Oceanographer David Gallo (left) will deliver the keynote address at this year's undergraduate commencement May 12. Alumnus Christopher Byrd '09 will address the master's ceremony May 4.
GENESEO, N.Y. – Geneseo’s commencements are fast-approaching. The graduate ceremony is May 4 at 7 p.m. in Brodie Hall’s Alice Austin Theatre, where the College will confer master’s degrees in either education or accounting. The undergraduate ceremonies are scheduled May 12 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena. Two ceremonies are required for the undergraduate ceremony to accommodate the large number of graduates and guests.
The keynote speaker for the master’s ceremony will be Chris Byrd M.S./’09, senior finance analyst, project management, at Broadstone Real Estate in Rochester, N.Y. Byrd received his master’s degree in accounting from Geneseo in 2009. His career started in public accounting and gravitated towards private industry due to his enjoyment of data modeling, financial reporting and forecasting.
Addressing both of the undergraduate ceremonies will be David Gallo, senior adviser for strategic initiatives and programs at RMS Titanic Inc. Previously, he was senior advisor for strategic initiatives at the Center for Climate and Life of the Earth Institute at Columbia University. Prior to that, he was director of special projects at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, a preeminent, globally recognized scientific laboratory.
Gallo has been at the forefront of ocean exploration, participating in and being witness to the development of new technologies and scientific discoveries that shape the view of planet Earth. He has a son who graduated from Geneseo in 2014.
A member of the graduating class traditionally addresses fellow graduates at commencement and Samira Salha, an international relations major from New York City, will address the morning ceremony. Sarah Jane Phillips, a communication major from Waterford, N.Y., will address the afternoon ceremony.