This week Monroe College graduated the greatest number of students in the school's illustrious seventy-year history. In the Bronx and Westchester campus graduations, Monroe College President Stephen J. Jerome conferred college degrees on 1,710 students. The college also presented 313 awards for academic achievement, another record.

"Many people recognize that a college degree is essentially a survival tool in this day and age," said Monroe College Associate Academic Dean Carol Genese. "And because a Monroe education is career-oriented, our students have confidence based on mastery of their studies and are ready to advance in their chosen fields." At the Bronx commencement ceremony held on Saturday, June 7 at Columbia's Wein Stadium, 804 students received associate degrees and 453 students received bachelor's degrees. At the New Rochelle graduation ceremony held on Tuesday, June 10 at the Westchester County Center, 260 students received associate degrees and 193 students were granted bachelor's degrees. Forty-five graduates were presented with Outstanding Academic Achievement Awards for attaining final GPA's of 4.0 and 268 students received departmental honors for attaining final GPA's of more than 3.75.

At the Bronx campus commencement, President Jerome congratulated the graduates. "You are sophisticated having achieved your goals, competent from having mastered the academic requirements of the college, and confident having realized how much you can do and how well you can do it."

Both commencement speakers emphasized the value of hard work as a foundation for success in the face of adversity. At the Bronx campus ceremony, Hon. Johanna Duncan-Poitier, the Deputy Commissioner for the NY State Education Department of Higher Education, talked about her achievement despite her own humble roots. "But, with high position comes responsibility," she said. At the New Rochelle campus ceremony, television news reporter Marcus Solis said that success in the news business is about overcoming obstacles. But in the final analysis, Mr. Solis told the graduates, one way or another, the job is to "make it work."

Founded in 1933, Monroe College was originally the Monroe School of Business, located in the West Farms section of the Bronx. In 1963, it became the Monroe Business Institute and four years later opened a branch on Fordham Road. In 1997 Monroe started offering baccalaureate programs and degrees.

In its seventy-year legacy, Monroe College has grown to become one of New York's leading business and technology colleges, offering two and four-year degrees.  With a five-building campus in the Fordham section of the Bronx and six buildings including facilities for 300 dormitory students in downtown New Rochelle, Monroe offers associate degrees in accounting, business administration, computer information systems, computerized office technology, criminal justice, health office associate, and hospitality and tourism management; and bachelor's degrees in accounting, business management, computer information systems, criminal justice, and general business.