A combat veteran whose family emigrated from the former Soviet Union and an epidemiologist who advocates for the neurodivergent are among the student speakers who will be representing their classes for each of the degrees to be conferred – bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral – at University of Massachusetts Amherst commencement ceremonies taking place Friday, May 16, and Sunday, May 18.
 

155th UMass Amherst Undergraduate Commencement Speaker - Friday, May 16, 5 p.m.

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David Dagenais of Agawam, a Commonwealth Honors College (CHC) student, is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology and a bachelor’s degree in psychology on the neuroscience track. He will speak on behalf of the undergraduate Class of 2025 at the 155th UMass Amherst Commencement, which will start at 5 p.m. on Friday, 16, at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.

While qualifying for the Dean’s List every semester, Dagenais won an Honors Research Grant and Honors Research Assistant Fellowship from CHC to support his research and honors thesis. He joined Professor Sibongile Mafu’s biochemistry lab in his junior year, where he studied plant biochemistry and conducted experiments that show how plant chemicals function and evolve. Through his research findings, he intends to create a pathway to a more resilient agricultural system and food supply. He recently presented his findings at the annual Massachusetts Undergraduate Research Conference held at UMass Amherst, which was attended by hundreds of college student-researchers from across the state.

Outside of the classroom, Dagenais enjoys spending time on campus with the UMass community and leads walking tours of campus to prospective students and families as a tour guide. In the spring of 2023, he was promoted to admissions fellow, overseeing the tour guide staff and presenting weekly information sessions on the UMass application process. He has also been a member of the UMass club swimming team for the past four years, qualifying for the annual College Club Swimming National Championship in his junior year.

Dagenais plans to begin a career in the STEM field after graduation.
 

Master’s and Education Specialists Commencement Ceremony Speaker - Sunday, May 18, 2 p.m.

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Dan Gessen, of Falmouth, Massachusetts, is graduating with a Master of Science in business analytics from the Isenberg School of Management. In 2022, he earned his bachelor’s degree in political science at UMass Amherst. He will address his fellow advanced degree recipients at the Master’s and Education Specialists Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, May 18, at 2 p.m. in the Mullins Center.

Gessen, whose family came to the United States as refugees from the Soviet Union, seeks to ensure that future generations are afforded the same opportunities and freedoms that he received by serving in the U.S. Army and in state government. 

While at UMass Amherst, he led an infantry platoon of 27 soldiers on a combat deployment in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, which had campaigns in Iraq and Syria, and was awarded a Bronze Star for exceptionally meritorious service in support of combat operations in Iraq.

The youngest person ever elected to the Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates, he now serves as its deputy speaker and presides over the regional legislative body. As a policy aide in the Massachusetts State Senate, he contributes to legislative activities on issues such as veteran’s affairs, housing affordability, mental health and climate resiliency. He has also worked on the political campaigns for Massachusetts State Sen. Julian Cyr and former President Joe Biden, and has spearheaded efforts to bring fiber-optic internet infrastructure to his hometown.

Gessen plans to attend law school to become a civil rights attorney and, in the meantime, continue representing his hometown in the county legislature.
 

Doctoral Hooding Ceremony Speaker - Friday, May 16, at 9 a.m.

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Ann-Marie Sylvia has been calling New Bedford, Massachusetts, home for more than 25 years. Graduating with a doctorate in kinesiology, she completed a Master of Public Health in epidemiology during the first two-and-a-half years of the program. She will speak at the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony Friday, May 16 at 9 a.m. in the Mullins Center.

Sylvia joined UMass Amherst’s kinesiology department due to its commitment to inclusion, a key concept and belief within her own work, which centers on the intersection of physical activity, neurodiversity and the human-animal bond. Her dissertation examined the role of physical activity in equine-assisted adaptive riding for neurodivergent children and adolescents. She presented her findings to the International Society for Physical Activity and Health in Paris in the fall of 2024.

Her academic interests in neurodiversity and dedication to inclusivity extend to her approach to teaching. At UMass, Sylvia designed and facilitated a workshop for faculty and instructors to better understand the needs of neurodivergent students and redesign their curricula to be more neurodivergent-friendly. Thanks to her resolve in creating an open and positive environment for her students, she was nominated for the 2024–25 Distinguished Teaching Award.

Sylvia has accepted a faculty position at UMass Amherst and will be joining the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology in the School of Public Health and Health Sciences, where she will be teaching and conducting small-scale research.