Baruch College named Ashley Mei Bo Torrenti as the valedictorian and Briana Staten as salutatorian for the Class of 2022.

The titles are awarded to the recipients based on a variety of criteria and the selection values well-rounded students. In addition to academic excellence, student engagement in cocurricular and extracurricular activities and resilience are considered.

Baruch’s valedictorian, Torrenti, graduated as a Macaulay Honors student with a Bachelor of Business Administration in international marketing management from the Zicklin School of Business and a minor in New York City interdisciplinary studies and business law.  “Both of my parents have built their businesses from the ground up and relied heavily on learning as they go,” Torrenti said. “I wanted to pursue business so I would have a more formal and in-depth understanding that I could incorporate into my future businesses.”

Torrenti was active in both Macaulay and Baruch extracurriculars. She was a Baruch Ambassador, vice president of the Marketing Committee of the Macaulay Business Club and the president and later coach of Macaulay’s Quidditch Team, The Marauders.

She also volunteered for more than 5,000 hours at wildlife organizations like the Peace River Wildlife Center and is learning American Sign Language through the Lexington School of Deaf. “Between being an ambassador, a peer mentor and a volunteer at Peace River Wildlife Center, I find that volunteer work is so important,” she said. “Not only to give back to the community but to also ground yourself.”

Torrenti’s post-graduation endeavors include pursuing a career in veterinary medicine and writing children’s books with her father.

Baruch’s salutatorian, Staten, graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in advertising marketing communications from the Zicklin School of Business and a minor in anthropology.

Staten served as a mentor in numerous Baruch and CUNY programs. She transitioned from being a mentee to a mentor for Baruch’s Success Network, serving as a first-year peer mentor and a College Coach through CUNY’s College and Career Bridge for All, where she provided college and career coaching for students who attended underfunded high schools in New York City.

“By being involved in different communities, you are not only able to give back but help shape and inspire the future,” Staten said. “You get to do things you enjoy by being involved, but also serve as a role model even if you don’t realize it.”

She served as vice president of Academic Affairs and then became executive vice president of the Undergraduate Student Government.

“I want to raise awareness to the fact that, yes, we are USG representatives, but we are also fulltime students,” Staten said in her farewell letter. “We are here to advocate as best as we can for the undergraduate population, but at the end of the day everything is up to the faculty to make the final decision. I want everyone who ever had concerns about the administration to understand that you must also advocate for yourself.”

Staten also said she enjoyed being able to speak up for her beliefs and those of the larger Baruch community.

“Thank you to everyone for giving me a platform to grow and voice my opinions and serve as your voice and representative,” she said.

Staten is pursuing a master’s degree in digital marketing at Baruch this fall.