News 2016: What’s next for the Class of 2016

Members of the Class of 2016 share their plans for what comes next following their time at UMassD

The UMass Dartmouth Class of 2016 is made up of 2,086 students, representing 214 Massachusetts communities, 22 states, and 26 countries. The top five communities of UMass Dartmouth's graduating class are New Bedford, Fall River, Dartmouth, Boston, and Taunton. This past Commencement season, the University awarded 32 PhDs and 11 DNPs (Doctor of Nursing Practice). The University celebrated its first graduating class since its ascension to Doctoral Research University earlier this year.

Several members of the graduating class share their plans for what comes next following their time as students at UMassD.

Dylan Baker: Software engineer at NASA Goddard Space Center

“I’ve been interested in science and technology for as long as I can remember. As I learned more about computers, I realized how great the potential for this technology is, and I ultimately knew that I wanted to become a computer engineer.”

Dylan, a Computer Engineering major, will work full-time as a software engineer with the NASA Goddard Space Center. The New Bedford native also plans to enroll part-time in graduate computer engineering classes here at UMassD.

Michael Dueñas: practicing law to make the world a better place

We live in a very complex world with a lot of seemingly intractable public problems, but I’m convinced that careful analysis and creative strategies can make the world a better place.

“At the end of the day, I wanted to go back to school and obtain a degree that would help me become a better advocate. That is one of the reasons I decided on UMass School of Law: it is a public interest law school that attracts like minded-people who want to make this world a better place.”

Michael, who earned his Juris Doctorate this year, will be returning to work in a field that he has the most passionate about, organized labor. He will be working as an attorney/representative with a union that represents federal employees. Michael will start shortly after taking the bar exam.

Shereen Cruz: Growing personally and professionally

“The challenge in nursing is accepting that you can only do so much for someone. However, the benefit is understanding that no matter how big or small your act of service may have been, it could have made all the difference in someone’s life.”

Shereen is completing her senior nursing mentorship in the operating room at Women and Infants in Providence, Rhode Isalnd. After graduation, she plans to study and pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) exam.

Miriam Asangong: Accounting internships lead to career success

I’ve found that I enjoy accounting. I like how structured, organized, and detail-oriented it is. As someone who loves to analyze things and wants a straightforward answer, accounting just clicked with me.”

Miriam accepted a full-time position as an accountant/auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). She plans to take the CPA exam and prove to PwC that she’s a good asset by working hard and always looking toward the next opportunity.

Megan DeBarros: Internships and mentors point the way to success

“My mentors at UMassD inspire me to work hard because they themselves have had to compete with Ivy League alumni, but they proved themselves, and they’ve given me the confidence and resources to know that I can prove myself as well.”

As a major in Marketing and minor in International Business from the Charlton College of Business, Megan had marketing internships with RI Novelty and Your Sports Marketing Group. She finished her studies a semester early and started working in January as a Northeast Sales Associate for medical technology company Becton Dickinson (BD).

Trevor Mattos: Creating opportunities for the disadvantaged

“We live in a very complex world with a lot of seemingly intractable public problems, but I’m convinced that careful analysis and creative strategies can make the world a better place. Public policy is not limited to any one area of social life. Policy analysis offers some powerful ways of understanding the way our society works.”

Trevor, who earned his master’s of Public Policy (MPP), hopes to continue building his skills and knowledge in the Applied Economics Master’s degree program at UMass Boston.

About UMass Dartmouth

UMass Dartmouth was elevated to Doctoral University – Higher Research Activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education following the release of its final 2015 classification in February. The only Bay State research university located south of Boston distinguishes itself as a vibrant public university actively engaged in personalized teaching and innovative research, and acting as an intellectual catalyst for regional economic, social, and cultural development. UMass Dartmouth's mandate to serve its community is realized through countless partnerships, programs, and other outreach efforts to engage the community, and apply its knowledge to help address local issues and empower others to facilitate change for all.

More information

Commencement Spotlights