 CLASS OF 2016, THINGS CERTAINLY
 HAVE CHANGED SINCE YOU STARTED 
YOUR ACADEMIC CAREER AT ROWAN 
UNIVERSITY.
IN THE FOUR YEARS, WE INCREASED 
ENROLLMENT BY 4,000 STUDENTS AND
 DOUBLED THE AMOUNT OF 
SCHOLARSHIP MONEY
 WE AWARDED.
CLASS OF 2016, THINGS CERTAINLY 
HAVE CHANGED SINCE YOU STARTED 
YOUR ACADEMIC CAREER AT ROWAN 
UNIVERSITY.
IN FOUR YEARS, WE INCREASED 
ENROLLMENT BY 4,000 STUDENTS AND
 DOUBLED THE AMOUNT OF 
SCHOLARSHIP MONEY
 WE AWARDED.
CLASS OF 2016, THINGS CERTAINLY 
HAVE CHANGED SINCE YOU STARTED 
YOUR ACADEMIC CAREER AT ROWAN 
UNIVERSITY.
IN THE FOUR YEARS
 WE
 INCREASED ENROLLMENT BY 4,000 
STUDENTS AND DOUBLED THE AMOUNT 
OF SCHOLARSHIP MONEY
 WE
 THE COUNT OF THREE.
1  2  3.
[ APPLAUSE ]
ALL BACHELOR'S DEGREE GRADUATES 
MAY BE SEATED.
>> NOW, WILL EVERYONE PLEASE 
RISE FOR THE ALMA MATER AND 
REMAIN STANDING FOR THE 
BENEDICTION AND RECESSIONAL.
OH ROWAN, WE GREET THEE. ALL 
PRAISE TO THY NAME; THY BANNER 
UNFURL TO THE BREEZE.
THY CHILDREN SALUTE THEE AND 
PLEDGE TO THY FAME AS SOLDIERS 
WHO DRINK TO THE LEES.
ALL ABOUT THEE ARISE THE FIRST 
TEMPLES OF GOD, LIFTING HIGH, 
LEAFY ARMS TO THE SKY AND THE 
FLOWERS THAT BLOOM IN THE GREEN 
OF THE SOD SEEM TO LOVE THEE TOO
CLASS OF 2016, THINGS CERTAINLY 
HAVE CHANGED SINCE YOU STARTED 
YOUR ACADEMIC CAREER AT ROWAN 
UNIVERSITY.
IN FOUR YEARS,
 WE INCREASED
 THE
 ENROLLMENT.
WE ADDED PROGRAMS, INCREASED 
PARTNERSHIPS AND EXPANDED OUR
 RESEARCH.
WE OFFERED MORE OPPORTUNITIES 
AND EARNED MORE 
ACCOLADES.
 FONDLY TO DIE.
>> AS COMMENCEMENT 2016 COMES TO
 A CLOSE, OUR GRADUATES MOVE ON 
ONE STEP CLOSER TOWARD THEIR 
PROFESSIONAL FUTURE.
SOON THEY WILL CELEBRATE WITH 
THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS.
WHAT I TRUST HAS BEEN A 
WONDERFUL DAY ENDING A 
REMARKABLE UNIVERSITY CAREER.
CLASS OF 2016, TODAY IS AN 
ENDING AND A BEGINNING FOR ALL 
OF US.
MYSELF INCLUDED.
I AM RETIRING AFTER 52 YEARS 
TEACHING HERE AT ROWAN 
UNIVERSITY AND LIKE YOU, I 
EMBRACE THE FUTURE WITH 
EXCITEMENT AND MAYBE A LITTLE 
ANXIETY.
MY WISH FOR YOU IS THAT THE 
EXCITEMENT IS THE DOMINANT 
EMOTION.
YOU NOT ONLY LEAVE HERE A 
GRADUATE, BUT YOU ALSO PREPARE 
TO ENTER THE NEXT CHAPTER OF 
YOUR LIVES, PERHAPS GRADUATE 
SCHOOL, MILITARY SERVICE, 
VOLUNTEERISM AND AN INTERNSHIP 
AND A NEW JOB.
YOU HAVE MUCH TO CELEBRATE.
MUCH TO REMEMBER AND MUCH TO 
PURSUE.
YOU WILL FACE NEW CHALLENGES AND
 SHOULDER MUCH RESPONSIBILITY.
LIFE WILL PRESENT YOU WITH 
CHALLENGES THAT WILL CHALLENGE 
YOUR PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION.
THROUGHOUT WHATEVER THE FUTURE 
HOLDS, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO 
CONTINUE TO LEARN, FOLLOW YOUR 
PASSION, CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR 
COMMUNITIES, LIVE AN HONORABLE 
LIVE AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AS WE GIVE THANKS FOR THIS DAY, 
I END WITH A QUOTE FROM A TRULY 
GREAT PRESIDENT, ABRAHAM LINCOLN
 WHO SAID THE BEST WAY TO 
PREDICT YOUR FUTURE IS TO CREATE
 IT.
NOW, GO AND CREATE.
AND MAY GOD BLESS THE CLASS OF 
2016 AND GOD BLESS 
AMERICA.
[ APPLAUSE ]
OH, SAY CAN YOU SEE BY THE 
I
 2016 COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES.
THE UNIVERSITY WILL TAKE ARIAL 
PHOTOGRAPHS THROUGHOUT THE 
PROGRAM SO WE ASK THAT YOU NOT 
BE ALARMED IF YOU SEE ANY 
HOVERING DRONES IN THE DISTANCE.
IF YOU ARE USING AN UMBRELLA 
DURING THE CEREMONY, PLEASE 
STAND ON THE BACK OR THE SIDES 
OF THE GREEN SO YOU DO NOT BLOCK
 THE VIEW OF OTHER GUESTS OR 
PARTICIPANTS, THE PER SESSION IS
 READY TO BEGIN.
PLEASE TURN OFF ALL CELLPHONES 
AND REMAIN SEATED SO EVERYONE
 CAN SEE.
THANK YOU.
♪
>> WOW.
I WANT TO THANK WHOEVER MADE THE
 DECISION TO HAVE THE CEREMONY 
OUTSIDE TODAY.
THIS WAS TRULY A GREAT DECISION.
SO THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING 
TODAY'S CEREMONY AND 
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR 
STUDENTS.
THE AUDIENCE IS REQUESTED TO 
REMAIN IN PLACE UNTIL THE 
PLATFORM PARTY HAS RECESSED.
SHUTTLES AND GOLF CARTS BACK TO 
THE PARKING LOT ARE AVAILABLE 
FOR THOSE WHO NEED THEM IN 
PARKING LOT R.
WILL EVERYONE RISE FOR THE ALMA 
MATER AND REMAIN
 STANDING FOR THE BENEDICTION.
SORRY, WE ALMOST REALLY MESSED 
IT UP.
SO
 IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE 
KUNAL PATEL.
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.
THE STUDENT TRUSTY OF THE ROWAN 
UNIVERSITY BOARD OF 
TRUSTEES.
>> I GUESS THEY DIDN'T WANT ME 
TO SPEAK TODAY.
BEFORE I BEGIN, I WANT TO 
COMMENT ON THE WEATHER.
I THINK IT'S ONLY FITTING THAT 
IT RAINS A LITTLE ON OUR 
COMMENCEMENT AFTER FOUR YEARS OF
 DOWNPOURING IN GLASSBORO NEW 
JERSEY, I THINK IT'S FITTING 
THAT WE GET A LITTLE RAIN TODAY.
GREETINGS, GRADUATES, FAMILY 
MEMBERS, ADMINISTRATORS, BOARD 
MEMBERS, FACULTY MEMBERS, AND 
LOVED ONES, AS A PROUD MEMBER OF
 THE CLASS OF 2016 AND AS THE 
STUDENT TRUSTEE ON ROWAN'S BOARD
 OF TRUSTEES, I'M HONORED TO BE 
ABLE TO SPEAK TO ALL OF YOU 
TODAY.
JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, WE WAITED 
IMPATIENTLY BY OUR MAILBOXES AND
 COMPUTER SCREENS FOR THE NEWS 
THAT WE WERE ACCEPTED INTO ROWAN
 UNIVERSITY. AT THE TIME, WE 
MIGHT HAVE NOT REALIZED HOW 
IMPACTFUL THAT DAY WOULD BECOME 
FOR ALL OF US.
BUT, AS WE STAND HERE TODAY AS 
ONEﾗAS THE SMART, TALENTED, 
GREATLOOKING CLASS OF 2016ﾗI'M  
-- IN FACT, LET ME GET A SELFIE
 REAL QUICK.
[ APPLAUSE ]
YOU'LL SEE THE HASHTAG LATER.
I'M SURE WE ALL REALIZE THAT THE
 MOMENT WE WERE WELCOMED INTO 
THE ROWAN FAMILY TRULY WAS 
LIFE-CHANGING. 
MOST OF US CAME HERE FOR 
ACADEMICS AND SMALL CLASSROOM 
EXPERIENCES AND HOURS OF 
INTELLECTUAL GROWTH, WERE OF 
PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE. 
THEY SET THE FOUNDATION FOR THE 
PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS WE WILL 
ACHIEVE IN OUR CHOSEN FIELDS.
