On Saturday, May 12 at 10 a.m., the College of Saint Elizabeth (CSE), 2 Convent Road, Morristown, New Jersey, will hold its 105th Commencement exercises in a tent on the front lawn of campus. During the ceremonies, 285 undergraduate students and 158 graduate students are expected to receive their degrees – a total of 443 graduating students (as of April 15, 2007)

 

For more information on this year’s CSE 105th Commencement exercises, visit www.cse.edu/commencement. 

 

Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells, Esq.: Speaks, Receives CSE Honorary Degree

 

CSE welcomes New Jersey’s 32nd Secretary of State, Nina Mitchell Wells, Esq. of Livingston, New Jersey, to campus to speak at this year’s Commencement exercises. Secretary Wells has been widely recognized as an innovator, who is committed to continue the Department of State’s mission of enriching the quality of life of all New Jersey citizens through the arts, history and culture. She is responsible for overseeing the Department of State’s operating agencies consisting of: Archives and Records Management; the New Jersey Historical Commission; the New Jersey Council on the Arts; the New Jersey Cultural Trust; the New Jersey State Museum; the New Jersey Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission; the New Jersey Commission on American Indian Affairs; the Governor’s Office of Volunteerism; AmeriCorps; the Office of Faith Based Initiatives; and the Trenton War Memorial.

 

A graduate of Newton College of the Sacred Heart (1973), now Boston College, and Suffolk University Law School (1977), Secretary Wells has been the recipient of several awards. She received the first-ever Coretta Scott King Leadership Award in 2006 for her courage to improve the quality of life for women and youth as well as her commitment to community service. In addition, Secretary Wells also received the “100 Most Influential New Jerseyans Award” and was honored by the New Jersey State Bar Association for Outstanding Legal, Community and Philanthropic Services.

 

Her affiliation with the College began when she served two consecutive terms as a Board of Trustees member from 1991 – 1997. Now, as the College prepares to open its Annunciation Center, a multi-purpose fine arts facility on campus scheduled to open in fall 2007, the campus community is proud to honor her dedication to the arts.  “Nina Mitchell Wells exemplifies the holistic personality that a liberal arts education engenders; we salute her as a champion of arts in education and a champion of the citizens of New Jersey,” said College of Saint Elizabeth President, Sister Francis Raftery.

 

In addition to being this year’s Commencement speaker, Ms. Wells will also receive a Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa from the College in recognition and appreciation of her accomplishments, both personal and professional.

 

Upon learning that she was selected as both Commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient, Secretary Wells said, “I feel deeply honored that I have been invited to speak at Commencement. I love and respect the College, the Sisters and the Faculty and look forward to sharing this celebration with the Class of 2007.”

 

Monte, Comey Receive Honorary Degrees

 

In addition to Secretary Wells, Bonnie J. Monte of Madison, N.J., artistic director of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, and J. Martin Comey of Glen Ridge, N.J., a certified public accountant (CPA), will both receive CSE Honorary Degrees on Saturday, May 12 on campus. Ms. Monte will receive a CSE Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa and Mr. Comey is to receive a CSE Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa.

 

Ms. Monte is one of the leading women artistic directors in the national theatre landscape. In 1990, she took the helm of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, and during her 17 year tenure, has revitalized the company, turning it into one of the largest and most prominent Shakespeare companies in America, with a national and now growing international reputation.

 

In 2002, she initiated an educational partnership with the College, whose Greek Theatre, nestled in a hillside on the campus, has become a major summer venue for The Shakespeare Theatre. Ms. Monte’s artistic vision and leadership skills have showcased the beautiful CSE Greek Theatre, grass-and-stone outdoor amphitheatre inspired by the Theatre of Dionysus in Athens, into an annual destination for families and people of all ages to see exciting classic theatre under the stars.

 

Mr. Comey, a graduate of Fordham University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a graduate of New York University with a MBA in Corporate Finance, earned a certificate in Corporate Financial Management from Harvard Business School through their Executive Education Program. He is certified as a CPA in New York and in New Jersey. Mr. Comey has managed the finances of an international multi-billion dollar corporation and provides financial planning and tax preparation services to personal clients in the United States and abroad. From 1987 to 1996, Mr. Comey served as trustee for the College, serving on the Presidential Search and the Capital Campaign Committees.

 

Mr. Comey devoted career and personal time and expertise to many organizations including: Schering-Plough Corporation; Provident Financial Services, Inc.; Provident Bank; the Montclair, New Jersey YMCA; the Kirkridge Retreat and Study Center; St. Joseph’s Healthcare System, Inc.; and Mountainside Hospital.  

 

Student Speakers Featured; Student Award Given

 

Two students will speak at this year’s Commencement. Carmela J. Resuma, ’07, of Iselin, New Jersey, B.A. in Mathematics and Individualized Major of Social Justice Studies with a minor in Women Studies, will represent the Women’s College with her speech entitled, “Mission: Proven.” Aneta Brzoza, ’07, of Dover, New Jersey, M.S. in Management with a concentration in Organizational Change, will represent the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies with her speech entitled, “The Power Behind My Dreams.”

 

Another annual highlight of Commencement will be the presentation of the Sister Hildegarde Marie Mahoney Award for General Excellence to a student who will be named during the ceremonies. The award recognizes high moral character and leadership excellence. It is named for one of CSE’s most distinguished alumnae who served as president of the College from 1952 to 1971. The name of this year’s recipient will be announced at Commencement.

 

Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, New Jersey, the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls approximately 2,000 full- and part-time students in 27 undergraduate and nine graduate degree programs. For further information about CSE, go to www.cse.edu or call (800) 210-7900 for the Women’s College, (973) 290-4300/4364 for the Center for Theological and Spiritual Development, or (973) 290-4600 for the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies’ day, evening, weekend and Saturday Fast Track® programs.