SUNY Cortland’s Commencement Ceremonies to Be Held

05/01/2018 

All good things must come to an end, and for SUNY Cortland’s seniors and graduate students, that time is approaching.

The College’s graduate commencement ceremony will be held on Friday, May 11. Three undergraduate ceremonies will be held on Saturday, May 12.

Commencement ceremonies will be held in the Bessie L. Park 1901 Physical Education and Recreation Center Alumni Arena. An undergraduate reception for all ceremonies will start at 11:30 a.m. on May 12 in Lusk Field House.

Undergraduate ceremonies will be held at 9:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. The graduate ceremony starts at 7 p.m. on May 12.

A total of 1,649 seniors applied to graduate during the 2017-18 academic year. An estimated total of 997 of them will don cap and gown to receive bachelor’s degrees during the three undergraduate ceremonies.

The largest number of majors set to graduate in each of the College’s three schools are: 124 business economics majors in the School of Arts and Sciences, 159 exercise science majors in the School of Professional Studies and 159 early childhood and childhood education majors in the School of Education.

The College also will award 247 master’s degrees and 26 Certificates of Advanced Study.

“Commencement is a time of great pride on campus; for students, their families, the faculty and for SUNY Cortland as an institution,” College President Erik J. Bitterbaum said. “It gives us all a wonderful sense of satisfaction to imagine the future accomplishments ahead of  our graduates and to know they will make a positive difference in whatever endeavors they pursue.”

The first two undergraduate ceremonies will feature Paul Alexander ’82 as commencement speaker. Alexander, currently an offensive line coach with the Dallas Cowboys, also will receive an honorary degree from the College during the one of the ceremonies, honoring his commitment not only to athletics but to academic achievement and musical performance as well.

During the afternoon undergraduate ceremony, seven SUNY Cortland faculty and staff members will receive Chancellor’s Awards, made by SUNY administration to recognize consistently superior achievement and excellence by faculty and staff within the 64-campus system.

SUNY Cotland’s honorees will be:

Andrew L. Fitz-Gibbon — Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities

Kathleen A. Burke — Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching

Herbert H. Haines — Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service

Lauren Stern — Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Librarianship

Michelle Congdon — Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service

Also during undergraduate Commencement, two faculty members will receive SUNY rank promotions. Professor of Sociology and Anthropology Sharon Steadman will accept the promotion to the SUNY rank of Distinguished Professor and Professor of Biological Sciences Peter Ducey will accept the promotion to Distinguished Teaching Professor.  

Judy Wolfe ’84, president of the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association Board of Directors, will welcome SUNY Cortland’s newest graduates into the ranks of the College’s alumni, who live in all 50 U.S. states and 40 countries. SUNY Cortland has graduated more than 78,000 alumni.

The commencement ceremony schedule is as follows:

• Friday, May 11
  • 2:30 p.m. Undergraduate rehearsal, Park Center Alumni Arena
  • 7 p.m. Graduate Commencement Ceremony, Park Center Alumni Arena
• Saturday, May 12
  • 9:30 a.m. Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony 1, Park Center Alumni Arena
  • 11:30 a.m. Undergraduate reception for all ceremonies, Lusk Field House
  • 2:30 p.m. Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony 2, Park Center Alumni Arena
  • 7 p.m. Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony 3, Park Center Alumni Arena

For more information, visit the 2018 Commencement Ceremonies website or contact Special Events Coordinator Samantha Howell at 607-753-5453 or Special Events Assistant Susan Vleck at 607-753-2377.

Prepared by Communications Office writing intern Ben Mayberry