ADVANCE STAFF WRITER
Making pointed reference to the altered city skyline the Grymes Hill university overlooks, and folding criticism of President Bush's invasion of Iraq into his oratory, retired Gen. Wesley Clark asked Wagner College graduates yesterday to commit their newfound professional lives to solving the nation's problems.
"Things have not gone as well as they could have," he said of the war. "I want to ask you to resolve in your hearts, as you leave this ceremony...that you are willing, each in your own ways, to dedicate your lives to the task."
More than 600 graduates listened inside Wagner's Spiro Hall as the former presidential candidate and retired NATO Supreme Allied Commander reminded them that Sept. 11, 2001, was not the only time the area has been ravaged by acts of war, recalling Gen. George Washington's struggles in the Revolutionary War.
Ticking off a laundry list of the actions America has taken since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, specifically the search for chemical, biological and nuclear weapons "with which the invasion was justified," Clark said, "we found no weapons of mass destruction...the incidents of terrorism around the world have increased year by year...and the good name of the U.S. has been blemished by the invasion."
The crowd of at least 2,000 gave Clark a standing ovation at the school's 119th commencement excercises, as well as uproarious applause when he asserted that when it comes to defending the nation we should "use force only, only, only as a last resort."
Not only Clark offered his belief in the graduating class to solve the world's ills; Dr. Richard Guarasci, college president, said, "In my 30 years, I have never met a graduating class that I have admired more than the Class of 2006."
In addition to Clark, the college conferred honorary degrees in humane letters to Addie J. Butler; in finance to Fred W. Lange, and in civic engagement to Eugene M. Lang.
Lang, an education philanthropist, joked about his age when accepting his awards, asking the graduates, "How many of you [can] imagine yourselves in 2074 looking back on this day?"
He urged the graduates to have "contrary" careers, as his "best and most important decisions have almost invariably been made against the advice of people older and wiser than me."
Yet once the ceremony turned back to the students, an even lighter mood prevailed, with the speakers poking fun at shared memories and triumphs.
"We all choose our own paths and now we celebrate all our achievements," said student speaker Mitch Sims. "We will continue on our journey. This is life."
Melissa Anelli is a news reporter for the Advance. She may be reached at anelli@siadvance.com.
© 2006 Staten Island Advance© 2006 SILive.com All Rights Reserved.
The following list of graduates was supplied to the Advance by Wagner College:
BACHELOR OF ARTS
Jayne Aiello, Tiffany Alford, Michael A. Armato, Trisha-Lynn Arnold, Saro P. Badalian, Julianne Baranello, Amanda Marie Barlow, Meghan Justine Beach, Michael Beitel, Lindsay Beren, Amy Berkman, Darby Meghan Gianna Biggart, Lekeitrise Pearl Blunt, Cherisse Brandefine, Megan Brandt-Meyer, Justin Sean Brenner, Melissa Brinamen, Lindsay Brinkerhoff, Jennifer Lynn Brown, Casey Allan Bruton, Lisa Corinne Buley, Anthony Stephen Caputo, Mara Dawn Caputo, Irina Carrasco, Erin Kate Carroll, Elizabeth Carter, Andrew Casas, Jonathan W. Chase, Nehemiah Chea, Veronica M. Chinese, Leslie Christian, Sheridan C. Chu, Tiffany Cifone, Anthony C. Cillis III, Danielle M. Cirone, Andrea Cooperman, Maria Costa, Michael Coveney, Kira Leah Coviello, Courtney Crase, Matthew Robert Cummings, Michael Joseph D'Angelis, David T. DeMarzio, Meghan Dennis, Joseph P. Di Giovanna, Denielle Irene Diodato, Eileen Marie Dowd, Leanne Driscoll, Malual Manyok Duot, Robert Dean Eberle, Stephanie B. Eder, Theresa Catherine Flanagan, Jessica Lynne Friswell, Lori Gabel, Sean Michael Gagnon, Jonathan Galvez.
