• Massiel M. Abramson, Bridgewater State College
• Jhoel S. Andujar, Bridgewater State College
• India Coleman, Bridgewater State College
• Juan Rozo Cortes, Bridgewater State College
• Mariliz Diaz, Bridgewater State College
• Debra L. Hilton, Bridgewater State College
• Morel Mahotiere, Bridgewater State College
• Melissa Rodrigues, Fitchburg State College
• Vladimir Lessage, Framingham State College
• James Buford, Massachusetts College of Art

• Patrice Payne, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
• Brandon D. Pender , Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
• Fatima Barry, Salem State College
• Zadina Cadyma, Salem State College
• Omarthan Clarke, Westfield State College
• Antwain K. Hunter, Westfield State College
• Emily Serrano, Westfield State College
• Jennifer A. Williams, Westfield State College
• Geraldine Dieudonne, Worcester State College
• Gissel Kilson, Worcester State College

Massiel M. Abramson of Lawrence is a candidate for a bachelor of arts degree in psychology at Bridgewater State College, where she expects to graduate in May. The Rose Scholarship recipient has been named to the academic dean's list and has earned the Class of 2007 Leadership Award and a Leadership Institute Outstanding Participant Award.

She is a member of the Psi Chi Honor Society and has been a peer tutor in the college's Academic Achievement Center, where she has guided and assisted students with academic difficulties in various psychology courses. Her participation in co-curricular activities include: president of La Sociedad Latina, board member of the Student Leader Council, Sister Scholars and the Spanish Club. She has been a translator at Brockton Middle School and has performed community service at My Brother's Keeper in Brockton.

She has worked as a client administrator at the Community Enterprise and Development Center in Lawrence where she interviewed clients in public housing to assess their needs for educational, mental health and financial assistance. She translates documents and interviews from Spanish to English. She has been a youth counselor at the YWCA and a youth tutor at the Adelante Youth Center in Lawrence.

Jhoel S. Andujar, a native of the Dominican Republic, is a social work major with a minor in Spanish at Bridgewater State College, where he has been named to the dean's list. He has been awarded the Ruth Batson Scholarship, the Patricia Collins Amaral Memorial Scholarship and a Parent Association Scholarship.

He is involved with the Bridgewater State College community and has been a resident assistant, treasurer of La Sociedad Latina, as well as a member of the National Social Work Honor Society (Phi Alpha), BSC's Beta Chapter, the Children's Physical Developmental Clinic and LINKS, an after-school program with Brockton High School. He has performed community service at SunBridge Care and Rehabilitation Facilities in Worcester.

He has worked as an orientation leader and in the Office of Undergraduate Admission and is performing an internship at the Latin American Health Institute. He plans on pursuing a dual master's degree in the area of social work to achieve his goal to work with at-risk youth from his city of Worcester.

India Coleman, a single mother of two sons, is a full-time commuter student at Bridgewater State College who also works while earning her bachelor's degree in health education and a minor in education. She anticipates graduating in 2007.

The resident of Weymouth is a dean's list student and has been initiated into the Delta Pi Eta Sigma Gamma National Honor Society. She is actively involved in the college's Media Campaign Addressing Drugs on Campus (MCADOC). As a peer educator, she said it is important to participate and educate as many people as
possible about drug and alcohol-related issues.

She is involved with the Eta Signam Gamma Honor Society, which provides students with health information, and volunteers after school to tutor fifth-graders and high school students with their school assignments.

Juan Rozo Cortes' love of the skies led him to become an aviation science major with a concentration in flight training at Bridgewater State College, where he has been named to the dean's list for three consecutive years.

The resident of Everett has been an aviation tutor for the past two years and is teaching an aviation class as a high school elective at the Chamberlain School in Middleboro. He is a flight instructor at the Taunton Municipal Airport and has completed an internship at American Airlines.

His community service has included building a playhouse at the YMCA of Taunton in collaboration with students in a communication studies class. He also participated in a dining protocol program at the college. The native of Colombia is the oldest of five children.

Mariliz Diaz of Brockton is a criminal justice major with a minor in forensic psychology at Bridgewater State College. She anticipates earning her bachelor's degree in May and is eager to pursue a career in probation.

She has completed two internships - one at South Bay Mental Health Center and the other at the Brockton Police Department. The dean's list student is the proud mother of two children, Blanca, 13, and Marco, 9. She is a supporting military wife to her husband, who is serving in Iraq.

During her husband's active duty status, she has been able to remain strong, "keeping my family sane through this tough time." She is an active member of a family readiness support group for active duty family members.

Debra L. Hilton is a school bus driver in the city of Brockton and an English major at Bridgewater State College who anticipates completing her degree this year.

The dean's list student came to BSC after earning an Associate of Science in Liberal Arts Studies from Massasoit Community College, where she graduated with honors. At Bridgewater State College, she was a HERS nominee in 2006.

