On Thursday, May 22, 2025, Farmingdale State College (FSC) held its 104th annual commencement at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. The evening ceremony marked the first time graduation exercises were held off campus in the College’s history.  

More than 10,000 FSC campus community members, including leadership, faculty, staff, students, family, and friends, attended the festivities at the iconic Long Island stadium, as well as several 50th reunion alumni attendees. Presiding over the event were FSC President Robert S. Prezant, PhD; Senior Vice President and Provost Laura Joseph, EdD; College Council Chair Patricia Hill Williams, EdD; Associate Professor of Business Management Martin Lewison, PhD, as master of ceremonies; and Faculty Presiding Officer and Physics Department Chair Lloyd Makarowitz, PhD, as grand marshal.

In total, FSC proudly conferred nearly 2100 degrees over the 2024-2025 academic year:

• Bachelors: 1814
• Masters: 17
• Associates: 224
• Advanced Certificates: 40

“It is my great privilege to join in congratulating you and your families and loved ones and friends, and our remarkable faculty and staff, as you move through this next step in your journey,” said President Prezant, who noted the importance of attitude and perspective, even when it goes unnoticed. “As educators we seek to make sure you have the capacity for leadership, understanding that leadership demands a proactive attitude and a strong sense of perspective. 

“Your being here means you had the optimistic attitude to recognize that the struggles were worth it, and you maintained a positive perspective that saw you through to today,” added President Prezant. "I absolutely know your future is bright, each and every one of you."

During the ceremony, several campus community members received recognition including Robert Van Nostrand, 1977 alumnus and chair of the Farmingdale Foundation Board, who received the Inaugural President’s Medal; Joseph for her 35 years of leadership and dedication, and her numerous contributions to FSC; the 2024-2025 Academic Excellence Award winners; and this year’s State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence recipients. As Student Government Association (SGA) president, Jairo Orozco, ’25, accepted the College’s appreciation on behalf of the SGA for the recent installment of an FSC branded bench with a bronze statue of beloved FSC mascot, Ram-Bo. 

In his address, Class of 2025 Valedictorian John Apollo, ’25, a bioscience major and Research Aligned Mentorship (RAM) Program scholar, spoke of two “paramount factors” for success: opportunity and perseverance.  

“Farmingdale State College has provided mentors, support systems, created curiosities, provided lessons, and most importantly, built and will continue to build community,” he said. “If there is one thing that I can appreciate most from my time at Farmingdale State College, it is learning to pursue opportunities.  

“It is not what has occurred in the past that defines us, but what we choose to do next,” he added. “Farmingdale graduates, we did not just make it, we earned it. And we are just getting started. Go out there and shake the world.” 

Student Perspectives: 

Francis Aiello, ’25, a computer programming and information systems major, said he felt very supported by FSC’s Computer Science Department and the networking opportunities it offered.  

“It’s strange to be at the end of the road but I feel like it’s deserved and I’m happy that I did it at Farmingdale,” he said. “Farmingdale gave me an opportunity to broaden my horizon in computer science. I feel prepared for the future. I was offered a full-time position in IT and I’m going to be starting that within the month.” 

Natalie Jung, 25, a bioscience major, said she was eager to attend her first graduation ceremony, having missed her high school graduation during the COVID-19 pandemic.   

“I’m ready to start my future,” she said. “I’m looking forward to pursing a lab job and maybe going for my master's now.”  

Matthew Murrell, ’25, a computer programming and information systems major and student athlete on the men’s tennis team, shared what he will miss most about his alma mater.

“Looking back, the best part of my college experience as a whole was the professors,” said Murrell, who now plans to attend law school. “They were really caring and it felt like they really wanted me to succeed, and that made my experience as a student better.”

Cristela Morales Barrientos, ’25, a criminal justice major and cybersecurity minor, said the evening’s festivities were bittersweet but overall, she felt “accomplished.” 

“I’ve been working on this a while, for three years,” she said. “Feels like a chapter is ending. Now, I want to pursue a career in cyber security or digital forensics. I do feel very positive about the future; I’m excited to start job hunting.”  

Ryan Michael Berndt, ’25, a security systems major, shared he is looking forward to receiving his diploma as well as going into active duty as an officer in the United States Army.  

“I’m commissioning as a second lieutenant in the army tomorrow, as an infantry officer,” said Berndt, who shared he hopes to apply his degree as a signal captain. “I’ve had a positive experience at Farmingdale; it was a great option for me.” 

View more photos from Commencement 2025 on our Flickr Gallery.

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