Curry College celebrated its Commencement on Sunday, May 17, 2009 in Milton, Massachusetts. Dr. Joan Wallace-Benjamin, President & Chief Executive Officer of The Home for Little Wanderers, served as Commencement speaker and was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters. Melvin B. Drapkin , Vice Chairman of the Curry College Board of Trustees, was awarded a Doctor of Business Administration.
In her Commencement address, Wallace- Benjamin tried to relay a sense of hope to the graduating Class of 2009, in the face of an economic downturn.
"Today you enter a world that is not in great shape: a planet overheating, a national debt off the charts," she remarked.
"But you know, my dad always told us that adversity builds character. I also know that the education you have received from Curry, the character and strength that you have developed from your experiences in this community combined with the true grit of your own personality and reservoir of internal resources, will enable you to sing and thrive no matter the circumstances."
John Abdulla of Woburn, MA was named valedictorian and Tanya Dufour of North Easton, MA was named salutatorian of the traditional undergraduate Class of 2009. Maria Arrowsmith of Kingston, MA was named valedictorian and Patti Callahan of Plymouth, MA was named salutatorian for the Continuing Education Class of 2009. Abdulla also received the New Era Award.
Speakers included Catherine Walper of Hull, MA representing the traditional undergraduate class, Melissa Williamson of Sandwich, MA representing continuing education, and Robert Devine of Stoughton, MA representing graduate studies.
Curry College conferred 816 degrees on students from 22 states and 5 countries, including 404 traditional undergraduate students, 276 undergraduates from the Division of Continuing and Graduate Studies, and 136 graduate students. Of the 680 undergraduates, 516 received Bachelor of Arts degrees and 164 received Bachelor of Science degrees.