BUT WHAT MANY OF US DIDN'T 
ANTICIPATE WAS THAT THE 
EXPERIENCES OUTSIDE THE 
CLASSROOM ALSO WOULD HAVE A 
GREAT IMPACT ON US. OUR ROWAN 
EDUCATION TAUGHT US HOW TO USE 
THE KNOWLEDGE AND OPPORTUNITIES 
WE'VE GAINED AT THE UNIVERSITY 
TO MAKE THE WORLD BETTER. 
SIMPLY PUT, IN WAYS BIG AND 
SMALL, WE LEARNED TO GIVE BACK. 
AND WE EMBRACED THOSE 
OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE OTHERS 
WITH THE FERVOR AND GUSTO THAT 
 TO DISTINGUISH US AS PROFS.
SOME OF US HAVE SPENT COUNTLESS 
HOURS IN RESEARCH LABS TO FIND 
CURES FOR DISEASES SUCH AS 
CANCER, PARKINSON'S, AND DRUG 
ADDICTION. WE'VE TRAVELED TO 
SOME OF THE MOST IMPOVERISHED 
COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD, WORKING 
TO BRING NECESSITIES LIKE WATER,
 EDUCATION, AND MEDICINE TO 
PEOPLE WE'D NEVER MET. WE'VE 
VOLUNTEERED LOCALLY AS WELL, 
TUTORING SCHOOLCHILDREN, HELPING
 OUR GLASSBORO NEIGHBORS WITH 
YARD WORK, OR SAVING LIVES AS 
VOLUNTEERS WITH ROWAN EMS.
OUR WORK ALSO HELPED TO BREAK 
DOWN CULTURAL AND SOCIAL 
BARRIERS. WE PLAYED BASKETBALL 
AND SOCCER SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH 
YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES 
THROUGH ROWAN UNIFIED SPORTS. WE
 HELPED SPEARHEAD THE CREATION 
OF NEW POLICIES ON CAMPUS FOR 
GENDER-INCLUSIVE HOUSING, 
PREFERRED NAME STATUS, AND 
GENDER-NEUTRAL REST ROOMS. 
THROUGH EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY, 
WE TOOK A STRONG STANCE ON THE 
ISSUE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT ON 
COLLEGE CAMPUSES.
AND WE HAD FUN, TOO. THROUGH ST.
BALDRICK'S DAY, RELAY FOR LIFE, 
DANCE-A-THONS, AND OTHER EVENTS 
WE RAISED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS 
OF DOLLARS FOR GROUPS LIKE 
PEDIATRIC CANCER RESEARCH, THE 
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, THE 
CHILDREN'S MIRACLE NETWORK AND 
THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS.
TO THE PARENTS OUT THERE THAT 
THOUGHT ALL WE GO WAS GO TO 
CLASS, WE ACTUALLY VOLUNTEERED.
CLEARLY, WE ARE AN ACCOMPLISHED 
CLASS. WE SHOULD TAKE GREAT 
PRIDE IN ALL THAT WE'VE 
ACHIEVED. BUT WE NEED TO 
REMEMBER ONE THING: OUR 
ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE NOTﾗNOR WILL
 THEY EVER BEﾗONE-PERSON 
EFFORTS.
SO TO THE MOMS AND DADS, 
GRANDMAS AND GRANDPAS, BROTHERS 
AND SISTERS, AUNTS AND UNCLES, 
BOYFRIENDS AND GIRLFRIENDS AND 
WIVES AND HUSBANDS, AND BEST 
FRIENDS AND MENTORS WHO ARE HERE
 TODAY PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU ARE 
ALL EXTRAORDINARY. WE WOULD NOT 
BE HERE TODAY WITHOUT YOUR 
UNWAVERING, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE 
AND SUPPORT.
YOU BELIEVED IN US WHEN 
GRADUATING FROM ROWAN WAS 
NOTHING MORE THAN A DREAM FOR 
US. YOU ARE OUR GREATEST 
FANSﾗAND OUR STRONGEST 
ADVOCATES. FROM THE BOTTOM OF 
OUR HEARTS, WE THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
IN CREATING MY SPEECH FOR TODAY,
 I WATCHED MANY YOUTUBE VIDEOS 
OF COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERS. IN 
MOST, EACH SPEAKER WISHED THE 
GRADUATING CLASS THE BEST OF 
LUCK IN THE FUTURE.
I WILL NOT BE DOING THAT.
I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT LUCK 
IS FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE SUCCESS
 HAPPENS BY ACCIDENT. HARD WORK,
 ON THE OTHER HAND, IS FOR THOSE
 WHO KNOW SUCCESS IS A CHOICE. 
CLASS OF 2016, I HAVE SEEN YOUR 
ABILITY TO WORK HARD HERE AT 
ROWAN AND THE PEOPLE AROUND HERE
 HAVE SEEN YOU WORK HARD.
I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT WE WILL ALL
 BE SUCCESSFUL AS WE BUILD OUR 
CAREERS AND CONTINUE THE ROWAN 
TRADITION OF SERVING OTHERS.
CONGRATULATIONS, ROWAN 
UNIVERSITY CLASS OF 2016.
[ APPLAUSE ]
NOW, WILL WILL BACHELOR'S DEGREE
 GRADUATES PLEASE RISE FOR THE 
ﾓTOSSING OF THE TASSELﾔ FROM 
RIGHT TO LEFT. PLEASE JOIN ME ON
 [ APPLAUSE ]
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE 
STAND FOR OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM 
AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE 
INVOCATION.
OH, SAY CAN YOU SEE BY THE 
DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT WHAT SO 
PROUDLY WE HAILED AT THE 
TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING?
WHOSE BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT 
STARS THROUGH THE PERILOUS 
FIGHT, O'ER THE RAMPARTS WE 
WATCHED WERE SO GALLANTLY 
STREAMING?
AND THE ROCKET'S RED GLARE, THE 
BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR, GAVE 
PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT THAT OUR
 FLAG WAS STILL THERE.
OH, SAY DOES THAT STAR-SPANGLED 
BANNER YET WAVE O'ER THE LAND OF
 THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE 
BRAVE?
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, 
DR. DONALD A. FARNELLI, GRAND 
MARSHAL 
>> GOOD MORNING MEMBERS OF THE 
CLASS OF 2016, FAMILIES AND 
FRIENDS, AND THE ROWAN 
UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY.MY NAME IS 
DR. DONALD ALFONSO FARNELLI. I 
AM AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN THE
 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND 
ASTRONOMY AT ROWAN UNIVERSITY. 
CURRENTLY IN MY 52ND YEAR AT 
ROWAN, AS THE LONGEST TENURED, 
[ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU.
AS THE LONGEST TENURED FULL-TIME
 FACULTY MEMBER ON CAMPUS I AM 
HONORED TO PRESENT TODAY'S 
INVOCATION AND 
BENEDICTION AND TO SERVE AS THE 
ﾓGRAND MARSHALﾔ FOR 
COMMENCEMENT. GRADUATES, WITH 
THE BUSYNESS THAT IS 
COMMENCEMENT, THE SPEECHES, THE 
CEREMONY, THE CELEBRATIONS TO 
FOLLOW, MAY YOU ALL TAKE A 
MOMENT TO REFLECT ON WHAT HELPED
 YOU REACH THIS DAY. OF COURSE, 
THAT INCLUDED YOUR OWN EFFORTS. 
IT ALSO INCLUDED THE SUPPORT OF 
YOUR LOVED ONES AND THE ROWAN 
UNIVERSITY FAMILY.I HOPE YOU 
GIVE THANKS FOR THOSE PEOPLE AND
 EVENTS THAT ENABLED YOUTOREACH 
THIS MILESTONE. AND I HOPE YOU 
CONGRATULATE YOURSELVES. FAMILY,
 FRIENDS, PROFESSORS, STAFF, 
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, HONORED 
GUESTS, JOIN OUR STUDENTS IN 
CELEBRATING ALL THAT HAS MADE 
THIS DAY A REALITY.MAY THIS 
COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY BE 
MEMORABLE FOR ALL OF YOU. PLEASE
  BE 
SEATED.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> NOW, DR. JIM NEWELL.
ROWAN UNIVERSITY'S PROVOST.
>> GOOD MORNING. IT IS MY 
PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE OUR 
SPECIAL GUESTS. PLEASE HOLD YOUR
 APPLAUSE UNTIL EVERYONE HAS 
BEEN INTRODUCED.
PRESIDENT, DR. ALI HOUSHMAND.
MS. ISABELITA 
BODEWW.
KUNAL PATEL.
STUDENT TRUSTEE AND OUR 
DISTINGUISHED GUEST MR. DEREK 
PITTS, KEYNOTES SPEAKER, ANTHONY
 WARWAR.
DENISE WILLIAMS, CWA PRESIDENT, 
MEMBERS OF THE CABINET, FACULTY 
OF THE DEAN, AND OTHER MEMBERS 
OF THE ADMINISTRATION.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THERE ARE 
TWO VERY IMPORTANT 
CONSTITUENCIES THAT MUST BE 
RECOGNIZED AS WELL. 
