COMMENCEMENT
Friday the twenty-second of May two thousand twenty-six 9:30 a.m.
Commencement Tent, East Wing Lawn
Bard College: Massena Campus
Barrytown, New York
MAY 22, 2026 9:30 A.M.
During the Commencement Address, please turn off all cell phones and electronic devices.
ORDER OF EXERCISES
PROCESSIONAL
BAGPIPER
Brian Hopewell ’73
BRASS QUINTET
Matt Walley TŌN ’19, conductor
Angel Ruiz Araujo ’27, trumpet
Eric Evans APS ’26, trumpet
Felix Johnson ’23 TŌN ’28, horn
Riley Lyons IAP ’26, tenor trombone
James Chou ’20 APS ’26, bass trombone
ACADEMIC PROCESSION
MARSHALL
Michael Bergman
BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE CANDIDATES
ASSOCIATE OF ARTS DEGREE CANDIDATES
FACULTY
TRUSTEES AND OVERSEERS
FORMER PROVOST OF THE COLLEGE
Bernie Rodgers
DEAN OF STUDENTS AND EQUITABLE COMMUNITY
Sarah Liddell-Montgomery
DEAN OF FACULTY AND CURRICULAR DEVELOPMENT
Brendan Mathews
VICE PROVOST
Susan Lyon
CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF OVERSEERS
James M. Clark Jr. ’76
PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE
John B. Weinstein
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
John McWhorter
PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE
LEON LEVY PROFESSOR IN THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES
Leon Botstein
WELCOMING REMARKS
PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE
John B. Weinstein
CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF OVERSEERS
James M. Clark Jr. ’76
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AND THE NEW YORK TIMES COLUMNIST
John McWhorter ’83
John McWhorter teaches linguistics, philosophy, and music history at Columbia University. He specializes in language change and language contact, and has written more than twenty books, including The Missing Spanish Creoles, Language Simplicity and Complexity, The Creole Debate, The Power of Babel, Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue, The Language Hoax, Words on the Move, Talking Back, Talking Black, and The New York Times bestsellers Nine Nasty Words and Woke Racism. He has written extensively on issues related to linguistics, race, and other topics for media outlets such as Time, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, and The New Republic, and has been a contributing editor at The Atlantic. He hosts the Lexicon Valley language podcast, has authored six audiovisual sets on language for The Great Courses online learning platform, and has written weekly for The New York Times since 2021.
CLASS SPEAKERS
ASSOCIATE OF ARTS DEGREE CANDIDATE
Rebecca Patience Nanyange
BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE CANDIDATES
Mohammad Reza Afzali
Isabella Vivian Zeisset
PRESENTATION OF ACADEMIC PRIZES
For outstanding achievement by a graduating student
PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE
John B. Weinstein
Division of the Arts
Gabriel Souza, AA
Thinn Thazin, AA
M. Magal, AA
Zoe A. Coote, BA
Isabella Vivian Zeisset, BA
Division of Languages and Literature
Alexander Josef Smirnow, AA
Division of Science, Mathematics, and Computing
Fiona Lee Boutelle, AA Cyrus Reed Blake, BA
Jiahe Yu, AA Arnav Kalavagunta, BA
Division of Social Studies
May Moe Naing, AA
Antulio Joaquin Cantu, AA
Parker K. Mach, BA
Maximilian Angel Doak, BA
PRESENTATION OF AWARDS
Dr. John A. Glover Award
Presented by Kyle Ian Lu
Ruth B. Ide “Good Sport” Award
Presented by Gabriella R. Bijjani
Richard C. Drumm Sr. Award
Presented by Arnav Kalavagunta
Wendy Shifrin Award
Presented by
Isabella Vivian Zeisset and Francisca Oyogoa
Award for Excellence in Student Experience
Presented by Ben-Yeshua Imooghome Onime
CHARGE TO THE GRADUATES
PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE
LEON LEVY PROFESSOR IN THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES
Leon Botstein
