SUNY Potsdam graduates celebrate and grieve at Saturday commencement
May 21—POTSDAM — It must have been hot for the nearly 5,000 people in attendance at SUNY Potsdam's graduation on Saturday, held on the field outside Lougheed Learning Commons. It was 85 degrees.
The weather didn't distract from the celebratory and emotional occasion, however, which touched on themes of pandemic and remembrance.
SUNY Potsdam honored more than 1,000 candidates for graduation this year, and invited 2020 and 2021 alumni who had been unable to take part in a traditional in-person ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the procession of students, the ceremony began with the Canadian and American national anthems sung respectively by Nate Strock and Ben Johnson, both of the Class of 2022.
Then, College Council Chair June F. O'Neill spoke about collective achievement and grief.
"When we celebrate," she said, "we celebrate together. When we grieve, we grieve together. Today, we do both together."
SUNY Potsdam officer in charge John L. Graham died in November. Elizabeth M. Howell, a 21-year-old music education student at the college's Crane School of Music, was shot and killed near campus in February.
Ms. Howell was set to graduate this year, and her father accepted a diploma on her behalf.
"Beth achieved so much in her time at SUNY Potsdam and the Crane School of Music, including being named principal cellist in the Crane Symphony Orchestra," William J. Gibbons, dean of the Crane School of Music, said during his remarks.
Former New York Yankee and musician Bernie Williams gave the keynote address. He talked about the importance of personal evolution and embracing oneself.
He traced his personal development from growing up in Puerto Rico to unexpectedly playing Major League Baseball and then rekindling a love for music in retirement.
"After my career as a baseball player ended in 2006, I was faced with another crossroad in my life, and once again had to ask the question: 'OK, now what?'" he said.
He said he decided to return to school full time to study music, and even wrote a book about the symbiosis between music and athletics.
He emphasized that it's never too late to learn something new, or to embrace who you really are, and told the graduates that their learning has not come to an end. Rather, it's just beginning.
"Whichever path, or paths, you may find yourself on in life, I think you need to just be yourself," he said.
He then left the graduates with a saying largely attributed to philosopher and writer Oscar Wilde: "Be yourself. Everyone else is taken."
