SUNY Board Trustees Celebrate 2026 Graduating Students at Commencement Events Throughout New York State
May 19, 2026
From Buffalo to Long Island, SUNY's Trustees and Chancellor King Join Campuses to Recognize the Hard Work and Determination of SUNY Students
Albany, NY – As commencements continue statewide across the State University of New York colleges and universities, SUNY Board of Trustee members have been traveling the state to celebrate the graduating class of 2026. From Buffalo to Long Island, SUNY Trustees have participated in commencement ceremonies and have joined with students, families, faculty, and staff to recognize and celebrate the hard work and determination of SUNY students as they have earned their degrees.
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "The State University of New York is our nation's premier institution of affordable excellent higher education, and we are proud to celebrate the students who have earned their degrees at institutions throughout the system. A degree helps open doors to pursue one's dreams – whether it is further education or on to careers across our state – and we thank Governor Kathy Hochul and our State Legislature for making a college education a reality for the tens of thousands of students who graduate from a SUNY college or university each year. We are incredibly proud of, and inspired by, the 2026 graduating class of students."
"The State University of New York is fortunate to have a Board of Trustees whose members care deeply about the success of our students and the strength of each of our institutions," SUNY Chancellor King said. "Throughout the state, and at every level of SUNY college and institution, SUNY Trustees have been participating at commencement events and celebrating our students, faculty, and staff on a successful academic year. I congratulate our students on earning their degrees and succeeding at the SUNY of their choice, and I thank our Board of Trustees for their tireless commitment to our students and our State University of New York."
Commencement events and celebrations have been taking place at SUNY institutions throughout New York State and will continue over the coming week. SUNY Board of Trustee members have offered remarks and participated at ceremonies to celebrate the accomplishments of SUNY students, to applaud faculty and staff for their dedication to educating the next generation of New York leaders, and to thank family members and friends for inspiring SUNY students to succeed in their academic efforts. Commencement events where SUNY Trustees participated or will participate include:
State University of New York at Buffalo
- School of Medicine – Trustee Eunice A. Lewin
- College of Arts and Sciences Commencement Ceremony 1 – Trustee Eunice A. Lewin and Trustee Bruce Simon
- College of Arts and Sciences Commencement Ceremony 2 – Trustee Bruce Simon
- School of Law – Trustee Eunice A. Lewin
- School of Public Health – Trustee Eunice A. Lewin
Buffalo State University
- School of Education and Applied Professions Commencement Ceremony – Trustee Camille Joseph Varlack
- School of Arts and Sciences and Master's and Advanced Graduate Certificates Commencement Ceremonies – Trustee Eunice A. Lewin
- Honors Convocation – Trustee Eunice A. Lewin
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
- Main Commencement Ceremony – Trustee Edward Spiro
SUNY Empire State University
- Rochester Commencement Ceremony – Trustee Robert Duffy
- New York City Commencement Ceremony – Trustee Marcos Crespo
SUNY Erie Community College
- Main Commencement Ceremony – Trustee Eunice A. Lewin and Trustee Candice Vacin
Farmingdale State College
- Main Commencement Ceremony – Trustee James Katz
Fashion Institute of Technology
- School of Art and Design/School of Liberal Arts and Sciences Commencement Ceremony – Trustee Stanley S. Litow
SUNY Fredonia
- Main Commencement Ceremony, Morning – Trustee Eunice A. Lewin and Trustee Bruce Simon
- Main Commencement Ceremony, Afternoon – Trustee Bruce Simon
SUNY Genesee Community College
- Main Commencement Ceremony – Trustee Candice Vacin
SUNY Maritime College
- Main Commencement Ceremony – Trustee James Haddon
SUNY Old Westbury
- Main Commencement Ceremony – Trustee Camille Joseph Varlack
SUNY Oneonta
- School of Sciences Commencement Ceremony – Trustee Luca O. Rallis
SUNY Orange County Community College
- Main Commencement Ceremony – Trustee Stanley S. Litow
SUNY Purchase College
- Main Commencement Ceremony – Board of Trustees Chairman Merryl H. Tisch
State University of New York at Stony Brook
- Main Commencement Ceremony – Trustee Cary Staller and Trustee Luca O. Rallis
SUNY Sullivan County Community College
- Main Commencement Ceremony – Trustee Candice Vacin
SUNY Upstate Medical University
- Main Commencement Ceremony – Trustee Bruce Simon and Trustee Luca O. Rallis
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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Holly Liapis
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