Courtesy photo A happy Rivier University graduate celebrates by holding his diploma aloft after it was presented to him at Monday's 86th commencement. (Courtesy photo)

MANCHESTER – Student speaker Libby Machakos walked to the podium set up just in front of home plate at Delta Dental Stadium Monday morning and praised her fellow 2021 Rivier University graduates for doing what it took to get where they are today “even when it seemed like the world was falling apart.”

Machakos referred to the pandemic, under which the vast majority of the 2021 graduates spent their senior year en route to Monday’s commencement.

Rivier, which in recent years has held its commencement exercises at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, arranged to hold this year’s at Delta Dental Stadium due to lingering restrictions brought on by the pandemic.

Some 607 degrees ranging from associates to doctoral were awarded at the school’s 86th commencement.

Among the recipients was Nashua resident Favour Ayuk Tangban, an international student from Wuse Abuja, Nigeria, who was awarded a masters of education in school counseling.

Courtesy photo Nashua resident Favour Ayuk Tangban, an international student from Wuse Abuja, Nigeria who earned a masters in education this year, speaks to her fellow graduates at Rivier University's 86th annual commencement Monday. (Courtesy photo)

“Rivier is a university that serves its community wholeheartedly. I am proud to be a part of an institution that transforms hearts and minds to serve the world, while generously leading by example,” Tangban told her fellow grads, university administrators, faculty and staff in attendance.

“During the global pandemic, Rivier provided support for its students,” she added. “It also partnered with United Way of Greater Nashua to provide essential supplies for those in need. In such a troubling time, Rivier University showed us that surrendering to service is the most human thing to do.”

Meanwhile, Machakos, a New Boston resident who earned a B.A. in sociology, summa cum laude, expressed her pride in her fellow graduates’ resiliency in the face of adversity.

“Earning an undergraduate degree is quite an achievement. To get to where you sit today took a significant amount of perseverance, focus, sacrifice, and hard work,” Machakos said.

“As the class of 2021, we represent the next generation of doctors, nurses, teachers, and entrepreneurs.”

Courtesy photo Manchester's Delta Dental Stadium served as this year's venue for Rivier University's commencement, at which 607 degrees were awarded Monday morning. (Courtesy photo)

University president Sister Paula Marie Buley told the graduates that they “are proof positive that the mission of Rivier University – transforming hearts and minds to serve the world – has taken root.

“Congratulations on your achievement … on a day that marks both a formal conclusion and a new beginning,” Buley said.

Among Monday’s graduates were nine students who, thanks to an anonymous donor, received full scholarships to the university’s nursing program, through which each of them earned associates of science in nursing degrees, which prepares them to become licensed registered nurses.

Going into Rivier’s nursing program, the nine students were licensed practical nurses working at rehabilitation and long-term care nursing facilities run by Catholic Charities New Hampshire. They were selected for full scholarships to attend Rivier through a program called Project Advance, which is funded in large part by the anonymous donor.

Dr. Paula Williams, dean of Rivier’s Division of Nursing and Health Professions, commended the Project Advance students, telling their fellow graduates that they “have worked incredibly hard to achieve their dreams, all while caring for patients in skilled nursing facilities during an unprecedented public health crisis.”

Courtesy photo Manchester's Delta Dental Stadium served as this year's venue for Rivier University's commencement, at which 607 degrees were awarded Monday morning. (Courtesy photo)

“Their determination and perseverance are an inspiration, and it was our privilege to celebrate their accomplishments during this year’s commencement ceremony,” Williams said.

The ceremony and awarding of degrees caps what the university considers “an exceptional academic year,” which included the opening last fall of the new, 36,000-square-foot Science and Innovation Center, and more recently, being named the 2021 Education Business of the Year by Business NH and the NH Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.

Rivier University director of Marketing and Communications Sky Croswell contributed the material for this report.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

Courtesy photo A Rivier University graduate shows off one of the more creatively designed mortar boards seen at Monday's 86th commencement. (Courtesy photo)

Courtesy photo Libby Machakos, one of two student speakers at Monday's Rivier University commencement, addresses her fellow grads and guests. (Courtesy photo)