Region natives among Eastern Connecticut State University graduates

May 20, 2017 12:00 am • Last Updated: May 24, 2017 9:02 am

Eastern Connecticut State University held its 127th commencement ceremony May 17 at the XL Center in Hartford, with more than 12,000 family members and friends of the graduates in attendance.

Several southeatern Connecticut natives were among the 1,180 undergraduates and 58 graduate students who received their diplomas.

Former Washington Post publisher Donald Graham was the keynote speaker. "Throughout our history, American leaders have stood up in times of peril — during the American Revolution, during the Civil War, confronting Hitler, standing up to communism and advancing civil and women's rights," he told the graduates. "At some time in your life, you will be asked to stand up for what is right, and I know you will answer the call."

Graham, chairman of Graham Holdings Co., a graduate of Harvard College and a Vietnam War veteran, also received an honorary degree from Eastern during the ceremony.

Other speakers included Eastern President Elsa Nunez; Board of Regents for Higher Education Chairman Matt Fleury; Connecticut State Colleges and University System President Mark Ojakian, and senior Class President Abigail Caselli.

More than 40 percent of the graduates were the first in their families to earn a bachelor's degree, according to a release from the university. As the state's only public liberal arts university, Eastern draws students from 163 of the state's 169 towns, and approximately 85 percent of its graduates stay in the state to launch their careers, the release said.

Ojakian, the state colleges and university system president, in his speech told graduates that they "have come a very long way since the first day" they arrived at Eastern. "Life will take you in many different directions after you leave here ... The road in front of you is undefined. But I am hopeful that our state and our nation will be in a better place — as you become your future."

Eastern Connecticut State University graduates from the region

Associate of Science:

Pawcatuck: Phillip Couto.

Bachelor of Arts:

East Lyme: Joshua Turner and Stuti Viyulie.

Gales Ferry: Alexandra Tynan.

Groton: Cormac Buchman, Lexis Foster, Hunter Gillen, Devon Hall, Haley Savona and Nicole Wheeler.

Ledyard: Rose Marie Welles.

Mystic: Courtney Littlewood.

New London: Diana Lemus, Thomas Passero, Jennifer Portella, Josue Quiles, Brittnie Stoy and Valerie Vance.

Niantic: Amanda DeMaio.

North Stonington: Marley Robert and Amy White.

Norwich: Ce'nedra Darragh, Katelyn Davis, Tammy DeGennaro, Allison Grant, Nicholas Hamby, Nora Ingle, Zoe Longendyke, Gavin Neuendorf, Ashley Schmitt, Jessica Suplee and Leah Wessels.

Oakdale: Gabrielle Archibald and Amanda Hartman.

Pawcatuck: Evelyn Morgera.

Preston: Adam Courbin.

Salem: Hanna Barbaresi, Scott Butler and Kayla Giordano.

Uncasville: Nicholas Bardales and Amber Gaffney.

Waterford: Heaven Caristo-Mobley, McKenzie Korte and TevinWilliams.

Bachelor of General Studies:

East Lyme: Daniel Matis and Clifton Taylor.

Gales Ferry: Louise Bailey.

Groton: David Cecil, Lillian Cook, Levern Green, Jacob Jimenez, Megan Sargent.

New London: Imelda Fortuno-Wyatt, David Hunter Greiner and Shannon Richardson.

Norwich: Stephanie Celifie, David Cote, Kathy DeChesser, Jennifer Judge, Abagail Postler and Cassandra Scarpa.

Oakdale: Jessica Tryon and Krista Villamarin.

Pawcatuck: Christopher Pellegrino, Lynne Purtill and Michael Willner. Preston: Connor Schulz.

Stonington: Victoria Jenkins.

Uncasville: Kevin Hess.

Waterford: Alisha Howe, Ivonne Baez and Larisa McGrath.

Bachelor of Science:

East Lyme: Rathana Chanthaphone and Brianna Collins.

Gales Ferry: Nicole Fuhrmann, Patty Leung, Julia Rathbun and Katherine Stapleton.

Groton: Wesley Grim, James Lacy, Ty LeVarge, Victor Martinez, Jesusa Nicholson, Joseph Rainville, Jillian Thomas and Meredith Zamzes.

Ledyard: Sandor Bittman, Amanda Eakin, Timothy McKibben, Kara Piatek and Maria Silva.

Mystic: Ashley Adams, Lanae Blethen Kawa and Elizabeth Wallace.

New London: Domonique Branch, Kasseem Burch, Katherine Burgos, Erika Dominguez Sanchez, Alan Duggan, Shaniece Jones, Jillian Kelly, John Carlo Peralta and Tashawn Ward.

Niantic: Matthew Binaco, Megan Cordeau, Alexandra Facchini, Benjamin Kilmer, Jade Moore, Caroline Regan, Paige Schneider and Syeda Zahra.

Norwich: Christopher Abreu, Melquan Allen, Lourdy Alphonse-Saintil, Eric Bryce, Donal Cheung, Alexander Cordero, Tashanna Edwards, Alexa Franchetti, Hoang Ha, Jeein Herman, Cory Huband, Derrick Johnson, Michael Lepage, Hunter Molcan, Ryan Pellegrini, Elizabeth Peralta, Stephanie Ruiz-Soto, Ali Shah, Sarah Slocum, Raymond Tarvin and Zachary Taylor.

Oakdale: Conner Lewis, Ian Malik McKissick, Nickole Pease, Steven Rogers and Michael Smith.

Old Saybrook: Rebecca Fasshauer, Taylor Goodhue, Joshua Schneider and Kent Tiden.

Pawcatuck: Jeffrey Kane and Nicole Murphy.

Preston: Brendan Liebal.

Quaker Hill: Ahmed Iqbal.

Salem: Melissa Cinea, John O'Sullivan and Katelyn Paradis.

Stonington: Destiny Hartmann and Michael Vacca.

Uncasville: Ryan Jennings and Kerri St. Denis.

Waterford: Taylor Bernardo, Daisy Garcia, Saxon Herbert, Jaime Johnson, Asem Majzoub, Chrysanthy Panagos, Adam Shepherd and Ivar Wirta.

Westerly: Oscar Lin.

Master of Science:

East Lyme: Sarah Jones.