April 15, 2010
Queens, NY -
Paul J. Evanson and Most Rev. Guy A. Sansaricq to
Receive Honorary Degrees
St. John’s University announced today that Pete Hamill, well
known journalist and author, and Bob and Suzanne Wright
(Co-Founders of Autism
Speaks) will receive honorary degrees and serve as this year’s
Commencement Speakers at the University’s Staten Island and Queens
Graduation Ceremonies on Saturday, May 15 and Sunday, May 16,
respectively. Paul J. Evanson, Chairman, President and CEO of Allegheny Energy, Inc.,
and Most Rev. Guy A. Sansaricq, Auxiliary Bishop and pastor of
St. Gregory the Great parish in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, will
also receive honorary degrees at the University’s year-end
commencement activities in Queens.
“We are
delighted to have such an esteemed group of dignitaries at our
140th Graduation Ceremonies,” said
Rev. Donald J. Harrington, C.M., President of St. John’s
University. “Bob and Suzanne Wright, Pete Hamill, Paul Evanson and
Most Rev. Guy Sansaricq are all individuals of great accomplishment
who can serve as role models for our graduates, and I am pleased to
be able to confer honorary degrees on them during our celebratory
Commencement Weekend.”
Saturday, May 15, 2010 at 10:00
a.m.
(Procession of graduates, faculty and honored guests to
begin at 9:45 a.m.)
Undergraduate and Graduate Commencement
Staten Island Campus
300 Howard Avenue
Staten Island, NY,
Great Lawn (outdoors)
- Pete Hamill, Distinguished Writer in Residence at New York
University, novelist, essayist and journalist whose career has
endured for more than 40 years, will receive the Honorary Doctor of
Letters Degree and deliver the Commencement Address.
Approximately 400 undergraduate and graduate students will
receive degrees at this ceremony.
Sunday, May 16, 2010 at
Noon
(Procession of graduates, faculty and honored guests to begin at
11:00 a.m.)
Undergraduate and Graduate Commencement
Queens, NY
8000 Utopia Parkway
Great Lawn (outdoors)
- Bob and Suzanne Wright, co-founders of Autism Speaks, will each
receive the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree. They will
jointly deliver the Commencement Address. Bob also serves as Senior
Advisor at Lee Equity Partners, LLC and was Former Chairman &
CEO of NBC Universal & Vice Chairman of General Electric.
- Paul J. Evanson, Chairman, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Allegheny Energy, Inc. Paul received a B.B.A. degree
magna cum laude from St. John’s University in 1963. He will receive
the Honorary Doctor of Commercial Science Degree.
- Most Rev. Guy A. Sansaricq, D.D., V.E., Auxiliary Bishop. Most
Rev. Sansaricq is the first and only Haitian-born American bishop
who currently serves as pastor of St. Gregory the Great parish in
Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He will receive the Honorary Doctor of
Sacred Theology Degree.
Approximately 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students will
receive degrees at this ceremony.
Media interested in attending are asked to R.S.V.P. and apply
for credentials. Please contact Dominic Scianna, Assistant Vice
President for Media Relations, at (718) 990- 6185 or e-mail
inquiries to sciannad@stjohns.edu.