• Shannon Stanton, Bridgewater State College
• Eunice Phanord, Fitchburg State College
• Tiffany Smiley, Fitchburg State College
• Jerry Valbrun, Fitchburg State College
• Maranda Fahie, Framingham State College
• Bengey Asse’, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

• Meghann Rosales, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
• Yves Benoit, Salem State College
• Lucia Flora Candreva, Salem State College
• Kimberly A. Headley, Westfield State College
• Nya’ Lakia Johnson, Westfield State College

She is the founder and director of the Bridgewater State College Dance Team and a choreographer for the college’s Dance Company. She has had major roles in dance productions, including “Winterdance” in 2002 and “Kaleidoscope” in 2003, 2004 and 2005. She played the role of Phillis Wheatley in the world premiere of the original play, The Trial of Phillis Wheatley, held at the college two years ago.

Shannon has been a volunteer in the Town of Bridgewater, working with special needs students at the Mitchell Elementary School and the Burnell Campus School. She has volunteered at Taunton State Hospital, a facility housing mentally ill adults and adolescents. She was voted Homecoming Queen in 2004 by the student body. Shannon has been a participant in Massachusetts Hall of Black Achievement celebrations since age 9.

At Fitchburg State College Eunice has earned an honorable mention for academic achievement and has been active in a number of campus organizations, including the Black Student Union, the Latin-American Student Organization, the Haitian American Cultural Club and the Biology Club. She was elected president of both the Black Student Union and the Haitian American Cultural Club.

Her service to the college and community includes being a resident assistant in the college’s housing department, as well as dance club instructor and community organizer. She plans to continue her education and earn a Master of Business Administration degree.

She has been active for the past several years in the college’s Black Heritage Month Planning Committee. She is a recipient of the Fitchburg State College Leadership Award and has been a member of the Student Government Association and the Latin American Student Organization.

In addition to her full-time college work, Tiffany has held a part-time position at the Knight Children’s Center in Jamaica Plain for the past three years. She works in the Behavioral Counseling Department, which supports youths aged 5-13 who have emotional and behavioral challenges as well as other disabilities. In that position, she assists children through activities of daily living. Tiffany has been active in the Catholic Charities Food Drive.

A dedicated student scholar – he won an honorable mention for academic achievement – as well as a student athlete, Jerry was a running back on the college’s varsity football team for two years, including one during which the team had an outstanding record of 8-4 and won the Bogan Division.

In addition to his academic and athletic activities, he held a part-time job working evenings at Home Depot to meet expenses. Active in the college’s Black Student Union whenever time permits, Jerry also was a troubleshooter for Fitchburg State College’s computer department.

This busy corporate communications major has maintained a grade point average of 3.12. She is a Black and Gold Orientation Leader, a post she has held for the past two years. A lover of music, in which she is pursuing a minor concentration, Maranda is assistant music director for the campus radio station, WDJM.

When not studying or involved in many extracurricular activities, the Millbury resident is a
contributor to the newsletter at her church and active in many of its programs and activities, including its missionary. She volunteers at Home for Children and participates in the annual Walk for Abstinence.

A fine and performing arts major with a minor concentration in theater, Bengey has been involved with several plays at the school, as well as productions by the college’s dance company. He earned an award from the Student Affairs Division for his behind-the-scenes work with the dance company. He has been a disc jockey at events on campus and around North Adams.

Bengey is a student ambassador for the admissions office, a mentor to younger students and has served as a multicultural overnight ambassador. He spent last summer as an intern with the North Carolina Theatre Group.

Meghann is driven by her interests in writing, poetry, art and travel. She has a grade point average of 3.428 and, because she’s in the top 10 percent of her class, is a member of Alpha Chi Honor Society. She was a member of Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society for freshmen, is a regular on the dean’s list and was featured in the current edition of Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities.

The secretary and longtime member of the college’s Latin American Society and a member of Food Not Bombs, Meghann has shown her creative side as a cartoonist with the college publication, The Beacon, and has contributed to the college’s literary magazine, Spires, and other publications. Off campus, she has served as an educator at Arkansas’ Heifer Ranch, and in Texas, she was a soccer coach and volunteer at Northwest Assistance Ministries Children’s Clinic.

He spends much of his time both on and off campus volunteering and serving his fellow students. He is a resident assistant, president of the college’s Association for Computing Machinery and a volunteer lab assistant for the computer science department.

In the community, Yves has made his presence known. He worked as a volunteer in Salem, renovating a home for abused women and children. Yves also has volunteered at Salem’s Camp Naumkeag during its Pride Day festivities.

A senior, Lucia has been named to the dean’s list for five semesters and maintains an overall 3.1 grade point average. Her academic recognitions include “Student of the Month” at the college’s Learning Center.

Lucia is active in co-curricular activities, including the Hispanic American Society, Repertory Dance Theater, Catholic Community and Urban Arts. She has choreographed a piece that features tango, salsa and merengue for the Hispanic American Society to present at the dance theater.

The nursing program, which demands 16 hours a week in the hospital and six hours in the classroom, has given her clinical experience at Boston Medical Center, Salem Hospital, Winchester Hospital, Baldpate Hospital and the Lahey Clinic.

A dean’s list student with a 3.41 grade point average, Kimberly is a candidate for the Alpha Kappa Delta International Sociology Honor Society.

Her leadership roles include 2003 and 2004 Urban Education “Bridge” Program peer counselor, teaching assistant for Critical Issues in Education, supervisor for the Westfield State College Multicultural Media Center and student-academic assistant for the college’s Skills Enhancement Program. Kimberly has held the position of treasurer for the past three years for the Third World Organization and has assisted in the coordination of all three of the college’s Annual West Indian Festivals.

She intends to pursue a master’s degree in criminal justice and ultimately wants to become the commissioner of probation.

The Springfield native and resident has been a dean’s list student every semester at Westfield State College since her freshman year and maintains a 3.58 grade point average. She is a 2004 Ronald E. McNair Scholar.

Nya’ has contributed much to the college community, professional dance community and her hometown. Her activities include the Westfield State College Urban Educational Gospel Choir, National Student Exchange, resident assistant and dance/cast member of Walter Robinson’s musical production of Moses in New York City.

Her goals include an interdisciplinary doctoral program that integrates communications, performing arts and African studies. Ultimately, Nya’ wants to establish a center in her community that addresses the many needs of youth.