EdD Graduate to Serve as Graduate Ceremony Student Speaker

Veralyn Esnard Gabriel, EdD will serve as this year's student speaker at the 2026 Graduate Commencement Ceremony.

Dr. Gabriel is the Director of Career Services at Monroe University and owner of Veralyn’s Career Consulting Services, LLC. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Africana Studies from the University at Albany, SUNY, and a Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Brooklyn College, CUNY.

Dr. Gabriel recently completed her Doctor of Education in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education at Gwynedd Mercy University. Her dissertation, Seen But Not Heard: A Qualitative Study on the Perceived Career Barriers Among First-Generation Afro-Caribbean Women Working in U.S. Education, explores the lived experiences and career barriers faced by Afro-Caribbean women in education.

With nearly two decades of experience in higher education, including 16 years in career services, Dr. Gabriel has dedicated her career to advancing student success, career development, and leadership growth. She also teaches career readiness courses at Monroe University, helping students build essential professional skills.

Her scholarship includes a published book chapter in Everyday Struggle: How Toxic Workspaces Impact Black Women and an article in Helpful Living Magazine titled “Tips for First-time College Students and Parents.”

Originally from St. Lucia and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Dr. Gabriel is passionate about empowering women of color to pursue meaningful and fulfilling careers. She is also a wife and proud mother of three daughters.