Landmark College Awards First-Ever Baccalaureate Degrees
by Solvegi Shmulsky
I’m proud to be a shark today. —Jackson Martin '16
PUTNEY, Vt. -- On Saturday, May 14, Landmark College conferred degrees on 68 students, including the first twelve baccalaureate degrees in the history of the institution. Graduation was held in the Click Family Sports Center on the Landmark College campus in Putney. An estimated 600 people were in attendance.
Michael Luciani, vice president for Student Affairs, opened the ceremony with remarks that welcomed guests and the College community. He said, “We are here to celebrate students, families, faculty, and staff in this proud and humble moment.”
President Dr. Peter Eden affirmed the mission of the College to “empower individuals to reach their fullest potential.” He said that a strength of Landmark College is its close community. “While this year in particular there’s tumult and volatility on many college campuses, we are better able to confront complex and sensitive issues,” Eden said. “There’s a dialogue and close connection between faculty, staff, and students, which enables us to talk about diversity and other subjects which can be uncomfortable to address.”
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Speeches by the graduates are a distinctive feature of Landmark College’s commencement ceremony, with each graduate having the option to speak. Many echoed Eden’s words about the importance of community and diversity. Often moving and sometimes funny, the speeches contained gratitude, advice, and stories of triumph.
2016 Awards & Class Gift
- Community Service Award: Marc Thurman
- Academic Dean’s Award: Jakob O’Neal and William Sutton
- Charles Drake Award: Malcolm Migel and Chloe O’Hare
- President’s Award: Elizabeth Bellingham
- A class gift of $1279 was designated for scholarship and academic program support
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Associate Degree Graduates
Graduates expressed thanks to family in attendance, faculty, staff, and fellow class members. Jakob O’Neal said, “I was nervous getting out of the car here two years ago, and now I could not be more grateful for the experience.”
A number of graduates reflected on how far they had come from the uncertain days of starting college. “Five years ago I would not have predicted that Landmark College would change my life,” said Chloe O’Hare. “It has changed my life in so many positive ways. I never thought I’d be up here receiving a degree.”
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In candid remarks, Melody Kabbai, Samuel Kane-Gerard, and William Epifanio described early academic struggle and the transformation they made in college.
“Prior to Landmark College, I was called stubborn, lazy, stupid, worthless, and that I’d never amount to anything,” said Kabbai. She explained that she gained confidence and skills while in the A..A degree program. “Deciding to come to Landmark College was the best decision ever. The faculty here believed in me, and now I feel confident about where my future is headed.”
“I have a love-hate relationship with academics,” said Kane-Gerard. “I love learning but I always hated school. Landmark College has given me a chance to reflect on how I learn. It’s a cathartic and refreshing place.”
“I learned skills and strategies to overcome not only LD, but also anxiety, stress, and fear,” said Epifanio. “Strength, courage, perseverance, honesty, and respect are important for students who learn differently to meet challenges.”
B.A. Graduates
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“This graduation is particularly exciting for the community because we have the first baccalaureate class in the history of the College,” President Eden said. Founded in 2012, the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies is an interdisciplinary four-year degree designed for students who learn differently. Dean Jill Hinckley addressed the audience and handed out diplomas. “These 12 graduates are pioneers and quality assurance leaders,” she said. “They walked the road as we paved it.”
Bachelor’s degree graduates Malcolm Migel and Rachel Brown shared how they felt about earning the first B.A. degrees at Landmark College. “I am proud to be in the first class of the B.A.,” said Brown.
Migel noted, “I’ve been a firefighter. I’ve delivered babies. I’ve even saved lives, but this is my crowning achievement.”
In a moving and energizing speech, B.A. graduate Omoefe Ogbeide described the personal tragedy of losing her mother, as well as the educational difficulty she experienced at another college that made her doubt herself. She pointed to Landmark’s “community of mothers” as well as her own tireless work ethic, which enabled her to accomplish her goals. “This college is a testament to what it means to invest in your children,” said Ogbeide. “Other colleges try to change you, but here you change the college. My gratitude is bottomless.”
Closing Remarks from Board of Trustees
At the end of the ceremony, Robert E. Lewis, chairperson of the Landmark College Board of Trustees talked about the privilege and challenge of serving the College. “Landmark College has changed our lives or the lives of our children,” he said. “We are challenged to ensure Landmark exists in perpetuity. We aspire to serve students like these for many years to come because the world needs their unique contributions.”