Judy Kuhn receives honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree
President Virginia S. Horvath shook the hands of nearly 1,400 students in Steele Hall Arena today as they walked, one by one, across the stage to receive their diplomas and earn their President’s congratulations.
Fredonia’s 189th annual Commencement ceremony included bachelor’s and master’s degree recipients, as well as those earning advanced certificates, honored during two ceremonies at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on campus.
President Horvath presided over the ceremonies, joined by a more than 20-person platform party which included her fellow members of the University Cabinet, members of the College Council, Senior Class President Stephanie Willis, and other campus and community dignitaries and student leaders.
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Judy Kuhn receives her academic hood from |
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Dr. Jeffery Kelly served as keynote speaker. |
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Julianne Foster receives the Lanford Presidential Prize |
“Faculty and staff here have worked to help you find your voice and your passion, and to develop your independence in thinking and responsible action,” Dr. Horvath told the graduates. “From this point, it’s up to you to show what Fredonians can do. Your employers, your communities, your families, will see that you are skilled, creative, connected, and responsible. We’re counting on you to use all you have learned, to continue to learn as new questions and technologies arise, and to represent your alma mater proudly in all you do.” She added, “The example of your lives is the best advocacy for a Fredonia education, but we count on you to assist those who will follow you. With continued hard work, you will be successful in your professions and your lives. As you advance in your careers, please help us recruit the best students, build the network of successful alumni who can connect with students and programs, and share your story with those who are skeptical about the value of higher education.”
College Council Chair Frank Pagano added his welcome, as well, noting, "To be successful, you don't have to be smarter than the next person; all you have to do is be willing to work harder than the next person."
Senior Class President Willis of Queensbury, N.Y., who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication-Public Relations, remarked about how the class came together to raise funds for the senior class gift, an outdoor pavilion stage, noting “It is our hope that this gift would exemplify creativity and opportunity. Fredonia is a place where everyone gets the chance to create, and we have left behind a permanent space for future generations to build their own legacy.”
The Lanford Presidential Prize from the Oscar and Esther Lanford Endowment in the Fredonia College Foundation was presented by President Horvath and Vice President for Student Affairs David Herman to senior Julianne M. Foster of Rochester, N.Y., who graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication-Media Management.
In one of the several highlights of the morning ceremony, actor, singer and teacher Judy Kuhn received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from the State University of New York, conferred by President Horvath and assisted by Dean of Visual and Performing Arts Ralph Blasting. In accepting the honorary degree, Dr. Kuhn told the audience that she will be in their place next week as she watches her daughter receive a bachelor’s degree, calling it a “profound passage.” She reflected on her experience at Fredonia in 2015 when giving a master class, calling Fredonia students, “open, eager and brave.” She told the graduates, “You must do what you love, to fulfill your own promise.”
Fredonia then welcomed its keynote speaker, scientist, entrepreneur and alumnus Dr. Jeffery W. Kelly, ’82, the Lita Annenberg Hazen Professor of Chemistry and Chairman of the Department of Molecular Medicine at The Scripps Research Institute in California. Dr. Kelly reflected on his family’s pride at his own graduation, being the first in his family to receive a college degree.
In his message to the graduates, Dr. Kelly noted that a key skill in life was to know when you are failing, have failed, or are on your way to failure, “so you can adjust.” He noted a couple of challenging failures during his pursuit of a Ph.D. and during his professional life. “Life can beat you down if you let it, but the key is resilience. The ability to bounce back when faced with adversity.” Dr. Kelly added, “Failure gave me an inner sense of security that has been enabling in my professional career, and in all other aspects of my life…it made me realize that I was stronger and more resilient than I’d previously believed.”
Dr. Kelly told the graduates, “Dream big! Be audacious! Lean on others in the process of honing your dreams and plans.”
“Failure can also be transformative. It enabled me to reflect on the passions I truly wanted to pursue, and it was there to teach and mold me into the person I was destined to become.”
He also urged graduates to “repay your debt,” by “using your skills, education, resources, good health, and good fortune to make the global village a better place for all of us.”
Student performances were given by the Fredonia Wind Ensemble and the Fredonia Wind Symphony, under the direction of Dr. Paula Holcomb. The national anthem was performed during the morning ceremony by Orchard Park native Lucille S. Horn, who earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Performance, and by Kayleigh DeBrine of Webster, N.Y., during the afternoon, who earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education, summa cum laude. Dr. Gerald Gray directed the Fredonia Chamber Choir in the musical interlude, “To You,” based on the poem by Langston Hughes with music composed by Fredonia alumnus Dr. Sean Doyle.
The Mace Bearer who led the procession in the morning ceremony was Distinguished Teaching Professor Clark M. Zlotchew of the Department of World Languages and Cultures and Distinguished Service Professor H. Joseph Straight of the Department of Mathematical Sciences in the afternoon. They represented the campus faculty with the most years of service.
