3182_Comm10program:x 5/13/10 10:21 AM Page 1 The One Hundred Forty-Second COMMENCEMENT ELEVEN O’CLOCK • SATURDAY THE FIFTEENTH OF MAY TWO THOUSAND TEN WPI QUADRANGLE Worcester Polytechnic Institute 3182_Comm10program:x 5/13/10 10:21 AM Page 2 WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE PROGRAM Prelude WPI Brass Ensemble Douglas G. Weeks, Conductor Processional Led by the Honorary Marshal and the Honorary Marshal for Graduate Students Full details on page 50 Call to Order Stephen E. Rubin ’74 Vice Chairman, WPI Board of Trustees National Anthem The audience is invited to join in the singing Invocation Rev. Thomas R. McKibbens, Senior Minister First Baptist Church Student Remarks “One Last Problem” Roseann S. Gammal ’10 Presentation of the Class of 2010 Matthew King, Chad Mondor, Campaign Gift Mary Schultz Remarks from the Alumni Association Joyce Kline ’87, President, Alumni Association Recognition of ROTC Graduates Dennis Berkey, President Major General Ellen M. Pawlikowski, Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB Presentation of the Chairman’s John A. Orr, Provost and Senior Vice President Exemplary Faculty Prize Conferring of Honorary Degrees President Berkey Commencement Address Curtis M. Schilling, Founder and Chairman, 38 Studios, LLC Presentation of Candidates for Degrees Provost Orr Conferring of Degrees President Berkey Charge from the President President Berkey Alma Mater Emilia Martini ’10 Words and music on page 52 Benediction Rev. Thomas R. McKibbens Recessional WPI Brass Ensemble The audience is requested to remain standing until the end of the national anthem. At the conclusion of the Commencement exercises, the audience is requested to remain standing until the academic procession has left the Quadrangle. 2 3182_Comm10program:x 5/13/10 10:21 AM Page 3 COMMENCEMENT • MAY 15, 2010 PROGRAM NOTES Several longstanding campus traditions infuse the WPI Roseann S. Gammal ’10, who was selected as this year’s spirit, two of which will be experienced during today’s student speaker, is a chemistry and biochemistry double Commencement ceremony. major with a minor in writing and rhetoric. The Crossing Earle Bridge is one of the oldest. To visitors, Westborough, Mass., native is the third generation in a the bridge is a lovely pathway connecting the east and WPI lineage that dates back to the Class of 1920, of west sides of campus. To students, crossing the bridge which her grandfather, Charles A. Gammal, was a member. signals the start and end of their undergraduate careers at Throughout her undergraduate career, Roseann has WPI. Traditionally, they cross over as an entire class only excelled both inside and outside the classroom. While twice during their four years—at Convocation, when maintaining a perfect 4.0 grade point average, she has they are welcomed as first year students, and at contributed to WPI campus life in numerous leadership Commencement, as they process toward the Quadrangle. roles. She has served as president and vice president of the Another involves stepping on the WPI Seal in the Student Government Association and has represented the center of the Quad walkway. Throughout their four students on many faculty and Institute committees. As a years, undergrads make a point of walking around the student representative on the faculty Committee on Seal, for folklore says that the student who steps directly Academic Policy, she was instrumental in establishing the on the landmark won’t graduate on time. That this tradi- criteria for inclusion in the recently reinstated Dean’s List tion is upheld is most evident during the snowy winter to recognize academic excellence. months. After four years of avoidance (not to mention Roseann has enhanced the social and academic expe- four years of hard work and intense studying), each riences of her peers by serving as a community advisor for graduating class walks directly over it as part of the first year students, working in WPI’s Writing Center as a Commencement ceremony (weather permitting). writing tutor, and promoting mental health and wellness as a member of the Student Support Network. She is also Performers of the national anthem are seniors Emilia an avid Ballroom and Latin dancer and shared her Martini (conductor), Nicole Cahill, Dan Cianfrocco, passion for dance with WPI faculty and staff as a dance Jason Climer, Nathan Climer, Greg Coffey, Maura Craig, instructor in the Employee Wellness Program. She helped Lesley Drohan, Erin Ingalls, Briana Lorenzo, Kat develop the first Great Problems Seminars for first year McKenna, Michelle Terry, and Eleanor Terry-Welsh; and students and devoted her IQP experience to creating the graduate students Jonathan Carelli, Shant Orchanian, content and assignments for a new seminar on global and Erica Stults. environmental issues. The Senior Class Gift is presented by gift committee Recognized as a student leader, Roseann was asked chairs Paige