Pomp, Circumstance, and Celebration: Memories to Cherish for a Lifetime

At today’s 2023 Commencement Exercises, held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Baruch College conferred 5,795 degrees in business, business administration, public and international affairs, education, and arts and sciences. The graduating Class of 2023 included over 4,100 undergraduates, more than 1,600 graduate students, and 4 doctoral candidates. Relive the full ceremony. Get your keepsake Commencement program.

A Distinguished Roster

• Baruch President S. David Wu, presided over the exercises, and Linda Essig, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, served as Master of Ceremonies.
• Trustee Jill O’Donnell-Tormey offered greetings to the graduates from the CUNY Board of Trustees, saying, “You are ready to embark on a new journey full of endless possibilities. Be agents of change. Serve your city and fellow New Yorkers with pride and integrity.”
• U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer advised the Class of 2023 to “cast aside your fears and doubts and go for it!” Adding, “Your generation is better equipped than any other that came before it to adapt to changes, to overcome the obstacles they present, to seize the opportunities they afford.”
• Robert J. Rodriguez, New York Secretary of State, hailed the graduates, praising their diversity and grit. “This is what keeps New York vibrant and thriving, future professionals like you who will keep us at the forefront of a changing global economy . . . and make those societal changes for us in the future.”

Speakers and Honorees

• As an entrepreneur, he changed an industry, and as a humanitarian, he changes lives. Meet Commencement speaker Hamdi Ulukaya, founder and CEO of Chobani, and the recipient of a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa. Ulukaya shared his experiences as an immigrant and his optimism in the face of today’s daunting problems, saying to the graduates, “You may not have all the solutions for our challenges, but we have nothing but confidence in you!”
• An award-winning film director, editor, producer, and screenwriter and the Spring 2023 Harman Writer-in-Residence at the Weissman School, Sam Pollard (’73) advised, “Life is not an easy path to travel. You must believe in yourself; you must believe that you can and will be successful.” Pollard was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.

Standout Students Inspire Fellow Graduates

• Laiba Hussain (BA), President, Undergraduate Student Government (USG) 2022–23, offered congratulations, saying that her classmates helped her “realize the true meaning of hard work.” Her message to the class: “Show the world who you truly are.”
• Emanuela Gallo (BA), Valedictorian, praised her classmates’ resilience and accomplishments: “Today, we celebrate our membership in something larger than ourselves…. We have the power to make a difference. Let us use our education not only to advance our careers but also to serve our communities.”
• Salutatorian Daniel Ugalde (BBA), who was the featured student speaker at the 2023 Student Achievement Awards on May 11, was recognized from the podium by Provost Essig.
• Blake Augustus (MBA ’23) sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” and closed the ceremony leading the crowd in the Baruch Alma Mater, “Standing High Above the City’s Mighty Roar.”

Baruch Grads Grab the Media Spotlight

• In “Young Investors in College Clubs Embrace Wild Market Ride,” the Wall Street Journal explored the world of collegiate investment clubs. Among the students interviewed, Jessica Vittoriano (BBA) of Baruch’s Investment Management Group. In the first generation of her family born in the U.S. and the first to attend college, Jessica has accepted a position in sales and trading at RBC Capital Markets.
• Meet Julia Cuttone (BA), a journalism and ad hoc sports psychology major and star student-athlete, and her proud family in the NBC New York segment “Quadruplet Sisters from Long Island Graduate College.”
• El Diario profiled three first-generation Latino graduates, all BBA graduates—Carolina Castillo, Daniel Ugalde, and Bianco Bambaren—for the feature article “El gran día de convertirse en profesional Universitario” (unofficial English version here). The article touted Baruch’s impressive six-year graduation rate for Latino students of more than 60 percent, compared to the national average of 37.1 percent.

Leading Up to the Big Day: Celebrations Build Community

• On May 16, Baruch’s 50th Annual Athletic Awards Banquet celebrated teams and student-athletes for their accomplishments during the successful 2022–23 season. For the second consecutive year, the Bearcats hoisted the CUNYAC Commissioner’s Trophy.
• On May 17, Black Graduation celebrated the achievements and resiliency of all graduating students who identify as Black.
• On May 25, Baruch celebrated its inaugural Lavender Graduation with a luncheon and drag show emceed by special guest, performer and activist Brita Filter. Also called Lav Grad, the event honored and acknowledged the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and ally students.

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Family, friends, faculty, staff, and nearly 4,000 Instagram followers cheered the accomplishments of more than 200 award-winning student honorees at the 2023 Student Achievement Awards on May 11.

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