Alumni and friends gather at Evening for D’Youville in Washington, D.C.

On Wednesday, April 2, alumni and friends gathered in the nation’s capital to celebrate their connections to D’Youville University.

Following a reception where old friends were able to connect and share warm memories from their days on the D’Youville campus, Britt Davis, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, welcomed attendees to the gathering that was held at the Cosmos Club in downtown Washington.

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Following Davis’s welcome, President Lorrie Clemo came to the podium to update attendees on the latest news and accomplishments for D’Youville.

“D’Youville remains the leading private university in Buffalo and Western New York,” said Clemo. “We continue to meet regional demands for healthcare professionals in most every area you can think of, including pharmacy, PAs, nurse practitioners, physical therapists, occupational therapists, mental health counselors, dieticians and nutritionists, and more. We also hope we’re nearing a date where we can announce the launch of Western New York’s first school of osteopathic medicine.”

President Clemo’s remarks also focused on D’Youville’s enrollment of undergraduate and graduate program students, marketing and communication plans, and a growing university athletics program. Clemo concluded her remarks with an update about the recognition D’Youville has received from U.S. News & World Report for student social mobility outcomes.

Clemo noted, “U.S. News & World Report has taken note of the positive outcomes of a D’Youville education on the social mobility of our students. We’re among the top 100 universities in the nation and number six in the State of New York for strongly impacting the lives of our students following graduate in economic and social terms.”

As Clemo concluded her remarks, she welcome Congressman Tim Kennedy to the podium to offer greetings and remarks.

Congressman Kennedy earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in Occupational Therapy from D'Youville University (1999). Prior to his political career, Kennedy dedicated over a decade to working with geriatric and pediatric patients as a licensed occupational therapist. Kennedy served in the New York State Senate from 2011-2024. In April 2024, Kennedy was elected to the United States House of Representatives where he represents New York's 26th district.

Congressman Kennedy shared remarks and observations about his first year working in the Congress, the change of administration in January 2024, as well as the impact of D’Youville University in his life.

Kennedy commented, "It’s great to connect with old friends and community members from D'Youville University here in Washington. I’m also proud that my mother, Mary Kennedy, also a graduate of D’Youville, could join us this evening. I'm proud to be an alum of this incredible institution.”

Congressman Kennedy will be the spring 2025 commencement speaker for D’Youville University. The ceremony is scheduled for May 10, 2025, at the HarborCenter in Buffalo, New York.

Keep up with everything that is happening with D’Youville alumni programming, events, awards, and opportunities to connect by as well as connecting to social media at https://alumni.dyouville.edu/.