WELCOME TO COMMENCEMENT!
THAT YOU ARE HARDWORKING, 
INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS, AND 
THAT YOU ARE HARDWORKING, 
INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS, AND 
THAT YOU ARE HARDWORKING, 
INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS, AND 
THAT YOU ARE HARDWORKING, 
INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS, AND 
THAT YOU ARE HARDWORKING, 
INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS, AND 
THAT YOU ARE HARDWORKING, 
INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS, AND 
THAT YOU ARE HARDWORKING, 
INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS, AND 
THAT YOU ARE HARDWORKING, 
INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS, AND 
THAT YOU ARE HARDWORKING, 
INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS, AND 
THAT YOU ARE HARDWORKING, 
INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS, AND 
THAT YOU ARE HARDWORKING, 
INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS, AND 
THAT YOU ARE HARDWORKING, 
INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS, AND 
THAT YOU ARE HARDWORKING, 
INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS, AND 
THAT YOU ARE HARDWORKING, 
INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS, AND 
THAT YOU ARE HARDWORKING, 
INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS, AND 
THAT YOU ARE HARDWORKING, 
INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS, AND 
WELCOME TO COMMENCEMENT!
--
CONGRATULATIONSCONGRATULATIONS 
CLASS OF 2017!
--
I AM GRAND MARSHAL FERNANDO 
GUZMAN AND I CALL TO ORDER THE 
COMMENCEMENT OF THE HARPUR 
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES OF 
THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
 AT BINGHAMTON. 
EVERYONE, PLEASE RISE; 
GENTLEMEN, PLEASE REMOVE YOUR 
HATS.
WE WELCOME YOU TO JOIN VOCALIST,
 LAUREN NASH SILBERSTEIN, IN 
SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
OH, SAY CAN YOU SEE BY THE 
OH, SAY CAN YOU SEE BY THE 
DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT
 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].
PLEASE BE SEATED.
HARPUR
HARPUR '17 YOU MADE IT!
AS PRESIDENT OF BINGHAMTON 
UNIVERSITY, IT IS MY GREAT 
PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE 
HARPUR COLLEGE OF ARTS AND 
SCIENCES CEREMONY. 
[APPLAUSE].
 BRING TOGETHER OUR 
BACCALAUREATE CANDIDATES FOR 
GRADUATION, AS WELL AS THEIR 
FAMILIES AND FRIENDS.
BEFORE WE PROCEED WITH OUR 
PROGRAM, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME
 MEMBERS OF THE BINGHAMTON 
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL WHO ARE 
JOINING US TODAY. 
KATHRYN GRANT MADIGAN LINDA 
BIEMER AND DENNIS MCCABE 
[APPLAUSE].
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INTRODUCE 
OUR OTHER SPECIAL GUESTS.  THEY 
WILL STAND AS I CALL THEIR 
NAMES; PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE
 UNTIL ALL HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED.
DONALD NIEMAN, PROVOST AND 
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR 
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS, BRIAN ROSE, 
VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT 
AFFAIRS VALERIE HAMPTON, CHIEF 
DIVERSITY OFFICER 
JOANN NAVARRO, VICE PRESIDENT 
FOR OPERATIONS TERRENCE DEAK, 
DEAN OF THE HARPUR COLLEGE OF 
ARTS AND SCIENCES CURTIS 
KENDRICK, DEAN, UNIVERSITY 
LIBRARIES GLORIA MEREDITH, 
FOUNDING DEAN OF THE SCHOOL OF 
PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICAL 
SCIENCES 
MICHAEL MCGOFF, SENIOR VICE 
PROVOST FOR STRATEGIC AND FISCAL
 PLANNING PAMELA MISCHEN, 
PLATFORM PARTY MARSHAL, FACULTY 
ADVISOR TO THE PRESIDENT GARY 
KIBEL, PRESIDENT OF THE ALUMNI 
ASSOCIATION TONY KORNHEISER, 
HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENT 
MITCHELL LIEBERMAN, ALUMNI AWARD
 RECEIVER. 
ELISE THORNLEY, VICE CHAIR, 
PROFESSIONAL STAFF SENATE PLEASE
 JOIN ME IN APPLAUDING THESE 
SPECIAL GUESTS. 
[APPLAUSE].
 ESTEEMED FACULTY MEMBERS WHO 
HAVE MENTORED AND GUIDED OUR 
GRADUATES; YOUR EFFORTS HAVE 
BEEN CRUCIAL TO THE INTELLECTUAL
 GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENTS WE 
CELEBRATE TODAY.   WILL ALL 
FACULTY ON THE STAGE AND IN THE 
AUDIENCE RISE? PLEASE JOIN ME AS
 WE APPLAUD THEIR SUPPORT OF, 
AND DEDICATION TO, THE SUCCESS 
OF OUR STUDENTS. 
[APPLAUSE].
 I I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR 
GRADUATES WHO HAVE EARNED 
DOCTORAL DEGREES, THE HIGHEST 
DEGREE CONFERRED BY THE 
UNIVERSITY.  AT LEAST ONE 
DOCTORAL CANDIDATE IS IN 
ATTENDANCE TODAY AND SEATED WITH
 THE FACULTY ON STAGE.  THEY 
WERE HOODED AND DEGREES WERE 
CONFERRED FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE 
DOCTORAL CEREMONY.  PLEASE STAND
 TO BE RECOGNIZED.  
[APPLAUSE].
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE 
BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY WIND 
SYMPHONY, OUR VOCALIST, AND THE 
BROOME COUNTY CELTIC PIPES AND 
DRUMS FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION IN
 TODAY'S CELEBRATION.
THIS IS A JOYOUS TIME FOR ALL OF
 US.  HOWEVER, IN A CAMPUS AS 
LARGE AS OUR UNIVERSITY, IT 
THIS IS A JOYOUS TIME FOR ALL OF
 US.  HOWEVER, IN A CAMPUS AS 
LARGE AS OUR UNIVERSITY, IT 
HAPPENS THAT NEARLY EVERY YEAR, 
THERE ARE STUDENTS, STAFF, AND 
FACULTY WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY 
OVER THE COURSE OF THE ACADEMIC 
YEAR. 
OUR CAMPUS IS A CLOSE-KNIT 
COMMUNITY, AND WE GRIEVE THE 
LOSS OF OUR YOUNG AND TALENTED 
STUDENTS, AND OF OUR EXPERIENCED
 AND DEDICATED FACULTY AND 
STAFF.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF 
SILENCE IN REMEMBRANCE OF THEM.
THANK 
THANK YOU.  I'M IN MY FIFTH YEAR
 AS PRESIDENT OF THIS GREAT 
INSTITUTIONﾗI GUESS I'M EITHER A
 SUPER SENIOR OR A FIRST-YEAR 
GRAD STUDENT. AND OVER THESE 
FIVE YEARS THOUGH, OUR 
COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY HAS BECOME
 MY FAVORITE ACTIVITY OF THE 
YEAR. 
WHEN I SEE THE SENSE OF PRIDE 
THAT EACH OF YOU HAS IN THIS 
ACCOMPLISHMENT, I CAN'T HELP BUT
 REFLECT ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE 
WHEN I RECEIVED MY DIPLOMA.
WHAT I REMEMBER WAS A TREMENDOUS
 SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT, AS 
WELL AS RELIEF IN COMPLETING A 
LONG 
AND TAXING JOB. I FELT AS IF I 
HAD CLIMBED A MOUNTAIN, AND 
COULD NOW LOOK OUT ON A FUTURE 
FILLED WITH OPPORTUNITIES.
THIS DEGREE, AND THE KNOWLEDGE 
AND TALENTS THAT IT REPRESENTS, 
WILL ENABLE YOU TO GO FAR. 
YOU HAVE PROVEN THAT YOU HAVE 
THE BROAD PERSPECTIVES TO 
UNDERSTAND AND TO EMPATHIZE; 
THAT YOU HAVE THE ABILITYﾗAND 
THE TENACITYﾗTO WORK THROUGH 
DIFFICULT CHALLENGES; AND THAT 
YOU HAVE THE VISION AND 
INGENUITY TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE 
SOLUTIONS TO THE WORLD'S 
PROBLEMS.
AS GRADUATES, THE POSSIBILITIES 
OPEN TO YOU HAVE INCREASED 
EXPONENTIALLY. YET, AS MY MOTHER
 TOLD ME WHEN I GRADUATED MANY 
YEARS AGO, IT'S NOT THE DEGREE 
THAT MATTERS, IT'S WHAT YOU DO 
WITH IT THAT'S IMPORTANT. 
SO I AM EXCITED TO THINK ABOUT 
WHAT YOUR FUTURE HOLDS FOR 
YOU AND FOR OUR WORLD. 
HOWEVER, BEFORE YOU TAKE THE 
FIRST STEPS INTO THAT FUTURE, I 
HOPE YOU WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO 
SAVOR YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND 
ESPECIALLY, TO REFLECT ON WHAT 
THIS MEANS TO YOUR FRIENDS AND 
YOUR FAMILY.
SHARE YOUR HAPPINESS WITH THEMﾗ 
INTRODUCE THEM TO YOUR 
PROFESSORS AND SPEND TIME 
WALKING THROUGH THE NATURE 
PRESERVE, TAKE SOME PICTURES AND
 SOAK UP SOME SUN ON THE PEACE 
QUAD. 10 OR 20 YEARS FROM NOW, 
WHEN YOU REFLECT ON YOUR TIME AT
 BINGHAMTON, THESE ARE THE 
PEOPLE AND PLACES THAT WILL MEAN
 THE MOST TO YOU.
AND TONIGHT, GO TO A GOOD 
RESTAURANTﾗMOM AND DAD ARE 
PAYING, ENJOY A GOOD LONG MEAL 
IN CELEBRATION. 
BUT MOST OF ALL, BE SURE TO TELL
 EVERYONE HOW MUCH THEIR SUPPORT
 MEANS TO YOU.  GIVE EVERYONE A 
BIG HUG, AND BEFORE YOU SLEEP, 
BE SURE TO THINK ABOUT ALL OF 
THE GREAT MOMENTSﾗTHE 
SIGNPOSTSﾗTHAT LED UP TO TODAY.
THE FUTURE STARTS TOMORROWﾗBUT 
TODAY, LET'S JUST RELAX AND HAVE
 FUNﾗYOU'VE EARNED IT!
[APPLAUSE].
INTRODUCE PROVOST DON NIEMAN.
GOOD MORNING HARPUR.  IS ANYBODY
 OUT THERE?  I KNOW
GOOD MORNING HARPUR.  IS ANYBODY
 OUT THERE?  I KNOW THERE IS A 
LOT OF YOU.  GOOD MORNING! ALL 
RIGHT.  THAT'S BETTER. 
IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO 
WELCOME YOU TO COMMENCEMENT AND 
TO BE AMONG THE FIRST TO 
CONGRATULATE YOU - MEMBERS OF 
THE CLASS OF 2017.
WELL DONE! [APPLAUSE].
 OF STUDENTS.  AT THE TIME YOU 
APPLIED TO BINGHAMTON 
UNIVERSITY, YOU DEMONSTRATED 
THAT YOU HAD THE ACADEMIC 
ABILITY TO SUCCEED AT 
ONE OF THE BEST UNIVERSITIES IN 
THE UNITED STATES. 
AND SINCE YOU ARRIVED ON OUR 
CAMPUS - WHETHER AS FRESHMEN OR 
TRANSFER STUDENTSﾗYOU HAVE NOT 
ONLY SHOWN THAT YOU ARE VERY 
BRIGHT,
 YOU HAVE ALSO DEMONSTRATED THAT
 YOU ARE HARDWORKING, 
INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS, AND 
EAGER TO MAKE THE MOST OF WHAT 
THIS GREAT UNIVERSITY HAS TO 
OFFER.
YOU HAVE ALSO SHOWN THAT YOU 
HAVE A WONDERFUL SENSE OF HUMOR.
LIKE TO HAVE FUN, AND CARE ABOUT
 SERVING OTHERS.  YOU EMBODY THE
 BALANCE THAT MAKES BINGHAMTON 
UNIVERSITY SUCH A WONDERFUL 
PLACE TO WORK AND STUDY.
IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO HAVE 
YOU AS OUR STUDENTS.  
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR MANY 
ACCOMPLISHMENTS.  
AND I WOULD ASK THAT YOU PLEASE 
STAY IN TOUCH WITH US, AND KEEP 
US INFORMED OF THE MANY, MANY 
ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT ARE YET TO 
COME.  CONGRATULATIONS, 
GRADUATES! 
A LITTLE OFF THE AGENDA.  WE HAD
 SOME GREAT SPEAKERS TODAY.  BUT
 WE ARE NOW HONORED TO WELCOME 
UNITED STATES SENATOR AND SENATE
 MINORITY LEADER, CHARLES 
SCHUMER TO THIS HARPUR ONE 
COMMENCEMENT 
CEREMONY.  [APPLAUSE]. OVER
CEREMONY.  [APPLAUSE]. OVER THE 
YEARS SENATOR SCHUMER HAS WORKED
 TIRELESSLY ON BEHALF OF 
BINGHAMTON, RECENTLY HELPING US 
RECEIVE FUNDING FROM A FEDERAL 
AGENCY AND MADE AN INSTRUMENTAL 
ROLE FOR OUR NEXT FLEXIBLE 
ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURING 
INSTITUTE AND INCUBATOR.  HE IS 
A STRONG SUPPORTER OF OUR ENTIRE
 COMMUNITY AND WE APPRECIATE HIM
 TAKING TIME OUT OF HIS BUSY 
SCHEDULE TO SPEAK HERE TO OUR 
GRADUATES.  HE IS ALWAYS BUSY.  
BUT HIS NEW POSITION AS A SENATE
 MINORITY LEADER, HAS MADE THIS 
AN EXCEPTIONALLY BUSY YEAR FOR 
HIM.  HE KEEPS BINGHAMTON ON HIS
 RADAR TODAY.  SENATOR CHARLES 
SCHUMER, CHUCK AS HE LIKES TO BE
 CALLED, HAS HAD TWO TERMS.  AND
 THE SENATOR IS AN EXCEPTIONALLY
 BUSY MAN WITH A FULL TRAVEL 
SCHEDULE.  WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT 
HE HAS TO SAY.  WITHOUT FURTHER 
DELAY, PLEASE WELCOME SENATE 
LEADER AND SENATOR CHARLES 
SCHUMER.  [APPLAUSE]. 
THANK YOU PRESIDENT STENGER.  
AND NOT JUST FOR THAT GREAT 
INTRODUCTION, BUT LEADERSHIP, 
FACULTY, STAFF, ALL OF THE 
PEOPLE WHO KEEP THE PLACE CLEAN 
AT NIGHT.  YOU HAVE MADE 
BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY NOT JUST 
ONE OF THE BEST UNIVERSITIES IN 
OUR STATE, BUT IN THE ENTIRE 
COUNTRY.  JOB WELL DONE! 
NOW TO THE MEMBERS OF THE 
PLATFORM, THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY
 OF THE GRADUATES, BUT MOST OF 
ALL, YOU THE CLASS OF 2017, 
BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY, 
CONGRATULATIONS! 
NOW FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO 
ANNOUNCE MY CLASS GIFT.  AS YOU 
KNOW IT'S HARD TO PAY FOR 
COLLEGE.  IF YOU'RE POOR, THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HELPS YOU 
OUT.  THAT'S A GOOD THING.  WHAT
 ABOUT THE MIDDLE CLASS?  SO A 
FEW YEARS AGO I WROTE A LAW THAT
 SAID YOU OR YOUR PARENTS, 
WHOEVER IS PAYING FOR COLLEGE, 
CAN TAKE, AS A FULL TAX CREDIT, 
$2,500 A YEAR OFF YOUR FEDERAL 
TAXES TO HELP DEFRAY THE COST OF
 TUITION FOR BOTH COLLEGE AND 
GRADUATE SCHOOL, PROVIDED IN 
WASHINGTON THERE IS ALSO A 
PROVIDED, PROVIDED YOUR FAMILY 
INCOME IS BELOW 200 THOUSAND 
DOLLARS A YEAR.  SO IF YOU COME 
FROM A FAMILY WHO MAKES BELOW 
200 THOUSAND DOLLARS, MAKE SURE 
THAT YOU OR MOM OR DAD TAKE THAT
 CREDIT.  LAST YEAR, BECAUSE 
IT'S SO NEW, RELATIVELY NEW, 
PERMANENTLY ON THE BOOKS, 
THOUGH.  BUT ABOUT A THIRD OF 
ALL PEOPLE FORGOT TO TAKE IT.  
SO IF YOU HAPPEN TO FORGET, YOU 
CAN FILL OUT A SIMPLE FORM WITH 
THE IRS AND YOU CAN GET THE LAST
 THREE YEARS BACK.  A CHECK IN 
THE MAIL FOR UP TO $7,500.  NOT 
BAD.  
NOW WHAT HAPPENS THOUGH IF YOU 
COME FROM A FAMILY THAT MAKES 
ABOVE 200 THOUSAND DOLLARS A 
YEAR?  GOD BLESS YOU!
KNOW HOW YOU FEEL.  A FEW SHORT 
YEARS AGO, MY WIFE AND I IRIS 
SAT WHERE YOU DID.  WATCHED OUR 
DAUGHTER JESSICA COME UP ON THE 
STAGE AND GET HER DIPLOMA AND 
WATCH HER BECOME AN ADULT BEFORE
 OUR EYES.  I'M SURE YOU FEEL AS
 WE DID.  IT'S ONE OF THE 
GREATEST DAYS OF YOUR LIVES.  
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MOMS AND 
DADS.  JOB WELL DONE! AND ONE 
MORE WORD OF THANKS.  WE ARE 
HAVING A GREAT TIME HERE AT BU 
THIS MORNING.  AND THERE ARE 
YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN, MANY IN NEW
 YORK STATE IN OUR ARMED FORCES 
IN DANGEROUS PLACES OVERSEAS IN 
IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, RISKING 
THEIR LIVES DEFENDING OUR 
FREEDOM.  LET'S HAVE A ROUND OF 
APPLAUSE FOR THEM AS WELL.  
[APPLAUSE]. 
NOW TO THIS GREAT CLASS OF 2017.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GRADUATING AT A
 TIME OF ENORMOUS CHANGE ACROSS 
THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE 
WORLD.  IT'S AN ERA OF PROFOUND 
ECONOMIC CHANGE.  PROFOUND 
SOCIAL CHANGE.  THE WORLD IS 
MOVING SO VERY, VERY FAST.  IN 
THE OLD DAYS, YOU GRADUATED FROM
 COLLEGE, AND THE ODDS WERE 
PRETTY HIGH.  YOU WOULD HAVE THE
 SAME JOB, OR WORK IN THE SAME 
FIELD FOR THE NEXT 40 YEARS.  
THAT'S NOT SO TRUE ANYMORE.  
MANY OF YOU WILL HAVE SEVERAL 
JOBS, SEVERAL CAREERS.  
ALONG WITH THE ECONOMIC CHANGES,
 THE INTERNET HAS PUT SO MUCH 
INFORMATION AT OUR FINGERTIPS 
THAT IT'S SOMETIMES HARD TO 
FIGURE OUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT.  
AND TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN WHAT 
IS TRUE AND WHAT IS NOT.  EVEN 
AROUND THE WORLD, THERE HAVE 
BEEN SUCH GREAT CHANGES.  A 
GENERATION AGO, THINGS LIKE 
TERRORISM AND SUICIDE BOMBINGS 
WERE NEVER HEARD OF.  BUT THE 
GOOD NEWS IS THIS, YOUR 
GENERATION IS PERHAPS BETTER 
EQUIPPED THAN ANY GENERATION 
THAT HAS COME BEFORE IT, TO 
ADAPT TO THESE CHANGES, TO 
OVERCOME THE OBSTACLES THEY 
PRESENT AND SEIZE OPPORTUNITIES 
THEY AFFORD, TO PURSUE YOUR 
PASSIONS AND ACCOMPLISH MAYBE 
EVEN BIG THINGS.  RIGHT NOW, 
THOUGH, SITTING IN YOUR SEATS, 
YOU MAY NOT BE EXACTLY SURE 
WHAT'S GOING TO COME NEXT.  WITH
 SO MUCH OF THE WORLD CHANGING, 
YOU WOULD UNDERSTANDABLY, IT 
SOMETIMES FEELS LIKE YOU'RE 
JUMPING INTO AN 
ABISS.  BUT THE KEY IS NOT TO 
FEAR THE UNKNOWN. 
EMBRACE IT.  RELISH IT.  SOAK UP
 EVERY POSSIBILITY IT HAS TO 
OFFER.  HOW DO I KNOW?  I 
REMEMBER THAT FEELING MYSELF.  
WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.  WHEN I WAS 
SEATED AT COLLEGE GRADUATION, 
YEARS BACK, JUST AS YOU ARE 
TODAY, I HAD JUST LEARNED THAT I
 HAD WON A SCHOLARSHIP TO TRAVEL
 ALL AROUND THE WORLD.  ALL 
EXPENSES PAID FOR A WHOLE YEAR. 
