St. Francis College celebrates new graduates

Winter Commencement Sends New Students on to the Future

January 19, 2015 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Valedictorian Tan Cheung graduated with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Accounting. Photos courtesy of St. Francis College

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Hundreds of parents, families and friends came to St. Charles Borromeo Church in Brooklyn Heights to celebrate Winter Commencement with the newest graduates from the Class of 2015 on Jan. 14.

The valedictorian for the January class was Tan Cheung, a Hong Kong native who graduates with a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Accounting. Tan transferred to St. Francis from Seattle after learning about the College’s small size and window to the New York job market. “Because of the small classrooms, you can get closer to the students and professors,” said Tan. “I could ask them about anything, not just course work. They helped me a lot with questions about jobs and internships too.”

Tan earned the National Grid Scholarship and Internship, working for a year and half in their Capital Markets division. She was also a member of the Accounting Society and Asian Culture Club. She is now studying to take the CPA exam and looking for a job in the accounting field.

Kathleen Nolan, Chair of the Biology, Health Promotion, and Health Care Management Department offered the Winter Commencement Address, in part describing why St. Francis students are a lot like a lobster (with help from a live lobster to better illustrate her points). Dr. Nolan has taught at St. Francis for almost 20 years. Her research focuses on fisheries biology and biology laboratory education. You can often find her with her students seining in New York waterways, like off Brooklyn Bridge Park or in Jamaica Bay. She has also taken students on multiple marine biology trips to Belize, Honduras, and the Virgin Islands.

Bro. William Boslet, OSF ’70, the Superior General, Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn offered the opening Invocation while Bro. Geoffrey Clement, OSF, a History Professor at the College delivered the closing Benediction.

Before Commencement, Father Brian Jordan, Director of the St. Francis College Campus Ministry celebrated Baccalaureate Mass.

A full replay of the ceremony is now available on the St. Francis website (www.sfc.edu).