Albertus Magnus College Announces Plans for 102nd Commencement Ceremony
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:15
Albertus Magnus College Announces Plans for 102nd Commencement Ceremony
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Albertus Magnus College Announces Plans for 102nd Commencement Ceremony
Class of 2025 is Legacy Class; Last Graduates of First Century of Excellence
New Haven, Conn., April 1, 2025
– As
Albertus Magnus College
prepares to celebrate its 100th Birthday, College President, Dr. Marc M. Camille,
will confer approximately 390 undergraduate and graduate degrees to the Class of 2025
— the Legacy Class — during the College’s annual Commencement ceremony on Sunday,
May 18, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. Honoring a tradition that dates back to the College’s founding
in 1925, the Albertus Commencement ceremony will once again take place in front of
the College’s iconic Rosary Hall.
“Throughout my eight years serving as Albertus President, Commencement is the single
day of each academic year where I am overflowing with my greatest joy and pride, when
our graduates celebrate with their families and friends as they receive their earned
Albertus degree,” said Dr. Camille. “To preside over graduation is humbling, and to
be able to shake the hand of every graduate who walks across the stage and hand them
their diploma is a profound privilege. Commencement this spring, for the Albertus
Class of 2025, The Legacy Class, is particularly special, as this year’s graduates
will be the last class in the College’s first one hundred years! In September 2025,
we will begin the Centennial Celebration for Albertus, so as we close out a first
century of education impact, we will do so with great fervor in recognizing the members
of The Legacy Class.”
Another Albertus Commencement tradition is the awarding of Honorary Degrees to distinguished
individuals whose life and work embody the College’s mission, recognizing them for
their inspiring, values-based leadership. The 2025 Albertus Honorary Degree recipients
will be:
Donna M Carroll, Ed.D.,
president of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), will receive
the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters
honoris causa
and deliver the Commencement Address to the Legacy Class of Albertus Magnus College.
Dr. Carroll began her career in student affairs. Several moves and promotions later,
including appointments as academic dean and chief advancement officer, she returned
home to New York to work at Fordham University. In 1994, she became the 10th President
of Dominican University in Illinois, the institution’s first lay president and one
of the youngest in the country. She describes her current position as an “unanticipated
blessing” — to serve Catholic higher education at a national level. She’s also recognized
as an outspoken advocate for immigration reform and the rights of undocumented students.
She has received numerous academic, civic, and diocesan accolades for her justice-oriented
leadership including the Strangers No Longer Award from the Archdiocese of Chicago.
In 2022, ACCU honored her with the Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, CSC Award, for her significant
services and contributions to Catholic higher education.
Sean P. O’Connell, Ph.D.,
who faithfully served Albertus Magnus College since 1987 as a faculty member, mentor,
and administrator — becoming the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty
in 2013, also will receive the Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters
honoris causa
. Throughout his more than three-decade tenure, Dr. O’Connell positively impacted
the College, its students, and his colleagues in myriad ways. Among his many accomplishments:
he oversaw the licensure or accreditation of 21 academic programs; oversaw the development
and implementation of 11 grant-funded initiatives to support faculty development and
student success; developed and launched the Flex program delivery format in the Division
of Professional and Graduate Studies (PGS); and established the Center for Teaching
and Learning Excellence. As a faculty member, Dr. O’Connell has been celebrated for
his teaching excellence and scholarship — always a passionate advocate for faculty
and academic enterprise. He also served in key leadership roles for initiatives such
as strategic planning and NECHE reaccreditation.
In addition to bestowing honorary degrees, this year’s Albertus Commencement ceremony
will mark the sixth presentation of the St. Dominic Medal, an honor that recognizes
an individual or organization whose mission, values, and practices, signify the College’s
Four Dominican Pillars: Study, Pray, Community, and Service. For 2025, there are two
recipients of this prestigious honor:
The Centro San Jose Family Center
in New Haven, Conn., is part of Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Hartford, a nonprofit
agency serving people of all faiths, backgrounds, and ages, and dedicated to providing
essential services and support to individuals and families in need. Centro San Jose,
which will receive the St. Dominic Medal, offers an early childhood program that provides
a strong foundation for future success in the classroom and a lifetime of learning.
Older students also have opportunities to improve their academic and social development
in afterschool activities. And central to the center’s mission is a commitment to
involving families so that they may grow stronger, more successful and live with the
dignity that we all deserve. Accepting on behalf of the organization is Sylvia Velez,
Director of the Centro San Jose Family Center.
