A crowd of more than 1,000 faculty, administrators, elected officials, family and friends gathered under an open-sided tent Sunday, June 5, 2016, on a cloudy day threatening a down-pour. Terence R. Flotte, MD, Dean, School Of Medicine, University of Massachusetts introduced Racquel Wells, Class Speaker, at the school’s Commencement Ceremony.

Racquel began her remarks, “I am a black woman graduating from the University of Massachusetts Medical School! Today is a Good Day! We have made it!” There was a pause as her opening remarks resonated, and she was greeted by thunderous applause as the crowd stood, led by Massachusetts Governor Charles Baker. My heart almost burst with pride.

The ceremony marked the end of the beginning of the first chapter in Racquel’s long road to becoming a doctor.

As I sat with my daughter Jenny in the midst of Racquel’s extended family, my thoughts wandered back almost 18 years to the time I first met Racquel. She was a rising 8th grader recommended to me as a candidate for Phillips Academy Summer Session. The year before I had contacted the director of admissions at the Summer Session and the Superintendent of School’s in my hometown of Bay Shore, Long Island, with the idea of sending two kids from Bay Shore to attend this outstanding five-week program.

Bay Shore was in the midst of a robust revival of its downtown. The one element that was lagging was a concentration on opportunities for our youngsters. Andover already had a history of working with communities that had a similar history.

The program got off to a fast start. The first two to attend, in 1998, returned with great results. Aisha Muharra became class valedictorian at Bay Shore and was accepted at Yale, Princeton, and Harvard, which she attended, graduating with high honors. She is now a top Hollywood screenwriter. Martin Fojas graduated from Cornell. Eventually a total of 32 students attended Andover’s program, which provided $155,000 plus in aid and scholarships.

My interview in1999 with Racquel was awkward. The conversation was one-way, a series of one-word answers. Twenty minutes into the interview, I asked her if she had any questions. A pause. “Mr. Rider, is it ok if I bring my hair dryer?” She aced her Andover Summer session and later entered Boston College as a major in Chemistry. This once shy young lady was now known as “Rocky.”

Working in a lab was not appealing. She reexamined herself and decided what she really wanted in life. Medicine combined her love of science and interaction with people.

Her first attempt at applying to medical school was unsuccessful. In preparation for reapplying, Rocky earned a Masters of Arts in Medical Sciences from Boston University School of Medicine, at the same time volunteering in Refugee Clinic Coordination at Boston Medical Center. She spent time at Genzyme, helping manage clinical trials. She also worked at Massachusetts General Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center as a Research Coordinator.

When she reapplied to U Mass Medical, she was ready and – at long last – she was accepted. She began in 2012.

As Racquel delivered her heartfelt words at the graduation ceremony, she looked out and said, I’d like to thank one person. My mommy. Noreen raised Racquel and her sister Brittany alone, sometimes working three jobs. When Noreen and Brittany returned to Bay Shore after settling Racquel at Boston College her freshman year, she discovered that her landlord had cancelled their lease. Undaunted, Noreen and Brittany drove to Spartanburg, S. C. to stay with a close friend until they resettled. They never sought help. Brittany also attended Andover Summer Session and sang Gospel selections to over 1,000 students, faculty and guests. Andover made such an impression on the family that a younger cousin in Connecticut applied and attended on his own, with great results.

The young students are not the only ones who have benefited from the Andover Summer Session Program. For me, the opportunity to work with and get to know these wonderfully motivated youngsters and follow their progress has been and continues to be a dividend that I could never have imagined. Every Father’s Day the phone rings and one or more of them greet me, “Hi Mr. R, I was thinking about you!”

In May of 2009, I was honored by the Greater Bay Shore Chamber of Commerce at a dinner where I received the Bay Shore, Brightwaters Distinguished Citizen’s Award. Summer Session graduates: Rocky, Jemel Wilson, and Kelila Venson spoke. In 2011, I was one of seven Andover graduates to receive the Distinguished Service Award. Rocky joined us for the ceremony.

Racquel’s story stressed that the best part of the difficult medical school journey is that along the way, “We learned to embrace the mission of taking care of people. We started to think about the kind of physician we wanted to be. And we learned the significance of taking care of ourselves”.

Throughout her talk, she spoke of the valued mentors who guided and encouraged her at every turn.

Racquel began her residence in Internal Medicine at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio right after graduation. She wants not only to practice medicine, but to change medicine.

She closed her remarks, “Ladies and Gentleman of the class of 2016, My Crew. Take a picture with you heart. And congratulations, because Today is A Good Day!”

The will and magnificent talent were always there. The way was guided by a loving mother, sister and caring hands. I’m so proud of her and so proud to be a part of her triumphant story. Go, Rocky, go!

George S.K. Rider