2000 Massachusetts State College Student Achievers
John Poyau is a Computer Science major with a minor in Mathematics at Bridgewater State College. John has been a Dean's List student since freshman year and has received the Award in Excellence. As a McNair Scholar he completed two research internships at Brandeis University. He received the Achievement Award for his first internship and a certificate for presenting his second research project at the McNair Conference held at Penn State. He is a member of the Computer Science Club and dedicates his free time to the Sacred Heart church youth group where he volunteers once a month at the Regent Park nursing home and Curfree Towers in Brockton. He plans to earn a Ph.D. in Computer Science.
Miriama Roc is a double major in Psychology and Sociology with a concentration in Criminology at Bridgewater State College. She is a Dean's List student who has received the National Collegiate Minority Award, the Alumni Student Leadership Award, and the Mary and Adrian Rondileau Scholarship Award. Her college involvement includes being a Resident Assistant, a member of the Afro-Am Society and Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) program, she has been a Student Leader for Minority/Bilingual Student Awareness Day and Peer Mentor for L.E.A.D. and has helped co-ordinate the Regional Youth Tournament. She has been the Student Coordinator for both the Mo Vaughn Youth Development and Turning Point Programs. She has also participated as a college intern at the Office of Corporation Counsel in Washington, D.C. Miriama's future goals include attending law school and eventually becoming an attorney in the juvenile court system.
Marsha T. Blake is a major in the field of Nursing at Fitchburg State College. She is a member of the Black Student Union and the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and serves on the Fitchburg State College ACCESS Mentoring Program where she currently assists high school students. She serves as a volunteer at the LUK (Let Us Know), a teen mother crisis program, and serves as a group counselor at the YMCA Teen Mother Program. Martha has also received her certificate as a Nursing Assistant II from the Cambridge Hospital, and her future goal is to be a health care provider.
Kenneth O. Gibbs, Jr. is a double major in Communications and English with a concentration in African-American Studies at Fitchburg State College. He is a Dean's List student who has received awards for his work in the ACCESS Program. His college involvement includes being a Resident Assistant, an Orientation Leader, an ACCESS mentor, a peer counselor to the LUK (Let us Know) program, and a member of the Black Student Union. Kenneth is also a member of the Student Conduct Board, and a contributing writer for the college newspaper, the Point.  Kenneth has interned as a staff editor for Design News, and his goal is to be a chief editor of an influential publication.
Mche Montgomery is a major in the field of communication arts, and a dean's list student at Framingham State College. His interest in communication arts comes from his passion for hip-hop music, and in his spare time, Mche DJ's at clubs, school and house parties. Mche is actively involved in Culture in Effect, the College's multicultural student organization where he served as the advertising chair in 1999, and currently serves as the social chair. In addition, Mche has been a starting player for the College's football team for four years. Mche's future goal is to attend graduate school in the Boston area to continue studies in the field of communications.
No photo availableTheodore Green is a fashion major at the Massachusetts College of Art. Being an outstanding student, he was selected to represent MassArt and study fashion at the very prestigious Paris Fashion Institute in June 1999. Theodore also represented MassArt in a competition for paper project, and won the Sappi / Mohawk Design Competition with an ethnic inspired all paper ensemble. Theodore's future goal is to develop ethnically inspired clothing representing a global culture. 
No photo availableOmar Thompson is a fashion major at the Massachusetts College of Art. Omar was selected as the Director of the annual fashion show during his junior year. He participated in the MassArt / Stride Rite Footwear Project. Stride Rite was so impressed with Omar's work that the company set up a job interview with him. He serves as a peer counselor and advisor to fellow students. Omar's future goal is to become an icon in the fashion industry that will allow him to influence fashion in the United States of America.
Akili Carter, who majors in English and History, is a positive role model for our youth and for the students here at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. He is an independent, mature, creative, hardworking individual who is clear in his career goals. He is a Dean's List student and has been quite involved in campus and community life. His leadership activities include being the vice president of our Multicultural Student Society as well as being tri-captain of the MCLA men's basketball team. Akili has also served the North Adam's community by doing volunteer work with children and adults. His future plans include attending graduate school for creative writing and / or African-American Studies.
Kimberlee Gonsalves is a senior majoring in Elementary Education at Salem State College. She is a McNair Scholar and has maintained a 3.84 cumulative grade point average and has been on the Dean's List every semester. She has many academic distinctions including being a member of the Pi Lambda Theta International Society. She is currently an Intern at the Families First Parenting Program in Cambridge, Ma. She has also represented the College as a Literacy Tutor at the Ford Elementary School in Lynn, and is an active Head Start volunteer has been honored as the Head Start Parent of the month as well as the Head Start Volunteer Award. A proud single mother of two children, Kimberlee's future plans include a career in teaching or providing other services to families living in an urban environment.
Shaleea Vass-Bender is a senior majoring in Criminal Justice at Salem State College. A Dean's List student, Shaleea has maintained a 3.19 cumulative grade point average. She has many academic distinctions including selection as a M.O.S.T. Scholarship recipient. On campus, Shaleea is active in African-American Student Association serving as the treasurer. She is also a member of the College's Gospel Choir. She serves as a  Peer Tutor for the Learning Center, the Alternatives to Individual Development Program and the Developmental Skills Program. Off-campus, Shaleea serves as an Intern in the Roxbury District Court Probation Department.  Shaleea plans to further her studies by attending law school.
John R. Mendes is a business management major at Westfield State College. He is a dean's list student who has participated in the Salomon, Smith Barney Holdings and Paine-Webber winter and spring semester internship programs. John is role model who has participated in INROADS. He also served as President of the Westfield State College Collegiate Business Council, the Student Chairman for the Urban Education Reunion and the Westfield State College Student Government Association Representative. John volunteered as a Disc Jockey for WFIU AM for Florida International University. He was also a guest speaker for the Alumni of the National Student Exchange Program and for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy for potential high school students. John plans to become a financial consultant, acquire an MBA, and establish an asset financial firm.
Yolanda Rivera is a Political Science and Liberal Studies major at Westfield State College. She has received the Excellence in Education Award, and has been nominated to receive the National Honor Society Award. She was also selected as a participant to attend the Women as Leaders Seminar held in Washington, DC, and is a member of the McNair Scholars Program at Salem State College. Other college involvement includes serving as the President of the Latino Association for Empowerment, the Editor in Chief of Prism Publication, and the Secretary and Minister of Public Relations for the Third World Organization. Yolanda is a peer counselor and teaching assistant to high school students participating in Westfield State's Self-Enhancement Program as well as a computer consultant and workshop instructor for the Westfield Computer Center. Yolanda plans to earn a doctorate degree and possibly teach and / or become an administrator in a middle / secondary school.

 

Last Modified: March 29, 2005