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THE COLLEGE OF NEW ROCHELLE GRADUATES CLASS OF 2003
More than 1,400 Degrees to Be Awarded at Annual Ceremony

NEW ROCHELLE, NY, May 15, 2003 – The 96th Commencement Exercises of The College of New Rochelle (CNR) will take place Thursday, May 22 at noon at Maura Lawn on the College’s main campus.  Approximately 1,400 degrees will be conferred at the event.  Congressman John Lewis, who represents Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District, will receive an honorary degree and deliver the Commencement Address to the graduates.  The recipients of honorary degrees from CNR will include:

Former U.S. Congresswoman Corinne (Lindy) Claiborne Boggs for being an excellent role model of what one can accomplish in life with strength, the determination to succeed, patriotism, and leadership through public service;

Congressman John Lewis for his commitment and service to justice, his courage and tireless efforts, and for recognizing the value of every human being;

Eugene R. McGrath, Chairman and CEO of Consolidated Edison Company of New York, for demonstrating the true definition of corporate leadership, especially in the traumatic aftermath of 9/11; and

Lowery Stokes Sims, Director of the Studio Museum in Harlem, for her pioneering role as an arbiter of culture, for bringing art and community together, and for promoting excellence in new generations of African-American artists.

"Since CNR was founded in 1904, our graduates have made valuable contributions throughout all segments of society,” said Stephen J. Sweeny, Ph.D., president of CNR.  “We know that this year's graduates will continue the fine tradition of service, integrity and faith that CNR graduates are known for in the U.S. and internationally.”

A native daughter of Louisiana, Corinne (Lindy) Claiborne Boggs arrived in the nation’s capital as the young wife of Congressman Hale Boggs.  Since then, she has established her place in American political history with a number of “firsts.”  In 1973, after her husband disappeared in a plane over Alaska, Mrs. Boggs became the first woman from Louisiana to be elected to Congress; in 1976, she became the first woman to chair a Democratic National Convention; and in 1997, when President Clinton appointed her Ambassador to the Vatican, she became the first American woman to serve in this prestigious role.  

Congressman John Lewis has been on the forefront of the civil rights movement in the U.S. for over four decades.  He has dedicated his life to the realization of an American society made whole through the transcendence of divisions in race, class, gender, and other causes of injustice, inequality or oppression.  Inspired by the non-violence philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mohandas Gandhi, Mr. Lewis joined forces with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and worked tirelessly to organize numerous demonstrations against segregation throughout the South.  His efforts gained attention with the infamous Bloody Sunday, a landmark confrontation that led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Congressman Lewis was first elected to Congress in 1986 and currently represents Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District.

At a time when “corporate leadership” has become synonymous with individual greed and self-interest, it is important to celebrate corporate leaders whose actions clearly illustrate the value of great citizenship, leadership and concern for our society in future generations.  In the horrible aftermath of 9/11, Eugene R. McGrath, Chairman and CEO of Consolidated Edison Company of New York, led a workforce of 1,900 men and women working around the clock to restore electric, gas, and steam service to more than 19,000 customers in lower Manhattan – within one week of this traumatic event.  Mr. McGrath is just as dedicated to community service as he is to his company.  Among his many civic affiliations are the 14th Street-Union Square Local Development Corporation, American Women’s Economic Corporation, Barnard College, and the Fresh Air Fund.

As one of the few African-Americans in the seemingly small exclusive world of modern art, Dr. Lowery Stokes Sims has broken barriers, embraced great causes, and built a curriculum vitae that is both startling in accomplishment and comprehensive in scope.  After getting her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in art history, Dr. Sims started her 27-year tenure at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she played a key role in many significant exhibitions, including the annual installation of the Iris and Gerald Cantor Roof Garden.  Dr. Sims’ decision to become Director of the Studio Museum in Harlem in 2000 was hailed as proof that the New York art scene had truly moved north of the Guggenheim.  New York magazine said that “They’ve turned the Studio Museum into the cultural jewel in the crown of the new Harlem renaissance.”


The first Catholic college for women in New York State, The College of New Rochelle was founded in 1904 by the Ursuline Order. Today, it comprises the all-women School of Arts & Sciences, and three schools which admit women and men: the School of New Resources (for adult learners), the School of Nursing and the Graduate School.  The main campus of the College is located in lower Westchester County, 16 miles north of New York City.  The College maintains six other campus locations in New York City. Visit the College’s website at www.cnr.edu.
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