Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York, to Address St. John’s University Class of 2023

For Immediate Release: May 15, 2023
Media Contact: Brian Browne, 917-561-7068, [email protected]

Cardinal Timothy Dolan
May 15, 2023

(Queens, NY, May 15, 2023) – His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Ph.D. ’10HON, Archbishop of New York, will serve as the distinguished speaker and an honoree at St. John’s University’s undergraduate Commencement Exercises on Sunday, May 21, at 10 a.m. on the Great Lawn of the Queens, NY, campus. Previously the recipient of an honorary degree from St. John’s, Cardinal Dolan will receive the University’s Gold Medal at Commencement.

“A longtime supporter of Catholic higher education and St. John’s University, Cardinal Dolan was one of the first New Yorkers to welcome me when I became President,” stated Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P., President. “He remains a trusted friend and I am grateful for his service to New York and the universal church.”

Cardinal Dolan, one of the most recognizable Catholic leaders in the United States, was named Archbishop of New York by the late Pope Benedict XVI on February 23, 2009, and installed on April 15, 2009.

“St. John’s University is an integral part of both the academic and religious fabric of the City of New York, and I very much look forward to addressing the graduates, their families and friends, and the distinguished faculty at the undergraduate Commencement Exercises on May 21. It is a particular honor for me to be invited to speak, as the Vincentian Fathers, sponsors of this great University, also have a rich history in my home archdiocese of Saint Louis, where they trained men for the priesthood for more than 175 years.”

Cardinal Timothy Dolan

Known for his engaging personality, Cardinal Dolan has served as Chairman of Catholic Relief Services, and is currently a member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization. He served as President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops from November 2010 to November 2013. Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Dolan participated in the conclave that elected Pope Francis in March 2013.

Cardinal Dolan is an active voice in defense of the poor, refugees, and asylum seekers, and is a driving force in cultivating ecumenical and charitable outreach throughout the Archdiocese. In 2012, he was named by TIME magazine as one of “The World’s 100 Most Influential People.”

The University also will bestow honorary doctoral degrees to Sr. Regina M. Bechtle, S.C., Charism Resource Director, Sisters of Charity of New York; and Pascal Desroches ’86CBA, Senior Executive
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, AT&T, Inc.

The undergraduate Commencement is one of several St. John’s University will host beginning on Friday, May 19. Details of those ceremonies and invited speakers are as follows:

Undergraduate-Level Commencement Exercises
Sunday, May 21
10 a.m., Great Lawn, Queens, NY, Campus

GOLD MEDAL RECIPIENT AND COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER:

His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Ph.D. ’10HON, Archbishop of New York

HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENTS:

  • Regina M. Bechtle, S.C., Charism Resource Director, Sisters of Charity of New York
  • Pascal Desroches ’86CBA, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, AT&T, Inc.

Graduate-Level Commencement Exercises

  • St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
  • The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies

Friday, May 19
10 a.m., Carnesecca Arena, Queens Campus

Speaker: Col. Terrance R.C. Holliday ’68C, Colonel, United States Air Force (Retired),
Commissioner, New York City Mayor’s Office of Veteran Affairs (Retired)

Graduate-Level Commencement Exercises

  • The School of Education
  • The Peter J. Tobin College of Business

Friday, May 19
4 p.m., Carnesecca Arena, Queens Campus

Speaker: Linda S. Sanford ’74Ed, ’98HON, Senior Vice President (Retired), IBM Corporation, and
Trustee Emerita, Board of Trustees, St. John’s University

School of Law Commencement Exercises
Sunday, May 21
5 p.m., Carnesecca Arena, Queens Campus

Speaker and Recipient of the St. Thomas More Award: Hon. Edwina G. Richardson-Mendelson, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives, New York State Unified Court System’s
Office for Justice Initiatives

Please visit the Commencement Schedule of Events webpage for a complete list of ceremonies.

About St. John’s University:

St. John’s University is a private, coeducational, Roman Catholic University founded in 1870 by the Congregation of the Mission (the Vincentians), with its main campus located in Queens, NY. St. John’s University also has campuses and locations in Staten Island and Manhattan; in Rome, Italy; in Paris, France; and in Limerick, Ireland. St. John’s University is comprised of six Schools and Colleges, including the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies, St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, The Peter J. Tobin College of Business (including the Maurice R. Greenberg School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science), The School of Education, and the School of Law. As of Fall 2022, the University has more than 1,300 full-time and part-time faculty, 15,652 undergraduate students, and 4,011 graduate students who come from 48 states and 118 countries. St. John’s offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs, including 16 doctoral programs.

Media should RSVP for Commencement by contacting James Stephen Smith, Director of Media Relations, at 718-990-5789 or 516-313-4568; [email protected].

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