Tabor Academy will celebrate its 138th Commencement Service at 2:00 pm on May 30, Memorial Day, graduating 139 students from as close as Marion, the Cape and Southeastern, MA, to as far away as China, Thailand, and Nigeria. The class of 2016 had admirable success in the college process. According to Kerry Saltonstall, Director of Communications, ninety percent of the class applied to a most or highly competitive college according to Barron’s Guide, while seventy-six percent of the class found success in that very competitive pool of schools. Eighty-seven percent were admitted to one of their top three choices.
Tabor begins Commencement Weekend with a Baccalaureate Service on Sunday, May 29, the night before diplomas are received. As is the school’s custom, a parent of a senior is typically invited to address the class. This year, Mrs. Angela Dawicki (mother of Hannah Dawicki of Fairhaven) will be the speaker. Angela holds a B.S. and a M.S. in biomedical engineering from Tulane University. In 1995, Angela and her husband Eric purchased the Northeast Maritime Institute, which offers maritime education for professional mariners. In 2014, under their leadership, the Institute received degree-granting authority from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and began offering an Associate in Applied Science in Nautical Science degree program in 2015. While Angela has held many roles at the Institute, she is currently the Chief Academic Officer.
The celebration continues the next day with a formal procession of the seniors, surrounded by underclassmen, parents, families, friends, and faculty. After a greeting from the Head of School, John Quirk, and the Chair of the Board of Trustees, Carmine Martignetti ’71 (Marion), the Class of 2016 will hear from the student Co-Heads of School, classmates Mary Kate McIntire (Mattapoisett) and Oliver Sughrue (Marion). Following a musical interlude, Richard Roller, Senior Master and Director of College Counseling, will give the Commencement Address. Mr. Roller and his wife, Joan, are retiring from Tabor after 46 years of service. Rich Roller has served the school in many and varied administrative roles, most recently as Dean of Faculty, Director of College Counseling, Assistant Head and Senior Master. And, over the decades, he and Joan have worn many hats: as teachers, coaches, and house parents, working with four of Tabor’s nine Heads of School.
After the Commencement Address, the business of recognizing the class begins in earnest. The first order of business is honoring and inducting new members of the Cum Laude Society, the school’s top academic students. Following the induction ceremony, the faculty will award other achievement and service awards to the class, recognize retiring faculty, and finally, present the diplomas.
The service will take place under cover of a grand tent at 2:00 pm on the waterfront and will run approximately two hours with a reception for families following; no road closures are planned.
Tri-Town graduates include:
Marion: Sarah Kathleen Adams; Phoebe Washburn Bride; Brett Matthew Dineen; Tucker Adam Francis; Bradford William Gebhardt; Abigail Kennedy Heron; Zachary Hale Lowe; Christopher Gallagher Muther; Michael Joseph Ryan; Robert Alan Stickles, II; Oliver Lawrence Sughrue; Elizabeth Burr Tarrant; and Brooke Carolyn Wakeman
Mattapoisett: Jeremiah Brown Adams; Liam Patrick Barley; Cameron Anderson Coelho; Noah Curtis Greany; Colin Allen Kay; and Mary Katharine Evans McIntire
Rochester: Kyle Emmanuel Rood
CONGRATULATIONS to you, Rich and Joan! Forty-six years is a lifetime! I’m sure you will be sorely missed by students and faculty. All the best in this next exciting journey of your life!