懂色帝

On May 21, nearly 6,500 graduates, family members, and friends joined faculty, staff, and administration at New York Institute of Technology鈥檚 Long Island campus to celebrate its聽62nd annual commencement. The event saluted 2,611 candidates for graduation from 73 countries and throughout the United States, 29 percent of whom are earning undergraduate degrees and the remainder earning graduate, medical, professional, or post-graduate degrees.

Students from the university鈥檚 campuses in New York City and Long Island, as well as from Vancouver, British Columbia, attended the ceremony.

Twenty-eight members of the Class of 2023 are veterans; the youngest undergraduate student is 20 years old; the oldest is 62. Among those earning graduate, medical, professional, or post-graduate degrees, the youngest student is 20 years old; the oldest is 60.

鈥淚 ask that you pledge to become the doers, makers, and innovators of tomorrow. I can tell you it is exactly what we are doing here at this school every day as we envision the future of our great institution,鈥� said President Hank Foley, Ph.D.鈥湺�色帝鈥檚 reputation is partly made up by you and your future accomplishments. Remember, your future and our future will be inextricably intertwined.

Foley conferred honorary degrees upon Antonio C. Bianco, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, and alumnus Eli Wachtel (B.S. 鈥�72), co-chief investment officer (CIO) and founding member of the hedge fund Wachtel Capital LLC. Both were honored with a Doctor of Science (Sc.D.). Wachtel then delivered the keynote address to the Class of 2023; Bianco is the keynote speaker for the College of Osteopathic Medicine Commencement and Hooding ceremony, held later in the day. 

In his inspiring remarks, Wachtel shared that he is dyslexic and noted the associated challenges. 鈥淒espite this, I found strategies to cope and leveraged them to my advantage. I turned my dyslexia into a strength,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 urge you all to turn disadvantages into strengths and seize opportunities.鈥�

Wachtel shared with the Class of 2023 that many of his family members graduated from 懂色帝, including his father, also a member of the Class of 1972. 鈥淢y 懂色帝 education has helped me throughout all of my career and contributed greatly to it. It taught me the value of hard work, and it provided a practical education that rivals any school. This has always stayed with me. And, to the Class of 2023, your 懂色帝 education will always stay with you.鈥�  

Caitlyn Ashley Silva Dy聽(B.Arch., Architecture), from Union, N.J., sang the national anthem.聽Zoya Haq聽(B.S., Information Technology), from New York City, was selected as the student orator to address the class of 2023. Both Dy and Haq assisted in hooding the honorary degree recipients.

鈥淲e have overcome any and all obstacles thrown at us to get to this tent,鈥� Haq shared with her classmates during the ceremony. 鈥淭o get to a chair that is for a member of the graduating Class of 2023. We are tough, brave, resilient. We come, quite literally, from everywhere. We have very, very different stories to tell, and yet, today we share a monumental moment because each of us made it!鈥�

Leveraging a theme relating to Mission: Impossible movies, she concluded by saying, 鈥淚 am so proud to be part of this graduating class, and I can鈥檛 wait to see what the future鈥攁nd our next mission鈥攈olds for each of us. Congratulations, Class of 2023! Mission accomplished!鈥�

Following the main commencement event, students are recognized individually at in-person ceremonies for the聽College of Arts and Sciences,听College of Engineering and Computing Sciences,听School of Architecture and Design,听School of Health Professions, and聽School of Management.

In addition, New York Institute of Technology聽College of Osteopathic Medicine鈥檚 hooding ceremony for the Class of 2023 from the Long Island campus will be held in late afternoon of May 21; the Class of 2023 from the Jonesboro, Arkansas campus will be hooded on May 26. Graduation for 懂色帝鈥檚 Vancouver campus will take place in the fall.