‘Choose Growth Over Fear’: MCPHS Celebrates the Class of 2025

Spring Commencement exercises honored nearly 1,700 graduates from across the University.

When Mason “Skip” Irving III earned his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS), he never imagined he would one day call actor Michael J. Fox a friend. For the last 20 years, he has served on the Board of Directors of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, working toward finding a cure for the neurodegenerative disease.

“Every day, I use what I learned in school,” Irving, MBA, BSP ’78, said during his alumni address at the University’s Commencement exercises. “Pharmacy opened doors I never expected. Your time at MCPHS can do the same if you stay curious, invest in relationships, manage your career with intention, and keep your eyes on a greater purpose.”

Commencement exercises were held on May 8 at the Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston’s Seaport district. Thousands of MCPHS Community members gathered to celebrate nearly 1,700 undergraduate, graduate, certificate, and doctoral candidates. President Richard J. Lessard presided over two ceremonies honoring graduates across the Boston, Worcester, and Manchester campuses, as well as online programs.

This spring, Jacqueline Hua earned her second degree from MCPHS—a Master of Public Health—while also earning a second master’s degree from Boston University. She spoke to classmates during the morning ceremony, sharing a Vietnamese proverb with her peers about the importance of teamwork.

“As individuals, we may achieve great things, but as a community, we have the power to shape the world,” she said. “Today, we celebrate not just personal triumphs but the collective perseverance, sacrifice, and dedication that have brought us here.”

In the afternoon, alum Catherine Boyd, MBA, MPAS ’05, BS ’04, shared the moment she realized how much sacrifice a career in healthcare could require. It happened during her first week as an MCPHS student in September 2001 when terror attacks shook the nation.

“I had a visceral understanding of what frontline workers were about to face,” said Boyd, who is now President and Chief Operating Officer of New England Life Care. “But here’s a truth I learned that day. Discomfort is where transformation begins. That moment became my launch point. It forced me to choose growth over fear, to use self-doubt as fuel.”

Minh Tran, who completed her Master of Physician Assistant Studies this spring, also acknowledged the fear and uncertainty she experienced during her education and that her peers might feel as they begin their careers. She encouraged the crowd to lean into those feelings.

“The truth is, we will always feel scared and unprepared for what comes next, simply because we haven’t lived it yet,” she said. “Trust that every step forward, no matter how small, is bringing you closer to the person you are destined to become.”

Together, the Commencement speakers reflected on the challenges and turning points that shaped their healthcare educations and careers. Irving, like his fellow speakers, emphasized how staying open to change can lead to unexpected growth. From retail pharmacy and industry to consulting and venture capital and to the nonprofit work he continues today, his career showed graduates what can happen when they welcome these opportunities.

“You have so much to look forward to in your careers, but I can tell you, based on my own experience, it’s likely to turn out quite differently than what you imagine today,” he said. “The future of medicine is full of promise. You’re ready not just to participate, but to lead in this future.”