From left to right, Will Dreier, of Barrington, R.I., Harold McKinney, of East Haven, Alain (cq) Jean-Baptiste, of West Windsor, N.J. and Robert Campbell, of Glastonbury, pose for a photo before their commencement ceremony Saturday, May 11, 2024, at Mitchell College in New London. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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Members of the graduating class share a laugh while they wait for their class portrait to be taken on the steps of the Duques Center Saturday, May 11, 2024, before the commencement ceremony Saturday, May 11, 2024, Mitchell College in New London. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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Ajhalae Acevedo, left, of Boston, and Christopher Llewelyn, of Bloomfield, help Alexia Watson, of Stamford, with her hood before their commencement ceremony Saturday, May 11, 2024, at Mitchell College in New London. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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Kim Richard, associate dean of Mitchel College, leads the graduating class in the Wave while they wait for the rest of their fellow graduates to arrive for their class portrait to be taken on the steps of the Duques Center before the commencement ceremony at Mitchell College Saturday, May 11, 2024, in New London. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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Meredith Adler, director of First Year Experience, helps Rafael Barreto Jr. of Norwich, with his hood while preparing for the Mitchell College commencement ceremony Saturday, May 11, 2024, in New London. Adler said Rafael attended the her First Year Experience program. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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Graduates wait in their sections before lining up for the processional of the commencement ceremony Saturday, May 11, 2024, at Mitchell College in New London. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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Graduates during the processional of the Mitchell College commencement ceremony Saturday, may 11, 2024, in New London. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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Jermia Dumas, right, receives her diploma from President of the College Tracy Espy during the commencement ceremony Saturday, May 11, 2024, at Mitchell College in New London. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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Mitchell College commencement speaker Daniel Holdridge, a survivor of 9/11 at the Pentagon, said one of his gifts to the graduates was called “90 minutes”, the time it took for him to tell his family to find out he was alive, and wants them all to take the time to tell the people close to them how them how they feel about them. After one of his lectures “90 minutes’’ lectures a woman approached him and said she wanted to give him her shoes. Two of her children had died by illness and suicide and she said he was the first person that knows what it’s like to walk in her shoes. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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Harold McKinney, right, receives his diploma from President of the College Tracy Espy during the commencement ceremony Saturday, May 11, 2024, at Mitchell College in New London. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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