Suffolk University seniors poured into the Bank of America Pavilion on May 19 to mark their last moments as undergraduate students. The day wasn’t as warm or sunny as many hoped it would be, but that did not stop students from smiling as they walked across stage to grasp their diplomas.
“This is a happy and joyous occasion for all of us,” said both Dean William O’Neill of the Sawyer Business School (SBS) and Dean Kenneth Greenberg of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) to the audience.
This year the university decided to have separate ceremonies for both colleges rather than one large ceremony for all undergraduates. SBS met at the South Boston venue at 9:30 a.m. with 591 graduates, and CAS at 2:30 p.m. with 911 graduates. There were also 778 students receiving master’s degrees during the ceremonies.
Before the events began, students were milling about, anxiously waiting to get seated and listen to distinguished speakers. At this time Suffolk began their graduation pre-show, entertaining guests for 30 minutes before the procession began. This is also when the university started its live stream of the event. Students from SBS and CAS represented 91 countries, according to a university press release, and the live stream allowed students’ families and friends from around the world to watch the day’s events.
“You’ve all shown that you can roll up your sleeves and get it done,” said McCarthy.
The stage was dressed with blooming flowers and the university’s seal as a backdrop. Guests were urged to stand as the procession began, and students marched in their black caps and gowns towards their seats. They were followed by professors and then by the board of trustees and academic administrators. The deans of both schools opened with words of wisdom and a moment of silence for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.
Students performed the national anthem in both ceremonies, Elizabeth Alden for SBS and Ryan Breslin for CAS. Then President McCarthy greeted the students.
“Congratulations, you did it!” said McCarthy. “By every measure this is a proud moment…Suffolk is an incredible place. With all that has happened this year I hope you remember that.”
The two ceremonies were identical until this point. They were personalized for each ceremony as McCarthy finished his statement by introducing the speakers chosen for SBS and CAS. Distinguished speakers and student speakers got the chance to address the graduates. McCarthy introduced Paul Fireman, the founder and CEO of Reebok, to the podium to address the SBS class of 2013.
“Opportunities always come to those who look for them,” said Fireman. This was a big message during his speech as he told anecdotes of how Reebok became the company that it is today. He spoke to students about the feats of signing deals with Jay-Z and Allen Iverson. He described the challenges it took to beat out Nike and become a major sportswear brand. Between the amusing and uplifting stories he took the time to mention the business aspects of these achievements.
“I said to myself, ‘what would it be like to graduate in 2013…in a world that looks pretty chaotic.’” He preached about how the economy has changed since he began his company, but still gave graduates advice for their business endeavors.
Fireman was awarded an Honorary Degree alongside James T. Brett and Catherine D’Amato.
The student speaker for SBS was Sean Faherty, who was receiving his MPA. He told his peers, “your best lessons will come from those who you least expect it,” and that, “the American Dream is still a reality.”
Johanna Gaviria, graduating with a BSBA, also addressed her class and spoke about her experiences as a Suffolk student from Colombia.
“If I had the chance to do it all over again, which I wish I had, I would not change a thing,” she said.
At this point the SBS students took the stage for their diplomas, listened to closing remarks, and proceeded out of the Pavilion. After taking harbor side photographs with their friends and loved ones they cleared out so the CAS ceremony could begin.
After initial remarks from Dean Greenberg and President McCarthy, Robert Kraft took the stage to address the CAS class of 2013. The owner of the New England Patriots had lots of advice for the graduating seniors. As he told stories about bringing the Patriots to championship status, he stressed the importance of teamwork and also encouraged the students to engage in random acts of kindness. But there was one message he wanted students to take away from his speech.
“My advice is: don’t follow the advice of others,” said Kraft, “Don’t let your advisors make decisions for you. Be your own person.”
Kraft received an Honorary Degree beside Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis, Karen Kaplan, and David McCullough. Then Caroline McHeffey, who was receiving a BA, took the podium as the CAS class speaker.
“At Suffolk we don’t just open doors, we build them,” said McHeffey. She stressed the importance of Suffolk’s math center and student’s kindhearted acceptance of each other.
Students were excited about all aspects of the day. Evan Sohn, an American history major, was most excited to have Kraft as a speaker.
“I’m excited about me and the rest of my major getting there,” said Giovanna Scolaro, a graphic design major. At the conclusion of all four years of study, there were only 27 students graduating with a graphic design degree from Suffolk’s New England School of Art and Design.
These students came from many different backgrounds, but looking across the sea of black graduation hats and gowns, the one thing they have in common now is their alumnus status from Suffolk University.
