LENOX, Mass. — Laura Forero thought she wanted to go into computer programming.

 

But one semester in at Berkshire Community College, she realized it wasn't for her. She finished up her classes and tried to figure out what to do instead. 

 

"I realized that I did not see programming in my future. I realized this was not after all something I wanted to do. However, I did not see my decision as a failure. Instead I learned that I did not want to do something so it was kind of a success," Forero said. 

 

The next semester she changed majors to business administration. She was behind but put in the extra time during the summer to catch up. 

 

"I may not have had a clear view of my future but I put in my best effort to excel at my present," Forero said. "Now I found myself the valedictorian. The undecided student from just a few years ago will have a degree in few minutes."

 

Forero told her story of indecision in the Koussevitzky Music Shed at Tanglewood on Friday night in front of her classmates and their families and friends. Forero said it was because of hard work and sacrifice that all 315 students in the graduating class got to the college's 56th commencement ceremony.

 

"I learned that persistence and determination are the keys to success. I had a goal and I was determined to accomplish it," Forero said, and dared her classmates to continue challenging themselves and to never give up.

 

The graduates are now closing one chapter and opening another. Sometimes that transition to the future is a huge unknown. That was where state Sen. Benjamin Downing was just 13 years ago — both physically and mentally. Downing had just graduated college and was working in the grounds crew at Tanglewood. 

 

"The only thing that seemed to change was that I had a lot more student debt and I lot less hair," Downing, who gave the commencement address, said. "This hadn't been part of the plan."

 

He was working minimum wage and waiting to hear back on his law schools applications.

 

"It was midsummer before I received the last rejection. Blessedly, there are lots of lawns to mow at Tanglewood. So I had lots of time to ponder one question, now what?" Downing said.

 

His confidence was shattered. He didn't know what to do. Then he got a call from his college friend who was moving to Washington, D.C., and needed a roommate. Without knowing what he'd do when he got there, Downing packed up his belongings and went. 

 

"To this day, I am still not sure what made me pack up and go to D.C. But I couldn't be happier that I did. I couldn't be happier that I took that chance. I landed in a situation where I didn't have any more time to think about what was next. I simply had to do it," Downing said. "The lesson I took from this is sometimes the path forward is not going to be clear. You need to bet on yourself and the work that you put in to make an opportunity."

 

He interned on Capitol Hill and when it was over, he was hired by former Congressman John Olver. A few years after that, Downing was back in Massachusetts and going to graduate school. He got a call from his uncle Jack who told him there was an open state Senate seat. 

 

"I legitimately thought it was a prank call and I hung up on him," Downing said.

 

His brother eventually talked him into it. For the next six months, he traveled the district, knocking on doors, and campaigning. He said he had days when he met more barking dogs than voters and days when he had to check in with his mother to make sure she wasn't going to back his opponent who was racking up endorsements. But, in 2006 he won by 243 votes.

 

Downing said it is by having the confidence to take those risks that he was able to find a path. 

 

"You can always find a reason not to do something if you look hard enough. A great political veteran once told me that it is always the rational thing to do to not run for office," Downing said. "I think the same thing is true in life. You can avoid all of the risk if you want. But if you do, don't expect rewards to just fall into your lap."

 

Now, he isn't running for re-election and again is in the same place as the graduates and the same place he was 13 years ago — a transition. He doesn't know the future but he is confident in his own work. He encouraged the students to do the same and to keep learning. 

 

"I learned some of my most important life lessons when I was uncomfortable and unclear of how to move forward," Downing said.

 

The senator said it isn't about learning the answers but learning how to find answers. BCC President Ellen Kennedy used the term "discernment," which is the ability to judge and make decision, to describe what the graduates should use moving forward. Discernment is one of the lessons the students received during their time at BCC. 

 

"Use your gift of discernment to improve the world you inhabit," Kennedy said. 

 

The graduates worked hard to complete the program and on Friday they were finally able to say they have degrees. With that they proceeded out of the Shed and out onto the lawn, where they were greeted by friends and family, many with flowers and balloon. 

