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The Class of 2015 creates their class year on the turf of the Carrier Dome during ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Welcome 2011.

The day is almost here. Don your cap and gown, and see you at the Carrier Dome.

ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ’s will take place Sunday, May 10, beginning with the degree candidates procession at 9:30 a.m. Graduates of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) will participate in the 118th Commencement of that college.

Mary Karr

Award-winning poet and best-selling memoirist Mary Karr will deliver the Commencement address.

ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ will confer 5,613 degrees, which are the bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and associate’s degree candidates. The will confer 193 juris doctor and 18 master of law degrees during a ceremony Friday, May 8. The will be William J. Brodsky ’65, L’68.

SUNY ESF will confer 566 degrees.

ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Chancellor and President Kent Syverud and SUNY ESF President Quentin D. Wheeler will address graduates and confer degrees on their respective candidates. Interim Vice Chancellor and Provost Liz Liddy will preside.

The University will award honorary degrees to five recipients: NBC sports journalist and broadcaster Bob Costas ’74; founder and Executive Director of F.O.C.U.S. Greater ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Charlotte Holstein; Karr, an award-winning poet and memoirist and the Jesse Truesdell Peck Professor of Literature at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ; University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Professor Emerita Sonia Nieto; and attorney, civic leader, veteran and Chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees Richard L. Thompson G’67.

Student leaders

The two all-University Senior Class Marshals, Ashlee Sage Newman and Ronald James-Terry Taylor, will lead graduates during the ceremony. Newman is a dual major in political science and policy studies within the and the , with a strategic management minor in the . Taylor is a dual major in political science and policy studies within the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School.

Along with the all-University marshals, 23 student marshals will represent the 13 schools and colleges at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ; ESF is represented by two student marshals. They were chosen on the basis of leadership abilities, participation in extracurricular activities, service to the University and academic achievement. The marshals will lead the degree candidates of their respective schools or colleges.

Twelve seniors have been designated as ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Scholars and three as SUNY-ESF Scholars. This is the highest academic award given to undergraduate students. University Scholar Matthew Fernandes was selected as this year’s speaker on behalf of the Class of 2015.

Celebrate Commencement on social media using the hashtag #SUGrad15.

Heading the academic procession will be Nancy Weatherly Sharp, professor emerita of newspaper journalism in the , who will serve as mace bearer. The University Marshal is Shiu-Kai Chin, Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence and professor of electrical engineering and computer science in the . Associate University Marshal is Kelly Chandler-Olcott, Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence and professor and chair of reading and language arts in the .

The Army and Air Force ROTC cadets will present the colors.

Also during the ceremony, retiring faculty members who have been recommended to receive the title of emeritus by the University Senate to the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Board of Trustees will be recognized by Board of Trustees Chairman Steven W. Barnes.

The ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Brass Ensemble will perform under the direction of James Spencer, professor of chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences. The national anthem will be sung by Angky Budiardjono G’15 and Jaclyn Clark ’15 will sing the alma mater.

Watch it live

The Commencement ceremony will be streamed live at . The stream will go live shortly before the ceremony begins.

WSYR-TV digital 9.2 (Time Warner Ch. 890 and Verizon FiOS 470) will also broadcast the majority of the ceremony.

Celebrate Commencement using the hashtag #SUGrad15. Check out to see the highlights.

Transcripts of speeches, video and photography will be posted at .

More information about Commencement 2015 can be found at .