Saint Michael’s College announces 2026 Commencement speaker and honorary degree recipients

COLCHESTER, VT — An internationally recognized advocate for girls’ education will deliver the Commencement address to the Saint Michael’s College Class of 2026. 

Shabana Basij- Rasikh, co-founder and president of the School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA), will also receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during the College’s 119th Commencement. The ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. on May 10, 2026, in the Ross Sports Center.   

In addition to Basij-Rasikh, the College will award honorary degrees to two distinguished alumni whose lives and careers exemplify leadership, service, and impact: 

• Donald R. “Don” Dion, Jr., Esq. ’76 — Investor, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and former Saint Michael’s College trustee. 

• Richard E. “Rich” Tarrant ’65 (posthumously) — Entrepreneur, philanthropist, former trustee, and one of the most celebrated athletes in Saint Michael’s College history. 

“All three of our honorary degree recipients reflect values deeply rooted in the Saint Michael’s tradition,” said Saint Michael’s College President Richard Plumb, Ph.D. “Shabana Basij-Rasikh’s extraordinary courage and unwavering belief in the power of education, as well as philanthropy by Don Dion and the late Rich Tarrant to build stronger communities and create opportunities, exemplify their remarkable leadership and the difference they’ve made in the lives of many. We are thrilled to honor them for the lasting impact they’ve all made in our Vermont community and beyond.”

Shabana Basij-Rasikh, the co-founder and president of the School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA), will provide the Commencement address to the Class of 2026. (Photo courtesy of SOLA)

About Shabana Basij-Rasikh

Basij-Rasikh is the co-founder and president of SOLA, the first and only boarding school for Afghan girls. She founded the school while a student at Middlebury College, driven by her experience pursuing her own education in Afghanistan under threat of punishment or death. A graduate of Middlebury College and Oxford University, Basij-Rasikh is widely recognized for her courageous leadership and commitment to advancing girls’ education.

Basij-Rasikh’s commitment to education is deeply personal. As a child living under Taliban rule, she attended secret schools in Kabul, risking her life to pursue learning. This commitment later took her to the U.S. for a year of high school, and then to Middlebury College, where she graduated magna cum laude in International Studies and Women & Gender Studies.

SOLA operated for years in Kabul until the return of the Taliban in 2021. Basij-Rasikh led the evacuation of her entire school community to Rwanda at that point, where classes resumed just days after their arrival. SOLA continues to educate Afghan girls in exile worldwide through its online academy SOLAx. Construction of a new campus in Rwanda is underway, and this campus is scheduled to open later this year.

Basij-Rasikh’s leadership and advocacy have been celebrated globally. Her many honors include the Malalai Medal, one of Afghanistan’s highest national awards; the Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year; and inclusion on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia list.

Don Dion ’76

About Donald R. “Don” Dion, Jr. ’76

Dion is a former CPA, attorney, corporate executive, founder of multiple successful financial firms, and one of Saint Michael’s most generous living benefactors. His leadership spans decades of contributions to law, finance, and philanthropy. He founded or co-founded several companies throughout his career, including Litchfield Financial Corporation (1987, later acquired by Textron Financial) and Dion Money Management (mid-1990s, later sold to Focus Financial Partners). Most recently, he served as CEO of Inland Management Corporation and Corbel Capital NLP, LLC before retiring in 2023. Today, he leads DRD Investments, LLC, a family office managing a hedge fund and real estate assets.

Dion has served four terms on the Saint Michael’s College Board of Trustees. Through his visionary philanthropy, he transformed the student experience by providing the naming gift for the College’s Dion Family Student Center, establishing numerous scholarships, and supporting Saint Michael’s College athletic retreats at Saint Anne’s Shine. He is a member of the College’s Heritage Circle and the Society of Mont-Saint-Michel.

Dion graduated from Saint Michael’s College in 1976 with a degree in business and economics. Additionally, he earned his J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law and an LL.M. in taxation from Boston University School of Law.

Richard “Rich” Tarrant ’65. (Photo courtesy of Tarrant family)

About Richard E. “Rich/Richie” Tarrant ’65

Tarrant, who passed away in 2025, was a pioneering entrepreneur whose company, IDX Systems Corporation, grew into a global leader in healthcare information technology and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange in 1995. Following IDX’s success, Tarrant co-founded Marathon Health, a comprehensive primary care provider, and led Crispus Ventures LLC, investing in healthcare, energy, and technology. He also served as chairman and co-founder of Plasma Power and Advanced Petro Technologies.

A philanthropist known for transformative community investments, Tarrant and his wife, Deborah, established the Richard E. and Deborah L. Tarrant Foundation to support education, healthcare, and Vermont communities.

At Saint Michael’s, Tarrant’s legacy includes the naming gift for the Jeremiah L. and Kathleen C. Tarrant Student Recreation Center (in honor of his parents), major scholarship support to expand access to a Saint Michael’s College education, service on the College’s Board of Trustees, and an enduring reputation as one of the greatest basketball players in College history, having been named to the All American Team in 1965 and drafted by the Boston Celtics upon graduation. His Saint Michael’s #22 jersey is retired, and he was a 1987 inductee into the College’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

More information about Saint Michael’s College’s 119th Commencement can be found here.