The College of Staten Island celebrated its 35th Commencement exercises today, as over 2,500 graduates donned their caps and gowns and collected on the campus’ Great Lawn. The rousing ceremony saw several CSI student-athletes in attendance receiving their diplomas, with a collection receiving awards and citations from commencement and academic departments.

President Morales delivered the celebration’s inaugural address, citing the College of Staten Island degree programs as the one of the most recognized regionally and nationally. Honorary Doctorate Degrees were given to Denis M. Hughes, President of the AFL-CIO, Diane Kelder, professor at the CUNY Graduate Center, and John Noble Wilford, author and journalist. Greetings were then delivered by the honorable Senator Charles Schumer, keynote speaker New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and 2011 Valedictorian Melissa Horne.