Mike Pellicciotti, Washington State treasurer, delivers Alfred University commencement keynote

Alfred University alumnus Mike Pellicciotti ’00, treasurer for the state of Washington, spoke to graduating students at Alfred University, telling them how embracing differences in thought and perspective and collaborating with others helped shape his life as a student and, later, his role as a public servant.

Pellicciotti delivered the keynote address for Alfred University’s 190^th commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 16, in the Galanis Family Arena.

He discussed how he began developing leadership skills as Student Senate president, which he used later to succeed professionally. Speaking of the time when the university was considering eliminating its intercollegiate track and field program in order to cut costs, he related how he and other students protested the move, worked tirelessly to find an alternative solution, and ultimately saved the program.

“We weren’t simply protesting a decision. We were solving a problem. I hope some of you here today who were active in track and field benefited from those late-night problem-solving meetings,” Pellicciotti said. “That lesson stayed with me throughout my career in public service: if something matters to you, engage with it. Build coalitions. Stay at the table. Help create solutions. There is long-term benefit to doing hard work in the moment.”

Pellicciotti graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in business administration (minor in economics) from Alfred University in 2000. He was named a U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Canada, earning a master’s degree in rural development from Brandon University in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, in 2003. He earned his Juris Doctor from Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA, in 2004.

He was elected Washington’s 24th state treasurer in 2020, becoming the first challenger to defeat an incumbent treasurer in the state’s history. Before being elected State Treasurer, Pellicciotti was an assistant attorney general and served two terms in the Washington House of Representatives. While representing the 30^th Legislative District of South King and North Pierce counties, he led efforts to increase penalties for corporate crime, to get “dark money” out of politics, and to increase government transparency.

Pellicciotti said the most important experiences he had as a student were those which encouraged him to embrace differences in perspective, which were in abundance during his time at Alfred.

“This is a university where artists, engineers, business students, and others organically made friends and learned alongside each other every day. That matters because no single perspective is enough,” he said. “When creative thinkers and analytical thinkers collaborate, entirely new possibilities emerge. And in moments of profound societal change — moments like the one we are living through right now — that kind of broad education becomes even more valuable.”

Accepting and understanding a variety of perspectives is at the foundation of Alfred University. As one of the oldest co-educational institutions of higher education in the country, and the first to admit qualified male and female students on an equal basis, diversity is engrained in Alfred University’s legacy. “This university understood something fundamental long before much of the country did: progress depends on hearing the voices that challenge us to think differently,” Pellicciotti commented.

He encouraged students to use the transformative power of their Alfred University experience to adapt and thrive during the constant changes in technology.

“Every generation experiences technological change that feels overwhelming in the moment. And your generation is clearly facing another technological transformation today — one that is real and impactful,” Pellicciotti remarked, referring to current advances in artificial intelligence. “But moments of transformation reward people who can adapt, think broadly, and work across disciplines and perspectives. In other words, moments exactly like this reward people educated at places like Alfred.”

Pellicciotti told graduates that over the years since he graduated from Alfred University, he has met Alfred alumni working in a broad variety of fields, from business and law to government, media, and education.

“Their paths were all very different, but there is always something recognizable about them: Creativity. Independence. A willingness to take an unconventional path,” he said.

“Because by choosing Alfred, you already chose something unconventional. Our little enclave beneath the Empire State Hills is far from the default path. People actively choose Alfred. There is something incredibly powerful about that. People willing to see the world differently are often the ones capable of changing it. So, as you leave here today, my advice is simple: Stay adaptable. Think long term. Take ownership. And keep seeking perspectives beyond your own.”

Pellicciotti and Carolyn Clark ’90, chair emerita and current member of the university’s Board of Trustees, were awarded Doctor of Human Letters, honoris causa, honorary degrees.

Clark was elected board chair in 2022, becoming the first woman chair in University history, and led the board until July 2025. A member of the Board of Trustees since 2011, Clark served as vice chair for five years before being elected chair.

She earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Alfred University and also has an MBA from Seton Hall University. She enjoyed a successful career in the field of medical communications, co-founding a medical communications company, Peloton Advantage, LLC, in 2005 and serving as chair of OPEN Health Communications before retiring in 2021.

Under Clark’s board leadership, Alfred University launched a $200 million capital campaign, the largest in the university’s history. During her tenure as chair, the board also approved construction of the Saxon Hill Sports Complex, a $30 million sports and recreation facility atop Jericho Hill in the town of Alfred set for completion this spring. While at Alfred, Clark was a standout on the Saxons’ women’s soccer team. She was elected to the university’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006.

Clark likened her education at Alfred as a “key” that opened doors of opportunity and urged graduates to make the most of their own time here and strive to always continue learning.

