More than 800 Molloy University students crossed the stage at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on May 20 at the University’s Spring 2024 Commencement ceremony to receive degrees ranging from the Associate’s to Doctoral level. The day celebrated years of commitment, studying, participation in lectures and seminars and experiential learning. Many graduates studied while also fulfilling responsibilities such as part-time and full-time jobs, student clubs, athletics, student government, and community service.
Stevie Allen, a Bachelor of Fine Arts recipient in the Theater Arts/CAP21 program, opened the day’s program singing the National Anthem, accompanied by Adjunct Professor of Music, Soyoung Chun. Salutatorian Susan Donohue, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing with a minor in Biology then shared remarks. Susan was a student in Molloy’s Honors Program and is a member of the Nursing honor society Sigma Theta Tau International Epsilon Kappa Chapter. She served as a Nursing Student Fellow with the Molloy Community Care Van, a Community Service Director and a Heart Safe Director with Molloy’s Nursing Student Association. As a Heart Safe Director she organized Heart Safe training in all First Year Studies Courses, and arranged Heart Safe Training in her high school. Susan is also an active volunteer with the Maurer Foundation, a non-profit that focuses on breast health education to save lives.
Molloy president James Lentini, D.M.A., then warmly acknowledged the unique circumstances that the undergraduate students faced as they began their journey, stating, “If you were a student who entered Molloy in the Fall of 2020, well then, you and I share a common bond. I also arrived at Molloy in 2020, to the quietest campus I have ever seen. And you didn’t get to see our campus at all in the Fall of 2020. The global pandemic caused that. So, I know, you have gone through a lot to get here today, and that shows resilience, grit, and a can-do attitude. Well done!”
Dr. Lentini continued, “[D]uring your time here, some great things have happened. On-campus classes resumed, you made new friends, and the Molloy College that you entered became Molloy University! Not only that, but you experienced new things, ideas, skills, and relationships that you would not have gained had you not chosen an education at Molloy.
“We are all on a journey, and that journey, by the way, never really ends, it just changes form. Your arrival here signals the completion of a task in attaining a college degree, and that is, indeed, something to celebrate. But this accomplishment is just one stop along the journey you are taking in life.
“Your graduation today marks a sign of hope for a new generation that will bring empathy and compassion into the world based on the strong values rooted in Molloy’s mission as a Catholic University in the Dominican Tradition.
“We are very excited to celebrate you, the Class of 2024, as you have earned your diploma and bring new ideas and a fresh perspective into the world. We embrace you as a part of our ever-growing family, and we look forward to watching you forge the next chapter in your lives. Remember that no matter the pathways you follow, you will always have a home here at Molloy.”
Valedictorian Madison Wakely, a Psychology major with minors in Child Life, Criminal Justice, and Sociology followed. An Honors student, Madison was a member of the women’s volleyball team, secretary of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and a member of Molloy Student Government. She has been involved in a research lab group in the Psychology Department studying the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and the substance use of college students. Madison has volunteered at the Long Island Crisis Center for three years, answering the National Suicide Prevention line and other local hotlines. She also coaches travel volleyball. Madison’s goal is to have a career as a clinical psychologist.
Madison’s remarks reflected the journey she shared with many of her fellow undergraduate students. From uncertainty and confusion about which path to take as their senior year in high school ended during a complete shut-down, to confidence and pride in choosing Molloy. She stated, “Saying I made the right choice is an understatement…I have learned what it means to be a part of something bigger than myself. I have also learned that having faith in yourself is imperative to success. Every one of you sitting here today is capable of so much more than you think. Your ambition and desire to do your best is what defines you."
Matt Higgins was then called to the podium to receive an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Business. Mr. Higgins is one of the preeminent investors in the consumer, sports, and entertainment space. He has built an expansive investment portfolio of over 100 leading brands across a multitude of industries, and is often recognized as a “Guest Shark” on the runaway hit reality show “Shark Tank.”
Coming from humble beginnings in Queens and caring for his ailing mother, he dropped out of high school at sixteen, and enrolled at Queens College – where he took night classes for seven years while working full-time. He went on to enroll at Fordham Law where he received his Juris Doctor (JD). Matt delivered a breathtaking speech, sharing the most personal details in his story of victory after victory that followed on the heels of setback after setback.
Opening his heart up to the graduates, he summed up his continued growth and success with the simple phrase, “Why not me?” Why not, he asked, shouldn’t each person take each obstacle as an opportunity to expand and develop their capability. Having done so, he said, would also allow the graduates to give back to others with empathy, understanding and the determination that there is great meaning in every situation we face.
Matt’s speech was riveting, captivating graduates and guests alike – and fully captured Molloy’s mission, the commitment to academic excellence with respect for each person, transformative education that promotes a lifelong search for truth and the development of ethical leadership. Thunderous applause followed, and then each individual graduate was called to the platform to accept their diploma.
The entire arena was filled with the sounds of the Alma Mater and then graduates exited the arena floor. Emerging into the bright sunshine the graduates and their families and friends shared hugs, flowers, pictures and continuing celebrations of their remarkable achievement.