49th Commencement Exercises

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: May 5, 2010

CONTACT: Lisa Saunders

(845) 574 - 4244

lsaunde2@sunyrockland.edu

Rockland Community College’s 49th Commencement Exercises

Ramapo, NY - SUNY Rockland Community College will commemorate its 49th commencement on Sunday, May 23, at 1:00 p.m. in the Fieldhouse, 145 College Road, Suffern. In celebration of its 50th Anniversary, the College will award honorary degrees for the first time to two community members who have greatly enhanced the lives of the students.

The College will celebrate the graduation of approximately 1,000 students who completed their requirements in August '09, December '09 or May '10.

Local dignitaries, college faculty and officials, and family and friends of the graduates will be in attendance. The audience will be addressed by alumna Regina DeCicco '98, Screenwriter/Comedian, and Honors student Mark Svensson, a May '10 graduate. Honorary associate's degrees will be awarded to New York State Senator Thomas Patrick Morahan and Herbert Kurz, Chairman of Presidential Life Insurance Company.

ALUMNI SPEAKER

Regina DeCicco ’98, Screenwriter/Comedian

After graduating from the Sam Draper Mentor/Talented Student (M/TS) Honors Program in 1998, DeCicco transferred to Barnard College of Columbia University. She interned at Nickelodeon Magazine, NBC Weekend TODAY, ABC-7 Eyewitness News and NBC's Saturday Night Live, which culminated in a full-time job as Design Assistant. DeCicco later became Executive Assistant to the Executive Producers at NBC's "Whoopi" sitcom, starring Whoopi Goldberg. Recently, DeCicco wrote and directed her first award-winning short film, "The Cyclist," with fellow comedian Erik Rivera. She is currently doing stand-up comedy weekly at Comic Strip Live, Stand-Up NY, Comix and Broadway Comedy Club. She also performs, writes and films sketches with her all female group, "Candy Slice." She lives in Manhattan.

STUDENT SPEAKER

Mark Svensson of Orangeburg, a graduate of the M/TS Honors Program, is most notably recognized for being co-founder/co-chair of the SUNY Rockland Anti-Slavery Committee, which led to his being selected to attend the Clinton Global Initiative University 2010 Conference. Svensson was chosen by Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, in collaboration with USA TODAY newspaper, for the elite 20-member USA TODAY’S2010 ALL-USA Community College Academic Team.  In addition, because Svensson was the top scorer among all New York students, he was named a New Century Scholar by Phi Theta Kappa. Svensson is treasurer of the Student Government Association and editorial manager of the M/TS Honors literary magazine Oxys. He also serves as vice president of the Political Science/Pre-Law Association and as Treasurer of Phi Theta Kappa.

HONORARY DEGREES

Herbert Kurz, Chairman of Presidential Life Insurance Company

Herbert Kurz, 90, Chairman of Presidential Life Insurance Company, is receiving one of the College’s first honorary degrees in recognition of his humanitarian gestures that have enhanced the quality of life for RCC students. When the College lost a federal grant supporting its neediest students, Kurz offered a $100,000 matching grant, mobilizing other members of the community, resulting in more than $230,000 for students' tutoring and support. Kurz, along with his wife Edythe, are the major donors of the Kurz Family Foundation of Nyack, NY. At the close of 2009, the Kurz Family Foundation donated 40,000 shares of stock, currently valued at $400,000, to the RCC Foundation for student services. Herb Kurz founded Presidential Life Corp. in Nyack in 1965. The company grew into a nationally-based company doing business in 49 states and the District of Columbia. In May 2009, at the age of 89, Kurz resigned as President and Chief Executive Officer of his company, but still serves as Chairman of the Board.

New York State Senator Thomas Patrick Morahan

One of the first recipients of an honorary degree from RCC, New York State Senator Thomas Patrick Morahan has long been providing outstanding service on behalf of the College. He secured $1.3 million in funding for the Hudson Valley Educational Consortium, the second largest grant in the College’s history, for disaster preparedness training. He procured state funding to build the state-of-the art Theresa Morahan Simmons Center for Children and Families, as well as funding for the new Emergency Notification System and to support the Haitian Studies Scholar-in-Residence.

Morahan has represented the residents of the five Rockland County towns of Clarkstown, Haverstraw, Orangetown, Ramapo, and Stony Point and the two Orange County towns of Tuxedo and Warwick for more than a decade.

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Rockland Community College, a unit of the State University of New York, is located 25 miles northwest of NYC. The majority of its students transfer to four-year colleges, and many find immediate employment upon earning their associate's degree or certificate. The College also offers others, from preschoolers to senior citizens, the opportunity to simply learn something new. Quality education...at a price you can afford.