POUGHKEEPSIE -Take risks and treasure family and friends, 研究生s were told this past weekend as Marist President Dennis J. 穆雷授予,519年本科, 研究生, and adult degrees in two ceremonies during the College's 66th 毕业典礼 exercises.

In a Friday evening ceremony, during which 381 研究生 and adult degrees were awarded ,林恩Bassanese 75, acting director of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential 图书馆 and Museum and recipient of the Distinguished Alumna Medal -- the highest award presented to a Marist 研究生 -- recounted her long ascent from selling 10-cent postcards in the museum shop to running the entire operation.

"Find the smartest people you can and surround yourself with them," she said. "Find the courage to do things you are not ready to do and never be afraid to ask."

Later in the ceremony,Tanya Paternogave the Excellence in Graduate Studies Award address, and Sammi Resh-Dor Vanderstok delivered the General Excellence Award address.

在周六, NBC 新闻 Chief White House Correspondent Chuck 托德 wasawarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree and told the 1,037 研究生s and their families and friends -- a crowd estimated to be in excess of 10,000 -- to build a career by loving what you do and taking on challenges. "It is better to say 'yes' and fail," 托德 said, "than come up with an excuse and never try."

托德, a famously hard-working reporter and host who is also a husband and father, balanced his remarks by reminding 研究生s to take time for their loved ones. Life's regrets come from missing time with family, 托德 said, not from missing work meetings.

托德's address was followed by that of Valedictorian Samantha Mary Tobia, who challenged her classmates to demonstrate their creativity, 激情, and talent and prove wrong others' assessment of their generation as narcissistic.

Earlier in Saturday's ceremony, posthumous degrees were awarded to Eva Block and Kerry Fitzsimons, who died in a January fire in a private, off-campus house and Alyssa Martino, who died of an illness in 2010. Kevin Johnson, who also died in the fire, was made an honorary member of the Class of 2012.

On his way from Marist to Chicago to cover the NATO Summit in Chicago, 托德, a dedicated 推特 user, 在推特上, "To the entire @Marist class of 2012 and the @Marist family, thank you for everything. Now, grads, will ya hurry up and fix this country!"