Six hundred
thirty-seven candidates for graduation received their degrees during the 33rd annual Owens Community College
Fall Commencement on Friday.Joseph Napoli, president and general manager of the Toledo Mud Hens and Toledo
Walleye, served as the keynote speaker.He also was awarded an honorary associate of applied business in
organizational leadership degree.As president and general manager, Napoli manages day-to-day operations for
the Toledo Mud Hens and Toledo Walleye and is responsible for long term planning and business development
for Toledo’s professional sports teams. He is a board member with the Great Lakes Center for Autism,
ProMedica, The Boys Scouts of America, Toledo Children’s Hospital and the Toledo Symphony.A native of
Brooklyn, NY, he holds a bachelor of science in management from St. John’s University in New York, NY.
Napoli and his wife, Annette are the parents of five children.Maja Valusek, an office administration
technology major graduating with summa cum laude honors, addressed the graduates during the ceremony.The
28-year-old Toledo resident was born in Croatia and fled the war-torn eastern European country for
neighboring Serbia with her family in 1991. Her journey to Owens Community College started at the University
of Novi Sad in Novi Sad, Serbia, where she met her future husband, Boris. She never completed her degree in
tourism management after Boris received a U.S. Green Card in 2008. They married immediately and moved to the
Toledo upon entering the U.S. in March 2009.She is the first person from her immediate family to earn a
college degree. She plans to continue her education and earn a bachelor’s degree in human resources and
perhaps complete a master’s degree in the future."It is a huge accomplishment to finally get this
degree after four years of schooling in Serbia and two-and-a-half years here in Toledo," said Valusek.
"I am happy that all the hard work and sleepless nights paid off, and in such an amazing way – by being
given the opportunity to represent all student graduates this fall."