Celebrating University employees who graduated with a degree in 2023

Salve Regina is celebrating nine employees who graduated with degrees in 2023 during its commencement ceremonies. Working and going to school is no easy task, and the University acknowledges the incredible perseverance it took to complete degrees on top of giving back daily to the Salve Regina community.

Read about employees who attained degrees below, and don’t forget to congratulate them on a job well done.

2023 employee degree recipients

Samantha Angel, purchasing manager in the Business Office

Receiving her master’s in business administration was an amazing accomplishment for Angel. She chose to get an MBA, because she thought that it would most benefit her job Salve Regina, and she looks forward to using the information gained in her career.

“I had an amazing experience,” she said of the MBA program. “We have really great professors here who make you feel like you are heard and supported. I plan to continue to learn so that I can continually grow within my position here at Salve.”

Angel wanted to include a picture of her dogs, because they were her constant companions as she got through her master’s.

“One of them was always right by me while doing my school work,” she said.

Kate Borgueta, director of integrated content and production in the Office of Strategic Communications and Public Affairs

Borgueta, who also just celebrated 20 years of service at Salve Regina, has completed the master’s degree in innovation and strategic management, along with a graduate certificate in nonprofit management. This educational opportunity has given her continued growth in her role here at Salve Regina.

The degree that Borgueta earned has been vital to the development of her leadership skills, which she is utilizing in both her professional and personal life.

“Nonprofit work and community volunteerism are very important to me,” Borgueta said. “I am currently serving as president of the Newport Public Education Foundation, I’m the social media manager for the Rogers High School PTO, and I was also a board member of Newport Little League for several years …. By becoming a better manager and leader, I am doing my part to ensure the continued growth of the organizations with which I am involved.”

Kaitlyn Brilhante, coordinator for the Office of Community Engagement and Service

It’s been a busy few years for Brilhante. She just received her third degree and her second master’s — all from Salve Regina.

In 2021, Brilhante graduated with a bachelor’s in business administration management with minors in marketing and a second minor in global business and economics. In 2022, she received her master’s in business administration with a certificate in cybersecurity, and now Brilhante is graduating with a master’s in administration of justice and homeland security with a certificate in digital forensics.

“The ability to have both online courses and hybrid courses allowed me to be able to learn in a convenient manner that supported my personal learning goals,” Brilhante said. “The courses at Salve have become a foundation to help allow me to gain insight on how to navigate certain software tools for use in both digital and cyber investigations and then apply those to my current work.”

Tasha Estrella, assistant director of human resources

Estrella completed a master’s in business administration and a graduate certificate in nonprofit management. She said that she chose to enroll in the MBA program so she could better understand the various complexities that come along with managing organizations, particularly nonprofits.

“While obtaining my degree and working full-time was challenging, I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity to be part of such a great program,” Estrella said. “Salve is an amazing institution, and the faculty are incredibly knowledgeable in their respective areas of expertise.”

Gillian Letendre, assistant director of alumni, parent and family programs

Letendre decided to get a master’s of science in strategic and innovative management.

“With this program, I’ve become a more innovative thinker,” she said. “I explored creative problem solving, social justice ethics, efficiency and decision making. Some courses also focused on nonprofit marketing and management, so that helps me everyday in the Office of Alumni and Family Engagement.”

In the future, Letendre hopes to utilize her new education by strengthening the bonds of Salve Regina’s alumni. One of the way she’s doing this is by providing the opportunity to sophisticate the Alumni Awards program this year.

“It has been really rewarding to work closely with the past award recipients and future recipients to recognize their achievements,” Letendre said.

Chase Mulvaney, admissions counselor

Mulvaney graduated from Salve Regina with a bachelor’s degree in 2021 as a double major in political science and philosophy. He’d been invited to apply for Salve Regina’s accelerated graduate program, so he decided to do it. He is now proudly done with a masters’s in international relations and politics.

“I went through the international relations graduate program at a time when classes were mostly virtual, but despite this, I found a strong community of scholars and reconnected with some Salve friends from undergrad who were all enthusiastic,” Mulvaney said. “And I got to take classes with students from across the globe.”

Other employee degree recipients:

• Garrett Aube, media support/systems specialist for the Office of Information Technology, master’s in business administration
• Victoria Coogan, associate registrar, master’s in administration of justice and homeland security
• Alejandra Alonzo, senior admissions counselor, master’s degree in leadership dynamics and practice