 |
|||||||
|
May 21, 2005
|
|
Media Contact: |
Mike Andrei
|
|
|
|
Over 450 Receive Degrees at Daemen College 2005 Commencement Ceremonies
|
Four hundred sixty students received degrees from Daemen College during the College’s 2005 Commencement, held May 21 at Kleinhans Music Hall in Buffalo. The Commencement address was given by CBS News Correspondent Dan Rather. Rather, who was anchor and managing editor for the CBS Evening News for 24 years, received an honorary degree from Daemen following his address. He is currently a correspondent for 60 Minutes.
The College recognized three students with special presentations. Mary Bellanca, an Amherst resident majoring in Childhood Education (Social Studies) received the College’s most prestigious academic award for maintaining a 4.0 grade-point-average throughout her undergraduate years. The award is named in honor of Charles L. Lumsden, a former chairman of the Daemen College Board of Trustees. Abby Rose Millner, a Rochester resident who graduated with a degree as a Physician Assistant, received the 2005 Daemen College President’s Award. Each year, the award goes to the student who has demonstrated an outstanding record of leadership and involvement in the College community, in addition to an outstanding concern for his/her fellow students. The Mary Angela Canavan Award is named for the second president of the College, and is presented to the student who best exemplifies a dedication to and enthusiasm for campus life. The 2005 award was presented to Baker Nsubuga. Baker, who was born in Uganda, East Africa, and was moved by his mother to Poughkeepsie at the age of eight, not knowing a word of English. Baker graduated from Daemen with a degree in Business Administration, and was named to Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. In his remarks, Rather said that he did not recall who spoke at his commencement, or what was said. But he hoped that the members of Daemen’s graduating class would take four words – Winston Churchill’s words to a graduating class in Britain many years ago – with them from this day forward: “Never, ever, ever quit.” He said that few moments in life can bring as much pride as this one – commencement day, and that both students and their parents should be justly proud of this achievement. He added that while achievement has often been lessened or cheapened in recent years, that the completion of a degree stand as a real, significant accomplishment. He said that often the biggest question asked of new college graduates is “What are you going to with your life?” He told the students that they could accomplish anything they set their minds to, “with no excuses, no cop-outs, no being a victim.” He said that if the students took another phrase from today’s commencement, it should be, “If it is to be, it is up to me.” He also reminded everyone in the audience that “Democracy is not a spectator sport. Take part in the national process of elections, make sure you vote, not only for president every four years, but in your local elections as well – those for town councils and school boards. They are just as important to the quality of life in every community.” |