As Bryant’s Class of 2026 gets ready to step into the next chapter and assume their roles as tomorrow’s leaders, 50 among their number will receive special recognition at the university’s 163rd Commencement for their dedication to academic excellence, service, and leadership. Throughout their time at Bryant, these individuals have helped shape campus life, expand the boundaries of scholarship, and make a meaningful impact both within the Bryant community and beyond.
The award recipients were also recognized during a special ceremony on April 29 in Bryant University’s Quinlan/Brown Academic Innovation Center — surrounded by Bryant faculty, staff, and their families.
In the busy time leading up to Commencement. Bryant University President Ross Gittell, Ph.D., encouraged the honorees to take a moment and reflect on their accomplishments. “I want to personally thank you for all of you have done for our institution,” he said in his opening remarks. “It's your hard work, together with Bryant’s faculty and staff, that distinguishes our university.”
Rupendra Paliwal, Ph.D., Bryant University’s Provost and Chief Academic Officer, noted that the day’s celebration was one of his favorite events of the year — a sentiment, he said that was shared by the faculty and staff in attendance. “We are honored to recognize your achievements and the dedication that brought you here today and has prepared you to make a difference in the world around you after you graduate,” stated Paliwal.
For each of the honorees, the occasion carried a special meaning that resonated far beyond their own specific award. Max Nylen ’26 received the Anna M. & Jere St. Angelo ’61 Accounting Award while both his mother and grandmother watched from the audience. It was humbling to see his hard work being recognized he noted, and it meant a lot for that recognition to have come from professors who have helped him accomplish so much, said Nylen, who will go on to pursue his Master of Science in Accountancy degree at the University of Connecticut before starting as an audit and assurance assistant at Deloitte.
After the ceremony, Ashley Reynolds ’26, recipient of the Legal Studies Award, was all smiles as she took pictures with her parents. Looking out at the crowded reception, Reynolds noted how many of the award winners she knew, a sign of Bryant’s close-knit community. But she also noticed how many different majors and areas of campus they represented. “That shows that Bryant looks for and inspires excellence everywhere,” she said.
Andrea Cortes ’26 — who received the George M. Parks Award for leadership, including her service as a 4MILE peer counselor, president of the Multicultural Student Union, and commissioner of Bryant’s Ways and Means Commission — couldn’t imagine a better way to conclude her time at Bryant, she said, than to celebrate alongside so many people who have made an impact on her life and her college experience.
Cortes was especially excited that her younger sister, who will be an incoming first year student at the university this fall, was there for the ceremony. It was like her introduction to the Bryant community, she noted, and an opportunity to see how supportive that opportunity could be.
Here are this year’s Commencement Award recipients:
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 Samuel Beausejour, Anna Chaikowski, Eliana Faria, Bernad Glusac, Matthew Gravier, Juan Medina, Arielle LaPreay, Aleksander Reilly, Matthew Rossi, and Lauren Rothwell.
THE PRESIDENT’S LIST SASH, worn by a graduating senior or seniors who have achieved the President’s List distinction (4.0 grade point average) every semester while at Bryant, was conferred to Natalie Adams, Luka Alves, Ava Bartoli, Samuel Beausejour, Anna Chaikowski, Ekaterina Erickson, Eliana Faria, Nina Gavin, Bernad Glusac, Matthew Gravier, Aurelie Honsberger, Arielle LaPreay, Juan Medina, Hayley Mills, Aleksander Reilly, Matthew Rossi, and Lauren Rothwell.
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 Vincent Emery.
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 Andrea Cortes.
THE BRYANT UNIVERSITY GOOD CITIZENSHIP AWARD, presented to a graduating senior who has demonstrated the qualities of sincerity and vigorous industry in the interest of good citizenship and who has, by example, furthered better government both on and off campus, was conferred to Josh Comito.
THE BRYANT UNIVERSITY SCHOLAR AWARD, presented to the graduating senior(s) 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 Emma Desmond.
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 Olivia Hillman.
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 Marcella Figueroa.
THE STUDENT SENATE SERVICE AWARD, selected by the Student Senate Service Awards Committee, was conferred to Cassandra Hierl, Brian Inger, Grace McKenzie, Meridith Lewis, Beau Shugarts, Ellie Strong, and Victoria Velazquez.
THE STUDENT CHARGE, who will deliver a message to graduates and Commencement guests, is Lucas Ketchian.
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
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 Ava Bartoli and Aleksander Reilly.
THE COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT AWARD, presented to a graduating senior for outstanding achievement and exceptional competency in all of the contemporary communication arts, was conferred to Casey McCarthy.
THE EXCELLENCE IN ECONOMICS AWARD, presented to a graduating senior with the highest grade point average in the major, was conferred to Matthew Rossi.