FOR ME IT WAS THE OPPORTUNITY OF
 A LIFETIME.  I HAD NEVER EVEN 
BEEN OUT OF THE COUNTRY BEFORE. 
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I MET A 
GIRL.  AND I FELL IN
 LOVE.  AW. 
WELL, CLASS, I HAD TO DECIDE.  
DO I GO AROUND THE WORLD FOR A 
WHOLE YEAR ON THE ALL EXPENSE 
PAID SCHOLARSHIP?  OR DO I STAY 
HOME WITH THE GIRL?  MY FIRST 
TRUE LOVE.  CLASS OF 2017, WHAT 
WOULD YOU HAVE DONE?  
PRESIDENT STENGER, THE CLASS IS 
DIVIDED.  I STAYED HOME WITH THE
 GIRL.  DON'T CLAP YET YOU 
ROMANTICS OVER THERE IN THE 
BALCONY.  THE STORY CONTINUES.  
THAT SUMMER, SHE WENT ON A BRIEF
 VACATION AND I WENT TO THE 
AIRPORT TO MEET HER ON HER 
RETURN.  AS SOON AS SHE GOT OFF 
THE PLANE, I SAW BY THE LOOK ON 
HER FACE, SOMETHING WAS THE 
MATTER.  SHE DUMPED ME BY LABOR 
DAY.  THERE I WAS.  NO 
SCHOLARSHIP.  NO TRIP AROUND THE
 WORLD.  NO GIRL.  
I SAID TO MYSELF, WHAT A LOSER 
YOU ARE! YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO 
MAKE ANYTHING OF YOURSELF.  HANG
 IT UP NOW.  GIVE UP.  THAT'S 
IT.
IT'S OVER.  
AND IN FACT I STAYED IN MY HOUSE
 FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, MOPED 
AROUND, AND FELT SORRY FOR 
MYSELF.  SOMEHOW I PICKED MYSELF
 UP AND DUSTED MYSELF OFF AND A 
FEW YEARS LATER I FOUND MYSELF 
SEATED AT LAW SCHOOL GRADUATION.
AND ON THE WAY HOME FROM LAW 
SCHOOL, I TOLD MOM AND DAD THAT 
I WAS NOT GOING TO JOIN THE 
FANCY LAW FIRM LIKE WE HAD 
PLANNED.  
I TOLD THEM I LOVED POLITICS AND
 I TOLD THEM MY DREAM WAS TO RUN
 FOR OFFICE.  MY PARENTS, AS YOU
 CAN IMAGINE, WERE REALLY 
SHOCKED.  MY MOTHER WAS 
PARTICULARLY DISAPPOINTED.  YOU 
SEE, I CAME FROM A WORKING CLASS
 FAMILY.  MY DAD WAS A 
EXTERMINATOR, AND NEVER MADE 
MUCH MONEY.  AND THE LAW FIRM 
WAS PAYING $400 A WEEK AND IN 
THOSE DAYS, WAS MORE MONEY THAN 
MY FAMILY HAD EVER SEEN.  
BUT MY DREAM WAS TO RUN FOR 
OFFICE.  AND THAT FALL, AGAINST 
REALLY LONG ODDS I RAN FOR THE 
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY.  I HAD 
THREE OPPONENTS.  THE PARTY 
MACHINE CANDIDATE, THE 
NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVIST AND THERE 
WAS MY MOTHER TELLING ALL OF HER
 FRIENDS NOT TO VOTE FOR ME.  SO
 SHE SAID, I WOULD GET THIS DUMB
 IDEA OF BEING A POLITICIAN OUT 
OF MY BIG THICK HEAD.  
WELL, GRADUATES, A FEW YEARS 
EARLIER, I SURE DIDN'T GET THAT 
GIRL.  BUT THAT NOVEMBER I WON 
THE ELECTION! SO TO THIS GREAT 
CLASS, THIS GREAT CLASS OF 2017,
 YOU KNOW, MY ADVICE TO YOU IS 
VERY SIMPLE.  TAKE THE RISK.  
DON'T LET THE FEEL OF FAILURE 
DETER YOU.  EVEN THOUGH THE 
WORLD IS SO DIFFERENT AND 
CHANGING ALL THE TIME.  FOR 
THOSE OF US WHO HAVE GOTTEN 
OLDER, WE LOOK BACK ON LIFE.  
ONE OF THE GREATEST REGRETS A 
LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE, MOST PEOPLE,
 IS THE WHAT IFS?  WHAT IF I HAD
 ONLY DONE THIS?  WHAT IF I HAD 
NOT DONE THAT?  SO MY ADVICE TO 
THE CLASS OF 2017 IS VERY 
SIMPLE.  GO FOR IT! YOU'RE ABOUT
 TO CAST OFF INTO THE UNKNOWN.  
SOMETIMES IT CAN BE REALLY 
SCARY.  BUT YOU HAVE GOT GREAT 
ASSETS.  YOU HAVE GOTTEN ONE OF 
THE BEST EDUCATIONS IN THE WORLD
 HERE FROM BU.  
YOU HAVE GOT FAMILIES THAT ARE 
ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE YOUR BACKS 
THROUGH THICK AND THIN.  GARNER 
UP THE COURAGE, GARNER UP THE 
STRENGTHS.  PUT YOUR DOUBTS 
ASIDE AND TAKE A CHANCE.  AND IF
 YOU DO, IT IS MY HOPE, IT IS MY
 PRAYER, AND INDEED, IT IS MY 
CONFIDENCE THAT YOU WILL FIND 
TRUE SUCCESS AND TRUE JOY IN 
LIFE.  
SO TO THE GRADUATES OF THIS 
GREAT CLASS OF 2017, 
CONGRATULATIONS! GOOD LUCK! GOD 
SPEED! AND DON'T FORGET, GO FOR 
IT! [APPLAUSE]. IT! [APPLAUSE]. 
THANK YOU, SENATOR SCHUMER.  
[APPLAUSE]. 
NOW IT'S MY PLEASURE TO 
INTRODUCE YOUR DEAN, DEAN TERRY 
DEAK OF HARPUR COLLEGE.  
WELL, I THINK THIS IS GOING TO 
BE A LITTLE BIT OF A TOUGH ACT 
TO FOLLOW.  THANK YOU SENATOR 
SCHUMER.  I AM JUST THE DEAN OF 
HARPUR COLLEGE.  IF I HAVE ONE 
THING GOING FOR ME, AT LEAST I 
HAVE GOT A BETTER ROBE.  
IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, I OFFER A 
WARM WELCOME TO ALL OF THE 
FAMILIES AND GRADUATES HERE IN 
ATTENDANCE TODAY.  TODAY WE ARE 
HERE TO CELEBRATE THIS 
TRANSITION INTO YOUR LIVES.  I 
WANT TO THANK THE STAFF AND THE 
ADMINISTRATION AND THE ALUMNI 
AND THE VOLUNTEERS WHO WORK SO 
DILIGENTLY TOWARDS SUPPORTING 
YOUR COMMON GOAL OF YOUR 
EDUCATION.  MANY OF THEM ARE 
SITTING HERE TODAY, STANDING, 
LIKE A SECOND FAMILY TO ALL OF 
YOU.  THANK YOU TO ALL OF THEM. 
I THOUGHT I WOULD LIKE A MOMENT 
HERE TO TRY TO ADDRESS A 
QUESTION I GET ALL THE TIME, 
WHAT DOES THE COURSE IN 
AESTHETICS HAVE TO DO WITH A 
DEGREE IN BIOLOGY?  
I REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT
 IS THE VALUE OF A LIBERAL ARTS 
EDUCATION.  AS YOU PROBABLY 
KNOW, HARPUR COLLEGE OF ARTS AND
 SCIENCES WAS STARTED IN 1946 AS
 TRIPLES CITIES COLLEGE AND 
EVENTUALLY INCORPORATED INTO THE
 NEWLY FOUNDED INTO STATE 
UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK SYSTEM IN
 1950.  IT WAS BUILT ON A SYSTEM
 OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES 
WHICH BROADLY MEANS THAT OUR 
DEGREE PROGRAMS INCLUDE 
CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS FROM A 
WIDE RANGE OF DISCIPLINES.  
YES, THIS IS MANIFEST IN YOUR 
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AS GEN-ED 
REQUIREMENTS.  MANY OF YOU HAVE 
TAKEN THESE, I PRESUME.  THESE 
DESPAIRING LIQUEURS REQUIREMENTS
 ARE SOMETIMES PERPLEXING TO 
PARENTS AND STUDENTS.  LIBERAL 
ARTS AND SCIENCES IS NOT JUST 
KNOWLEDGE, BUT RATHER TO PROMOTE
 UNDERSTANDING.  OUR GOAL IS NOT
 JUST TO EDUCATE STUDENTS.  
WATCH THEM BECOME CITIZENS OF 
THE WORLD.  AS WE WATCH THE 
GRADUATES WALK ACROSS THE STAGE 
TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE BLOOD, SWEAT 
AND TEARS THAT THEY PUT IN THEIR
 DEGREES, WE ARE PROUD OF THE 
ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT ARE YET TO 
COME.  HERE IS A CAUTIONARY 
NOTE.  WE HAVE THE TENDENCY TO 
TAKE A DEGREE AND MAKE THAT A 
PART OF OUR IDENTITY.  IT SHOULD
 NOT BE A STRICT IDENTITY OF 
WHAT YOU BECOME.  IT SHOULD 
INSTEAD BE VIEWED AS A 
PERMISSION SLIP FOR YOU TO 
EXPLORE A WIDE RANGE OF CAREER 
OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE.  
IT'S YOUR TICKET TO SURVIVING 
AND THRIVING IN A MULTITUDE OF 
CAREER AREAS.  SO THIS IS IN 
FACT WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE THE 
GREATEST GIFT OF A BACHELOR'S 
DEGREE FROM HARPUR COLLEGE OF 
ARTS AND SCIENCES.  
THAT YOU ARE NOW PREPARED TO 
THRIVE IN MANY DIFFERENT AREAS. 
