University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Undergraduate & Graduate Student Ceremony II

UMass Board of Trustees

• Stephen R. Karam, Chairman
• Mary L. Burns, Vice Chair ’84, Lowell
• Bethany C. Berry '26, Chan Medical School
• David M. Brunelle
• Gerald G. Colella ’78, Lowell
• Abigail E. Cooper '26, Lowell
• Gina M. Cuba '26, Dartmouth
• Jose M. Delgado ’18, Amherst
• Kenneth Fiola, Jr., JD, '95, Dartmouth
• Ava C. Marino, '26, Amherst
• Juana B. Matias ’09, Boston
• Michael V. O’Brien ’88, Amherst
• Noreen C. Okwara, M.D., ’12, Boston; ’17, Chan Medical School
• Imari K. Paris Jeffries, PhD, BA, MEd, MA, PhD ’97, ’99, ’03, ’23, Boston
• Julie M. Ramos Gagliardi, MBA, ’87, Dartmouth
• Abigail Raymond ’26, Boston
• Elizabeth D. Scheibel, JD
• Joseph C. Sullivan ’81, Amherst
• Steven A. Tolman ’99, Boston
• Marcellette Gaillard-Gay Williams, PhD
• Charles F. Wu, MBA
• Stephen K. Zrike, Jr., EdD

UMass Dartmouth Mission

UMass Dartmouth distinguishes itself as a vibrant, public research university dedicated to engaged learning and innovative research resulting in personal and lifelong student success. The University serves as an intellectual catalyst for economic, social, and cultural transformation on a global, national, and regional scale.

UMass Dartmouth Vision

UMass Dartmouth will be a globally recognized premier research university committed to inclusion, access, advancement of knowledge, student success, and community enrichment.

Land Acknowledgement Statement

UMass Dartmouth acknowledges the land that we occupy and on which we sit today as the traditional and ancestral home of the Wampanoag nation, including: the Mashpee, Nauset, Nantucket, Pennacook, Pokanoket, Pocasset, Seaconke, and other indigenous nations of Southeast Massachusetts. Without them, we would not have access to this gathering and to this dialogue. We take this opportunity to thank and honor the original caretakers of this land.

History of the University

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth traces its roots to 1895 when the state Legislature chartered the New Bedford Textile School and the Bradford Durfee Textile School in Fall River.

As the region’s economic base shifted from textiles to more diverse manufacturing and service industries, the colleges adapted by diversifying their curricula to respond to the needs of new generations of students. By the middle of the 20th century, the colleges grew rapidly, spurred by the GI Bill and the emerging economic and social advantages of a well-educated citizenry. They evolved into multipurpose institutions that prepared engineers, healthcare workers, teachers, and business leaders.

In 1962, the Legislature created Southeastern Massachusetts Technological Institute (SMTI) by merging the New Bedford Textile School and the Bradford Durfee Textile School. The 710-acre campus in Dartmouth, located between the urban centers of New Bedford and Fall River, was created in 1964. The dramatic campus design was the work of renowned architect Paul Rudolph, then Dean of the Yale University School of Art and Architecture.

The public demand for a comprehensive university provided the momentum in 1969 to transform SMTI into Southeastern Massachusetts University. In 1988, the Swain School of Design merged with the University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, strengthening programs in art and artisanry. In 1991, Southeastern Massachusetts University and the University of Lowell joined the University of Massachusetts, which already had campuses in Amherst, Boston, and Worcester. Thus, Southeastern Massachusetts University became the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Then, in 1994, UMass Dartmouth received approval to offer its first Ph.D. In 2010, the University opened its School of Law, Massachusetts’s only public law school. The school has since earned national American Bar Association accreditation.

Throughout its history, the University has been a national leader in civic engagement. In 2013, it earned a national top 20 ranking among nearly 800 institutions ranked by the Corporation for National Community Service. In 2016, the University achieved formal doctoral institution status when the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education designated the University as a "Doctoral University–Higher Research Activity." The University remains the only Massachusetts research university located south of Boston.

