GARDNER — Naomi Kiarie said she was following in her mother’s example when she enrolled as a nursing major at Mount Wachusett Community College.
The youngest member of her graduating program, Kiarie, 20, enrolled at MWCC at age 17 for the dual-enrollment program with Leominster High School. Her mother had taken care of people with developmental disabilities for a year in their home and Kiarie wants to work with people with autism.
“I really like taking care of people from that population,” said Kiarie, who earned an associate’s degree in nursing Wednesday. She wants to become a registered nurse as soon as possible.
Wednesday marked the 49th commencement for MWCC. There were 857 degrees awarded to 786 grads, including 39 student veterans.
UMass Lowell Chancellor Marty Meehan, a former seven-term congressman, was the commencement speaker. He said MWCC is on par with any other institution of higher education.
“Earning a degree is a great accomplishment. It is the product of much hard work, many good decisions and a great deal of support from friends, teachers and family,” he said.
His advice included being a great listener and staying humble, refusing to compromise one’s integrity and prioritizing life fulfillment over making money.
Ricardo S. Cabrini, 18, of Leominster, already works as a network administrator and is pursing a career in computer technology. He participated in the Gateway to College program that allowed him to get his high-school diploma, as well as an associate degree in computer-information systems and certificates in business administration and IT support.
He found out the morning of graduation that he was accepted to Fitchburg State University, where he said he will most likely go next.
“It’s been a big day,” he said.
MWCC Professor Paul Swerzenski teaches graphic design and a course for first-year students on skills needed to succeed in college. He said the joy and enthusiasm around graduation is always contagious.
“I still get excited when I hear that music start,” he said.
Swerzenski said he often congratulates the family members of graduates, as they helped support, encourage and nurture the students as they pushed themselves through college.
Joseph Woods, 43, and his daughter Amanda Woods, 18, each graduated on Wednesday. She earned a general studies degree as well as her high-school diploma while he earned an associate degree in business administration.
Amanda Woods said she has been accepted to Regis College in Weston, where she plans to major in biology.
Alumni of the Year Chevenee Reavis spoke about the long, meandering path her career took between when she graduated from MWCC in 2000 to her current job as director of strategic initiatives for Water.org, a drinking-water advocacy group.
“I didn’t have this all mapped out,” she said. “I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grow up, and I’ll be honest with you — I still don’t.”
Joseph said he came back to advance his career and it “just worked out that we ended up graduating together.”
Follow Michael Hartwell at facebook.com/michaelhartwell or on Twitter or Tout @Sehartwell.
GARDNER — Mount Wachusett Community College celebrated the academic achievements of its graduates during the college’s 49th Commencement on Wednesday. Area graduates include:
ASHBURNHAM
Associate: Lindsey R Berube, Cassandra L Bingham, Marcus M Chamberlain, Kristi L Darcy, Shayna M Deslauriers, Jamie L Girouard, Amanda L Gorrell, Noelle M Hyde, Caitlin R King, Erin B Leamy, James M Rigopoulos, Krista S Shell, Nicole L Vallee
