Commencement

By Beth Brosnan

noteworthy

What makes a generation great? To Manny Lopes—executive vice president for Blue Cross Blue Shield and one of three honorary degree recipients at Suffolk’s 2022 Commencement ceremonies—the answer is clear: living through extraordinary times, and rising to meet them. And the Class of 2022, he said, has done just that. “The hard stuff makes us stronger,” Lopes, an advocate for greater health care access and equity, told the 780 graduates of the College of Arts & Sciences. “Through everything you’ve endured, the strengths you’ve developed, the community you’ve fostered—you are prepared to be our next Greatest Generation. You too will lead us to new political courage, creative accomplishment, technological advancement, and a more equitable prosperity.” In all, Suffolk awarded more than 2,000 undergraduate and graduate degrees on May 22, during three separate ceremonies held at Boston’s Leader Bank Pavilion. Those graduates hailed from 41 states and 60 countries, and more than 30% of the undergraduates who received degrees were the first in their family to do so.

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Honorary degree recipient Tim Ryan at the Business School ceremony. Photographs by Michael J. Clarke and John Gillooly

| Fall 2022

Claire Cronin, JD ’85—the US ambassador to Ireland and the first woman to serve as House Majority Leader in the Massachusetts Legislature—delivered the Commencement address during the Suffolk Law ceremony, and received an honorary doctor of laws degree. The Sawyer Business School awarded an honorary doctor of commercial science degree to its Commencement speaker, Tim Ryan, the US chair and senior partner of PwC. And for the first time since the pandemic, Commencement weekend festivities featured several other joyous in-person events. These included the Commencement Eve dinner, where Lopes was also a keynote speaker, and the 1913 Celebration that recognizes Suffolk’s first graduate of color, Thaddeus Alexander Kitchener, and which honored the richly diverse members of the Class of 2022.

Angela Saulie Augustin, Valerie Christelle Louis, and Oluwatumininu Akinyombo

Sarah Lahlou and Ala Zghondi. At the Commencement Eve dinner, senior class leaders celebrated with alumni

Richard Voke and the Honorable Amy Nechtem

Barry Cosgrove and his wife, Ingrid, and Law School Dean Andy Perlman

What makes a generation great? To Manny Lopes—executive vice president for Blue Cross Blue Shield and one of three honorary degree recipients at Suffolk’s 2022 Commencement ceremonies—the answer is clear: living through extraordinary times, and rising to meet them. And the Class of 2022, he said, has done just that. “The hard stuff makes us stronger,” Lopes, an advocate for greater health care access and equity, told the 780 graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Through everything you’ve endured, the strengths you’ve developed, the community you’ve fostered—you are prepared to be our next Greatest Generation. You too will lead us to new political courage, creative accomplishment, technological advancement, and a more equitable prosperity.” In all, Suffolk awarded more than 2,000 undergraduate and graduate degrees on May 22, during three separate ceremonies held at Boston’s Leader Bank Pavilion. Those graduates hailed from 41 states and 60 countries, and more than 30% of the undergraduates who received degrees were the first in their family to do so.

Claire Cronin, JD ’85—the US ambassador to Ireland and the first woman to serve as House Majority Leader in the Massachusetts Legislature—delivered the Commencement address during the Suffolk Law ceremony, and received an honorary doctor of laws degree. Sawyer Business School awarded an honorary doctor of commercial science degree to its Commencement speaker, Tim Ryan, the US chair and senior partner of PwC. And for the first time since the pandemic, Commencement weekend festivities featured several joyous in-person events, including the Commencement Eve dinner, where Lopes was also a keynote speaker, and the 1913 Celebration, which recognizes Suffolk’s very first graduate of color, Thaddeus Alexander Kitchener, and which honored the richly diverse members of the Class of 2022.

Commencement week also included the 1913 Celebration, which honored the achievements of this richly diverse class, including (first photo) Angela Saulie Augustin, Valerie Christelle Louis, and Oluwatumininu Akinyombo and (second photo) Sarah Lahlou and Ala Zghondi. At the Commencement Eve dinner, senior class leaders celebrated with alumni, including Richard Voke and the Honorable Amy Nechtem (third photo). Barry Cosgrove and his wife, Ingrid, and Law School Dean Andy Perlman and (fourth photo).

From top photo: Ambassador Claire Cronin receives her honorary degree from Board Chair Bob Lamb and President Marisa Kelly; Business School graduate speaker Gibson Laborde with his children; Samia Scholar Jocelyn De Paz; Student Marshal Donna Montgomery; Gerald McAdoo; Manny Lopes delivers his Commencement remarks.

Gerald McAdoo; Ambassador Claire Cronin receives her honorary degree from Board Chair Bob Lamb and President Marisa Kelly.

Ambassador Claire Cronin receives her honorary degree from Board Chair Bob Lamb and President Marisa Kelly; Business School graduate speaker Gibson Laborde with his children; Samia Scholar Jocelyn De Paz; Student Marshal Donna Montgomery; Gerald McAdoo; Manny Lopes delivers his Commencement remarks.