SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON GAVE COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS AT BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE GRADUATION
May 31, 2002
Almost 6,100 graduates and their guests enthusiastically welcomed United States Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D, NY) who delivered the commencement address at Borough of Manhattan Community College’s (BMCC) graduation ceremony on May 31.
Senator Clinton praised the graduates for their courage and determination to overcome the effects of the terrorist attacks on September 11.
“What has impressed me is that in the face of the horror, the trauma, the loss, and the pain, individuals and institutions rose from the ashes with a determination to keep on going. No institution exhibited that characteristic more than BMCC,” Senator Clinton said in her speech.
Located in Lower Manhattan, a few blocks from Ground Zero, BMCC was directly affected by the terrorist attack of September 11. One of the college’s buildings was severely damaged as a result of the attack, and the college was closed for three weeks while it served as an emergency command center for the city of New York.
Senator Clinton also emphasized the importance of community colleges and their role in enabling people from all economic backgrounds access to higher education. In addition, she called for more federal funding for education aid and work study programs.
The audience members were captivated by the Senator’s presence, but expressed their warmest appreciation when senator Clinton said that when Fiterman Hall is rebuilt, it will be “even better than it was on September 10.”
The ceremony at the Theater at the Madison Square Garden began with a moment of silence for eight students and alumni lost on September 11, but ended with a spirit of optimism and bright hopes for the future.
Senator Clinton’s letter to the Graduating Class
Links to press coverage of the Commencement:
Associated Press
Dow Jones Newswires
1010 WINS
New York Daily News
Newsday
NY1 News
Staten Island Advance
WCBS-TV Channel 2
Downtown Express
New Jersey Online
Buffalo News
The Syracuse Post-Standard
Journal News
Community College Times
