For Immediate Release
May 15, 2025

Suffolk County Community College to Celebrate the Graduation of More Than 4,200 Students

Suffolk County Community College will celebrate its Class of 2025 at two commencement ceremonies on Thursday, May 22, 2025. Graduates can choose to attend either a 10:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m. ceremony, both held at the Suffolk Credit Union Arena on the college’s Michael J. Grant Campus in Brentwood.

College President Dr. Edward T. Bonahue will preside over the events. “As our graduates prepare to complete their journey through Suffolk, I am confident they are well prepared for their next steps,” Dr. Bonahue said. “Graduation marks the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. We now look forward to seeing the many positive ways in which our newest alumni will impact their communities and advance the missions of their future employers.”

Graduation by the Numbers – Class of 2025:

• January 2025 graduates – 917 (831 associate degrees, 86 one-year certificates)
• May 2025 graduates – 3,076 (2,866 associate degrees, 190 one-year certificates)
• August 2025 graduates (applied to graduate) – 304 (302 associate degrees, 2 one-year certificate)
• Class of 2025 Total: 4,297
• Approximately 675 graduates are expected to walk at each ceremony

10:00 a.m. Ceremony – Student Speakers

• Bruce Miller (Eastern Campus) A Business Administration major from Jamesport, NY, Bruce has consistently earned Dean’s List honors. He is a member of the Honors Program, Alpha Beta Gamma, Alpha Sigma Lambda, Phi Theta Kappa, and Pi Alpha Sigma. As President of the Honors Club, he is also active in the Investment Club and Latino Unidos Club. Bruce is a recipient of the Academic Excellence and Leadership Award, the Stay On Long Island Initiative Scholarship, and is a semifinalist for the Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. He plans to pursue a degree in Accounting with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence at St. John's University.
• Mariajose Rivera (Michael J. Grant Campus)
  A first-generation college student from Amityville, NY, Mariajose is majoring in Adolescent Education with a concentration in History. She plans to attend Stony Brook University in the fall with the goal of becoming a teacher. Mariajose is a dynamic campus leader, serving as President of the Future Educators Club, a Peer Mentor, and a member of the Rotary Volunteer Club. She also supervises the Campus Food Pantry and balances several part-time jobs, all while dedicating herself to helping others.
• Udya Dewanamuni (Ammerman Campus)
  A Physics major from Ronkonkoma, NY, Udya holds a 4.0 GPA and has earned consistent recognition on the Dean’s List for two years. She serves as Vice President of Leadership for Phi Theta Kappa, a Student Government Senator, and President of the Math Club. An NSF-I-SUCCESS STEM Scholar and tutor in both chemistry and physics, Udya is engaged in interdisciplinary research across physics, mathematics, biology, chemistry, and computer science. Udya is the recipient of the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Community College Transfer Scholarship, the largest private scholarship awarded to community college transfer students in the nation. She is also a 2025 SUNY Chancellor’s Award Recipient, a PTK All- State Scholar and a Coca-Cola Academic Team Gold Scholar. In the fall, she will be studying Chemical and Biological Engineering and is currently awaiting final admissions decisions from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, and Stanford.

2:00 p.m. Ceremony – Student Speakers

• Ford O’Neill (Eastern Campus)Ford O’Neill is a Liberal Arts major from Peconic, NY who has served as president of the Chess Club, Basketball Club, and Italian Club. A proud member of the Honors Program and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, he has consistently achieved Dean’s List recognition and was honored with the Academic Excellence Award. Ford received the Honors Scholarship and was selected as a semi-finalist for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. He has been a dedicated volunteer at the Eastern Campus food pantry and, after graduation, hopes to intern with the New York State Unified Court System to deepen his knowledge and passion for the law. This fall, he will attend Cornell University as a history major.
• Nahum Benitez (Michael J. Grant Campus)
  A first-generation college student from Brentwood, NY, Nahum graduates with a 3.5 GPA and a degree in Liberal Arts. He will attend Hofstra University to pursue Political Science. As President of the Student Government Association, he advocates for student voices. A member of Phi Theta Kappa, Nahum is also a youth leader at his local church and mentors young people. He balances his academics and service commitments with a part-time job as a car salesman, all while pursuing his goal of becoming a lawyer focused on justice and community advocacy.
• Nancy Lorme (Ammerman Campus)
  An Accounting major from Holtsville, NY, Nancy holds a 3.6 GPA and has been on the Dean’s List every semester. She is President of Phi Theta Kappa, the Rotaract Club, and the Student African American Sisterhood. A Get There From Here Scholar, Nancy also serves on the SGA Finance Committee, the Conduct Board, and volunteers regularly at the Food Pantry. She is an Orientation Leader and Peer Mentor, recognized for both academic and service excellence. She is a 2025 SUNY Chancellor’s Award recipient, a PTK All-State Scholar and a Coca-Cola Bronze Scholar. Nancy is planning to attend Adelphi University in the fall, where she will be enrolling in a dual degree program for a BBA in Accounting and an MBA with Accounting specialization.

About Suffolk County Community College

Suffolk County Community College is the largest, most comprehensive community college in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, enrolling more than 21,000 students in over 100 degree and certificate programs. With approximately 145,000 alumni, Suffolk County Community College is dedicated to meeting the demands of regional employers. The college has built an extensive track record of successfully training and educating its students through pathways from high school to college and into careers.