It was a day that 2,600 St. John’s students had been looking forward to all year.
Sunday, May 16 was graduation day at the Queens campus, and more than 19,000 people, including many family members and friends, filled the University’s Great Lawn to help celebrate the school’s 140th commencement exercises.
“I urge you today, don’t sell yourselves short – be hopeful, be bold and believe in yourselves” St. John’s President Reverend Donald J Harrington told the 2,600 graduates in attendance. “See what you can do for our world and go for it! Take the values we have shared here at St. John’s and be faithful to them – and you will go far. The world will be better for it, just as St. John’s has been better for your vibrant presence in our midst during these years.”
This year’s commencement speakers, Bob and Suzanne Wright, who co-founded Autism Speaks in 2005, spoke about the willingness to succeed and the trappings that may detour ones path.
“As the next generation of future leaders, the burden is on you,” said Bob Wright, former Chair and CEO of NBC Universal. “Many of you will be tested. Pride, greed and ambition are dangerous traps but the question is – do you have what it takes to stand firm? You have to love what you do in order to be successful.”
To conclude the formal portion of the program, senior Hadia Sheerazi gave the student address and delivered an emotional thank you to her family – watching the graduation live on video stream from Pakistan.
“To my parents who could not be here today, I love you so much and think about you every day. I wish you could have been here to see me graduate. I don’t have the words to thank you for the sacrifices you have made for me,” said Sheerazi. “I hope I have made you proud.”
