* University of Ghana Vice-Chancellor Ivan Addae-Mensah *
* Journalist Christiane Amanpour *
* Mathematician Joseph B. Keller *
* NYPD Commissioner and NYU Alum Ray Kelly *
* Director and Producer Hal Prince *
ACADEMIC PROCESSION TO BE LED BY FDNY COLORGUARD; NATIONAL ANTHEM TO BE SUNG BY NYPD OFFICER DANIEL RODRIGUEZ CEREMONY TO INCLUDE SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO LEWIS RUDIN New York University President L. Jay Oliva today announced the names of the five individuals who will receive honorary doctoral degrees at NYU’s 2002 Commencement. The 170th Commencement will be held on Thursday, May 16 at 10:30 am in Washington Square Park in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village neighborhood.
Raymond Kelly, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department, will give commencement remarks, and Hal Prince will respond on behalf of the degree recipients. The honorary degree recipients will be:
- b>Ivan Addae-Mensah, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana and chemist; he will receive a Doctor of Humane Letters degree, honoris causa
- Christiane Amanpour, award-winning broadcast journalist; she will receive a Doctor of Humane Letters degree, honoris causa
- Joseph Keller, scholar of mathematics and engineering at Stanford; he will receive a Doctor of Science degree, honoris causa
- Raymond Kelly, the only two-time Commissioner of the New York City Police Department, federal and international law enforcement leader, and an alumnus of NYU’s Law School; he will receive a Doctor of Law degree, honoris causa
Harold Prince, director, producer, and recipient of 20 Tony Awards and the National Medal of the Arts; he will receive a Doctor of Fine Arts degree, honoris causa
Dr. Oliva said, “This will be the final commencement at which I will officiate as president of the University. My sense of attachment and empathy for those that we send forth has never been as strong; I very much feel like one of them. It is a privilege to be in the company of our honorees on this special day they are people of great achievement. Their presence and their records of accomplishment will serve to remind all of us embarking on a new phase of our lives, myself included, of all the great things there are for us to strive for.
“We are also very proud, for the first time, to have our academic procession led by a color guard from the New York City Fire Department and to have the national anthem sung by a New York City Police Officer, Daniel Rodriguez; their presence at NYU’s 170th Commencement recognizes the valor, heroism, and sacrifice of our area’s emergency service personnel so obvious to us all on September 11, 2001.”
The Commencement ceremony will also include a special tribute to Lewis Rudin NYU alumnus, trustee, and benefactor; businessman; philanthropist; founder and chairman of the Association for a Better New York (ABNY); and unequalled champion of New York City who died last fall. In honor of his service to NYU and to New York City, the University will announce the establishment of the Lewis Rudin Award for Public Service.