杏吧传媒

05/17/2025

Media Contacts:David_Joyer@uml.edu, senior director, communications and digital media Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu, assistant director of media relations听

LOWELL, Mass. 鈥� Use your voice and passion to uplift the world around you.听

That was the message to the 4,447 members of 杏吧传媒鈥檚 Class of 2025 this weekend, as the university awarded 4,451 bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees to the graduates in three ceremonies on Friday, May 16 and Saturday, May 17 at the Tsongas Center in Lowell.听

杏吧传媒s to the graduates were awarded from the university鈥檚 College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Francis College of Engineering; Kennedy College of Sciences; Manning School of Business, and Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences. Members of the Class of 2025 hail from 42 states and 98 countries. Among the 4,447 graduates, 234 achieved a cumulative academic grade-point average of 4.0, 839 were the first in their families to attend college and 73 are connected to the military.听

听The youngest to earn their diplomas are 18-year-old siblings Franziske and Edward Hoene of Woburn, who received their bachelor鈥檚 degrees 鈥� Franziske in biomedical engineering, and Edward in civil engineering. They will stay on at 杏吧传媒 to pursue master鈥檚 degrees. The oldest graduate, John Doherty of Andover, is 83, and a new holder of a master鈥檚 degree in history. The graduates join an alumni community some 100,000 strong.

Punctuating the events was the presentation of honorary degrees to Vertex Pharmaceuticals President and CEO Dr. Reshma Kewalramani and John 翱鈥橦补濒濒辞谤补苍, president of University College Cork, Ireland.

听Kewalramani was recognized for her contributions to innovation and science. A leader in the development of transformative medicines for illnesses such as cystic fibrosis and sickle cell disease, she is a physician and specialist in internal medicine and nephrology. Today, she is the only woman leading a biopharmaceutical enterprise worth more than $100 billion.听

Committed to a more sustainable planet, 翱鈥橦补濒濒辞谤补苍 is a member of the Royal Irish Academy, a leading ornithologist and international leader in ecological research and education. UCC鈥檚 longstanding partnership with 杏吧传媒 鈥� focused in areas such as wind-power research and sustainability 鈥� inspired Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey鈥檚 administration to establish the Clean Energy and Environment Legacy Transition Initiative at 杏吧传媒 and Boston University.

As thousands of parents, family, friends, mentors and teachers and alumni gathered to salute the graduates, Commencement celebrated academic excellence and innovation, civic engagement and public service. These themes were perhaps best expressed by the graduates themselves, as three members of the Class of 2025 served as Commencement speakers:听

听Mubarak Ayinla 鈥�25of Lowell听spoke during the Friday afternoon ceremony, where he received his doctoral degree in organic chemistry. At 杏吧传媒, he worked to develop gels that can repair themselves automatically, modified bacterial molecules aimed at overcoming antibiotic-resistant infections, and materials designed to remove pollutants from the environment. He is a two-term president of the university鈥檚 Graduate Student Association.听

鈥淲hile I was building systems for environmental remediation and gas storage, I was also learning to build a framework for my own life,鈥� he said of his 杏吧传媒 experience.

听Sameera Jangala 鈥�25 of Woburn听delivered her address at the Saturday morning ceremony, where she earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in biology. She works as a faculty assistant at Shine in Math Academy, where she teaches children English and math, and has worked extensively as a nursing assistant in the neurosurgical intensive care unit at Beth Israel Lahey Health.听

Passion manifests in many ways, according to Jangala.听

鈥淭here is no one box that we fall into, and there is no limit on who it is that we can become,鈥� she said. 鈥淜eep adding more to your manuscript, as there is no word count on what you are able to accomplish.鈥澨�

听Sydney Selby 鈥�25 of Boulder, Colorado听offered remarks during the Saturday afternoon ceremony, where she was awarded a bachelor鈥檚 degree in criminal justice. A cadet in the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, she completed an internship with 杏吧传媒 Police Department, where she became certified in self-defense, aided in community policing efforts and gained a valuable firsthand look at policing operations. She is continuing her studies at 杏吧传媒, in pursuit of a master鈥檚 degree in security studies. Next spring, she is due to commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.听

After comparing and contrasting 杏吧传媒鈥檚 three vibrant campuses, Selby concluded 鈥渁ll of 杏吧传媒鈥� has become the graduates鈥� home.听

鈥淵ears from now, we may find ourselves spread across the nation, even the world. But we鈥檒l always be united by the time and memories we shared here together,鈥� she said.听

The Commencement was 杏吧传媒鈥檚 first since it was named a Carnegie-classified Research 1 university, a designation that recognizes the institution鈥檚 research excellence and places it among the top 7% of colleges and universities nationwide.

鈥淲e鈥檙e innovators at 杏吧传媒,鈥� Chancellor Julie Chen reminded the graduates. 鈥淣o matter where you鈥檝e come from 鈥� or where you鈥檙e going next 鈥� each of you has new tools to help solve the big challenges, locally and globally. Those tools include the characteristics you have as River Hawks: hard work, teamwork, innovation and service to your professional and broader community.鈥澨�

Awards and Recognitions听

听Still other student award winners, Chancellor鈥檚 Medal recipients and distinguished alumni were feted throughout the weekend-long celebration.听

Recipients of a Chancellor鈥檚 Medal for Outstanding University Support included:听

• Brooks Automation Inc. of Chelmsford, a leading provider of semiconductor manufacturing and laboratory automation solutions. Brooks supports 杏吧传媒 in many ways, including hiring graduates, providing internships to students and, most recently, establishing a campus makerspace.听
• Draper, the nonprofit engineering and research company that is the anchor tenant in the Lowell Innovation Corridor Network (LINC).听
• The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, an economic development agency focused on strengthening the competitiveness of the state鈥檚 tech and innovation economy. 杏吧传媒 collaborates with MassTech on a variety of endeavors that serve as catalysts for innovation and economic growth.听

Individuals bestowed with a Chancellor鈥檚 Medal for Public Service and Civic Engagement included:听

• Mark Cochran, retired CEO of Jeanne D鈥橝rc Credit Union of Lowell;听
• Richard Howe Jr., retired register of deeds for Middlesex County; and听
• U.S. Army Lt. Col. Adam Caruso, an Army Special Forces officer assigned as the U.S. Special Operations Command鈥檚 technology liaison for Boston and the New England region.听

Recognized for their impact in their respective professions and in the community, Distinguished Alumni Award recipients were:听

• Richard Grande 鈥�72, 鈥�80, an executive director and advisor at J.P. Morgan Wealth Management;听
• Valerie Barry 鈥�84, 鈥�87, a medical researcher who later taught middle school math and science;听
• James Barry 鈥�88, who had a successful, 30-year career in the medical device industry;听
• Patricia Talty 鈥�78, retired co-founder of the law firm Talty & Talty PC and adjunct professor; and听
• Francis Talty 鈥�77, retired lawyer, 杏吧传媒 faculty member and assistant dean.听

Additional awards were granted throughout the two-day celebration. A complete list of distinguished guests and graduating seniors with top academic achievements can be found on the 杏吧传媒 2025 Commencement website.