New
York University
The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development faculty
recently hooded 88 new doctoral degree graduates at the Doctoral Convocation,
held in NYU’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. The program included
remarks by Steinhardt Deans Brabeck and Robin, NYU Provost David McLaughlin,
Professor Helen Nissenbaum, Distinguished Alumni Achievement Awardee Inonge
Mbikusita-Lewanika, Ph.D. ‘80, and Doctoral graduate Michael Nina. More than
800 relatives, friends, and colleagues joined the graduates for the ceremony
and reception.
More than 750 masters and advanced
certificate graduates participated in a Valedictory Celebration. The Theater at
Radio City Music Hall was filled with proud and enthusiastic parents, grandparents,
spouses, children and friends. The program included remarks by Dean Mary Brabeck,
Executive Vice President Michael Alfano, Professor Robert Landy, Distinguished
Achievement Awardees Michael and Judy Steinhardt, and master’s graduate Emily
Webster Tetzlaff.
The Baccalaureate graduation embraced more than 500 graduates in applied
psychology, art, communication, education, health, and music. The program
included remarks by Dean Mary Brabeck, Chief of Staff and Deputy to the
President Diane Yu, Professor Pedro Noguera, Distinguished Achievement Awardee
and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright John Patrick Shanley, and baccalaureate
graduate Martha St. Jean. The ceremony included personal handshakes on stage
for each graduating student and was punctuated by the sounds of the NYU Brass
Ensemble, the NYU Pipes and Drums, and the Music Theatre Ensemble. The ceremony
concluded with a rousing rendition of a Steinhardt favorite, “New York, New
York.”
Dean Mary Brabeck’s remarks at the doctoral graduation: We are hooding our
doctoral students this evening as a special sign that we value their commitment
to engaging in practice and research that will make a difference in people’s
lives.As you leave us at NYU, I recommend that you learn to say, three
words: “I don’t know.”Both Pascal
and Priestly taught us that as the circle of knowledge grows, so does the
circumference of ignorance.You, graduates, will be working with people far
different from yourselves in language of origin, nationality, ethnicity, and if
you can say “I don’t know,” you will open yourself to the possibility of
learning from them.