Largest Graduating Class For Brooklyn College’s 83rd Commencement Ceremony
6/9/2008
To great fanfare and loud cheers, Brooklyn College celebrated its 83rd Annual Commencement Ceremony awarding graduate and undergraduate degrees to 3,566 students – the largest class in the college’s recent history. Under clear skies, President Christoph M. Kimmich presided over the event on the Quad to celebrate the achievements of the class of 2008.
"Since 1930, Brooklyn College has offered men and women from all backgrounds and walks of life a high-quality, affordable education that gives them the entrée to the most prestigious graduate and professional schools, and catapults them into successful careers in business, science, the arts, education, social services, medicine, and academia," President Kimmich told the crowd of students, their parents, and relatives that enjoyed the cool breeze blowing through the Quad. "Continuing this tradition, today, we are proud to send more than 3,500 bright and eager students into the world – prepared to reach and exceed all expectations."
After recognizing the graduating Class of 1958 that wore yellow gowns and mortar boards to celebrate their 50th Anniversary, President Kimmich introduced New York Senator Charles Schumer and Borough President Marty Markowitz.
In his remarks, Senator Schumer told students that he believes this nation should afford all its citizens the opportunity of getting the best education. In line with this, he shared with them that he had recently proposed new federal legislation that allows taxpayers to deduct up to $4,000 a year to pay for higher education if they earn under $200,000. "No matter what your degrees are," he concluded, "you should always choose a job in a field you like."
Borough President Mr. Markowitz, BC Class of 1970, advised students to stay in the borough after graduating or pursuing other degrees in order to give back to the community that fostered their dreams.
Renowned National Public Radio host and BC alum Leonard Lopate, ’67, delivered the keynote address after receiving the College’s Distinguished Alumni Award.
"There’s a lot of satisfaction in receiving an award from the college that played such an important role in transforming my unformed and uninformed mind," Mr. Lopate said during his remarks. "Although I still don’t know all the answers, this school inspired me to be curious and receptive enough to ask my guests some of the right questions on my weekday talk show on WNYC. I hope that your years at Brooklyn College have inspired you to continue to question conventional wisdom."
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| “This is a huge deal for me and my family,” said Kristen Meinzer, center, an MFA in Fiction who works for CBS News as a researcher and a writer. She will try to get an interdisciplinary MA on history and music. Photo: Meinzer with her mother, Bobbi Anlauf, and her sister, Jennifer Tennant. |
Outstanding Students
Of Class Valedictorian Mary Pennisi, President Kimmich said she and her fellow students represented the College’s "most precious resource and most valuable product." Pennisi graduated with a 4.0 GPA after completing a dual major in political science and philosophy of law and will study law in the fall.
"Attending a College that is called 'Harvard at the Junction' has made us citizens of the world," Pennisi said with great pride.
Melissa Sanders, a business management and finance major, is a graduating senior with a near-perfect grade point average of 3.957. According to Ms. Sanders, the scholarship she received from the Brooklyn College Foundation allowed her the flexibility to choose internships that best served her academic interests and gave her time to pursue extracurricular activities including tutoring in the BC Learning Center and singing in the Hillel choir. Ms. Sanders plans to pursue an academic career as a finance professor.
President Kimmich also recognized the accomplishments of graduating seniors Ghulam Dastgir and Alex Pyronneau, recipients of the 2008 Salk Scholarships, awarded to only eight students throughout CUNY annually.
Honorary Degrees and Alumni Awards
President Kimmich presented honorary degrees, Doctor of Humane Letters, to three extraordinary individuals who have had a significant impact on the arts and social sciences, including acclaimed author, translator, poet and director Paul Auster; Pulitzer Prize and Pen/Faulkner Award winner, retiring Brooklyn College Professor Michael Cunningham; and Philip G. Zimbardo, class of 1954, celebrated professor of psychology, author, humanist and activist.
A Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Sarah Benson (MFA ‘04), recently named the artistic director of the prestigious and internationally acclaimed SoHo Repertory theatre in New York City.
The Presidential Medal was awarded to Willard N. Archie, class of 1968, CEO of Mitchell & Titus – the largest minority-owned accounting and management consulting firm in the country. In addition to his professional achievements, Mr. Archie was honored for the dedication and support that includes his tenure on the Brooklyn College Foundation’s board of directors. His generosity led to the Willard and Eleanor Archie Professional Skills Training Program at the Brooklyn College Magner Center for Career Development and Internships.
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| An opera singer who wanted to pursue music education, Robin Casalta just got her Advanced Certificate in Music Education. “I want to pass on my knowledge so that young people find their way to music,” she said. She plans to get a full MFA in performance at the College. Photo: Casalta is flanked by her daughter, Noel Agoglia, and her boyfriend, Frank Delfino. |
Comments from Graduating Students
After the ceremony, TV and Radio Production major Satyra Gonzalez stated: "It took me five years; I worked two to three jobs and went to school...Coming [to BC] allowed me to focus." Gonzalez currently works at 105.9 FM's promotions and marketing deparment. She plans to apply for the NYC Teaching Fellows program and pursue a master’s degree and a career in teaching.
Edyk Mohamed, an accounting and business management and finance major, moved to Brooklyn from Morocco five years ago – and he was thankful for it. "I feel I've achieved my goals," he said elated to have made the right choices. "I've fallen in love with the campus and the college helped me achieve my dream."
"I'm the first in my family with a Masters degree," said Robert Jones, Jr. an MFA in Fiction who is thinking about getting his PhD in English after this. "I can’t take it all in right now."
