Congratulations Class of 2024!
VIDEO of COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY
Members of the SUNY Schenectady Class of 2024 crossed the stage today during the College’s 54th Commencement, an outdoor ceremony on campus. Graduates earned their degrees, certificates, and microcredentials, as their families, friends, mentors, professors, College staff, and other vision supporters applauded and cheered for them.
SUNY Schenectady Class of 2024 At A Glance
- 336 graduates were invited to participate in this year’s Commencement ceremony.
- 137 earned A.S. Degrees.
- 72 earned A.A.S. Degrees.
- 62 earned Certificates.
- 31 earned A.A. Degrees.
- 30 earned A.O.S. Degrees.
- 4 earned Microcredentials
- 19 Early College High School (ECHS) students graduated with their Associate Degrees at the same time they are graduating with their high school diplomas through the Schenectady Smart Transfer, Smart Scholar, and P-Tech programs, in addition to one student from Brown School. 17 international students from 14 countries were among the graduates.
- Six military veterans graduated.
- The Average GPA of the Class of 2024 is 3.14.
- The Average Age for the Class of 2024 is 25 years old.
- The youngest graduate was 17 years old and the oldest graduate was 60 years old.
GRADUATE PORTRAITS will be posted in approximately two weeks!
During the ceremony, New York State Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, who grew up in Schenectady and graduated from Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School, delivered an inspiring keynote address in which he spoke about the “power of love.” He described how after graduating from Colgate University, becoming a Rhodes Scholar, and earning his law degree from Harvard University, rather than joining a law firm, he decided to become a hip hop artist, and how his parents supported his dreams. He then shared how he left the music industry to become a corporate lawyer and then run for Congress. He encouraged the graduates to remain rooted in love throughout their journeys.
“Whatever your pursuit from here on out, try your very best to anchor that pursuit in love – try your very best to let the power of love move through all that you do, from your personal life, to your professional life,” he said. “Let that power guide you to heed your better angles, and to reveal whatever your ultimate purpose may be. Now, more than ever, we need to love each other – to restore civility in our public discourse and the dignity of humanity in our shared experiences. As you prepare to make your mark in this world, please know that what the world needs more than anything from you, is love.”
Maureen Mbanga, the College’s Student Trustee who graduated with her A.S. Degree in Business Administration, addressed her fellow graduates, describing her journey as an international student from Zambia in Southern Africa. “I hail from a place where the road to higher education is fraught with obstacles, and the dream of attending college seemed unattainable,” she said. “However, through the grace of divine providence and the generosity of the Joan R. Dembinski ’10 Study Abroad Scholarship and African Education Program, my path was illuminated. It was this scholarship that not only provided me with the means to pursue my education but also instilled within me a newfound sense of hope and determination.” Maureen plans to work in the business or accounting field before she transfers to pursue her bachelor’s degree in Accounting.
Rae Doyle, Professor in the Division of Liberal Arts and Chair of the Academic Senate, delivered the Faculty Address, focusing on one word: “resilience.” “Resilience means working through relentless exhaustion to finish that paper, or that speech, or that assignment, sometimes at 3 a.m., because your days are filled with balancing work, spending time with, and often caring for, family and friends, and a myriad of other responsibilities,” she told the graduates. “And you did it all so that you could feel the accomplishment of this special day.”
Dr. Steady Moono, College President, encouraged the Class of 2024 to keep dreaming big. “Graduates, I am confident that you are ready to face the future, and to meet, head on, any challenges that come your way,” he said. “You have learned to keep your eyes on the prize and persevere. Remember that a SUNY Schenectady education provides you with a strong foundation as you transfer on for your bachelor’s degrees or begin your careers. Build upon that foundation, starting today, and take all that you have learned here with you. Keep the momentum going and make a plan to achieve your next goal, and the one after that, and so on.”
Ann Fleming Brown, Chair of the Board of Trustees, congratulated the graduates, saying, “You all had a goal in mind when you first enrolled at SUNY Schenectady and you did what it took to reach that goal. I’m sure there were challenges and bumps in the road along the way, but you navigated those challenges with grit and with class, and you succeeded!”
During Commencement, students graduated with degrees, certificates, and microcredentials in academic programs offered through the:
- Division of Business, Criminal Justice and Law
- Division of Liberal Arts
- Division of Math, Science, Technology and Health
- School of Hotel, Culinary Arts, and Tourism
- School of Music