The Koessler Athletic Center (KAC) was decked out in blue and gold for the college’s 2017 commencement activities. The KAC was filled to capacity with proud family members, friends, faculty and staff who gathered to celebrate with the graduates.
Graduate Ceremony
Veteran educator and administrator Christine M. Licata-Culhane ’67, MS ’71, EdD, addressed the graduate commencement class on Wednesday evening, May 17. Licata-Culhane told graduates that the “dedicated Canisius faculty is what distinguishes the Canisius brand of graduate education from all the rest.”
See photos from the Graduate Ceremony.
ROTC Commissioning
From L to R: Michael Kuebler, Chalice Lee, Alyssa Fox, David Kerling and Conor Driscoll
The Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program at Canisius College commissioned 14 cadets as second lieutenants during a ceremony on May 19. Five of the newly-commissioned cadets graduated from Canisius. They are:
- Conor P. Driscoll, a criminal justice major, assigned to the Adjutant General Corp, 36th Signal Battalion, Korea;
- Alyssa L. Fox, an animal behavior, ecology and conservation major; assigned to the Army National Guard, Medical Services Corp, Co C, 427th, Buffalo, NY;
- David A. Kerling, a biology major granted an educational delay to attend the State University of New York School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences;
- Michael J. Kuebler, a sports management major assigned to Transportation Corps HHC, 1st Battalion, 10th Mountain Division in Fort Drum, NY; and
- Chalice Lee, a political science major, assigned to Military Intelligence, 301 Combat Information Operations Battalion in Fort Totten, NY.
Baccalaureate Mass
On Friday, May 19, the campus community gathered in the Koessler Athletic Center for Baccalaureate Mass celebrated by the Most Rev. Richard J. Malone, Bishop of Buffalo. Baccalaureate Mass is a tradition that honors a graduating class and dates back to medieval times.
View photos from the Mass here.
Undergraduate Ceremony
Nelson D. Civello ’67, retired president of the Fixed Income Capital Markets Group for Dain Rauscher Corp. and past chair of the Bond Market Association, delivered the undergraduate commencement address on Saturday, May 20.
Civello told graduates that his class “faced and helped to reform the world as Jesuit trained soldiers, and we are now bringing that world to you…We are a bit tired now and need to hand the baton off to you. We will recede and become your counselors as you will become the doers.”
Civello finished his address by asking that graduates take a selfie to upload to Instagram using the hashtag #NelsonGriffGrad.
During undergraduate ceremonies, Thomas M. Banchich, PhD, professor and chair of the Classics Department, led the faculty procession as this year’s Kenneth L. Koessler Distinguished Faculty Award winner. Given annually by the Alumni Association, the prestigious award recognizes one faculty member for teaching excellence and outstanding contributions to the academic world.
Canisius also conferred honorary degrees upon Amy J. Habib MS ’63, past chair of the board of directors of Petri Baking Products Inc.; Bishop Matthew H. Clark, retired bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester; Michael “Mitch” Flynn, owner and creative director of Flynn and Friends and founder of the Ride for Roswell; and L. Nelson Hopkins, MD, internationally recognized pioneer of endovascular neurosurgery.
The Alumni Association presented the 2017 LaSalle Medal, its highest honor, to Nora E. Eberl ’92 and Thomas G. Smith ’71. The award recognizes outstanding Canisius alumni whose substantial contributions to the college have, over time, advanced the interests and mission of alma mater. Eberl is the third generation co-owner of Eberl Iron Works Inc. Smith is a former partner with Hartner, Secrest & Emery LLP.
During his address to the Class of 2017, President Hurley told graduates, “You will be in our prayers always at Canisius. And you should know that no matter where life takes you, no matter what challenges you face, you will always have a home at Canisius…May God bless Canisius College and may God bless the great Class of 2017!”
Click here to see photos from the undergraduate ceremonies.
View videos from each of the Commencement ceremonies here.
Submitted by: College Communications
