TOWN OF POUGHKEEPSIE – More than 1,700 students graduated from last week when the Class of 2026 participated in the school’s 80th Commencement Exercise. Graduate students were recognized for their accomplishments on Thursday, and the undergraduates had their ceremony the next day. Friday’s ceremony included the graduation of two interns, Brian Scopino and Caleb Tysz. Scopino and Tysz both majored in Communications-Journalism, and the interns spent considerable time covering events in and around Poughkeepsie in Dutchess County. Both men “hit the ground running,” said Dutchess County Bureau Chief Todd Bender. “It’s exciting to watch them move forward, with tremendous careers in front of them, but the Poughkeepsie office is certainly going to miss the hard work they put in, while balancing the internship, classes, and part-time jobs during the same semester.”
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jennifer Egan addressed undergraduate students, and K, a member of the Class of 2019, delivered remarks to Marist’s graduate class.
Addressing more than 1,300 undergraduates, Egan encouraged graduates to embrace purpose and perseverance, saying, “Find your passion and live by it. Be open to love. Don’t compare yourselves to others, learn from your failures, and stay in the game. Take care of your bodies and your minds. Be engaged citizens. These things are easy to say and hard to do; it can take a lifetime to figure them out.”
In remarks to the Class of 2026, Marist University President Kevin Weinman highlighted the values students demonstrated throughout their time on campus.
“You came here to develop your fullest selves,” he said. “To think critically, to be curious, to be resilient and adapt and adjust, to lead, to explore new places, to say “yes” to new experiences. Because of this, you’re now ready for success not just in your first job or in your graduate programs. But in every single thing you will do from here, for decades to come.”
Speaking to the graduate class on Thursday, Noble reflected on balancing leadership, education, and family, and challenged graduates to embrace service.
“I didn’t think it was possible to serve my community, go back to school, and still be present for my family,” Noble said. “While it was difficult at times, I found a way to juggle it all. And so did you.”