End of the Academic Year Celebrations

Future Focus

The Future Focus program held a fun-filled celebration to commemorate the end of the academic year. Future Focus is a one-year program that provides nontraditional students with personalized advising and resources to ease the transition into higher education. The occasion was also an opportunity to acknowledge the work done by Future Focus tutor, Ebenezer Ahiator, who just graduated with an Associate in Science and has helped many students succeed throughout his time at QCC.

Psi Beta Honor Society

The Psi Beta Honor Society held an induction ceremony for 16 students at the end of the Spring semester. Psi Beta is a national honor society that promotes excellence in scholarship, leadership, research and community service. QCC's Psychology Department funded seven scholarships to pay for induction fees, assisting students join in this recognition.

The Psi Beta Honor Society induction included:

Juliana Borges 
Leidy Gabriela Cruz 
Jenner Alejandro Cruz Gaitan
Cristopher Edwin Louis Flecha 
Ashley Marie Florest 
Crystal Gagnon  
Aurora Lisa Gigliotti 
Nellie Niayesh Haghdoust
Patience A Miller 
Meghav Sanjay Patel 
Wendy Ramirez 
Jakob Sheppard 
Paige Elizabeth Turcotte 
Lily Turenne 
Laura Belle Whitney 

Honors and Awards

The Honors and Awards ceremony was one for the books this year! This annual celebration recognizes the many ways that QCC students have gone above and beyond throughout their time at the college. Awards are given to veteran students, those who have excelled academically in their major, participants in the honors programs, TRIO participants, and various memorial awards. 

Notable distinctions included the following awards:

• Angelica Araujo - Francis Gardner Memorial Award
• Michelle Huynh - Jean Smelewicz Memorial Award
• Alexis Cadoret - Patricia A. Lemire Award
• Anna Coffey - Rose Caprioli Memorial Award
• Samantha Gibson - Nancy O'Han Memorial Award
• Keishla Flores - Carol Lawson Memorial Scholarship
• Armoni Allred & Paul Landry - Student Athletes of the Year
• Michael Frey - Outstanding Student Leader Award
• Matthew Vitolo - Wyvern Award
• Talissa Goncalves da Silva - James H. Harrington Outstanding Student Citizen Award

STEM Students of the Semester

STEM Deans Benjamin Benton (School of Mathematics, Science & Engineering) and Brady Hammond (Acting Dean of Computing & Applied Technologies) announced the names of 40 individual STEM students whose efforts and achievements were recognized for Spring 2025 as STEM Students of the Semester. The students were honored on May 6 at a recognition dinner held on campus sponsored by QCC’s STEM Starter Academy (SSA).

Dean Benton acted as Master of Ceremonies and opened the program with remarks. 

“Each semester, we ask faculty to nominate students in their classes who best exemplify the qualities of a successful STEM student: Rising to a challenge, showing persistence and demonstrating a natural curiosity about the world around them," said Benton. "Students, you are here tonight because your faculty saw something special in you. They recognized your potential. They believe you are on a path toward success. Whether you took a STEM class as a major requirement, or as part of your general education, you completed something challenging —and hopefully rewarding —an experience that will stay with you as you move forward in life.”

The STEM Students of the Semester were each presented with a Certificate of Recognition by QCC President Dr. Luis Pedraja. Students had been notified by a letter containing a quote from the faculty member who selected them. Student success stories will be shared in various QCC media channels, including future issues of the Wyvern Guardian newsletter.

Students receiving individual recognition and the STEM area they were selected in are listed below. For more information, contact STEM Initiatives Program Administrator Adrienne Linnell, at alinnell@qcc.mass.edu.