Leadership, Education, and Athletics in Partnership, Inc. (LEAP),
a New Haven-based nonprofit dedicated to empowering underserved youth by fostering
leadership potential, is the other St. Dominic medal awardee. Founded in 1992 by educators,
students, and community activists to address the historic disinvestments in young
People of Color, LEAP creates a nurturing environment where young leaders mentor,
educate, and care for children through year-round programs — leading to positive academic
and social outcomes. LEAP is the largest youth-serving agency in New Haven, employing
more than 300 young people annually and supporting their educational pursuits. Since
its inception, LEAP has become a trusted community institution, serving more than
1,600 youth in 2024 — helping them to find their voice and become role models. LEAP
provides young people with the tools they need to succeed in life - creating a positive
ripple effect throughout the community. Accepting on behalf of the organization is
Executive Director Henry Fernandez.
About Albertus Magnus College
Founded in 1925, Albertus is a coeducational Catholic College in the Dominican tradition.
Albertus' values- and liberal arts-based education is recognized by external rankings
such as US News & World Report, Money, and The New York Times, and has been named
a Top 10 Military Friendly School. For ten consecutive years, at least 95% of Albertus
graduates have attained employment or gone on to graduate studies within six months
of completing their degrees. The College has an enrollment of approximately 1,300
students across its traditional undergraduate, accelerated adult undergraduate, and
graduate program levels. Proud to enroll a student body where nearly half of its undergraduate
students receive Federal Pell Grants and are first-generation college goers, Albertus
is known for its innovative curricular offerings, recently launching new Bachelor's
degree programs in Nursing, including BSN and Connecticut's first LPN-to-BSN; General
Health Sciences; Interdisciplinary Studies; and Public Health.
Among its graduate offerings is the State of Connecticut's only Master of Arts in
Art Therapy and Counseling program, and it is just one of three schools to offer a
Master of Science in Human Services. In 2025-26, Albertus is celebrating its historic
100th Anniversary and completing implementation of the Albertus 2025: Lighting the
Way to a Second Century strategic plan, with a bold vision to "be a destination liberal
arts-based college, distinguished in its interdisciplinary and experiential approach
to education, rooted in Dominican values, that prepares students for lifelong civic
engagement and success." To learn more, please visit
albertus.edu
.
Degrees
Dominican & College Traditions
Faculty
Fast Facts
History
Our Campus
Contact
Andrea Kovacs
Vice President for Marketing & Community Relations
media@albertus.edu
(203) 773-0129
Albertus Magnus College
700 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Copyright ©
Albertus Magnus College, All Rights Reserved
Website Privacy and Cookie Policy
Copyright ©
Quick Links
Degrees
Dominican & College Traditions
Faculty
Fast Facts
History
Our Campus
Albertus Magnus College Announces Plans for 102nd Commencement Ceremony
Class of 2025 is Legacy Class; Last Graduates of First Century of Excellence
New Haven, Conn., April 1, 2025
– As
Albertus Magnus College
prepares to celebrate its 100th Birthday, College President, Dr. Marc M. Camille,
will confer approximately 390 undergraduate and graduate degrees to the Class of 2025
— the Legacy Class — during the College’s annual Commencement ceremony on Sunday,
May 18, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. Honoring a tradition that dates back to the College’s founding
in 1925, the Albertus Commencement ceremony will once again take place in front of
the College’s iconic Rosary Hall.
“Throughout my eight years serving as Albertus President, Commencement is the single
day of each academic year where I am overflowing with my greatest joy and pride, when
our graduates celebrate with their families and friends as they receive their earned
Albertus degree,” said Dr. Camille. “To preside over graduation is humbling, and to
be able to shake the hand of every graduate who walks across the stage and hand them
their diploma is a profound privilege. Commencement this spring, for the Albertus
Class of 2025, The Legacy Class, is particularly special, as this year’s graduates
will be the last class in the College’s first one hundred years! In September 2025,
we will begin the Centennial Celebration for Albertus, so as we close out a first
century of education impact, we will do so with great fervor in recognizing the members
of The Legacy Class.”
Another Albertus Commencement tradition is the awarding of Honorary Degrees to distinguished
individuals whose life and work embody the College’s mission, recognizing them for
their inspiring, values-based leadership. The 2025 Albertus Honorary Degree recipients
will be:
Donna M Carroll, Ed.D.,
president of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), will receive
the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters
honoris causa
and deliver the Commencement Address to the Legacy Class of Albertus Magnus College.
Dr. Carroll began her career in student affairs. Several moves and promotions later,
including appointments as academic dean and chief advancement officer, she returned
home to New York to work at Fordham University. In 1994, she became the 10th President
of Dominican University in Illinois, the institution’s first lay president and one
of the youngest in the country. She describes her current position as an “unanticipated
blessing” — to serve Catholic higher education at a national level. She’s also recognized
as an outspoken advocate for immigration reform and the rights of undocumented students.
