672 graduates celebrated the importance of a college education during Bay Path College’s 114th commencement ceremony.
5/15/11 MassMutual Center, Springfield - Staff photo by Michael Beswick - Bay Path College had their 114th Commencement Sunday at the MassMutual Center. Pictured is Zahra Chaudhry from South Hadley (Left) and Elizabeth Zaccaro from Enfield.SPRINGFIELD – A princess, an actress, the president of a newspaper and 672 graduates celebrated the importance of a college education during Bay Path College’s 114th commencement ceremony Sunday at the MassMutual Center.
Student speaker Zara H. Nizami, of Lowell, told her fellow graduates that their time at Bay Path has taught them to accept that life will always change.
“When I first came to Bay Path I was going to be a criminal profiler for the FBI and that was my dream. My sophomore year I became a marketing major, I was going to be a CEO of Fortune 500 company and that was my dream. Then my dream became teaching, and then event planning and then at one point I convinced myself that if Sanjaya could do so well on American Idol, then so could I. Now I have a different dream of going to grad school,” she said.
Nizami said Bay Path was more than an academic experience, it was a personal one.
“I was taught life skills here. I was given the time to get to know myself and love the person I have grown to be. I can enter the workforce knowing I have been prepared for life. In life you will fail tests, you will change careers, you will get fired and hired, you will make up your mind about your life and then change your mind. You will have 526 epiphanies about what you want to be and where you want to go and that’s completely okay,” she said.
Joseph Gonclaves DaSilva, of Longmeadow, credits his parents, his wife and his daughters for helping him reach graduation day.
“They have given me all the support I needed,” he said.
A Portuguese immigrant who struggled to adapt to American schools, DaSilva now has a master’s degree in higher education administration and has been named the vice president of administration and chief executive officer of Springfield Technical Community College.
Honorary degrees were given to Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, of Thailand, the commencement speaker; actress and Bay Path alumna Paige Turco; president of The Republican David Starr and his wife Peggy Starr; and retired Bay Path professor and administrator William L. Sipple.
“Each of you graduates and honorees has helped to improve the world we live in by conducting yourselves ethically and passionately in your educational, cultural, business and philanthropic endeavors,” said Bay Path College president Carol A. Leary.
She told graduates to never forget the people who helped them get to where they are today.
“Take the time to thank your family, friends, employers, staff and children who where there when you needed them,” she said.
Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has spent her life helping provide education and services to children and women in Thailand. She told the graduates to treasure and appreciate their education and to use it to change the world.
Bay Path’s graduation was one of many over the weekend including The University of Massachusetts and Elms College Saturday, and Smith College, Springfield College Sunday.