Framingham Army Vet Delivers Commencement Address At MassBay

MassBay Student Veteran Will Deliver the Student Commencement Address

FRAMINGHAM, MA—Army Veteran, Staff Sergeant (Ret.) Shaun Morand was picked to address MassBay’s graduating class as the Student Commencement Speaker on Thursday, May 17, announced the school. Morand, who is from Framingham, graduates with an Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Arts and has maintained a 4.0 grade point average every semester at MassBay.

Morand was headed into his sophomore year at Briarwood College when the attacks on Sept. 11 took place. He and a friend headed toward New York City to help, but unable to get close to Ground Zero. They instead handed out water and masks to first responders in the surrounding areas.

After 9-11, Morand left college and enlisted in the Army, first in the Connecticut National Guard, and then as part of the 25th Infantry Division, in which Morand was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan to fight in the Global War on Terror. Morand was medically retired from the Natick Soldier Systems Center due to combat injuries sustained in Iraq, and has since become involved in supporting local veterans' charities, continues the announcement. He has participated in a 200 mike ruck march from Boston to New York City’s Ground Zero to raise awareness of veteran suicides and another across the entire state of Massachusetts.

Morand is the first in his family to graduate college and is transferring to San Diego, CA, with hopes to pursue his bachelor degree in English. He considers himself a lifelong learner, with his future goals of continuing his education to earn a PhD and becoming a writer. Morand lives in Framingham with his wife, Sonya, has two children Brooklyn and Madeline, and a dog named Ranger.

Photo and information via MassBay