GREENFIELD — As Greenfield Community College’s 308 graduates step out into a tumultuous world, they were urged to stay grounded in their values by a commencement speaker who one time left the world.

Shelburne Falls resident and former NASA astronaut Catherine “Cady” Coleman, who is also a GCC trustee, spoke to the graduates about approaching the world with an open mind. Coleman said the diverse backgrounds of her Russian and Italian crew members created a strong team when she was on the International Space Station.

These connections and strengths, she said, are also essential on Earth, as she urged the students to try to develop that cohesion in society.

“We also need the creativity that comes from hearing a diversity of voices and perspectives. It’s essential,” she said. “We never would have chosen each other as crew mates and yet, up on the Space Station, our differences would turn out to be the key to our success. We each brought important qualities to the table and we were stronger because of it.”

GCC President Michelle Schutt said the school community is there to support the graduates in their future next steps.

“You are ready. You are ready to build, to lead, to serve, to fly. Whatever comes next, carry your GCC spirit with you,” Schutt said. “Be bold. Be kind. Be connected.”

In a time where education funding is often threatened, student speaker Ollie Perrault said places like GCC open the doors to so many students, where they can seek an education and learn more about the world.

“It is an incredibly challenging time to be a student in our current political climate, when we do not know what is going to happen to the state of public education moving forward,” she said. “I believe that the uncertainty of our current times only makes institutions like GCC — and their affordable, accessible education they provide – to be even more essential at this moment.”

Echoing Coleman’s sentiment, Perrault said education creates community, which alongside the critical thinking and other academic skills it brings, is needed more than ever.

“That sense of community, our community, can be a powerful source of strength,” Perrault said. “It can remind us that we are not alone and that true resilience comes from mutual care. From knowing that we can lean on each other, rely on each other and rise together, even through uncertainty.”

Note: Due to the timing of commencement this year, the following list is divided between students who already completed degrees (summer and fall 2024 graduates) and those still on track to graduate this spring semester.

Summer 2024 Graduates

Amanda Aluxek, Jessica Elizabeth Ayala, Jacob A. Bigelow, Hector Cabrera, Victor Capuzzo, Bryan Chavez, Peter Alan Curran, Hayley Nicole Duffy, Jeremy Dus, August Murphy Etzel, Samual A. Gould, Jennifer A Jackman, Taryn E. Jacque, Shea E. Jensen, Michaela Kelley, Daniel Morgan Kennedy, Emily LaBelle, Brandon William Lanpher, Michael Warren Long, Mckenzie Nichols, April Jewell Osteen, Phillip Bruce Patterson, Danielle T. Phillips, Peyton Rebekah Sanborn, Cassandra L. Schutter, Bridget Marie Searle, Jarriyar Thach, Arcangel Louis Felipe Velazquez and Robert Williams.

Fall 2024 Graduates

Kalise Marie Anthony, Nicholas Steven Atkinson, Emily Babbitt, Caralyn A. Backman, Celena Baker, Esha Banga, Reza Behishti, Daniel Miles Brewer, Zachariah Yun Butynski, Jacqueline Cappuccio, Ashley A. Chao, Christian J. Chevalier, Sarah Colby, Sadie P. Corey, Janice L. Cox, Cody Alexander Darr, Cassandra Decato, Wendy Brewer Dellert, Alexander Giovanni Faccio, Lila Grace Findlay, Mariah J. Fontaine, David Garcia Ruiz, Kaisey Hanlon, James Parker Harrison, Emily Herron-Clark, Michelle N. Howe, Hannah Olivia Johnson, Kayla Canton Jones, Madeline Virginia Keating, Ada Margaret Min Denenfeld Kelly, Joyce L. Levine, Erik M. Lyster, Harrison James Manning, Maxine Celeste Martin, Kyle D. McGrath, Amity Wade Messeck, Connor Misra, Sundarii G. Moreira, Dulceneia Varela Moreno, Nneka Ojini, Madeline O’Neill, Keylin P. Perez-Diaz, Samuel F. Poor, Thomas Pulizari Jr., Haoming Qin, Virginia Lilia Rahubenco, Tania Reppucci, Christina L. Richards, Shanice Yvonne Romero, Sage Alen Rossman, Morgan Faye Roy, Elsa E. Sanchez Dejesus, Madison Schempp, Mia Aisha Scott, Caleb Eric Seaman, Meghan Ann Self, Emily Mary Sevrens, Amanda Shute, Keven Soto Guzman, Brianna Storozuk, Evelyn Lee McCassie, Molly Ashling Sutton, Laurie Swane, Lauren Marie Thibault, Hailey Cora Tsatsos, Bryden Scott Ventola, Tracy Ann Walker, Rose Emily Welcome and Cameron D. Wrisley.

