I am pleased to be able to share details about Commencement 2024, so that you may get a head start on your planning.
Commencement will be held on Monday, May 20, 2024, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens. We will once again host a main ceremony for all graduates, with the keynote Commencement speaker, and then individual school and college ceremonies through the day.
Last year was a beautiful spring day, and in our second year in the venue we were able to deliver an even better experience for our graduates, their families, and our participating faculty and staff. Building on that experience, and on feedback we received, we know we’ll be able to put on an even more memorable day this spring. We’ll once again include the processionals, include more student voices, ensure that our faculty and staff are properly recognized, and make sure we have plenty of food vendors.
This year, all graduates will be automatically eligible for up to six guest tickets for family and friends, and those with greater needs may request additional tickets (which this year will be approved on a rolling basis). Full details on tickets, and other up-to-date information, will be available at www.pace.edu/commencement.
It is also time to open the nomination process for this year’s Commencement speakers and honorary degree recipients. I invite everyone in the Pace Community to nominate potential speakers and honorees via this form by Friday, October 27. Nominations will be reviewed by the Commencement Speaker Advisory Committee, co-chaired by Jeff Barnett, PhD, vice president for student affairs and dean for students, and Jesse Oxfeld, senior communications advisor, and including student, staff, and faculty representatives.
As you think about potential nominees, please keep in mind that Commencement speakers and honorary degree recipients are people who serve as role models and reflect the Pace mission of Opportunitas. Specifically, we seek to find speakers and honorees whose accomplishments and life story will resonate with the Pace Community, and whose stature and renown will serve as a tribute to the graduating students. The most successful nominees are people who have some connection to Pace or a member of the Pace Community.
Thank you for your nominations, and I look forward to celebrating with you in May.
