For Release:         Immediate – May 7, 2016

Contact:                Jerry Gretzinger, Vice President of Strategic Communications and Public Relations ­

(518) 956-7359 | jgretzinger@sunypoly.edu

SUNY Poly Graduates Largest Class to Date at 42^nd Annual Commencement

Distinguished Award-Winner in field of Adaptive Optics, Radar, and Photonics, Dr. Donald Hanson delivers keynote address

Utica, NY – As a testament to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s blueprint for strengthening educational opportunities in New York as well as its workforce, SUNY Polytechnic Institute today hosted its 42 ^nd annual commencement ceremony at the Wildcat Field House and announced the nearly 800 members of the Class of 2016 represent the largest graduating class in the institution’s history.  More than 3,000 family and friends attended the ceremony.

“Governor Andrew Cuomo’s innovation-driven educational model in New York State enables SUNY Poly to provide its students with a world-class learning experience and all the skills and knowledge necessary to emerge as leaders in the 21^st century global economy,” said Dr. Alain Kaloyeros, Founding President and CEO of SUNY Polytechnic Institute. “I congratulate our 2016 graduates and wish them the best of luck as they build their careers on a solid SUNY Poly foundation.”

“SUNY Poly is committed to building a bright future for New York State by graduating highly skilled students who understand that creating knowledge is the key to innovation and that innovation is the key to success.  Members of the class of 2016 are a perfect example of this and should be proud of their accomplishments,” said Dr. Robert Geer, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of SUNY Polytechnic Institute. “We welcome today’s graduates to our family of alumni and wish them continued success.”

The top three undergraduate degrees awarded at the ceremony were Bachelors of Science degrees in Nursing, Business Administration, and Mechanical Engineering Technology, respectively. The top graduate degrees awarded Saturday were Masters of Science in Family Nurse Practitioner, Computer Information Systems, and Technology Management, respectively.

The keynote speaker was Dr. Donald Hanson, chair of the SUNY Polytechnic Institute College Council, a Life Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and former Director of the Information Directorate at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, where for many years he oversaw the Air Force’s center for the development of information systems, managed an annual science and technology program of more than $700 million, and directed the activities of nearly 1,500 military, civilian, and contract employees.

“SUNY Poly, known for its innovative experiential curriculum, is proud of these graduates beginning careers that will make a difference.  They will undoubtedly achieve success, just like the thousands of graduates who have gone before them,” said Dr. William Durgin, SUNY Polytechnic Institute Provost.

SUNY Poly’s Utica commencement was followed by a reception outside the Student Center.

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SUNY Polytechnic Institute. SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) is New York’s globally recognized, high-tech educational ecosystem, formed from the merger of the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and SUNY Institute of Technology. SUNY Poly offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience and nanoengineering, as well as cutting-edge nanobioscience and nanoeconomics programs at its Albany location and undergraduate and graduate degrees in technology, including engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, and the engineering technologies; professional studies, including business, communication, and nursing; and arts and sciences, including natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences at its Utica/Rome location. Thriving athletic, recreational, and cultural programs, events, and activities complement the campus experience. As the world’s most advanced, university-driven research enterprise, SUNY Poly boasts more than $43 billion in high-tech investments, over 300 corporate partners, and maintains a statewide footprint. The 1.3 million-square-foot Albany NanoTech megaplex is home to more than 4,000 scientists, researchers, engineers, students, faculty, and staff, in addition to Tech Valley High School. SUNY Poly operates the Smart Cities Technology Innovation Center (SCiTI) at Kiernan Plaza in Albany, the Solar Energy Development Center in Halfmoon, the Children’s Museum of Science and Technology (CMOST) in Troy, the Central New York Hub for Emerging Nano Industries in Syracuse, the Smart System Technology and Commercialization Center (STC) in Canandaigua, and the Photovoltaic Manufacturing and Technology Development Facility in Rochester where SUNY Poly also leads the American Institute for Manufacturing Integrated Photonics. SUNY Poly founded and manages the Computer Chip Commercialization Center (Quad-C) at its Utica location and also manages the $500 million New York Power Electronics Manufacturing Consortium, with nodes in Albany and Rochester, as well as the Buffalo High-Tech Manufacturing Innovation Hub at RiverBend, Buffalo Information Technologies Innovation and Commercialization Hub, and Buffalo Medical Innovation and Commercialization Hub. For information visit www.sunycnse.com andwww.sunypoly.edu.