Certificate: Mia M Caligaris, Caitlin R King, Joseph G Peters, Shelbi Poulin
ASHBY
Associate: Michael J Hebert, Tiana L Lielasus, Christina E Murphy, Seth W Pease, Chrystal A Pepple, April R Tammone
Certificate: Christina M Leonard
AYER
Associate: Shirley Andersen, Victoria H Casavecchia, Carlton A Ford, Guadalupe R Negrete, Jason L Strickland, Kendyl E Trinque
Certificate: Melissa L Goodman, Leeann Hird, Guadalupe R Negrete, Dawn M Soler, Cheryl VanVeghten
DEVENS
Associate: Meaghan M Bradshaw
FITCHBURG
Associate: Norma L Abella, Linda V Aho, Yetunde K Bamgbose, Jennifer L Benoit, Adam J Bishop, Darren J Blakely, Sandra A Bushey, Nakesha C Campbell, Jacqueline C Charron, Navdeep Cheema, Jessica K Covert, Kathleen Craigen, Mark A Deleon Kellam, Katie L Donovan, Anna K Farwell, Jennifer C Garcia, Carrie A Grossi, Bianca L Guertin, Stephanie E Harris, Ron C Holden, Guernslye Honore, Suzanne E Houle, Zanetta Hume, Sabrina R Johnson, Russell G Jones, Rachel S Kalagher, Nathan D Lamkin, John E Leger, Ryain C Maclean, Nicholas A Marrama, Saskia M Martinez, Denise D Matte, Raquel Maurice, Michael P McNamara, Joshua L Medero, Selvin W Melhorn, Greicy M Mendoza, Ellen Merrill-Pugsley, Dustin K Monette, Tevin J Moore, James D Morrison, Sharon Munoz, Calie L Nutting, Rachael A O’Neil, Amanda P Palmer, Jackson B Parker, Diania Perez, Alyssa J Phillips, Lauren Victoria Phillips, Maunita S Pina, Jennifer L Potvin, Tiffany Marie Power, Jack B Reynolds, Jared D Richard, Sharelyn Rivera, Tyler Robichaud, Yaitza Rodriguez, Juan C Roitman, Samantha A Shattuck, Brittany Nicole Simonds, Shelly Sisombath, Anne P Snow, Ashley R Stefanilo, Taniya A Tavarez, Matthew R Tellier, Cynthia J Therrien, Tammy M Thielbar, Evelyn M Tirado, Adam M Tuliano, Cinthya S Velazquez, Dionna Wiggins, Jacob R Wilbur, Brigitte R Wong, James Woods, Tom Yang, Gabriel J deBettencourt
Certificate: Crystal Adams, Matthew Agosto, Amanda L Barnes, Steven A Bryce, Darline Celestin, Rachel E Crawford, Karen Davis, Brandy Rose Dowdle, Donna R Fairbanks, Juan A Figueroa, Kelly Ann Marie Gorham, Elida K Griffin, Gloria E Hernandez, Yvette T Kamayou, Monica Y Kwan, John E Leger, Rachel M Maguy, Erin L Maxim, Greicy M Mendoza, Hue Chee Moua, Robert R Parks, Diania Perez, Rebecca L Perron, Maunita S Pina, Kamuzu A Robinson, Rene Robledo, Rita-Jean Sears, Leland L Taylor, Jessica L Tucker, Adam M Tuliano, Johanna Weintraub, Steven R Wright
GARDNER
Associate: Lourdes M Abreu, Lindsey M Arnold, Tia M Babineau, Marissa Blake, Jessica J Blanchard, Jessica M Blouin, Anna M Bogue, Heidi J Bourgeois, Jeremy B Bourque, Samantha L Brady, Amy M Brochu, Benjamin Brookman, Constance V Brown, Brittany R Butler, Carla S Campbell, Paul M J Campbell, Cara A Cardwell, Kyle P Cellana, Mary T Chapman, Kenneth M Chase, Aaron R Chatigny, Daniel L Chunn, Brandon J Comeau, Eric R Cormier, John S Day, Billie Jo A Dennis, Michelle L Despres, Gregory B Doyle, Kyle E Duangsay, Carolyn A Flagg, Anthony C Frediani, Linda J Gallagher, Melissa M Girouard, Diane G Haley, Kaitlynn N Hardy, Tomas B Harriman, Megan C Harris, Grace M Hartin, Kimberly Hayward, Andrea A Hume, Kristin L Huntoon, Laura K LaBarge, Brian Allen LaPrise, Brian B Leslie, Sheri G Levasseur, Cashel E Lisse, Joshua D Parker, Jan M Pervier, Delores Phatthammachack, Carrie L Piedad, Alisha ER Pierce, Amy L Pineo, David C Plouffe, David A Pulaski, Ericka Pultorak, Kenneth J Purdie, Elizabeth M Reiser, Heather L Rick, Chelsea N Robichaud, Dylan M Safford, Julio Sanchez, Erin M Sandstrom, Gricelda Sierra De Ruiz, Natasha L Silvia, Brandon L Smith, Julia M Strout, Nathan A Strout, Marloe E Swenson, Lizette M Vassallo, Bruce Walker, Ian V Warner, Asa C Wetmore, Andrew T White, Kerri D Wick, Haley A Wiitala, Sarah N Wilson, Kathleen A Wylie
