Tewksbury's Daniel MacNeil Graduates from Assumption College

TEWKSBURY, MA - Daniel MacNeil, of Tewksbury, was one of 693 graduates to receive a degree during Assumption College's 99th Commencement exercises on Saturday, May 7, held at the DCU Center in downtown Worcester, MA. MacNeil was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Carolyn Woo, Ph.D., CEO of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), a global organization that supports more than 107 million people in need in nearly 100 countries worldwide, delivered the commencement address. Dr. Woo was named president and CEO of CRS in January 2012 following a distinguished career in higher education. Prior to joining CRS, Dr. Woo served as dean of the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business, which has been ranked as the number one business school in the nation, and as associate executive vice president for academic affairs at Purdue University. She has been recognized by the Academy of Management with a Best Paper Award; selected as a 40 Young Leaders of American Academe by Change Magazine; and featured in Foreign Policy as one of the "500 Most Powerful People on the Planet"-one of only 33 in the category of "A Force for Good." Dr. Woo was also the first female dean to chair the accreditation body for business schools-the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-and directed its Peace Through Commerce initiative. Dr. Woo helped launch the Principles for Responsible Management Education for the United Nations Global Compact.

In addition to delivering the Commencement address, Dr. Woo received an honorary degree. Honorary degrees were also conferred upon Dr. James O'Connell, president of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program; and Assumption alumni Dr. Fred Bayon '65, Board Chair Emeritus, and Michael Tsotsis '71, Trustee Emeritus, in recognition of their dedicated work to community service and living the Assumption College mission.

During the ceremony-in which 463 Bachelor of Arts degrees; 187 graduate studies degrees (Master of Arts and Master of Business Administration) and certificates; and 43 Continuing and Career Education degrees (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science, and associates) were awarded-Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D., president of Assumption College, congratulated the graduates and reminded them that the values they have had instilled in them over the last four years are ones that will continue to shape their lives and guide them as they serve their purpose in the world.

"Our society today needs individuals such as yourself who have developed a moral and ethical framework and who understand that policies, decisions and actions devoid of values have a negative consequence which will be detrimental to the common good," said President Cesareo. "Today we not only confer upon you a degree, but we entrust you with the task of bringing into the world those values illumined by the eternal Word that you have encountered during your years at the College. As you prepare to go forth from Assumption, I challenge you to take what you have learned to lead a life beyond the self by contributing your time and talent in service to the community so as to create a better world for future generations."