When the 815 members of Bryant’s graduating class of 2024 gather for the university’s 161st Commencement, 40 among their number will receive additional recognition for their commitment to academic excellence, service, and leadership.
"I am constantly impressed by your contributions, the lives you have touched, and the positive changes you have brought to our campus and community," noted Bryant University President Ross Gittell, Ph.D., during a special reception for the Commencement Award recipients held on May 10 in the university’s Quinlan/Brown Academic Innovation Center. "Your efforts have made Bryant University a great place to learn, live, and work, and I know that you will have a similar impact in the organizations where you will work and the communities where you will live."
For the recipients, being presented with a Commencement Award, which marks years of dedication and perseverance, can often be a humbling experience. "I came here from Chicago four years ago and I never would have imagined this,” reflected Brayden Roy ’24, a Finance major and member of the Bryant Golf Team who received the Male Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, the Delta Sigma Pi Scholarship Key, and was one of four awarded the President’s List Sash, worn by graduating seniors who have achieved a 4.0 grade point average every semester while at Bryant.
He’s grateful, he says, to have had a close-knit, supportive community behind him, as well as opportunities to push himself to achieve more than he thought possible. “Bryant always recognizes the hard work you put out, which propels students forward,” Roy noted.
To Catherine Harris ’24, who received the Legal Studies and a Student Senate Service Award, the awards represent an entire class dedicated to making a difference both in the classroom and as members of the Bryant community. “I’m so proud of everyone here,” she said. “I look around the room and see so many familiar faces — some are close friends, others I’ve met through classes, and others you just see in passing and exchange smiles with. It’s amazing to see so many people who have accomplished so much in so many different ways.”
Here are this year’s Commencement Award recipients:
THE ACHIEVEMENT IN CREATIVE EXPRESSION AWARD, presented to a graduating senior who has achieved excellence in creative expression, as demonstrated in the written, performance, film, fine, or applied arts, was conferred to Ashley Frances Siravo ’24.
THE ANNA M. & JERE ST. ANGELO ’61 ACCOUNTING AWARD, presented to two graduating seniors in Accounting who have demonstrated a high level of achievement, are in the top 10 percent of their class, are residents of an urban area, and will enter a career in public accounting, was conferred to Jillian Marie Stevens ’24 and Michaela Susan Pond ’24.
THE FEMALE SENIOR SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD, presented to the female senior student-athlete with the highest overall grade point average, was conferred to Jillian Marie Stevens ’24.
THE MALE SENIOR SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD, presented to the male senior student-athlete with the highest overall grade point average, was conferred to Brayden Asher Roy ’24.
THE BRYANT UNIVERSITY GOOD CITIZENSHIP AWARD was conferred to Owen Nicholas Sawyer ’24.
THE BRYANT UNIVERSITY SCHOLAR AWARD, presented to a graduating senior who has published or has had an article accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed scholarly journal while a student at Bryant University, was conferred to Jett Sandré DuVal ’24.
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THE CHERYL WATKINS SNEAD AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT was conferred to Brian Liam Villanueva ’24.
THE COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT AWARD was conferred to Delaney Johanna Pickering ’24.
THE DELTA SIGMA PI SCHOLARSHIP KEY, presented to the graduating seniors with the highest cumulative academic average toward a degree in Business Administration or Economics, was conferred to Alyssa Rose Alviti, Christopher Michael Dupuis ’24, and Brayden Asher Roy ’24.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE LEADERSHIP AWARD was conferred to Jillian Louise Sylvia ’24.
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THE EXCELLENCE IN BIOLOGY AWARD was conferred to Melani Dalomba ’24.
THE EXCELLENCE IN DATA SCIENCE AWARD was conferred to Natalia Jean Kuipers ’24.
THE EXCELLENCE IN ECONOMICS AWARD was conferred to Amanda Marie Spielman ’24.
THE EXCELLENCE IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS AWARD was conferred to Diana Ximena Alarcon Calvo ’24.
THE EXCELLENCE IN MARKETING AWARD was conferred to Lois Nicole Warden ’24.
