Saturday’s overcast skies were no match for the sunny smiles of some 350 newly minted Keuka College graduates as the College held its 116th Commencement ceremony.
Keuka College Master of Social Work major Elizabeth Stewart, center, is flanked by her brother, Airman First Class Thomas Smith, left, and College President Storey.
Cheered on by some 2,000 friends and family members, graduates in more than two dozen of the College’s bachelor’s and master’s programs walked the stage in a day filled with pride, celebration, gratitude, and one very special surprise.
As the list of graduates was being read, there was a pause following the name of Master of Social Work major Elizabeth Stewart.
Elizabeth’s family includes several veterans and active service members, including her grandfather, 92-year-old Richard Bullenkamp, a retired U.S. Air Force Major who attended Saturday’s ceremony, and her older brother Timothy Smith, an Air Force staff sergeant serving in England.
Neither her older brother nor a younger brother, Airman First Class Thomas Smith, stationed in Missouri, could share Elizabeth’s big day with her. Or so she thought.
“You stood by his side at his wedding last summer,” College President Amy Storey said of Thomas. “Today, you believed he couldn’t get leave to be here with you … but that wasn’t the full story.”
President Storey then introduced Thomas, who stepped onto the stage displaying a bouquet of flowers and a huge smile. The siblings embraced to a wave of applause.
Elizabeth, who lives in Marcellus, Onondaga County, said the surprise caught her entirely off guard.
“I thought I was in trouble,” she said of being addressed by the president. “I was so overwhelmed – I had no idea!”
It was a highlight in a day that was full of them.
Business Management major Peyton Taylor, one of two student speakers, spoke of the friends, mentors, and role models who shaped his time at Keuka College.
Inspiration and Encouragement
Before their moment on stage, graduates heard a commencement address from President Storey, who urged students to do the hard work of staying engaged as they proceed with their lives and embark on careers.
“Engagement is hard,” she told the graduates. “It requires the humility to accept that we might be wrong. The courage to ask questions. The patience to listen. And the willingness to be uncomfortable. But that’s where learning lives. That’s where progress happens.”
Graduates also heard from student speakers Georgia Gallatin and Peyton Taylor.
Georgia, a Nursing major from Bloomfield, New York, said it was a day to celebrate growth, perseverance, and the endless possibilities that await graduates.
“Keuka College is founded on the principles of community, integrity, leadership, and responsibility,” she said. “Whether it was through community engagement projects, Field Period opportunities, or personal interactions with our professors, Keuka has consistently emphasized that we are not just here to excel in our own lives but to lift up those around us along the way.”
Peyton, a Business Management major from Troy, Pennsylvania, spoke of the many doors Keuka College has opened for him and the sense of community it provides.
“I have found lifelong friends here, mentors and role models,” he said. “And I continue to take so much inspiration from them all as I take another step toward my future.”
Nursing major Chloe Sears of Perry, New York, returns to her seat after walking the stage at Keuka College’s 116th Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 17. More than 350 graduates joined Chloe in celebrating their graduation.
Additional Honors
A number of other honors were announced:
- Professor of Educational Studies and Division Chair Dr. Klaudia Lorinczova was named Keuka College Professor of the Year. The award is presented to instructors whose work was identified by their peers as particularly exemplary over the previous academic year.
- Adjunct Instructor of Management Mike Furlough was named the College’s Adjunct Instructor of the Year.
-The College also announced that two recently retired instructors have been named professors emeriti in recognition of their lengthy and dedicated service to the College and its students: Professor of Social Work Stephanie Craig and Associate Professor of Education Dr. Peter Kozik.
The College’s Commencement weekend events included the 116th Baccalaureate Service on Friday, May 16. The annual service, a reflective ceremony celebrating student achievements and future journeys, included student reflections presented by graduating seniors Lennon Brant, Isabella Colon, Shania Gonyeau, Kimberly Rose Proudman, Miranda Rosabianca, and Peyton Taylor. The Baccalaureate Address was delivered by Instructor of Criminology and Criminal Justice Michael Smith.