“Alfred University taught me that education is meant to be used, and success is a foundation that no storm can chase away,” she said. “As you leave this beautiful valley, remember this: your education is something no one can take away. Never stop being a student in this world.”

Addressing their classmates were 2026 Marlin Miller Outstanding Senior Award recipients Sofia Pizarro Lobos, a foreign languages and culture studies major (political science minor) from Santiago, Chile, and Lily Janik, a communication studies, political science, global studies, and history major (minors in economics, international business, and Chinese language and culture) from Angola, NY.

Winners of the Marlin Miller Outstanding Senior Award are chosen based on scholarship, extracurricular achievement, personal character and conduct, and nominations by faculty, students, staff, or alumni. The award was established to honor Alfred University alumnus Marlin Miller ’54, H ’89, H ’19 one of Alfred University’s most generous supporters. Miller has been a member of Alfred University’s Board of Trustees since 1972.

Lobos is proficient in three languages—Spanish, English, and French—and is working on a fourth: Italian. She has been deeply involved in Alfred University during her time as a student here. In addition to enrolling in the WLA, she has been active in numerous activities and organizations. Most significant, perhaps, is the UNICEF Club, which she founded at Alfred University last August—with the aim of raising awareness of children’s rights—and for which she serves as president. Under her leadership, the club has grown to more than 60 student volunteers, raised more than $1,200 for children’s initiatives, and coordinated donations of toys and essential items to hospitals in Rochester and Buffalo. 

Lobos talked about the uncertainty and fear she felt when she was contemplating leaving her home country of Chile to pursue a college education abroad. “I was terrified,” she said. “I found Alfred when I needed it most. Alfred became my home. Four years ago, I took this leap of faith. I stand here today because I chose to believe in myself.”

She told her classmates to show empathy toward others, which is a way of demonstrating leadership and affecting change.

“Real change begins when we choose compassion over indifference,” Lobos said. “Wherever we go from here, success means very little if we forget to bring others with us.”

An Alfred University Honors student and a Fulbright Award finalist, Janik contributed to the founding of Chinese Language and Culture minor last spring. She is also a member of the Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Alpha Theta, and Phi Sigma Lota honor societies, and is a recipient of the Robert Myers Global Studies Award for Social Science. An Army ROTC cadet since January 2024, Janik served as cadet battalion commander of Golden Griffen Battalion in the fall of 2025 and currently serves as cadet executive officer for the battalion. She graduated Air Assault School in 2025 and upon graduation from Alfred in May will be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, specializing in military intelligence.

Janik encouraged her classmates to always “show up” in whatever endeavor they pursue.

“Getting out of your comfort zone is hard, but so is showing up. Don’t let self-doubt get in the way of pursuing your dreams,” she said. “Don’t be complacent with your time but find a balance between making the most of your time and not wearing yourself out.”

Janik took time to thank her mentors and urged her fellow graduates to carry with them the lessons their mentors imparted on them, and to pay those lessons forward.

“A good mentor will hold you to high standards,” she said. “I encourage you to take what you’ve learned from your mentors and mentor others. This is how you show up for others.”

Alfred University awarded 287 baccalaureate degrees, 208 master’s degrees (including 80 conferred on students enrolled in the university’s AUNY programs in Corning and New York City), and four doctoral degrees. The University had previously conferred 69 baccalaureate degrees, 51 master’s degrees, and six doctoral degrees to August 2025, December 2025, and 2026 Allen Term (January) graduates.

Graduate students were presented their degrees during a ceremony held Friday evening.

The University recognized as the following top students (highest GPAs in each school and college) for the Class of 2024:

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Sydnie Tutmaher, chemistry major from Mayville, NY; Rodrigo Perez Serrano, mathematics major from Pelencia, Spain; and Nicholas McLetchie-Goldman, biology major from Rexford, NY, biology, all with a 4.00 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.

School of Art and Design: Hannah Eckert, art and design major from Frewsburg, NY, with  a 3.96 grade-point average.

Division of Performing Arts: Diannlee Veras, music major from Waterbury, CT, with a 3.29 GPA

Kazuo Inamori School of Engineering: Calem Young, mechanical engineering major from Freeville, NY, with a 4.00 grade-point average.

College of Business: Nathan King, accounting major from Cyclone, PA, with a GPA of 3.99.

In closing the ceremony, Alfred University President Mark Zupan echoed words from Pellicciotti’s keynote address, urging graduates to remember the importance of the perspectives they have gained during their time at Alfred.

“It will be your superpower if you channel it wisely. The broader your perspectives, the greater your opportunities,” he said. “You will have challenges; life takes its twists and turns. As we celebrate your accomplishments and herald your prospects. Always remembers to lean into your perspectives and your prospects will be brighter.”