Welcome to the latest issue of the Bentley Buzz, where we share news and stories about the faculty and staff who make Bentley special. It is compiled by Kevin Wong, associate director of internal communications. To share your news or an idea for a story, please email buzz@bentley.edu.
May 31, 2022
On May 21, commencement returned to campus for the first time in three years to celebrate the undergraduate and graduate classes of 2022. The 103rd undergraduate ceremony brought 8,000 family members, friends and guests of the university to the football field on South Campus to celebrate the 1,154 undergraduates from 36 states and territories and 36 countries making up the class of 2022. President Chrite kicked off the ceremony by welcoming the graduates and their guests to campus for his first commencement as Bentley's ninth president before presenting Valerie Mosley, founder of the financial technology platform Upward Wealth and this year’s undergraduate commencement speaker, with an honorary Doctor of Commercial Science degree.
During her keynote address, Valerie called upon the class of 2022 to continue giving of themselves as they go out into the world to begin their next chapters. “Like income, giving is so incredibly important, and you will feel so much better if what you do matters, not only to yourself but to others,” she said. “Disappointments are going to happen,” she told the students. “There is opportunity in adversity, and you have to be able to see it. When disappointment comes, what you see in the midst of that storm is magical, because that is where the returns are the greatest.”
Later in the afternoon during the 47th graduate ceremony, which had been moved to the Arena to allow graduates and guests to escape the day's high temperatures, an additional 2,000 guests gathered to celebrate the more than 500 graduates and seven doctoral graduates.
The keynote speaker for the graduate ceremony, President and CEO of Putnam Investments Robert Reynolds, urged the soon-to-be Falcon alumni to continue believing in themselves and their abilities while also benefiting from collaborative work environments. “Accomplishments driven by team collaboration and creativity will almost always triumph over the results of individuals working on their own,” he said. “Diversity brings powerful perspective to the table, so encourage and respect different points of view.”
He also called for the graduates to keep looking ahead as they prepare to advance in their respective fields. “I would encourage you to relentlessly look forward. Look around the corner," said Reynolds. "The systemic changes coming in the next generation will make the changes we’ve seen in recent decades look like a warmup. Whatever you do, don’t stand still.”
Watch the Sights and Sounds from Commencement
Longtime staff members Maria Bergmann and David Lundy took a photo together at the 2022 sign as they mark the end of another academic year at Bentley. They've seen Bentley grow considerably over the years, with a combined six decades in the community!
Name: Maria Bergmann
Title: Accounting Specialist, Financial Operations
Hometown: Ayer, Mass.
Time at Bentley: 21.5 years
Favorite spot on campus: The library, a great place to rest my eyes.
Favorite Bentley memory: Meeting and getting a big hug from David Ortiz when he came to campus!
Favorite spot to grab a bite to eat on campus: LaCava Café, the Sodexo staff there are the best.
Favorite snack: I love the bagels from Einstein’s.
What’s on your bucket list: A cruise to Europe.
Favorite thing about working at Bentley: I love watching the students grow in their four years here, and I love when the good weather comes and the summer break is around the corner. The students hang around the courtyards and the campus is full of life.
Name: David Lundy
Role: Building Services Worker, Facilities
Hometown: Waltham, Mass.
Time at Bentley: 42 years
Favorite Spot in Waltham: Prospect Hill. You can go up and see most of campus and the Boston skyline on a good day.
Favorite spot on campus: By the pond at the Forest Street entrance to campus.
Favorite teams: Patriots and Bruins, but an avid Red Sox and Celtics fan, too.
What are some of the changes you’ve seen over the years on campus: I’ve seen it grow so much. I love seeing the renovations and new residence halls put into place along with the Arena.
Memorable Bentley moment: I remember one commencement we had sleet and cold raw rain. It was a tough day, but thankfully the only one like that I can remember.
Favorite band or musician: Pink Floyd
Favorite snack: Cheetos
Favorite thing about working at Bentley: Definitely the people and seeing all of the kids on campus. And I like working so close to home!
Pride Flag Raising
Wednesday, June 1, 2022, 11:00 a.m.
Morison Flag Pole
Faculty and Staff Pride Month Meet-Up
Tuesday, June 28, 2022, 6:00 p.m.
Solea Tapas on Moody Street
Words from the Editors
The past two years have been challenging to say the least. Even as the world reopens, adjusting to the “new normal” can be difficult. But through it all, Bentley students have persevered and excelled in creative ways. When the Literary Society met and looked through the submissions for this year, we noticed many of the pieces featured complex and whimsical world-building that evoked visions of travel and themes of reflection. We felt this perfectly embodied the duality of our current period. Even though many people have begun to travel and experience the world again, there are still moments of isolation when we must turn to our own imagination to create our own worlds.
- The Bentley Literary Society
From the Newsroom
Calculus and Curtain Calls
Senior Lecturer in Mathematics Sciences Mita Das' passion for performing is "integral" to classroom success.
By Molly Mastantuono
A Culture of Belonging
Ysanel Luciano ’22 shares how inclusion builds community.
By Kristen Walsh
