Due to unforeseen personal circumstances, Alice Walker is unable to participate in this year’s commencement as was announced Wednesday. Ms. Walker sends her sincere regrets and congratulations to all graduates of the Class of 2020. The college hopes to have Ms. Walker on campus as a special guest speaker at a later date. It’s disappointing news and your understanding is appreciated.
Hudson Valley Community College’s online 66th Commencement celebration for the Class of 2020 will be streamed at www.hvcc.edu/commencement beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 6. All are welcome to view the program honoring the nearly 1,800 students who are receiving a degree or certificate!
Addressing the graduates will be President Roger Ramsammy, United States Senator Charles Schumer; Neil Kelleher, Board of Trustees chairman; WTEN News Anchor John Gray ’83; Student Senate President Zion Sherin ’20, and Professor Jeff Schoonmaker, who retired in May 2020 after 51 years of teaching physics at Hudson Valley. Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin and Michael Stammel, chairman of the county legislature, also will speak.
American Idol finalist Madison VanDenburg, who attended the college in 2019, will sing “The Star Spangled Banner” to open the celebration, as well as perform at the close of the event. Profiles of graduates and greetings from faculty and staff will be interspersed throughout the program. The student choir also will perform.
The program will include a ceremonial conferral of degrees by President Ramsammy and Judith DiLorenzo, vice president for Academic Affairs.
All faculty, staff and students are encouraged to “join” the hour-long festivities to show their support of the Class of 2020, whose final semester was unlike any other in the history of the college! The stream will be accessible to the public as well.
Published: Thu, 04 Jun 2020 12:30:04 +0000 by d.gardner