By Elizabeth Ednie
The College celebrated its 73rd Academic Convocation on August 25 in the Sally Blair Ames Sports Complex, welcoming the Class of 2025 and extending congratulations to the graduating Class of 2022.
Due to the high heat index, the event was moved from the W.B. Mason stadium into the field house of the Sports Complex, according to an email sent from the President’s office just hours before Convocation.
As each new academic year begins, the celebration honors the senior class, the first year class, the new transfer students as well as graduate students at the College. Also honored at this event, is the recipient of the previous year’s winner of the Hegarty Award for Excellence in Teaching, as well as this year’s winner.
This year’s winner is Professor Pamela Lombardi, a member of the Chemistry Department at Stonehill. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, DeBrenna Agbenyiga announced Lombardi as the winner while reciting kind words and gratitude students wrote as part of their nominations.
One student wrote that despite not having Lombardi as a professor, she was stopped in the hallway of the Chemistry Department one day where Lombardi asked her by name how she was doing that semester. The student continued to say that by making the effort to know her name even though she was not Lombardi’s student meant the world to her, and was the reason why she nominated Lombardi for this award.
Another student wrote that after receiving their final exam grade at the end of one fall semester, Lombardi sent an email during winter break just to say that she was proud of the improvement that student had throughout the semester. According to the quote Abbenyiga read, it made that student feel proud despite thinking they were going to receive a better grade.
Lombardi thanked everyone for nominating her, but said it could have been any professor at Stonehill receiving the award.
“I can think of so many others, not only in the Chemistry Department, but in departments all across campus that deserve this award as well,” she said.
Professor of Finance, Michael Mullen received the award for the 2020-2021 academic year. In his speech, he spoke upon his life and upbringing, his career, and gave students words of inspiration as they navigate their first or their last years of college.
“Dig deep inside your soul and truly be the best that you can be,” Mullen said. “Make a commitment to lifelong learning as it will bring you great joy, and always give your best effort. When you do these things, don’t be afraid to grab opportunity when it comes.”
Along with the Hegarty Award, it is tradition that the Senior Class President presents a shovel from the extensive collection Stonehill has, to President Father John Denning, C.S.C, that represents the graduating class.
According to the Stonehill Archive’s Instagram page, President Kemuel Navarrete ’22 presented Denning with a Sheffield Heart Blade Shovel with a Sayner, Cook & Ridal-Paxton Works label and a wooden D handle.
In his explanation as to why he chose this shovel to represent the class of 2022, Navarrete said that it’s evident that through our continued academic achievements, NE10 championships and strong community, the class of 2022 has come together to fight multiple issues along with a pandemic. And despite not knowing much about this shovel, it intrigued him.
According to Navarrete, the heart shaped shovel reminded him of the saying we see on shirts and stickers all over campus: “Strong Minds, Stronger Hearts,” which he connected to living and going to college during a pandemic while still achieving great things.
“Here at Stonehill, we are taught to ‘Think, Act, and Lead with courage towards the creation of a more just and compassionate world.’” Navarrete said. “We will leave here being better people and equipped with tools to create a better world around us.”
At the end of his speech, Navarrete encouraged his classmates to take full advantage of every moment of the upcoming year, because the journey has been far from easy.
In his President’s Address at the end of Convocation, Father Denning recognizes the challenges these past 18 months have presented on everyone, and said that he looks forward to working with the College this upcoming academic year, to deliver the school’s mission; extending the light and hope that Stonehill embodies.
