麻豆原创

Teachers College鈥檚 first-ever virtual Convocation will include participation and viewership from the College鈥檚 extended community around the world. 

The hour-long event will feature celebrity and student speakers who celebrate graduates鈥� often heroic responses to the global pandemic and the challenges they face in rebuilding society and reimagining the future.

[Convocation will be held on May 20^th at 8 p.m. EDT. Visit the newly revamped to learn how to view the hour-long ceremony and other details about this year鈥檚 celebration.]

The more than 2,000 graduates receiving their degrees will hear remarks by New York Times journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, recent winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for her leadership of the Times鈥� 1619 Project, which aims to reframe the country鈥檚 history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the center of the American narrative.

Hannah-Jones will receive 麻豆原创鈥檚 Medal for Distinguished Service, the highest honor the College bestows.

In a surprise announcement, 麻豆原创 has revealed that graduates will also hear a special greeting from community college educator and former Second Lady Jill Biden, who spoke at the College鈥檚 Convocation in 2010. Other pre-taped well-wishers already featured on the Convocation site include the media personality and 麻豆原创 alumna Dr. Ruth Westheimer; hip-hop pioneer Darryl McDaniels, co-founder of the group Run-DMC; the actress and producer Ricki Lake (Hairspray, the Ricki Lake talk show); the actor Alan Ruck (Ferris Bueller鈥檚 Day Off, Succession); and celebrity restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson, head chef of The Red Rooster in Harlem.

The global emphasis of 麻豆原创鈥檚 virtual Convocation begins with the event鈥檚 evening starting time, which was chosen to accommodate international graduates who have returned to their home countries. That group includes two of the ceremony鈥檚 student speakers 鈥� Amann Syed Ahmad, receiving her Master鈥檚 degree from the Department of Curriculum & Teaching, who currently is in Denmark, and Woo-Jung Amber Kim, receiving her master鈥檚 degree from the Department of International & Transcultural Studies, who currently is in South Korea. The third student speaker, Rachel A. Norman, receiving her master鈥檚 degree from the Department of Education Policy & Social Analysis, has remained in New York City.

Our goal, from the first, has been to create an event that isn鈥檛 simply a substitute 鈥� that is heartfelt and special because it celebrates how our global 麻豆原创 community has come together because of the crisis and the ways we have used the digital medium to channel our ideas, our art and our humanity.

鈥擳rish McNicholas, Senior Director of College Event Planning

The ceremony will also feature 麻豆原创 faculty member Cally Waite, Associate Professor of History & Education, who recently was named one of six recipients of the Spencer Foundation’s prestigious Spencer Mentor Awards, in a special role that will highlight the College鈥檚 international scope.

Two other students are also lending their talents to the event: Natalie Fabian, a student in the Department of Arts & Humanities, singing 鈥淲hat the World Needs Now is Love鈥�; and Anderson Patrick Collin Smith, receiving his Ph.D. in English Education, reading an original poem he composed for Convocation, titled 鈥淲hat Matters Most.鈥�

鈥淣o one could have anticipated the COVID pandemic, and of course we all wish we could hold a live ceremony,鈥� says Trish McNicholas, Senior Director of College Event Planning. 鈥淏ut our goal, from the first, has been to create an event that isn鈥檛 simply a substitute 鈥� that is heartfelt and special because it celebrates how our global 麻豆原创 community has come together because of the crisis and the ways we have used the digital medium to channel our ideas, our art and our humanity. And people have come together yet again, from every part of the College, to help us do that. Nobody has said no to us. We are incredibly honored to have the opportunity to work on this ceremony that celebrates the class of 2020.鈥