Last Look

By Christine A. Doyle, M.B.A.'04

Photos by Island Photography, Gary Gold and Mark Schmidt

Spring 2012 Commencement

UAlbany's Spring Commencement ceremonies, held May 19 and 20, celebrated the success of 872 graduate students and 2,010 undergraduates.

Click photos for slideshow

Judge Judith Scheindlin, A.K.A. “Judge Judy,” waves to the 14,000-plus degree candidates and family members as she processes onto the stage at the undergraduate ceremony. She advised the new graduates: • “Listen to many people, but ultimately follow your instincts as to what’s right.” • “That first impression can alter the course of your life. Don’t blow it.” • “Academic excellence is nice, but it doesn’t always define you. What defines you is a passion for what you do, and a steady moral compass.”
Judge Judith Scheindlin, A.K.A. “Judge Judy,” waves to the 14,000-plus degree candidates and family members as she processes onto the stage at the undergraduate ceremony. She advised the new graduates:
• “Listen to many people, but ultimately follow your instincts as to what’s right.”
• “That first impression can alter the course of your life. Don’t blow it.”
• “Academic excellence is nice, but it doesn’t always define you. What defines you is a passion for what you do, and a steady moral compass.”
Honorary degree recipient Thomas Constantine ’71, whose career has included service with the New York State Police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and international law-enforcement initiatives, addresses Ph.D. and master’s candidates. Undergraduate ceremony speaker Joel Shawn Amad Livingston ’12 shares his moving story about overcoming challenges associated with growing up in a single-parent household, poor academic performance in middle and high school, and finding the right fit in college. The Reclassifying All Children Equally (RACE) Organization founder graduated magna cum laude and will pursue an M.S.W. at Columbia University in the fall. A new Ph.D. poses with her family after the ceremony. Sheindlin is no stranger to UAlbany: Her son, Putnam County, N.Y., District Attorney Adam Levy ’89, third from left; and stepsons, attorney Gregory Sheindlin ’86, second from right, and physician Jonathan Sheindlin ’89, second from left, are all graduates. Pictured at left is Sorrell Chesin, associate vice president for University Development and longtime chair of the Parents Council, on which both Sheindlin parents served.

 

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