Stephanie A. Gangemi, Kathryn MaryElla Gannon, Megan E. Garrett, Gina Gelardo, Heather Ann George, Marisa Anne Giacalone, Nicole J. Gioia, Veronica D. Glover, Caitlin Graves, Kimberly Gregory, Gia Grimaldi, Shaun Grover, Dana Guariglia, Kevin W. Gutches, Samantha Rose HammelSuzanne Hartig, Matthew Hartigan, Stacy L. Henry, Lindsay Hett, Jennifer Jacobsen, Sean P. Jacobsen, Nadiene Jacques, Aaron Jaros, Steven T. Johnsen, Shannon Johnston, Kristymarie Joyce, Nicole Jungmann, Tiana Amelia Kalba, Kimberly Ann Kaye, Lauren Elaine Kelly, John Kelly, Jana M. Kelskey, Louis J. Kerscher Jr., Joshua Key-Maginnis, Carolyn Kimmel, Jason Klosowicz, Molly J. Kollar, Nathalie Kornell, James Krainski, George Michael Lambert, Elizabeth L. Lauber, Kathryn Elizabeth Laudino, Jessica Leavitt-Smith, Lauren Lebowitz, Jaime Leston, Alison Marie Lindsley, Jillian Marie Loparnos, Christine Komei Luo, Julie Maltese, Emily Marcello, Timothy J. Marino, Kira Ann Marshall, Christina Martingano, Alicia Nicole McBratney, Thomas P. McCormick, Libby J. McPike, Jacob Meranda, Danielle L. Michaels, Alexander Lewis Moore, Jaclyn I. Moran, Luke Fleron Morris, Daniel Musgrove, Katherine E. Nepute, Erin K. O'Brien, Anna Kate O'Donnell, Tara O'Keefe, Michael James Opromalla, Victoria Opthof, Brittany Osti, Megan Owen, Alan Pagano, Steven John Papa, Jessica Parente, Megann C. Patterson, Scott M. Pease, Kimberly Pecinovsky, Angela Pepe-Lage, John M. Pfleger, Arlene Pierret, Laura H. Pike, Lauren Pizzariello, Philip A. Ponterio, William R. Potvin, Janine Lynn Psillos, Kathariya C. Pungdumri, Jeffrey H. Quitmeyer, David C.J. Rahner, Mark S. Reeves.
David Brandon Riley, Jennifer A. Rooney, Vanessa Rossi, Allison R. Ruggeri, Jennifer Lauren Ryan, Carolyn Ryans, Joseph Michael Sanfilippo, Allyson Sanfilippo, Susan Mary Schobel, John Sciarra, Richard E. Scott, Amanda Maria Anne Seeler, Michelle Shaffer, Kristen Anne Sheola, Gareth William Shumack, Stefanie Shuman, Matthew David Simonetti, Thomas Alfred Simonetti, Mitch E. Sims, Gabrielle Skolom, James Smith, Amanda Snarski, Brandon Scott Sogluizzo, Christina Lynne Stagliano, Justin G. Starbird, Alexandra M. Sulton, Christy Sykora, Julia Ann TenBroeck, Joshua M. Tucker, Lori Ann Tunila, Alicia Tuxill, Anne Marie Josephine Vargas, Nicole Elizabeth Viana, Nicole Vitale, Heather Elise Weinman, Elizabeth B. Wentworth, I Jennifer F. Wiech, Jared Michael Williams, Ashley L.B. Willisch, Aaron Winik, Hilary Rebecca Worrell, Cheryl Yanelli, Hiroe Yoshizawa, Megan Anne Zacher, Kara Zangenberg, Sarah Elizabeth Zimmerman, Kristin Zinn.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Mary C. Abraham, Kimberly M. Adriance, Laura M. Agostino, Jennifer Lynn Aguayo, Leandra Rose Aguirre, Christopher P. Albert, Ashley Lynn Alexander, Mark Altmann, Laura Anne Andrews, Anna Arkhipova, Tamar D. Ast, Joseph F. Bacher, Hank T. Bacon, Andrew S. Bailey, Holly Elizabeth Barilla, Allison Renea Baucom, Charles Becco, Charles Thaddeus Bender, Louis P. Berardocco, Jason Berg, Matthew Betti, Devon Leon Bhojedat, Regina Black, Michelle Blanti, Nicole Boutsikakis, Ryan Christopher Bowlby, Christine Noel Braun, Jennifer Brumm, Kaitlin Ann Buffington, Kristen Buttafuoco, Chris Byrd, Deana M. Capozziello, Nicolas Arian Cardenas-Rada, Elisabeth L. Cardiello, Debbie Cardito, Elizabeth Anne Carone, Diana Catanzariti, Jeffrey Cavorley, Sandra Caze, Jennifer Cerami, Marco Cerulli, Kari Lynn Chagnon, Thomas J. Chase, Mei F. Chen, Inna Chimarova, John Cichon, Michael Joseph Cimino, Nicole Marie Cipollone, Rebecca M. Colucci, Meghan E. Conway, Christopher P. Corbo, David Corby, Brittany T. Corn, Rachael Claire Correll, Michelle Costabile, Rachel Diane Covert,Venus Marie Cowan, Elizabeth Sarah Cronin, Kathleen M. Cuomo, Christopher DellaUniversita, Tracy M. DeMaio, Angela Marie DeManti, Kacie Dennison.