NO MATTER WHAT COMES ABOUT.  WE 
HAVE MANY GREAT EXAMPLES HERE OF
 PEOPLE WHO HAVE TAKEN VERY 
UNCONVENTIONAL PATHS WITH THEIR 
DEGREES.  MITCH LIEBERMAN, ONE 
OF OUR ESTEEMED ALUMNI WHO HAS 
BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN BIOLOGY AND
 POLITICAL SCIENCE.  WE 
GENERALLY TRY TO KEEP THE 
POLITICS OUT OF SCIENCE.  BEING 
A SCIENTIST MYSELF.  BUT YOU 
KNOW, HE IS ABLE TO WORK, HE HAD
 A VERY PRODUCTIVE CAREER 
WORKING FOR GOLDMAN SACHS, 
UNCONVENTIONAL USE OF HIS 
DEGREE.  TONY KORNHEISER HERE 
WITH A DEGREE IN ENGLISH.  AND 
ANOTHER ALUMNI WHO DID FOLLOW A 
CONVENTIONAL PATH IN POLITICAL 
SCIENCE.  AND NATHAN ENGLANDER 
RECEIVING AN HONORARY DEGREE 
LATER TODAY RECEIVED NATIONAL 
AWARDS FOR HIS WRITINGS AND 
RUBIN 
SANTIAGO HUDSON, ONE OF OUR 
THEATER ALUMNIS HAS BEEN IN A 
PLAY NOMINATED FOR SIX TONY 
AWARDS.  
SERIOUSLY, SIX TONY AWARDS.  
THESE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF WHAT
 YOU CAN DO WITH A DEGREE FROM 
BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY.  SO WITH 
THAT SAID, IT IS NOW MY DISTINCT
 PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE ONE OF 
OUR HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENTS, 
TONY KORNHEISER.
[APPLAUSE]. 
THAT'S IT.  MY TURN.  SO I 
GRADUATED HERE.  IT'S A PLEASURE
 TO BE BACK ON CAMPUS.  LOOKS 
VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHEN I WAS 
HERE.  I GRADUATED HERE IN 1970.
WHICH MEANS THAT I WAS A STUDENT
 HERE 50 YEARS AGO.  AND I WAS 
GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT HOW IT 
HAS CHANGED.  BUT THAT'S STUPID.
I MEAN, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?  
YOU'RE HERE NOW LOOKING AT WHAT 
IS HERE.  YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR
 THAT THERE WAS NEVER ANY 
BUILDINGS HERE.  NOT ONLY THAT, 
YOU WEREN'T BORN WHEN I WAS 
HERE.  AND IN MANY CASES OUT 
THERE, YOUR PARENTS WERE NOT 
BORN WHEN I WAS HERE.  I WILL 
PASS ON THAT.  BUT I WILL TALK 
BRIEFLY ON WHAT CONNECTS 
EVERYBODY THAT WENT TO THE 
HARPUR COLLEGE AND EVERYBODY WHO
 WENT TO THE STATE
 UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT 
BINGHAMTON, AND THAT OF COURSE 
IS THE SPEEDY.  WHEN I WAS HERE 
THE SPEEDIES ARE MADE OF LAMB.  
AND MOSTLY MADE FROM CHICKEN AND
 MARINATED IN THE SAME AS THEY 
HAVE BEEN FOR YEARS AND SERVED 
ON SOFT WHITE BREAD. 
EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT THESE.  
LAST WEEK I PASSED A SPEEDY THAT
 I ATE 40 YEARS AGO.  THEY WILL 
STAY IN YOUR COLIN FOR THE REST 
OF YOUR LIFE.  I WILL PUT ON THE
 BINGHAMTON HAT.  I WENT HERE.  
I CAN DO THIS.  
SO I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU A 
LITTLE ABOUT ACADEMICS TO YOU.  
REAL ACADEMICS.  I WANTED TO 
TELL YOU ABOUT TWO COURSES THAT 
I REALLY NEEDED TO PASS.  HAD TO
 PASS THESE COURSES.  ONE WAS IN
 HIGH SCHOOL.  AND IT WAS 
DRIVER'SED.  AND I HAD TO PASS 
THAT.  I WAS THE YOUNGEST PERSON
 IN MY HIGH SCHOOL.  I WAS 16.  
IN LONG ISLAND IN THOSE DAYS IF 
YOU TOOK A DRIVER'S COURSE IN 
THE SCHOOL, YOU CAN DRIVE AT 17.
IF I DON'T PASS DRIVER'S ED, I 
DON'T DRIVE TO MY SOPHOMORE YEAR
 OF COLLEGE WHICH IS SOCIAL 
DEATH.  DEATH.  I PASSED.  VERY 
IMPORTANT TO ME.  AND THE SECOND
 COURSE WAS RIGHT HERE AT HARPUR
 COLLEGE.  
I CAME IN UNDER A CATALOG WHERE 
YOU HAD TO HAVE TWO LABORATORY 
SCIENCES.  TWO.  I WAS AN 
ENGLISH MAJOR.  ENGLISH MAJORS 
ARE ALL ALIKE.  WE ARE, NOT 
QUITE AS
 SMART AS PHILOSOPHY MAJORS AND 
WE THINK WE ARE SMARTER THAN YOU
 AND YOU AND YOUR PARENTS.  
WE'RE THE SMARTEST MAJORS IN THE
 WORLD.  
THAT'S HOW IT WORKS.  WE CAN USE
 WORDS LIKE FORESHADOWING AND 
PHRASES LIKE SOMATIC OCCURRENCE.
WHEN IT COMES TO SCIENCE AND 
MATH, WE WERE NOT THAT GOOD.  
ONE OF THE COURSES THAT I CAN 
TAKE WAS PHYSICS.  THAT WAS 
IMPOSSIBLE.  THERE WAS A RULE IN
 MY HOUSE.  YOU DIDN'T TELL ME 
THAT WAS MATH.  I AM NOT TAKING 
THAT.  I FAILED HIGH SCHOOL 
CHEMISTRY.  I NARROWLY PASSED 
BIOLOGY.  AND THERE WAS GEOLOGY,
 I SIGNED UP FOR ROCKS.  THREE 
WEEKS IN, I GOT ABOUT A 30.  AND
 I DROPPED OUT.  THIS LEADS ME 
TO PSYCHE 111.  I PASSED PSYCHE 
111.  I JUST DON'T LIKE IT.  I 
DON'T WANT TO TAKE PSYCHE 112.  
SO I WAIT AND I WAIT AND WAIT 
AND GO THROUGH MY SOPHOMORE, 
JUNIOR, AND SENIOR YEAR.  NOW 
I'M IN MY SENIOR YEAR.  I NEED A
 SECOND SCIENCE.  I HAVE A 
FRIEND GEORGE AND ANOTHER FRIEND
 ARNIE.
GEORGE HAS NO SECOND SCIENCE.  
HE IS A HISTORY MAJOR.  ARNIE IS
 STUDYING TO GET BY AFTER BEING 
A WHITE COLLAR CRIMINAL.  SO IN 
OUR SECOND TERM, THERE IS A 
COURSE THAT SHOWS UP.  IT'S 
CALLED BIOLOGY FOR NON-SCIENCE 
MAJORS.  VERY SPECIFICALLY FOR 
NON-SCIENCE MAJORS.  AND SAID 
OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT. 
GOING TO BE NEXT TO ACCOUNTING 
STUDENTS, POLY STUDENTS, A BUNCH
 OF IDIOTS WHO CAN'T PASS 
SCIENCE.  SO WE GO TO THE CLASS.
THERE IS 100 PEOPLE WHO SIGN UP.
THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE.  THE 
TEACHER'S NAME IS DR. SHELIG 
HACKET.  SHE WAS HYPHEN
ATED LONG BEFORE IT WAS VOGUE TO
 BE HYPHENATED.  SHE IS NOT 
HERE.  
DON'T WORRY.  
SHE STANDS UP ON THE FIRST DAY 
AND SAYS LOOK, THIS IS BIOLOGY 
FOR NON-SCIENCE MAJORS.  IF 
YOU'RE A SCIENCE MAJOR, GET OUT 
OF HERE.  YOU CAN'T USE THIS ON 
YOUR RESUME.  AND WHEN I WENT TO
 HARPUR COLLEGE, EVERYBODY CAME 
IN AS PRE-MED.  EVERYBODY.  WHAT
 WOULD HAPPEN IS THEY TAKE THE 
FIRST TEST IN ORGANIC CHEMISTRY 
AND FAIL AND GET ON THE PHONE 
AND SAY MOM, DAD, IF YOU WANT ME
 TO BE A DOCTOR, I GOT TO 
TRANSFER TO QUEENS OR BROOKLYN. 
I CAN'T CUT IT HERE.  
SO SHE SAYS YOU CAN'T USE IT.  
IT'S NOT FOR YOU.  PLEASE LEAVE.
AND THEN SHE SAYS, GIVE ME A 
SHOW OF HANDS, HOW MANY SCIENCE 
MAJORS.  100 PEOPLE IN THE 
CLASS.  97 HANDS.  I LOOK AT 
GEORGE, I LOOK AT ARNIE.  WE'RE 
SCREWED.  THEY LEAVE.  THEY 
LEAVE.  THEY LEAVE ME THERE 
ALONE.  I'M THE ONLY NON-SCIENCE
 MAJOR IN THIS BIOLOGY CLASS.  
I GO FOR ABOUT A WEEK.  AND I 
STOPPED.  THE REASON I STOPPED 
IS AGAIN, I'M AN ENGLISH MAJOR. 
AS ENGLISH MAJORS, WE DON'T GO 
TO CLASS UNLESS WE HAVE AN 
ENGLISH PROFESSOR.  AND THEY 
LOVE TO DO THIS, WHO YOU CAN 
ARGUE WITH.  THEY LOVE TO STAND 
UP AND ARGUE WITH YOU AND YOU 
LOVE TO STAND UP AND ARGUE WITH 
THEM.  YOU ARE CHESTY ABOUT 
YOURSELF.  YOU ARE 18, 19, 20 
YEARS OLD AND YELLING AT A GUY 
WHO HAS GOT 83 DEGREES.  THAT'S 
FUN FOR ENGLISH MAJORS.  WHAT 
ARE YOU GOING TO DO IN BIOLOGY? 
ARGUE ABOUT THE SKELETAL SYSTEM 
OF A FROG.  DOESN'T WORK.  
SO I STOPPED GOING.  I'M JUST 
GOING TO DIGRESS FOR A SECOND 
AND TALK ABOUT SCIENCE HERE 
RIGHT NOW.  AND TALK ABOUT 
HARVEY STENGER WHO IS MY GOOD 
FRIEND.  HAS A DOCTORAL DEGREE. 
NOT THE PHONY BA
LONEY DOCTOR DEGREE I HAVE GOT. 
 FROM MIT.  
THE SMARTEST PEOPLE IN THE 
COUNTRY.  NOT LIKE HARVARD WHERE
 YOUR GREAT GRANDFATHER WENT.  
