Springfield College hosted the Annual Stepping Up Day Ceremony on Thursday, April 13, 2023 with the ceremony taking place on historical MacLean Terrace behind Alumni Hall. With Stepping Up Day, the first-year students take a step up, sophomores become juniors, juniors become seniors, and seniors become alumni.
The spring of 1926 saw the first Stepping Up Day, which replaced the old “Decapitation Day” exercises, when the freshmen were allowed to remove their green beanies.
This year’s ceremony also included the searing in of the new Student Government Association President Mason Preble, class of 2024. In addition, elected Class Presidents took their official oath of office as Karly Suppicich (Class of 2024), Xavier Lockhart (Class of 2025), and Mauricio Castellanos (Class of 2026) were officially sworn in by Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Slandie Dieujuste.
Concluding the ceremony was the awarding of the first recipient of the Molly Gorman Bourne ’05 Scholarship Fund. Collin Dagg, class of 2024, was this year’s recipient.
The Molly Gorman Bourne ’05 Scholarship Fund was created by Molly’s sister, Kelsey Anne Sullivan, and Meghann ’06 and Aaron ’05 Dombroski in recognition of their friend and classmate, Molly Gorman Bourne. Molly was a motivated business administration major, student government vice president, resident assistant, new student orientation leader, and captain of the ski team, which is where she earned the nickname “Rockstar.”
Molly excelled and went “all in” with everything she put her mind to, leading her peers with integrity, dedication, and passion. She truly embodied our Humanics philosophy. Whether she was lifting the heaviest weights, saving lives in the Emergency Room as a nurse, leading with grit, grace, and determination, or simply laughing, Molly inspired everyone. With this scholarship, we honor Molly by continuing her legacy of inspiring others and making a difference in this world.