Spring 2025 Degree/Certificate Candidates

Annelise Abt, Megan Adams, Matthew Sergei Ailinger, Allyssa L. Alger, Marta Elisabeth Anex-Schnauss, Dylan Thomas Arietta, Celia Elizabeth Stanton Campbell Bales, Jonathan David Becklo, Shirley F. Betances, Acadia Black, Nicholas John Black, Rachel Blow, Heather A. Blundon, Anna Boisclair, Kaiden Boisjolie, Allison Nicole Boswell, Evelyn Edith Rose Boyden, Jennifer Irene Boyle, Merricka L. Breuer, Casey Robert Bridges, Amy J. Broga, Logan Victor Brooks, Eben Moss Brown, Kevin Brown, Sophie Winter Brown, Jeffrey Allen Buck, Jordan Paul Buckley-Connelley, Bela Bupp-Chickering, Laura Burt, Lisa Callahan, Jay Capeles, Dylan Carlo, Amber Chase, Dylan Chatterton, Alina Chirilov, Kelsey Citro, Tasia Clawson, Brooke Cochran, Sarah Colby, Justin P. Colello, Shannon Connelly, Brian J. Cook, Jeffrey Cook, Greta Cooper, Elena Marie Cosme, Simona Cotet, Millyness Cotto, Hollis Cox, Taylor E. Croteau, Kayleigh Cummings, Chelsea Curtis, Margaret Eileen Curtiss, Robert Daignault, Courtney Danielsen, Emilio Didonna, Courtney M. Dias, Olena Didkovskyi-Sarapulova, Sienna Kells Dillensneider, Liv Dow, Rhylissa Doxzen, Nicole Marie DuCharme, Jolene Marie Dunbar, Hannah Dupont, Christopher Michael Emond, Brian T. Farrell, Marta Fernandes, Brittany Fiore, Grace Valentine Fisher, Krissa Fondakowski, Zachary Ryan Fournier, Nichole Fox, Amanda L. Francis, Edwin Liam Fritz, Mae Elizabeth Fuller, Aiden Fulton, Brianna Lynn Gabry, Cecilia Gakpe, Juliet Angcaya Gallant, Shawn S. Garland, Adyson Marie George, Christina Isabelle Gexler, Kaylin Latham Gibbons, Kensey Eve Gibson, Martin Given, Samuel Robert Glazier, Vladimir Glebov, Samuel Shumans Grincewicz, Jacqueline Alexandra Guaman Dutan, Ryanne Gubala, Elcira Gutierrez Mendoza, Katie Haas, Sandi Harris, Shamayra Hernandez, Gracen Hicks, Jayden Hosmer, Calley Hubert, Angelina Hunt, Taylor Hunter, Cyrus Irani, Samantha Itsou, Caroline Anne James, Eliza Cate Johnson, Isabel S. Johnson, Milkah K. Kale, Brett Anthony Keating, Mary Theresa Kelleher, Hannah Kieffer, Kimberly N. Kilduff, Lila Inez Kirley, Angela Sue Kirouac, Shyanne Labrie, Nayana LaFond, Matthew James LaMontagne, Robert Latson, Veronica Laurenitis, Brianna Lee, Jessica Lenihan, Michael David Liebenow, Linda Lopez, Sofiya A. Loseva, Jeremy Lyndon Lumbab, SiJun Lyu, Michael Magnuson, Sylvie Mahon-Moore, Crystal Rose Marcantel, Darien Marden, Amanda Marek-Miskolczi, Brittany Martell, Coley Jasmine Martin, Danielle