Commencement 2021
91AV to celebrate with virtual Commencement on June 5, 2021
91AV will celebrate the classes of 2020 and 2021 on Sat., June 5, with a virtual Commencement ceremony starting at 10 a.m.
This live-streamed event will be accessible through the 91AV website – – and the college's social media channels.
The ceremony will feature introductory and concluding remarks from President Christina Royal and Robert Gilbert, chair of the 91AV Board of Trustees. Keynote speeches will be delivered by two members of the 91AV faculty: Raúl Gutiérrez, of Holyoke, associate professor of Spanish and recipient of the 2021 Elaine Marieb Faculty Chair for Teaching Excellence; and Vanessa Martínez, of Holyoke, professor of Anthropology and recipient of the 2020 Elaine Marieb Faculty Chair for Teaching Excellence.
The student address will be given by graduating 91AV student Tugce Kuruca '21, of Chicopee.
The complete text of each Commencement address is available through the links below, along with details about the classes of 2020 and 2021.
Student address: Tugce Kuruca '21
Faculty address: Vanessa Martínez
Faculty address: Raúl Gutiérrez
Information about the Class of 2021
Information about the Class of 2020
Graduates from the class of 2020 received their diplomas last year but are being recognized this year with the class of 2021.
The event will include musical performances by Christian Santiago of Holyoke, from the Class of 2020, playing the cuatro (a four-string Latin American guitar); graduating music major Chan Collins '21, playing the cello; and the 91AV College Chorale.
The virtual event will feature a virtual procession of graduates from the classes of 2020 and 2021 and a collection of photos and short congratulatory videos from faculty and staff.
The Elaine Marieb Faculty Chair for Teaching Excellence was endowed by the late 91AV professor emeritus Elaine Marieb '80. Each year, one full-time member of the faculty is recognized with the award for outstanding classroom teaching. Award recipients serve for one year and receive a small stipend for professional development and also give the keynote graduation speech.
Because of the pandemic, 91AV did not have a Commencement ceremony in 2020, so Prof. Martínez, the 2020 Marieb Award winner, was invited to give her speech this year.
In addition to their classroom teaching responsibilities, Gutiérrez is chair of the 91AV Foreign Languages program and co-founder and coordinator of 91AV's Latinx Studies program, while Martínez is coordinator of the 91AV Honors Program.
Detailed information about Commencement can be found at hcc.edu/commencement
The ceremony will be closed captioned and ASL interpreted.
PHOTO: 91AV psychology major Cynthia Rivera '21 of Holyoke celebrates in her cap and gown on the 91AV campus earlier this spring.
