Blake Bolden | Keynote Speaker
Blake Bolden has been breaking barriers throughout her career on and off the ice. Bolden made history as she became the first ever African-American player taken in the first round of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League draft in 2013 and two years later became a CWHL Champion as she hoisted the Clarkson Cup. When the National Women’s Hockey League was established in 2015, Bolden signed with the Boston Pride and became the first African-American player to compete in the league. She helped the team win the inaugural Isobel Cup and was also selected as an NWHL All-Star. In February 2020, the Los Angeles Kings hired her as a pro scout, which made Bolden the first black female scout in NHL history. Blake’s role with the Kings expanded when she was later named the team’s growth and inclusion specialist. Blake became a part of ESPN’s NHL coverage team as a reporter in 2021.
Clantha McCurdy, Ph.D. | Representative of the Board of Higher Education
Senior Deputy Commissioner, Access & Student Financial Assistance
Dr. McCurdy oversees the Commonwealth’s Office of Student Financial Assistance. She is responsible for managing the state’s annual budget for scholarships, grants, loans, and tuition waivers and advises the Board of Higher Education on statewide financial aid policy and related student services initiatives. She also has chief responsibility for other statewide initiatives, including GEAR UP, the public higher education Student Advisory Council, and the Police Career Incentive Pay Program.
Thomas Frizzell | Faculty Speaker
Professor, Business & Technology
Professor Tom Frizzell has been teaching for 50 years, and it is obvious that he still loves it. He taught in Brockton Public Schools for seven years, and we are incredibly fortunate that he is still teaching here at Massasoit after 43 years. A member of the Business Department, Tom teaches marketing, advertising, retailing and sales. Many people on campus know him as Coach Frizzell, as he coached the baseball team at Massasoit for 28 years. During that time, Massasoit won a National Championship in 1993, and Coach Frizzell was inducted into the National Junior College Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2011. His spouse, Christina, taught at Massasoit for more than 25 years. They have three children, Jennifer, Deborah, and Thomas, Jr., and seven grandchildren.
Carlos Dias Roberto Neto | Student Speaker
Carlos participated in several extra-curricular activities at Massasoit. He played on the Varsity Soccer Team as the starting goalkeeper. He served as a Peer Leader at the Unity Center, a Peer Tutor at the ARC (Writing Center), Presidential Student Ambassador, and Campus Tour Guide. He was also a member of the International Touch Club. As a Peer Leader, Carlos has been able to participate in multiple events that happened on campus in the past semesters. He was responsible for organizing and doing research for many of those events that the center organized. He was a speaker at the Black History and Women’s History Month events. Carlos has exemplified student leadership in the classroom and on the soccer field.
Wes Walsh | Presidential Scholar Award
Biology Transfer Program
Wes is from Stoughton, Mass. He was a member of the STEM research internship. He enjoyed studying insect pollinators and presented his work at several conferences. He will complete his bachelor’s degree in biology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and ultimately plans to earn a PhD in wildlife ecology. He hopes his future work will inform conservation efforts and impact public policy.
Marvelous Marvin Hagler | Honorary Degree Recipient (Posthumously)
Marvelous Marvin Hagler, was a durable middleweight champion boxer, during the 1970s and 1980s. Hagler began his boxing career in Brockton, Massachusetts. 52 of Hagler’s 62 career wins were by knockout; he had three losses and two draws. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993. Hagler served on the Massasoit Board of Trustees from 1986 to 1991 and was an avid supporter of Massasoit students through his scholarship fund, which was established in 1996. Hagler passed away on March 13, 2021. In 2022, the inaugural Massasoit Community College Education Champion Award was bestowed posthumously to Mr. Hagler in recognition of his commitment to education and philanthropic support of Massasoit students. The honorary degree will be accepted by his mother, Mae Lang.