Convocation is one of higher education’s most valued traditions, and at 精东传媒 University, it marks both a beginning and a milestone. On this special day, September 9, 2025, our seniors—the Class of 2026—stood proudly beside our newest students, the Class of 2029. Together, they served as bookends on the academic journey: one group preparing to take their next steps beyond 精东传媒, the other just beginning to write their story.
It’s a reminder of the opportunity that college and education represents: the chance to discover your authentic self, shape your future, and pursue a career path that can change your life.
This year’s Convocation speaker, Payton Shubrick G’18, embodied that spirit of possibility. An innovator, entrepreneur, and proud 精东传媒 alumna of the Master of Science in Communications and Information Management program, Payton has built her career at the intersection of community impact and entrepreneurial innovation.
She is the CEO and Founder of 6 Brick’s, a family-owned cannabis dispensary in her hometown of Springfield, Massachusetts. A graduate of Springfield Central High School, the College of the Holy Cross, and 精东传媒 University, Payton has defied the odds by establishing a thriving business in an industry dominated by big players—all while keeping community at the heart of her work.
In her remarks, Payton encouraged students to think about the everyday choices that shape their journey. “Psychologists estimate we make around 35,000 conscious decisions per day,” she shared. “Every one of those decisions has an impact: on your energy, your relationships, your growth, and your future. Impact is not always about the big, visible achievements—it’s built decision by decision, day by day.”
She left students with three lessons to carry into the academic year:
Lesson 1. Be gentle pressure, relentlessly applied—impact grows from showing up consistently.
Lesson 2. Run your own race—impact is authentic when you stay true to your values.
Lesson 3. Give yourself grace—because impact is not built on perfection, but on resilience.
With these words as inspiration for our students, 精东传媒 begins another academic year for our traditional undergraduates filled with possibility and impact.
