News from SUNY Cortland

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SUNY Cortland Graduate Commencement Set For May 16

CORTLAND, NY (05/07/2008; 1123)(readMedia)-- The SUNY Cortland Commencement ceremony for students earning master’s degrees and certificates of advanced study is scheduled for Friday, May 16, at 7 p.m. in Bessie L. Park Class of 1901 Physical Education and Recreation Center Alumni Arena.

The College will award 307 master’s degrees and 38 certificates of advanced study. After the ceremony, a reception for the graduates and their guests will take place in the Corey Gymnasium.

An academic procession will open the Commencement. Professor of English Karla Alwes, who chairs the Faculty Senate, will be the mace bearer.

Faculty members will carry the four multi-colored gonfalons representing the College, the School of Education, the School of Professional Studies, and the School of Arts and Sciences, respectively. The gonfaloniers are: Jeffrey Walkuski, chair of the Graduate Faculty Executive Committee and associate professor and graduate coordinator of physical education; Marley Barduhn, associate dean of the School of Education; Eileen Gravani, interim associate dean of the School of Professional Studies; and Jerome O’Callaghan, associate dean of the School of Arts and Sciences.

Stephen Wilson, professor of music, will perform the processional and recessional music. Rebecca Rozzoni, a sophomore musical theatre major from Dryden, N.Y., will sing the national anthem and the Alma Mater.

Provost Elizabeth Davis-Russell will offer a welcome, while Ted Hardenstine, Jr., of Newark Valley, N.Y., a candidate for Master of Arts in Teaching in Mathematics Education, will provide remarks on behalf of the graduates. President Erik J. Bitterbaum will deliver the charge to the graduates. Presenting the degrees and certificates to the graduates will be Dean of Arts and Sciences Mark Prus, Dean of Education Gerald Porter and Dean of Professional Studies Roy H. Olsson Jr.

Carl Gambitta ’63, a past president and current member of the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association Board of Directors, will welcome these newest graduates into the ranks of the College’s 58,000 alumni. Commencement marshals will be Ted Fay, associate professor and chair of the Sport Management Department; Michele Gonzalez, associate professor of literacy; Susan Rayl, assistant professor of exercise science and sport studies; Kimberly Rombach, assistant professor of childhood and early childhood education; and Hailey Ruoff ’98, media operations coordinator, classroom media services.

The Graduate Commencement Committee is co-chaired by Michele Irvin Gonzalez, associate professor of literacy; Louis Larson, assistant director of career services; and Virginia B. Levine, executive assistant to the president; and Ruoff.

Committee members include: Darci Bacigalupi, special events coordinator; Marley S. Barduhn, associate dean of the School of Education; Terence Cahill, College Store director; Mark DePaull, university police assistant chief; Mariah Gerty ’06, student representative; Rena Janke, associate professor of biological sciences; Peter McGinnis, assistant director of graduate studies; Yvonne Murnane, director of graduate studies; Mary Murphy, University Police lieutenant; Charlotte Plunkett, supervising janitor; Arnold Talentino, Honors Program coordinator; and George VerDow, director of classroom media services.

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