STUDENTS,PLEASE RISE, AND FACE 
THE PEOPLE MOST IMPORTANT IN 
YOUR LIFE:PARENTS, PARTNERS, 
BROTHERS, SISTERS AND LOVED ONES
 WHO HAVE PROVIDED SUPPORT AND 
RESOURCES TO HELP BRING US TO 
THIS DAY.APPLAUD THEM AS YOU 
STAND HERE READY TO 
GRADUATE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
SECONDLY, PLEASE RECOGNIZE YOUR 
ROWAN FAMILY:FACULTY, STAFFAND 
ADMINISTRATORS WHO SHARE IN YOUR
 PRIDE AND SUCCESS TODAY. PLEASE
 BE SEATED.
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CHAD
 BRUNER AND I AM VICE CHAIRMAN 
OF THE ROWAN UNIVERSITY BOARD OF
 TRUSTEES. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO 
WELCOME ALL OF YOU AND YOUR 
FAMILIES AND FRIENDS TO ROWAN 
UNIVERSITY ON BEHALF OF FACULTY,
 STAFF AND ADMINISTRATORS.
I GREW UP IN GLASSBORO JUST 
BEYOND THOSE TREES, A FEW BLOCKS
 OVER THE RAILROAD TRACKS - 
DURING THE 1970S AND 80S. FROM 
THEN, UNTIL NOW, MY ROWAN 
UNIVERSITY HAS GROWN, JUST LIKE 
EACH OF YOU DURING THE PAST FOUR
 YEARS. YOUR PARENTS PACKED YOU 
UP, DROPPED YOU OFF AS TEENAGERS
 AND NOW YOU ARE MEN AND WOMEN 
EAGER TO BECOME FUTURE LEADERS 
OF TOMORROW'S WORLD.
I CHALLENGE YOU TO EMBRACE THAT 
ROLE. BECOME A LEADER IN YOUR 
FIELD, ACCEPT THE CHALLENGES 
AHEAD AND OVERCOME THE BARRIERS 
AND OBSTACLES ALONG THE WAY.
I RECENTLY READ A BOOK ON 
LEADERSHIP CALLED ABOVE THE 
LINE. THE LESSONS IT TAUGHT ARE 
SIMPLE.
IT ENCOURAGES YOU TO LEAD ABOVE 
THE LINE.
IT ENCOURAGES YOU TO LEAD ABOVE 
THE LINE IN AN INTENTIONAL, 
PURPOSEFUL, AND SKILLFUL WAY. 
EVERY DAY IS A BATTLE FOR 
WHETHER WE CHOSE TO LIVE ABOVE 
THE LINE OR BELOW THE LINE. 
ABOVE THE LINE BEHAVIOR IS 
CONSCIOUS AND THOUGHTFUL AND 
TAKES PERSISTENCE AND EFFORT. 
BELOW THE LINE BEHAVIOR IS 
IMPULSIVE, ON AUTO-PILOT AND 
RESISTANT. 
BELOW THE LINE IS DANGEROUS 
BECAUSE IT IS COMFORTABLE AND 
CONVENIENT. IT IS THE PATH OF 
LEAST RESISTANCE. IT TAKES 
LITTLE EFFORT OR SKILL, AND THE 
BEST IT CAN PRODUCE IS ﾓJUST 
OK.ﾔ BELOW THE LINE IS GENERALLY
 YOUR DEFAULT RESPONSE. IT IS MY
 DEFAULT RESPONSE, TOO.
IT ISN'T HARD TO FIND PEOPLE WHO
 ARE CAUGHT UP IN BELOW THE LINE
 BEHAVIOR. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS
 LOOK FOR THOSE WHOSE FIRST 
REACTION IS TO BLAME (OTHERS), 
COMPLAIN AND DEFEND OR BCD 
BEHAVIOR.
WHEN THERE IS A LOT OF BCD GOING
 ON, IT MEANS PEOPLE ARE NOT 
OWNING THEIR MISTAKES AND NOT 
BEING ACCOUNTABLE. WE NEED TO 
RUTHLESSLY ELIMINATE BCD. 
INSTEAD OF ACCOUNTABILITY, IT 
CREATES A CULTURE OF EXCUSE 
MAKING AND VICTIMIZATION - 
THINGS THAT ARE TOXIC TO AN 
ORGANIZATION AND PERFORMANCE.
IT HAS NEVER SOLVED A PROBLEM, 
ACHIEVED A GOAL OR IMPROVED A 
RELATIONSHIP.
IN LIFE, IT IS INEVITABLE THAT 
YOU WILL BE PRESENTED WITH SOME 
TYPE OF CHALLENGING EVENT. AND 
EVERY EVENT WILL PRODUCE A 
CERTAIN OUTCOME.
THERE IS A SIMPLE EQUATION TO 
REMEMBER WHEN THIS HAPPENS. E + 
R = O. EVENT PLUS RESPONSE 
EQUALS OUTCOME. 
THIS EQUATION TEACHES US 
SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT ABOUT 
THE WAY LIFE WORKS. WE DO NOT 
DIRECTLY CONTROL THE EVENTS IN 
LIFE, AND WE DO NOT DIRECTLY 
CONTROL THE OUTCOMES. BUT WE 
ALWAYS HAVE CONTROL ABOUT HOW WE
 CHOSE TO RESPOND. AND HOW WE 
RESPOND MEANS EVERYTHING.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND 
THAT SUCCESS IS NOT DETERMINED 
BY THE SITUATIONS YOU EXPERIENCE
 BUT RATHER BY HOW YOU CHOOSE TO
 MANAGE WHAT IS CALLED THE R 
FACTOR OR THE RESPONSE.
EVERY DAY YOU WILL MAKE R FACTOR
 DECISIONS. THESE ARE ACTIONS 
YOU
 TAKE, OR NOT, TOWARDS THE 
PURSUIT OF YOUR GOALS; WHETHER 
TO GIVE UP OR PERSEVERE THROUGH 
OBSTACLES YOU EXPERIENCE; OR HOW
 YOU CHOSE TO INTERACT WITH 
PEOPLE AT WORK AND WITH FAMILY 
AT HOME.
AND HOW YOU RESPOND MAKES ALL 
THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. SO,
 I ENCOURAGE YOU AND CHALLENGE 
YOU TO NOT CHOOSE A DEFAULT 
RESPONSE THAT IS BELOW THE LINE 
BEHAVIOR. TAKE THE EVENT HEAD 
ON, CHOOSE AN ABOVE THE LINE 
TYPE RESPONSE, AND WATCH HOW 
POSITIVE THE OUTCOME WILL BE.
BE A LEADER.
BE ACCOUNTABLE.
BE CONSISTENT.
FIGHT FOR THAT EVERY DAY. 
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
MAKE YOUR MARK.
CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2016. 
YOU DID IT!
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAD BRUNER.
I AM SO PLEASED THAT YOU DID NOT
 INSULT UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN 
ONCE AGAIN.
I AM GRATEFUL.
>> GOOD MORNING.
EVERYONE, COME ON.
GOOD MORNING.
SHOW ME SOME ENERGY.
YOU'RE ABOUT TO LEAVE THIS THIS 
PLACE
 AFTER FOUR OR
 FIVE OR SIX YEARS.
I AM ALI 
HOUSHMAND PRESIDENT OF ROWAN 
UNIVERSITY AND I AM HAPPY TO BE 
HERE.
LET ME THANK THE PARENTS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YOU CAME IN A FEW YEARS BACK AND
 TRUSTED YOUR MOST PRECIOUS 
ASSET WITH US AND ASKING US TO 
EDUCATE THEM, TAKE CARE OF THEM 
AND SEND THEM BACK TO SOCIETY AS
 GREAT CITIZENS AND TAXPAYERS.
WE ARE ABOUT TO RETURN THEM TO 
YOU.
THEY ARE HEALTHY, EDUCATED, WISE
 AND HOPEFULLY VERY SOON THEY 
WILL BE VERY VERY PROSPER OUS.
I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST IN YOUR 
WORLD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRUST.
>> CLASS OF 2016 OF THE COLLEGE 
OF SCIENCE & MATHEMATICS AND 
SCHOOL OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS, 
LET ME JOIN IN CONGRATULATING 
YOU ON THIS MILESTONE IN YOUR 
LIFE. YOU HAVE INVESTED A GREAT 
DEAL OF TIME AND ENERGY TO REACH
 THIS DAY. YOU HAVE STUDIED 
HARD, LANDED INTERNSHIPS, LED 
CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS, 
EMBRACED THE ROWAN FAMILY AND 
EXHIBITED THE ROWAN SPIRIT. I AM
 PROUD OF YOU.
TRULY AM.
AS YOU HAVE COME A LONG WAY IN 
THE LAST FEW YEARS; SO, TOO, HAS
 ROWAN UNIVERSITY. YOU HAVE 
REAPED SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF 
AN EVOLVING ROWAN; THE NEXT 
GENERATION OF STUDENTS WILL REAP
 THOSE YET TO COME.
AND YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET.
IN BRIEF, I WILL TELL YOU THAT 
YOUR TIME HERE HAS BEEN ONE OF 
REMARKABLE GROWTH AND 
ACHIEVEMENTS. WE NOW BOAST TWO 
MEDICAL SCHOOLS AND ARE JUST THE
 SECOND UNIVERSITY IN THE NATION
TO OFFER D.O. AND M.D. PROGRAMS.
