Graduate Commencement Set for May 11

05/10/2012 

The SUNY Cortland Commencement ceremony for students earning master’s degrees and certificates of advanced study is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday, May 11, in Bessie L. Park Class of 1901 Physical Education and Recreation Center Alumni Arena.

The College will award 217 master’s degrees and 22 certificates of advanced study. After the ceremony, a reception for the graduates and their guests will take place in the Corey Gymnasium.

An academic procession will open the Commencement. Associate Professor of Economics Timothy Phillips, who chairs the Faculty Senate, will be the macebearer.

Faculty members will carry the four multi-colored gonfalons representing the College, School of Education, School of Professional Studies, and School of Arts and Sciences, respectively. The gonfaloniers are: Peter McGinnis, chair of the Graduate Faculty Executive Committee and professor of kinesiology; Susan Wilson, associate dean of professional studies; Donna Videto, professor of health; and Rena Janke, associate professor of biological sciences.

Marina Gorelaya will perform the processional and recessional music. Senior musical theatre major Sara Laursen of Wantagh, N.Y., will sing the national anthem and the Alma Mater.

Provost Mark Prus will offer a welcome, and Amber K. Earl of Corning, N.Y., a candidate for Master of Science in Community Health, will provide remarks on behalf of the graduates. President Erik J. Bitterbaum will deliver the charge to the graduates. Presenting the degrees and certificates to the graduates will be R. Bruce Mattingly, dean of arts and sciences; John Cottone, dean of professional studies; and Andrea Lachance, interim dean of education.

Nancy Niskin Sorbella ’82, president of the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association Board of Directors, will welcome these newest graduates into the ranks of the College’s alumni, who live in all 50 U.S. states and more than 40 countries. In its 144-year history, SUNY Cortland has graduated more than 68,000 alumni.

Commencement marshals will be Mark Dodds, associate professor of sport management; Michele Gonzalez, associate professor of literacy; Beth Klein, professor and interim chair of childhood/early childhood education; Susan Rayl, associate professor of kinesiology; Hailey Ruoff ’98, assistant director, instructional technologies and design services; and Jeffrey Walkuski, associate professor of physical education.

The Graduate Commencement Committee is co-chaired by Virginia B. Levine, executive assistant to the president, and Ruoff.

Committee members include: Sila Argyle, supervising janitor; Darci Bacigalupi, special events coordinator; Marley S. Barduhn, assistant provost for teacher education; Mary Kate Boland, assistant director of leadership and community development, campus activities; Amanda Burrell, student representative; Terence Cahill, college store director; Mark DePaull, university police assistant chief; Tracy Frenyea, academic advisor and coordinator of graduate student support; Michele Irvin Gonzalez, associate professor of literacy; Peter McGinnis, professor of kinesiology; Joy Mosher, associate professor of childhood/early childhood education; Mary E. Murphy ’87, university police lieutenant; Brad Snyder, associate director of classroom media services; Arnold Talentino, honors program coordinator, and Yu Yu, student representative.

Graduates wishing to acknowledge their multicultural heritage will also participate in a Kente Graduation Ceremony at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 11, in the Corey Union Function Room. The traditional, woven multicolored kente cloth of Ghana, originally worn by royalty, has become an important symbol for many African Americans to highlight their connection to the African continent.