Brooklyn College of the City University of New York celebrated its historic 100th Commencement on May 23 at Barclays Center in Downtown Brooklyn. This significant milestone recognized the accomplishments of more than 3,000 graduates, including recipients of bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as advanced certificates. The ceremony continued the proud legacy of over 165,000 Brooklyn College alumni who have gone on to become influential leaders and agents of change around the globe. Brooklyn College President Michelle J. Anderson called it a time to celebrate and reflect. “Our campus—like our world—is home to passionate voices and diverse perspectives. Today, though, we come together to celebrate what unites us: your achievement, your growth, and your future,” Anderson said. “Through rigorous study, discussion, and contemplation, you’ve become the educated people this world needs. You’ve learned to approach a complex world with thoughtfulness and care. You’ve cultivated nuance, compassion, and a desire to work for a better future together. The world needs that. The world needs you.” Brooklyn College President Michelle J. Anderson delivers a commencement address to the Class of 2025. In a special tribute, Brooklyn College posthumously awarded the 2025 Presidential Medal of Honor to Shirley Anita Chisholm, Class of 1946. As the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress and the first to seek a major party’s nomination for president, Chisholm was a fearless advocate for justice. She championed the rights of the marginalized, gave voice to the unheard, and created space for those historically excluded from power. Her legacy is one of courage, trailblazing leadership, and unwavering commitment to equity. Anderson saluted Rev. Sharpton, the civil rights leader, for carrying forward Chisholm’s vision. From his early activism in Brooklyn to his national leadership through the National Action Network, Sharpton has remained a steadfast advocate for justice, equality, and human dignity. His life’s work continues to challenge systems of oppression and inspire new generations to demand change. Rev. Al Sharpton delivers a tribute to Presidential Medal of Honor recipient Shirley Chisholm ’46. “It was because people like Shirley Chisholm stood up and fought back that Blacks went all the way to the White House, and women got the right to choose in her. In her memory we must keep those fights alive,” Sharpton told the Class of 2025. “There are those forces today that want to turn back the clock. They can turn back the clock, but they can’t turn back time. “Don’t worry about your circumstance. Worry about that you stood in this school and made them call your name. Make this the first day of your life that makes everybody that you deal with call your name.” New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams ’01, ’05 M.A. and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso were also on hand to congratulate the 100th graduating class. Williams urged the Class of 2025 to listen to the lessons they learned. “Because we’ve learned a lot. But I’m asking you to push us past our comfort zone, because real change never happens in comport. In this shared humanity I look at you and I’m encouraged not just by your youth but the brightness in your eyes, and I’m asking you to hold onto that as long as you possibly can. I know you can because you have a Brooklyn College degree,” Williams said. In addition to presenting the college with a proclamation for the 100th Commencement, Reynoso quoted Brooklyn’s own Christopher Wallace, also known as the late Notorious B.I.G. “Spread love, it’s the Brooklyn way. And as you leave tonight, make sure you do that.” Another special student guest was National Youth Poet Laureate and CUNY student Stephanie Pacheco read her poem “Dear CUNY,” which highlights the university’s uniqueness and importance to thousands of students. The salutatorian of the Class of 2025 was Damien Niesewand, who is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a double minor in LGBTQ studies and creative writing. The valedictorian of the Class of 2025 was Carrie Ebbin, a proud member of the Macaulay Honors College at Brooklyn College who majored in business administration with a concentration in marketing and a minor in consumer behavior. Carrie Ebbin said the Class of 2025 was not just celebrating a century of Brooklyn College’s rich history, but also the future they have set in motion. “We can be proud that our efforts have not only enriched our time here but generated momentum that will benefit the students that come after us,” Ebbin said. “As we’re graduating into a world that feels volatile, tense, and especially uncertain, it’s hard to imagine that one person can make a difference. But think about it, how many small moments have you been a part of on campus that helped shape someone’s experience? These moments sparked something, and they highlighted the change that were all capable of. They created ripple effects extending our reach far beyond what we’d expect.” Watch the 100th Brooklyn College commencement here.
