Family, friends and faculty gather to recognize fall 2016 Outstanding Graduates

It is a SUNY New Paltz tradition at the close of each semester to honor the efforts of distinguished graduates-to-be who have earned places atop their academic programs through excellent work in and out of the classroom.

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The fall 2016 Outstanding Graduate Ceremony, held on Dec. 15, saw professors, friends and family members join together to commend the dedication of the select undergraduate and graduate students who made exemplary contributions to the College’s living and learning community during their time at New Paltz.

“To be admitted to this school indicates that you showed both promise and achievement in what you did before, and as Outstanding Graduates, you are part of an even more impressive subset of students who have achieved at exceptional levels,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Lorin Basden Arnold. “The famous cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead once said, ‘I learned the value of hard work by working hard.’ You’ve worked hard, and I hope that just as we feel proud of what you’ve achieved, you feel the pride of living up to your potential and bringing your best you to the table.

“Congratulations on what you’ve accomplished during your time here. We feel lucky to have been a part of your undergraduate experience, and we look forward to hearing about what you do next.”

Students representing all five of New Paltz’s schools – the School of Business, School of Education, School of Fine and Performing Arts, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the School of Science and Engineering – as well as the students pursuing upper-level degrees through the Graduate School, were named Outstanding Graduates this semester.

They were selected by a faculty nomination process that alludes to the instrumental role New Paltz instructors play in accommodating students’ intellectual ambitions and helping channel their ardent creativity.

“Today’s honorees have been chosen to represent the best of each of their departments by excellent and dedicated faculty mentors,” said Interim Vice President for Student Affairs W. Wayne Brumfield. “They have shared their enthusiasm for learning, collaborated with you on research projects and cheered on your participation in co-curricular activities. Because they’ve shepherded and nurtured your development, some faculty may like you to remain here a little longer. However, they know they must send you off to further your academic development and begin your careers.”