Associate: Lourdes M Abreu, Lindsey M Arnold, Tia M Babineau, Marissa Blake, Jessica J Blanchard, Jessica M Blouin, Anna M Bogue, Heidi J Bourgeois, Jeremy B Bourque, Samantha L Brady, Amy M Brochu, Benjamin Brookman, Constance V Brown, Brittany R Butler, Carla S Campbell, Paul M J Campbell, Cara A Cardwell, Kyle P Cellana, Mary T Chapman, Kenneth M Chase, Aaron R Chatigny, Daniel L Chunn, Brandon J Comeau, Eric R Cormier, John S Day, Billie Jo A Dennis, Michelle L Despres, Gregory B Doyle, Kyle E Duangsay, Carolyn A Flagg, Anthony C Frediani, Linda J Gallagher, Melissa M Girouard, Diane G Haley, Kaitlynn N Hardy, Tomas B Harriman, Megan C Harris, Grace M Hartin, Kimberly Hayward, Andrea A Hume, Kristin L Huntoon, Laura K LaBarge, Brian Allen LaPrise, Brian B Leslie, Sheri G Levasseur, Cashel E Lisse, Joshua D Parker, Jan M Pervier, Delores Phatthammachack, Carrie L Piedad, Alisha ER Pierce, Amy L Pineo, David C Plouffe, David A Pulaski, Ericka Pultorak, Kenneth J Purdie, Elizabeth M Reiser, Heather L Rick, Chelsea N Robichaud, Dylan M Safford, Julio Sanchez, Erin M Sandstrom, Gricelda Sierra De Ruiz, Natasha L Silvia, Brandon L Smith, Julia M Strout, Nathan A Strout, Marloe E Swenson, Lizette M Vassallo, Bruce Walker, Ian V Warner, Asa C Wetmore, Andrew T White, Kerri D Wick, Haley A Wiitala, Sarah N Wilson, Kathleen A Wylie
LANCASTER
Associate: John Armstrong, Jaenia N Fernandez
Certificate: Mary E Clark
LEOMINSTER
Associate: Eric Ababio, Ivan D Abermagger, Samantha V Andrus, Robin L Arsenault, Ari-Ann D Ashley, Josiane C Barbot, Duane Brown, Kimberly Bunner, James E Burger, Ricardo S Cabrini, Laura I Calix, Charles L Casper, Katrina Caswell, Jonathan M Catanzaro, Caitlin E Cormier, Ramon-Alejo Correa, Jenna C Craven, Mariny A Cruz, Rhianna C Cutler, Wanda I Diaz, Mary B Dickerson, Johanna Dipre-Rojas, Robert A Dorsey, Tambera A Ducharme, Andres L Figueroa-Algarin, Michael Forson, Tara M Gauthier, Joshua Gonzalez, Roberta K Gout, Cassandra Gracia, Maritza I Guzman, Chanzo J Hamisi-Payne, Jasmine M Hartigan, Lydia Herrera, Joshua L Hinkson, Emily A Holbein, Travis E Holloway, Robert V Johansson, Joshua C Johnson, Ingunn E Jonsdottir, Manmeet Kaur, Lindsey R Kennedy, Naomi M Kiarie, Lisa S Kirouac, Methsara N Kruoch, Jessica L LaPerle, Kimberly L LaPrade, Glenn Lamur, Cindl A Luksha, Mark A McClurken, Kimberly K McGowan, Amy L Miner, Lawrence L Nfor, Silas N Onyancha, Carmen L Paduani, Diana R Payne, Elizabeth A Quansah, Naomi B Quansah, Lenny Ramirez, Ursula Rice, Melissa M Richard, Erin Ripa, Betsey L Rivera, Chong O Rodriguez, Edward I Sanchez, Abigail Santana, Steven R Scott, Nayrim C Serrano, Sarah M Sims, Shelby C Sjostedt, Nicole E Spagnoli, Amanda L Stetson, Joanna M Suggs, Melissa M Szkaradek, Stephen C Trentsch, Crystal L Tricoche, Rebecca Tricoche, Autumn L Wendel, Migin S Wilder, Brittan M Woodard, Spring R Wooldridge, Angela M Wyman
Certificate: Eunice A Agyeman, Maria B Alicea, Lisbeth C Arana, Josiane C Barbot, Adriana C Bizjak, Bradon R Bouchard, Donald Briggs, Ricardo S Cabrini, Denny L Cruz, Robert A Dorsey, Kwaku Frimpong, Ariam S Gonzalez, Emeli M Gonzalez, Cassandra Gracia, Chanzo J Hamisi-Payne, Jasmine M Hartigan, Robert V Johansson, Manmeet Kaur, Nathaniel A Lane, Gabrielle A Larivee, Kimberley A LeBlanc, Jose E Lopez, Amy L Miner, Sidiane S Miranda, Stephanie A Mitchell, Joseph F Mochere, Nicholas M Mucciarone, Chantal Muhongayire, Timmothy B O’Dell, Kwadwo Owusu, Erin N Piermarini, Chong O Rodriguez, Kristin L Sheehan, Valerie M Swiderski, Emily A Turner, Jeffrey M Wray