CONFERRING OF DEGREES
Presentation of the Candidates for the Associate of Arts Degree
PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE
John B. Weinstein
Presentation of the Candidates for the Bachelor of Arts Degree
PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE
John B. Weinstein
CLOSING REMARKS AND RINGING OF THE BURMESE SPINNING GONG
PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE
John B. Weinstein
RECESSIONAL
BAGPIPER
Brian Hopewell ’73
BRASS QUINTET
Matt Walley TŌN ’19, conductor
Angel Ruiz Araujo ’27, trumpet
Eric Evans APS ’26, trumpet
Felix Johnson ’23 TŌN ’28, horn
Riley Lyons IAP ’26, tenor trombone
James Chou ’20 APS ’26, bass trombone
ASSOCIATE OF ARTS DEGREE GRADUATES
EMMA J. BARMACH
Doylestown, Pennsylvania
FIONA LEE BOUTELLE with distinction
Harvard, Massachusetts
ADDISON CALLUM with distinction
Seattle, Washington
ANTULIO JOAQUIN CANTU with distinction
Austin, Texas
OLIVER DAVIDSON
Washington, DC
OWEN SCOTT DAY with distinction
San Mateo, California
LINH PHUONG DO with distinction
Ha Noi, Viet Nam
HAOJIN DONG with distinction
Kunming, China
JAY DUNBAR
Alexandria, Virginia
KATHRYN A. DUNCAN
Monkton, Maryland
TZEDEK FISHMAN
Waterbury, Vermont
AARON J. HARRIS JR. New Orleans, Louisiana
ELIÁN CAMACHO HINES with distinction
Concord, Massachusetts
JACOB MARK THREE-HALOS SEWALL HOHLSTEIN
Sheffield, Massachusetts
SAMUEL JAMES HURST with distinction
Monterey, Massachusetts
MARIA KANAYAN with distinction
Glendale, California
QUANXIN LI with distinction Beijing, China
YIAN LIU with distinction
Jinan, China
AVA E. LOMORIELLO
Verbank, New York
EMMETT A. MACDONALD
Kingston, New York
M. MAGAL with distinction
Seattle, Washington
MELANIE ASHLEY MAKULA
Kampala, Uganda
MAY MOE NAING with distinction
Yangon, Myanmar
REBECCA PATIENCE NANYANGE
Kampala, Uganda
JEAN ARNAUD NEUKOMM
New York, New York
ARTEM PROTSENKO with distinction
Kyiv, Ukraine
LINNÉA ELEANOR RALL with distinction Portland, Oregon
ELLIE A. SAMORA
Lunenburg, Vermont
AMAR ADIL SAYEED
Chicago, Illinois
ISAAC MALACHI SCOTLAND
Brooklyn, New York
ALEXANDER JOSEF SMIRNOW
Richmond, Virginia
GABRIEL SOUZA with distinction
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
M. TAYLOR
Mangham, Louisiana
THINN THAZIN
Yangon, Myanmar
K. THOMPSON Milford, Pennsylvania
JOSH CHIH-HSUN TSEN with distinction Taipei, Taiwan
SEINT Y. TUN with distinction Yangon, Myanmar
RYAN VERDESI
Beacon, New York
LEYI WANG
Anshun, China
ZIXUAN WANG
Hangzhou, China
YAQIONG XUE with distinction Tianjin, China
CHENLU YU with distinction Guangzhou, China
JIAHE YU with distinction
Shanghai, China
MAXIM ZANOZIN
Moscow, Russia
ANGEL ANZHE ZHANG with distinction
Shanghai, China
RAN ZHAO with distinction
Shenzhen, China
ZIHUAN ZHUANG with distinction
Shanghai, China
XIAOTIAN ZOU with distinction Foshan, China
ADRIAN XANDRIA ZUSTRA with distinction North Adams, Massachusetts
BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE GRADUATES
(The title of the Senior Thesis is given for each student)
HARLAN ABRAMS Albany, New York magna cum laude
Biology
Biotechnological Innovations in the Chinese Green Transition: State-Led Growth and Its Limitations
Thesis Advisor: Christopher Coggins
ARMAN ADABI Kabul, Afghanistan
Computer Science
Music Classification: Multi-Feature Analysis Using Machine Learning
Thesis Advisor: Sameer Hamadna
MOHAMMAD REZA AFZALI Ghazni, Afghanistan
Economics
Trade Imbalance and Economic Growth in Afghanistan (2003–2023): Evidence of Import-Driven Development and Structural Dependency
Thesis Advisor: Youssef Ait Benasser
MUSKA ARGHISTANI Kandahar, Afghanistan
Computer Science
Fraud Detection in Bank Transactions
Thesis Advisor: Sameer Hamadna
GABRIELLA R. BIJJANI Methuen, Massachusetts
Psychology
Beyond the Beat: Music as a Psychological Companion in Our Lives
Thesis Advisor: Anne O’Dwyer
