IMAGE GALLERY: Framingham State University Graduates Largest Class Ever

Framingham State University graduated its largest class ever Sunday afternoon under a tent on Framingham Centre Common.

At the 2 p.m. commencement, 916 bachelor’s degrees were awarded.

At a 10 a.m. ceremony on Sunday, the University awarded 450 Masters degrees.

“I want to thank you for making my first year at Framingham State so special,” said Framingham State University president F. Javier Cevallos, speaking in the afternoon.

This was Cevallos first commencement ceremony. He was hired as the University’s 16th president last year and began in July 2014.

He said he has been in awe of the students creativity and talent.

“It has been a pleasure to watch you excel in the classrooms at Framingham State and on the athletic fields” said Cevallos.

“Completing a 4-year degree is no easy task,” said Cevallos. ”Today you can proud of the work you have done.”

Boston Marathon bombing survivor Heather Abbott was the inspirational commencement speaker yesterday.

Abbott was cheering on the marathon runners outside the Forum restaurant when she was struck by shrapnel from the second of two bombs that went off near the finish line. Following three surgeries in four days, she made the difficult decision to allow doctors to amputate her left leg below the knee.

Today, with the help of a prosthetic leg, Abbott has also become a certified peer counselor by the American Amputee Coalition and launched the Heather Abbott Foundation, which raises money to provide specialized prosthetic devices to others who have lost limbs due to traumatic injury.

The University awarded her an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree for her efforts to help others who have suffered through serious injuries.

At the graduate ceremony, Richard Wightman, a member of Framingham State’s class of 1974 and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs at the U.S. Department of Defense, served as the speaker.

Wightman is a retired three-star general who served his country with honor and distinction for 41 years, including two tours of duty in Vietnam in the airborne infantry. In his current civilian role at the U.S. Department of Defense, he is the chief advisor to Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter on all matters related to the 1.1 million service members assigned to the Guard and Reserve. Wightman is a highly decorated, having earned the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, four Meritorious Service Medals, the Legion of Merit, and the Army Achievement Medal, among many others.

Over the weekend, he was awarded with the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award.

Also yesterday, the University awarded State Rep. Carolyn Dykema with its Citizen Laureate Award.

Created in 2010, the Citizen Laureate award recognizes a member of the community who has consistently supported Framingham State University and the Town of Framingham.

Dykema was recognized for her outstanding support of higher education in Massachusetts and, in particular, her support of student veterans at Framingham State.

Framingham State University was founded in 1839 as the nation’s first public university for the education of teachers, and just recently celebrated its 175th anniversary.

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Slideshow provided by Petroni Media Company. Click on the link below to view the photos.