Alfred University to award 140 master’s degrees at AUNY Commencement

ALFRED, NY – At commencement ceremonies in New York City on Thursday, June 16, Alfred University will award 140 master’s degrees to students who earned them at satellite campuses in the New York Metro area during the 2021-22 school year. The 2022 AUNY commencement ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m. at St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights, NY.

Among those receiving degrees will be 110 candidates who have earned Master of Science degrees in counseling and 30 who will receive Master of Public Administration degrees. This includes students who earned their degrees in August or December 2021 and have chosen to participate in the June 16 commencement. Also recognized will be 130 students who earned Certificates of Advanced Study: 126 in mental health counseling and four in counseling.

Donald James, executive director of the Center for Integrated Teacher Integration (CITE) will provide the keynote address. CITE, which provides professional development and in-service courses for teachers, principals and related school staff, is a professional service organization that manages the logistical operations for Alfred University's AUNY programs.

Mark Zupan, Alfred University president, will provide opening remarks; Beth Ann Dobie, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, will present students for conferment of degrees; and Jay Cerio, dean of Graduate and Continuing Studies, will present the Dougherty Award. Named for James F. Dougherty, former CITE director, the Dougherty Award is presented to students who exemplify Dougherty’s dedication, passion, and commitment to excellence in their chosen field.

Alfred University alumnus Matthew Washington ’04, a member of the University’s Board of Trustees who also serves as deputy president for the Borough of Manhattan, will present graduates for induction into the Alfred University Alumni Association.

James, who was appointed executive director of CITE in December 2021, has been an educator for more than 30 years, more than 19 of which were served as a superintendent of schools. He was local superintendent/community superintendent of District 31 (Staten Island Schools) in New York City where he served side-by-side with Joel Kline, chancellor, and Michael Bloomberg, mayor. His work in New York City focused on professional learning for teachers and the leadership development of incoming and new school leaders.

He is a former adjunct professor, teaching education law, and school business and finance, at CITE/College of St. Rose, and also served as an adjunct professor at New York University School of Culture, Education and Human Development, teaching school budget and finance. He was superintendent of Center Moriches schools on Long Island and most recently served as superintendent of Commack Schools in Suffolk County, NY.

James has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania, a master’s degree in special education from Long Island University, and a doctorate in educational administration from New York University with a focus on organizational learning and urban leadership.