CYRUS REED BLAKE Bangor, Maine magna cum laude
Biology
N=1: Considerations for the Origin of Life on Earth and Beyond
Thesis Advisor: Amy Smith
ZOE A. COOTE Southfield, Massachusetts
summa cum laude
Visual Studies
The Art of Wind: Characterizing the Significance of Wind in East Asian Cultures Through Ceramics, Dance, and Painting
Thesis Advisor: Christopher Coggins
MERYL ALICE CROUSE Orono, Maine
cum laude
Psychology
Analysis of Language Patterns in Three Psychological Disorders
Thesis Advisor: Anne O’Dwyer
MAXIMILIAN ANGEL DOAK Doylestown, Pennsylvania
magna cum laude
Anthropology
Phallofantasy: Female Sexuality and Dis/embodiment in Yaoi
Thesis Advisor: Kathryn Boswell
OMAR FARAG ELKHADAR Benghazi, Libya
magna cum laude
Physics
Programmable Optical Coupling in a Photonic Waveguide Array via the Pockels Effect
Thesis Advisor: Michael Bergman
MING GONG Shanghai, China
summa cum laude
Physics
CircuitSim: A Simple FPGA-Based Circuit Simulation Accelerator
Thesis Advisor: Michael Bergman
GRETA RYAN GUNTER Berkeley, California
magna cum laude
Studio Art
Support Me: Women as Caretaker and Carefree
Thesis Advisor: Anne O’Dwyer
OLIVIA LEILA HASSON Ludlow, Vermont
magna cum laude
Pre-Engineering
Degradation of Plastics
Thesis Advisor: Michael Bergman
SAHIRA JOSHI Oakland, California
summa cum laude
Political Studies
Violence, Legitimacy, and Governance: The Evolution of Non-State Governance in Medellín, 1960-2025
Thesis Advisor: Felix Kaputu
ARNAV KALAVAGUNTA Pune, India
summa cum laude
Physics; Pre-Medical Studies
Gait: An Anatomical and Biomechanical Review with Cross-Application of Cerebral Palsy
Orthotic Principles to ACL Orthoses
Thesis Advisor: Michael Bergman
THEO LACK Northfield, California
summa cum laude
Physics
Building a Cryogenic Liquid Oxygen Valve: Failure to Flight
Thesis Advisor: Michael Bergman
KYLE IAN LU Belleville, New Jersey
magna cum laude
History; Geography
The Battle for Reform: British High and Low Politics, 1803-1848
Thesis Advisor: Christopher Coggins
PARKER K. MACH Camas, Washington
summa cum laude
Political Economy; Chinese Language and Culture
The Era of Neomercantilism: An Analysis of Fascism in the U.S. During Reproletarianization
Thesis Advisor: Daniel Neilson
KOEI NAKAMURA Tokyo, Japan
magna cum laude
Biology
Dissemination of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in a Freshwater System with a Wastewater Treatment Plant
Thesis Advisor: Elias Dueker
BEN-YESHUA IMOOGHOME ONIME Lagos, Nigeria
Computer Science
Modular Computation Without a Central Processing Unit
Thesis Advisor: Robert McGrail
ALISHER QOSIMOV Khujand, Tajikistan cum laude
Psychology; Entrepreneurial Studies
Beyond the Swipe: Why Dating Apps Are Broken by Design and How to Build Something Better
Thesis Advisor: Anne O’Dwyer
ISABELLA VIVIAN ZEISSET Linden, North Carolina
summa cum laude
Dance; Psychology
Where the Body Is Silenced, Dance Speaks: How Incarceration Lives in the Mind and Body and the Possibility of Healing Through Movement
Thesis Advisor: Kati Garcia-Renart
BONNIBELLE SCRAP ZELITSKY Hamilton, Massachusetts
magna cum laude
Visual Studies
Mobility, Public Art, and the Power of Friendship
Thesis Advisor: Daniel Karp
KEXIN ZHANG Shanghai, China
summa cum laude
Mathematics
When to Stop Asking: Clarification Dialogue in Conversational AI—A System, a Theory, and the Gap Between Them
Thesis Advisor: Michael Bergman
EXPLANATION OF AWARDS
Dr. John A. Glover Award
Established in 1995 by Theresa Glover and her daughters, Sarah ’91 and Elizabeth ’92, this award honors the memory of an outstanding scholar, teacher, mentor, author, and editor. It is given each year to a Simon’s Rock faculty member, chosen by the senior class, in recognition of a knowledge of the subject, love of learning, excellence in teaching, and dedication to students.