Bourne, Matthew King, Chad Mondor, to be the student speaker this past August at the grand William Proia, Mary Schultz, John Upton, and Saraan opening of the new George I. Alden Life Sciences and Vercillo. This year’s class chose to raise funds for a Bioengineering Center at Goddard Hall. For her academic barbecue station, to be located near the patio behind the achievements and contributions to the WPI community, Campus Center. As a new social gathering space, this gift she has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, is meant to be a complementary addition to the Sports from the university and from national organizations. and Recreation Center to further enhance student life. It Among these awards is the Two Towers Prize, the most will serve as an opportunity for current and future mem- prestigious undergraduate award given at WPI. bers of the WPI community to enjoy an atmosphere Roseann will be continuing her studies by pursuing where school spirit abounds. a doctorate in pharmacy at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Worcester. See page 50 for more notes on Commencement Day. 3 3182_Comm10program:x 5/13/10 10:21 AM Page 5 COMMENCEMENT • MAY 15, 2010 HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENT GORDON B. LANKTON DOCTOR OF ENGINEERING Thomas Edison once observed that “opportunity is missed by creating one of the largest employee-owned companies in the most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” United States. Later, the company extended ownership rights to Gordon Lankton is not most people. A born leader, he has always its 10,000 foreign employees, as well. recognized the great value of opportunities—and people—dressed in A wise and wonderful friend to WPI, he was a trustee from overalls. He has never shrunk from anything that looked like work. 1981 to 2005, and remains a trustee emeritus to this day. After graduating from Cornell with a BS in engineering, Throughout his career, Lankton has served Clinton, Mass., Lankton served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956. Nypro’s hometown, as a member of the board of trustees He was stationed in West Germany, working in military for Clinton Hospital, as chairman of the Clinton Citizens intelligence. When his service ended, he decided Council, as chairman of the Clinton Chamber to go home the long way—on motorcycle— of Commerce, and as president of the Clinton through the Middle East and Southeast Asia, Development Task Force. Twenty years ago, he finally flying home from Japan. Living on just established an award-winning robotics team, five dollars a day, he sought not luxury but real made up of Nypro employees and Clinton High life. “I got to know the working people of the School students, that competes in annual events world,” he said. “And I have followed that sponsored by FIRST (For Inspiration and direction until this day.” Recognition of Science and Technology). Throughout his career, Lankton Lankton has received many awards of his demonstrated his respect for working people by own, including lifetime achievement awards giving them a voice—and a financial stake—in from the Society of the Plastics Industry, the the success of their workplace. In 1962, after Society of Plastics Engineers, Cornell early stints at DuPont and Stanley Works, he University, Plastics News magazine, and others. joined the plastics manufacturer Nypro (then In 2001 he was named “New England Master called Nylon Products) as general manager and Entrepreneur of the Year” by Ernst & Young. In a 50 percent partner. At that time, the company employed 40 2009 he was inducted into Industry Week magazine’s people and had sales of less than $1 million. When he bought the Manufacturing Hall of Fame. He is a member of the National other half of Nypro from its founder seven years later, one of his Plastics Hall of Fame, and a founder and former chairman of the first acts as head of the company was to put in place a cash profit- National Plastics Center and Museum. sharing plan for employees. Today Lankton devotes much of his time to another passion Over the next 30 years, he transformed Nypro from a inspired by his travels. He is the founder of the Museum of regional company to a global manufacturer with $1 billion in Russian Icons, which displays a collection of over 200 icons he sales and operations in 17 countries. He invested in new acquired during 20 years of traveling to Russia on business. technologies, and was the first to bring robotics to the plastics Located in Clinton, the museum houses the largest collection of industry. He was also convinced that growth was the best course, Russian artifacts in America, and has become a major tourist both for the bottom line and for the people who contributed to destination since it opened in 2006. it. “I always felt that if you didn’t grow, you would lose your good For his visionary and principled leadership, his generous people,” he has said.