Graduating Students, Family and Friends:
Share Your Thoughts, Photos and Videos using #MCC_CT2023
Instagram · Twitter · Facebook
The 59th Commencement Ceremony was held on Thursday, May 25, 2023,
at 2:30 p.m. sharp, at the Bicentennial Band Shell on the campus lawn.
MCC Confers Degrees and Certificates to the Class of 2023 in 59th Commencement Exercises
Valedictorian
Jessica Sasser
Jessica Sasser, a resident of Columbia, Connecticut, is a driven individual with a passion for finding purpose in her career. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the esteemed University of Connecticut and a Master’s in Tax Accounting from the University of Hartford. Despite her impressive educational background, Jessica always felt a lack of fulfillment in her previous career. Her dreams of discovering a profession that would truly resonate with her led her to pursue a new path. The MCC’s Radiation Therapy program captured her attention, and since her acceptance into the program, she has never looked back. The patient interactions and providing them with support through their cancer journey is something that attracted Jessica to the field and kept her inspired throughout school. This summer Jessica will be joining the Radiation Oncology department at Backus Hospital as a Radiation Therapist. After graduating she is looking forward to getting back to some of hobbies which are traveling and spending more time outdoors.
Salutatorian
Tammy Silakowski
Tammy is an accomplished individual who is about to embark on an exciting chapter in her career as she completes her A.S. degree in Radiologic Science/Radiation Therapy. Her dedication and exceptional performance in the field have earned her the prestigious 2023 Stan Scroggins Didactic Award for Excellence from the MCC Radiation Therapy program. With a strong foundation in education, Tammy’s academic journey has been remarkable. Prior to her venture into the field of Radiation Therapy, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Science in Behavioral Neuroscience. These academic achievements showcase her commitment to understanding the human mind and behavior. With over 15 years of experience managing pharmaceutical and medical device clinical trials, Tammy retains a wealth of knowledge in the healthcare industry. However, her passion for making a more direct impact on patients’ lives got her to transition into a more fulfilling role. She will begin working as a Radiation Therapist in June, and will be relocating later this summer to Lawrence, KS with her husband and 11-year-old daughter.
Commencement Speaker
Spencer Garrett
Actor/Director/Producer
Spencer Garrett is a third-generation actor/director/producer whose career spans 30 years in film, television and theatre. The son of former Screen Actors Guild President and multi-hyphenate actor/activist Kathleen Nolan, and grandson of actors Clara Kennedy and Stephen Ellsworth – all of whom plied their trades on the famed Goldenrod Showboat in St. Louis – Spencer had performing in his blood since childhood. The choice to enter the family business at an early age was an easy one.
His films include Public Enemies and Blackhat for Michael Mann, Air Force One, Charlie Wilson’s War for Mike Nichols; Thank You for Smoking and The Frontrunner for Jason Reitman; Bobby, The Way and The Public for Emilio Estevez; Bombshell, Yes Man, Iron Man 3, and many more. He received a 2007 SAG Award nomination for Bobby and his first foray into producing, Below the Beltway, was awarded Best Film at the 2010 Newport Film Festival. He appeared most recently in Once Upon A Time in Hollywood and Blonde. His Watercat Films production company recently completed principal photography on its 4th independent feature. In 2021 Spencer produced the global hit podcast America 2.0 starring Laurence Fishburne, Kate Walsh and Ming-Na Wen, as well as the internet sensation Quarantine, which raised $25,000 for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation COVID-19 Relief Fund. This summer he is in production on The Residence, a White House ‘whodunit’ for Shondaland/Netflix that will air Christmas 2023.
In the theatre, Spencer made his mark early, garnering Dramalogue and Los Angeles Theatre Critics Awards for his role in Jack Heifner’s Heartbreak at The Hudson Guild. Other notable theatre: In The Moonlight, Eddie and Alone Together; Pulitzer-winner Lynn Nottage’s By the Way, Meet Vera Stark and Adaptation. He is a frequent contributor to Word Theatre, having performed numerous roles around the country. For L.A Theatreworks, Spencer has performed in The Lion in Winter, Zoot Suit and The Country Girl. In the Summer 2022, Spencer returned to the stage for the first time since 2010 in Windfall at Bay Street Theatre.
On television Spencer has played over 150 major guest or recurring roles, including on The West Wing, Mad Men, Law & Order, Will & Grace, Bosch, For All Mankind, Star Trek (TNG, Voyager), Insecure, House of Cards, All the Way and Game Change. He currently stars as legendary Lakers broadcaster ‘Chick’ Hearn in HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise Of The Lakers Dynasty.
A sponsor of numerous charities, Spencer has performed 12 times for the National Breast Cancer Coalition and supports the Motion Picture and Television Fund, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, as well as Project ALS and SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young.
He graduated from the Hyde School in Bath, Maine, and served on its Board of Governors from 2013 to 2016. He graduated from Fordham University with a degree in Comparative Literature and Drama and currently teaches a Master Class at The Ruskin School of Acting in Los Angeles. He divides his time between L.A. and Washington, D.C.