 WE GAINED RESEARCH INSTITUTION 
STATUS. WE ARE BUILDING NEW 
FACILITIES FOR OUR ROHRER 
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND HENRY M.
ROWAN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND
 NEW HOUSING, AS WELL. WE 
REVITALIZED FACILITIES IN CAMDEN
 AND WATCHED ROWAN BOULEVARD 
EXPLODE WITH HOUSING, RETAIL 
SPACE AND CLASSROOMS.
WE GREW TO MORE THAN 16,000 
STUDENTS - AND THEY ARE SOME OF 
THE BEST IN NEW JERSEY. INDEED, 
IN THE LAST DECADE, APPLICATIONS
 JUMPED 59 PERCENT AND OUR SAT 
SCORES FOR REGULAR ADMIT 
STUDENTS INCREASED 75 POINTS.
29 PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS COME 
FROM UNDERREPRESENTED 
POPULATIONS. 
WE ADDED PROGRAMS AND OFFERED 
MORE DEGREES. NATIONAL 
PUBLICATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS 
CONTINUE TO RANK US IN THE TOP 
OF . . . WELL, I CAN'T SAY 
EVERYTHING . . . BUT THEY 
CERTAINLY PLACE MANY OF OUR 
PROGRAMS AMONG THE ELITE.
SO WHAT DOES OUR FUTURE LOOK 
LIKE? WHILE I CANNOT PREDICT IT 
EXACTLY, I CAN SHARE SOME GOALS 
WE HAVE. AND AS ROWAN IS VERY 
GOOD AT MEETING AND EXCEEDING 
GOALS, I'M EXCITED ABOUT WHERE 
WE ARE HEADED.
BY 2023, WE PLAN TO GROW TO 
25,000 STUDENTS IN TRADITIONAL 
AND NONTRADITIONAL PROGRAMS, AND
 OUR MEDICAL SCHOOL ENROLLMENT 
WILL GROW TO AROUND 1,500. WE 
WILL OFFER MORE THAN 100 
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS AND MORE 
THAN 90 GRADUATE, DOCTORAL AND 
PROFESSIONAL DEGREE OPTIONS. WE 
WILL HAVE FINISHED OUR MAJOR 
CAPITAL PROJECTS - ACADEMIC 
BUILDINGS AND HOUSING INCLUDED. 
WE WILL EXPAND OUR 
COLLABORATIONS IN EDUCATION AND 
WITH BUSINESS, AND WE STILL WILL
 WORK TO ENSURE ACCESSIBILITY TO
AN AFFORDABLE COLLEGE DEGREE, IN
 TANDEM WITH OUR COUNTY COLLEGE 
PARTNERS AND OTHERS. 
CAN YOU PICTURE THIS? I CAN. AND
 I HAVE TO ADD THAT WHILE YOU 
MAY
 NOT BE ATTENDING ROWAN WHEN WE 
SURGE AHEAD WITH THESE PLANS, 
THEY STILL WILL BENEFIT YOU. 
WHY? BECAUSE EVERY ONE OF OUR 
ACHIEVEMENTS MAKES THE DEGREE 
YOU RECEIVE TODAY EVEN MORE 
VALUABLE.
THAT SAID, EVERYTHING YOU DO 
FROM THIS DAY FORWARD ALSO 
BENEFITS ROWAN UNIVERSITY. 
GRADUATES, YOU HAVE BEEN PART OF
 THE STORY OF REMARKABLE GROWTH 
AND ACHIEVEMENT AT YOUR 
UNIVERSITY, AND YOU WILL BE A 
PART OF ROWAN'S FUTURE. 
AS YOU END THIS SEGMENT OF YOUR 
EDUCATION, I ASK YOU TO CONTINUE
 TO CONTRIBUTE TO ROWAN'S 
STATURE. LAND JOBS. CREATE JOBS.
HELP BUILD YOUR COMMUNITY. AND 
REMEMBER YOUR ALMA MATER. THE 
DOOR ALWAYS WILL BE OPEN HERE. 
WALK THROUGH IT. MENTOR NEW 
STUDENTS. SERVE ON BOARDS. 
VOLUNTEER.
AND REMEMBER, YOU HAVE MADE US 
PROUD. CONGRATULATIONS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS 
MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME DERRICK 
PITTS AS COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER 
FOR THE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE & 
MATHEMATICS AND SCHOOL OF HEALTH
 PROFESSIONS.
MR. PITTS' TWITTER HANDLE IS 
ﾓCOOL ASTRONOMER.ﾔ HE'S RUBBED 
.
HE IS A COOL GUY.
HE IS A BRIGHT GUY.
FOR THOSE THAT LISTENED TO MPR, 
I'M SURE YOU HAVE HEARD IT.
HE HAS RUBBED ELBOWS WITH AT 
LEAST ONE STAR TREK CAST MEMBER.
 HE HAS BEEN CALLED A ﾓSTAR 
AMONG THE STARS.ﾔ
YOU MAY HAVE CAUGHT HIM WITH 
STEPHEN COLBERT OR CRAIG 
FERGUSON.
HE IS INDEED A STAR IN HIS 
FIELD. AS CHIEF ASTRONOMER AND 
DIRECTOR OF THE FELS 
PLANETARIUM, MR. PITTS HAS BEEN 
AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE FRANKLIN
 INSTITUTE FOR CLOSE TO FOUR 
DECADES, DESIGNING AND 
PRESENTING MANY OF THE 
INSTITUTE'S PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND 
EXHIBITS. NO DOUBT IF YOU LIVE 
IN THE GREATER DELAWARE VALLEY, 
YOU HAVE SEEN AT LEAST ONE OF 
THEM ON A CLASS TRIP IN 
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OR ON A VISIT 
WITH YOUR FAMILY.
SINCE 1990 HE HAS CREATED 
NATIONALLY DISTRIBUTED ASTRONOMY
 AND SPACE SCIENCE CONTENT FOR 
PHILADELPHIA PBS AFFILIATE 
WHYY-TV AND RADIO COUNTERPART 
WHYY-FM. HE ALSO HAS APPEARED 
REGULARLY ON NATIONAL AND 
INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION 
NETWORKS AS A SCIENCE CONTENT 
EXPERT, AND HE WAS THE U.S. 
SPOKESPERSON FOR THE 
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL 
UNION'S INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF 
ASTRONOMY IN 2010.
HE SERVES AS A NASA SOLAR SYSTEM
 AMBASSADOR AND SERVED FOR THREE
 YEARS AS THE NASA/MINORITY 
INSTITUTION RESEARCH SUPPORT 
ASTROBIOLOGY AMBASSADOR.
HE IS ALSO A LONG-TIME MEMBER OF
 THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA 
CHAPTER OF TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, 
INC., MOST RECENTLY SERVING AS 
CHAPTER PRESIDENT FOR THREE 
YEARS. MR. 
PITTS HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS 
HONORS, INCLUDING THE 
PHILADELPHIA MAYOR'S LIBERTY 
BELL, THE INAUGURAL FELLOW OF 
THE WAGNER FREE INSTITUTE OF 
SCIENCE AWARD, THE INAUGURAL 
DAVID RITTENHOUSE SCIENCE 
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, THE PLEASE 
TOUCH MUSEUM'S GREAT FRIEND TO 
WASHINGTON CARVER MEDAL.
MR. PITTS WAS THE ONLY 
ASTRONOMER INVITED TO 
PARTICIPATE IN BOTH OF PRESIDENT
 OBAMA'S WHITE HOUSE STAR 
PARTIES
 AS A TELESCOPE OPERATOR. HE 
SERVES AS THE U.S. SCIENCE 
MUSEUM, PLANETARIUM AND URBAN 
OUTREACH ADVISOR TO THE 
THIRTY-METER TELESCOPE PROJECT, 
WHICH TAKES HIM TO THE MAUNA KEA
 OBSERVATORY IN HAWAII AT LEAST 
ONCE A YEAR.
MR. PITTS IS A PHILADELPHIA 
NATIVE, AND HE EARNED A BACHELOR
 OF SCIENCE DEGREE FROM ST. 
LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING OUR 
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER, DERRICK 
PITTS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT.
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
YOU KNOW IT'S A REALLY FABULOUS 
HONOR FOR ME TO BE HERE TODAY 
FOR ME TO SPEAK WITH YOU FIRST 
OF ALL BECAUSE I LOVE SCIENCE.
AND NOTHING GIVES ME GREATER 
PLEASURE THAN TO SEE SO MANY 
GRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND 
MATHEMATICS RIGHT HERE IN FRONT 
OF ME.
SO IT'S A REAL PLEASURE FOR ME 
TO BE HERE.
ALSO I'LL HAVE TO SAY THAT YOU 
GUYS HAVE A ROCKING HOUSE BAND.
WOW.
[ APPLAUSE ]
I'LL HAVE TO GET YOU TO COME 
PLAY AT SOME OF MY SUMMER 
PARTIES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THAT WAS FABULOUS.
AGAIN I AM VERY VERY PLEASED TO 
BE HERE TODAY TO SPEND SOME TIME
 CHATTING WITH YOU ABOUT THINGS 
THAT HAVE COME TO MIND.
