29 Who Shine

Friday, May 5, 2017 2:00 p.m.
Massachusetts State House

“29 Who Shine” recognizes outstanding graduating students from the public higher education system who embody the vibrant future that we all envision for the Commonwealth.



View more photos from the event on Flickr. Credit: KulbakoPhoto.com

NEWS RELEASE

Baker-Polito Administration Honors the "29 Who Shine"

Students from State Universities, Community Colleges and UMass Praised for their Contributions to the Commonwealth

Boston, MA – May 5, 2017 – Public college and university students chosen as this year’s “29 Who Shine” honorees for their civic leadership and academic achievements were celebrated at the State House today by Governor Charlie Baker, Education Secretary James Peyser, Higher Education Commissioner Carlos Santiago, and University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan.

The 7th annual “29 Who Shine” awards are presented at the start of each commencement season to students from each of the Commonwealth’s twenty-nine public campuses, including its 15 community colleges, nine state universities and five campuses of the University of Massachusetts.

“We congratulate the honorees recognized today for their academic accomplishments and look forward to their continued contributions to the Commonwealth,” Governor Charlie Baker said. “The ‘29 Who Shine’ awards are an important recognition of the impressive work Massachusetts’ college students do to make the Commonwealth’s workforce the best in the country.”

“The 29 honorees represent a wide-range of academic programs from across the Commonwealth,” Lt. Governor Karyn Polito said. “Seeing young people like these contribute so much to their communities, assures us that the future of our state remains bright.”


The 29 public college and university campuses in the Commonwealth selected the honorees for the “29 Who Shine” awards based on criteria established by the Department of Higher Education. Students are required to be state residents who have strong academic profiles and a record of civic leadership and engagement.

“The ‘29 Who Shine’ honorees are exceptional student leaders who saw a way to improve something and acted on it, and for that we are grateful. They are a credit to the colleges and universities they attend. We are proud of their contributions to their communities and the Commonwealth,” Education Secretary James Peyser said.  

“I am always humbled to read the stories of students who are making a mark on their communities even before earning their degrees,” said Carlos E. Santiago, Commissioner of Higher Education. “Many of them work full-time, some are parents, all carry heavy loads. Yet they believe that giving back should not come last on a citizen’s ‘to-do’ list. Collectively, the ‘29 Who Shine’ give us reason to hope that the future of the Commonwealth is in good hands.”

Among this year’s student honorees, 12 are graduating with degrees in STEM or healthcare-related fields, 11 are adult students (ages 25+), two are combat veterans, and six are recent immigrants to the United States.


Each of the "29 Who Shine" named a faculty or staff mentor who provided guidance and support throughout the student’s years in college. These faculty were honored at a reception sponsored by the Massachusetts Teachers Association, immediately following the awards ceremony.

For the 7th straight year in a row, publishers of most daily newspapers across the state donated full color advertisements to honor the students for their contributions to their communities. Supporters of the “29 Who Shine” Publishers Campaign include The Boston Globe, GateHouse Media New England (dailies), The Springfield Republican, Lowell Sun, Fitchburg Sentinel and Enterprise, The Daily (Lynn) Item, Gardner News, and Salem News.

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