Meet the three valedictorians of the Class of 2026

What are the odds that two roommates who met through social media before their first year would both end up as valedictorians? At Salve Regina University, apparently pretty good.

Meet the valedictorians of the Class of 2026: Olivia Augustine '26, Emalyn Osborne '26 and Alexia McConaghy '26 – three students whose college journeys became intertwined through classrooms, service programs, leadership roles and friendships formed along the way. Augustine and Osborne have been roommates since their very first semester at Salve, while all three became close through Learning Unlimited, a program that pairs students with community members with disabilities, and Salve's applied behavior analysis program.

At Commencement on Sunday, May 17, Osborne will deliver the valedictorian address, Augustine will carry the University mace during the recessional and McConaghy will carry Salve's mission statement.  

Together, the trio represents the heart of the Class of 2026 – deeply involved students who embraced leadership, service and community throughout their four years on campus.

Olivia Augustine

The Connecticut native, who is graduating with double majors in early childhood education and special education, said she immediately felt a sense of belonging when she first came to campus.

"As soon as I visited Salve, I knew I had found my home away from home," Augustine said. "After speaking with faculty members and students, it became clear that everyone genuinely cared for one another."

Over the last four years, Augustine immersed herself in campus life through the Student Education Association, SalveTHON, peer mentoring and Learning Unlimited. But she said some of the most impactful experiences came through Salve's education program and her student teaching placements.

"As an education major, student teaching marks a pivotal part of our academic and professional journey," Augustine said. "I can confidently say that working with both of my clinical educators has shaped me into the student, teacher and person I am today."

Augustine said Salve helped her evolve from the nervous first-year student who arrived on campus in 2022 into someone with confidence.

"Through the support of my professors, peers and involvement across campus, I have gained greater confidence in both myself and my abilities," shared Augustine. "I have grown more intentional and reflective in how I approach my experiences, especially within education, and have learned to value each opportunity as a chance to grow."

Although she was "completely shocked" to learn she had been selected as a valedictorian, Augustine said the recognition is an incredible honor. "Throughout my academic journey, I have always had to work hard to learn new skills and content, so knowing that all of that effort has led to this is very meaningful to me," she said. And it became even more special when she learned she could share it with Osborne, her roommate since freshman year.

"Sharing this honor with one of my closest friends truly feels like a dream," Augustine added.

Following graduation, Augustine plans to return home to Connecticut to begin her career as an elementary educator.

Emalyn Osborne

Osborne arrived at Salve drawn to its close-knit community. "I could tell that Salve was a place where students and faculty genuinely supported one another," Osborne said. "My intuition proved true, because the friends, professors and community I've met over the last four years have become some of the most influential and meaningful people in my life."

Osborne, graduating with double majors in elementary and special education and a minor in applied behavior analysis, spent her four years deeply involved across campus. She served as president of both the Student Education Association and the University Chorus and Madrigals while also participating in service immersion trips, peer mentoring and community engagement programs.

She said Salve's education program helped transform teaching from something she planned to do into something she truly felt called to pursue.

"I can confidently say that I feel ready to take on my first year of teaching thanks to the personalized mentorship I've received during my time at Salve," Osborne said.

One experience that especially shaped her time here was a service immersion trip to the Dominican Republic, where she volunteered with Mustard Seed Communities.

"My time in the DR brought together so many of the values that shaped my time at Salve: service, community and connection," Osborne said. "Being able to step outside of my comfort zone and work alongside others toward a common goal gave me a new perspective."

Osborne said Salve helped her grow into a "more independent and compassionate person." That growth will come full circle at Commencement, when she delivers the valedictorian address to the Class of 2026.

"I think it will be a really special moment to look out at everyone who has been part of my journey and to recognize how much we have all grown over the past four years," Osborne said.

After graduation, Osborne plans to return to Connecticut to begin teaching while pursuing a master's degree in literacy and language arts to become a certified reading specialist.

Alexia McConaghy

Graduating with a degree in psychology and a minor in applied behavior analysis, McConaghy spent much of her time involved in Learning Unlimited while also working at McKillop Library as a work-study student.

She said Salve's psychology faculty had a transformative impact on her college experience, especially assistant professor Dr. Natalie Buddiga and department chair Dr. Emma Grauerholz-Fisher.

"For professors like them, you're not a number or a statistic in a class," McConaghy said. "You're a name, a story and a person who could change the future of psychology."

McConaghy found Salve helped her become someone willing to embrace opportunities she once would have avoided, and one of the moments that best captured her growth came during her final semester, where she studied abroad in Rome.

"Studying abroad for my final semester at Salve is unique, but I think it perfectly displays how much I've grown during my time at Salve," McConaghy said. "Without the independence and confidence that I’ve gained here, I would have never been able to engage in such an adventurous feat."

"Which I believe is what a school like Salve is all about, trying new things and giving yourself the ability to reach out for possibilities you would have never deemed possible," she added.

Reflecting on being valedictorian, McConaghy said the recognition helped her appreciate the work and sacrifices that brought her to this point.

"Each student I've been able to meet during my time at Salve has been hardworking, resilient and devoted," McConaghy said. "Being recognized in this way has allowed me to fully appreciate the hard chapters I’ve experienced in order to get here, and it has all been worth it for this moment."

Preparing to cross the Commencement stage on Sunday, McConaghy said Salve has given her the foundation to step confidently into her next chapter.

"My professors have helped me develop an understanding of educational and research-based opportunities while the campus itself has fostered my ability to connect and collaborate with the world around me," she said. "I have become adaptable, refined and resilient while being a student here and plan on applying the education I’ve gained here through all aspects of life."

McConaghy will return home to New Jersey after graduation, working at a preschool and eventually pursuing a master's degree in organizational behavior management.

A thoughtful farewell

As the Class of 2026 prepares to graduate, the valedictorians reflected on the advice they would leave behind for the next graduating class – advice centered on slowing down, embracing opportunities and appreciating the community around them.

"To the Class of 2027, as you approach senior year, I encourage you to focus on gratitude," Augustine said. "Take a moment to sit by the water and appreciate the opportunity to live and learn in such a beautiful place."  

McConaghy encouraged students to be easier on themselves.

"As you finish your final classes as Salve, work hard but give yourself grace to allow life to pull you in any direction it'll take you. Whether that be the vision you have always had planned for yourself or a completely new outlook on life, give yourself the grace to embrace it and change whenever you need to."

And for incoming students beginning their own journeys at Salve, Osborne offered a simple reminder: "Say yes to opportunities, even if they feel a little outside of your comfort zone. You never know which experience, friendship or opportunity might completely shape your college journey."