University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

Commencement season will begin on Friday with the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences commencement ceremony. Photo: STEVE MORSE

• Print

• Comments

By DAVID J. HILL

Published: April 28, 2011

More than 5,500 students are candidates to receive degrees during UB’s 165th general commencement and 15 other commencement ceremonies to be held from April 29 through May 21.

While the commencement exercises mark the end of students’ tenures at UB, they will usher in a new era for the university as Satish K. Tripathi presides over his first commencement season as UB president. Tripathi, previously UB provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, was confirmed as UB’s 15th president by the SUNY Board of Trustees on April 18.

UB’s general commencement ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. May 15 in Alumni Arena, North Campus.

Tripathi will deliver remarks; Andrew J. Wiktor will serve as student speaker.

JoAnn Falletta, music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, will receive the Chancellor Charles P. Norton Medal, the university’s highest award. SUNY honorary degrees will be presented to Ronald I. Dozoretz, MD ’62 & BA ’57, and Arthur E. Levine, PhD ’76.

Forty students will receive special recognition during the ceremony.

Joseph S. Thomas will receive the Student Affairs Senior Leadership Award.

To receive the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence are Joshua M. Adams, Desiree C. Albert, Felicia Cao, Justin M. Karter, Ryan A. Linden, Claire M. Lochner, Angelica J. Maier, Chikashi Miyama, Grace C. Mukupa, Sarah C. Mye, Laura C. Neese, Derek M. Peloquin, Laura B. Radecki, Krista E. Scimeca and Crystal L. Sterling.

Graduates receiving the Outstanding Senior Award from the College of Arts and Sciences are Jessica L. Kilbury, African and African American Studies; Jennifer C. Christian, American Studies; Katie L. Konesky, Anthropology; Romana E. Blissard, Asian Studies; Joshua M. Adams, Biological Sciences and History; Derek M. Peloquin, Chemistry; Janet A. Spiller, Classics; Ian S. Fineberg, Communication; Marissa E. Sheehan, Communicative Disorders and Sciences; Marcus R. Catlin, Economics; Lucas B. Barton, English and Media Study; Jeffrey Z. Chudy, Geography; Sarah M. Lavin, Geology; Joseph P. Giroux, Linguistics; Daniel S. Padgett, Mathematics; Jeffrey T. Knorr, Music; Ryan J. Undercoffer, Philosophy; Grady A. Gambrel, Physics; Sarah C. Mye, Political Science; Olivia M. Schlager, Psychology; David J. Marello, Romance Languages and Literatures; Amy A. Buffomante, Social Sciences Interdisciplinary; Sarah E. Eggleston, Sociology and Global Gender Studies; Claire L. McTaggart, Special Studies; Laura C. Neese, Theatre and Dance; and Angelica J. Maier, Visual Studies.

Vocalists are Lauren A. Hodsdon, Jennifer M. Leibowitz and Eva E. Tashjian.

The ceremony will be streamed online.

The remaining schedule of commencement exercises:

• School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2 p.m., April 29, Center for the Arts. Susan Dentzer, editor-in-chief of HealthAffairs.org, is the speaker.
• Biomedical Sciences, 6 p.m., May 12, Center for the Arts. Constance Brinckerhoff, the Nathan Smith Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry and associate dean for science education at Dartmouth University, is the speaker.
• Graduate School of Education, 9 a.m., May 13, Center for the Arts.
• College of Arts and Sciences (graduate), 1 p.m., May 13, Center for the Arts.
• School of Management (undergraduate), 1 p.m., May 13, Alumni Arena.
• School of Management (graduate), 5 p.m., May 13, Alumni Arena.
• School of Nursing, 9 a.m., May 14, Alumni Arena.
• School of Social Work, 9 a.m., May 14, Center for the Arts. Lawrence Shulman, a professor and dean emeritus of the school, will speak.
• School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 1 p.m., May 14, Alumni Arena. The speaker is Scott Stevens, BS Civil ’79, the founder and CEO of Dimension Fabricators in Schenectady. Stevens also is a member of the school’s Dean’s Advisory Council.
• School of Public Health and Health Professions, 1 p.m., May 14, Center for the Arts. The speaker is John D. Craig, vice president of education and outreach at WNED/ThinkBright.
• School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 1 p.m., May 14, Slee Concert Hall. David Triggle, SUNY Distinguished Professor and university professor, UB pharmacy school, will speak.
• School of Dental Medicine, 5 p.m., May 14, Center for the Arts. The speaker is Stan Brock, founder of Remote Area Medical, a not-for-profit group whose volunteers provide medical services to people living in remote areas in the U.S. and across the globe.
• School of Architecture and Planning, 6 p.m., May 14, Alumni Arena. Dean Robert Sibley will speak.
• Educational Opportunity Center, 7 p.m., May 17, Center for the Arts. Robert D. James, associate provost, SUNY Office of Opportunity Programs, will speak.
• Law School, 3 p.m., May 21, Center for the Arts. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand will speak.