More than 1,400 SUNY Fredonia students were honored in Steele Hall Arena today as President Dennis L. Hefner, for the final time in his 16-year tenure, conferred bachelor’s and master’s degrees and advanced certificates.
Commencement at Fredonia included two nearly identical events at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to accommodate the large number of undergraduate and graduate students as well as their family and friends, many of whom traveled great distances to join them for this memorable occasion.
Both ceremonies featured remarks from President Hefner, Fredonia College Council Chair Frank Pagano, keynote speaker and SUNY Fredonia alumnus Dale Cooter, and Senior Class President Maggie Oliver.
President Hefner acknowledged that this year’s ceremony was a little different than his previous 15.
“With my impending retirement, in a real sense, today represents my graduation from serving as SUNY Fredonia’s 12th president,” he explained. “So with your permission, I’d like to consider myself an honorary member of the graduating Class of 2012,” prompting a roar of applause and approval at each ceremony from his hundreds of fellow “classmates” in attendance.
He then presented Incoming President Virginia Horvath with a ceremonial key, a symbolic gesture that connects to one of Dr. Hefner’s favorite statistics: the 5,406 doors on SUNY Fredonia’s campus.
“I am pleased to present you with this special campus key, to assist you in keeping every one of those doors open for future generations of Fredonia students,” he said.
Dr. Horvath, who begins her role on July 1, was quick to return the favor, presenting President Hefner with a ceremonial Commencement scroll to officially signify his “graduation” as an honorary member of the Class of 2012. All of the day’s graduates received a commemorative scroll case on which was inscribed, “The Final Handshake: President Hefner’s Last Commencement, May 12, 2012.”
Chairman Pagano echoed their remarks, and spoke to the anticipation the campus collectively shares as it prepares for this next phase in its rich history.
“We stand ready to face tomorrow’s challenges, eager to see what changes await, and excited for how we might build upon the progress which we have achieved to date, and add to the legacy we have created,” Mr. Pagano said.
Pagano also encouraged the graduates to never forget the knowledge and experiences they received at Fredonia, and to maintain strong ties to the campus throughout their lives.
“I implore you to stay connected to your alma mater, and to always look for ways to give back,” he added, “whether it’s returning to share what you’ve learned in your career with the next generation of students, just as Mr. Cooter has today, or taking the time to help future graduates as they try to land their first job. This college has helped you develop the tools to guide you through a successful life. In doing so, we call on you to build a better society for us all.”
Mr. Cooter, a member of the Class of 1970, went on to graduate from Georgetown University Law Center and is now a successful attorney in Washington, D.C., and principal of the firm Cooter, Mangold, Deckelbaum & Karas, L.L.P. Cooter also saluted Dr. Hefner, marveling at the growth and improvements the campus has undergone during Hefner’s tenure, both in terms of its physical assets and its academic standards.
“He has led an increase in admissions standards to the point where I no longer would be accepted,” Cooter joked.
He went on to salute the families of the graduates, noting that their commitment to their sons and daughters came at the start of a “virtual financial Armageddon,” making the sacrifices many of them likely made to send their children to college all the more admirable.
“The test of a hero is not whether or not you do the right thing when it’s easy,” he explained. “It’s whether or not you do the right thing when it’s hard. The family members who did that for your children in this economy? Those are the real American heroes.”
Cooter then shared how Fredonia was the first step in the transformation of his life. The south Syracuse, N.Y., native from modest beginnings told the audience how caring and nurturing Fredonia’s faculty was during his time here — a “culture shock” he had never before experienced.
“I’d never been around so many people who wanted to see me succeed,” he said. “This place literally, probably, saved my life. I had been transformed. I was ready to compete with students from the most prestigious universities in the world. Fredonia’s graduates are the real deal, the total package. Like me, you have today the tools you need to compete and succeed.”
Senior Class President Oliver, a native of Redfield, N.Y., who graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree and majors in Communication-Audio/Radio and TV/Digital Film, reminded her classmates how fortunate they are to have had the Fredonia experience.
“If there is one thing I’ve learned from college, it’s that the sky’s the limit on what you can do — if you're dedicated,” she said. “We are all very lucky to have attended this institution that, from my experience, lets students find out things for themselves. That’s a big deal to me; not every student gets the opportunities we have had.”
Ms. Oliver also shared with the audience a photo of the senior class gift: two new stained glass windows in the shape of the official Fredonia seal, which last month were installed in the lobby of the Cranston Marché dining hall, on the second floor of University Commons. Adjacent to them is a quote by well known artist, author and film director Aaron Rose, which reads: “In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.”
“Hopefully these windows will act as a reminder of our class, and encourage all classes following ours to remain dedicated to what they do,” Oliver added.
At the morning ceremony, President Hefner presented the Lanford Presidential Prize, from the Oscar and Esther Lanford Endowment of the Fredonia College Foundation, to Zhuojun “Georgie” Fu of Shanghai, China. Ms. Fu graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication-Public Relations with a second major in Computer Science-Applied Math. The annual prize is given to a student who shows balanced achievement both on- and off-campus, and who exemplifies Fredonia’s ideals while maintaining a strong grade point average. Ms. Fu is the first international student to receive this honor. The late Dr. Lanford served as Fredonia's ninth president from 1961 to 1971. Mrs. Lanford was in attendance and was acknowledged by President Hefner.
Other highlights included performances by the Fredonia Wind Ensemble and Fredonia Wind Symphony, under the direction of Dr. Paula Holcomb. In addition, the Fredonia Women’s Choir, under the direction of alumnus Justin Pomietlarz, the vocal music director at Amherst High School, performed, “If,” a work composed by School of Music Director Karl Boelter, based on the poem by Rudyard Kipling. Kyle T. Sackett, who graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education, performed the national anthem at the morning ceremony, and Tami M. Papagiannopoulos, who graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Performance, performed it in the afternoon.
A posthumous undergraduate degree in Communication-Communication Studies was awarded by President Hefner to family representatives of Hope Antz, who passed away in the summer of 2009. They were escorted to the platform by Dr. Ted Schwalbe, chair of the Department of Communication.
Lastly, former Student Association President Michael Baker, a senior from Walworth, N.Y., graduating Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Geology, had the distinction of being the final student to walk across the Steele Hall dais and shake hands with President Hefner. He marked the 18,449th and final graduate to be congratulated at center stage by Dr. Hefner during his 16-year tenure.
