President Ross is pleased to announce that Sr. Mary Johnson, SNDdeN ’79, Congregational Leader for the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, will serve as Emmanuel College’s 2026 Commencement Speaker and receive an honorary degree.
An alumna educated by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, Sr. Mary’s life and vocation embody the values of Emmanuel: leadership, a global perspective, and a deep commitment to justice and the common good. As a student at Emmanuel, she served as president of her class, an experience she attributes to the formative shaping of her leadership. Her return as Commencement speaker carries special meaning not only because Emmanuel helped shape her vocation, but also because she devoted twenty-two years to the College as a professor of sociology. During that time, she and her colleagues conducted the first national study of young adult Catholics, a groundbreaking and influential study in sociology and in the Church in the United States. Through teaching, mentorship, and scholarship, she shaped generations of Emmanuel students in enduring alignment with the College’s mission.
Following her service at Emmanuel, Sr. Mary became Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Religious Studies at Trinity Washington University in Washington, D.C., also founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. Her academic work, including research on Catholic religious orders of women, global migration, and Catholic Social Teaching continues to influence religious and academic leaders, demonstrating the power of a liberal arts education rooted in inquiry, ethical reflection, and engagement with the most pressing challenges of our world.
Sr. Mary’s leadership journey led to her election as Congregational Leader of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. In this role, she is based in Rome and, with the other four members of the Congregational Leadership Team, she is entrusted with responsibility for the global congregation and its ministries across five continents. Her leadership includes regular engagement with the International Union of Superiors General, international justice and peace organizations and Vatican offices, reflecting her influence and standing within the global Church.
As our Commencement speaker, Sr. Mary brings not only academic distinction and global leadership, but also a deep understanding of Emmanuel College, its history, its mission, and its aspirations for the future. Rooted in the spirit of Saint Julie Billiart and shaped by decades of teaching and leadership, her message will invite graduates to live with confidence, freedom of spirit, and a lasting commitment to justice.
In welcoming Sr. Mary Johnson back to Emmanuel College, we honor a beloved alumna and former faculty member whose life exemplifies the transformative power of an Emmanuel education and the enduring mission of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.
Dr. Tenley E. Albright is an Olympic champion, physician, and civic leader whose life reflects extraordinary perseverance, intellectual achievement, and service to others.
Raised in Newton, Massachusetts, Dr. Albright achieved historic distinction as the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in figure skating, capturing gold at the 1956 Winter Olympics after earning a silver medal four years earlier. In that remarkable era, she also achieved the rare “triple crown” of figure skating, winning the World, North American, and United States championships. Her accomplishments established a new standard of excellence for American athletes and continue to inspire generations through their demonstration of discipline, determination, and grace.
Her achievements are made even more remarkable by the adversity she overcame. After contracting polio as a child, she endured a long and difficult recovery before returning to the ice and ultimately rising to Olympic victory.
Following her athletic career, Dr. Albright pursued excellence in medicine. A graduate of Harvard Medical School and later a member of its faculty, she built a distinguished career as a surgeon and educator, dedicating her work to advancing patient care and medical education. Her life reflects the resilience, intellectual rigor, and commitment to service that institutions of higher education strive to cultivate in their graduates.
Through her achievements in athletics, medicine, and public life, Dr. Albright exemplifies excellence placed in service of others.
Dr. Raymond M. Hakim is a distinguished physician, scientist, and leader in the field of nephrology whose career has been dedicated to advancing medical knowledge and improving the lives of patients around the world.
Trained first as an engineer, he earned a Master of Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before receiving his medical degree from McGill University. Following residency training in internal medicine, he completed fellowship training in nephrology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and joined the faculty of Harvard Medical School. Over the course of a remarkable career, Dr. Hakim has served as a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, co-founded the Renal Care Group—an organization that grew to serve tens of thousands of dialysis patients—and later served as chief medical officer of Fresenius Medical Care North America, the largest provider of dialysis services in the United States.
A prolific scholar and teacher, Dr. Hakim has authored more than two hundred scientific publications and has been widely recognized for his contributions to medicine and patient care.
His connection to Emmanuel College reflects a deep commitment to education and social responsibility. In memory of his late wife, Catherine McLaughlin Hakim, a member of the Class of 1970, he established the Catherine McLaughlin Hakim Lecture Series, which brings distinguished speakers to campus to explore issues of sociology, social justice, and public policy in the spirit of Emmanuel’s mission.
Through his distinguished career in medicine and his generous support of Emmanuel College, Dr. Hakim exemplifies the pursuit of knowledge in service of the common good.
Andrew “Andy” Yosinoff is one of the most accomplished coaches in the history of collegiate athletics and a cherished member of the Emmanuel College community whose career has been defined by mentorship, dedication, and a profound commitment to the success of Emmanuel students.
Since joining Emmanuel College in 1977, Coach Yosinoff has built one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division III women’s basketball. Over nearly five decades, his teams have captured numerous conference championships, made more than twenty appearances in the NCAA tournament, and advanced to the national Final Four. With more than nine hundred career victories, he stands among the winningest coaches in NCAA history.
Yet Coach Yosinoff measures success not only in wins and championships, but in the lives of the hundreds of student-athletes he has mentored. Generations of Emmanuel students have benefited from his belief in hard work, discipline, and personal growth—lessons that extend far beyond the basketball court.
His commitment to Emmanuel extends beyond athletics. In honor of his mother, Freda Yosinoff, he established the Freda Yosinoff Memorial Scholarship Fund to support Emmanuel students, reflecting the values of education and opportunity central to his family. Inspired as well by his father, Louis Yosinoff, a lifelong educator who instilled in him the importance of service and hard work, Coach Yosinoff has remained deeply devoted to the mission of the College.
Through a remarkable career devoted to athletics, education, and mentorship, Andrew Yosinoff has left an indelible mark on Emmanuel College and on the lives of generations of students.