FIRST OF ALL LET ME SAY A COUPLE
 OF THINGS.
ONE THING THAT PRESIDENT HOUSH
HOUSHMAND SAID THAT I WORKED FOR
 NASA AS A BIOLOGY AMBASSADOR 
AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
I ACTUALLY DID THIS ON THE NEWS 
TELEVISION PROGRAM ONCE AND I 
SAID TO THE COMMENTATOR, WHEN 
ALIENS COME TO VISIT VISIT THIS
 PLANET, THEY HAVE TO CHECK WITH
 ME FIRST BEFORE THEY CAN GO 
AROUND AND DO ANY TESTS ON 
HUMANS OR ANIMALS.
THE GUYS ACTUALLY FELL FOR IT.
I COULDN'T BELIEVE THEY FELL FOR
 IT.
I LIKE TO HAVE FUN WITH SCIENCE 
AS WELL AS DO EVERYTHING I CAN 
TO PROMOTE SCIENCE.
TWO THINGS CAME TO MIND WHEN I 
WROTE TODAY.
ONE IS ATTRIBUTED AS AN OLD 
CHINESE CURSE, MAY YOU LIVE IN 
INTERESTING TIMES AND THE OTHER 
ACCURATELY ATTRIBUTED TO 
PRESIDENT OBAMA, HE SAID OUR 
DESTINY IS NOT WRITTEN FOR US, 
BUT BY US.
NOW DESPITE ITS PEDIGREE, MAY 
YOU LIVE IN INTERESTING TIMES 
SAYING CERTAINLY HAS 
CONSIDERABLE MERIT IN THIS YEAR.
IN FACT, WE SHOULD ALL FEEL 
BLESSED THAT THESE TIMES ARE NOT
 JUST INTERESTING, BUT EXCITING,
 FASCINATING AND CHALLENGING.
SO WHAT IS INTERESTING?
FIRST OF ALL, THIS HAS GOT TO BE
 THE MOST INTERESTING 
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEAR SOME 
SAY SINCE THE CIVIL WAR.
COULD ANYONE HAVE PREDICTED THE 
OUTCOME SO FAR?
SURE.
OF COURSE.
BUT THE ONLY PERSON WHO BETS 
PHILLIES AND FLYERS ALL GET TO 
TO  TO THE
 CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE SAME YEAR 
OR DECADE.
ALL OF YOU HAVE THE CIVIC 
RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP DEFINE 
THE CHARACTER AND DIRECTION OF 
THIS GREAT NATION FOR THE NEXT 
FOUR YEARS.
WHILE NEVER AN EASY CHOICE 
BECAUSE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE 
JOB, NOT JUST THE NATION'S 
LEADER, BUT AS A WORLD LEADER 
ALSO, OUR CHOICE SENDS A SIGNAL 
TO THE WORLD REVEALING OUR 
VALUES, OUR PRINCIPLES AS A 
NATION AND OUR INTENT FOR 
FOREIGN POLICY.
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 
HISTORY, YOU VOTE NOT JUST AS 
AMERICAN CITIZENS, BUT AS 
CITIZENS OF THE EMERGING GLOBAL 
COMMUNITY.
A FABRIC OF YOUNGER GENERATIONS 
SEWNSEWN TOGETHER BY THE AMAZING
 TECHNOLOGY WE ALL CARRY WITH 
US.
WE SEE SOME OF IT FLYING AROUND 
IN THE SKY TODAY.
IT'S ALSO AN EXCITING TIME AND 
I'LL USE THIS AS AN EXAMPLE.
TWO WEEKS AGO I SPENT FOUR DAYS 
WITH THE NEXT SCIENTIST WHOSE 
NAME I THINK WILL BE COUNTED 
ALONG WITH GALLELAYO AND NEWTON 
AND THE OTHERS.
HIS NAME, BILL BARUKI WHO IS THE
 NASA ENGINEER WHO REHOUNDED 
NASA MANAGEMENT FOR A DECADE TO 
GREEN LIGHT HIS IDEA TO LAUNCH A
 SPECIAL ORBITING TELESCOPE TO 
LOOK FOR DISTANT SCARS.
NASA FINALLY RELENTED AND TODAY 
THE TELESCOPE HAS CONFIRMED THE 
EXISTENCE OF 1,047 NEW PLANETS 
ORBITING OTHER STARS, AT LEAST 
3,000 LIGHT YEARS AWAY.
A NEW RESEARCH PAPER SOON TO BE 
RELEASED WILL REVEAL ANOTHER 
1,200 PLANETS CONFIRMED AND MANY
 OF THEM AT A DISTANT FROM THEIR
 PARENT STAR WHERE WATER CAN 
VISIT AS A LIQUID.
THINK ABOUT THAT.
2,200 CONFIRMED PLANETS NOW 
KNOWN TO BE ORBITING OTHER 
STARS.
BUT WHY SHOULD THIS BE EXCITING 
TO YOU?
YOU WHO HAVE NEVER KNOWN A TIME 
BEFORE SATELLITE COMMUNICATION 
AND BEFORE HUMAN SPACE LIGHT AND
 INEXERCISE DNA SEQUENCING GENO 
MATCHING ORGAN TRANSPLANTS AND 
BIONIC BODY PARTS.
YEARS AGO THERE WERE ONLY NINE 
PLANETS AND NO SMART PHONES. IT 
SHOULD BE EXCITING BECAUSE 
BILLIONAIRE ENTREPRENEURS LIKE 
JEFF FROM AMAZON AND OTHERS ARE 
INDEPENDENTLY CARRYING A COURSE 
TO TRAVEL TO MARS.
TO MARS.
IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, THAT IS 
THE PLAN THAT SPACE X HAS.
ALL OF THE STUFF, FICTION AND 
IMAGINATION, WHEN YOU WERE BORN.
YOU WILL BECOME THE STAR 
CHILDREN, THE GREAT SAN 
FRANCISCO BAND JEFFERSON 
STARSHIP SPOKE OF IN THEIR MUSIC
 IN 1967.
IT'S ALL ALSO FASCINATING IN 
PURSUIT OF THE ULTIMATE 
UNDERSTANDING OF OUTER SPACE AT 
27KILOMETERS AROUND AND 100M 
E100METERS UNDER GROUND, 
PHYSICIASTS ARE RIPPING OPEN THE
 SPACE AND MATHEMATICS TO FIND 
IN WHICH THE STRUCTURE OF THE 
UNIVERSE SEEMS TO BE BUILT.
JUST TWO YEARS AGO, HE WILL FIND
 HIS LOCATION.
JUST TWO YEARS AGO, THE 
PHYSIASIT NEEDED TO SEE HOW THE 
PARTLES ARE MASSED AND THEY WERE
 IDENTIFIED TO TRULY EXIST.
THIS PARTICLE WHICH DESCRIBES 
ESSENTIALLY HOW ALL MATTER WORKS
 AND INTERACTS WILL EVENTUALLY 
HELP US TO FURTHER UNDERSTAND 
HOW THE UNIVERSE SHOWS ITSELF AS
 WE SEE IT AND MAY GAVE US 
INCITE INTO THE DARK MATTER AND 
DARK ENERGY AND THE STUFF THAT 
THE UNIVERSE SEEMS TO REALLY BE 
MADE UP.
THE PARTICLE AND THE ASTRO 
PHYISICST HAVE THE SAME GOAL.
DIGGING TUNNELS IN OPPOSITE 
DIRECTIONS AND THEY HOPE TO MEET
 IN THE MIDDLE WHERE THE WORK 
COMBINES ONE SIMPLE MATHEMATICAL
 EXPRESSION THAT EINSTEIN 
CHASED.
THIS TIME IT'S ALSO CHALLENGING.
BECAUSE AT THE OTHER END OF THE 
SCALE IN AN INNER HUMAN 
UNIVERSE, MEDICAL RESEARCHERS 
ARE PEELING BACK BACK THE BACK 
THE CURTAINS
 OF OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW OUR
 BRAIN FUNCTIONS.
AND ALSO LEARNING HOW OUR GENES 
CAN BE ENGINEERED TO COMBAT 
CONGENITAL ILLNESS OR BE 
MANIPULATED TO GET RID FLAWS ALL
 TOGETHER.
LIKE AFFECTING HUMAN GENE FLAWS 
ALL TOGETHER AND AS AN ENDEAVOR,
 JUST AS CHALLENGING TO TRY TO 
LEARN THE TRUE ORIGIN OF THE 
UNIVERSE.
15 YEARS AGO, THE SEQUENCING OF 
THE HUMAN GENOME TOOK A YEAR OR 
MORE AND COST $100 MILLION.
TODAY WE CAN NOT ONLY DO THE 
SAME TASK IN HOURS BUT THE COST 
HAS DROPPED TO JUST OVER $1 
THOUSAND.
HOW DO WE ENGAGE THAT SAME 
ENGINUITY AND CREATIVITY TO HELP
 DEAL WITH THE CHALLENGES 
PRESENTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE?
HOW DO WE FOCUS THE ENERGY THAT 
WE SEEM TO HAVE TO BUILD APPS 
AND DESIGNED TO SWAP FACES FOR 
FUN AND DESIGN LOW COST DEVICES 
THAT CAN DESIGN CLEAN WATER 
ANYWHERE AND FOOD CROP WITHOUT 
CAUSING UNCONTROLLABLE 
COLLATERAL GENETIC OR 
ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE.