 

The commencement also included granting professor emeritus recognition to Eric Gauger, Clifford Myers, and Audrey Ringer. The national anthem was sung by student Lindsay DeWinkeleer; degrees were conferred by Board of Trustees Chairwoman Darlene Rodowicz; Vice President for Academic Affiars Frances Feinerman and BCC Alumni Association President Cindy Shogry-Raimer both spoke; and the Berkshire Highlanders and Sheriff Thomas Bowler led the procession and the recession. 

 

Twelve students received more than one degree or certificate. The age of graduates ranged from 18 to 69 with a median age of 29.

 

The graduates:

 

CONNECTICUT
Lakeville: Amanda Stevens

Torrington: Tenzin Yangzom

MASSACHUSETTS

Adams: Caleb Appleton, Patricia Brown, Courtney Bussiere, Torey Crawford, Mitchell Gavazzi, Sean Grady, Kaylee Leja, Emily Martinelli, Danielle Milesi, Kimberly Mills, Jennifer Monyahan, Haley Morgan, Chad Ouimette, Tammy Proctor, Kayla Racine, Andrew Rinaldi, Meaghan Shepard and Sarah Williams.         

Ashfield: Karen Doyle        

Ashley Falls: Natalie Appel      

Becket: Elizabeth Bean   

Belchertown: Anne Kimani       

Berkshire: Kyle Boudreau and James Kelley
 
Cheshire: Hannah Gajda, Christopher Garner, Aaron Gwozdz, Laura Kivlehan, Hayley Maloy, Shayla Moquin, Richard Robillard, Sheryl Satun, Reid Tetlow and Amy Tracy.

Chester: Lisa Barbagallo   

Chicopee: Renata Borkowski and Joel Kania.  

Clarksburg: Kathleen Franco, Gina Kemper and Sabrina Renaud.  

Cummington: Melanie Griffith   

Dalton: Angelia Alfonso, Anthony Baroli, Kessa Battaini, Mathieu Brzostek, Abiah Casey-Williams, Taylor Conrow, Anthony Corbett, Courtney Daley, Timothy Desmarais, Payton Hines, Brianna Holsborg, Rae Langsdale, Christopher Morehouse, Lindsay Ostellino, Ariel Ramirez, Kevin Richard, Nicholas Sanders, James Schmidt, Gabrielle Schnopp, Mary Smith, Marisa Sprague, Monica Stegemann, Alexander Stevens and Scott Yenolevich.          

Drury: Chase Lewis        

Glendale: Mariah Parise     

Great Barrington: Nicole Andrus, Lindsay Cavanaugh, Heather Decker, Rachel Dewar, Page Ellsworth, Taylor Foss, Kornelia Krzyzanowska, Joshua Kuhn, Korey Leonard, Krobkul Seesangrit, Avia Stanton and Miles Weber.              

Hinsdale: Stephanie Beauchaine, James Bodine, Claudia Sala, Dawn Schultz, Crystal Townsend and Heidi Zeitler.       

Housatonic: Giancarlo Bravo, Timothy Joutras and Teresa Reynolds .

Lanesborough: Jennifer Fenn, Jessica Ferry, Devon Lennon, Tanya Panetti, Emily Rudd, Kylie Sheedy and Alexander Wirtes.

Lee: Danielle Davis, Amanda Donkor, Becky Goulet, Michael Haywood, Megan Heppleston, Austin Herzig, Abigail Jones, Clayton Kohlenberger, Matthew Lee, Alex Lussier, Shamus MacDonald, Vinicius Onorato, Yessy Rodriguez, Carrie Rogers, Thomas Salinetti, Christina Tenore, Selena Van Lingen, Lora Wade, Tori Wadsworth and Chuanqi Xiong.   

Lenox: Roy Chapman, Katherine Cortes Ruiz, Connor Duval, Brittany Gable, Adam Gazit, Alix Kirshner, Patrick Kline, Kostyantyn Latyshenko, Paul Newton Irelan, Peter Ross, Pavlo Shamrai, Ian Sullivan, Miyah Taj and Carl Zurrin.        

Mill River: Jeremy Russell    

Monterey: Jonah Carlson     

North Adams: Candice Benoit-Peck, Kellie Berkeley, Jenna Bolte, Lannie Ellis, Barbara Faulkner, Melissa Girard, McKenzie Hebert, James Montgomery, John Nowlan and Kalie Phillips.