MIT IS THE BEST ACADEMIC 
INSTITUTION IN THE COUNTRY.  HOW
 CAN WE GET HERE BE THOUGHT OF 
LIKE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, AND
 CAL BURKEY.  HE SAYS YOU HAVE 
TO START WITH OUR GRADUATE 
PROGRAMS.  ACTUALLY I WANT TO 
START A SCHOOL OF PHARMACOLOGY 
AND I WANT TO BUILD BUILDINGS.  
AND EVERYTHING HE SAID WAS ENDED
 IN OLOGY.  IT WAS FOR 
SCIENTISTS.  AND I SAID, WHAT 
ABOUT ENGLISH MAJORS?  HE SAID 
YOU SIT IN A DARK ROOM AND READ 
BOOKS.  WE'RE NOT GIVING YOU 
ANYTHING.  I SAID THANKS.  SO TO
 GET BACK TO BIOLOGY FOR 
NON-SCIENCE MAJORS.  I SHOW UP 
WITH ABOUT A WEEK TO GO AND I 
FIGURE I GOT TO SHOW UP AND ON 
THE DAY THE CLASS IS, IN THIS 
BIG LECTURE HALL, THERE ARE A 
LOT OF TABLES.  AND EACH TABLE 
HAS SOMETHING ON IT.  
STUDENTS ARE WALKING AROUND WITH
 EXAM BOOKS IN THEIR HANDS AND 
LOOKING AND THEY ARE WRITING.  
AND I SAY TO SOMEBODY, WHAT IS 
THIS?  HE SAID OH, THIS IS THE 
LAB PRACTICAL.  AND I SAID WELL 
THE FIRST DAY I WAS HERE DR. 
SHELIG HACKET SAID LAB IS 
OPTIONAL SO I DIDN'T GO.  HE 
SAID THIS COUNTS 40% OF YOUR 
GRADE.  I WENT OH, NOT GOOD.  I 
PICKED UP THE BOOK, WALKED 
AROUND, HANDED IT IN, I GOT A 
ZERO.  THIS IS 40% OF MY GRADE, 
IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO PASS.  
I AM RUNNING ZERO AND I CALL UP 
DR. SHELIG HACKET AND SAY CAN I 
TALK TO YOU?  AND SHE SAID SURE.
I SAID YOU DON'T WANT ME TO 
FLUNK.  IF I FLUNK I'M GOING TO 
GO WORK AT THE DUNKIN' DONUTS 
FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.  I AM 
RUNNING A 3 SOMETHING IN 
ENGLISH.  AND I'M A SOLID B 
STUDENT.  I SAID WE GOT TO BE 
ABLE TO WORK SOMETHING OUT HERE.
DO YOU HAVE A LAWN?  I WILL MOW 
YOUR LAWN.  DO YOU HAVE A CAR?  
I WILL WASH YOUR CAR.  SHE SAID,
 YOU GOT A ZERO ON YOUR LAB 
PRACTICAL.  I SAID I HAD A BAD 
DAY.  AND SHE SAID WHAT DO YOU 
THINK A GOOD DAY WOULD LOOK 
LIKE?  AND I SAID 20, 25.  I 
SAID HELP ME OUT.  WHAT DO I 
HAVE TO DO TO PASS THIS COURSE? 
SHE SAID YOU HAVE GOT TO GET A 
65.  AND I SAID 55?  SHE SAID 
NO, 65.  
I WENT HOME THAT NIGHT AND 
OPENED THE BOOKS.  WE HAD REAL 
BOOKS THEN.  I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
 HAVE REAL BOOKS.  YOU HAVE 
VIRTUAL BOOKS.  I BOUGHT THE 
BOOK.  THE BINDING CRACKED.  IT 
WAS EXCITED.  I TOOK OUT A 
YELLOW HIGHLIGHTER.  I STARTED 
HIGHLIGHTING.  AND THEN AFTER 
ABOUT A WEEK, I HAD READ THE 
WHOLE BOOK AND I HAD OUTLINED IT
 ON YELLOW LEGAL PAPER, WHICH I 
USE ON THE PTI SHOW.  THE SAME 
YELLOW PAPER FOR THE LAST 50 
YEARS.  IT WAS ABOUT 30 PAGES 
LONG AND CARRIED IT AROUND WITH 
ME.  AND I MEMORIZED IT.  JUST 
LIKE I MEMORIZED THIS TALK.  
YOU CAN SEE ME AT NIGHT IN THE 
ABOUT THE SAME TIMES AT BROOME 
HALL, IF THEY ARE STILL HERE.  I
 FELT I HAD A CHANCE TO PASS.  
IF IT'S ABOUT THE LECTURES, I'M 
DONE.  I'M AT THE DUNKIN' 
DONUTS.  SEE YA.  WOULD YOU LIKE
 MORE COFFEE WITH THAT?  I GOT 
LUCKY.  IT WAS ABOUT THE BOOK.  
I GOT A 71 AND I PASSED.  AND I 
HAD SAID TO HER, IN OUR 
NEGOTIATIONS I SAID LOOK, I'M 
NOT GOING TO POLLUTE YOUR 
SCIENTIFIC GENE POOL.  I'M NOT 
GOING TO GO TO ANOTHER SCIENCE 
COURSE EVER.  DON'T WORRY ABOUT 
IT.  I WILL BE SO UNSCIENTIFIC. 
NO, I'M NOT GOING TO DO IT.  
JUST LET ME GET OUT OF HERE.  I 
NEVER WENT TO ANOTHER SCIENCE 
COURSE.  AND I DON'T EVEN WATCH 
BILL NYE THE SCIENCE GUY.  SO I 
GOT A JOB.  THE ONLY JOB I EVER 
WANTED.  SPORTS WRITER AT A 
NEWSPAPER.  I STARTED AT NEWS 
DAY.  WENT FROM NEWS DAY TO THE 
NEW YORK TIMES.  WENT FROM NEW 
YORK TIMES TO THE WASHINGTON 
POST.  ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO, 
SOMEBODY SAID, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
 DO RADIO?  WE WILL THROW A LOT 
OF MONEY AT YOU.  AND I SAID 
SURE, I CAN CATCH.  AND AFTER 
THAT, THEY SAID, WE WOULD LIKE 
YOU TO BE ON TV.  AND I SAID 
LIKE THIS, REALLY?  AND THEY 
SAID YEAH.  WILL YOU THROW A LOT
 OF MONEY AT ME?  YEAH.  I CAN 
STILL CATCH.  
AND I HAVE WHAT WOULD BE 
CONSIDERED A SUCCESSFUL CAREER. 
AND NOW YOU EVEN GAVE ME, I'M A 
DOCTOR OF LETTERS NOW.  BECAUSE 
IT'S ODD.  I DON'T THINK THAT I 
CAN GO IN ORDER IN ALL 22 
LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET.  THAT'S
 A JOKE.  I KNOW THERE ARE 24.  
AND SO I TOLD HARVEY THIS STORY 
ABOUT DR. 
SHELIG HACKET AND THE STORY.  
AND SHE SAID FINE.  BUT TONY, AT
 THE END, SAY SOMETHING 
OPTIMISTIC TO OUR STUDENTS AND 
TELL THEM THEY CAN HAVE YOUR
 BE JOB.  AND I SAID THEY CAN'T 
HAVE MY JOB.  AND THEY CAN'T 
HAVE YOUR 
JOB.  LET'S BE OPTIMISTIC. 
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE PEOPLE 
COME UP TO ME AND SAY YOU'RE SO 
OLD.  SURELY YOU HAVE LEARNED 
SOMETHING.  THERE IS SOME BIT OF
 WISDOM THAT YOU CAN PASS ALONG 
TO US.  YOU CAN HELP US WITH 
SUCCESS.  SURELY THERE IS 
SOMETHING OUT THERE.  AND I 
THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR A WHILE.  
AND IT'S BASICALLY CONTAINED IN 
THIS QUESTION.  
DO YOU HAVE RICH PARENT?  DO YOU
 HAVE RICH PARENTS?  I DO NOT.  
BUT MY KIDS DO.  IF YOU HAVE 
RICH PARENTS, YOU CAN DO 
ANYTHING.  AND I LOVE THIS 
SCHOOL.  WITH THE DEGREE THAT 
YOU'RE GOING TO GET, YOU'RE 
STILL GOING TO WORK FOR THE 
CORNELL KIDS, CONGRATULATIONS.  
[APPLAUSE]. 
THANK YOU, TONY, THAT WAS 
FANTASTIC.  AGAIN, I WANT TO 
EMPATHIZE THAT I HAVE
 THE NICER ROBE. 
IT IS NOW MY PLEASURE TO 
INTRODUCE ALUMNUS MITCHELL 
LIEBERMAN. MITCH GRADUATED FROM 
BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY IN 1980 
WITH A BACHELOR OF ARTS IN 
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND 
POLITICAL SCIENCE.  MITCH 
ENJOYED A 30-YEAR DISTINGUISHED 
CAREER AT GOLDMAN SACHS, 
BECOMING MANAGING DIRECTOR IN 
1997 AND PARTNER IN 2000.  
THROUGHOUT HIS TIME AT GOLDMAN 
SACHS, HE SERVED ON THE 
SECURITIES DIVISION OPERATING 
COMMITTEE AND WAS PRESIDENT AT 
GS TRUST COMPANY AND A DIRECTOR 
OF GS CAYMAN TRUST.  HE ROSE TO 
THE POSITION OF GLOBAL CO-HEAD 
OF ITS GLOBAL SECURITIES 
SERVICES AND RETIRED IN 2010.  
MITCH ALSO SERVED AS A DIRECTOR 
AT THE OPTIONS CLEARING 
CORPORATION IN CHICAGO FROM 
2001-2009.
CLEARLY A PRODUCTIVE GUY. 
WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE MITCH HAS 
BEEN ENGAGED AND COMMITTED TO 
BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY OVER THE 
YEARS.  HE CURRENTLY SERVES AS A
 DIRECTOR OF THE BINGHAMTON 
UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION BOARD AND 
IS A MEMBER OF ITS INVESTMENT 
COMMITTEE.  KIND OF THE GUY THAT
 I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IN MY 
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE.  MITCH IS 
A FOUNDING DONOR OF THE HARPUR 
EDGE PROGRAM AND IS COMMITTED TO
 THE SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS.  
IT IS MY HONOR TO WELCOME MITCH 
TO THE PODIUM AND PRESENT HIM 
WITH THE HARPUR COLLEGE 
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD.
[APPLAUSE].
I'M NOT SURE HOW 
FIRST, TONY, CONGRATULATIONS.  
I'M NOT SURE HOW I GET TO FOLLOW
 YOU.  BUT I WILL CERTAINLY DO 
MY BEST.  THANK YOU AND 
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 
2017.  FABULOUS JOB.  GREAT 
ACHIEVEMENT.  
