News from Purchase College, SUNY
Purchase College celebrates the achievements of nearly 1,100 students at its 45th Annual Commencement Ceremony
PURCHASE, NY (06/26/2017)– Nearly 1,100 students were welcomed as alumni on May 19 at the Westchester County Center in White Plains at Purchase College’s Commencement Ceremony.
The following local students were recognized:
Victoria Barsi, of Holmes, NY, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.
Samantha Baughman, of Poughquag, NY, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in New Media.
Christopher Brichta, of Stormville, NY, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics & Computer Science.
Ross Delemarre, of Patterson, NY, graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Music in Music: Production.
Brandon Dobraj, of Wingdale, NY, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies.
Kevin Duran, of Wingdale, NY, graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics & Computer Science.
Deanna Marji, of Patterson, NY, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies: Arts.
Phaedra Paolicelli, of Holmes, NY, graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies: Legal Studies.
Ben Rendich, of Pawling, NY, graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Cinema Studies.
The graduates were joined by thousands of family members, friends, college faculty, and staff members who came together to celebrate their achievements.
This year’s SUNY honorary degree recipients include men and women who have made significant contributions to cultural and civic life in New York, including Former Mayor David N. Dinkins, Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic for The New York Times Holland Cotter, and cultural leader Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel.
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Regina Spektor (’01) received the President’s Award for Distinguished Alumni. Cody La Vada (’17), a multi-disciplinary artist, writer, and educator on transgender and LGBTQ issues, offered remarks on behalf of the senior class.
About Purchase College-SUNY
Purchase College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) network of 64 universities and colleges, was founded in 1967 by Governor Nelson Rockefeller. His aspiration for Purchase was to create a dynamic campus that combined conservatory training in the visual and performing arts with programs in the liberal arts and sciences, in order to inspire an appreciation for both intellectual and artistic talents in all students. Today, Purchase College-SUNY is a community of students, faculty, and friends where open-minded engagement with the creative process leads to a lifetime of intellectual growth and professional opportunity. For more information about the College, visit www.purchase.edu.
