Daily Freeman (Kingston, NY)

600 receive degrees at Mount St. Mary College

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NEWBURGH, N.Y. >> Mount St. Mary College recognized 600 graduates at its 56th annual Commenceme­nt Ceremony on Saturday, May 18.

The commenceme­nt speaker, Lt. Gen. Darryl A. Williams, superinten­dent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, reminded the graduates that education is a lifelong pursuit.

“You are graduating into a very complex, challengin­g, and dynamic world, and your education here has equipped you with the creative and critical thinking skills to help you navigate, lead, and succeed,” said Williams, a native of Alexandria, Va., and a 1983 graduate of West Point who became its superinten­dent last July.

“But the learning process never stops, and you’ll discover that best learning experience­s come simply from being around other people, and from your own experience­s as you navigate — and sometimes stumble around — through this thing called life,” he said.

Of the 600 graduates, the college awarded 120 master’s degrees and 480 bachelor’s degrees. Nearly 200 students earned degrees in nursing and related fields, and another 138 earned degrees in business.

As a bagpipe skirl filled the air, the long procession of graduates headed from Aquinas Hall to the ceremony on the Dominican Center Field, which was packed with their families and friends.

James Finn Cotter, the college’s longest-serving professor, was once again master of ceremonies. Saturday’s procession marked Cotter’s 40th at the helm.

The graduating students hailed from 11 states: California, Connecticu­t, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvan­ia, Rhode Island, and Vermont. One graduate, Debbie Francisco, is from Trujillo Alto in Puerto Rico.

Jason N. Adsit, president of the college, congratula­ted the faculty, the parents, and the seniors on a job well done.

The Class of 2019 was the first to graduate under Adsit, who began his tenure at the college last June.

 ?? MATT FREY PHOTO ?? Andrew, left, and Casey Zunich, right, a Kingston couple who both received their master’s degrees in education at Mount St. Mary College Saturday, hold their children, Liam, 1, and Sienna, 3. Andrew teaches science at Valley Central High School in Montgomery, N.Y., and Casey teaches math at M. Clifford Miller Middle School in Lake Katrine, N.Y.
MATT FREY PHOTO Andrew, left, and Casey Zunich, right, a Kingston couple who both received their master’s degrees in education at Mount St. Mary College Saturday, hold their children, Liam, 1, and Sienna, 3. Andrew teaches science at Valley Central High School in Montgomery, N.Y., and Casey teaches math at M. Clifford Miller Middle School in Lake Katrine, N.Y.

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