Class of 2020 to be Honored during Virtual Commencement Celebration on Saturday, June 6

June 4, 2020

Like many colleges across the nation, Hudson Valley Community College will honor its Class of 2020 – nearly 1,800 students – during a virtual celebration to be streamed at www.hvcc.edu/commencement beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 6.

American Idol finalist Madison VanDenburg will sing “The Star Spangled Banner” to open the celebration and will also perform at the close of the event. VanDenburg was a part-time student at the college in 2019. Profiles of graduates and greetings from faculty and staff will be interspersed throughout the program. The college’s student choir will also perform.

Among those who will address the graduates are Hudson Valley President Roger Ramsammy; Hudson Valley Board of Trustees Chairman Neil Kelleher; United States Senator Charles Schumer; Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin; Rensselaer County Legislature Chairman Michael Stammel; WTEN News Anchor John Gray ’83; Student Senate President Zion Sherin ’20; and Professor Jeff Schoonmaker, who retired in May 2020 after 51 years of teaching physics at the college.

The approximately one-hour program will include a ceremonial conferral of degrees by President Ramsammy and Judith DiLorenzo, vice president for Academic Affairs. A list of the Class of 2020 graduates and commencement “facts and figures” are available on the Commencement webpage.