Annamaria Wenner to be Honored at Spring Commencement Ceremony

Longtime member of the Wentworth Institute of Technology community Annamaria Wenner will be honored at the 2022 Spring Commencement ceremony with an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. 

Wenner began her 25-year career at Wentworth in 1997 as the residence director of both Edwards Hall and Evans Way/Tudbury Hall. During her first three years, Wenner developed Community Connections, a program that assisted students in completing community service hours in locations both on and off campus. She also created The CHOICE Program, which was aimed at reducing residence hall damage through active student engagement. The CHOICE Program was recognized and published in the Summer 1998 edition of the International Journal of Reality Therapy. Annamaria was promoted to assistant dean of students in 2001 and associate dean of students in 2003. While in these two roles, her primary responsibility was oversight of the student discipline process, as well as providing supervisory support to the Counseling Center.

In 2006, Wenner was named Dean of Students and in 2016 the university added Vice President for Student Affairs to her title. During her tenure as Dean of Students/Vice President for Student Affairs, Wenner led and supported the Division of Student Affairs team in accomplishing many student-center initiatives, including the Flanagan Campus Center, Gender Inclusive Housing, Schumann Fitness Center, Center for Diversity and Social Justice Programs, WITWear, Supply Closet, Student Support Specialists, First Year Seminar, CARE Team, the Leopard’s Oath, Team #WentWorthIt, and the Student Emergency Fund.  

In 2007, the Massachusetts Association for Women in Education presented Wenner with the Alice Jeghelian Award for her consistent performance at the highest standards in her role as Dean. In 2009, she received the National Association of Student Personnel Administrator Region 1 Scott Goodnight Award for Outstanding Service as a Dean. And in 2013, the Wentworth Alumni Association named Wenner the Woman of the Year for her distinguished service and achievements for providing service, modeling character, and demonstrating leadership to the female constituency. 

Wenner departed Wentworth and higher education this past January but remains committed to helping students thrive in college. She has partnered with a colleague to create Beyond the GPA, which provides individualized coaching to high school students to empower their transition to college. Beyond the GPA is set to launch mid-May. 

Wenner holds a B.S. in Psychology from University of Pittsburgh and M.S. in College Student Development and Counseling from Northeastern University.  

The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters is awarded to those who have distinguished themselves through humanitarian and philanthropic contributions to society 

The Spring Commencement ceremony will take place on Wentworth’s Quad on Saturday, April 30 at 10:00 a.m. Find more information at Wentworth’s Commencement site.