YOU SHOULD TAKE A MOMENT TO 
ENJOY THIS INCREDIBLE MILESTONE.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO 
CONGRATULATE ALL OF THE PARENTS,
 GRANDPARENTS, BROTHERS, 
SISTERS, EXTENDED FAMILY AND 
FRIENDS FOR BEING HERE AND 
HELPING YOU GET TO THIS 
EXCEPTIONAL DAY.  PLEASE GIVE 
YOUR PARENTS AND EVERYONE HERE A
 ROUND OF APPLAUSE.  
[APPLAUSE]. 
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK 
PRESIDENT STENGER, PROVOST 
NIEMAN, DEAN DEAK FOR 
CELEBRATING YOUR SUCCESS.  IT'S 
A GREAT HONOR TO BE HERE WITH 
YOU TODAY.  I AM HUMBLED TO BE 
RECOGNIZED AND RECEIVE THIS 
AWARD.  I AM HAPPY TO HAVE THE 
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU 
THIS MORNING AND GLAD THAT MY 
FAMILY IS HERE ME TODAY, 
INCLUDING MY NIECE RAQUEL FROM 
THE CLASS OF 2012.  FIRST OF 
ALL, I HAVE TO TELL YOU I HAVE 
SOMETHING IN COMMON WITH THE 
CLASS OF 2017.  THIS HAPPENS TO 
BE MY FIRST HARPUR COLLEGE 
COMMENCEMENT, TOO.  
YOU SEE, I DIDN'T WALK IN 
COMMENCEMENT BACK IN 1980.  
LET'S JUST SAY THAT MY UNDER 
GRADUATE ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE WAS
 UNTRADITIONAL.  I DID NOT 
GRADUATE IN FOUR YEARS.  IT TOOK
 ME FIVE YEARS TO COMPLETE A 
DOUBLE MAJOR IN BIOLOGY AND 
POLITICAL SCIENCE.  I STARTED 
OUT PRE-MED AND CAME TO THE 
REALIZATION IN MY JUNIOR YEAR 
THAT MEDICAL SCHOOL WAS NOT IN 
MY FUTURE.  THE GRADING SYSTEM 
WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT BACK IN 
THE '70S.  I TOOK ADVANTAGE OF 
SOMETHING CALLED NO CREDIT.  AT 
ANY POINT IN THE SEMESTER YOU 
CAN DROP A CLASS AND WOULD NOT 
BE INCLUDED IN A TRANSCRIPT.  IN
 FACT, I THINK IT WAS MY MOST 
POPULAR GRADE JUNIOR YEAR.  WHEN
 THEY ADDED A NEW MAJOR 
POLITICAL SCIENCE, IT BECAME 
EVERYTHING.  
I BECAME MORE INTERESTED IN 
CLASSES AND MY GRADES VASTLY 
IMPROVED.  MY SELF-ESTEEM SOARED
 AND ALLOWED MY COMPETITIVE 
SPIRIT TO BE AWAKENED.  I LOVED 
MY TIME AT BINGHAMTON.  BACK 
THEN WE WERE KNOWN AS SUNY 
BINGHAMTON.  TIMES WERE VERY 
DIFFERENT.  
IT COST 2 THOUSAND DOLLARS A 
YEAR TO ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY 
AND WHEN I MOVED OFF CAMPUS MY 
RENT WAS $67 A MONTH AND THAT 
INCLUDED UTILITIES.  WE ONLY HAD
 ONE FRATERNITY ON CAMPUS AND NO
 SORORITIES.  THE DRINKING AGE 
WAS 18.  BELIEVE IT OR NOT, 
THERE WAS A PUB ON CAMPUS AND A 
KEG OF BEER IN EVERY BATHTUB.  
PAT MITCHELL'S ICE CREAM WAS 
AMAZING.  I STAYED ONE SUMMER 
AND HAD A GREAT JOB AT IBM.  
BACK THEN IF YOU DON'T KNOW, IBM
 WAS LIKE GOOGLE, APPLE, 
FACEBOOK ALL ROLLED INTO ONE.  
IT WAS AN AMAZING PLACE.  
WE WOULD LEAVE EARLY ON FRIDAYS 
AND LEAVE TO PLAY GOLF ON THE 
IBM GOLF COURSE.  WE EVEN HAD
 EXCURSIONS ON THE LAKE.  
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THEY OWNED A 
LAKE.  
NOT TOO SHABBY.  IN TODAY'S 
WORLD IT SEEMS SO HARD TO 
BELIEVE.  BUT IT'S TRUE.  MY 
PLAN WAS ALWAYS TO GO TO 
GRADUATE SCHOOL.  
I FOUND MYSELF STRUING THANK 
YOU, MITCH FOR YOUR ING TO 
FIGURE OUT MY CAREER DIRECTION. 
 AS I AM SURE MANY OF YOU.  I 
HAVE GOOD NEWS FOR YOU. 
THERE IS HOPE.  YOU DON'T ALWAYS
 NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU 
WANT TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE.  
SOMETIMES LIFE JUST WORKS OUT 
BUT IT TAKES A POSITIVE 
APPROACH, DETERMINATION, HARD 
WORK AND OF COURSE LUCK.  
I MADE THE DECISION TO PURSUE A 
CAREER ON WALL STREET.  MY 
INTENTION WAS TO WORK FOR TWO 
YEARS AND THEN GO BACK FOR MY 
MBA.  I WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT 
MY FIRST JOB WAS AT A COMPANY 
CALLED GOLDMAN SACHS.  I STARTED
 AT THE BOTTOM WITH AN ENTRY 
LEVEL POSITION IN OPERATIONS.  
ACTUALLY I WAS AN EXPERIMENT.  I
 WAS THE FIRST PERSON HIRED WITH
 A COLLEGE DEGREE IN OPERATIONS.
THEN.  WE HAD TO PUNCH A TIME 
CLOCK.  HAD TO DIAL A ROTARY 
PHONE.  NO E-MAILS.  NO 
CELLPHONES.  NO INTERNET.  IT'S 
HARD TO IMAGINE RIGHT NOW WHAT 
IT WOULD BE LIKE.  I CAN 
REMEMBER MY MIND SET LIKE IT WAS
 YESTERDAY.  FROM MY VERY FIRST 
DAY OF WORK, I LIVED BY THE 
MOTTO OF THINK AND ACT LIKE THE 
OWNER OF THE BUSINESS.  I WAS 
THE FIRST INTO THE OFFICE AND 
THE LAST ONE TO LEAVE.  I WOULD 
NEVER LEAVE BEFORE MY BOSS.  I 
WAS ALWAYS ASKING QUESTIONS AND 
LEARNING THE BUSINESS.  I 
VOLUNTEERED FOR EVERY PROJECT 
AND MADE SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO 
IMPROVE THE BUSINESS.  THE REST 
IS HISTORY.  MY FIRST PROMOTION 
CAME AFTER A YEAR AND THE SECOND
 ONE SHORTLY AFTER THAT.  I 
NEVER WENT BACK TO GRADUATE 
SCHOOL.  I LOVED MY JOB.  I 
LOVED MY CAREER.  
ONE OF THE KEYS TO SUCCESS IS 
HIRING AND RETAINING THE BEST 
PEOPLE.  THE TALENT POOL AT 
GOLDMAN SACHS IS INCREDIBLE.  
THEY ONLY RECRUIT FROM THE VERY 
BEST SCHOOLS.  I WAS GIVEN THE 
OPPORTUNITY TO RECRUIT AT 
BINGHAMTON.  I INSISTED THAT THE
 BEST GRADUATES FROM BINGHAMTON 
COULD COMPETE WITH THE IVY 
LEAGUE SCHOOLS AND ALONG WITH 
FELLOW COLLEAGUE AND ALUMNIST, 
WE WOULD LIKE THE ANNUAL TREK 
BACK TO OUR ALMA MATER.  I WAS 
AMAZED TO WATCH THE SCHOOL GROW 
AND THRIVE.  I HAD THE 
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON THE 
ADMINISTRATION BOARD WHICH HELPS
 WITH FINANCIAL AIDS FOR 
STUDENT, FACULTY HIRING AND 
RETENTION, CAREER SUPPORT, AND 
THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE 
UNIVERSITY TO MEET AN ONGOING 
VARIETY OF CRITICAL NEEDS.  
YOU SHOULD LEAVE HERE TODAY WITH
 THE EXPECTATION AND HOPE THAT 
WITH SOME DAY YOU SHOULD HELP 
STUDENTS RECEIVE A DEGREE FROM A
 PUBLIC UNIVERSITY LIKE 
BINGHAMTON.  I URGE YOU ALL TO 
STAY CONNECTED WITH BINGHAMTON. 
PLEASE ATTEND ANY ALUMNI EVENTS 
IN YOUR REGION.  COME BACK AND 
VISIT THE SCHOOL.  COME BACK TO 
REUNION AND BRING YOUR FRIENDS. 
COME BACK AND RECRUIT, TOO.  
IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GIVE BACK TO
 THE NEXT GENERATION OF STUDENTS
 AND TO BE ON CAMPUS TO REVISIT 
YOUR WONDERFUL MEMORIES OF YOUR 
TIME HERE.  LET ME CONCLUDE MY 
REMARKS THAT FOR THOSE THAT 
DON'T KNOW WHERE YOUR CAREER TO 
TAKE YOU, WITH A POSITIVE 
ATTITUDE AND WILLINGNESS TO WORK
 HARDER THAN YOUR PEERS AND A 
LITTLE BIT OF LUCK, GREAT THINGS
 CAN HAPPEN FOR YOU JUST LIKE 
THEY DID FOR ME.  
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN.  YOU HAVE
 A VERY BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD OF 
YOU.  [APPLAUSE].
THANK YOU, MITCH FOR YOUR 
REMARKS.  
I AM PLEASED TO INTRODUCE GARY 
YOU.  [APPLAUSE].
THANK YOU, MITCH FOR YOUR 
REMARKS.  
I AM PLEASED TO INTRODUCE GARY 
KIBEL, PRESIDENT OF THE ALUMNI 
ASSOCIATION BOARD.  HE WOULD 
LIKE TO SHARE CONGRATULATIONS ON
 BEHALF OF OUR ALUMNI 
ASSOCIATION.
THANK YOU PRESIDENT STENGER AND 
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 
2017.  I WOULD ASK THAT YOU ALL 
PLEASE RISE AS LAUREN NASH 
SILBERSTEIN AND THE UNIVERSITY 
WIND SYMPHONY PERFORM THE HARPUR
 ALMA MATER. THE LYRICS CAN BE 
FOUND ON PAGE 33 OF YOUR 
COMMENCEMENT PROGRAM.  