HOW DO WE USE GENETIC CODE 
MANIPULATION IN PEOPLE TO 
SUPPRESS GENE EXPRESSION WITHOUT
 STEPPING BEYOND MORAL 
BOUNDARIES INTO THE REALM OF 
GENE MANIPULATION FOR THE 
VANITIES OF COSMETIC 
IMPROVEMENT.
WHAT IS YOUR POINT I CAN HEAR 
YOU THINKING OUT THERE.
MY POINT IS, THIS IS JUST A 
MINISCULE SNAPSHOT OF ALL THAT 
IS AMAZING AND FASCINATING IN 
THE WORLD OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY 
TODAY.
THE ADVANCES THAT COME IN THE 
NEXT TEN YEARS ARE NOTHING SHORT
 OF PHENOMENAL.
TO BEGIN WITH, I CAN'T IMAGINE 
WHAT INCREDIBLE NEW CAPABILITIES
 CAPABILITIES OUR CAPABILITIES 
OUR SMART
 PHONES WILL HAVE.
WE SHOULD HAVE TRULY AFFORDABLE 
SELF-DRIVING ELECTRIC CARS.
WE SHOULD HAVE EMERGING NEW 
RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES AND 
SHOULD HAVE DRAMATIC ADVANCES IN
 BIOTECHNOLOGY SUCH AS 3D 
PRINTED CUSTOM BUILT ORGANS.
I'M LOOKING FOR A NEW BRAIN 
MYSELF.
IN ELAN MUSK IS SUCCESSFUL, 
HUMANS WILL SET FOOT ON MARS.
THAT IS JUST FOR STARTERS.
YOUR DESTINY LIES SOMEWHERE IN 
THE FUTURE OF ALL THAT I HAVE 
OFFERED AS WHAT IS INTERESTING, 
EXCITING, FASCINATING AND 
CHALLENGING ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
SOME OF YOU ARE GRADUATING 
TODAY.
ONE OF YOU IS GRADUATING TODAY 
WITH A HIGH HONOR OF SUMMA CUM 
LAUDE.
SOME MAGNA CUM LAUDE, OTHERS CUM
 LAUDE.
AND MANY SIMPLY, THANK YOU 
LAUDE.
ALL OF YOU -- BUT ALL OF YOU ARE
 ABOUT TO MAKE THE FUTURE.
A FUTURE THAT WILL BE WELL 
BEYOND WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
THINK OF IT.
ALL OF THIS COMING CHANGE.
IN FACT, FAR MORE WILL BE 
ENACTED BY YOU.
THIS IS WHERE PRESIDENT OBAMA'S 
SAYING HAS SO MUCH MEANING FOR 
YOU TODAY.
OUR DESTINY IS WRITTEN FOR US.
OUR DESTINY IS NOT NOT WRITTEN
 FOR US.
BUT BY US.
AND I'M THE POSTER CHILD FOR THE
 EXPRESSION, YOU WRITE YOUR OWN 
DESTINY.
I HAVE THE BEST JOB IN THE 
WORLD.
FIRST OF ALL, I GET TO MEET, 
GREET AND WORK WITH SOME OF THE 
MOST FASCINATING PEOPLE DURING 
THE MOST CUTTING EDGE WORK IN 
THE COOLEST SCIENCE 
INSTALLATIONS IN THE WORLD AND 
THEN I GET TO SHARE WITH OTHERS 
WHY STEM IS SO GREAT.
I GET TO HELP SO MANY OTHERS 
THEN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND HOW 
IMPORTANT SCIENCE IS TO 
EVERYTHING THEY DO IN LIFE.
AND WHY THEY SHOULD EMBRACE 
SCIENCE TO THE LEVEL THAT THEY 
CAN.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO 
EMBRACE SCIENCE.
NOW SECOND, WHEN MY PHONE RINGS 
ON MY DESK, I NEVER KNOW WHO 
WILL BE ON THE OTHER END COULD 
BE THE WHITE HOUSE CALLING OR 
SOMEONE LOOKING FOR EXHIBITS OR 
STEVEN COLBER OR A SPACE SHUTTLE
 COMMANDER.
ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE 
HAPPENED AND I NEVER KNOW WHO I 
WILL END UP WORKING WITH.
ONCE IT WAS MICHAEL JACKSON.
ONCE IT WAS CARL SAGAN AND 
ANOTHER TIME BUZZ ALDRIN AND 
JOHN GLEN AND THE SECOND STAR 
TREK CHARACTER LEONARD MENOY AND
 GEORGE PAKAI.
ANOTHER TIME IT WAS THE ENTIRE 
OBAMA FAMILY.
AND THAT IS NOT EVEN THE HALF OF
 IT.
THE JOB I HAVE, WASN'T SITTING 
OUT THERE.
WAITING FOR ME TO JUMP INTO.
IN FACT, THE JOB I HAVE NOW 
DIDN'T EXIST WHEN I FIRST 
STARTED AT TFI, THE FRANKLIN 
INSTITUTE MANY YEARS AGO.
THERE WAS NOT A CHIEF ASTRONMER.
I FORCED THIS JOB INTO EXISTENCE
 TO HAVE A JOB THAT ALLOWS ME TO
 DO WHAT I WANT TO DO.
LIKE
LIKE I
 SAID, I LOVE SCIENCE AND I LOVE
 SHARING MY ENTHUSIASM OF 
SCIENCE WITH PEOPLE.
I USE EVERY OUNCE OF CREATIVITY 
AND INNOVATION TO CREATE WHAT 
WAS NOT IN EXISTENCE BEFORE I 
GOT THERE.
I LOOK FOR A CHANCE TO ADD VALUE
 WHEREVER I COULD EDGE WISE.
I INVENTED NEW WAYS TO DO THINGS
 AND STOLE IDEAS THAT WOULD WORK
 BETTER IN OUR ENVIRONMENT AND 
MY GOOD FRIEND KEITH JOHNSON WHO
 IS HERE TODAY KNOWS ABOUT 
STEALING THINGS ABOUT 
PLANETARIUMS THAT WE CAN SHARE.
YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT.
RIGHT?
I JUMPED ON EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO
 LEARN MORE AND DIVERSIFY MY 
SKILLSET SO WHEN THE NEW 
TECHNOLOGY OF MY FIELD BECAME 
MAIN STREAM, I CAN EFFECTIVELY 
PUT IT TO USE.
I LOOK FOR COLLEAGUES THAT ARE 
SMARTER AND MORE EXPERIENCED 
THAN I WAS SO I CAN LEARN FROM 
THEM.
I USED EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO HONE
 MY COMMUNICATION SKILLS TO THE 
POINT WHERE I AM THE PREFERRED 
COMMENTATOR ON ASTRONOMY AND 
SPACE SCIENCE TO THE MAIN STREAM
 WORLD MEDIA OUTLETS.
MINE IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF A
 PERSON WRITING THEIR OWN 
DESTINY.
I CREATED A DREAM CAREER WHERE 
SOMEONE CAN'T DUPLICATE THE 
LIGHTS.
YOU CAN.
YOU MUST USE YOUR INTELLIGENCE 
AND CREATIVITY AND YOUR 
INNOVATIVE ACT  ABILITY TO WRITE
 WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.
IF YOU CAN IMAGINE A CAREER 
PATH, EVEN ONE THAT DOES NOT 
CURRENTLY EXIST, YOU CAN AND YOU
 SHOULD DO ALL THAT YOU CAN TO 
WRITE THAT DESTINY FOR YOURSELF.
AND YOU MUST USE THOSE SAME 
TALENTS TO MAKE A MARK ON THE 
EVOLUTION OF THIS PLANET.
YOU HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY THERE.
NOW FINALLY AS YOU WRITE YOUR 
DESTINY, MAKE SURE THAT YOU 
WRITE THAT DESTINY IN SUCH A WAY
 THAT YOU GET TO LEARN SOMETHING
 NEW EVERY DAY, LOVE WHAT IT IS 
THAT YOU DO.
SHARE YOUR ENTHUSIASM FOR THAT 
VOCATION YOU LOVE AND GIVE 
SOMETHING BACK TO THE WORLD SO 
THAT OTHERS CAN BENEFIT FROM 
YOUR GOOD FORTUNE.
AFTER ALL, WHAT GOOD IS ALL THAT
 YOU HAVE LEARNED, ALL THAT YOU 
HAVE ACCOMPLISHED AND ALL THAT 
YOU HAVE CREATED, IF YOU DON'T 
SHARE IT OR USE IT TO HELP 
SOMEONE ELSE?
REMEMBER, IT'S NOT THE SCIENCE 
ITSELF THAT MAKES THE SCIENCE 
SPECIAL.
IT'S THE HUMANITY IN THE SCIENCE
 AND WHAT THE SCIENCE DOES FOR 
HUMANITY THAT MAKES THE PURSUIT 
WORTHWHILE.
OUR DESTINY IS NOT WRITTEN FOR 
US.
BUT BY US.
AS YOU LEAVE ROWAN TODAY, WRITE 
A DESTINY FOR YOURSELVES THAT 
WILL MAKE YOUR TIME AN 
INTERESTING ONE IN WHICH TO 
LIVE.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU CLASS OF 
2016.