M. Mattoon, Senquisity McGill, Colin McNeill, Charles Joseph McQuaid, Brenda E. Mendez, Stephanie Mercorelli, Liviu Mihailicenco, Tyler Milliken, Emily Paige Mills, Sofia Anna Morgan, Devin Casey Jane Morton, Alex Murdock, Jennifer L. Negron, Matthew Newell, Miranda Newsome, Elijah Norman, Aidan O’Brien, Charlotte Marie Perkins-Brown, Samantha J. Phillips, Blake Pollard, Sasha Joette Rasid, Alysha A. Reardon, Jocelyn N. Rice, Yanina Rivas Paredes, Michaela M. Rock, Iliana  Ro driguez, Kat Romero, Xoelle Rose, Autumn L. Roy, Br   ianna Lynn Royer, Michael Rubeck, Eamon Sky Rudel, Amelia Ann Ruff, Monica Rumierz, Michael P. Russell, Nathan Sanchez, Jennifer Marie Sawin, Liam Elliot Schifferli, Jacquelyn Schors, Alexander Schwabe, Ashley Schwabe, Samantha Jayne Schwers, Richard Sergeiko-Marcotte, Teiasha Monae Sharp,  Gwen Shersnow, Manpreet Singh, Joseph H. Skutnik, Kaycee Alexandra Slocum, Erin Maryn Smith, Faith Ruth Smith, Lucas Finnegan Smith, Hali Ann Snow, Tobiah Hawk Sol, Patricia Olayemi Nauko Daguil  Sonaike, Riley Norcross Sorenson, Melissa Noemi Stoffolano, Kristina Chiang, Ene-Liis Teppo, Holly Tetreault, Joshua David Thompson, Aiya Thomson, Nicole Ann Thornton, Tenzin C. Thutop, Ebony Sapphire Timothy, Henry Tobin-Schrems, Niasia A. Torres-Ruiz, Suzanne M. Travisano, Cassidy Trudeau, Samuel Stein Turow, Krista Rebecca Uzdavinis, Kennedy Vaillancourt, Samira Vann-Rodriguez, Olivia Noelle Vassar, Jennifer Elizabeth Vogel, Rachel Leslie Waldron, Amber Westort, Maxwell Joshua Bowditch Wilby, Colleen Rebecca Wiles, Corin Wisnewski, Yangjin Lamu, James Edward Zdanowicz and Alec Zukowski.

Awards

Accounting Award: Brandon Pollard.

Art Department “Medici” Award: Tyler Milliken, Acadia Black and Caroline James.

Donald Oberacker Liberal Arts/Science Award: Zachary Colby.

Charles Green Award: Aiya Thomson.

Global Seal of Biliteracy: Aiden Fulton, Ada Margaret Min Denenfeld Kelly and Richard Sergeiko-Marcotte.

Student Sen ate Impact Award: Jayden Hosmer.

Excellence in Liberal Arts/English: Gwendolyn E. Shersnow.

Excellence in Social Sciences: Aiya Thomson and Yangjin Lamu.

Excellence in Mental Health Nursing: Courtney Fuller.

Excellence in Pediatric Nursing: Stephanie Mercorelli.

Excellence in Medical-Surgical Nursing: Simona Cotet.

Excellence in Maternal  Nursing: Sienna Kells Dillensneider.

Excellence in Academic and Clinical Performance Overall: Autumn L. Roy.

Excellence in Nursing Research: Sasha J. Rasid.