Are you ready to celebrate your academic achievements? Join in the Syracuse University Commencement exercises and an entire weekend of events to honor you and your fellow graduates.
Syracuse University’s Commencement will take place Sunday, May 12, beginning with the degree candidates’ procession at 9:30 a.m. in the Dome.
Mary C. Daly G’94, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, will deliver the Commencement address.
Syracuse University will confer 7,118 degrees, which are to the bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and associate degree candidates. The College of Law will confer its candidates’ juris doctor and master of law degrees during its Commencement exercises on Friday, May 10. The College of Law’s speaker will be Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of Girls Who Code.
During Commencement, Syracuse University Chancellor and President Kent Syverud and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Interim President David C. Amberg will address the graduates. Syracuse Vice Chancellor and Provost Michele Wheatly will preside.
The University will award honorary degrees to Zainab Hawa Bangura, former United Nations special representative of the secretary-general on sexual violence in conflict and former foreign minister for Sierra Leone; Steven W. Barnes ’82, a managing director at Bain Capital and Syracuse University Board of Trustees chairman, whose term ends this month; Daly; and Marvin K. Lender ’63, chairman of Baldwin Street Management LLC and part of the former family business, Lender’s Frozen Bagels.
Incoming Board of Trustees Chair Kathleen Walters ’73 will speak to the graduates, who will receive an alumni welcome from Tracy Barash ’89, president of the Syracuse University Alumni Association.
The two senior class marshals, Abigail J. Covington and Danielle Schaf, will lead graduates during the ceremony. Covington, from Bowie, Maryland, is a writing studies, rhetoric and composition major in the College of Arts and Sciences, with minors in public communications and information technology, design and startups. From Shelby, Nebraska, Schaf, who is in the Renée Crown University Honors Program, is a triple major in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, majoring in anthropology, forensic science and writing studies, rhetoric and composition.
Along with the all-University marshals, 23 student marshals will represent the 13 schools and colleges at Syracuse University; ESF is represented by two student marshals. They were chosen on the basis of leadership abilities, participation in extracurricular activities, service to the University and academic achievement. The marshals will lead the degree candidates of their respective schools or colleges.
Twelve seniors have been designated as Syracuse University Scholars and three as SUNY ESF Scholars. This is the highest academic award given to undergraduate students. This year’s student speaker is Crystal Letona, a communication and rhetorical studies major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, a women’s and gender studies major in the College of Arts and Sciences and a policy studies major in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School.
John Palmer, Dean Emeritus of the Maxwell School, will serve as mace bearer and lead the academic procession. The Rev. Brian E. Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel, will give the invocation.
The University Marshal is Shiu-Kai Chin ’75, G’78, G’86, Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence and professor of electrical engineering and computer science in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Associate University Marshal is James K. Duah-Agyeman G’99, director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs.
The Army and Air Force ROTC cadets will present the colors.
Also during the ceremony, retiring faculty members who have been recommended to receive the title of emeritus by the University Senate to the Syracuse University Board of Trustees will be recognized by LaVonda N. Reed, associate provost for faculty affairs and professor of law.
The Syracuse University Brass Ensemble will perform under the direction of James Spencer, professor of chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences. The national anthem will be sung by Jacob O’Shea, and Nicolas Godzak G’19 will sing the alma mater.
A live video stream will be broadcast for school and college convocations as well as Sunday’s Commencement ceremony.
Celebrate Commencement on social media using the hashtag #SUGrad19.
More information about Commencement 2019 can be found at commencement.syr.edu.
