UMass Boston Student Taylor Gagnon, of Franklin, Among "29 Who Shine" in 2012

Related Media

Governor Deval Patrick gives Franklin resident Taylor Gagnon with a "29 Who Shine" award

BOSTON, MA (05/11/2012)(readMedia)-- Twenty-nine outstanding 2012 graduates of community colleges, state universities, and the University of Massachusetts were honored for both academic achievement and their contributions to the Commonwealth in a State House ceremony today.

Taylor Gagnon, an exercise and health sciences major from Franklin, is the "29 Who Shine" award winner from the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Gagnon is passionate about the fight against obesity. Besides being a classroom leader, she has volunteered at GoKids Boston, which works to improve the health, wellness, and overall outlook for pre-teens and teens. Gagnon interns at Mass in Motion in New Bedford, and also recently founded her own yoga practice studio called Get Up & Grow Yoga, where she teaches yoga principles to children and teenagers.

Gagnon plans on earning her master's degree in public health at Drexel University and becoming a public health professional upon graduation.

"Taylor is passionate about change and working together to effect change in the community, specifically with healthy eating and active living," said Dana Commesso, the undergraduate program director who nominated Gagnon for the award. "She also believes that higher education is essential, because it is important for people to find their passion."

When Gagnon had first applied to college, she wanted to be a physician's assistant. She attended UMass Amherst for two years while working as an EMT. But as Gagnon spent time with her three younger siblings, coaching their soccer teams and teaching them about nutrition and wellness, she decided to change career paths, coming to UMass Boston to study exercise and health sciences with an emphasis on public health and education.

"I realized how important health is because of them," Gagnon says.

In May 2011, the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education launched "29 Who Shine," a program to recognize outstanding students representing each of our 29 public campuses. The honorees, chosen because of their academic achievements and record of student leadership and community service, stand poised to contribute greatly to the civic life and economic well-being of the state. Whether furthering their education or entering careers here in Massachusetts in fields as diverse as education, public policy, medicine, creative arts, and engineering, they truly embody the vibrant future that we all envision for the Commonwealth.

In addition to the awards received at today's ceremony, the students were recognized in full-page and half-page advertisements appearing in daily newspapers across the state.

About UMass Boston

With a growing reputation for innovative research addressing complex urban issues, the University of Massachusetts Boston, metropolitan Boston's only public university, offers its diverse student population both an intimate learning environment and the rich experience of a great American city. UMass Boston's eight colleges and graduate schools serve nearly 16,000 students while engaging local, national, and international constituents through academic programs, research centers, and public service activities. To learn more about UMass Boston, visit www.umb.edu.