On May 27 and 28, Brooklyn College celebrated its 90th Commencement Exercises, graduating more than 4,000 students. Keynoting the Master’s Ceremony I on May 27, for graduates in the Schools of Humanities and Social Sciences, Natural and Behavioral Sciences, and Visual, Media, and Performing Arts, was noted composer David Amram, who was awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts. Appointed by Leonard Bernstein as the first Composer in Residence for the New York Philharmonic, David Amram composed the scores for the films Pull My Daisy (1959), Splendor in the Grass (1960), and The Manchurian Candidate (1962). He was also the composer and music director for the Lincoln Center Theatre and for 29 years was the Brooklyn Philharmonic’s musical director. Dr. Leon Glass ’63, one of the world’s leading theoretical biologists, keynoted the Master’s Ceremony II on May 27 for graduates in the Schools of Business and Education. Glass, a trained chemist and a trailblazer in using physics and mathematics to understand the complex physiological phenomena that occur with certain human ailments, has the distinction of having several of his scientific discoveries named in his honor, including “Glass Patterns,” which clarified understanding of how the human brain processes visual stimuli. The May 28 baccalaureate ceremony was keynoted by Barry Salzberg ’74, the global chief executive officer of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (Deloitte Global), the world’s largest professional services network. “The friendships that you build here at Brooklyn College will help you to succeed both personally and professionally for decades to come,” Salzberg told graduates. As Deloitte Global CEO, Salzberg leads its executive committee, which is responsible for establishing Deloitte Global’s vision and strategy. Salzberg is also a member of the Deloitte Global Board of Directors. After graduating from Brooklyn College cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in accounting, Salzberg enrolled in Brooklyn Law School, earning his Juris Doctor in 1977. He then joined Haskins & Sells (later merged with Touche Ross to become Deloitte), specializing in tax accounting. In 1981, he earned a Master of Laws in taxation at New York University, and by 1985 became partner at Deloitte LLP (United States). The Class of 2015 valedictorian was Joshua V. Kurian. “Now we can use our acquired knowledge to serve our community,” he told fellow graduates. Kurian is the recipient of the Christoph M. Kimmich Award for Academic Excellence. He will attend SUNY Downstate College of Medicine in the fall. Other distinguished speakers at the baccalaureate ceremony included McGill University Director of MSc in Public Health Dr. Rebecca Fuhrer ’67, who received the Distinguished Alumni Award, and Presidential Medal recipient Diana Rogovin Davidow ’66, ’73 M.S., a counselor, painter, leader in the field of speech pathology, and a philanthropist after whom the Brooklyn College Speech and Hearing Center is named. Gisely Colón-López, Class of 2015 salutatorian, received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Puerto Rican and Latino studies. She plans to obtain a Ph.D. and pursue a career in politics and education. For more commencement highlights, visit the college’s Facebook and Twitter pages and use the hashtag #BCGrad2015.
