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As the National Anthem faded and the audience was seated, Dean Laura Bronstein took the podium to welcome the College of Community and Public Affairs’ Class of 2026, their family and friends, and the faculty and staff who mentor and support student success at 91����.

Distinguished speakers included 91���� President Anne D’Alleva, who spoke of the “91���� Bond,” a sense of respect, kindness, and unity that defines campus life. She reminded graduates that their education has provided them with knowledge, resilience, adaptability, and confidence, and encouraged them to reflect on the friendships, challenges overcome, and acts of kindness that have supported them throughout their program.

As the University’s college dedicated to public service and community engagement, the afternoon ceremony focused on the responsibility that comes with education. Graduates were challenged to use their acquired knowledge and skills to confront injustice, speak up, and, as future leaders, help build a more equitable society.

First-gen, 4+1 student speaks to shared resiliency and purpose

Professor Kristina Marty introduced CCPA’s graduate student speaker, Paris DeFreitas, a 4+1 Master of Public Administration student who earned her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics, and Law with a minor in Africana Studies in December 2025. As a first-generation Guyanese-American, DeFreitas credits her mother, an adult nursing student, for demonstrating the transformative power of education.

DeFreitas discussed the challenges students encounter and emphasized that, despite their diverse backgrounds, they share a spirit that not only unites them but also prepares them to become the next generation of leaders.

“Every single one of us carries a story of resilience,” DeFreitas said. “Life presented challenges, but we persisted. We grew. We stayed.”

Finally, DeFreitas called on her fellow graduates to use their skills and education to make a positive impact in the world.

“As graduates of the College of Community and Public Affairs, we have been given a rare privilege: not only to learn how society works, but to understand how we can actively shape it," she said. "And with that knowledge comes responsibility: the responsibility to share what we’ve learned, to listen with empathy, and to use our voices in service to something greater than ourselves.”

Student-athlete reminds grads to speak up and act

Undergraduate student speaker Donna Napolitano, introduced by lecturer in human development Maribel Tineo, echoed DeFreitas’s words, reflecting on the unique paths that brought each student to 91���� and highlighting shared experiences of late nights studying, challenges, and unexpected changes. 

Napolitano, a Division I Track and Field student-athlete and human development and Spanish major, emphasized the meaningful connections formed both inside and outside of classrooms, which foster a sense of belonging and purpose. She reminded graduates that with knowledge comes responsibility — to pay attention, to speak up, and to act when it matters most.

“What we learned here was never meant to stay here," Napolitano said. “It wasn’t meant for classrooms or lectures alone; it belongs in the real world, in the communities we’ve studied, in the systems we’ve questioned, in the lives we are called to change.”

She defined leadership as courage, action, and care, values instilled by the College of Community and Public Affairs. As the Class of 2026 moves forward, Napolitano expressed confidence in their readiness to serve with intention and vision.

“And as we step into the world, we are not just prepared, we are called — called to serve with intention, to lead with integrity, to raise our voices in ways that create meaning, change, and impact,” she said.

For the Class of 2026, Commencement was more than the conferring of a degree; it was the promise that the “91���� Bond” would endure, and that the education they received at CCPA would provide them with the skills and confidence to make a positive impact wherever their next steps may lead.

Additional CCPA Commencement 2026 coverage:
MPA graduate eager to make her mark on public policy >
Graduate takes nontraditional path to human development degree >