SUNY Geneseo Counts Down to Commencement 2016

GENESEO – Friends and family of SUNY Geneseo’s proud graduates will pour onto the campus this weekend for 2016’s commencement ceremony.

Guests with tickets can attend the ceremony at Wilson Ice Arena at the Merritt Athletic Center. Doors will open at 9 a.m. for the 10 a.m. ceremony and 1 p.m. for the 2 p.m. ceremony.

The College has invited alumna Liz Allen as undergraduate commencement speaker. Allen serves as White House Deputy Communications Director and Deputy Assistant to the President, crafting communications strategy and executing public appearances for President Barack Obama. In this role, Liz coordinates events, trips, and interviews for the President and messaging for Administration policies and initiatives. Liz previously served as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Message Planning in the White House communications office.

At commencement, the College will give honorary degrees for contributors to writer Beverly Daniel Tatum, National Geographic Fellow Fredrik Hiebert, and traditional Ghanaian ruler Daasebre Emmanuel Oti Boateng.

Tatum will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. She is President Emerita of Spelman College and author of the best-selling seminal book, “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?”

Hiebert will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. He has traced ancient trade routes overland and across the seas for more than 20 years.

Boateng will receive an Honorary Doctor of Laws. He has more than 80 technical publications in the areas of statistics, computing, governance, economics, population and policy issues.

Brett Schrader, CPA already spoke at the College’s graduate commencement ceremony on May 6. Schrader is a Partner at EFPR Group, LLP. Brett joined the firm in 2008. Most recently, Brett has performed as the service line leader in the for-profit company arena providing audit, review and consulting services to closely held businesses and portfolio companies of private equity sponsor firms. Prior to his work in public accounting, Brett served as a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps specializing in supply and logistics.

There will be a School of Education Convocation where awards will be given to School of Education scholarship recipients at Wadsworth Auditorium, on May 13 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. All School of Education graduates and their family and friends are invited to attend.