St. Joseph’s Class of 2010 Graduates At Nassau Coliseum

About 1,000 students graduated as the Class of 2010 from St. Joseph's College at Nassau Coliseum on Monday afternoon. 

This year marks the 32nd year of commencements for the Patchogue campus, and the 91st year of commencements for St. Joseph College, which also has a campus in Brooklyn.  

The students lined up in the exhibition hall to begin their march. The Suffolk County Police Emerald Society Pipe Band led the procession.

School President Sister Elizabeth Hill gave the welcome address and said, "For those of you who have earned graduate degrees, today is both an end and yet another beginning; in every case, this ceremony marks a significant moment in your lives and we are happy to share it with you."

Hill introduced the valedictorian of the School of Professional and Graduate Studies for the class of 2010. This year James J. O'Donnell earned the honor with a grade point average of 3.96.  O'Donnell, who retired as a Lieutenant after 30 years of service to the New York City Fire Department, was reluctant to attend St. Joseph's College due to a long sabbatical from studies. 

"I must admit, after 40 years of absence from school, I found the idea of returning somewhat intimidating, nevertheless I decided to enroll," said O'Donnell. "The first few weeks back to school were a bit awkward for me; so much had changed since the last time I was a student, which incidentally was when L.B.J. [Lyndon B. Johnson] was president."

Peter J. Barnett delivered the commencement address shortly after being honored as the recipient of the College's honorary degree, the Doctor of Humane Letters. Barnett is the Executive Director of Wyandanch Homes and Property Development Corporation (WHPDC) and has been an adjunct professor of Religious Studies on campus for more than 20 years.

Barnett said, "We see here today, the graduates who did more than they thought they could, they learned more than they thought they could and now they are more confident, more self assured than they were two, four, six years ago."

He drew attention to the statistics that 16% of Suffolk County residents have earned their Bachelor's degree and only 11% have completed their Master's degree, reminding graduates of the magnitude of their achievement today.

"Because you have this educational opportunity, you are someone who can make a great difference in the world, in fact, you have a social obligation to use your education, your talents, your abilities, your wisdom to create positive change in this world," said Barnett.

Valedictorian of School of Arts and Sciences, Cassandra Leigh Barcia also gave a speech at the Commencement. "We are guided by a moral compass that leads us on the right path; throughout our lives we develop our moral compass," said Barcia. "Sometimes we can be taught by others, but only when we are open to learn the lessons that they can teach us; our beliefs become the crucial core of our whole being."

Academic Dean, Doris G. Stratmann delivered a quiet benediction before the recessional of graduates.