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May 20, 2005
View Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's Commencement Address
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 (New York, NY) United States Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) addressed Marymount Manhattan College graduates and their families at the College's 56th commencement ceremonies today at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall.
"Senator Clinton's address celebrated the achievements and experiences of the graduating class of 2005," said Dr. Judson R. Shaver, President of Marymount Manhattan College. "Her words of advice were inspiring, and we were honored to have such a dynamic leader participating in our commencement ceremonies today."
Senator Clinton's remarks addressed the fact that the graduating class of 2005 began their college experience in the fall of 2001, coming to New York City only a few weeks prior to the World Trade Center attacks. Of the graduating class's response to the events of September 11 she commented, "Not only for yourselves, but for your country, you must be able to retain the resilience and sense of community that you found after September 11."
Senator Clinton also touched on the flexibility and openness of the United States' higher education system, and the fact that a college education remains a privilege in this country, where less than half of Americans in the average age group of the graduates has the opportunity to go to college.
Presenting the honorary degree to Senator Clinton was the Honorable Geraldine A. Ferraro, former congresswoman from New York and 1984 vice presidential candidate. A 1956 graduate of Marymount Manhattan, Ferraro praised Senator Clinton for her "commitment to children and education, [her] leadership in building communities and networks to benefit all citizens, and for [her] outstanding service to the people of the State of New York."
Honorary degrees were also awarded to Ron Chernow, political commentator and author of The New York Times bestseller, Alexander Hamilton, and James E. Buckman, Vice Chairman and General Counsel, Chief Compliance officer of Cendant Corporation. Both addressed the class of 2005 with their own congratulatory remarks and advice for life after college. Buckman encouraged students to follow the words of Saint Ignatius Loyola and "go forth and change the world." Chernow called on the graduates to "learn to love the potholes," embracing the setbacks they will experience on the road to success.
The class valedictorian was Sarah C. Cerullo, BA. The class speaker (voted to the position by members of the graduating class of 2005) was Lauren E. Morelli, BFA. Marymount Manhattan granted approximately 430 Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees at the ceremony.
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