Philip J. DePaul, Allison Joanne DeVito, Rafael Luis Diaz, Melissa Rae DiBella, Tracy Dickinson, Emily Dillon, Vincenzo DiMaggio, Justin Leonard DiSanto, Steven Dixon, Sheryl Laura Dobbins, Diana D'Onorio-DeMeo, Jacqueline Donza, Kerri Doran, James Dougherty, Kathleen Ehrman, Joshua M. Elmore, Augustine Akunwata Emeka, Hector Espinoza, Darby Lynn Evans, Osama Emil Farid, Dawn Elisabeth Farina, Giovanni Farro, Alyson Rose Fecci, Christopher Ferrara, Renée Michelle Fishel, Erin Christine Flanagan, Jennifer Rose Forziati, Christa M. Fratino, Courtney Lynn Frost, Kim Frye, Justin Galizia, Joy A. Gallagher, Nicole Elise Garetano, Kamryn Dawn Gassert, Tara Faye Geesaman, Wagner Georges, Robert Giallombardo, Daniel Giannini, Jessica Gilhooly, Gregory James Giordano, Chase Girvin, Christopher Governo, Lauren Grispo, Amanda Grudzina, Thomas Grunwald,Peter John Haglund, Susyun Hanson, Stephanie Hatgipetros, Sean M. Hazzard, Tyshon Henderson, Stephen Herring, Kim Herzog, Alicia A. Hobbs, Frank A. Hosmer Jr., Matthew Gregory Hudson, Brian Huff, Tracy Hughes.
Andrew Douglas Hunton, Kristen Courtney Hynes, Courtney L. Hysler, Tara Marie Igneri, John Michael Incantalupo, Maria C. Ingoglia, Eugene Iserovich, Elliot Jacobson, Adam James, Jared Jax, Lauren Marie JeBran, Lisa Kane, Claudette Noel Kempisty, Brian Patrick Kenny, Alina Khitrova, Dorothy Kim, Christopher Klamkin, Olha Kozlova, Sara M. Kramer, Mariya Krivenko, Ralph J. Lamberti, Stanislav Lando, Christina LaRocca, Ryan Layton, Daniel Leary, Lauren Leonforte, Gale R. Lewis, Derek J. Lightcap, Allyson Lincer, Irina Litt, Anthony Luciano, Victoria Madaris Lynch, Ryan J. Lynyak, Joanna Macikowski, Shannon MacKeil, Arielle Brianna Maggio, Eileen L. Magnuski, Joseph Bruno Malfettano, Michael J. Malik, Richard A. Maltese Jr., John Jay Mancuso, Laura Manning, Paul Marano, Thomas C. Marchetti, Elyse Marciano, Lisa Mariano,Marisa Marinelli, Chrystal D. Marino, Janine Marino, Patricia C. Marrone, Megan Masterson, Dennis McCaffery, Marc McDermott, Michael McGoff, Kerri McKeever, Melinda McLane, DeEarnest McLemore Jr., Michael McTamney, Megan Melvin, Caitlin Miller, Kimberly Minkus, Cristina Modifica, Lindsay Moore, Sherrita Moore, Kevin C. Murphy, Justin David Nana.
Bradley Napiorkowski, Adrienne Astrid Nardone, Michele Newberry, Kinenday M. Ngole, Peter Nonnenmacher, Stephanie K. Nygard, Alix K. O'Brien, Christi O'Donnell, Izabela Okon, Melissa Maria Oliveri, Janet Onyenwena, Diana Oppong-Dwamena, David M. Osborne, Nidaa A. Othman, Jan Paul Albano Pablo, Theodore Michael Pantelis, John Paolucci, Nicholas G. Papa, Shkendie Papraniku, Ashley Taylor Paskalis, Jacqueline Pasqualini, Paul Pedersen, Daniel Perdicaro, Michael Joseph Picarello, Marialena Pinto, Sean Piotrowski, Kara E. Plant, Maria Pontoriero, Allison Portera, Scott Porto, Thomas Praino, Keri Christine Pratasiewicz, Heather Renee Pripstein, Eric Carl Puma, Joyce Santos de Queiroz, Karla Quibilan, Ashley Lyn Rehill, Christian Reinsch, Jodie Reynolds, Sarah Rhine, Cory Rhoades, Dennis A. Ritell, Tonio Rizzi, Aaron Robinson, Crystal Robinson, Betty Ann Rogers, Sarah Melissa Rotker, Danielle R. Ruggiero, Erin Leigh Ryan, Jaclyn Ann Santariello, Kenneth W. Schmidt III, Brian C. Scrocca, Melissa Serrano, Sarah M. Shaker, Katherine Dickinson Sloan, Courtney Small, Anthony Joseph Smith, Margaret Smith, Shana Smollin, George Snowflack, Christopher Sean Sochacki, Lora Staples, Christine Marie Statile, Kimberly T. Suelto, Alysse Eileen Sweeney, William Sweet, Melissa Ann Talbot, Michael Tasso, Kevin Terrio, Imron O. Thompson, Michael Trombetta.