OH, HAIL TO HARPUR HAIL TO THEE,
 HONOR FROM OUR HERITAGE.  WITH 
YOUR 
NOBEL SPIRIT IN HARPUR'S 
MIND.  [APPLAUSE]. 
ON BEHALF OF THE BINGHAMTON 
UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, 
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO 
CONGRATULATE YOU, GRADUATES, ON 
YOUR FANTASTIC ACCOMPLISHMENT. 
 AND TO CELEBRATE THIS VERY 
SPECIAL MOMENT, I AM PLEASED TO 
GIVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU A
 FREE YET VERY VALUABLE GIFT 
TODAY.  A LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP IN
 THE BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY 
ALUMNI
 ASSOCIATION, YOU'RE WELCOME. 
THIS IS SOMETHING TRULY 
VALUABLE.  YOU ARE NOW A MEMBER 
OF AN ORGANIZATION WITH MORE 
THAN 127,000 MEMBERS IN ALL 50 
STATES AND OVER 100 COUNTRIES. 
 YOUR ALUMNI ASSOCIATION IS ONE 
OF THE MOST IMPORTANT 
PROFESSIONAL AND SOCIAL 
ORGANIZATIONS YOU WILL EVER 
JOIN.  BELIEVE ME, IT'S A HOT 
TICKET.  WE HAVE ALMOST 4,000 
NEW MEMBERS JOINING THIS WEEKEND
 ALONE. 
I'M SURE YOU'VE WALKED AROUND 
CAMPUS WEARING A BINGHAMTON 
SWEATSHIRT OR HAT OVER
 THE PAST FEW YEARS. 
AS YOU MOVE ON FROM SCHOOL 
TODAY, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO 
CONTINUE TO WEAR BINGHAMTON ON 
YOUR SLEEVE.  YOU ARE NOW AN 
EMISSARY AND AMBASSADOR FOR 
BINGHAMTON.  YOUR SUCCESS 
REFLECTS ON THE SCHOOL AND OTHER
 ALUMNI, AND THE SUCCESS OF 
OTHER ALUMNI REFLECTS ON YOU.  
AMONG OUR MANY ACCOMPLISHED 
ALUMNI ARE CEOS AND SENIORS 
MANAGEMENT AT LEADING 
CORPORATIONS, LEADERS IN
 THE FINANCIAL AND LEGAL 
INDUSTRIES, THE MOST TALENTED 
ENGINEERS, TEACHERS, NURSES, 
SOCIAL WORKERS AND PROFESSIONALS
 OF ALL KINDS, AS WELL AS 
SPORTSCASTERS, MOVIE STARS, AND 
EVEN A UNITED STATES CONGRESS 
MAN, DOES ANYONE THINK THEY CAN 
DO IT? 
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN 
THERE ARE POSTERS OF YOU ON 
CAMPUS AS ACCOMPLISHED ALUMNI.
SO AS YOU GRADUATE TODAY, I ASK 
YOU TO TAKE 3 VERY IMPORTANT 
STEPS.
NUMBER 1.  MAKE SURE THAT YOU 
ARE DIGITALLY CONNECTED TO 
BINGHAMTON AT ALL TIMES.  LIKE 
US ON FACEBOOK PAGE, JOIN OUR 
LINKEDIN GROUPS, FOLLOW US ON 
INSTAGRAM AND ELSEWHERE AND 
VISIT THE ALUMNI PAGE ON THE 
BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY WEBSITE TO
 MAKE SURE THAT YOUR INFORMATION
 IS ALWAYS UP TO DATE IN OUR 
ALUMNI DIRECTORY; B-CONNECTED. 
 WE CAN'T FIND YOU FOR 
OPPORTUNITIES IF YOU DON'T FIRST
 FIND US.
NUMBER 2.  DON'T BE A STRANGER. 
WE HOLD EVERY 70 EVENTS AROUND 
THE COUNTRY EACH YEAR.  SIGN UP.
  SHOW UP.   AND HAVE SOME FUN 
WITH YOUR FELLOW ALUMNI.
NUMBER 3.  MAKE NEW BINGHAMTON 
CONNECTIONS.  WHEN YOU COME 
ACROSS ANOTHER BINGHAMTON 
GRADUATE, USE THAT COMMON BOND 
AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN A 
DOOR.   TELL OLDER ALUMNI HOW 
AMAZING CAMPUS LOOKS.  
I AM GIVING THE SAME MESSAGE TO 
ALL GRADUATES THIS WEEKEND.  YOU
 AND I ARE NOW CONNECTED 
FOREVER, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO 
CONNECTING WITH MY NEARLY 4,000
 NEW BEST FRIENDS. 
YOU'RE A BEARCAT FOR LIFE, AND 
I'M HONORED TO NOW BE IN THE 
SAME ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AS YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS!
[APPLAUSE].
THANK YOU, GARY.
IT IS NOW MY DISTINCT PLEASURE 
TO INTRODUCE JAMES SHIH, THE 
2017 HARPUR COLLEGE OF ARTS AND 
SCIENCES COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER.
JAMES IS GRADUATING TODAY WITH 
DEGREES IN ECONOMICS AND 
PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS AND LAW. HE
 HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF 
THE CREW TEAM, EMERGING LEADERS 
PROGRAM, THE STUDENTS UNITED 
WAY, AND THE BINGHAMTON 
AMBASSADORS PROGRAM THROUGHOUT 
HIS TIME AT BINGHAMTON. JAMES 
WILL BE PURSUING A CAREER IN 
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION UPON 
GRADUATION. 
PLEASE WELCOME TO THE PODIUM, 
JAMES SHIH.
[APPLAUSE].
THANK YOU DEAN, DEAK.  GOOD 
MORNING.  CONGRATULATIONS TO MY 
FELLOW BEARCATS IN THE CLASS OF 
2017 AND WELCOME TO ALL OF THE 
FRIENDS, FACULTY AND FAMILY WHO 
HAVE COME TO JOIN US TODAY.  I 
JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE 
PEOPLE WHOSE HARD WORK MADE THIS
 CEREMONY POSSIBLE.  SPECIAL 
THANKS TO THE HARPUR 
COMMENCEMENT COMMITTEE.  I WOULD
 LIKE TO THANK PROFESSOR 
CHRISTOPHER NAP AND ROBERT 
PARKINSON FOR MY SPEECH.  I 
WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY MOM AND 
DAD, MY SISTERS, CRYSTAL, RACHEL
 AND ANNIE AND MY BROTHERS JOSH 
AND JESSE FOR ALL OF THEIR LOVE 
AND SUPPORT.  AND I WOULD 
FINALLY LIKE TO GIVE A THANK YOU
 TO THE BIG GUY UPSTAIRS.  
I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY ASKING
 A QUESTION.  WHAT DOES IT MEAN 
TO BE STRONG?  I CAME INTO 
COLLEGE WITH THIS GOAL OF 
BECOMING STRONG.  AS A FRESHMAN,
 I ASSOCIATED STRENGTH WITH 
INDEPENDENCE, AND SELF-RELIANCE.
IF I WAS STRONG BY THE TIME I 
LEFT COLLEGE, I ENVISIONED BEING
 CAPABLE ENOUGH TO SOLVE MOST 
PROBLEMS ON MY OWN.  
WITH THIS IN MIND, I SEARCHED 
FOR ACTIVITIES THAT WOULD HELP 
ME PROGRESS
 TOWARDS MY GOAL.  I ENCOUNTERED
 THE BINGHAMTON ROWING TEAM.  
HERE IS A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS 
WITH TRAITS THAT I WANTED TO 
DEVELOP.  INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD 
THE DILIGENCE AND MENTAL STAMINA
 TO WAKE UP AT 5:00 A.M. 
TO PARTICIPATE IN GRUELING 
PRACTICES RAIN OR SHINE.  BY 
JOINING THIS TEAM, I WAS ENSURED
 THAT I WOULD COME OUT STRONGER.
JOINING THIS TEAM WAS NOT SO 
EASY.  BEFORE NEW MEMBERS CAN 
TOUCH A BOAT, WE MEANT THROUGH 
MONTHS OF PHYSICAL TRAINING 
FILLED WITH SQUATS, PUSH UPS AND
 EVERY
 ROWER INCREASED IN INTENSITY.  
AND I FELT I WAS REACHING 
TOWARDS MY GOAL OF STRENGTH BY 
INCREASING MENTAL ROLE AND 
RESILIENCE.  THERE IS MORE TO 
STRENGTH, I LEARNED, THAN JUST 
BUILDING MYSELF UP.  
HAVING UNDER GONE THE PHYSICAL 
PREPARATIONS, WE WERE SCHEDULED 
FOR OUR FIRST ROWING SESSION.  I
 WAS EXCITED.  IT WOULD BE 
TOUGH.
BUT I WAS CONFIDENT THAT I WOULD
 BE OKAY.  
THE DAY ARRIVED AND BEFORE WE 
EVEN STARTED ROWING, I WAS SURE 
THAT WE WERE GOING TO FLIP OVER.
THE IMBALANCE CAUSED BY 8 PEOPLE
 SITTING COMFORTABLY, RATHER 
THAN CORRECTLY, MADE THE BOAT 
LEAN HEAVILY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. 
 AND ONCE EVERYONE STARTED 
PULLING HARD, THE BOAT BEGAN 
ROCKING FURIOUSLY.  AND A BOATER
 WOULD HAVE NOTED THAT WE WERE 
DOING A BETTER JOB FILLING THE 
BOAT WITH WATER, THAN ACTUALLY 
MOVING IT. 
RATHER THAN PLACING INTO THE 
WATER TOGETHER, WE WERE BUSY 
TRYING TO DODGE THE SPRAYS OF 
WATER BY OUR INEXPERIENCE.  IT 
WAS A DISASTER.  THE BOAT 
LEADING DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE
 SHORELINE.  BY THE TIME WE 
EXITED THAT BOAT, WE WERE ALL 
SOAKED AS IF SOME CLASSIC 
BINGHAMTON WEATHER HAD STORMED 
THROUGH.  AS I HAD TRUDGED BACK 
TO THE BOAT HOUSE, WATER 
DRIPPING WITH EACH STEP, I 
WONDERED, THESE WERE SOME TOUGH 
AND FIT DUDES.  AND I CONSIDERED
 STRONG.  BUT SOMETHING WAS 
MISSING.  
MONTHS PASSED, AND OUR ROWING 
GRADUALLY IMPROVED.  I BEGAN TO 
GET TO KNOW MY TEAMMATES.  WE 
CAME FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.  
AND FOREIGN PLACES.  KOREA, UK, 
THEPHILIPPINES.  NEW JERSEY. 
