You can also visit the Historical Museum on the web at
http://franklinhistoricalmuseum.org/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FHM02038
Franklin Historical Museum, 80 West Central St |
Providing accurate and timely information about what matters in Franklin, MA since 2007. * Working in collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio (wfpr.fm) since October 2019 *
Franklin Historical Museum, 80 West Central St |
Dean College Commencement Ceremony Details May 6, 2023 |
"Life is for service." Those are the words Rollins College valedictorian Elizabeth Bonker lives by -- words that inspired Rollins' most famous graduate, Mr. Fred Rogers. Bonker, who is nonspeaking and has autism, gave a remarkable address during her school's recent commencement ceremony in Winter Park, Florida.
Clad in a cap and gown decorated with flowers, Bonker explained, through a text-to-speech program, how she typed her remarks using a single finger with the help of a communication aide. People with nonspeaking autism have trouble developing speech, and in Bonker's case, neuromotor issues inhibit her communication and her ability to do some other basic tasks.
Learning to type changed everything.
"That one critical intervention unlocked my mind from its silent cage," she said during her address."
The Class of 2022 Commencement Ceremony will be held in front of Dean Hall (rain or shine), along Awpie Way, on Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 11:00 AM
For more about the Commencement visit https://www.dean.edu/alumni/commencement/
Dean's mascot "Boomer" out on the lawn for major events |
"The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Town of Franklin have approved a safe and acceptable plan for your Commencement. The Class of 2021 Commencement Ceremony will be held in front of Dean Hall, along Awpie Way, on Saturday, May 8, 2021 at 10:00 AM. Attendees will be limited to degree candidates and two (2) guests per graduate. Regrettably, we cannot offer the opportunity to invite more than two guests per graduate. Livestream options will be available here the day of the ceremony for graduates, family and friends who are unable to attend in person.Class of 2020, please visit the 154th Commencement exercises page for up-to-date information" (scheduled for 3:00 PM)
setting up for commencement in the rain on Wednesday |
https://www.massbay.edu/ |
MassBay Community College is ranked by the Brookings Institution as one of the top schools for value added and earned salaries in the workforce. Ranked #1 for 2-year colleges in Massachusetts, #2 in New England and ranked #16 nationally. The College’s facilities in Wellesley Hills, Framingham and Ashland house day, evening and weekend classes that meet the needs of degree-seeking students and career minded life-long learners. Online options provide convenience and allow faculty to facilitate the learning process. Since its founding in 1961, MassBay has been accredited by several governing bodies and strives to meet the needs of the diverse local communities it serves.
"When first-generation American Fatima Naidjate, a Muslim, first stepped onto the Dean College campus in Franklin for student orientation nearly four years ago, she scanned the crowd of freshmen for another girl wearing a hijab, eager to shake the feeling of being different.
“Before Dean, I was always reminded by those around me that I was different,” said Naidjate, addressing a maroon sea of 292 fellow graduates as the college’s 153rd commencement student speaker on Saturday. She graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in sociology, planning to later pursue an MBA degree with a concentration in marketing.
“As the great Maya Angelou put it, ‘They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.’ With the strong community of diverse individuals here at Dean, I always felt at home,” she said. “At Dean, I did not need someone who looked exactly like me – it was those who were different from me that allowed me to feel a sense of belonging.”
In the News: Dean commencement |
"A unique new business is brewing in downtown Marlborough.
Lost Shoe Brewing and Roasting Company – a brewery and coffee roaster – opened its doors Saturday at the former Speakers nightclub on Weed Street. The brewery and roaster held a private soft opening for friends and family members Thursday. J.P. and Melynda Gallagher have worked for the past year and a half to turn the former nightclub into a combination coffee house and taproom.
“We’ve put everything we have into this,” said Melynda Gallagher. “We’re so excited to share it with people.”
Dean College - Commencement - May 11 at 11:00 AM |
Dean College is a private, residential New England college grounded in a culture and tradition that all students deserve the opportunity for academic and personal success. A uniquely supportive community for more than 150 years, Dean has woven together extensive student support and engagement with exceptional teaching and innovative campus activities. Our graduates are lifetime learners who thrive in their careers, embrace social responsibility and demonstrate leadership. This is The Dean Difference.
Dean College Commencement Exercises - Saturday May 5, 2018 |
"This is the homepage for the 2017 Franklin High School Commencement Ceremony. You will find all of the information about the ceremony on this site including information about times and locations, ordering tickets, handicap seating, parking and more. We hope this helps our families plan an enjoyable celebration of your students' success."https://sites.google.com/a/franklinps.net/fhs-commencement/home
The FHS All Night Party will operate for the graduates to have a safe and fun evening from 10:00 PM to 5:00 AMhttp://www.fhsallnightparty.com/
FHS Commencement info and All Night Party - June 2 |
"Karen Laven felt stuck in her job and as a mother of two.
