D'Youville Holds Fall Commencement Ceremony

D'Youville Holds Fall Commencement Ceremony

Joyce Markiewicz, Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer at Catholic Health, Delivers Commencement Address and is Awarded Honorary Doctor of Humanities

Today, D’Youville held its second annual Fall Commencement for approximately 220 students, including 30 military-aligned individuals.  

Degrees conferred to students included: Doctor of Pharmacy; Doctor of Education; Doctor of Nursing Practice; Master of Business Administration; Master of Science; Bachelor of Science; Bachelor of Arts; Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Certificates in Long Term Care and Psychiatric Mental Health were also awarded.

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D'Youville President Lorrie Clemo addresses the graduates.

In her congratulatory remarks, D’Youville President Lorrie Clemo, PhD, asked graduates to reflect on their journey. “As you celebrate your success, be sure to acknowledge your friends and loved ones who sacrificed alongside you. Remember that we don’t go far alone. Behind every successful individual, there is a community of people making their success possible.”   

Clemo emphasized that commitment to service and community leadership are what set D’Youville graduates apart. “Here at D’Youville we expect our students to turn ideals into serviceable action; it is embedded in our founding by the Grey Nuns. It’s been 282 years since Marguerite d’Youville and three young women consecrated themselves to serving the poor and their work is still not done,” continued Clemo.

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Joyce Markiewicz '80 addresses the class of 2019.

Executive Vice President and Chief Business Development Officer for Catholic Health, Joyce Markiewicz received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters for her many contributions to public health. Markiewicz is an alumna of D’Youville, as she earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing at D’Youville in 1980.

Markiewicz has developed many partnerships on behalf of Catholic Health, including the Health Professions Hub with D'Youville. The Hub, similar to a teaching hospital, will deliver clinical care and provide other services to residents on the West Side. D'Youville students will work in interprofessional teams alongside Catholic Health practitioners to develop their skills and improve patient outcomes.

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Joyce Markiewicz '80 is presented an honorary doctor of humane letters by Jamel Perkins, chair of the D'Youville Board of Trustees; Lorrie Clemo, president of D'Youville; and Joseph Cozzo, vice chair of the D'Youville Board of Trustees.

During her remarks, Markiewicz said: “Today is just the beginning, and the possibilities are only limited by imagination and drive. The power of education and knowledge is the foundation. Each of these new graduates now have the ability to do more than find a job; they have the tools to find their calling.”

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Grace Pelegrino Oyo-Adout addresses her fellow classmates.

Grace Pelegrino Oyo-Adout, a nursing student, representing the School of Nursing, delivered the Salutatory Address. During the commencement ceremony, members of the Class of 2019 were formally inducted into the D’Youville Alumni Association.