Hunter’s 213th Commencement: The Best!

“You are leaving a very special place,” Arianna Huffington told Hunter’s newest graduates. “The world needs what this place has taught you.”

On June 2, at Madison Square Garden, the founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post addressed an ecstatic Class of 2016. Huffington paid tribute to the “amazing, inspiring and moving” life stories of so many of those receiving their degrees. 

“I invite all of you to write and tell your stories on Huffpost and inspire others,” she said, sharing her personal email address. She went on to praise Hunter for being a unique institution that is “based on breaking down barriers and walls”and “truly reflects the great city it serves.”

Huffington had been invited to speak and receive the President’s Medal not only because of her personal standing and success, but because, as President Jennifer J. Raab noted, she is “a model of what immigrants contribute” to society. In 2016, as in every year since Hunter’s founding, a great number of the graduates are from immigrant families, and whether born in the U.S. or abroad, often the first in their family to attend college.

Throughout the ceremony, President Raab highlighted the immense struggles and achievements of individual graduates. Along with those stirring moments was an unforgettable onstage event:  a marriage proposal to an utterly surprised graduate (pictured right). She’d been told that her boyfriend, serving in the military, was unable to get leave and come to New York. But with Hunter’s go-ahead, he appeared at the Garden, got down on one knee, and made a great day in his girlfriend’s life even greater.

An older love story was related by Klara Silverstein ’56, who received an honorary doctorate of humane letters. A former teacher and longtime civic leader and philanthropist, who is a devoted trustee and former chair of the Hunter College Foundation, Silverstein spoke of her great fortune not only in attending Hunter, but also in meeting and marrying Larry Silverstein several decades ago. She also told the graduates, “I’ve tried to be true to the values I found here as a student,” and urged them do as she did and “consider Hunter College a permanent home.”

For this commencement, which was shared on social media using #HunterGrad, Hunter boasted six valedictorians: Victoria Baamonde, Alexandru Barbulescu, Lindsay Rindskopf, Erica Siudzinski, Alexander Viner, and the one they all chose to speak on their behalf: Sarah Soo-Hoo, a Macaulay Honors Scholar headed to medical school. Approaching her speech with humor, she began and ended with words of advice from Snapchat star DJ Khaled. In sum, her message was to prepare for the inevitable rainy day, work hard, enjoy life’s journeys, and as a Hunter grad, always know, “We the best!”