Seton Hall sends its graduates into the real world

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Seton Hall University celebrated its 167th Baccalaureate Commencement at the Prudential Center with Borys Gudziak, the Metropolitan-Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia giving the main address.

The university graduated 1,386 students with baccalaureate degrees, 804 with honors. In addition, 951 graduate students received master’s and doctorate degrees this commencement season, making the total number of graduates this year 2,337.

“Your Seton Hall degree marks the beginning of your journey as a great mind,” University President Joseph E. Nyre told the graduates. “The coming years will show the world what we already know: You are strong, decisive individuals who know how to listen; consider differing ideas; develop an informed point of view; and take action.”

The keynotes address from Gudziak, an honorary citizen of Lviv, Ukraine, recounted Seton Hall’s long history of opening its doors to Ukrainian immigrants – both students and faculty – and thanked the University for its openness and the fulfillment of its mission:
He gave as an example Seton Hall Professor Nicholas Chirovsky, who arrived in the United States from Ukraine at 30 years old in 1949 with two doctorates – but, until hired by Seton Hall, could only find university work as a janitor.

Professor Chirovsky lectured at Seton Hall University for 37 years – from 1949 to 1986 – and authored more than 20 books.

Gudziak advised students to cultivate humor in their lives, noting that in the Ukraine, which he has visited six times since the onset of the Russian onslaught, humor is flourishing amidst the terror.

“Humor consoles me and many as we intently follow the war against Ukraine. Not only the courageous resistance and resilience. Despite the atrocities, pain, air raids and shelling, destruction of energy grids, economic and humanitarian crises, Ukrainians keep their sense of humor,” he said.

At the Commencement, Archbishop Gudziak received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters alongside Indra Nooyi, former CEO and chairman of PepsiCo from 2006 to 2019.
Nooyi was introduced by Mauro Porcini, chief design officer at PepsiCo and author of the best-selling book, “The Human Side of Innovation.” He said that Indra Nooyi was “a phenomenal human being, an inspirational woman and an iconic business leader” who he said he was also “privileged to call mentor and friend.”

Students achieving the highest GPA from each college and school were invited to participate in a process to select a valedictorian to deliver a commencement address that reflects on the meaning of their Seton Hall experience and how it has led to a special vision for the future. From this process, a student to give the valedictory address as well as two alternates were chosen.

Alternate Speaker Jessica Moran is from Berkeley Heights. She was an accounting major at the Stillman School of Business who graduated summa cum laude. Alternate Speaker Megan Gawron from Kunkletown, Pennsylvania, is a graduate of the School of Diplomacy and International Relations with a triple-major in diplomacy and international relations, philosophy, and economics and a minor in communication.

The Valedictory Address was delivered by Caitlin A Lacey, who graduated summa cum laude and hails from Charleston, S.C. She was a communications and philosophy double major within the College of Communication and the Arts.

Recounting her bouts with “Impostor Syndrome,” first as an incoming freshman and even now as valedictorian, Lacey told her fellow students of her recurring self-doubt and the question she repeatedly asked herself: “Am I supposed to be here?”

“From our wonderful community of leaders, mentors, and friends, I’ve learned that we are not defined solely by our grades or our accomplishments, but rather by how we choose to define ourselves,” Lacey said. “Finally, this institution had faith in me and encouraged me to learn to trust myself, and in the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “self-trust is the first secret of success.”