Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, N.Y. recognized nearly 600 graduates and an honorary degree recipient at its 53rd annual Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 21.
Of the 599 total graduates, the college awarded 134 master’s degrees and 465 bachelor’s degrees. More than 150 students earned degrees in nursing and related fields, and another 150 earned degrees in business.
As a bagpipe skirl filled the air, James Finn Cotter, the college’s longest serving professor, once again bore the ceremonial mace and led the long procession into a tent packed with families and friends of the graduates. Saturday marked the 37th time Cotter has served as Master of Ceremonies at the Mount.
The graduating students hailed from 10 states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Alaska, California, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Washington, and Wyoming.
The ceremony was presided over by Dr. Albert Gruner, chair of the Mount Saint Mary College Board of Trustees.
James Raimo, acting president of Mount Saint Mary College, congratulated the faculty, the parents, and the seniors on a job well done.
“Members of the Class of 2016, you should be very proud of yourself and your classmates today,” he said. “This is truly a great accomplishment.” Raimo added, “You are always welcome back.”
James Raimo, acting president of Mount Saint Mary College, congratulates nearly 600 graduating seniors at the college’s 53rd Commencement on May 21.
The graduating students then heard from commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient Timothy P. Flanigan, MD, professor of Medicine and Health Services, Policy and Practices in the Alpert Medical College at Brown University.
Dr. Flanigan earned his BA from Dartmouth College and his MD from Cornell University Medical College. He is ordained as a permanent Deacon for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, R.I., serving at Saint Theresa’s and St. Christopher’s churches in Tiverton.
He joined Dr. Charles Carpenter at Brown in 1991 to lead the HIV and AIDS medical program. In 1999, Dr. Flanigan was appointed Director of Infectious Diseases, an academic and hospital appointment (The Miriam Hospital and Rhode Island Hospital).
He spearheaded HIV care in the Rhode Island Department of Corrections. He is recognized for his community-based work with HIV-infected men and women in prisons and jails, and for providing educational support for children of incarcerated parents.
Dr. Flanigan also had the courage to respond to another severe public health emergency: Ebola. In 2014, he traveled to St. Joseph Catholic Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia. His two-month mission focused on training personnel to care for Ebola patients without contracting the virus.
Dr. Flanigan said that his time treating Ebola patients taught him an important lesson that he wished to pass on to the new Mount graduates.
“When there’s a need, when there’s a crisis…just go,” he said. “Go and be present, even though you’re uncomfortable, even though you don’t know exactly what to say, even though you’re not perfectly prepared. Go with your smile and with your warmth and just be present. That makes all the difference.”
He added, “As I think many of you know, the heart, the soul, and the key to good healthcare is nursing.” The audience erupted into cheers.
Joseph Borden of Newburgh, N.Y., student Academic Council president, told his fellow graduates that the same hard work and tenacity that got them though college will serve them well as they move on to the next chapters of their lives.
“Our stay at the Mount has no doubt been emotional at times and we have all had our fair share of ups and downs,” said Borden. “But no matter the circumstance, we have remained resilient. Our fight and our determination to succeed have prepared us for anything and everything that lies ahead.”
He added, “We will affect positive change. We will be each other’s keeper. And we will never forget [our] home away from home, Mount Saint Mary College.”
Joseph Borden of Newburgh, N.Y., student Academic Council president at the Mount, encouraged his fellow graduates to continue on their paths to excellence.
In a speech to the graduates, Bradley Moody of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., president of the Student Government Association, characterized the Class of 2016 as “prepared for the next journey life has in store.”
“The other side of fear is growth,” he said, reminding students of their first days at the Mount in August 2012. “You quickly learned about how much the Mount community has to offer,” including strong academics, extracurricular activities, sports, internship opportunities, and more. “If you find yourself today ready to move on, I think that is a good thing. That means you have turned every stone presented to you, seized opportunities that lied before you, and you have grown.”
Moody also recognized the achievements of Alvin Mann of Cuddebackville, N.Y., a 92-year-old World War II veteran and fellow graduate who received his bachelor’s degree in history. “Alvin is an incredible example of overcoming obstacles and never, ever giving up,” said Moody.
As Mann stood to be recognized at Moody’s request, faculty, staff, graduates, and their friends and families filled the tent with applause.
Alvin Mann of Cuddebackville, N.Y., a 92-year-old World War II veteran, received his bachelor’s degree in history at the Mount’s 53rd annual Commencement. Honorary degree recipient and commencement speaker Dr. Timothy P. Flanigan (in red) cheers him on.
The Faculty Award was presented to Peter Witkowsky, associate professor of English, and Amanda Maynard, associate professor of psychology, for their work with college’s First-Year Experience (FYE) program. FYE welcomes first-year students and fosters success as they transition into the Mount community.
A 2015 follow-up survey for Mount undergraduates found that 91 percent of respondents not attending graduate school full-time were employed six months after graduation, with more than half employed in three months. The Mount’s current graduates are already experiencing success: Dharamhet Khangura of Livingston Manor, N.Y. accepted a technical position at EnviroTest Labratories, Inc., a Newburgh-based company that specializes in chemical and biological environmental testing; and Amanda Pecorella of Fishkill, N.Y. will begin working at Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni & Weddell, LLP, a local accounting firm, on May 31 – less than two weeks after commencement.
Amanda Pecorella of Fishkill, N.Y. received her bachelor’s degree from Tracey Niemotko, professor of accounting and chair of the Mount’s School of Business.
Ranked a Top-Tier Regional University by U.S. News & World Report, Mount Saint Mary College offers strong career preparation in health professions, education, business, psychology, social services, and liberal arts.