LUNENBURG
Associate: Danielle C Bateman, David A Boivin, Nicole B Bushey, Seth A Cochran, Michelle L Gosselin, Nicholas S Keating, Tiffany A Landry, Jesstine Lasonde, Jessica L Paton, Richard H Plourde, Hannah I Reese, Yvonne N Renard, Bryan D Sanderson, Christine M Smith
Certificate: DeAna M Botta, Bonnie C Buckingham-Stone, Ashley E Guinard, Dianne M Johnson, Valerie J Marquis, Ashley M Sartelle
SHIRLEY
Rebecca A Boucher, Kimberly E Bourassa, Cherie Chartier, Daniel Hearne, Nicholas A Hearne, Megan A Jenkins, Marissa M LaCruz, Nathalie Lapierre, Matthew G McCallan, Jennifer L Ouellette, Nicole Pippert, Kristina L Plunkett, Colin M Rafael, Ana K Rice
Certificate: Ashley N Cavaioli
SOUTH LANCASTER
Associate: Tracy L Hartford, Esther Malivert
Certificate: Esther Malivert
TOWNSEND
Associate: Veronica R Alexander, Kelsey Q Blackwell, Kevin C Boardman, Jessica L Champagne, Joseph D Chipman-Gazza, Jillian H Johnson, Dung Thi Phuong Le, Jennifer A McLaughlin, Julie D Sullivan, Catherine S Tierney, Wendy C Vennard, Jared T Walsh, Alexandria C Watkins, Shayla A Watson, Amanda A Woods
Certificate: Genesis Martinez, Lorraine Misner, Kathryn A Supernor, Arlene Velez
WEST TOWNSEND
Associate: Theresa J Doherty, Anthony G Motta, Joseph M Woods
Certificate: Kerry F White
WESTMINSTER
Associate: Melissa J Agin, Terri A Boivin, Elizabeth S Connell, Sara K Dwelly, Jared Forgues, John J Furtado, Andrea Costa, Elyssa A Ouellette, Erin E Ouellette, Jenna L Rantala, Alyssa C Reynolds
Certificate: Leah P.T. Aho, Adriana M Cucchi, Stephanie A Ouellet
WINCHENDON
Associate: Ashley M Arsenault, Jaime L Bailey, Robert W Batchelder, Sheila D Beane, Megan R Bibeau, Jessie K Bigwood, Liam S Boudreau, Timothy D Brown, Christopher Callahan, Ali E Christian, Ronda L Christie, Dayanara Colon, Leaha Connor, Traci A Doiron, Paige M Duffy, Rachel E Gauthier, Annette M Girard, Cheryl L Hughes, Charles R Husselbee, Sarah A Jean, Jonathan F Kaminsky, Tia Kaye, Kayla R Lawrence, Jamie R LeBlanc, Antoinette M Mailloux, Betsy S Manuel, Dustin J McCaw, Cari A Moriarity, Amber Nasiatka, Jennifer M Nolin, Paula A Rocheleau, Stephenie Sulmonte, Shawna A Tamulen, Peggy Williams
Certificate: Christopher K Akey, Robert W Batchelder, Crystal Bisson, Kaylie A Breau, Ronda L Christie, Frank A Cosentino, Chellane N Cote, Nicholas J Guthmiller, Kristen M Henckler, Barron Hiltz, Charles R Husselbee, Jamie R LeBlanc, Dustin J McCaw, Sharon Nedobity
![A grocery store cashier who’s guaranteed $15 per hour in California can legally be paid $7.25 in Texas and 19 other states — a gap in state minimum wages that’s set to widen further in the year ahead. It’s a geographic disparity that concerns pro-worker economists, while business interests say minimum wage laws alone don’t […]](https://www.nashobavalleyvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/sen-z-wages-01.jpg?w=525 "A grocery store cashier who’s guaranteed $15 per hour in California can legally be paid $7.25 in Texas and 19 other states — a gap in state minimum wages that’s set to widen further in the year ahead. It’s a geographic disparity that concerns pro-worker economists, while business interests say minimum wage laws alone don’t […]")