Oxford: William Harvey    

Peru: Nickole Erbin      

Pittsfield: Philomina Akor, Andrew Alfonso, Louis Anwobor, Joseph Appiah, Michelle Armstrong, Jennifer Arpante, Phyllis Arthur-Badoo, Clark Bailey, LaKeisha Beckett, Ronald Berkeley, Monica Bernal, Tyra Beverly, Andreen Blake, Joseph Bongini, Shirley Borrero, Jessica Brasie, Gabriana Brooks, Henry Cadorette, Collin Campbell, Samary Cardona, Lindsey Carter, Abigail Casian, Polana Casian, Jeffrey Catan, Robyn Chojnowski, Cameron Civello, Daniel Clukey, Katrina Clukey, Evelyn Cobbold, Eamon Connor, Kristina Cook, Megan Creamer, Evan Crocker, Tierney Crocker, Victoria Croshier, Keiland Cross, Jose Cruz, Lindsay DeWinkeleer, Rachael DiGrigoli, Phourasamy Din, Ryan Dion, Rhonda Ellery, Robert Erardy, Amanda Evangelisto, Grace Ezan, Michaela Farr, Justin Ferraro, Lindsey Fiero, Penny Fletcher, Laura Forero, Adrianna Fox, Gladys Garcia-Rijos, Zachary Gardner, Sarah Garson, Judith Giardina, Jackson Gifford, Lexia Gillette, Noel Goldberg, Valerie Goly, Andrew Goodermote, Danielle Goulet, Michael Graham, Theodore Griffith, Joan Grossman, April Haecker, Tonika Hall, Rosario Hammond, Mark Harford, Brodi Harrington, Tawnia Harrington, Andrew Hayden, Emily Hayes, Bethany Healey, Katielynn Hoffman, Richard Houghtaling, Jennifer Hunt, Alicia Jones, Nicole Kibbe, John Kilfeather, Tracy Kipp, Kara Kolodziej, James Koomson, Charles Kronick, Christopher Kulig, Samantha Langdon, Lisa Laughnane, Connor Lein, Brittany Lekov, Holly Leskovitz, Cassidy Lewis, Richard Loftus, Justin Lowery, Andrew Mais, Dustin Malossini, Lucas Mancari, Maura Marchese, Meghan McClellan, Patrick McDonough, Jennifer Mercier, Robert Mulvey, Robin Norton, James O'Brien, Brittany O'Donnell, Lacie O'Keefe, Austin O'Neil, Angelica Ortiz, Arpita Patel, Robert Perry, Walker Phillips, Allison Pierce, Benjamin Pigott, Brittany Polito, Wendy Ramos, Michele Raty, Cody Reagon, Vanessa Reese, Lisa Reilly, Anthony Riello, George Roach, Kelly Robertson, Christopher Rodick, Ellen Rufo, Heather Ryan, Stephanie Sanderson, Nadine Schweitzer, Jennifer Segala, Ann Marie Shaw, Michael Shea, Michelle Slater, Dominick Smith, Shane Smith, David Solak, Anisa Spagnuolo, Kyle Strack, William Straub, Nicholas Swain, Anthony Swenson, Cullen Tierney, Suni Ton, Jeanette Tuttle, Eric Vogel, Kevin Wallace, Amanda Walton, Jessica Whitten, Katherine Widitor, Marcus Widitor and Kristen Williams.

Richmond: Allyson Garofoli and Laura Mitchell.

Sandisfield: Ashlee Downer    

Sheffield: Lionel Bierbower and Thomas Rossi

South Egremont: Jennifer Lechleitner                         

Southfield: Michelle Dawson

Stockbridge: Keith Budness    

Tolland: Monica Deyermenjian                     

Tyringham: Nathan DiLego-Heath                     

Washington: Eric Desautelle    

West Stockbridge: Kristina Hallock  

Williamstown: Meghan O'Grady and Stephanie Orestil .

Windsor: Jake Kordana     

Worthington: Hannah Pease    

MARYLAND

Takoma Park: Alex Feiden         

NEW YORK

Ghent: Aneli Poland       

Hudson: Emma Hobson    

New Lebanon: Beth Smith         

Old Chatham: Devin Campbell  

Petersburg: Tammi Haines