She has received numerous academic, civic, and diocesan accolades for her justice-oriented
leadership including the Strangers No Longer Award from the Archdiocese of Chicago.
In 2022, ACCU honored her with the Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, CSC Award, for her significant
services and contributions to Catholic higher education.
Sean P. O’Connell, Ph.D.,
who faithfully served Albertus Magnus College since 1987 as a faculty member, mentor,
and administrator — becoming the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty
in 2013, also will receive the Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters
honoris causa
. Throughout his more than three-decade tenure, Dr. O’Connell positively impacted
the College, its students, and his colleagues in myriad ways. Among his many accomplishments:
he oversaw the licensure or accreditation of 21 academic programs; oversaw the development
and implementation of 11 grant-funded initiatives to support faculty development and
student success; developed and launched the Flex program delivery format in the Division
of Professional and Graduate Studies (PGS); and established the Center for Teaching
and Learning Excellence. As a faculty member, Dr. O’Connell has been celebrated for
his teaching excellence and scholarship — always a passionate advocate for faculty
and academic enterprise. He also served in key leadership roles for initiatives such
as strategic planning and NECHE reaccreditation.
In addition to bestowing honorary degrees, this year’s Albertus Commencement ceremony
will mark the sixth presentation of the St. Dominic Medal, an honor that recognizes
an individual or organization whose mission, values, and practices, signify the College’s
Four Dominican Pillars: Study, Pray, Community, and Service. For 2025, there are two
recipients of this prestigious honor:
The Centro San Jose Family Center
in New Haven, Conn., is part of Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Hartford, a nonprofit
agency serving people of all faiths, backgrounds, and ages, and dedicated to providing
essential services and support to individuals and families in need. Centro San Jose,
which will receive the St. Dominic Medal, offers an early childhood program that provides
a strong foundation for future success in the classroom and a lifetime of learning.
Older students also have opportunities to improve their academic and social development
in afterschool activities. And central to the center’s mission is a commitment to
involving families so that they may grow stronger, more successful and live with the
dignity that we all deserve. Accepting on behalf of the organization is Sylvia Velez,
Director of the Centro San Jose Family Center.
Leadership, Education, and Athletics in Partnership, Inc. (LEAP),
a New Haven-based nonprofit dedicated to empowering underserved youth by fostering
leadership potential, is the other St. Dominic medal awardee. Founded in 1992 by educators,
students, and community activists to address the historic disinvestments in young
People of Color, LEAP creates a nurturing environment where young leaders mentor,
educate, and care for children through year-round programs — leading to positive academic
and social outcomes. LEAP is the largest youth-serving agency in New Haven, employing
more than 300 young people annually and supporting their educational pursuits. Since
its inception, LEAP has become a trusted community institution, serving more than
1,600 youth in 2024 — helping them to find their voice and become role models. LEAP
provides young people with the tools they need to succeed in life - creating a positive
ripple effect throughout the community. Accepting on behalf of the organization is
Executive Director Henry Fernandez.
About Albertus Magnus College
Founded in 1925, Albertus is a coeducational Catholic College in the Dominican tradition.
Albertus' values- and liberal arts-based education is recognized by external rankings
such as US News & World Report, Money, and The New York Times, and has been named
a Top 10 Military Friendly School. For ten consecutive years, at least 95% of Albertus
graduates have attained employment or gone on to graduate studies within six months
of completing their degrees. The College has an enrollment of approximately 1,300
students across its traditional undergraduate, accelerated adult undergraduate, and
graduate program levels. Proud to enroll a student body where nearly half of its undergraduate
students receive Federal Pell Grants and are first-generation college goers, Albertus
is known for its innovative curricular offerings, recently launching new Bachelor's
degree programs in Nursing, including BSN and Connecticut's first LPN-to-BSN; General
Health Sciences; Interdisciplinary Studies; and Public Health.
Among its graduate offerings is the State of Connecticut's only Master of Arts in
Art Therapy and Counseling program, and it is just one of three schools to offer a
Master of Science in Human Services. In 2025-26, Albertus is celebrating its historic
100th Anniversary and completing implementation of the Albertus 2025: Lighting the
Way to a Second Century strategic plan, with a bold vision to "be a destination liberal
arts-based college, distinguished in its interdisciplinary and experiential approach
to education, rooted in Dominican values, that prepares students for lifelong civic
engagement and success." To learn more, please visit
albertus.edu
.
Degrees
Dominican & College Traditions
Faculty
Fast Facts
History
Our Campus
Contact
Andrea Kovacs
Vice President for Marketing & Community Relations
media@albertus.edu
(203) 773-0129
Albertus Magnus College
700 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Copyright ©
Albertus Magnus College, All Rights Reserved
Website Privacy and Cookie Policy
Copyright ©