She volunteers for Brockton Pop Warner, the Plouffe Elementary School Parent Advisory Board and is a foster parent with the Brockton Department of Social Service.

Morel Mahotiere of Bridgewater is a native of Haiti majoring in global management at Bridgewater State College and anticipates graduating in the spring. The dean's list student has earned an Outstanding Leadership Award and has completed a directed study with the Department of Art.

He has participated in a number of leadership and co-curricular activities including a number of positions on the Student Government Association, the Commuter Association, the African-American Association and the Athletic Training Club.

He has served with the Children's Physical Developmental Clinic and as chair of the Sigma Chi Scholarship Fund. On campus, he has worked for the Office of Commuter Services and for information technology. He is the president and chief executive officer of My Vision Entertainment.

Melissa Rodrigues of Brockton is a criminal justice major at Fitchburg State College, where she has been frequently named to the dean's list. She anticipates completing her course work this year.

She is an active member of the Black Student Union/LSO and the Dance Team. She works closely with students at Fitchburg High School as a mentor/tutor through a partnership between the college and the high school.

Her other accomplishments include participation in the Academic Skills Challenge in Washington, through Reaching Independence Through Self-Improvement (RISE).

Vladimir Lessage is a business administration major at Framingham State College in his senior year. The Roslindale resident has been named to the dean's and president's lists throughout seven semesters at the college and is a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, International Honor Society in Economics.

He has participated in the EPal program (an e-mail pen pal service with a neighboring middle school), has been treasurer of the Black Student Union and International Student Union.

He was born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where he graduated from high school. He came to the United States in 2002 and attended Roxbury Community College before transferring to Framingham State College in 2005. His long-term goal is to become an entrepreneur in the advertising market.

James Buford is a Massachusetts College of Art senior majoring in fashion design, with a strong knowledge of computers and graphic design. The Boston resident has remained active in the Mass Art community and has participated in orientation for incoming freshmen, worked with the audio/visual department for three years and as a teacher's assistant for continuing education fashion courses held during the summer.

He has interned for O.K.W., a women's clothing boutique in Boston, and Liz Claiborne, at its office in New York. Last summer, he was the Jean Shohan Award recipient, which is given to a student who exemplifies excellence throughout the semester.

He has received a four-year scholarship achievement award from the Council of Deliberation, Masonry Temple in Boston. His goals include going to graduate school for graphic design/motion graphics and pursuing a career as a fashion designer in New York.

Patrice Payne is a fine and performing arts major at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts who has been active in the college's theater program and performed community service, while at the same time achieving academic excellence.

Academically, the Boston native has made the dean's list from 2004-2006, has been nominated for Who's Who Among Students In American Universities and Colleges, earned the college's Excellence Award, an ALANA honorable mention award, as well as a Club Excellence Award from the African American Studies Club.

She is a senior and transferred to MCLA to pursue a degree in the arts. She has been active with many co-curricular activities, including the Judicial Board, the Multicultural Students Society and the dance company. She has been an officer in the African-American Studies Club, has performed community service, including collecting food for the Katrina Relief Fund, and raised money for an event called BET Rap-It-UP. She has also served as an actress and member of the technical crew for major theater productions held at the college.

Brandon D. Pender is a native of Queens, NY, who transferred to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts from East Carolina University. He is seeking a degree in English/communication, with a concentration in film and broadcast media. He has a long list of achievements in academics, athletics and co-curricular activities.

He earned the Margaret Hart Scholarship and Mitchell Hill Scholarship in 2006, as well as an Excellence Award; participated in the NCAA Leadership Conference; and was nominated for Who's Who Among Students In American Universities and Colleges. He was president of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and vice president of the Multicultural Society. He served as an officer in the African-American Studies Club, was a peer adviser, and a choreographer for the college's dance company. From 2005-2007, he was captain of the men's basketball team.

He taught dance to children at the Northern Berkshire Creative Arts Center, where he served as an intern. He also has a long list of other causes where he served both the college community and the community-at-large.

Fatima Barry, a first-generation college student with her eyes set on a career in law, has an amazing story to tell. She admits that being a native of Africa posed certain challenges for her once she entered Salem State College. However, in short order she has overcome all obstacles to become a true campus leader.

She started at Salem State College without financial assistance from her family and living in self-imposed isolation due to her shyness. She overcame these obstacles by working 25 to 30 hours a week while in school and studying hard. By the end of her first year, her insecurities began to fade when she was accepted into the college's Honors Program. With her newly found confidence, she was able to move into campus housing and became an active member of the Salem State College community.

Today, she has a GPA that hovers near 4.0, has been a senator in the School Government Association, president of the Multicultural Society and diversity chairperson for the college's Program Council. The college looks to her as a student who has had a real impact on the campus, especially in the ways in which she helps welcome new students from varying backgrounds to the college community.

