Enjoy this video recap of our ceremonies!
Over 800 degrees will be conferred to students from 30 countries. The youngest graduate is 15, while the oldest is 73.
Students celebrated their accomplishments at two ceremonies held in the Main Theater on Tuesday, May 27, and Wednesday, May 28.
The Main Theater at Hostos Community College overflowed with pride and possibility as the College hosted its 55th Commencement Ceremonies across two days of powerful celebration, honoring the achievements of the Class of 2025. Eight hundred and thirty-seven degrees are expected to be awarded to students who persevered through challenges with determination, community support, and Bronx grit. At just 15 years old, the youngest graduate walked alongside the eldest at 73, proof that education truly is for everyone and it’s never too early or too late to chase your dreams.
The ceremonies, held May 27 and 28, were led by Hostos President Daisy Cocco De Filippis, whose heartfelt reflections captured the meaning of the moment. “We are thriving,” she declared, “and we believe in your ability — our graduates — to make the future brighter for yourselves and for all of us as you follow your dreams.”
Dr. Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Hostos President, presided over both ceremonies.
President Cocco De Filippis reminded the crowd that this year’s graduates hail from 30 different countries, range in age from 15 to 73, and include four military veterans and 39 students who began their journey through the Continuing Education and Workforce Development division. “Clearly, we have friends in all the right places who believe in us and in you.”
The ceremony also included stirring words from elected officials on both days. Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson reminded graduates: “This is your floor, not your ceiling. Be the author of your story… The only obstacle to your success is you.” For her part, Council Member Pierina Sánchez added: “There is no table you don’t belong at, and if there isn’t a chair, bring your own.” Lastly, Council Member Eric Dinowitz emphasized the communal spirit of the moment: “Now that you have opportunities, I ask you: What will you do with them? Pour back into your community.”
Dr. Ernest Ialongo, Chair of Behavioral and Social Sciences and of the College-wide Senate, was the Grand Marshall for the 55th Commencement Ceremonies
On behalf of CUNY and the Board of Trustees, Trustee Mayra Linares-García delivered warm, encouraging remarks, celebrating the graduates' resilience and promise. “You made it here, and only a few people know what it really took for you to get here,” she said. “So know this: you can make it through anything.”
The ceremonies also featured a galvanizing keynote address by P.S. 55 Principal Luis Eladio Torres, a celebrated Hostos alumnus whose life journey — from being told he would never make it in to earning three degrees and having a Bronx street named in his honor — resonated deeply with the audience. “You didn’t just graduate, you overcame,” Torres said. “The Bronx doesn’t break people; it builds champions. And Hostos is where many of us began to believe.”
P.S. 55 Principal and Hostos alumnus Luis Eladio Torres addressed the graduates as the Commencement Speaker.
Principal Torres captivated the audience with stories of endurance and transformation, highlighting how a guidance counselor once told him college wasn’t in his future. “She didn’t see what Hostos would help me discover — my purpose, my strength, and my future,” he said. His message was clear and resonant: “Don’t let anyone tell you what you can and cannot be in life.” Drawing thunderous applause, Torres reminded graduates that their origins are not obstacles but sources of strength. “You are one of one,” he affirmed. “Your story is just beginning, and it’s going to be powerful.”
(L-R) Yuka Terada, Salutatorian, and Esmy Lorraine Durán, Valedictorian.
Valedictorian Esmy Lorraine Durán brought the audience to tears and applause with a speech that was both a love letter to perseverance and a rallying cry for possibility. She spoke candidly about returning to school as a mother and entrepreneur, balancing classes, building a daycare business, and working multiple jobs. “We are not just students,” she declared, “we are caregivers, workers, parents, survivors, and dreamers.” Her voice quivered with emotion as she turned to her daughter Lumi in the audience and said, “You are the reason I breathe deeper, dream bigger, and believe without limit.”
2025 Valedictorian Esmy Lorraine Durán delivered a moving and heartfelt speech.
One of the most touching moments came when Durán addressed her grandmother, who raised her. Speaking in Spanish to ensure her words were fully felt, she said: “Abuela, tu amor nunca necesitó traducción. Gracias por enseñarme con tu vida que la disciplina y el amor van de la mano” (Grandma, your love never needed translation. Thank you for teaching me with your life that discipline and love go hand in hand). The auditorium was deeply moved by a message that transcended language, turning it into a moment that embodied what makes Hostos not just an institution of higher learning, but a community rooted in love, sacrifice, and shared triumph.
(L-R) Dr. Cocco De Filippis, Mr. Michael Potack, and CUNY Trustee Mayra Linares-García. Potack received an honorary degree for his work supporting students’ success through scholarships.
During the second ceremony on Wednesday, May 28, the College awarded an Honorary Associate of Humane Letters degree to longtime benefactor Michael Potack, recognizing his legacy of support for Hostos and higher education in the South Bronx. A visibly moved Potack said he was “grateful and humbled” to accept the honor. In May 2024, Potack and his family established the largest endowed scholarship gift in the history of Hostos, which will ultimately be nearly half a million dollars and fund countless scholarships for students in Hostos’ registered nurse (RN) program, year after year, in perpetuity.
Student parents celebrated with their little ones, who joined them as they walked across the stage.
Nine individuals were honored with the President’s Medal, including Valedictorian Durán and Principal Torres, alongside distinguished faculty, staff, and alumni who have shaped the Hostos experience: Dainma Martínez, Student Government Association President; José A. Sánchez-Kinghorn; Hostos Foundation Chairperson; Professors Jacqueline DiSanto, AJ Stachelek, and Kristopher Burell; Johanna Gomez, Associate Dean of Student Life; and Marina Esquilín, Scholarships Coordinator.
Fabian Wander, Director of Wellness, served as Master of Ceremonies on both occasions. Father James Sheehan delivered the invocation, while Professor William Baker offered a heartfelt benediction. Professor Thelma Ithier-Sterling performed the National Anthem and “The Impossible Dream,” a song from “Man of La Mancha.” Ithier-Sterling was accompanied on the piano by alumna Marie Inamori ’24 on Tuesday, May 27, and by alumnus Charles Lovell ’17 on Wednesday, May 28.
As families hugged, hundreds of blue and orange balloons fell, and dreams felt more tangible than ever, one truth rang clear across both ceremonies: The Class of 2025 didn’t just graduate. They rose.
Graduates were joined by proud family members on both days.