Order of Exercises

School of Education
School of Nursing

Trumpet Prelude and Processional

Pomp and Circumstance, Sir Edward Elgar

Call to Commencement

Debra J. Liebowitz, PhD
Provost

National Anthem

Chloe Patton

Greetings

Marie C. Hardin, PhD
President

Class of 2026 Student Speakers

• School of Education: Shamara Ameena Wethington Mizell

• School of Nursing: Sarah Marie Urrea

Introduction of Commencement Speaker

Nicole Casbarro, DNP
Assistant Professor of Nursing

Commencement Address

Chief Mutáwi Mutáhash Marilynn Malerba
Chief, Mohegan Tribe

Presentation of Candidates for Degrees and Awards

• School of Education: Anne Dichele, PhD, Dean

• School of Nursing: Larry Slater, PhD, Dean

Conferral of Degrees

Marie C. Hardin

Alumni Welcome

Tess Timpson ’18, MAT ’19, MS ’26
President, Alumni Association Board

Recessional

Mutáwi Mutáhash (Many Hearts) Marilynn 'Lynn' Malerba, MPA, DNP

Chief of the Mohegan Tribe

School of Education and School of Nursing Commencement | Saturday, May 9, 10 a.m.

Chief Mutáwi Mutáhash (Many Hearts) Marilynn “Lynn” Malerba became the 18th Chief of the Mohegan Tribe on Aug.15, 2010, and is the first female chief in the tribe’s modern history. The position is a lifetime appointment made by the tribe’s Council of Elders.

She returned full-time to Connecticut after serving as the Treasurer of the United States. When she was appointed by then-President Joe Biden in June 2022, she was the first Native American to serve in that role. Prior to becoming Chief, she served as chairwoman of the Tribal Council and executive director of health and human services.

Before working for the Mohegan Tribe, she had a lengthy career as a registered nurse ultimately serving as the director of cardiology and pulmonary services at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London, Connecticut.

She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice at Yale University and was named a Jonas Scholar. Earlier, she earned her Master of Public Administration from the University of Connecticut, her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the College of St. Joseph and her diploma in nursing from the Hartford Hospital School of Nursing.

Mace and Medallion

The mace — a symbol of authority — has antecedents in both Roman and Medieval history. The Roman mace (fasces) was carried by a lictor before the chief magistrate of the city, as well as before the legions. During the Middle Ages, the mace (mateola), a weapon of war, became first a symbol of victory and then a symbol of authority. The mace emblazoned with the Great Seal of England became a symbol of authority in Parliament by the end of the 13th century. It is this form of the mace that was the prototype of those symbols of authority, not only of legislative bodies, but also of cities and universities.

In 1246, following some 20 years of strife, the University of Paris was finally conceded the right to its own common seal. Since then, the use of the seal engraved on the mace has come to symbolize the authority of the academic community. In July 2000, Quinnipiac commissioned the noted sculptor Robert Meyer of Westport, Connecticut, to design and execute a new mace for Quinnipiac University. Cast in bronze, the mace incorporates elements of the university seal.

The medallion (medal of office), like the mace and the seal, is also a symbol of authority. It is possible that its roots may be traced back to the Roman “bulla” (a gold amulet of honor). The obverse of the medallion shows the seal of the office the wearer holds — in our case, the seal of the university. Not infrequently, the reverse would show the personal seal or coat of arms of the bearer. Since the High Middle Ages, the medallion has been worn by such officials as the chancellors of England, mayors of cities, and rectors of universities, and came to signify the high personal position such figures occupied in their respective governments. During the Renaissance, medallion design reached unique artistic heights, and in certain portraits the medallion was given particular prominence. The medallion is worn by the university’s president. The Quinnipiac medal showcases the university seal, sculpted in relief and cast in bronze.