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Super Send-Off
It was, by all accounts, NYIT's grandest commencement ceremony to date.
More than 6,000 parents, guests and faculty members saluted the Class of 2002 during NYIT's 41st annual commencement ceremony on May 19. NYIT President and CEO Edward Guiliano, Ph.D., smiling from ear to ear, noted that the commencement ceremony honored more than 2,000 students representing all eight of NYIT's schools.
The ceremony also reinforced NYIT's rising status among institutions of higher learning.
Indeed, Dr. Guiliano presented honorary doctorate degrees to New York Gov. George E. Pataki, who delivered the commencement address; former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik; and Dr. Stanley Schiowitz, the outgoing dean of NYIT's New York College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYCOM).
The celebratory mood, however, was muted as each speaker paid tribute to those who perished in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. NYIT Chairman Stanley Kreitman noted that five NYIT alumni died on that tragic day, and honored them with a moment of silence.
Alluding to New York's remarkable resilience following the attacks, Gov. Pataki urged the Class of 2002 to "never give up," regardless of the personal challenges ahead. "The fact that you [graduates] are here today receiving degrees from one of New York's finest institutions of higher learning is a sure sign that you are not quitters," said Gov. Pataki.
Meanwhile, Kerik paid tribute to Glen Pettit (B.F.A. '95), an NYIT alumnus who worked in the NYPD Video Unit. Officer Pettit died while attempting to videotape the scene of the attacks. Kerik noted that Pettit showed bravery, commitment and honor as he ran toward Ground Zero, even as thousands of people fled the area.
Dr. Guiliano thanked Kerik and Gov. Pataki for their leadership in the months following the attacks, and gradually shifted the spotlight to NYIT's talented graduates.
"Let's remember that today is not about an ending," said Dr. Guiliano. "We must recall that commencement is about a beginning, a fresh start, a new journey … Now that you've conquered our classrooms and laboratories, it's time to embark on a new quest for personal and professional greatness. The route you take and decisions you make will shape our communities for decades to come."
Seeds of Success
Dr. Guiliano beseeched NYIT's graduates to challenge the system, much in the way that eager entrepreneurs challenge traditional business thinking. Dr. Guiliano recounted how a young, renegade business owner named Steve Jobs struggled to secure funding for his fledgling company in the mid-1970s. Hewlett-Packard and several other technology giants rejected Jobs' request for money because he was a dreamer with little real-world experience, noted Guiliano.
Jobs ultimately lined up funding from a venture capitalist, and launched the PC revolution while heading Apple Computer. Jobs also became CEO of Pixar Animation Studios, which has historic ties to NYIT's Computer Graphics Lab.
"For three decades, Steve has challenged the system and pushed ahead with ideas that ultimately changed the world," said Dr. Guiliano. "So too, can you."
Striking a similar chord, Kerik recounted his days as an underachieving student who "would never amount to anything," according to school administrators. "A number of students look surprised to see me sitting here," said Kerik. "Believe me, nobody is more surprised than I am. I hated school. I quit in 1972, but I had mentors who told me to go back to school and get an education."
Soon after, Kerik pursued a career in criminal justice, rose through the NYPD ranks and became commissioner in 1999. The local media praised him for working closely with Gov. Pataki and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to comfort New Yorkers and maintain order after the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Kerik stepped down as commissioner on Jan. 1 to work in the private sector.
Head of the Class
Despite those prominent guest speakers, commencement day ultimately belonged to the graduating students, including Michelle Pujols, the out-going president of the Student Government Association at NYIT's Manhattan campus and a computer graphics graduate; and Derek Bond Rosner, a NYCOM graduate.
The day was bittersweet for Pujols, who lost her mother to cancer shortly before beginning classes at NYIT. Pujols considered her time at NYIT to be "difficult, rewarding and exciting all at once." Rosner, by contrast, urged classmates to "challenge your mind and body; strive and persevere."
Graduates like David DeBlasio (B.S., Computer Science) could hardly contain their pride during the ceremony. DeBlasio is pursuing a career in computer programming and was weighing several job offers as this story went to press.
DeBlasio completed his degree one year early because he earned more than 20 advanced placement credits while attending high school in Glen Cove, N.Y. "I paid my own way through college, and I take a lot of pride in that," said DeBlasio.
Or, as Dr. Guiliano so aptly said to the entire graduating class, "Your track record proves that your are capable of greatness."
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