05/08/2009
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 15, in Park Center Alumni Arena.
The College will award 232 master’s degrees and 36 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. Faculty Senate Chair William Buxton, literacy, will be the mace bearer.
Faculty members will carry the four multi-colored gonfalons representing the College, the School of Education, the School of Professional Studies, and the School of Arts and Sciences, respectively. The gonfaloniers are Graduate Faculty Executive Committee Chair Jeffrey Walkuski, physical education, Marley Barduhn, education, Eileen Gravani, professional studies, and Jerome O’Callaghan, arts and sciences.
David Neal, performing arts, is the pianist for the processional and recessional music. Rebecca Rozzoni, a junior musical theater major from Dryden, N.Y., will sing the national anthem and the Alma Mater.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Mark Prus will offer a welcome, while Austin T. MacRae, of Cortland, a candidate for Master of Arts in English and published poet, 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, arts and sciences, Gerald Porter, education, and John Cottone, professional studies.
Ronnie Sternin Silver ’67, president of the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association Board of Directors, will welcome these newest graduates into the ranks of the College’s more than 59,000 alumni. Commencement marshals will be Ted Fay, sport management, Michele Gonzalez, literacy, Susan Rayl, exercise science and sport studies, Kimberly Rombach, childhood/early childhood education and Hailey Ruoff ’98, library.
The Graduate Commencement Committee is co-chaired by Virginia B. Levine, president’s office, and Ruoff. Committee members include: Darci Bacigalupi, president’s office; Marley S. Barduhn, education; Mary Kate Boland, campus activities; Terence Cahill, College Store; Mark DePaull, university police; Mariah Gerty ’06, graduate student representative; Michele Irvin Gonzalez, literacy; Rena Janke, biological sciences; Louis Larson, career services; Peter McGinnis, graduate studies; Joy Mosher, graduate studies; Mary Murphy, university police; Charlotte Plunkett, physical plant; Arnold Talentino, Honors Program; and George VerDow, classroom media services.