She wanted to be a role model for her two daughters and pursue the dreams she had once set aside to raise a family.
She wanted to make it up “the mountain,” she said.
And on Saturday, standing before hundreds of her fellow Dean College graduates and a rain-enduring crowd, the business management student was surely, finally, at the top."Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
the sun shone on the Dean campus on Friday and the rains came for graduation on Saturday |
"On Saturday, May 6, 2017 over 300 graduating students will join the ranks of over 25,000 Dean Alumni worldwide during the 2017 Commencement Exercises.
Continuing with tradition, the 2017 Commencement ceremony will be held outside along Awpie Way, considered by many as the most beautiful and iconic part of campus.
With only a few days until the ceremony, have you ever wondered how colleges and universities choose their commencement speakers?
As noted by a recent article published by University Business, colleges and universities want their speakers to challenge and inspire the graduates, while also being both engaging and appropriate for the audiences of the graduating students, and their families, faculty and administrators.
Here at Dean the students are our focus! We pride ourselves on making a difference in our students’ lives and in turn they make a difference in ours. Each year, we select student representatives to give messages to the graduating class.
Selections are based on recommendations, academics and an overall commitment to Dean College. This year, two students were selected to speak on behalf of the Class of 2017.
Karen Laven, a Business Management major from Franklin, MA and a member of both The National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS), as well as the Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society has been selected as a speaker at the 2017 ceremony. Karen will be attending Northeastern University in the fall to complete her MBA.
Another local resident, Valerie Davis (pictured above), has also been selected to speak on behalf of the Bachelor’s Degree students. Valerie is a Theatre and Business major whom has been actively involved on campus, participating in the Student Government Association (SGA) as treasurer, and as a student ambassador. Additionally, Valerie has performed in several theatre productions, including the most recent performance of Five Women Wearing the Same Dress.
After graduation, Valerie will be attending theatre auditions in New York City.
Dean College’s 151st Commencement Exercises will take place on Saturday, May 6, 2017 at Dean College, 99 Main Street, Franklin, MA. The ceremony will begin at 11:00 a.m. in the front lawn of Dean Hall on campus.
Check back for a recap after Saturday’s exercises. Congratulations Class of 2017! "
Click here for more information on Commencement.
Boomer sits on the grass on the Dean campus |
"Volunteers adorned the streets of Franklin with nearly 1,000 pots of flowers Saturday as part of the town’s annual beautification day.
The event’s chairwoman, Eileen Mason, a Garden Club and Downtown Partnership member, said that annual event was established about 14 years years ago by the Garden Club, with a simple goal to “put a little more color into downtown.”
The event is a collaborative effort put on by the Franklin Garden Club and the Franklin Downtown Partnership, with the help of many volunteers."
"Dean College held its 150th commencement exercises on May 14 at the Dean College campus in Franklin. More than 300 students received their degrees, with a large number of family and friends in attendance.
Continuing with tradition, the 2016 commencement ceremony was held outside along Awpie Way, considered by many as the most beautiful and iconic part of campus.
The keynote address was provided by Dean College President Paula Rooney, who encouraged students to push themselves out of their comfort zones and keep an open mind."
Dean College set up for the graduation along Awpie Way |
Dean College will be celebrating its 150th commencement ceremonies Saturday, May 14th at 11:00 a.m. Commencement speakers include Dr. Paula M. Rooney, Dean College President, Mark D. Boyce, Chairman of the Dean College Board of Trustees, Candice Coco Lam, Associate Degree student speaker, Jaclyn Coutoumas, Bachelor's Degree student speaker, and Allison Clarke, School of Continuing Studies speaker.
