Much Ado About the Class of 2025 at Commencement

The York College, CUNY Class of 2025 received a grand send-off at their recent Commencement, where they were greeted with fanfare and a finale of red and white confetti.

The event, held at UBS Arena on May 28, featured speaker after speaker celebrating the graduates’ stellar accomplishments and urging them to take their places in shaping a better world.

CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez, in a pre-recorded message, congratulated the graduates, saying, “You are the face of New York. You persevered through a once-in-a-century pandemic….Graduation isn’t goodbye; it’s ‘hello’ to a family of supporters.”

York College President Dr. Claudia V. Schrader told the graduates, “You are a BIIIG Deal! You found your way to York College, where you’ve had an abundance of support. Some of you decided to reconnect with your dreams -- and here you are today.”

Dr. Schrader announced that the youngest member of the class is 20 years old, while the eldest, James Norwood Williams -- a 75-year-old who earned his GED and returned to school in his late 60s, proudly took a bow when recognized. Williams, the first in his family to earn a college degree, majored in Art and now plans to pursue a master’s degree as well.

Keynote speaker Dr. Elaine M. Flake, a retired pastor at Allen AME Cathedral, congratulated the graduates on their perseverance. Quoting an old Ford Motor Company commercial, she told the 999-strong Class of 2025 that they, like the car advertisement, had anticipated the demands and prepared for them.

“You have been built for the road ahead,” she said. “This day is a testament to your tenacity. You have done what you set out to do…what I would say you were born to do. You persevered through challenges. Some of you had to overcome language barriers, but you made the journey, and we honor you for answering the call. You have created a legacy.”

With her soothing preacher’s cadence, Dr. Elaine, as she is also known, told the graduates that they are carrying more than a diploma: “You will be carrying the future,” she emphasized. “We’re waiting on you, Class of 2025. You are not an accident. You’re an answer. You have power. Don’t be afraid to kick down doors. We need you to walk in truth -- and you don’t have to fight those who have nothing to give.”

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards for his part, rhetorically asked the class, “Are you ready to take on the world? Our diversity is our strength. Open your life and your eyes” he said.

Hello world, here comes the York College Class of 2025!

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