Commencement 2023
Saturday, July 1, 2023
Senior Director, Communications and External Relations
973-200-1099
KME@BerkeleyCollege.edu
Berkeley College Celebrates More Than
1,100 Graduates during Commencement
Ceremony at Prudential Center
Photo Caption: Berkeley College celebrates the perseverance and achievements of more than 1,100 graduates during a Commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.
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Berkeley College celebrated the perseverance and achievements of more than 1,100 graduates during a Commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. The graduating class included 69 military and veteran graduates, 57 international students from 22 countries, future healthcare heroes, and many first-generation college graduates.
Who are This Year’s Berkeley College Graduates? Click here to see the infographic.
“There will never be more possibilities for your future than what lies in front of you at this very moment,” said Diane Recinos, EdD, President of Berkeley College. “Face what is next with the same grit, strength of character, and unwavering faith in yourselves and your talents that has brought you here to the finish line. Be fearless.”
The average age of this year’s Berkeley College graduate is 31 years old, with 70 percent of the graduates age 25 or older. More than 80 percent of the graduates who identified their ethnicity in a survey identify as Black or Hispanic. The graduates join the ranks of 65,000 Berkeley College alumni from around the world.
“As an alumnus of Berkeley College, your story continues. There is much more to be written,” said Kevin L. Luing, Berkeley College Board Chairman. “As your career progresses, we will always be there to support you in your professional development and career advancement. You are the future leaders in the workforce and in the community. Be proud.”
Photo Caption: (Left) Diane Recinos, EdD, President of Berkeley College, and (right) Kevin L. Luing, Board Chairman, Berkeley College, deliver remarks to the graduates during a Commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.
View the Ceremony: Click here to watch the full Commencement ceremony.
Maria Rosario Behun, Vice President and Community Manager at JP Morgan Chase & Co., was honored as Alumna of the Year.
Photo Caption: Maria Rosario Behun, Vice President and Community Manager at JP Morgan Chase & Co. (second from left), is honored as Alumna of the Year during the Berkeley College Commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Pictured with Behun is (L to R) Diane Recinos, EdD, President of Berkeley College, Kevin L. Luing, Board Chairman, Berkeley College, and Michael Iris, EdD, Associate Vice President, Alumni Relations and Career Services, Berkeley College.
Cadjnie Cameau of Brooklyn, NY, who came to the United States in 2010 after an earthquake destroyed her home in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, was the recipient of the Outstanding Student Award. Angeline Gil of Paterson, NJ, a student leader who will use her degree to address disparities in the U.S. healthcare system, served as Student Speaker.
“Each of our paths to higher education started with an aspiration, one to better ourselves, to expand our job opportunities, to defy stereotypes, and to gain knowledge in our fields of interest,” Gil said. “Each hurdle we overcame is a lesson well learned. Let the experiences you gained at Berkeley College help you grow and become more who you were created to be – living in your purpose.”
Photo Caption: (Left) Cadjnie Cameau of Brooklyn, NY, (center) receives the Outstanding Student Award during the Berkeley College Commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Pictured with Cameau is (L to R) Diane Recinos, EdD, President of Berkeley College, and Kevin L. Luing, Board Chairman, Berkeley College. (Right) Angeline Gil of Paterson, NJ, delivers her remarks as Student Speaker.
Pattie Cowan, Professor, English, Berkeley College Division of General Education, was selected as the Faculty Speaker.
“Michelangelo said, ‘The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark,’ ” Cowan said. “Graduates, aim high. Hit that mark. But don’t stop there. For your next goal, aim higher.”
Photo Caption: Pattie Cowan, Professor, English, Berkeley College Division of General Education, delivers her remarks as the Faculty Speaker during the Berkeley College Commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.
U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker, Miss New Jersey USA Derby Chukwudi, and New York State Assembly Member Monique Chandler-Waterman, a Berkeley College alumna, also shared congratulatory videos with the graduates.
About Berkeley College
Berkeley College, founded in 1931, is a career-focused institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that offers students Master’s, Bachelor’s, and Associate’s degree and Certificate programs in more than 20 career fields. The College also offers Continuing Education programs to enhance career credentials.
Berkeley College has campuses in New York City and in Newark, Woodbridge, and Woodland Park, NJ, with more than 3,600 students enrolled. In addition, Berkeley College Online® serves a global population. U.S. News & World Report has named Berkeley College among the Best Colleges for Online Bachelor’s Programs and among the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans, for 10 consecutive years. U.S. News & World Report named Berkeley College (NJ) one of the Best Regional Colleges in the North in its 2023 edition of the Best Colleges Survey. Berkeley College (NJ) was recognized among the Best Colleges in the region for social mobility for three consecutive years. The website address is http://www.BerkeleyCollege.edu.
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