Queens College marked its 101st commencement on Thursday, May 29, celebrating the academic achievements of more than 4,000 students while honoring two nationally acclaimed journalists for their contributions to media and society.
The ceremony, which took place on the college’s central quadrangle, drew an estimated 9,000 attendees, including graduates, faculty, family members and guests. In total, Queens College conferred approximately 4,030 degrees on undergraduate and graduate students who completed their academic programs in summer and fall 2024 and winter, spring, and summer 2025.
College President Frank H. Wu presided over the ceremony and delivered opening remarks that emphasized the enduring value of service, curiosity, and lifelong learning.
“As you leave Queens College, I am confident that you have earned more than a degree and a great education,” Wu said. “I hope that you’ll take with you lifelong friendships, enduring memories, and the unyielding drive to make a positive impact on our society.”
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Brent Staples received the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree in recognition of his decades-long work exploring the racial, cultural, and political landscape of America through the lens of journalism.
“I stand before you today as the dream and the hope of my enslaved great-great grandmother Somerville Lowry Staples, who was born in chains in Jeffersonian Virginia and freed by the conclusion of the Civil War,” Staples said. “I am profoundly grateful to Queens College, President Wu, and the Trustees of The City University of New York for this humbling honor.”
Errol Louis, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and anchor of Spectrum News NY1’s Inside City Hall, received the President’s Medal, the highest administrative honor the college bestows. Louis delivered the commencement address, calling on graduates to pursue their ambitions with courage and purpose.
“Dream…and when you dream, dream big,” Louis said. “Picture yourself doing the greatest thing in the world, whatever that might mean to you—and make that your destination. Make sure it means something to you—not to me, or your friends, or your parents—you.”
The ceremony also featured student commencement speaker Sofia Mitts, a summa cum laude graduate from Bayside who earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a minor in Honors in the Social Sciences. She is one of two recipients of the Paul Klapper Scholarship—the college’s highest honor for graduating seniors—and has committed to attending Hofstra School of Law on a full merit scholarship.
Other dignitaries who addressed the graduating class included CUNY Board of Trustees Chairperson William C. Thompson Jr., CUNY Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost Alicia Alvero, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr., and New York City Council Member James Gennaro.
Founded in 1937, Queens College is part of the City University of New York and occupies an 80-acre campus in Flushing. The institution has built a national reputation for excellence in liberal arts, sciences, business, education, and performing arts, with award-winning faculty and strong outcomes for its diverse student body.
For the class of 2025, President Wu offered one final charge: “Stay curious, and never stop striving for excellence. Remember that success is not just about personal achievements but also about making a difference in the lives of others. The world is waiting for your talents, and we can’t wait to see all you accomplish.”