Zadina Cadyma has been both a scholar and student leader during her time on the campus of Salem State College. The sociology major's studies include a concentration in cultural diversity.

She has been active with the Multicultural Student Association, where she's held several executive positions, and has worked as a resident assistant for the past three years. Her focus is helping the countries of Africa that are saddled with political and social problems. To that end, she completed an internship in Washington, D.C., with All-Africa Global Media.

After graduation, she plans to return to Washington to attend graduate school to study either international relations or conflict resolution. She is known for her spoken word performances, as well as her ability to empower her peers through her work on campus. College administrators consider her a true spokesperson for social justice.

Omarthan Clarke is a native of Jamaica and a resident of Springfield majoring in art with a minor in education. A Westfield State College dean's list student, he was selected as the first senior student coordinator of the Summer Scholars Program.

He has been active on campus in a number of ways - as president of the WSC Third World Organization, a tenor and choir secretary for the Urban Education Gospel Choir, an Urban Education "Bridge" Program peer counselor, a teaching assistant, a peer tutor/mentor for Student Support Services Program-Multicultural Media Center, a resident assistant and vice president of the WSC Art Club. He also developed the figure drawing curriculum for Holyoke Creative Arts Center.

He has a long list of academic and artist achievements and has been a featured artist at the Mattoon Street Art Festival. His goal is to use art and higher education to make noteworthy achievements in the art world as well as play a significant role in the progress of urban youth.

Antwain K. Hunter is a Leominster native who lives in Brockton, majoring in history (education), with a minor concentration in multicultural and ethnic studies at Westfield State College. He has made the dean's list every semester since his freshman year.

He has been inducted into Phi Alpha Theta, the national honor society for history; the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, and has been featured in Who's Who Among Students In American Universities and Colleges. His leadership and co-curricular activities include involvement with the Urban Education Program as a student leader for its Alumni Network Reception, work as a resident assistant, member of the varsity competition cheerleading team and program guide for Upward Bound at the University of Southern Maine.

His goal is to earn a doctoral degree in U.S. history and teach at the secondary or college level in a way that emphasizes the important role people of color have played, allowing students to formulate their own interpretations of history.

Emily Serrano is a native of Westfield who is majoring in criminal justice and also seeking a minor in sociology at Westfield State College. A regular on the dean’s list, she is a candidate for the Alpha Kappa Delta International Sociology Honor Society, and has been accepted as a probate intern for spring 2007 at the Hampden County Juvenile Court in Springfield.

Her leadership roles include acting as student coordinator of recruitment mentors and senior student supervisor for the Urban Education Program, teaching assistant for Critical Issues in Education, supervisor and tutor for the Multicultural Media Center and assistant coordinator of the SSSP Women of Color/Excellence event. She was selected Ms. U.E. 2003 by the faculty and staff of the Urban Education Program.

Her goal is to assist juveniles in becoming contributing citizens in their own communities. She hopes to pursue a PhD with a focus on the study of juvenile offenders and gangs.

Jennifer A. Williams is a Springfield resident and liberal arts major at Westfield State College. She has three areas of concentration, criminal justice, multicultural-ethnic studies and sociology. She was an intern last summer at the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, where she worked as an analyst.

She is a dean’s list student, who has contributed much to the college and the community. She assisted in the coordination of the Women of Color/Excellence Program, WSC Cooperative Education Program at the Springfield Central Intelligence Bureau, has been a teen peer leader for Gandara Mental Health Agency and a substitute teacher for Springfield public schools. All of this, while being a proud mother to her son, Ayuri.

She is planning to pursue a career in the area of probation, working with young people, and hopes to earn an advanced degree in criminal justice.

Geraldine Dieudonne is a Worcester resident who plans to pursue a master’s degree in public health. She is a dean’s list student at Worcester State College and was featured in Who’s Who Among Students In American Universities and Colleges.

She was senior class president, as well as a senior resident assistant, treasurer of Eta Sigma, an Upward Bound Counselor for Big Sisters and served as an officer in Third World Alliance.

She completed an internship with the Department of Public Health in Watertown as well as with the Department of Social Services in Worcester. She speaks Haitian Creole and throughout her college years worked off campus at Aldo in Marlboro, where she held a management position, and as a unit secretary at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Brighton.

Gissel Kilson is a criminal justice major at Worcester State College who is a regular on the dean’s list. The Worcester resident has been treasurer and public relations officer for Third World Alliance and is an active member of the Criminal Justice Club.

She can read and write in Spanish, and works as a teacher’s assistant at the YMCA Greendale Kindergarten in Worcester, where she plans and teaches lessons for toddlers and teaches students ages 4 to 6.

She has also served as a Big Sister for Upward Bound.