UMass Amherst Set to Celebrate Students in Undergraduate Commencement Ceremonies on May 14

UMass men’s ice hockey Coach Greg Carvel to offer remarks at undergrad ceremonies
commencement wordmark

AMHERST, Mass. –  On Friday, May 14, UMass Amherst undergraduates will be feted in four small, socially distanced commencement ceremonies at Warren P. McGuirk Alumni Stadium on campus. Media credentials are required to cover the ceremonies.

For details on how to view the ceremonies online, visit https://www.umass.edu/commencement2021/.

At 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 13, a graduate commencement ceremony took place at Warren P. McGuirk Alumni Stadium on campus to honor master’s and doctoral degree recipients. Remarks were offered by Chancellor Subbaswamy, Graduate School Dean Jacqueline Urla and two student speakers.

The full slate of undergraduate ceremonies will be held as follows:

9 a.m. – Isenberg School of Management, College of Nursing and College of Information and Computer Sciences

Noon – College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Humanities and Fine Arts and College of Education

3 p.m. – School of Public Health and Health Sciences, College of Engineering, University Without Walls and Bachelor’s Degree with Individual Concentration candidates

6 p.m. – College of Natural Sciences

UMass Amherst men’s ice hockey Coach Greg Carvel and Chancellor Kumble R. Subbaswamy will speak at all four undergraduate commencement ceremonies, which will last approximately 40 minutes each.

Each ceremony also will feature a student speaker. Students speaking at the ceremonies are:

  • At the 9 a.m. ceremony, Sarah Bloznalis of Upton, Mass., a Commonwealth Honors College student who double-majored in business management and political science, will speak. While a student, Bloznalis wrote her honors thesis on the timely topic of “The Rise of the Blue Wave: The Changing Tides of Voter Suppression in Georgia.” After graduation, she has accepted a position at Workhuman in Framingham, Mass., as a content marketing coordinator.
     
  • At the noon ceremony, Sarah Rose Stack of Agawam, Mass., who earned an Interdisciplinary Studies degree through University Without Walls focused on music and performing arts, will speak. Stack returned to UMass Amherst last year to complete her degree. She plans to continue her education and has applied to Johns Hopkins University to obtain her master of arts degree in communications with a concentration in marketing. Her plan is to eventually start a non-profit dance and theater company to bring quality and inclusive programming to Western Massachusetts.
     
  • At the 3 p.m. ceremony, Jyotika Vallurupalli, a Commonwealth Honors College student from North Grafton, Mass., will speak. Vallurupalli is receiving her degree in public health sciences, and served as a contact tracer at the UMass Amherst Public Health Promotion Center. Upon graduation, she plans to pursue a graduate degree in global health and eventually attend medical school.
     
  • At the 6 p.m. ceremony, Keyu “Chloe” Li of Dongxiang, Jiangxi, China, and Franklin, Tenn., will address her fellow College of Natural Science students. Li is a Commonwealth Honors College student who majored in biochemistry and molecular biology, with a minor in studio arts. After graduation, building on a semester-long co-op experience in antibody therapy research, Li will work as a drug delivery researcher in Cambridge, Mass., and she plans on pursuing a Ph.D. in molecular biology.

Also, 10 members of the Class of 2021 will be honored as 21st Century Leaders at the undergraduate ceremonies:

  • Jason Biundo of Burlington, Mass., a Commonwealth Honors College student, receiving degrees in biology and neuroscience.
     
  • Joanna Buoniconti of West Springfield, Mass., a Commonwealth Honors College student, receiving degrees in English, with a specialization in creative writing, and in journalism.
     
  • James Andrew Cordero of Woburn, Mass., a double major in English and social thought and political economy, with a minor in education.
     
  • Hannah Guard of Marion, Mass., a Commonwealth Honors College student, who completed a double major in biochemistry and molecular biology, and in public health sciences, with a minor in psychology.
     
  • Rania Marie Henriquez of Methuen, Mass., a Commonwealth Honors College student, with dual degrees in women, gender and sexuality studies and in political science.
     
  • Carla Montilla Jaimes of Doral, Fla., a Commonwealth Honors College student with dual degrees in political science and history.
     
  • AnnMarie Marquis of Tewksbury, Mass., a Commonwealth Honors College student, double majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology and a Bachelor’s Degree with Individual Concentration in immunology and immuno-engineering.
     
  • Babatunde Olatinwo of Monroe, Conn., who earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
     
  • Carolyn Parker-Fairbain of Boston, Mass., who earned a bachelor’s degree in Afro-American Studies, with minors in theater and history, and a certificate in multicultural theater.
     
  • Alannah Scardino of Rochester, N.Y., a Commonwealth Honors College double majoring in sport management and social thought and political economy.

Two graduating seniors will be recognized during the commencement ceremony for their leadership and executive ability as Jack Welch Scholars. They are:

  • Jake LeBlanc of Hopkinton, Mass., who is receiving a degree in finance and will join the Bose Corp. in Framingham in a rotational program for entry-level finance employees.
     
  • Allison Lepine of Chicopee, Mass., who majored in industrial engineering with a minor in engineering management. Lepine will join PepsiCo at its Killingly, Conn., Frito-Lay plant as a supply chain leader.

Due to COVID-19 safety protocols, all attendees must wear face coverings and abide by social distancing requirements. Students are limited to two guests.