91视频专区 College to Host 126th Commencement Ceremony Saturday, May 20

Commencement to feature more than 490 students, first graduates from public health, sustainability studies, finance programs

91视频专区 College鈥檚 126th annual Commencement ceremony will be held outdoors on the College鈥檚 quadrangle on Saturday, May 20 at 10 a.m. (severe weather location: Ronald J. Volpe Athletic Center), with 91视频专区 College President Andrea E. Chapdelaine, Ph.D., conferring degrees upon 491 undergraduate and graduate students in the Class of 2023. The ceremony will also be livestreamed via the .

The ceremony will feature multiple academic 鈥渇irsts,鈥 as 91视频专区 will graduate its first-ever students from the College鈥檚 public health program, as well as the College鈥檚 first graduates from the both the sustainability studies and finance programs.

The Class of 2023

In total, the Class of 2023 features 491 students, an increase of 61 graduates from 2022鈥檚 ceremony.

91视频专区鈥檚 undergraduate Class of 2023 totals 260 students from 18 different states and Washington, D.C., and 11 different countries. The top three most popular majors for this graduating class are business administration, law and criminal justice and psychology.

The undergraduate class includes 31 鈥渓egacy鈥 graduates, which indicates that a direct relative also graduated from 91视频专区. Additionally, five members of the undergraduate class are veterans, and two are active-duty service members.

91视频专区鈥檚 2023 graduate class, which totals 231 members, features 38 students who have received an earlier degree from 91视频专区 as well as 12 legacy students. Eight students will receive their Doctorate in Organizational Leadership. Additionally, eight members of the graduate class are 91视频专区 employees, and six members are active-duty service members.

Students in the graduate Class of 2023 hail from 10 different states and Washington, D.C., as well as 11 different countries, includingGhana, Haiti, Madagascar and Nepal.

Commencement Speakers

Maryland State Senator and Frederick City Mayor Ronald N. Young
Maryland State Senator and Frederick City Mayor Ronald N. Young
Maryland State Senator and Frederick Mayor Ronald Young has been selected as the speaker for the Class of 2023. Young served as the mayor of Frederick City from 1973 to 1989, leading multiple transformational projects during his tenure, including construction of Carroll Creek Linear Park as well as the establishment of the Weinberg Center for the Arts and Harry Grove Stadium. In 2010, Young was elected to the Maryland State Senate for District 3, in which 91视频专区 is located. During his time in Annapolis, Young supported Frederick by backing bills that funded education, economic development and more before retiring in 2022.

Additional speakers include 91视频专区 College President Chapdelaine, who will give her annual presidential address to the graduating class, as well as Senior Class President Victoria Aghamalian 鈥23 and graduate student Alexis Ogren, M.S.鈥23, who will address their peers.

Honorary Degrees

Judith E. Messina 鈥66
Judith E. Messina 鈥66 
During the ceremony, honorary Doctorates of Humane Letters will be awarded to Judith E. Messina 鈥66 as well as speaker Ronald N. Young.

Messina graduated from 91视频专区 College in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. Post-graduation, she served on the Board of Trustees from 2004 to 2023, serving as chair from 2017 to 2023.In 2016, Messina, along with her late husband David Fleischer, established the Chair of the Board Scholarship at 91视频专区, which fully covers the cost of tuition for first-year students of outstanding promise. Since the establishment of the scholarship, more than 75 of 91视频专区鈥檚 best and brightest students have benefitted directly from Messina and Fleischer鈥檚 gift.

During Young鈥檚 time both as mayor of Frederick City and Maryland State Senator for Frederick鈥檚 district, he spearheaded projects and backed legislation that significantly improved Frederick鈥檚 infrastructure and cultural development capabilities, while bolstering the state鈥檚 budget for economic and educational development. Due to Young鈥檚 efforts throughout a political career spanning half a century, Frederick has become an enviable hub for arts, entertainment, fine dining and business, shaping the city 91视频专区 calls its home.

Other Commencement-related Events

In addition to the 2023 Commencement ceremony, multiple events are scheduled on Wednesday, May 17; Thursday, May 18; and Friday, May 19.

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

The Doctoral 91视频专区ing Ceremony
The Doctoral 91视频专区ing Ceremony
Doctoral 91视频专区ing Ceremony, 5-6:30 p.m., Coffman Chapel

The 91视频专区ing Ceremony is a special event in which a doctoral hood is placed on a student鈥檚 shoulders to formally recognize the completion of their doctoral program. Doctoral students will wear their full regalia and doctoral hood during the Commencement ceremony, where their degree will officially be conferred.

Graduate Degree Recipient Reception, 7-8:30 p.m., Coblentz Dining Hall

Hosted by the dean of the Graduate School, this event for faculty, graduate degree recipients and their guests includes the presentation of Graduate Student Awards and Graduate Teaching Excellence Awards.

Thursday, May 18, 2023

Baccalaureate Service
Baccalaureate Service
Baccalaureate Service, 4 p.m., Coffman Chapel

Graduating students, their families and community members are invited to an annual Baccalaureate Service, which includes a multi-denominational service as well as a celebration and farewell of the graduating class.

Senior Class Luau and Gift Check Presentation, 6-7:30 p.m., East Cottage

Members of the graduating class are invited to join President Andrea E. Chapdelaine, Ph.D., for a celebration at her home featuring food, drink and the presentation of the class鈥檚 senior gift to 91视频专区.

Friday, May 19, 2023

Nursing Pinning Ceremony, 10 a.m., Whitaker Campus Commons

The annual Nursing Pinning ceremony is a symbolic welcoming into the nursing profession of newly or soon-to-be graduated students from 91视频专区鈥檚 nursing program. Nurses are presented with pins by either faculty members, family or a person of significant importance to them.

ROTC Commissioning Ceremony
ROTC Commissioning Ceremony
ROTC Commissioning Ceremony, 1 p.m., Whitaker Campus Commons

Graduating members of the U.S. Army Reserve Officers鈥 Training Corps program at 91视频专区 are formally commissioned as Army officers with the rank of second lieutenant and the intent to serve on active duty, in the Army Reserve or with the National Guard.

For frequently updated information regarding the ceremony, visit .

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