UAlbany Applauds 5,000 New Graduates During Weekend Commencement Ceremonies
By Amy Geduldig
ALBANY, N.Y. (May 20, 2025) — Nearly 5,000 students celebrated their graduation from the University at Albany, which hosted its 181st commencement festivities from Thursday, May 15, through Sunday, May 18.
Among the graduates were an estimated 3,000 undergraduates and 1,900 graduate students, including recipients who completed their degrees last summer and fall as well as over the winter.
For those who received their degrees this May, 35 percent were first-generation college graduates and 31 wereveterans.
The undergraduate degree recipients ranged in age from 19 to 71, with an average age of 23.
The graduates hailed from 25 states, including New York, and 31 countries outside the United States.
They received degrees in 55 different majors.
UAlbany held a series of commencement events for the Class of 2025 throughout the week, highlighted by individual stage crossings and the University-wide outdoor undergraduate ceremony.
University-Wide Undergraduate Ceremony Celebrates Students and Damien’s Birthday
Saturday’s University-wide undergraduate ceremony was held at the Entry Plaza lawn on the Uptown Campus. Students and their families were treated to a beautiful day and greeted with remarks by President Rodríguez, who shared his high hopes for this year’s graduating class.
“In addition to earning degrees, you have also developed traits that give me great hope for our next generation of leaders. You are resilient. You are accomplished. You know how to pivot when life throws challenges your way. You have formed deep bonds with each other that will last long after today’s ceremony ends. You understand how interconnected this world is and the opportunities and challenges that presents... Graduates, I am so very proud to count you among our Great Dane family. I cannot wait to witness the greatness you will unleash on the world.”
The Class of 2025 student speaker was Maria Celeste Villacreses Valarezo. Born and raised in Ecuador, the UAlbany’s Honors College student graduated with a degree in Human Biology and a minor in Medical Anthropology. Villacreses Valarezo served as a research fellow at the University’s renowned RNA Institute and was an active member of the campus community, receiving the Outstanding Senior Award this year. During her speech, she encouraged her fellow graduates to keep dreaming:
“Class of 2025, we face forward. The world ahead is still uncertain — but we are not the same people who walked onto campus four years ago. We are wiser, bolder, and stronger than we think. We are ready to mold our future. We carry more than a degree — we carry stories of growth, of determination... So, to the dreamers, the doers, the late-night owls, the crammers, the early-morning birds, the coffee chuggers and energy drink lovers — keep dreaming, keep going.”
The University’s beloved mascot Damien also received a special mention, as the Great Dane celebrated his 60th birthday. “Born” on May 14, 1965, from the creative brain of alum Kathy Earle of the class of 1967— Damien had a banner year, most recently earning the title 2025 SUNY Mascot Madness champion. In recognition of both his success and the students graduating over the weekend, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan issued a proclamation naming Saturday ‘It’s a Great Day to be a Great Dane Day.’
Graduates Honored at Stage Crossings
Earlier in the week, undergraduate students were individually recognized throughout Thursday and Friday with their guests at school/college-based stage crossings at the Broadview Center.
On Friday evening, UAlbany hosted the annual Baccalaureate Torch Reception on the Academic Podium overlooking the Main Fountain. One of UAlbany’s longest-standing commencement traditions, the event honored the Class of 2025 as they passed the torch to the rising Class of 2026.
The University’s doctoral stage crossing and hooding celebration took place on Saturday afternoon at the Broadview Center, where PhD recipients were individually recognized in front of family, friends and faculty. The stage crossings for master’s degree and graduate certificate recipients took place on Sunday also held at the Broadview Center.