After achieving "Doctoral University– Higher Research Activity" in 2016, UMass Dartmouth’s research enterprise saw continued growth in high-growth areas like marine technology, cybersecurity, STEM education, offshore wind impacts, big data, and climate change. In recognition of the University’s mission fulfillment, U.S. News & World Report ranked the University #102 in the nation and the second highest-ranked University among public universities in New England on their 2025 Top Performers on Social Mobility list. The ranking analyzes institutions that are more successful than others at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of low-income students awarded Pell Grants.

Academic Regalia

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and other institutions of higher learning evolved from the great medieval universities in Europe, such as those in Bologna, founded in 1088, Oxford in 1167, and Cambridge in 1209. At that time, everyone wore long gowns and full-flowing robes. After 1600, these apparel were rarely worn in common life, but the tradition continues during Commencement ceremonies.

Gowns are of three basic patterns: (a) the Bachelor’s gown, of unadorned black and with long pointed sleeves; (b) the Master’s gown, unadorned black but with an oblong sleeve, open at the wrist, square cut with an arc cut away; and (c) the Doctor’s gown, velvet-faced, with bell-shaped sleeves and bars of velvet on each sleeve.

In today’s academic procession, the regalia not only contribute pageantry and color but denote the academic status of their wearers. The cap, or mortarboard, is worn by all academics upon occasion. Only those with an academic degree wear the tassel to their left, and only those with a Doctor’s degree are permitted tassels of gold.

The Mace

The mace, once a terrible instrument of medieval close combat, has come to symbolize the power and authority of an appointed or anointed leader. Many universities, eager to engage in the medieval pageantry reflecting the origins of our earliest universities, have adapted the mace as a ceremonial staff borne at the head of processions traditionally marking the beginning of convocation and commencement.

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Mace, created by Richard Creighton, Professor of Fine Arts, is the gift of the late Vice Chancellor for Student Services Emeritus, Celestino Macedo, and the late Special Assistant to the President, Norman Zalkind, LHD ’81.

Student Speaker

Angel Pelissari ‘26

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography

Angel Pelissari is a first-generation student graduating from the College of Visual and Performing Arts. She is earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography. In her time at UMass Dartmouth, Angel has demonstrated academic excellence, earning Chancellor's and Dean's List honors, and has spent a semester abroad in Italy. Her photographic work explores themes including faith, poetic interpretation, and cultural perspective, aiming to encourage viewers to form a connection that fosters personal engagement.

During her undergraduate career, Angel held several leadership positions, including serving as an Orientation Leader and uplifting Portuguese-speaking cultures as Social Media Chair for the Lusophone Student Union. She worked in CVPA's Media Center and in the International Programs Office as a Social Media Manager. Angel participated in on-campus initiatives, including volunteering for Mental Health Day and hosting local 7th-grade students for College Positive Tours with the Leduc Center for Civic Engagement.

In Angel's free time, she indulges in her longtime passion for music, playing mainly drums and acoustic guitar, and listening to a variety of genres. She is a food enthusiast with a particular love for Brazilian cuisine and a constant curiosity about global flavors.

Welcome to the Alumni Association!

Congratulations from the UMass Dartmouth Alumni Association! As you determine where the next steps lead you—whether you remain in the SouthCoast, relocate for your dream job, or take some time to decide—a network of 60,000+ UMass Dartmouth alumni worldwide are here to support you. There are many ways for you to be an active and engaged UMassD alum starting today!

Keep in touch through the Blue & Gold Network

Sign up for the Blue & Gold Network where you can connect with UMass Dartmouth alumni for career mentoring, job openings, and more. Create a profile with your updated contact information, including your post-graduate job, to ensure that you receive the latest news for alumni. 

Save the date for Blue & Gold Weekend

Return to UMassD for Blue & Gold Weekend in October to celebrate Corsair pride! Join alumni, students, families, faculty, and staff for events across campus, including the Alumni Awards, Corsair Athletics Hall of Fame, tailgate, and more!