Stonehill College Announces Student Speakers for Commencement 2025

Preparations for Stonehill College’s 74th Commencement, set to be held on Sunday, May 18, are currently underway. Amid all the excitement and anticipation, Lauren D’Arco ’25 and Erich Meslin ’24, M.S. ’25 are practicing the remarks they will share during the ceremony. The graduates were selected to represent the student body last month after auditioning before a committee made up of classmates, faculty and staff. 

In the lead up to the big day, D’Arco and Meslin chatted with us about the inspiration behind their speeches, their time on campus and more.  

Undergraduate Speaker Lauren D’Arco ’25  

D’Arco, who comes from Wilmington, Massachusetts, is graduating with a major in Health Science and a minor in Healthcare Management. Throughout her college years, she conducted research alongside Associate Professor of Health Sciences Tracy Rosebrock. Their work focused on human cytomegalovirus (CMV). D’Arco also served on the executive board for Students for Environmental Action and as the leader of Stonehill’s chapter of the Green Period Project.

Why did you choose to audition to speak at Commencement? 

One of my good friends from Stonehill, Syndey Ledoux from the Class of 2022, passed away a few years ago. I felt inspired to do this because of her. I thought this would be a nice opportunity to help honor her memory.

Can you share more about your friendship with Sydney? 

She was my RA in O’Hara Hall during my first year at Stonehill. That’s how we became close. She was a biology major and I’m a health science major, so a lot of our classes overlapped. If I was stuck on an assignment, I was able to go to her. She was a very kind, sweet and giving person. She was one of the hardest working people and I looked up to her as a role model. 

Without giving too much away, what impact do you hope your speech has on the audience? 

In terms of takeaways, I hope everyone listening can draw from my speech a lesson about how important kindness is. You never really know what others are going through. So, it’s important to always lead with kindness, share joy with others, and give them moments of hope. 

What are your plans after graduation? 

In the fall, I’ll start working toward a master’s in public health degree from Boston University. I’m hoping to become an epidemiologist who focuses on noncommunicable diseases, specifically exploring how the environment impacts our health. 

What led you down this path? 

Working with Professor Rosebrock led me here. She’s been so inspiring to me. One of the classes I took with her, “Health Disparities,” opened my eyes to how the environment affects human health and how those effects are often beyond people’s control depending on where they live. The class inspired me to find ways that I can make change in the world. 

Graduate Speaker Erich Meslin ’24, M.S. ’25

Originally from Ringwood, New Jersey, Meslin will soon graduate from Stonehill with a Master of Science in Marketing degree with a concentration in Marketing Analytics. As an undergraduate at Stonehill, he majored in Marketing and minored in Journalism. During his time at the College, Meslin was an offensive lineman for the football team. His teammates voted him in as captain this year. The student-athlete was also previously a reporter for The Summit. 

Why did you pursue a graduate degree at Stonehill? 

To earn another degree at an accelerated pace seemed like a wonderful opportunity. There was also the added benefit of continuing to play football for a fifth year. That gave me the chance to put a nice bow on my college athletic career. 

Why did you want to be named one of this year’s Commencement speakers? 

I decided to pursue this opportunity because I’m always trying to push myself to do things that are uncomfortable for me. A person really grows when they push themselves to their limits. 

What do you hope the audience at Commencement takes away from your speech? 

I hope they can take away the idea that by simply trying, you can push yourself to accomplish things beyond your wildest imagination. Effort is free, but opportunity is not. So, it’s important to apply as much effort whenever you can because you never know if you’re going to get another opportunity to do so. 

What does life after Stonehill look like for you? 

I’m currently interviewing with local companies in the Massachusetts area. Beyond that, I want to find ways to give back to Stonehill.  

What’s your favorite thing about being part of the Stonehill community? 

I love the people. I don’t live on campus, but anytime I’m there, I always end up striking up a great conversation with someone. You get this heartwarming feeling with every interaction you have at Stonehill.