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Dustin Luca
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SALEM, MASS. – A total of 1,561 students graduated from Salem State University across three ceremonies held Friday and Saturday, May 15 and 16.
The three ceremonies saw 272 Vikings become double Vikings, one double Viking become a triple Viking, and a graduate from 1986 receive a doctorate of humane letters 40 years after he first graduated from Salem State College.
“Your class spans generations, from 20 to 72 years old, and includes full-time students, working parents, career changers, and those who returned to finish a dream long deferred,” university President John Keenan said in his opening remarks to graduates of the Maguire Meservey College of Health and Human Services Friday morning. “We know that completing a college degree is an accomplishment at any age, and perhaps even more remarkable for those completing this journey later in life.
“You come from nearby communities like Salem, Peabody, Lynn, Revere, and from as far away as Brazil, Haiti, and Kenya—and 12 different states, from Vermont to California,” Keenan continued. “You reflect the fabric and resiliency of our community.”
The second ceremony, held Friday afternoon, saw the conferring of an honorary degree to David Masse ’86, a business leader, entrepreneur, and this year’s honorary degree recipient.
“My name is David Masse, and 40 years ago, I was sitting where you are today, graduating from Salem State College in May of 1986,” Masse told graduates of the Bertolon School of Business and College of Arts and Sciences. “If someone had told me back then that I would someday return and give a commencement speech, I would’ve said no way, no chance, and so would all my friends. But life has a funny way of surprising you.”
Later in his remarks, Masse stressed that it “takes a village to be successful—and I’ve been lucky to come across all the people in my life that have helped me, from my team members, my investors, my employees, my friends… it’s all about relationships. What matters most are the people on your journey.”
For that, Masse urged the graduates to give back when they can—in ways that extend beyond the financial.
“Give back to your community whenever you can—provide counsel, guidance, or provide a referral for someone to get a raise,” Masse said. “That’s giving back—you’re helping people. It doesn’t have to be about money.”
Speaking at the Maguire Meservey College of Health and Human Services ceremony Friday morning, student speaker Bourin You ’26G highlighted the variety of experiences in the graduating students.
“For some of us, this journey has been one year. For some, three years, and others, even more so,” You said. “What matters is that the day you’ve looked forward to for so long is here: We’re done!
“Now what?” You continued. “What are your aspirations? Whether it’s another educational opportunity, job, travel, or a well-deserved period of rest, I hope you’re choosing what is right in your heart. Outside the arbitrary rules of life that we’re taught, you have the autonomy to make life whatever you want.
“After all, life is like a work of art,” You said. “The closer we look at the countless colors, shades, textures, and patterns, the less it makes sense. But when you take a step back, everything comes together and before you is a beautiful, sometimes chaotic masterpiece. Those countless colors, shades, textures, and patterns are energizing opportunities, milestone life events, staying up late to finish that project, and today—this graduation.”
Barbara Cruz Rodriguez ’26, addressing the Bertolon School of Business and College of Arts and Sciences ceremony Friday afternoon, examined the community that she found in college life. Like You, Cruz-Rodriguez characterized what she experienced as “beautiful.”
“I think about how we all started,” Cruz Rodriguez said. “Back then, we were just strangers walking the same halls. But slowly, over four years, something beautiful happened. We started seeing the same familiar faces in the library, in the quad during those fun Frat Pie days, and at Sidelines, celebrating the small victories of getting through another long week.
“We went from being strangers to being a family, almost without noticing it,” Cruz Rodriguez continued. “We didn’t just survive these four years—we grew into a family.”
It wasn’t always easy, Cruz Rodriguez explained.
“We’ve all had those ups and downs—the late nights in the library, the self-doubt, and those moments we sat in our rooms wondering, ‘what am I eve doing here?’” Cruz Rodriguez said. “If you ever felt like you were barely holding it together, and yet you are sitting here in that cap and gown right now… I am so deeply proud of you. You pushed through. You chose to be resilient.”
Olivia Pelletier ’26G, addressing the McKeown School of Education and College of Arts and Sciences ceremony Saturday morning, opened her remarks by highlighting what she learned about the concept of the word “believe” amid its prevalence in the TV show Ted Lasso.
“Today, as we celebrate earning our degrees and looking back on what we’ve done the past few years, that word keeps coming back to me—believe,” Pelletier said. “Although we are all a bunch of intelligent humans to begin with, it still required belief to get here—belief when we were exhausted, belief when imposter syndrome crept up, belief when we opened an assignment and just stared at it, hoping it would start on its own.
“Somehow, in the middle of all of our work, classes and internships, we kept going—not necessarily because everything was working out, but because we believed,” Pelletier continued. “If there’s one thing this degree has taught us, it’s that believing doesn’t mean you have every answer. It means you trust in yourself enough to take the next step anyway.”