Dean College |
Franklin High School |
Post Secondary Path | Tally |
University of Massachusetts, Amherst | 37 |
University of New Hampshire | 20 |
- Employment | 12 |
Massachusetts Bay Community College | 12 |
Westfield State University | 12 |
Framingham State University | 10 |
University of Massachusetts, Lowell | 10 |
Bridgewater State University | 9 |
Bryant University | 8 |
University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth | 8 |
Roger Williams University | 7 |
University of Vermont | 7 |
Western New England University | 7 |
Boston College | 6 |
Plymouth State University | 6 |
Southern New Hampshire University | 6 |
University of Rhode Island | 6 |
Dean College | 5 |
- Life Skills Transition | 5 |
Northeastern University | 5 |
Saint Anselm College | 5 |
University of New Haven | 5 |
Boston University | 4 |
Coastal Carolina University | 4 |
Hofstra University | 4 |
Ithaca College | 4 |
Keene State College | 4 |
Quinnipiac University | 4 |
University of Connecticut | 4 |
University of Massachusetts, Boston | 4 |
Emmanuel College | 3 |
Endicott College | 3 |
Fitchburg State University | 3 |
Franklin Pierce University | 3 |
Lesley University | 3 |
Providence College | 3 |
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 3 |
Simmons College | 3 |
Stonehill College | 3 |
University of Maine | 3 |
University of South Carolina | 3 |
Wentworth Institute of Technology | 3 |
Worcester State University | 3 |
Assumption College | 2 |
Bunker Hill Community College | 2 |
Emerson College | 2 |
Fairfield University | 2 |
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences | 2 |
Merrimack College | 2 |
New York University | 2 |
Norwich University | 2 |
Pennsylvania State University, University Park | 2 |
Salem State University | 2 |
Salve Regina University | 2 |
Springfield College | 2 |
Suffolk University | 2 |
Syracuse University | 2 |
Tri County Cosmetology Program | 2 |
United States Navy | 2 |
Worcester Polytechnic Institute | 2 |
- Other Unique Institutions | 79 |
Total | 392 |
Post Graduate Institution |
American University |
AmeriCorps Service Program |
Anna Maria College |
Asnuntuck Community College |
Babson College |
Bard College |
Becker College |
Belmont University |
Bentley University |
Bridgton Academy |
Brigham Young University |
Bristol Community College |
Bucknell University |
Cape Cod Community College |
Castleton State College |
Clemson University |
Colby College |
Community College of Rhode Island |
Cosmetology School |
Cosmix School of Cosmetology |
Curry College |
Drexel University |
Duke University |
Duquesne University |
East Carolina University |
Eastern Connecticut State University |
Eckerd College |
Fairleigh Dickinson University |
Florida Atlantic University |
Fordham University - Lincoln Center Campus/Rose Hill Campus |
Full Sail University |
Gap Year |
Husson University |
James Madison University |
Johnson & Wales University (Providence) |
Kents Hill School |
Lehigh University |
Lynn University |
Marist College |
Massachusetts College of Art and Design |
Massachusetts Maritime Academy |
Massachusetts State University |
Methodist University |
Mount Ida College |
New Hampshire Technical Institute |
Pace University, New York City |
Porter and Chester Institute |
Regis College |
Rochester Institute of Technology |
Sacred Heart University |
Saint Joseph's University |
Saint Michael's College |
Seattle University |
Siena College |
Southern Connecticut State University |
The George Washington University |
The University of Tampa |
Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy |
Towson University |
Trinity College |
United States Army |
University at Buffalo The State University of New York |
University of California, Davis |
University of Central Florida |
University of Delaware |
University of Florida |
University of Hartford |
University of Maryland, College Park |
University of Miami |
University of New England |
University of Oregon |
University of Pennsylvania |
University of Richmond |
University of Southern California |
University of Southern Maine |
University of Tampa |
Utica College |
Wheaton College MA |
Wheelock College |
Addressing his daughter, Alicia Mary Roy, in front of a crowd of hundreds of parents, teachers, and friends of the graduating Class of 2008, School Committee Chairman Jeffrey Roy told her, "I still remember the first day I saw you."
He dreamed of a day like yesterday, he said.
"Your mother and I are blessed, and I don't think there's a parent in this room who doesn't feel the same" about their child, Roy said in his opening remarks at Franklin High School commencement last night.
Roy, like Superintendent Wayne Ogden and Franklin High School Principal Pamela A. Gould, then told about 370 graduating seniors what the world was like in days past.
Roy joked that his mother likes to remind him he was born in the middle of an "I Love Lucy" show in 1961, and becoming serious, told students they came into the world when the Berlin Wall came down, in 1989.
"The Berlin Wall, an iconic symbol of oppression... that wall stood a very long time, divided families, a city, and a world," said Roy, "but even impenetrable obstructions could not last."
The Berlin Wall attracted no one, it simply repelled, he said.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here.
Calling it the most "amazing and frightening day of our lives,'' Dean College graduate Jennifer Carr dared the Class of 2008 to keep dreaming during Saturday's commencement.
"Never try to be perfect ... and never become engrossed with the size of your wallet, but rather the size of your heart,'' said Carr, who received a bachelor's of arts degree in dance.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here.