1,600 to Graduate from C.W. Post on Mother's Day

More than 1,600 students will don their caps and gowns on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 11, 2003 when the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University holds its 45th annual commencement exercises. The C.W. Post Campus — a private, co-educational institution of higher learning located in Brookville, N.Y. — has awarded more than 85,000 degrees in its 49-year history.

At the ceremony, honorary doctorates will be awarded to journalist Robert A. Caro, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of such books as "The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York" and "The Years of Lyndon Johnson;" Dr. Maxine Greene, a preeminent American philosopher of education and professor emerita of Columbia University’s Teachers College; and Congressman Peter T. King, a Republican who is serving his sixth term in the U.S. House of Representatives and is a member of the Financial Services and International Relations committees. King will offer welcoming remarks at the ceremony.

Distinguished Alumni Awards will be presented to three successful C.W. Post graduates: Randall Baker (’66 psychology), retired executive vice president of the Support and Education Services/Executive Committee for Oracle Corporation; Eli Feldman (’66 business administration), president and chief executive officer of Metropolitan Jewish Health Systems; and Keith Turner (’76 management), president of Television Network Sales for NBC.

David Courtemanche of Huntington, NY is C.W. Post’s valedictorian. The 22-year-old is a student in C.W. Post’s prestigious Honors Program. He has a perfect 4.0 grade point average and will receive a bachelor of science degree in business with a concentration in finance. He will give his valedictory speech at commencement ceremonies, which begin at 9:30 a.m. in front of Humanities Hall. Courtemanche is currently interning at Ivy Asset Management in Garden City and plans to travel after graduation.

The C.W. Post salutatorian is Mohegan Lake, NY resident Gina M. Gencarelli, 21, an aspiring filmmaker whose motion picture productions have already received industry recognition. Her short 16mm film, titled "Missing in Action," which depicts the common humanity of soldiers fighting during WWII, was accepted for a public screening on March 10 at the Westchester County Film Festival. Gencarelli, who has a 4.0 grade point average, will earn her bachelor of fine arts in film with a minor in broadcasting. She currently works full-time as a television assistant with the Bedford Central School District, located in Mt. Kisco, N.Y.

The Nassau County Secondary School Teacher of the Year Award, which recognizes exemplary teaching, will be awarded to Beth Atkinson, an art teacher at Hicksville High School.

The Class of 2003 includes 708 baccalaureate degree candidates, 889 master's degree candidates, two doctoral students receiving the Psy.D. in clinical psychology and three doctoral students receiving the Ph.D. in information studies.

C.W. Post is one of six campuses of Long Island University, the seventh largest private university in the United States. With more than 13,000 full- and part-time students, C.W. Post offers a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programs in accountancy, business (AACSB accredited), computer science, liberal arts and sciences, library and information science, education, health professions and nursing, public service, and visual and performing arts. C.W. Post also offers doctorates in information studies and clinical psychology as well as an extensive continuing education program.