Jillian Jacobs Received the Class of 2016 Commencement Speaker Medal

2016 May 11

Jillian Jacobs of Otisfield, Maine, received the Class of 2016 Commencement Speaker Medal and delivered the senior Commencement address "Passion, Compassion, Humor and Style" at the Colby-Sawyer College 178th Commencement on Saturday, May 7.

Jacobs, a Business Administration major, is known for her outspokenness, intelligence and valuable contributions to the Colby-Sawyer community, including her support for gender equality and fellow students' learning.

A Wesson Honors Scholar, Jillian is the epitome of an academically successful student. She is a member of the Alpha Chi National Honors Society and Sigma Beta Delta, an international honors society for business, management and administration, and she has been named to the Dean's List every semester and is listed in Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.

Jillian's academic achievements are matched by her activism on and off campus. She is a past member of PRIDE and completed an internship at the Third Wave Fund, a not-for-profit organization focused on gender justice through youth involvement. She is a member of Women with Will and served the group as vice president. Jillian has also been treasurer for Word Order and the Philosophy Club, and she takes immense pride in her tutoring at the Student Learning Collaborative.

"Jillian is a phenomenal student," wrote a peer nominator. "She is active on campus, and an advocate for others through a number of clubs on campus. She is a hard worker and has a great spirit."

Jillian plans to continue her work with the Third Wave Fund after graduation, which will move her closer toward the dream of running her own not-for-profit with a focus on advocacy for LGBTQ+ youth in rural areas.

In her spare time, Jillian likes to play with her four dogs, bake, code and watch musical theater, especially "Hamilton."