Vincent S. Vazzana, Daniele Judith Villamagna, Matthew Vitale, Jennifer Lynn Volkerts, Lauren A. Wagner, Catherine Walters, Gina Watzka, Lauren Renee Whitaker, Alexander Wilk, Georgette Williams, Kristen Beth Wisniewski, Poline Yiu, Elana Zylberminc.
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Michael Acierno, Tiffany Jaie Allis, Jared Aylor, Andrew William Babitts, Richard S. Barbiera, Jacqueline B. Barnaby, Gene F. Bazzarelli, Michael Brady, Michael Braunstein, Michael J. Brillante, Paul Casaccio, John William Conevery, Jesse S. Cook, John J. Crowley Jr., Bryan Distefano, Stephen Thomas Dombroski III, Denise Catherine Franzakis, Frank J. Fusco, Frank M. Galanti, Kate Gilland, Michael Giordano, Frank J. Giusto, Steven George Gross, Christopher Hagis, Jason Henry, Thomas Kabacinski, William Bradford Keller II, Elizabeth M. Kuchar, Joseph Labetti, Michelle Lerner, Christopher Lukowski, Stephanie McGlinchey, Marc A. Miller, Pilar A. Pereira, James C. Polizzi, Keith Charles Cornell Ratcliffe, Joseph Raths, Nicholas Ruggiero, Luke Schmidt, George A. Scott, Louis Simone, Pamela Lea Sobieski, Margaret Malini Thyagaraj, Daniel Waeger, Alicia Welsh, Donald Louis Wroblicki Jr.
EXECUTIVE OF MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Kathryn Monahan D'Anna, Kathleen DeSantis, Aaron T. Feo, Ibrahim Gjura, Michael L. Johnson Sr., Athan J. Kampessis, Linda Laner, Walter Alderwill Nesbeth, Eloise M. Philp, Daryle G. Powell, Leon Michael Ramiré, Diane Recinos, Laurarenda Smith-Stanford, Yvette Venezia.
MASTER OF SCIENCE
Lindsay Aarstad, Mark J. Antoniello, Mary Jane Baillie, China M. Battista, Marie Ann Bianca, Mary Brandt, Kevin S. Brenowitz, Catherine Mary Byrne-Tolino, Jason James Celovsky, Jessica Crespo, Christopher G. Davis, Kristine D. DiPaola, Maria Jocelyn Garrido, Theresa Bucco Gucciardo, ChristineMarie M. Gutierrez, Mary Susan Hannan, Tara Ann Hayes, Patricia Higgins, Vallerie Eden Hirsch, Kristyn Lynn Jantz, Scott T. Kelly, Anastasia Kwofie, Michael L. LeClair, Lisa A. Lionti, Catherine A. Lorenzo, Jaclyn R. Maltese, Elaina Marie Mastrangelo, Tima Maria Trang Thi Tuyet Nguyen, Kelly Nicole Palma, Matthew B. Reinecke, Iliriana Sela, Sihana Sela, Rosemarie Serio, Lawrence M. Skelson, Jill M. Sullivan, Kristen Lauren Terrone, Jennifer Venezia, Jennifer Wilton,
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN EDUCATION
Michela C. Agozzino, Tulin T. Aldas, Jason Allen, Patrick J. Beemer, Kara Paz Benedict, Zachary Boenig, Maria Boscarello, Matthew Breslauer, Jessica M. Caracappa, Lauren Carnabuci, Christine Cochran, Stacey Ann D'Alleva, Tina D'Onorio DeMeo, Dina M. DePirro, Allyssa Devoe-Townsend, Jessica Errico, Steven W. Feigenbaum, Anthonette Ladiana Fisher, Carmen Leigh Fuoco-Lynn, Heather Lea Galaydick, Bryan Gallagher, Chermele Romayne Gordon, Jessica V. Hanna, Jolie Klein, Michelle A. Lauto, Linda Lutzius, Steven Lyman, Frank Marelli, Melissa L. Mazzeo, Shannon McDaniel, Carolyn V. Palinkas, Stefanie Perfetto, Jessica Powers, Kristine Erin Potter, Victoria Puma, Laura Qualben, Kate J. Rogers, Giovanna Salzarulo, Joei Spennato, Brian Stefanelli, Jessica Sussman, Melissa Tofighbakhsh, Michelle V. Wilk, Linda Yvette Wisboro, Daryl M. Yarmolovich.
POST-MASTER'S CERTIFICATE
Frances L. Geraghty Necci.
© 2006 Staten Island Advance© 2006 SILive.com All Rights Reserved.
