Eugenio María de Hostos Community College’s 52nd Commencement Ceremony will take place in the form of two semi-traditional gatherings: Ceremony #1, Tuesday, May 31, 2022 (for Fall and Winter Semester graduates), at 2 p.m.; and Ceremony # 2, Thursday, June 2, 2022 (for Spring Semester graduates), at 11 a.m.
 
Both ceremonies will be held in the College’s Main Theater, located at 450 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451.
 
Mr. Elias Alcantara will be this year’s Keynote Speaker. Mr. Alcantara is Senior Vice President of the Macquarie Group, Corporate Affairs and Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets. He founded and served CEO of Bronx Element Strategies (BESt) and was Senior Associate Director in the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs during President Obama’s administration. He is a member of the Lehman College Board and Chair of the Hostos Community College Community Advisory Council.
 
“We are delighted that Mr. Alcantara will be joining us for this year’s commencement,” said Hostos President Daisy Cocco De Filippis. “He is a staunch friend of the College – and of the CUNY system — and a tireless advocate for the Bronx, the borough we call home.”
 
Ms. Elba Cabrera, a legendary advocate for Puerto Rican and Latino arts and culture, will receive an honorary degree at this year’s ceremony. President Cocco De Filippis noted:  “Few are more deserving of this honor than Ms. Cabrera. Her advocacy for the arts in the South Bronx, her commitment to educational reform, and her example as a community activist are truly inspiring.”
 
As part of the ceremony, Cocco De Filippis will present Presidential Medals of Honor to members of the Hostos community and extended family to celebrate their extraordinary service.
 
This year’s honorees are:
Presidential Medal of Honor for Outstanding Community Member: Aldrin Rafael Bonilla, Executive Vice President Fund for the New City; Presidential Medal of Honor for Outstanding Staff Member: Maria Vasquez, Nurse; Presidential Medal of Honor for Outstanding Faculty Member: Cynthia Jones, Lecturer; Presidential Medal of Honor for Outstanding Faculty Member: Yoel Rodríguez, Professor; Presidential Medal of Honor for Outstanding Administrator: Esther Rodríguez Chardavoyne, SVP Administration and Finance.
 
This year’s Valedictorian is Bouampoundi Brigitte Thiombiano and the Salutatorian is Gabriela Torres.

“It is always a pleasure to celebrate achievement,” said President Cocco De Filippis said. “That we will be able to hold this year’s ceremony in person – with all due precautions — makes it even more memorable. I speak for all at Hostos when I say how proud I am of the 2022 graduates, who faced more than the usual challenges on the path to this glorious day.”