BMCC Hosts 53rd Commencement

Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY) will confer Associate degrees to more than 3,800 graduates during morning and afternoon Commencement ceremonies at The HULU Theater at Madison Square Garden, 4 Pennsylvania Plaza in Manhattan, on June 1. 

The Commencement Ceremony will include graduates from Summer 2017, Fall 2017, Winter 2018 and Spring 2018 graduates. 

The morning ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. and the afternoon ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Each ceremony will feature remarks by members of BMCC’s administration. 

Valendictorians are Accounting major Goumattie Sukraj, who will speak during the morning ceremony, and Economics major Aleksandra Artyfikiewicz, who will speak during the afternoon ceremony. Both Sukraj and Artyfikiewicz maintained 4.0 Grade Point Averages at BMCC, and are members of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society.

Morning and afternoon ceremonies for different majors

BMCC offers Associate degree programs in more than 45 disciplines, ranging from engineering to art history to computer science. 

The morning ceremony will accommodate graduates in Accounting, Animation and Motion Graphics, Art Foundations: Art History, Art Foundations: Studio Art, Forensic Accounting, Bilingual Childhood Education, Biotechnology, Business Administration, Business Management: Finance and Banking, Business Management: General Management, Business Management: Marketing, Business Management: Travel and Tourism, Childhood Education, Communication Studies, Community Health Education, Computer Network Technology, Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, Early Childhood Education: Infant/Toddler, Early Childhood Education: Preschool, Engineering Science, Geographic Information Science, Mathematics, Modern Language: French, Modern Language:Italian, Modern Language: Spanish, Multimedia Programming Design: Computer Arts and Design, Multimedia Programming Design: Programming, Office Operations, School Health Education, Science, Science for Forensics, Science for Health Professionals, Secondary Education, Small Business Entrepreneurship, Theatre, Video Arts and Technology and Writing and Literature.

The afternoon ceremony will accommodate graduates in Criminal Justice, Sociology, Economics, Gerontology, Health Information Technology, History, Human Services, Liberal Arts, Nursing, Paramedic, Psychology and Respiratory Therapy.

2018 Presidential Medalists

The 53rd Commencement Presidential Medalists are Tim Tynan and Steven Fiterman, both members of the BMCC Foundation Board. 

Steven Fiterman is the manager and chief principal of several real estate management and development companies that invest in local communities across the United States. With offices in both Minnesota and Florida, Fiterman’s companies provide real estate portfolio management and residential home building, as well as expertise in mandated improvements for both city and township communities including street construction and utility infrastructure. 

As a leader in real estate and community development, Steven Fiterman understands the importance of land development and its impact on the prosperity of communities nation-wide. Projects Fiterman has overseen have stimulated growth in retail, neighborhoods and schools.  

Steven Fiterman is the son of BMCC Foundation Board Member Miles Fiterman, who passed away in 2004 and who donated the original Fiterman Hall to BMCC in 1993.The building was irreparably damaged when World Trade 7 fell against it, in the attacks of 9/11.

The rebuilt Miles and Shirley Fiterman Hall reopened in Fall 2012, providing the BMCC community with sophisticated classrooms, laboratories, offices and a conference center with scenic views.

Steven Fiterman, along with his wife Susan, is also a trustee and principal donor to the Steven C. and Susan L. Fiterman Charitable Foundation, which has been a significant supporter to BMCC and its students. 

Throughout his career, Tim Tynan has served as leader in corporate banking and an advocate for education and philanthropy. 

Tynan became the CEO of Bank of America Merchant Services in May 2014. He previously served as Managing Director and Regional Head of Transaction Services for Citigroup in Japan, where he was responsible for Citi’s treasury and trade solutions, as well as securities and fund services. Before moving to Japan in 2012, Tynan was the COO of Citi’s Transaction Services (CTS) globally. 

Tim Tynan began his career with IBM in 1981. Over a 20-year period, he held various executive leadership roles in sales and marketing, sales operations, customer service, product market development and client relationship management.

For more than twenty years, Tynan has volunteered with BMCC, serving on the College’s Board of Trustees, which included his tenure as Board Chairman from 2003 to 2005. Tynan served on the New York Board of Junior Achievement and he has volunteered with Bridges to Community, which works with rural communities throughout Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic to repair and build homes, schools and health clinics.

50-year anniversary graduates

This  year, alumni who are reaching their 50-year anniversary of graduating from BMCC will be participating in the 53rd Commencement. These graduates from the 1960s will walk in the afternoon procession and sit on the dais during the ceremony. 

More information

For information on caps and gowns, tickets, commencement procedures, graduates and guests with disabilities, diplomas, children as guests, the 2018 Yearbook and other areas, visit the 53rd Commencement Ceremony page on the college website.