SUNY Canton Graduates Nearly 900 Students at 108th Commencement

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SUNY Canton Alumni Association President Kelly Obermayer gives Sarah M. Ray a medallion at the 2016 Commencement Ceremony. Ray is the college's Outstanding Graduate at the Bachelor’s degree level.

CANTON, NY (05/07/2016)(readMedia)-- The SUNY Canton class of 2016 was honored at the college's 108th Commencement Ceremony held Saturday, May 7, in the Roos House Convocation, Athletic and Recreation Center.

SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran, Ph.D., congratulated the nearly 900 graduates on their hard work and dedication.

"I am extremely proud of you as you achieve this major goal in your lives," he said. "I know that as you move forward in life, you'll be able to accomplish many great things, as have the many alumni from SUNY Canton who have preceded you."

Alumnus John G. Duken, class of 1981, delivered the keynote speech and talked about the importance of hard work and preparation as they begin their careers.

"Luck is found at the crossroads of preparation and opportunity," he said.

Duken is a former top executive with Dick's Sporting Goods and helped lead the multi-billion dollar company during a remarkable period of growth from 1999 until his retirement in 2014. He earned his Associate Degree in Accounting at SUNY Canton prior to attending the University of Southern California.

The Student Government Association President and David R. Maynard Student Activities Award winner Khaina Solomon also congratulated her fellow graduates on their achievements and advised them to continue to learn from their accomplishments and mistakes. Solomon is from Brooklyn and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Management.

Several other students were recognized at the ceremony, including:

• Veterinary Technology major Sarah M. Ray from New Windsor, who earned the Outstanding Baccalaureate Graduate Award.

• Criminal Justice major Kaitlyn N. Tibbetts from Farmingville, who earned the Outstanding Associate Graduate Award.

A special medallion was presented to all graduates on behalf of the SUNY Canton Alumni Association.

The top six bachelor's degrees awarded, in order of popularity, were Management, Nursing, Criminal Investigation, Sports Management, Veterinary Technology.

The top five associate degrees awarded, in order of popularity were Nursing, Criminal Justice, Veterinary Service Technology, Liberal Arts and Business Administration.

About SUNY Canton

SUNY Canton is Northern New York's premier college for career-driven bachelor's degrees, associate degrees and professional certificate programs. The college delivers quality hands-on programs in engineering technology, health, management and public service and recently received number one rankings in library resources, library services and tutoring services in the SUNY Student Opinion Survey. The college's faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to outstanding academic credentials. SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses as well as ten exclusively online bachelor's degrees. The college's 15 athletic teams compete as members of the NCAA Division III.

-www.canton.edu-