Students, faculty, family and friends gathered at Framingham State on February 8 to celebrate the 2014 Winter Commencement Ceremony. The University conferred 301 bachelor’s degrees and 269 master’s degrees during two ceremonies in Dwight Hall Performing Arts Center.

Interim President Robert Martin assured the graduates that, while they may feel bittersweet about leaving college, the best is yet to come.

“I hope we’ve given you the tools to uncover your passions and achieve happiness and success,” Dr. Martin said. “You should leave here today excited about what lies ahead.”

Undergraduate Commencement Speaker Dr. George Jarnis urged the graduates to embrace life’s opportunities, describing their new diplomas as passports “that will allow you to travel as far as your curiosity will take you.”

“Life is not a spectator sport,” Jarnis added. “Life is something that must be experienced.”

Dr. Jarnis is professor emeritus at FSU and previously served as chair of the University’s Political Science Department for 27 years. He continues to serve as coordinator of the University’s graduate programs in Health Care Administration and Public Administration.

Dr. Daniel Levy, director of the Framingham Heart Study, served as the graduate commencement speaker, and urged the students to become lifelong learners.

“You must always strive for self-improvement,” Dr. Levy said. “Within a few years, you will need to master new skills.”

The Framingham Heart Study is a long-term ongoing cardiovascular study founded in 1948 that is credited with uncovering much of what is known about cardiovascular disease. Dr. Levy has directed the study since 1994 and is the author of more than 400 articles in leading medical journals related to his research.

Framingham State University holds an annual Winter Commencement Ceremony for students who complete their degree requirements during the summer, fall or winter sessions.