THE EXCELLENCE IN PSYCHOLOGY AWARD was conferred to Katelyn D. Caldarone ’24.
THE GEORGE J. KELLEY AWARD, presented to graduating seniors who have completed at least 102 credits at Bryant and are recognized and honored for having the highest cumulative grade point average at the end of the fall semester, was conferred to Katelyn D. Caldarone ’24 and Brayden Asher Roy ’24.
THE GEORGE M. PARKS AWARD, presented to a graduating senior whose recognized leadership qualities have significantly enhanced the reputation of the university, was conferred to Odette Mansour ’24.
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THE GLOBAL STUDIES AWARD was conferred to Nilsa Nephtalie Laine ’24.
THE LEGAL STUDIES, POLITICAL SCIENCE, AND SOCIOLOGY AWARDS were conferred to:
- Political Science: Danielle Alexis Latty ’24
- Legal Studies: Catherine Milne Harris ’24
- Sociology: Emily F. Smith ’24
THE JACK H. RUBENS LEADERSHIP IN FINANCE AWARD was conferred to Audrey Ruth Jones ’24.
THE JACK H. RUBENS LEADERSHIP IN FINANCIAL SERVICES AWARD was conferred to Christopher Michael Dupuis ’24.
THE JEREMIAH CLARK BARBER AWARD, presented to the graduating senior who has shown the most consistent academic improvement resulting in Dean’s List recognition, was conferred to Tyrese Glynn Francis Jr. ’24.
THE JOHN HANCOCK INSURANCE COMPANY AWARD, presented to two graduating seniors who have demonstrated superior achievement in the study of actuarial mathematics, was conferred to Jeffrey Joao Lopes ’24 and Charlotte Elizabeth Christo ’24.
THE LEANDER FRANCIS EMIN ENDOWED HOMESTEAD AWARD, presented to a graduating senior who has achieved scholastic excellence in accounting, was conferred to Emily Maura Blondin ’24.
THE LITERARY AND CULTURAL STUDIES AWARD was conferred to Luke Andrew Gentile ’24.
THE MODERN LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT AWARD was conferred to Michael E. Greenwald ’24
THE NORTHEAST HUMAN RESOURCES ASSOCIATION (NEHRA) - MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT COMMENCEMENT AWARD was presented to Aldrec Viera Dones ’24, Matthew Pansa ’24, and McKenzie Grace Bruscini ’24.
THE PELL MEDAL FOR UNITED STATES HISTORY AWARD was conferred to Evan O’Neill ’24.
THE PRESIDENT’S LIST SASH, worn by the graduating senior or seniors who has/have achieved President’s list distinction (4.0 grade point average) every semester while at Bryant, was conferred to Alyssa Rose Alviti ’24, Katelyn D. Caldarone ’24, Christopher Michael Dupuis ’24, and Brayden Asher Roy ’24.
THE RESERVE OFFICERS’ TRAINING CORPS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, presented to a graduating senior who has excelled in military science studies and other courses, and who has shown superior leadership potential in the military science program and in extracurricular activities, was conferred to Connor David Dudka ’24.
THE RHODE ISLAND SOCIETY OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS AWARD was conferred to Colin Evan Elliott ’24.
THE ROGER W. BABSON AWARD, presented to a graduating senior who is distinguished within the university community for his or her character, orderly mind, sound judgment, and systematic business habits, was conferred to Lucie Castagne ’24.
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THE SAS INSTITUTE AWARD, presented to two bachelor’s degree candidates who have demonstrated superior achievement in the study of applied mathematics and statistics and have successfully completed coursework involving the application of SAS statistical software in their data analysis, was conferred to Samantha Marie Hazen ’24 and Tristan Michael Morlock ’24.
THE STUDENT SENATE SERVICE AWARD, selected by the Student Senate Service Awards Committee, was conferred to Owen Nicholas Sawyer ’24, Peter Edward Misiaszek III ’24, Danielle Alexis Latty ’24, Catherine Milne Harris ’24, Devahya Annisa Townsend ’24, Amanda Marie Spielman ’24, and Alexia Brandao ’24.