Ruth B. Ide Award
Established by the BA class of 1972, the Ruth B. Ide Award is given annually by the senior class to a staff member who embodies the qualities of a “Good Sport.” Ruth B. Ide served as an administrative secretary at Simon’s Rock from 1968 to 1986.
Richard C. Drumm Sr. Award
Established in 2001 in honor of Dick Drumm, a member of the Physical Plant staff who worked on the Simon’s Rock property for 42 years—first for the Hall family and then for the College—this award is given annually by the senior class to a longtime member of the faculty or staff who has dedicated his or her professional life to the College.
Wendy Shifrin Award
Established by the BA class of 2015, this award honors Wendy Shifrin’s legacy and commitment to Simon’s Rock. This award is granted to a faculty member who exhibits exceptional mentorship, not only to students, but also to other faculty, staff, and all members of the community. Chosen by the faculty and the senior class, the recipient of this award demonstrates passion and care in their contributions to the well-being of their peers and colleagues.
Award for Excellence in Student Experience
Established by the BA class of 2025, this award is given annually by the senior class to a member of the college campus life staff (campus life, wellness, health, library) who demonstrates exceptional commitment, innovation, and care in supporting and enriching the student experience outside the classroom.
MEANING BEHIND BURMESE SPINNING GONG
The Burmese Spinning Gong (Chee-ze) is played at the conclusion of ceremonial occasions. The reverberating sound conveys our fondest prayers to the graduates as they make their way in the world, to those who could not be with us today, and to those we have lost.
GRADUATION WITH HONORS
A student earning the AA degree with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 graduates with distinction.
Honors are awarded to BA degree candidates as follows:
For cum laude, a student must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3
For magna cum laude, a student must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5
For summa cum laude, a student must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.7
The degree is conferred by issuance of a diploma or official transcript that includes notification of degree completion.
DESCRIPTION OF HONOR CORDS AND STOLES
Honor cords and stoles are worn as symbols to distinguish an individual’s achievements.
Affinity Graduates
Purple cords signify first-generation students. Green cords signify Associate of Arts candidates. Bachelor of Arts candidates wear a stole bearing a design related to their affinity group.
Graduating Academy Matriculants
Orange cords signify graduating Academy Matriculants who are Associate of Arts candidates. Orange and pink cords signify graduating Academy Matriculants who are Bachelor of Arts candidates.
BA Divisional Stoles
Light Blue
trimmed stoles signify a graduate in the Division of Languages and Literature.
Maroon
trimmed stoles signify a graduate in the Division of the Arts.
Light Green
trimmed stoles signify a graduate in the Division of Science, Mathematics, and Computing.
Purple
trimmed stoles signify a graduate in the Division of Social Studies.
White
trimmed stoles signify an Interdivisional graduate.
Congratulations to the 2026 graduates, and welcome to the worldwide Simon’s Rock alumni community.
Photography by GradImages will be available online approximately one week after Commencement. To purchase photos, visit GradImages.com and search by student name.
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