St. John’s University conferred more than 2,100 undergraduate degrees during its 156th annual Undergraduate-Level Commencement Exercise on May 17, held on the Great Lawn of its Queens campus.
The ceremony marked a significant milestone for graduates and the university community, reflecting St. John’s commitment to purpose, service, and resilience. The event brought together students, faculty, families, and distinguished guests to celebrate academic achievement and personal growth.
Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P., President of St. John’s University, addressed the graduates by saying, “The deepest desire of the human heart is to find purpose, to find meaning, to have a life project, and to matter.” He continued: “The first big ‘mattering project’ of your life is complete—you’ve graduated from St. John’s.” Shanley also said that while careers are important components of a meaningful life project for graduates as they move forward after college: “Surely a career is part of it but it’s not all of it.”
Most Reverend Richard G. Henning—Archbishop of Boston and double alumnus—delivered the commencement address crediting the Vincentian community with strengthening his faith and calling graduates “a priestly people.” He told them: “I see an assembly of men and women endowed with tremendous gifts and opportunities given to them from above… So many of you have endured and overcome trials and setbacks to be sitting where you are today.” Henning emphasized perseverance through adversity: “Becoming the person you were made to be involves passing through fire and dark clouds… There is no safe route to that destination. No one arrives unscathed.”
Four additional honorary degrees were awarded during the ceremony: Valerie Ackerman (Commissioner BIG EAST Conference), Sr. Joanne Callahan (Ursuline Sisters Province Office), Mario J. Gabelli (Chairman & CEO GAMCO Investors), James J. Shannon (CEO Indus Capital Partners & Chair-Elect Board of Trustees). On May 15 graduate degrees were conferred across four schools including Liberal Arts & Sciences; Business; Professional Studies; Pharmacy & Health Sciences.
Student speaker Ashley Genao remarked on resilience learned over four years: “Growth does not come from having everything figured out… If the last four years have taught us anything we are more capable than we think.” Other student reflections echoed themes about support networks formed at St John’s as well as lessons in lifelong learning beyond formal education.
St. John’s University operates as a Catholic institution affiliated with the Vincentian Community offering more than 100 undergraduate majors across six schools at campuses in Queens and Manhattan along with international sites in Rome Paris Limerick according to the official website. The university supports multicultural local global initiatives through its centers institutes according to the official website.
