Graduation at Queens College

About half of the 4,200 degree candidates invited to the 87th graduation ceremony at Queens College (QC) bravely baked in their caps and gowns as the temperature topped 90 degrees, to continue the centuries-old tradition and receive their own degree in person.
The class of 2007, part of a total audience approaching 10,000, gathered on the QC quad on Thursday, May 31 to be addressed by two of their own, QC alumnus and best-selling novelist Susan Isaacs, and student commencement speaker Chikodi E. Emerenini, a psychology major and pre-law student.
The audience also heard from Senator Charles Schumer, Congressmember Anthony Weiner, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall and other elected officials and dignitaries.
Schumer bridged the generation gap by confiding that he turned down a chance to travel after his graduation to be with a love interest who dumped him shortly afterwards. “Every cloud has a silver lining,” Schumer said, continuing, “I didn’t get that girl, but a few years later I won that election.” Schumer won a seat in the State Assembly at age 23.
The most animated response from the sweltering grads was to Emerenini, the Nigerian native and daughter of a diplomat, who told her fellows that, “Resilience is the key to life” and told them to “feel on top of the world - it’s your moment.”
Among the degrees conferred was an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, awarded to Max Kupferberg, for his exceptional involvement in the religious, educational and financial life of the Borough. Kupferberg has given over $10 million to QC, as well as substantial grants to other seats of higher learning.
The commencement marks the official start of QC’s 70th year. The 2008 edition of the prestigious Princeton Review lists QC near the top of all public colleges, summing up its review of QC with the words, “great education, cheap price.”