Harpur College’s Class of 2019 urged to ’stay involved’

Graduation does not mark the end of the Class of 2019’s impact on Binghamton University and beyond, Harpur College alumni speakers said during Commencement ceremonies held May 18 at the Events Center.

“Once you’ve found your path, take time to give back by helping others who are still looking for theirs,” said Kris Ahrend ’92, a Harpur Alumni Award recipient. “Be an alumni mentor. Attend alumni events. Come back to campus and speak to a class or a student group. Tell them your story — how you got from sitting here today to wherever your path ultimately takes you.”

“Stay involved in your surroundings, asking how you can make things better,” said Patricia Saunders ’65, an honorary degree recipient. “Stay involved in your communities and look for new communities to be of service. Most important, stay involved with Harpur College. If you do, both you and Harpur will reap rewards beyond your expectations.”

Entertainment attorney/executive Ahrend, humanitarian and student-athlete advocate Saunders, and Judge Lillian Wan ’97 (a Harpur Alumni Award recipient) were the featured speakers at Harpur College’s three ceremonies. Other speakers included President Harvey Stenger, Dean Elizabeth Chilton and students Tiffany Dun, Chelsea Strong and Melanie Messenger.

More than 2,000 Harpur College students were awarded bachelor’s degrees at the three ceremonies. Another 176 master’s and doctoral students received their degrees at events on May 15 and May 17.

Chilton told the graduates that the goal of a liberal arts curriculum such as Harpur College is “to help you stretch your intellectual horizons, expand your general knowledge and develop tools to better solve problems and express yourself.”

“I hope that as you graduate from Harpur College at Binghamton University that you each feel tremendous optimism about your futures and well-prepared for whatever challenges and opportunities life has to offer,” the second-year dean said.

Both Wan and Ahrend admitted that they thought, “What do I do now?” after graduation.

“I was an English and rhetoric major,” Wan said. “I’m not even sure I knew what the word ‘rhetoric’ meant. … I knew I could read and write, so I applied for joint MSW and JD programs and a few law schools.”

Wan attended law school, became a lawyer and at age 36 was the first Asian-American woman appointed to the New York City Family Court Bench. She was named to the New York State Court of Claims in 2018, and is now an acting Supreme Court justice in New York County Supreme Court, Civil Division.

“I have the privilege of working alongside other judges — compassionate, hard-working people who care about the job they do and recognize the amazing responsibility that comes with wearing a robe,” she said. “To borrow a line from one of my esteemed colleagues: Law is the only game where the best players get to sit on the bench!”

Ahrend, who is now head of U.S. Legal Shared Services for the Warner Music Group, provided a number of tips to students who also are asking, “What do I do now?” His suggestions included being humble and open to change, learning Excel, getting comfortable with math and networking.

“With time, effort and a little luck, you will land your first job, and then your second,” he said. “Before you know it, you will find yourself on an amazing and rewarding career path that exceeds your wildest expectations. That’s what happened to me.”

Saunders also touted networking by emphasizing the University’s Alumni Global Day of Service.

“Because of that program, there are opportunities around the country to get together with fellow alums, their families and locally with Binghamton faculty members to do a variety of community work,” said Saunders, who is a member of the board of Asphalt Green, which provides free swimming instruction to thousands of New York City children. “All you have to do is pick something of interest to you and sign up.”

Wan stressed the importance of finding mentors.

“If someone offers to help you, take them up on it,” she said. “If someone important asks you to call them, call them. Make sure to follow up. Make sure you listen well.”

The graduates also received guidance from student speakers. Dun, a psychology major who came from Australia to study and play tennis in the United States, advised her classmates to do what makes them happy and to “choose the decision that scares you the most.”

“Since being at Binghamton, I have learned that what is important and what I value most are not the material things — but the things you can’t buy,” she said. “The experiences, friendships and memories I’ve made here have become a part of my life I will never forget. These, to me, are priceless.”

Strong, an economics major, urged the Class of 2019 to “chase the opportunity to accomplish more, push through and triumph.”

“Life is serendipitous,” she said. “It makes you twist and turn on a whim, while teaching you so much more than you could ever learn in class. We learn to think equally with our minds and hearts as we attempt to navigate all the craziness that is life.”

Messenger, an English major, told the graduates that they are about to shape history.

“At a time when we see so much division in the world, I believe everyone can take a lesson in kindness and support from our tight-knit community at Binghamton University,” she said.