I WISH YOU WELL AND THE BEST OF 
LUCK TO YOU IN WHATEVER DESTINY 
IT IS THAT YOU WRITE FOR 
YOURSELVES AND THANK YOU SO VERY
 MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO 
SHARE SOME THOUGHTS
 WITH YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THE AWARDING OF HONORARY 
DEGREES IS A LONGSTANDING 
TRADITION AT ROWAN UNIVERSITY. 
WE SELECT INDIVIDUALS WHOSE 
ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE MERITORIOUS 
AND PROVIDE INSPIRATION TO OUR 
GRADUATES AND TO THE ENTIRE 
UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY. TODAY, WE 
HONOR SUCH A PERSON.
DERRICK PITTS HAS BEEN A STAUNCH
 SUPPORTER OF EDUCATION. HE HAS 
MADE GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS AS CHIEF
 SLT ASTRONOMER FOR THE CITY 
SKIES URBAN ASTRONOMY PROGRAM 
AND AS CHIEF ASTRONOMER AND 
DIRECTOR OF THE FELS PLANETARIUM
 AT THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE, AS 
WELL AS IN OTHER AREAS, SUCH AS 
SERVING AS A SOLAR SYSTEM 
AMBASSADOR FOR NASA. MR. PITTS 
IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE FOR ALL 
STUDENTS, IN PARTICULAR SCIENCE 
AND MATHEMATICS STUDENTS.
DR. NEWELL AND VICE CHAIRMAN 
BRUNER, PLEASE JOIN ME AT THE 
PODIUM.
IT IS MY PRIVILEGE AND PLEASURE 
TO RECOMMEND TO YOU THAT THE 
HONORARY DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF 
SCIENCE BE PRESENTED TO DERRICK 
PITTS FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO 
THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE FIELDS OF
 SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.
>> MR. PRESIDENT, I AM PLEASED 
TO RECEIVE THIS RECOMMENDATION.
BY THE AUTHORITY GRANTED TO ME 
AS VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE ROWAN 
UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES, 
TODAY WE HONOR OURSELVES AS WE 
BESTOW UPON MR. DERRICK PITTS 
THE HONORARY DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF
 SCIENCE, WITH ALL THE RIGHTS, 
PRIVILEGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 
APPERTAINING THERETO.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THIS WEEK WE ARE
 GRADUATING 25 STUDENTS WHO HAVE
 SERVED OUR COUNTRY AS MEMBERS 
OF THE MILITARY OR THE NATIONAL 
GUARD. MANY OF THEM SERVED 
OVERSEAS. WE RECOGNIZE THE 
CHALLENGES AND HARDSHIPS OF 
GOING OVERSEAS AND THEN 
TRANSITIONING BACK HOME TO ROWAN
 TO COMPLETE THEIR EDUCATION. 
WILL THOSE STUDENTS WHO HAVE 
SERVED IN THE MILITARY OR 
NATIONAL GUARD PLEASE STAND TO 
BE RECOGNIZED.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO 
OUR COUNTRY. YOU MAY BE SEATED.
AT THIS TIME, IT GIVES ME GREAT 
PLEASURE TO RECOGNIZE THE 
GRADUATES WHO HAVE EXCELLED IN 
THEIR ACADEMIC STUDIES WHILE 
HERE AT ROWAN. THESE STUDENTS 
ARE GRADUATING TODAY WITH HONORS
 AND FALL INTO THREE LEVELS OF 
ACHIEVEMENT.
STUDENTS GRADUATING CUM LAUDE 
HAVE ACHIEVED A GRADE-POINT 
AVERAGE OF 3.45 - 3.64. WILL 
THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE 
GRADUATING CUM LAUDE PLEASE 
STAND TO BE
 RECOGNIZED.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU.
YOU
 MAY BE SEATED.
STUDENTS GRADUATING MAGNA CUM 
LAUDE HAVE ACHIEVED GRADE-POINT 
AVERAGES OF 3.65 - 3.84. WILL 
THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE 
GRADUATING MAGNA CUM LAUDE 
PLEASE STAND TO BE RECOGNIZED. 
[ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU. YOU MAY BE SEATED.
STUDENTS GRADUATING SUMMA CUM 
LAUDE, THE HIGHEST HONOR, HAVE 
ACHIEVED GRADE-POINT AVERAGES OF
 3.85 - 4.00. WILL THOSE 
STUDENTS WHO HAVE ACHIEVED THIS 
DISTINCTION PLEASE STAND TO BE 
RECOGNIZED.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU. YOU MAY BE SEATED.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL ON YOUR 
ACHIEVEMENTS.
>> AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO
 RECOGNIZE THE MEDALLION 
WINNERS, HONORS CONCENTRATION 
GRADUATES, AND OUR
 HONOR SOCIETY MEMBERS. THEY ARE
 LISTED IN THE PROGRAM AND HAVE 
BEEN RECOGNIZED AT PREVIOUS 
CEREMONIES. WILL ALL THESE 
GRADUATES PLEASE STAND. 
[ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 
ACHIEVEMENTS. YOU MAY BE SEATED.
THANK YOU DR. NEWELL AND 
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO THE 
2016 MEDALLION AWARD WINNERS.
GOOD MORNING. I AM DR. KAREN 
MAGEE-SAUER, DEAN OF THE COLLEGE
 OF SCIENCE & MATHEMATICS AND 
SCHOOL OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS.
TODAY, WHILE WE RECOGNIZE THE 
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR STUDENTS,
 IT IS ALSO A PERFECT 
OPPORTUNITY TO PUBLICLY OFFER A 
HEARTFELT ﾓTHANK YOUﾔ FOR THE 
SERVICE OF DEDICATED FACULTY 
MEMBERS WHO ARE RETIRING THIS 
YEAR:
JANET CALDWELL HAS BEEN A 
PROFESSOR IN THE MATH DEPARTMENT
 SINCE 1983. SHE IS THE FOUNDING
DIRECTOR OF MCSIIP - THE SOUTH 
JERSEY REGIONAL MATHEMATICS, 
COMPUTER, AND SCIENCE 
INSTRUCTIONAL IMPROVEMENT 
PROJECT.
SHE HAS WON NUMEROUS TEACHING 
AWARDS FROM NATIONAL AND 
STATEWIDE AGENCENCIES.
DONALD FARNELLI HAS BEEN A 
FACULTY MEMBER IN THE PHYSICS & 
ASTRONOMY DEPARTMENT FOR MORE 
THAN 50 YEARS. ASTRONOMY IS A 
POPULAR ELECTIVE AND WHEN I MEET
 ALUMNI YOUNG AND OLD, THERE IS 
A GOOD CHANCE THAT THEY HAD 
ASTRONOMY WITH DR. FARNELLI. 
STEVE HARTLEY JOINED THE 
COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT IN 
2000.
STEVE IS A TRUE ASSET IN THE 
COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT - 
HELPING GROW INDUSTRIAL 
PARTNERSHIPS, AS WELL AS SERVING
 AS THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR. 
GARY ITZKOWITZ JOINED THE MATH 
DEPARTMENT FACULTY IN 1972. FOR 
MORE THAN 40 YEARS, INCLUDING 
NINE YEARS AS DEPARTMENT CHAIR, 
GARY HAS TIRELESSLY HELPED 
STUDENTS DEVELOP A TRUE LOVE OF 
MATH.
THIS YEAR, I ALSO HAVE THE 
DISTINCT PLEASURE TO HONOR A 
FINAL RETIREE WHO HAS MADE 
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO ROWAN 
UNIVERSITY, THE COMMUNITY OF 
GLASSBORO, AND SOUTH JERSEY. 
KEITH JOHNSON CAME ON BOARD IN 
2004 AS THE FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF
 THE FREDRIC AND JEAN EDELMAN 
PLANETARIUM. DURING HIS 11-PLUS 
YEARS AT ROWAN, KEITH DEVELOPED 
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR 
THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS ACROSS 
SOUTH JERSEY AND CREATED AND 
PRESENTED PUBLIC PLANETARIUM 
SHOWS. KEITH HAS SINGLE-HANDEDLY
 MADE THE EDELMAN PLANETARIUM A 
ﾓMUST-SEEﾔ ATTRACTION IN SOUTH 
JERSEY, HELPING TO PUT ROWAN ﾓON
 THE MAPﾔ DURING HIS CAREER 
HERE.
ALL OF THESE FOLKS DESERVE A 
GREAT ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR 
THEIR TREMENDOUS CONTRIBUTIONS 
TO ROWAN UNIVERSITY. THEY WILL 
TRULY BE MISSED. 
[ APPLAUSE ]
FROM DEDICATED FACULTY, WE MOVE 
ON TO YOU, OUR WONDERFUL 
STUDENTS!
WHY WE'RE HERE.
CONGRATULATIONS.
ROWAN UNIVERSITY HAS A STRATEGIC
 GOAL TO BE THE ECONOMIC ENGINE 
OF SOUTH JERSEY. AS A GRADUATE 
OF THE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE & 
MATHEMATICS OR SCHOOL OF HEALTH 
PROFESSIONS, YOU ARE THE FUEL TO
 THIS ENGINE. BUT WE MUST 
REMEMBER - THE FUEL IS CHANGING.