PURSUITS.  RELIGIONS, AND 
PHILOSOPHIES ON LIFE.  YET WE 
SHARED A PURPOSE IN THE BOAT.  
PERHAPS WE BEGAN TO UNIFY WHEN 
WE REALIZE THE COMMONALITY WE 
SHARE.  ALARM CLOCK BLARING TO 
FACE FROSTY MORNING AND TIMING 
THE ORES TO A TIMING AND 
ENJOYING THE FIRST ROW.  WATCH 
STARS FADE OUT IN RESPONSE TO A 
GLORIOUS SUNRISE.  WE CAME TO 
ROW TO KEEP THE BOAT BALANCED 
AND MOVING.  OF COURSE THERE 
WERE PERSONAL CONFLICTS AND 
RIVALRIES.  BUT ONCE THE RACE 
WAS ON, AND WE WERE STUCK IN 
THAT BOAT TOGETHER, WE WERE NOT 
GOING TO DO OUR BEST, UNLESS WE 
WERE GIVING OUR ALL.  NOT JUST 
FOR OURSELVES, BUT EACH OTHER.  
WELL, MY CREW HELPED ME ACHIEVED
 MY GOAL, THAT I ORIGINALLY 
SOUGHT TO ATTAIN, I CAME AWAY 
WITH A MUCH GREATER REALIZATION.
THAT THERE WAS MORE TO STRENGTH 
THAN HOW BIG ONE'S BICEPS WERE 
OR THE FIRMNESS OF ONE'S NICELY 
SHAPED CALVES.  THERE WAS MORE 
TO STRENGTH THAN I CAN 
ACCOMPLISH ON MY OWN.  TO BE 
TRULY STRONG AND LOOKING BEYOND 
MYSELF AND GIVING IT MY ALL FOR 
OTHERS.  I HAD COME TO 
BINGHAMTON WITH A VISION OF 
STRENGTH THAT EMPHASIZED 
INDEPENDENCE AND SELF-RELIANCE. 
YET REPEATEDLY
 I SAW MY SUCCESS WAS BY THOSE 
WHO WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO 
HELP ME.  
PROFESSORS WHO HELPED ME OUT OF 
CLASS, FELLOW STUDENTS WHO 
HELPED ME WITH EQUATIONS 
TOGETHER, AND THOSE WHO KEPT THE
 CAMPUS RUNNING SMOOTHLY.  I WAS
 RUNNING WHEN I CAME TO REALIZE 
MY OWN ACHIEVEMENTS.  AND ITS 
DEPENDANCE ON THE HARD WORK OF 
COUNTLESS PEOPLE.  
AS WE HEAD OUT INTO THE NEXT 
EXPANSION OF OUR LIVES, WE HEAD 
INTO A WORLD THAT NEEDS CONSTANT
 REMINDERS OF THE STRENGTH THAT 
WE BRING EACH OTHER.  I HOPE 
THAT WHEN WE ARE OUT THERE GOING
 100%, WE REMEMBER THE PEOPLE 
THAT WE MET HERE.  AND HOW MUCH 
THEY SHAPED US.  TO BE LIKE THEM
 AND SOMETIMES PAUSE TO REACH 
OUT A HAND.  
AFTER ALL, WE ARE STRONGER 
TOGETHER THAN WE CAN EVER BE 
APART.  FOR IN THIS RACE, THIS 
HUMAN RACE, WE ARE ALL IN THE 
SAME BOAT! THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS
 OF 2017!.  [APPLAUSE].
WONDERFUL. 
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL RECOGNIZE 
WONDERFUL. 
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL RECOGNIZE 
THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR 
BACCALAUREATE DEGREE CANDIDATES 
DEAN DEAK, PLEASE COME FORWARD 
FOR THE PRESENTATION OF OUR 
BACCALAUREATE DEGREE CANDIDATES 
FROM THE HARPUR COLLEGE OF ARTS 
AND SCIENCES. 
OKAY.  HERE WE GO!
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL RECOGNIZE 
THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR 
BACCALAUREATE DEGREE CANDIDATES.
FIRST WE WILL RECOGNIZE STUDENTS
 WHO HAVE ACHIEVED LATIN HONORS.
WE RECOGNIZE THREE LEVELS OF 
ACHIEVEMENT. CUM LAUDE, MAGNA 
CUM LAUDE, AND SUMMA CUM LAUDE. 
THE NAMES OF THE CANDIDATES FOR 
THESE HONORS APPEAR IN THE 
COMMENCEMENT PROGRAM.  PLEASE 
TAKE A LOOK.  ALMOST 600 HARPUR 
COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE CANDIDATES 
FOR LATIN HONORS, SO WE WILL NOT
 ANNOUNCE EACH BY NAME, BUT WE 
SHALL RECOGNIZE STUDENTS 
ATTENDING TODAY BY HAVING THEM 
STAND IN PLACE. 
CANDIDATES GRADUATING CUM LAUDE,
 PLEASE RISE.  
[APPLAUSE]. 
YOU MAY BE SEATED. 
CANDIDATES GRADUATING MAGNA CUM 
[APPLAUSE]. 
YOU MAY BE SEATED. 
CANDIDATES GRADUATING MAGNA CUM 
LAUDE, PLEASE RISE.
[APPLAUSE]. 
YOU MAY BE SEATED.
CANDIDATES GRADUATING SUMMA CUM 
LAUDE, PLEASE RISE.
[APPLAUSE].
YOU MAY BE SEATED.
BINGHAMTON'S BEST AND BRIGHTEST 
RIGHT THERE. 
MY CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU
 ON YOUR OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC 
ACHIEVEMENTS.
WE THINK THIS FITS WELL FOR YOUR
 FUTURE. 
LATIN HONORS ARE BASED ON A 
STUDENT'S CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT
 AVERAGE.  STUDENTS WHO HAVE 
EARNED THE DISTINCTION OF 
DEPARTMENTAL HONORS OR 
DISTINGUISHED INDEPENDENT WORK 
HAVE ACHIEVED ACADEMIC 
EXCELLENCE AND BEEN RECOGNIZED 
BY THE FACULTY IN THEIR MAJOR 
DEPARTMENT.  
STUDENTS WHO EARNED DEPARTMENTAL
 HONORS OR DISTINGUISHED 
INDEPENDENT WORK AS WELL AS 
THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED DONOR- 
FUNDED HONORS WILL BE ANNOUNCED 
AS THEY CROSS THE STAGE.
WILL THE BACCALAUREATE DEGREE 
CANDIDATES PLEASE RISE?  
PRESIDENT STENGER, AS THE DEAN 
PRESIDENT STENGER, AS THE DEAN 
OF HARPUR COLLEGE, I AM PLEASED 
TO PRESENT TO YOU THESE 
THE FACULTY.
PROFESSOR JOHN STARKS, PLEASE 
JOIN THE PRESIDENT AND ME IN 
GREETING THE DEGREE CANDIDATES 
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CLASSICAL
 AND NEAR EASTERN STUDIES.  
STUDENT MARSHAL KARLA VALDESPINO
 AND SCHOOL MARSHAL FLORENZ 
PLASSMANN, PLEASE LEAD THE 
CANDIDATES TO THE PLATFORM SO 
THAT ALL MAY RECEIVE RECOGNITION
 FOR THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.
 OF GRADUATES]
CANDIDATES WHO HAVE FULFILLED 
REQUIREMENTS AS PRESCRIBED BY 
--
--
-- -- 
WILL ALL BACCALAUREATE DEGREE 
CANDIDATES PLEASE RISE?  
PRESIDENT STENGER, I AM HONORED 
TO PRESENT TO YOU THESE 
CANDIDATES FOR THE BACCALAUREATE
 DEGREE BY THE UNIVERSITY.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SUCCESSFULLY 
COMPLETED ALL DEGREE 
REQUIREMENTS, BY THE AUTHORITY 
VESTED IN ME BY THE CHANCELLOR 
AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE
 STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK 
AND THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE 
UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW 
YORK, I CONFER ON EACH OF YOU 
THE APPROPRIATE BACCALAUREATE 
DEGREE WITH ALL THE RIGHTS AND 
PRIVILEGES ACCOMPANYING IT. 
ON BEHALF OF THE BINGHAMTON 
UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY, I 
CONGRATULATE YOU ALL FOR THIS 
WELL-EARNED ACCOMPLISHMENT. 
[APPLAUSE]. 
AS IS CUSTOMARY UPON CONFERRAL 
OF THE BACCALAUREATE DEGREE, YOU
 MAY NOW MOVE THE TASSEL ON YOUR
 CAP FROM THE RIGHT TO THE LEFT!
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PARENTS, 
PARTNERS, AND FRIENDS, I PRESENT
 TO YOU THE BINGHAMTON 
UNIVERSITY
 HARPUR COLLEGE OF ARTS AND 
SCIENCES CLASS OF 2017. 
[APPLAUSE].
GENTLEMEN, PLEASE REMOVE YOUR 
HATS AS WE SING THE BINGHAMTON 
UNIVERSITY ALMA MATER.
WE INVITE EVERYONE TO JOIN IN 
SINGING THE REFRAIN AND SECOND 
VERSE. THE LYRICS MAY BE FOUND 
ON THE BACK COVER OF THE 
COMMENCEMENT PROGRAM. 
IN THE ROLLING HILLS OF 
'NEATH EVERCHANGING SKIES, WHERE
 TWO GENTLY FLOWING RIVERS MEET,
 WE FORM OUR CHERISHED TIES. 
OH BINGHAMTON, WE CARRY THEE 
WITH US FOR ALL OUR TIME AND 
THROUGH US INDIVIDUALLY FOREVER 
MAY YOU SHINE.
TOGETHER WE SPEND THESE YEARS, 
UNITED IN OUR AIM. 
THROUGH OUR BOLD PURSUIT OF 
EXCELLENCE, WE PROUDLY BEAR YOUR
 NAME.
OH BINGHAMTON, WE CARRY THEE 
WITH US FOR ALL OUR TIME AND 
THROUGH US INDIVIDUALLY FOREVER 
MAY YOU SHINE.
FOREVER MAY
 YOU SHINE.  
[APPLAUSE]. 
THE SPRING COMMENCEMENT 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE STATE 
UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT 
BINGHAMTON ARE NOW CONCLUDED.  
WE KINDLY ASK THE AUDIENCE TO 
REMAIN SEATED FOR THE ACADEMIC
 RECESSIONAL.  ONCE THE ACADEMIC
 RECESSIONAL IS COMPLETED, 
PLEASE EXIT AS SOON AS YOU ARE 
ABLE TO ALLOW THE FAMILIES OF 
THE NEXT CEREMONY'S GRADUATES TO
 ENTER. 
