyre
Jenna Megan O’Brien
Gabriella Pereira
Paige Fleming Reisman
Joseph V. Scibelli
McKenzie Snowdon
Vocational
Kathleen A. Grandchamp
Deborah Jolly
Ann-Marie Marrero
Candidates for the Degree of Master of Public Administration
Public Administration
Kaitlin Emery Barrett
Jakub Bartnik
Nathaniel Burt
Christina Rose Ciampa
Lily Nicole Fierro
Emily Rae Graves-Harrison
Daniel Christopher Hamel
Jared Austin LaValle
Cathleen Tolpa Maclutsky
Elyssa Janice Parrish
Jake Warren Penrod
Natasha Perales
Candidates for the Degree of Master of Science
Accounting
Erin Dow
Alyssa Marie Fay
Maura Kathleen Hall
James Stanley Mihalak
Jonathan Michael Toth
Criminal Justice
Tyler Apher
Zahara Aponte*
Asia Beglarian
Daniel Buckelew
Michael Burman
Kelly Caputo
James J. Conley
Isabelle F. Croteau*
John Nicholas Daub II
Matthew H. Dent
Kaitlyn Anna Egan
Kara E. Fearn
Jessica Gardner
Lauren Keefe
Justin Lau
Zoi Hariklia Lazarakis
Patrick Mantos
Robert Allan March
Hanna Beth Minardi
Matthew Qualey
Taylor E. Remy*
Kayla Marie Robinson
Adam Keith Rowe
Carina Shepard
Derick Seigal
Isabella MarieValadas
Cecil Villa
Physician Assistant
Eleanor Akosua Adzamli
Karen Akuffo
Shaylie Albright
Derek C. Aviles
Alexis Bergman
Cailyn Eve Bolduc
Makayla Campelo
Brittany Champagne
James Michael Curtin
Abigail Anne DeBay
Thomas J. Dolan
Victoria Marie Ferrara-Lawlor
Daniel Bryant Fiske
Israel Dorla Kofi Gohoho
Caitlin Grahn
Nathaniel Evan Humphries
Edward Krajkowski
Neslihan Kumas
Rachel R. LeBarron
Corina Lindsay
Marilyn Maison
Michelle Margaret Mukasa
Alexandra Olivia Murtha
Samantha Mira O’Brien
Isabella Papoutsakis
Jennifer Pham
Imani-Ashleigh Monifa Watkis
Alexandra Lynn West
Joshua Wildes
Candidates for the Degree of Master of Social Work
Social Work
Naomi Adjabeng
Aman Afzal
Zeeny Ahmed-Sharif
Lindsay Marie Albright
Paulina Alenkina
Chelsea Aloisi
Israa Hameed Alzubaidi
Cynthia Atoui
Felicia Barbosa
Murtala Bature
Sandra Nakeeya Bazitya
Joselyn Beaulieu
Taylor A. Belluardo
Vinjola Berhanaj
Corey Bernstein
Gabrielle Bertrand
Michael Abebe Bisrat
Juanita J. Bisson
Amanda Grace Bostwick
Melissa Bowerman
Emma Jae Bowe-Shulman
Anna Louisa Boysen
Kylie Buchanan
Emma Faith Bullock
Kate F. Burke
Alexandre E. Burroughs
Allison Cartabona
Jennifer N. Case
Meagan Charest
Tamarah Ronae Chinn
Victoria Kathleen Cliche
Kailey L. Collins
Madelynne Crooks
Abigail Patterson Crowley
Jackeline Curet
Lindsay Cyr
Shannon Donoghue Dedalonis
Daniel P.D. Delaney
Simon Raahauge DeSantis
Seth Aaron Deso-Davenport
Danielle Devine
Hannah M. Duffy
Emily M. Ekstein
Christopher Elliott
Marilyn Ann Fallas
Debra S. Falzoi
Kelli Marie Fieldhouse
Colleen Shannon Fisher
Louis Alexander Freilicher
Shelby L. Frysinger
Maricely Fuentes Lasanta
Emily Marie Garcia
Emily Yiva Gasbarro
Brita Louise Moon Gotberg
Katelin Elisabeth Grassetti
Lauren Gray
Jason M. Gryszowka
Samuel James Hankins
Jessica Hanlon
Isheka Hart
Sydney Grace Hines
Maggie Anne Kane
Grace Kelley
Gabriel Ryan Kelley
Aja Coupal Keppler
Kayedine Patricia Kirlew
Stephanie Klein
Olivia G. Korell
Desiree Lynn Langlois
Kevin J. Latina
Zoe Laureano
Kylee Alexandra Lewis
Stefanie Elvira Manzi
Zia Meyer
Alexis Michaelian
Elizabeth Minahan
Eglal Eltigani Mohamed-Elamin
Sarah A. Molk
Ariela E. Moreno
Ella Mosher
Katherine Kennedy Murray
Casey Marie Kuahine Nagle
Stephanie Nai
Tia Nehmer
Stephanie A .Neipris
Lucy Noyes
Gina Orengo
Ricardo Luis Peña Soto
Hailey Nichole Perkins
Lisa L. Polidoro
Laurentina Acker Quintana
Kayden Richardson
Yasmin M. Rivera
Tiffani Brianna Robinson
Shyler W. Rodriguez Luna
Kianna Marie Romano
Brianna Luz Santiago
Alexandra Santiago
Vanessa Lee Santiago
Lydia Podia Saydee
Kelsey L. Shafique
Makena S. Shea
Stephanie Marie Silva
Mia Skowron
Jaclyn Nicole Smith
Andrew Sondrini
Arianna Sternburg
Sarah A. Stone
Michele L. Suhocki
Rebecca Rose Sykes
Kendrick Torres Rodriguez
Erica Nicole Trinque
Ezra Tumbleson
Miranda Nina Twining
Rosely Vila*
Maggie Willette-Hunter
Saithe Kei-anna Virginia Winspeare
Sarah Marie Wisniowski
Appearance of a name in the Commencement program is presumptive evidence of graduation and/or participation but is not conclusive. The official transcript, sealed and signed by the Registrar, exclusively and definitively confirms the student’s academic record and possession of degree(s) awarded by Westfield State University.