THE FUEL OF TODAY WILL NOT BE 
THE FUEL OF TOMORROW.
AND ROWAN KNOWS THAT. 
THIS YEAR, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE 
FIRST GRADUATING COHORT FOR THE 
MASTERS AND BACHELOR'S DEGREES 
IN BIOINFORMATICS. 
BIOINFORMATICS COMBINES COMPUTER
 SCIENCE, STATISTICS, 
MATHEMATICS, AND ENGINEERING TO 
ANALYZE AND INTERPRET BIOLOGICAL
 DATA. WE ALSO ARE GRADUATING 
THE FIRST M.S. CLASSES OF 
PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES AND 
NURSING TODAY. 
[ APPLAUSE ]
THESE NEW DEGREES CREATE THE 
SKILLED WORKFORCE NEEDED TO MEET
 THE DEMANDS OF THE GROWING 
BIOMEDICAL INDUSTRY OF THE SOUTH
 JERSEY REGION. IN THE NEXT FEW 
YEARS WE WILL GRADUATE OUR FIRST
 CLASSES OF STUDENTS IN HEALTH 
DATA ANALYTICS AND TRANSLATIONAL
 BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES. AGAIN, 
ROWAN HAS CREATED NEW PROGRAMS 
TO MEET THE FUEL DEMAND FOR THE 
SOUTH JERSEY ENGINE.
DID YOU KNOW THESE FIELDS OF 
STUDY EVEN EXISTED A FEW YEARS 
BACK?
IN HIGH SCHOOL, DID YOU SAY, 
ﾓI'M GOING TO MAJOR IN 
BIOINFORMATICS?ﾔ DID YOU KNOW 
NOT ONE MAJOR OF BIOINFORMATICS 
KNEW THEY WERE GOING TO DO THIS.
DID YOU KNOW THERE WAS SUCH A 
THING AS TRANSLATIONAL 
BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE? DID YOU HAVE
 ANY IDEA THE ADVENTURES 
AWAITING YOU DOWN THESE CAREER 
PATHS?
IT IS OUR JOB AS PROFESSORS, AS 
A COLLEGE, AS A UNIVERSITY, TO 
PROVIDE THE TRAINING FOR THE 
FUEL THAT DRIVES OUR ECONOMY. 
NOW THAT YOU HAVE DEVELOPED THE 
INGREDIENTS OF YOUR FUEL, THIS 
STAGE OF YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE
 IS COMPLETE. BUT NOW THE 
QUESTIONS ARE: WHAT KIND OF FUEL
 WILL YOU BECOME?
WHERE WILL YOUR ENERGY BE MOST 
PRODUCTIVE?
IT WILL BE UP TO YOUR GENERATION
 TO KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING AT 
OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE. THE SKILLS 
YOU HAVE DEVELOPED AT ROWAN WILL
 PROPEL YOU AS YOUR FUEL IS USED
 TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE, FIND 
THE CURE FOR DISEASES THAT SPAN 
THE GLOBE AND WORK FOR SOLUTIONS
 TO COMPLEX PROBLEMS THAT HAVE 
YET TO BE ENCOUNTERED. AS YOU 
VENTURE FORWARD TODAY - WHETHER 
YOU ARE OFF TO PURSUE A CAREER 
OR YOU PLAN TO FURTHER YOUR 
EDUCATION, I CHALLENGE YOU TO 
USE YOUR KNOWLEDGE AS FUEL TO 
CREATE, INVENT AND EDUCATE.
THANK YOU.
AND CONGRATULATIONS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> I WILL NOW
 RECOGNIZE THE CANDIDATES FOR 
THE MASTER'S DEGREE. WILL THE 
CANDIDATES FOR MASTER'S DEGREE 
PLEASE RISE.
COME ON.
[ APPLAUSE ]
DR. NEWELL, WILL YOU PLEASE 
CERTIFY THE MASTER'S DEGREE 
CANDIDATES.
DR. JAMES NEWELL MR. PRESIDENT, 
THE CANDIDATES WHO HAVE 
SUCCESSFULLY MET ALL 
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MASTER OF 
ARTS, MASTER OF SCIENCE AND 
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING 
DEGREES ARE HEREBY CERTIFIED BY 
THE FACULTY FOR THE RECEIPT OF 
THEIR DEGREES.
>> VICE CHAIRMAN BRUNER, THESE 
CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED 
AS HAVING COMPLETED ALL THE 
REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION.
I PRESENT THEM TO YOU AS PROPER 
RECIPIENTS OF THE MASTER OF 
ARTS, MASTER OF SCIENCE AND 
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING 
DEGREES.
MASTER'S DEGREE CANDIDATES OF 
THE CLASS OF 2016 WHO HAVE BEEN 
CERTIFIED AS HAVING COMPLETED 
ALL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR 
GRADUATION, BY THE AUTHORITY 
VESTED IN ME AS VICE CHAIRMAN OF
 THE ROWAN UNIVERSITY BOARD OF 
TRUSTEES, I CONFER UPON YOU THE 
MASTER OF 
ARTS, MASTER OF SCIENCE AND 
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING 
DEGREES WITH ALL THE RIGHTS, 
PRIVILEGES, RESPONSIBILITIES, 
AND OBLIGATIONS APPERTAINING 
THERETO. CONGRATULATIONS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> CONGRATULATIONS.
PLEASE BE SEATED.
I WILL NOW RECOGNIZE THE 
CANDIDATES FOR THE BACHELOR'S 
DEGREE. DR.
NEWELL, WILL YOU PLEASE CERTIFY 
THE BACHELOR'S DEGREE 
CANDIDATES.
>> WILL ALL BACHELOR OF ARTS, 
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE AND BACHELOR
 OF SCIENCE IN NURSING 
CANDIDATES PLEASE RISE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
MR. PRESIDENT, THE CANDIDATES 
WHO HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED 
ALL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE 
BACHELOR OF ARTS, BACHELOR OF 
SCIENCE AND BACHELOR OF SCIENCE 
IN NURSING DEGREES ARE HEREBY 
CERTIFIED BY THE FACULTY FOR THE
 RECEIPT OF THEIR DEGREES.
>> VICE CHAIRMAN BRUNER, THESE 
CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED 
AS HAVING COMPLETED ALL THE 
REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION. I 
PRESENT THEM TO YOU AS PROPER 
RECIPIENTS OF BACHELOR OF ARTS, 
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE AND BACHELOR
 OF SCIENCE IN NURSING DEGREES.
>> MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2016 
WHO HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED AS 
HAVING COMPLETED ALL THE 
REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION, BY 
THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS 
VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE ROWAN 
UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES, I 
CONFER UPON YOU BACHELOR OF 
ARTS, BACHELOR OF SCIENCE AND 
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING 
DEGREES WITH ALL THE RIGHTS, 
PRIVILEGES, RESPONSIBILITIES, 
AND OBLIGATIONS APPERTAINING 
THERETO. CONGRATULATIONS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> PLEASE BE
 SEATED.
THANK YOU.
>> IT IS NOW TIME TO PROCEED TO 
THE PRESENTATION OF GRADUATES. 
EACH OF OUR GRADUATES WILL BE 
CALLED INDIVIDUALLY, BY PROGRAM,
 BEGINNING WITH STUDENTS EARNING
 MASTER'S DEGREES AND THEN 
PROCEEDING WITH STUDENTS EARNING
 THEIR BACHELOR'S DEGREES TODAY.
FOR THE PRESENTATION OF 
GRADUATES, IN A COUPLE OF 
MINUTES I WILL TURN THE 
MICROPHONE OVER TO DR. DAVID 
KLASSEN OF THE PHYSICS & 
ASTRONOMY DEPARTMENT.
AND DR. PETER RATTIGAN IN THE 
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 
EXERCISE SCIENCE.
BEFORE THEY BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE 
TO ASK ALL FAMILY MEMBERS TO 
REMAIN IN THEIR SEATS SO THAT 
YOU WILL NOT OBSTRUCT THE VIEW 
OF OTHERS OR GET IN THE WAY OF 
OUR STUDENTS, SINCE WE HAVE 
ABOUT 800 GRADUATES.
A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER WILL
 TAKE THREE PHOTOS OF OUR 
STUDENTSﾗ ONE AS THEY CROSS THE 
STAGE, ANOTHER AS THEY SHAKE 
HANDS WITH ME, AND A THIRD AT 
THE BOTTOM OF THE STAGE. THE 
STUDENTS HAVE BEEN GIVEN CONTACT
 INFORMATION TO HAVE THE PROOFS 
MAILED HOME. 
ALSO, YOU ARE WELCOME TO TAKE 
PHOTOS IN FRONT OF THE PLATFORM 
STAGE AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE 
CEREMONY.
AND NOW, THE MOMENT YOU HAVE ALL
 BEEN WAITING FORﾗTHE READING OF
 NAMES!
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> WE WILL START WITH THE 
GRADUATES OF THE MASTER'S 
PROGRAMS IN THE COLLEGE OF 
SCIENCE & MATHEMATICS.
MASTER OF ARTS IN APPLIED 
BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS, DR. 
MARYLOUISE KERWIN, DEPARTMENT 
HEAD.
