28 Commencement 2017 Hundreds gathered at the Roosevelt Hotel in midtown Manhattan to witness the College grant 101 degrees and certificates, including the OD, PhD and MS in vision science, MBA in health care leadership and advanced certificate in optometry business management. Keynote speaker Dr. Paul Sieving, an internationally renowned clinical neurophysiologist and director of the National Eye Institute at the National Institutes of Health, commended the graduates for completing the rigorous SUNY Optometry curriculum. “This school is difficult to get into and you have worked hard to get out,” he said to the amusement of the audience. “However, I hope you are not done.” Dr. Sieving, who also received an honorary Doctor of Science during the ceremony, endorsed continued learning, professional growth and extensive collaboration with colleagues. He urged the Class of 2017 to be observant in their practices and alert for new and unknown conditions to expand the profession’s knowledge base. “Society places great trust in you. Always keep your patients first and foremost in your professional lives.” Honorary degree recipient Dr. Max Gomez, an award-winning medical reporter for WCBS-TV, received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. He also encouraged the Class of 2017 to continue to learn after Commencement and specifically addressed service as one’s duty. Dr. Andrea Thau Allison Kay LaRue, Class of 2017 Dr. Paul Sieving, President David A. Heath and Dr. Max Gomez
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