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Urban College Holds Seventh Commencement Ceremony Celebrates Achievements of 68 Inner-city Residents Keynote Speaker is Regis College President Dr. Mary Jane England   Boston, Mass., June 10, 2002 - Sixty-eight residents of Boston 's low-income neighborhoods, most of whom never expected to go to college, will receive associate degrees, certificates of achievement and Child Development Associate credentials at the June 14 commencement exercises at the Boston Marriott Copley Place Hotel.   "This is a great achievement for our graduates," said Dr. John Kendrick, Interim President of the Urban College of Boston. "Many of them have worked for several years, taking one or two courses a semester, to earn their degrees. Most have children and are low-income working people who must juggle the demands of college with jobs, child care and household responsibilities."   Kendrick noted that Urban College students persevere because they know that in today's world a college degree is essential to moving ahead in jobs and careers. "The college has a retention rate of 71 percent, which is higher than most colleges serving lower income students," he said. "The Urban College has come to fill a special niche in the higher education arena through our success in providing people from disadvantaged backgrounds with the opportunity to succeed in college." A highlight of the commencement is the presentation of the first Robert M. Coard Scholarship awarded by Endicott College , Beverly , MA , to Urban College graduate Sherrie-Ann Hodge of Mattapan. This award is the first of ten scholarships from Endicott College to enable Urban College graduates from Boston 's inner city to complete their education at prestigious Endicott College on Boston 's North Shore . Robert Coard is the founder of the Urban College and a member of the Board of Trustees.   The evening's Commencement Speaker is Dr. Mary Jane England , President of Regis College in Weston , Massachusetts . A child psychiatrist and longtime social activist, Dr. England is nationally recognized for her creative thinking in social change and her commitment to children, youth and families. Born and raised in Brighton , she became involved in the antipoverty movement as a young child psychiatrist and served as president of the ABCD Board of Directors during the turbulent 1970s. In March, 2002, she was sought out to become a member of the blue ribbon task force of professional experts in the new Commission for the Protection of Children in the troubled Archdiocese of Boston.   The Urban College of Boston is a two-year college and the first in the nation to be established by an antipoverty agency, Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD). The mission of the Urban College is to provide higher education opportunities to residents who are "underserved" by traditional colleges within a supportive environment and a curriculum that emphasizes career preparation and skill development. More than 700 students are currently enrolled at Urban College and the student body reflects the ethnic diversity of Boston 's urban neighborhoods. Many students are the first in their families to attend college. As one student stated, "Students at the Urban College are people who didn't just assume they would go to college. They are here against all odds."