The Students Taking the Stage at Summer Commencement, and the Advice They Have for Others

Two speakers, two singers, and a Beatty Award recipient. Meet five members of the Class of 2026 with a role in the August 13 ceremonies at MGM Music Hall at Fenway.

Ahead of Wentworth Institute of Technology's Summer Commencement ceremonies Thursday, we are highlighting the students speaking, singing, and being honored, and they share what they would tell first-year students arriving in September.

Hugo Hernandez Chavez

Student Speaker, Morning Ceremony - Computer Information Systems

Chavez completed three co-op experiences with Harvard University Information Technology as a technical support engineer, a run that took him from field support to the walk-in desk and back.

A first-generation college student and an immigrant from Mexico, he arrived at Wentworth with an interest in educational access and in using technology to help other students, a thread that ran through his four years. It also produced an entrepreneurial streak, which he put on display in Accelerate's Rapid Pitch competition.

His advice for incoming students begins with something that redirected his own four years.

"Don't confine yourself within the walls of your major," Chavez said. "Take electives early on that have nothing to do with your major. It's the one thing you won't have room for later on, and it's often where you stumble onto the people or ideas that end up mattering most."

Nicolas Patrick Cullinan

Beatty Award Recipient - Construction Management

The Beatty Award goes to the graduating undergraduate with the highest overall academic achievement, named for Dr. H. Russell Beatty, Wentworth's third principal and first president, who led the Institute from 1953 to 1971.

Cullinan earned the Beatty Award with a 4.0 cumulative GPA across all four years and a spot on the Dean's List every semester while playing for two NCAA Division III teams.

He was a four-year member of both the men's ice hockey and baseball programs, making the Conference of New England Baseball All-Conference Second Team as a junior and again as a senior. In his final year, Cullinan was named Conference of New England Scholar Athlete of the Year in both sports. When Wentworth's baseball team reached the conference tournament, he took home the conference's "Elite 21" award, given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA in the field.

Off the field Cullinan was inducted into the Sigma Lambda Chi International Construction Honor Society as a junior and served as vice president for this year's induction ceremony. He also received the President's Award for Academic Excellence and Co-Curricular Involvement for the Construction Management program.

He concentrated in Commercial Real Estate with a minor in Business Management, and spent both co-ops at Gilbane Building Company, working with project management and field operations teams on site at the HarbourVest office renovation and the Shattuck Hospital replacement. He returns to Gilbane full-time this fall as a field engineer.

"Simply keep showing up every single day, through the good times and the bad," Cullinan would say to new students. "There will be incredible highs and tremendous lows throughout your journey, but ultimately, you will realize that every moment and every lesson has allowed you to grow in ways you did not think were possible. Find the people who will be there for you in the tough times and be there for them when they need you, and everything will turn out just fine."

Dylan Brandano

National Anthem, Morning Ceremony - Mechanical Engineering

Brandano is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Manufacturing. During his time at Wentworth, he also developed as a vocalist and as a self-taught guitar player.

Brandano was also a fixture in club and intramural athletics, playing rugby and competing in multiple intramural sports across Wentworth and the Colleges of the Fenway.

After graduation he plans to work in mechanical engineering and eventually pursue a master's degree in the field.

"Say yes to everything. It is a privilege to be busy," Brandano said. "Meet up with friends, play club sports, participate in school events, and take every opportunity you can to get involved. Because if you don't, four years from now you will look back and wish you had said yes more often."

Amanda Zweifler

Student Speaker, Afternoon Ceremony - Civil Engineering

Zweifler spent her co-ops in the construction industry, building hands-on experience in project engineering, field operations, and project management.

On the volleyball court, she earned Libero of the Year honors as a senior and became just the sixth player in Wentworth history to record more than 1,000 career digs. She is a member of Chi Epsilon, Tau Beta Pi, and the Wentworth Honor Society.

The team atmosphere is the thing she says she will most carry from Wentworth.

"My favorite thing about Wentworth has been being part of a team and getting to experience moments like winning the conference for the first time in five years," Zweifler said. "There's something really special about the environment here, the support, the energy, and the people who all come together to celebrate each other's success. Winning the conference showed me how much hard work and being part of a close team can mean, and it's a memory I'll always carry with me."

Zweifler will pursue graduate studies while serving as an assistant coach for the Wentworth women's volleyball team.

Jocelyn Salzman

National Anthem, Afternoon Ceremony - Biomedical Engineering

Salzman came to Wentworth from Vancouver, Washington, and is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering.

She sang with The Sirens a cappella group for three years, including five semesters as vice president.

After graduation she joins the Biomedical Engineering Department at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Summer Commencement takes place Thursday, August 13 at MGM Music Hall at Fenway, with ceremonies at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Read more about the honorary degree recipients and the full day's schedule on the Commencement website.