New York State Senator David A. Paterson Will Deliver Commencement Address at BMCC 41st Commencement, June 2

May 23, 2006

New York, N.Y.—New York State Senator David A. Paterson, a strong advocate for education and medical research, will deliver the keynote address at the Borough Manhattan Community College’s forty-first Commencement Exercises on Friday, June 2. Students and their families, faculty, and administrators will convene at 11:30 a.m. in the Theater at Madison Square Garden. BMCC President Antonio Pérez will preside over the ceremony as 2,205 graduates­––695 with high honors––will receive their diplomas.

Senator Paterson, first elected in 1985, was made New York State Senate Minority leader in 2002. He is the highest-ranking African-American elected official in the State. Representing the 30th District, which encompasses Harlem, East Harlem, and the Upper West Side, he has repeatedly broken barriers, demanded changes, and passed legislation on behalf of the disenfranchised and disadvantaged New Yorkers throughout his career.

As part of the ceremony, Paterson will also receive the presidential medal, the College’s highest honor, given to individuals with outstanding service to the community.

City University of New York Vice-Chancellor for University Relations and Secretary to the Board of Trustees, Jay Hershenson, and CUNY Trustee Valerie Lancaster Beal will offer greetings.

Four outstanding students, each with Grade Point Averages of 4.0, have been selected as valedictorians:

Co-valedictorian, Jacqueline Friman describes her road to success at BMCC as a circuitous one: she was on a highway, took the back roads, was lost, but somehow got back on track. After the sixth grade, she was home schooled, but when she was sixteen, she stopped studying. For a number of years she worked full-time, looking for a short cut to a better life. She realized that for that to happen, she had to go back to school. First she got her GED. Then she came to BMCC. She began as a liberal arts major but changed to Writing and Literature because she had always wanted to be a writer. Her work ethic has been simple: work hard, give 110%, and you will be successful. She is motivated to do well because she wants all the options possible; she wants to open as many doors as possible. Her extracurricular activities include membership in Phi Theta Kappa, in the Faculty/Student Disciplinary Committee; and as a volunteer for Freshman Assembly. She has applied to Hunter College and the Columbia School of General Studies.

Co-valedictorian, Tiffany James grew up in Staten Island where her parents taught her to work hard and learn. Her father, who worked in instructional technology, often brought computers home and taught his daughter how to navigate different computer systems. Although she was able to find employment in instructional technology after she graduated from high school, when she was laid off a year later, she realized she needed a college degree to further her career. She came to BMCC to pursue a major in computer programming, but she also wanted to learn about other subjects, to be challenged, and to take risks in learning. She also learned not to be afraid to ask questions. As a result of her academic accomplishments, she became a member of Phi Theta Kappa. She has participated in the International Salzburg Seminar where she learned about group dynamics, and joined the College’s Student Ambassador program and the community orchestra. In addition to her studies, Tiffany and her twin sister have pursued their interest in music and have performed at venues around the city and at the New England Conservatory of Music. She has also performed as a back-up vocalist and guitarist, doing approximately five performances a month. She has been accepted to Stanford University to pursue a bachelor’s in both music and computer science. She is currently working at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as a technical analyst.

Co-valedictorian, Mark Janis grew up in the small town of Wood Dale, Illinois. He began his college career in Jacksonville, Florida, but soon dropped out. For the next few years, Mark worked as a restaurant manager in Florida and New York City and, in his spare time, as a stand-up comic. Somewhere along the way, though, he realized that he wanted to teach and make a difference in peoples’ lives. Enrolling at BMCC, he majored in Writing and Literature, with the goal of teaching high school English. While maintaining a 4.0 GPA, Mark has been very active in extracurricular activity at BMCC, serving as President of the Out-in-Two Club; a peer mentor; a tutor in Speech; and a note-taker for students with disabilities. He plans to transfer to Hunter to pursue a bachelor’s degree in secondary education, and eventually a Master’s and Doctorate to teach at the college level.

Co-valedictorian Roberta Sookram was inspired to always do well in school by her parents and grandparents who were all teachers in her home country of Guyana. It is often said in her country that if you come home with a 95, your parents will ask what happened to the other 5 percent. She liked science in her high school and, at age 16, graduated in the top 5 percent. Afterwards, she went to work at a bank where she discovered her real interest—business. In 2003, she moved with her parents to New York City and, in spring 2004, she enrolled at BMCC and majored in Business Administration. She attributes much of her success to being organized, a trait that her father taught her. In addition, she feels that her determination and willingness to make sacrifices contributed to her success. As she says, “Know what you want; make sacrifices; and you will get all you put in.” Her extracurricular accomplishments include being a member of Phi Theta Kappa, working as a peer mentor and as a Speech tutor. She has applied to Berkely College and will pursue a bachelor degree in management and a business-related Masters degree.

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