Amidst a sea of smiles at the 48th annual Mount Saint Mary College commencement, from left: Fr. Kevin E. Mackin OFM, Mount Saint Mary College president; honorary degree recipients Fox News Channel anchor Bret Baier; Barbara Taylor Bradford, bestselling author; Capt. Scott Smiley, commander of the Warrior Transition Unit, West Point; James W. Taylor Jr., founder, president and chief executive officer of Taylor Biomass Energy LLC. At right is R. Abel Garraghan, chairman of the Mount Saint Mary College board of trustees.
Fr. Mackin recognized 618 bachelor’s and master’s degree candidates during the commencement ceremony held outdoors on May 14 on the campus overlooking the Hudson River.
Also this year, two faculty members were presented with Mount Saint Mary College faculty awards:
Mattson Atsunyo, Ph.D., professor of business administration; and Reva Cowan, Ph.D., associate professor of education and chair of the education program.
Noting it was the first commencement address he’d given, and citing his career path from CNN intern to Fox Channel anchor, Baier encouraged the graduates to “embrace the journey” ahead of them as they follow their dreams.
Even though it may take some time to realize goals, he said, “envision yourself doing whatever it is you want to do, to feel what it is like … in that position, to own the vision, and then to fight for it.”
Author Bradford, who began her career as a typist at the Yorkshire Evening Post, is one of the world's best loved storytellers with more than 85 million copies sold worldwide: garnering her Order of the British Empire status from Queen Elizabeth II. The New York City-based author told the graduates they must hold onto their dreams.
“Never be defeated,” said Bradford, whose 27th book, Letter From A Stranger, will be published later this year by St. Martin's Press.
“You must always try to go one step further,” she urged, noting six “d’s” for achieving goals: desire, drive, discipline, determination, dedication, and “to be avoided at all costs,” distraction.
Receiving two standing ovations, Smiley, the Army’s first blind active duty officer, encouraged the graduates to “doubt your doubts and accept the challenges ahead.”
Smiley is responsible for a company of 170 warriors in transition at West Point, his alma mater. His book, Hope Unseen, describes his own difficult transition, and attributes his strength during his recovery -- he was blinded when a bomb detonated while he was serving in Iraq in 2005 -- to prayers, faith and the encouragement of others.
Taylor, who founded Taylor Biomass Energy in 2005 as part of his family businesses’ commitment to waste reduction, recycling and reuse, told the graduates they will be faced with many choices in life and should they find themselves in a situation that they know feels wrong then “simply re-choose.”
Known as an industry visionary with the practical contracting experience to manage projects of any complexity, Taylor urged the graduates to not get stuck thinking about a problem or challenge. Not making a choice will keep you where you are, noted Taylor, and “stagnation kills us.”
The big weekend at the Mount began with several other special events, including:
Nurse pinning ceremony
Symbol of their profession presented to 48 graduates by family members and friends. Mount Saint Mary College has the only four year nursing degree program in the mid-Hudson Valley.
Hooding and Awards
Presenting academic hoods to graduating seniors, and recognizing special accomplishments. J. David Gallagher, assistant professor of education, was master of ceremonies, and Michelle C. Bond, Class of 1999, visited to address the seniors.
Baccalaureate Mass
Celebrated by Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, president. Concelebrants were Fr. Francis Amodio, O. Carm., chaplain and director of campus ministry, and Fr. Anthony M. Carrozzo, OFM, provincial minister emeritus, Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus. Fr. Carrozzo gave the homily.