Hartwick College class of 2024 graduates

May 20—More than 210 graduates received their degrees Saturday, May 18 during Hartwick College's 92nd Commencement ceremony under a tent on Elmore Field. Before the students walked the stage, one of the graduates, Michael Demarais, was presented with the Abraham L. Kellogg Oratorical Prize for his speech, "Learning to Look Through Another Lens," which he had delivered at Honors Convocation, held May 1.

According to a media release from the college, Student Government Association President Noah Hurt said his graduating class has come a long way, dealing with the challenges of facing the COVID-19 pandemic, being surrounded by people in masks and not being able to even see each other outside dorms. "We let nothing get in our way," Hurt said. "Our class is truly something special."

*Laurel Bongiorno, vice president for academic affairs and provost, announced Min Chung, professor of mathematics, as the winner of the Margaret B. Bunn Award for Outstanding Teaching.

The President's Medals for Extraordinary and Exemplary Loyalty to the College were awarded to Raymond "Larry" Laurence Miller Jr., and Thomas Meredith, both 1973 graduates of Hartwick. The distinction was bestowed upon Miller and Meredith "for their significant and unwavering commitment and contributions to Hartwick College," according to the release.

Honorary degrees were then conferred on Harry Bradshaw Matthews, author and founding director of Hartwick's United States Colored Troops Institute for Local History and Family Research; Linda Tarr-Whelan, an international expert on women's leadership in the economy and government; and prize-winning author Douglas Brinkley, U.S. presidential historian and best-selling author.

Bradshaw Matthews said he wanted the graduates to remember the past as they move forward. "The spirits of my ancestors and the spirits of those earlier brave souls of Hartwick are smiling down upon us today," he said. "To graduates, I encourage you to take with you this important history as you embark on the next chapter in your journey, while always remembering the legacy of your alma mater and its respect for all of humanity."

Tarr-Whelan reminded the graduates of life's priorities. "Relationships are primary; all else is secondary," she said. "We are all going to make mistakes; we are all going to find different ways to live but to show respect and dignity to everyone you meet is an important cornerstone for your life."

Brinkley gave the commencement address. "Your Hartwick experience is not just about each other and all the humans here; it is also about the setting you are in," he said. "And the way that beautiful nature can repair the soul. You have a sacred obligation leaving Hartwick to be stewards of America."

Hartwick College President James H. Mullen Jr. said, "You represent hope. Hope for a world that needs you and welcomes you. Embrace that world with confidence, but always temper it with humility; embrace it with strength but balance it with compassion; embrace it with kindness inspired by love. And in doing so, always remain the best and the most genuine you."

*Laurel Bongiorno's title has been updated.