UAlbany Celebrates 2014 Spring Commencement, May 16-18

Lasting connections: among the 3,100 graduating on May 16-18 will be those who made friends and colleagues for life during their years at UAlbany. (Photo by Mark Schmidt)

ALBANY, N.Y. (May 12, 2014) – More than 3,100 students are expected to participate in the University at Albany’s 170th Commencement ceremonies Friday, May 16, through Sunday, May 18.

The ceremony will be streamed online at http://bit.ly/livestream14. You can follow UAlbany commencement on Twitter using #UAlbany2014 and see a comprehensive social media round-up of commencement at the #UAlbany2014 Tagboard page.

Undergraduate Commencement

Hamdi Ulukaya, who founded Chobani in 2005 and shepherded it into the No. 1-selling brand of Greek Yogurt in the U.S., will deliver the keynote to approximately 2,116 students at the Undergraduate Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 18. Festivities begin at 10 a.m. on the Entry Plaza lawn near Collins Circle.

The 2014 undergraduate class hails from 19 states and 23 countries, including South Korea, China, Sweden, Great Britain, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Iran, and The Ukraine. Students will receive degrees in 56 different majors, including the most popular disciplines: psychology, sociology, communication, business, human biology, accounting, biology, political science, economics and history.

Females make up 51 percent of the class. The average student age is 23, with the youngest graduating student 18 years old and the oldest, 53.

Graduate Commencement

Another 999 students are due to receive master’s degrees, doctoral degrees and graduate certificates at the graduate commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 17, at 9 a.m. in the SEFCU Arena.

Dr. Thomas D’Ambra, who co-founded Albany Molecular Research, Inc. in 1991, and piloted the company’s success in drug discovery, development and manufacturing services onto three continents, will deliver the main address and receive an honorary degree.

At the graduate ceremony, 812 students will earn master’s degrees, 156 will earn doctorates, and 31 will earn graduate certificates. Graduate students hail from 17 states and 31 countries, including India, Canada, Lebanon, Christmas Island, Germany, Tunisia, Mexico and Thailand.

Graduates will receive master’s degrees in programs including social welfare, business, public administration, public health, and information science, and accounting. Females make up 62 percent of the graduate students.

Commencement Weekend Festivities

Also on Saturday, the family picnic for all graduates, families and friends will be held at Dutch Quad Commons from noon to 3 p.m. That night, beginning at 8:30 p.m., the University celebrates Torch Night, an event symbolizing the passing of the torch of knowledge from seniors to underclassmen, and the transition from students to alumni. Seniors are welcomed into the Alumni Association, with fireworks concluding the event.

Commencement weekend kicks-off Friday with the Lavendar Graduation ceremony, honoring the achievements of graduating LGBTQ students and supporters. Gloria DeSole, UAlbany’s Affirmative Action director from 1982 to 2000, will deliver the keynote address. The event will be held in the Campus Center Ballroom at 1 p.m.

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