{"id":6079,"date":"2017-05-30T12:14:42","date_gmt":"2017-05-30T16:14:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/news\/?p=6079"},"modified":"2019-10-29T14:57:52","modified_gmt":"2019-10-29T18:57:52","slug":"record-number-of-degrees-awarded-at-2017-commencement-exercises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/news\/2017\/05\/30\/record-number-of-degrees-awarded-at-2017-commencement-exercises\/","title":{"rendered":"Record Number of Degrees Awarded at 2017 Commencement Exercises"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"female<\/a><\/p>\n

The cheers from the Class of 2017 intensified as the commencement speaker, Timothy P. Shriver, Ph.D., chairman of Special Olympics, recognized the group of graduates as the most innovative generation. He complimented the students for leading a cultural revolution in which they are least likely to marry within their own ethnic group and have made the greatest advancements towards women\u2019s equality in comparison to any generation before them. \u201cNo one can tell you how to think or curtail your creativity,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"male<\/a>

Eugene J. Cornacchia, Ph.D., president of Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s University (center) with honorary degree recipients – Rev. Robert Kennedy, S.J., professor emeritus at Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s University and Zen Master (left) and Timothy P. Shriver, Ph.D., chairman of Special Olympics (right).<\/p><\/div>\n

Shriver is a social leader, educator, activist, film producer and business entrepreneur. As the chairman of Special Olympics, he serves 4.4 million Special Olympics athletes and their families in 170 countries. He has helped transform Special Olympics into a movement that focuses on acceptance, inclusion and respect for individuals with intellectual disabilities in all corners of the globe. Since joining Special Olympics in 1996, Shriver has led the organization\u2019s most ambitious growth agenda leading to the recruitment of millions of new athletes around the world.<\/p>\n

Based on his personal experiences with Special Olympics for more than two decades, Shriver shared lessons in faith with the Â鶹ÊÓƵ\u2019s graduates. The first lesson was to see with your heart and your eyes open; the second was to practice faith that includes without exception; and the third to trust in yourself and don\u2019t let the shamers defeat you.<\/p>\n

Shriver received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters,\u00a0honoris causa,<\/em> which marks a legacy at Â鶹ÊÓƵ\u2019s as the University has bestowed honorary degrees upon two of his esteemed family members 50 years ago: his father, Hon. R. Sargent Shriver H \u201967, and his uncle, Hon. Edward M. Kennedy H \u201967.<\/p>\n

During the ceremony, the University also bestowed an honorary degree upon Rev. Robert Kennedy, S.J., professor emeritus<\/em> at Â鶹ÊÓƵ\u2019s University and Zen Master. Fr. Kennedy served as the chairperson of the theology department at Â鶹ÊÓƵ\u2019s, where he also taught theology and Japanese for 40 years. In addition, Fr. Kennedy worked as a psychotherapist for 20 years in New York City. During these years, Fr. Kennedy served in the United Nations as a non-government officer where he was honored in 2010 as a religious visionary. Fr. Kennedy embodies the priority given to interreligious work by every Pope since the Second Vatican Council. He is the only American Jesuit priest who is a Zen Master (Roshi).<\/p>\n

\"graduates<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Graduates at the ceremony also had the opportunity to hear from their fellow classmate and Class of 2017 valedictorian, Nicholas P. Riepe \u201917, and Eugene J. Cornacchia, Ph.D., president of Â鶹ÊÓƵ\u2019s University. The members of the class left the ceremony with the inspirational words of Dr. Cornacchia, \u201cI have no doubt that you will build on the extraordinary legacy of those who preceded you. Now is the time to pursue opportunities for which you have developed a genuine love and passion. You will \u2018go forth and set the world on fire,\u2019 as Ignatius challenged us, yet you will always be part of the Peacock family.\u201d<\/p>\n

To view more photos from the commencement exercises, please click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The cheers from the Class of 2017 intensified as the commencement speaker, Timothy P. Shriver, Ph.D., chairman of Special Olympics, recognized the group of graduates as the most innovative generation. He complimented the students for leading a cultural revolution in which they are least likely to marry within their own ethnic group and have made […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":6081,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,3,5,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6079","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-current-students","category-faculty-staff","category-future-students"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRecord Number of Degrees Awarded at 2017 Commencement Exercises - News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/news\/2017\/05\/30\/record-number-of-degrees-awarded-at-2017-commencement-exercises\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"aboyer1\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/news\/2017\/05\/30\/record-number-of-degrees-awarded-at-2017-commencement-exercises\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/news\/2017\/05\/30\/record-number-of-degrees-awarded-at-2017-commencement-exercises\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"aboyer1\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/0e6cac7c1e5bde0788515bdfe0adea4b\"},\"headline\":\"Record Number of Degrees Awarded at 2017 Commencement Exercises\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-05-30T16:14:42+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-10-29T18:57:52+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/news\/2017\/05\/30\/record-number-of-degrees-awarded-at-2017-commencement-exercises\/\"},\"wordCount\":568,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/news\/2017\/05\/30\/record-number-of-degrees-awarded-at-2017-commencement-exercises\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/230\/files\/2017\/05\/IMG_1033.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Alumni\",\"Current Students\",\"Faculty Staff\",\"Future Students\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/news\/2017\/05\/30\/record-number-of-degrees-awarded-at-2017-commencement-exercises\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/news\/2017\/05\/30\/record-number-of-degrees-awarded-at-2017-commencement-exercises\/\",\"name\":\"Record Number of Degrees Awarded at 2017 Commencement Exercises - 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