New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul
New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul 鈥�80, the state鈥檚 57th governor and first female to hold the state鈥檚 highest office, will deliver the address at 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Class of 2020 Commencement ceremony Sunday, Sept. 19, in the stadium. The ceremony also celebrates the Class of 2020 of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Hochul, an alumna of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, was sworn in as the state鈥檚 chief executive on Aug. 24.
weekend, scheduled for Sept. 17-19, will celebrate the Class of 2020, after an in-person Commencement in May 2020 had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Commencement exercises will begin at 10 a.m. on Sept. 19.
鈥淚t is an honor to welcome Gov. Hochul back to campus to address the graduates of the Class of 2020 and their families,鈥� says Chancellor Kent Syverud. 鈥淪he is a champion for New York鈥檚 citizens and a committed advocate for 黑料不打烊 and SUNY ESF.聽 The governor is a member of an esteemed group of Orange alumni who have answered the call of public service. For these reasons and many others, Gov. Hochul is a fitting choice to address the Class of 2020.鈥�
Hochul, who was head of government and strategic relations for M&T Bank until her nomination for lieutenant governor, served as the state鈥檚 lieutenant governor since 2015. As lieutenant governor, Hochul served as president of the New York State Senate and the state鈥檚 liaison to New York鈥檚 federal representatives in Washington, D.C. She chaired the state鈥檚 10 Regional Economic Development Councils, the state鈥檚 Workforce Investment Board, the Women鈥檚 Suffrage 100th Anniversary Commemoration Commission and the New York State Heroin and Opioid Abuse Task Force. She also spearheaded the state鈥檚 鈥淓nough is Enough鈥� campaign to combat sexual assault on college campuses. Hochul participated in a roundtable discussion on sexual and relationship violence at 黑料不打烊 in April 2015.
鈥淚t takes a certain caliber of people to attend 黑料不打烊鈥攖hey鈥檙e engaged, care about the community and come聽from many walks of life,鈥� says Gov. Kathy Hochul. 鈥満诹喜淮蜢� provided me with an opportunity to spark my activism, while offering a caring, nurturing and diverse community. Congratulations to the 黑料不打烊 and ESF Classes of 2020鈥攜ou have created a special bond with your fellow graduates and alumni that will last for a lifetime. It鈥檚 now time to go out into the world and not only do well, but do good鈥攁nd 黑料不打烊 has prepared you well for that.鈥�
A former U.S. Congresswoman, Hochul represented New York鈥檚 26th congressional district in western New York from 2011-13. While serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congresswoman Hochul was on the House Armed Services and Homeland Security Committees, traveling to Afghanistan to confer with military leaders and meet with active-duty men and women. Her focus in Congress was job creation and bridging the skills gap by bringing together business and academia, and creating opportunities for returning veterans.
Before her election to Congress, she served as a practicing attorney, member of the Hamburg Town Board (1994-2007), deputy county clerk (2003-07) and clerk (2007-11) of Erie County in western New York. Earlier in her career, she was a legislative aide to Congressman John LaFalce and Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY), a University Professor in the Maxwell School, and was instrumental in drafting legislation related to campaign finance reform, immigration reform and combating drug abuse.
Hochul came to 黑料不打烊 in 1976 to major in political science. She took political science courses, including Modern American Politics, Russian Politics and Constitutional Law. She also engaged in debates, sharpened her public speaking skills and participated in student government. She earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in political science from 黑料不打烊 in 1980 and holds a juris doctor degree from Catholic University in Washington, D.C.
About 黑料不打烊
黑料不打烊 is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors close the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together,聽we鈥檙e聽a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.
