Bristol Community College graduates ready to make their mark on the world

FALL RIVER — Saturday’s commencement address for Bristol Community College was as much a call to action as it was a graduation ceremony for the hundreds of graduates collecting their diplomas.

The occasion marked the college’s 52nd annual commencement ceremony, but it also provided the opportunity for students, faculty, and guest speakers to urge graduates to use the lessons they’ve learned at Bristol to help make the world a better place.

Class of 2019 Valedictorian and human services major Dawn Lopes delivered a speech comparing the academic careers of her fellow graduates to the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly, concluding with an urging for students to chant “my dreams are within reach.”

“Let’s get to work, and while we’re there let’s do something creative,” she said. “Do something innovative. Let us color our endeavors in the sky so the world knows we were here.”

College President Laura Douglas highlighted the capabilities of the gathered students and their likelihood of success in the future.

“Your future will present you with additional challenges, but know you are well-prepared by your experiences at this school,” she said. “There is a great demand for your skills and talent. You will have the chance to make your mark.”

Bristol Community College’s commitment to the region’s emerging alternative energy industry, particularly its recently launched wind energy program, was also highlighted throughout Saturday’s ceremony.

Both commencement speaker Dr. Carolyn Heeps, head of North American renewables at UK-based company Lloyd’s Register, and New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell pointed out the uniqueness of the graduation being held beneath one of BCC’s solar panels.

“This is the perfect place for an institution that will be a global leader in alternative energy,” said Mitchell.

Rather than offer advice on how graduates can find success in the future, Mitchell's speech included a warning against students spending their lives as spectators in society.

“The reality is, you can’t rest on your laurels. Today is not a stopping point,” he said. “You can either be a passive victim of circumstance or you can take charge of your circumstances. You can let the world happen to you or you can make things happen.”

Mathematics professor Yanjun Chen, business professor Cecil Leonard, and history professor Marlene Pollock were named BCC’s 2019 Professor Emeriti for their excellence in teaching and community service. Associate history professor Donald E. Kilguss Jr. was recognized by the Bristol Community College Student Senate as this year’s recipient of the Last Lecture Award for his work in positively impacting the lives of students.

In thanking students, Kilguss compared the cumulative life experiences of graduates as “treasure chests of insight.”

“Never be ashamed of what you’ve been through or what you’ve done because all of those experiences have made you the unique, special person that you are today,” he said. “Today, Bristol joins the other artifacts in your treasure chest. Rely on it as a source of inspiration for the rest of your life.”