31 Southeastern Regional Seniors Earn Associate’s Degrees from Massasoit Community College Through Early College High School Initiative

SOUTH EASTON — Superintendent Luis Lopes and Principal Leslie Weckesser are pleased to recognize 31 seniors who received their Associate of Arts degrees from Massasoit Community College. 

The students were recognized as part of the Class of 2022 during the Massasoit Commencement Ceremony on Thursday, May 26 at the Brockton campus. Of the 31 students who received degrees, 13 of those students also graduated with honors. 

The graduates are:

• Ashley Barjon, of Brockton (with Honors)
• Colyn Bennett, of Foxborough
• Izayah Bernard, of Brockton
• Michael Burrowes, of Stoughton
• Kedjine Cadet, of Brockton
• Shaniya Capre, of Brockton
• Michelle Chaplain, of Brockton (with Honors)
• Piper Culp, of East Bridgewater (with Highest Honors)
• Melanie DeBarros, of Brockton
• Benjamin Dorelien, of Brockton (with Honors)
• Ruth Duprevil, of Brockton
• Kaila Duverger, of Easton
• Oliver Eaton, of East Bridgewater (with Honors)
• Lourdiana Etienne, of Brockton
• Shamairra Excellent, of Brockton
• Yolanda Exilien, of Brockton (with Honors)
• Darlene Ezeonugo, of Brockton (with Honors)
• Edith Germain, of Brockton
• Theresa Gilbride, of Sharon
• Zenilda Goncalves, of Brockton (with Highest Honors)
• Emmanuelle Isme, of Brockton (with Honors)
• Sania Johnson, of Stoughton
• Owen Maciel, of East Bridgewater
• Cailey McAvoy, of Brockton (with Honors)
• Jazelyn Mercado, of Brockton (with Honors)
• D’Demarco Miller, of Brockton (with High Honors)
• Brittney Riley, of Stoughton (with High Honors)
• Tamba Sewa, of Stoughton
• Ana Souza, of Mansfield
• Ariel Rain Taylor, of Easton
• Alexa Wright, of Brockton (with Honors)

Seniors Melisha Abraham, of Brockton; Matthew Esty, of Foxborough; Nazalia Fernandes, of Brockton; Sargine Fortin, of Brockton; and Dianalis Lugo-Cabrera of Stoughton also participated in the program, completing over half of the credits required for the degree. 

“I am proud of all of our Early College students and so very happy for each of them.  The students have shown that they can succeed at things that are difficult, persevere when a course or situation seems impossible, and celebrate each challenge that they encounter,” said Michele Tracia, Dual Enrollment & Early College High School coordinator. “Not only have they created a culture of academic and vocational success – they have created an ECHS student community in which they each genuinely care for one another. They are good students, great friends, and impressive human beings.”

Added Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Catie Tuccinardi, “Our Early College High School graduates are quite an amazing group! They preserved through remote learning during the pandemic and continued to thrive when they returned to Massasoit’s campus in the fall. I can’t wait to hear about their future success.”

The students received their degrees through Southeastern’s Early College High School (ECHS) initiative. Through ECHS, students are able to take college courses while finishing high school. 

Students participating in ECHS begin by taking Dual Enrollment courses at Southeastern after the school day, and then can attend college courses full time at the Massasoit Brockton campus during their junior and senior years of high school. The courses count as credit on both their high school and college transcripts allowing students to earn their high school diploma and an associate’s degree, or a significant amount of credits toward a degree.

Through ECHS, the students participated in Massasoit’s Liberal Arts Transfer Program. Students took classes that gave them a broad background in humanities, natural sciences, math and social sciences. The program is designed for students who plan to transfer with the earned credits into a liberal arts bachelor’s degree program. 

“I am so proud of these graduates and congratulate them on this well-earned accolade. The Early College High School initiative is a great opportunity for our students to build their college readiness through exposure to college coursework and working with college faculty and peers while they’re still in high school,” Principal Weckesser said. “Their success in the program is a result of persistence and a great dedication to their education, and this achievement is all the more impressive considering a significant part of their high school experience was amid the COVID-19 pandemic. I hope they are each proud of this outstanding accomplishment.”

###