THE LITERARY AND CULTURAL STUDIES AWARD, presented to a graduating senior for outstanding achievement in, and a strong commitment to, the study of literature and cultural studies, was conferred to Luka Alves and Samuel Beausejour.
THE PELL MEDAL FOR UNITED STATES HISTORY AWARD, presented to a graduating senior who has displayed excellence in the study of United States history, was conferred to Sage Patterson.
THE MODERN LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT AWARD, presented to a graduate with exceptional competency in the study of a language other than English, was conferred to Brandon Scovil.
THE LEGAL STUDIES AWARD, presented to a graduating senior for their outstanding achievement in the study of legal studies, was conferred to Ashley B. Reynolds.
THE POLITICAL SCIENCE AWARD, presented to a graduating senior for their outstanding achievement in the study of political science, was conferred to Alex Morin.
THE SOCIOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY AWARD, presented to a graduating senior for their outstanding achievement in the study of sociology and anthropology, was conferred to Blaise Ellis.
SCHOOL OF HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
THE EXCELLENCE IN BIOLOGY AWARD, presented to a graduating senior in biology who has exhibited excellence in the classroom and research laboratory, shown care and concern about world health problems, and demonstrated a potential for outstanding contributions in the field of biological science, was conferred to Lauren Rothwell.
THE EXCELLENCE IN EXERCISE AND MOVEMENT SCIENCE AWARD, presented to a graduating senior in exercise and movement science who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and practical application of knowledge in biomechanics, exercise physiology, and exercise programming and optimization, was conferred to Riley O’Mara.
THE EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH SCIENCES AWARD, presented to a graduating student in health sciences who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and a commitment to advancing the field of health sciences, was conferred to Amanda Lough.
THE RESEARCH SCHOLAR IN BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES AWARD, honoring a graduating student who has demonstrated exceptional research capabilities and contributions in biological and biomedical sciences and acknowledges their consistent commitment to advancing knowledge in these vital fields through scientific inquiry, was conferred to Luke Mead.
THE EXCELLENCE IN PSYCHOLOGY AWARD, presented to a graduating senior for outstanding achievement in the study of psychology, was conferred to Hayley Mills.
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
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 Max Nylen and Dawson Rielly.
THE LEANDER FRANCIS EMIN ENDOWED HOMESTEAD AWARD, presented to a graduating senior who has achieved scholastic excellence in accounting, was conferred to Grace Hinsch.
THE RHODE ISLAND SOCIETY OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS AWARD, presented to a graduating senior who, in the opinion of the accounting faculty, has demonstrated excellence in accounting studies and intends to pursue a career in public accounting, was conferred to Ava Basile.
THE JACK H. RUBENS LEADERSHIP IN FINANCE AWARD, presented to a graduating senior who has demonstrated outstanding performance in academics, service to the finance department, and enthusiasm and leadership in extracurricular activities related to finance, was conferred to Matthew Gravier.
THE JACK H. RUBENS LEADERSHIP IN FINANCIAL SERVICES AWARD, presented to a graduating senior who has demonstrated outstanding performance in academics, service to the finance department, and enthusiasm and leadership in extracurricular activities related to financial services, was conferred to Grace Driscoll.
THE CHERYL WATKINS SNEAD AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT, which recognizes an outstanding student who majored in Global Supply Chain Management, and this Award recognizes the student who most exemplifies Cheryl Snead Watkins’ passion for leadership in supply chain management, was conferred to Hailey Furtado.
THE NORTHEAST HUMAN RESOURCES ASSOCIATION (NEHRA) - MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT COMMENCEMENT AWARD, which recognizes three graduating seniors with a concentration in Human Resources Management (HRM) who have demonstrated academic excellence in HRM, active engagement with Human Resources practitioners, and a passion for a career in the profession, was conferred to Rebecca Fiddler, Alyssa Tarentino, and Hazel Tuning.
THE EXCELLENCE IN MARKETING AWARD, given to a student(s) graduating with a concentration in marketing who has demonstrated outstanding scholarship and leadership in marketing and made significant contributions to the Bryant community and the marketing program, was conferred to Emma Desmond.
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 Nina Gavin and Juan Medina.
THE EXCELLENCE IN DATA SCIENCE AWARD, presented annually to a graduating senior with a concentration in data science who has excelled academically, enriched his or her data science education through meaningful work experience, and demonstrated an unselfish attitude toward others through active involvement in organizations, clubs, or events, was conferred to Jason Ferrerro.
THE EXCELLENCE IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND ANALYTICS AWARD, presented annually to a graduating senior with a concentration in information systems who has excelled academically, enriched his or her information systems education through meaningful work experience, and demonstrated an unselfish attitude toward others through active involvement in organizations, clubs, or events, was conferred to Sage Patterson.
The Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award recipients will be announced at a later date.