2012 Commencement

James Carrigg has no doubts that the Binghamton University Class of 2012 will make the right decisions in the future.

"As you all venture forth from this great University to a new job, additional education, or to start your own business as an entrepreneur, I submit you will someday have your own 'defining moment' when you must ask yourself: 'Is this the right thing to do?'" Carrigg said.

Carrigg, a longtime chairman, chief executive officer and president of New York State Electric & Gas Corporation (NYSEG), received an honorary degree and spoke at the Commencement ceremony held Dec. 16 at the Events Center.

More than 760 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees were awarded during the two-hour ceremony, which also featured addresses from President Harvey Stenger, doctoral-degree recipient Jason Loew and bachelor's-degree recipient Matthew Comite.

Carrigg has had a long and involved connection with Binghamton University, supporting the Anderson Center for the Performing Arts, athletics, the Institute for Child Development and scholarships honoring former President Lois B. DeFleur, former Watson Dean Lyle Feisel and Vice President Thomas Kelly. He is also a past chair of the Harpur Forum and a past member of the Binghamton Foundation Board of Directors.

But Carrigg admitted to the graduates that "my role here today is clearly linked to the establishment of the Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science," which opened in June 1983.

"A number of key people in this community banded together and embarked on a crusade to make it happen," Carrigg said. "Why? Because it was the right thing to do!"

Carrigg told how he and other community members and business leaders met with then-President Clifford Clark and his staff. After the local group made its presentation, the University officials expressed concerns such as a lack of labs and facilities, the amount of money needed for the project and the various constituencies in Albany that would need to approve the school.

"As I stood there at the beginning looking at the task we had, I said two words: mission impossible," Carrigg said.

But after all of the concerns were expressed and Carrigg was feeling pessimistic, a "defining moment" took place: Clark told his staff "Let's not be too hasty."

"At that moment, the tone of the meeting changed completely and we were on our way to making this engineering school a reality," Carrigg said. "The community team and the academic team banded together to take on the skeptics in Albany.

"It took many months and countless trips to Albany to change minds, but again: This was the right thing to do."

Carrigg left the Class of 2012 with some advice that he considered "profound."

"The future is not something we enter," he said. "The future is something we create."

Highlights from the Fall 2012 Commencement ceremonies. We also asked graduates: why Fall commencement? Watch this video to hear their answers.

Graduating senior Matthew Comite represented his classmates as the undergraduate student speaker at the Fall Commencement ceremony in the Events Center. Comite, who received a bachelor's degree in human development, was the day's final speaker and received the most enthusiastic ovation from the graduates and guests. He first told the crowd that he has lived his life with a stutter. "The hardest part about having a stutter is saying the word 'stutter,'" he said. "Whoever thought of that word, I guarantee you did not have a stutter! But here I stand before you to prove that anything can be accomplished when you accept yourself and have the right attitude." Comite gave his classmates three tips that allowed him to succeed at Binghamton University. The first: "Be yourself." "There has never been anyone exactly like you since human life began," he said. "That is why being yourself is crucial. Oscar Wilde once said: 'Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.'" The second characteristic: "Find your strengths and play to them." Be great at something and don't settle for just being good, Comite said. The final characteristic: "Control your emotions. Do not let them control you." "I have a ton of emotions going through my mind right now, but the only one that you see is happiness because I am in full control of my emotions," Comite said. "We are about to enter a new world. A whole new world where all we have is ourselves and those we surround ourselves with. So be yourself, find your strengths and stay in control of your emotions."

Michelle Eberhart's Commencement address, "#CommencementSpeech," was delivered at the Binghamton University Professional Schools Ceremony at the Events Center on May 20. Eberhart, who is earning dual degrees in human development and English, competes as a long- and triple-jumper on the Binghamton University track and field team, which she co-captains. A master of time management who has "crammed 156 credits into [her] four years here at Binghamton," including 22 credits this semester alone, is also secretary for the safety awareness group Peace OUTside Campus, a College for Every Student peer mentor at Binghamton West Middle School and an intern in the University's media and public relations office. Eberhart helped develop a new Web video series "This Week@BinghamtonU" for the University and is also adept at blogging and using online tools to promote organizations. After graduation, she plans on finding a job in public relations and social media. "As a current intern for Binghamton's media and public relations office, I wish to use the skills I have learned here and apply them to my future career," she said. "I believe that social media is an up-and-coming field that has become a necessity for businesses, non-profits and individuals alike. "I love everything about Binghamton and as graduation approaches, I have been reminiscing about my first days in CIW up until the current moments that I know will be memories forever," she said. "While it is sad to leave Binghamton, I know that being here has prepared me to go on and succeed at whatever I wish to do."

Alumnus and real estate investment manager Paul Turovsky '73, received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, and spoke at the Harpur College of Arts and Sciences ceremony, during Binghamton Commencement 2012. "I never dreamed when I graduated so long ago that I would ever have the opportunity to return to my alma mater to deliver a commencement address," said Turovsky, who is the founding principal of real estate investment management firm True North Management Group. He also is chair of the Binghamton University Foundation Board of Directors and chair of Binghamton University's fundraising campaign, Bold.Brilliant.Binghamton. Turovsky discussed the importance of a liberal-arts education and the role that it will play in students' professional lives. "There is nothing wrong with students of the liberal arts going on to become doctors or lawyers or teachers or even getting a business degree to become an accountant," he said. "What is important is that you recognize there are many other possibilities and choices filled with enormous opportunities. The next step for you is to find out what some of them are." Turovsky, for example, transitioned from a being a student in Latin American history to a career in business in which he manages more than $700 million in assets for institutional investors. "I implore you to persevere and search for the right first opportunity," he advised. "Ask everyone you know what they do and what the details of their days are like. Think creatively about links between classes that you have taken and potential job or career opportunities. Volunteer or take an internship if that gets your foot in a door that you think is promising." Whether it's learning about history, literature or sciences, the liberal arts have provided students with an excellent training for future success, Turovsky said. "A liberal arts degree is certainly not the only path to professional success and may not be the clearest or easiest path, but you certainly should not look at it as an obstacle that cannot be overcome and you should definitely concentrate on turning it into an advantage, which I am sure that you can." Turovsky's final pieces of advice could apply to all Binghamton University graduates: Rejoice in the day, embrace the coming challenges and appreciate the valuable experiences you have had. "It took me more than 20 years after graduating before I returned to this school and started to re-establish my relationship as an alumnus," he said. "I regret that it took me so long to do this. So I would hope that you won't follow that same path but instead continue to stay connected and do everything you can in the years ahead to help others gain access to the excellent educational opportunities that this fine University has provided to you."