Cazenovia College will hold its 198th Commencement ceremony at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Alumni, faculty, staff, trustees, parents, friends and neighbors of the College community will join together on this special day to celebrate the accomplishments of the Class of 2023, the last graduating class of the College.
The College is pleased to announce that Alumna Dacia Banks ’94 will serve as the alumni speaker at the ceremony. Banks has over 20 years of experience in higher education administration. After receiving a Bachelor of Science in Liberal and Professional Studies in 1994 from Cazenovia College, Banks held positions in academic affairs, community service, resident life, admissions and financial aid at the College. Banks went on to expand her professional accomplishments at Albany Medical College where she served initially as the assistant director of financial aid and later became the director of financial aid. For the last 16 years, she has served as the director of Financial Aid at SUNY Morrisville, and in 2020, received her Master's in Higher Education Administration from SUNY Stony Brook.
In addition to being a former employee, Banks is a beloved alumna, loyal friend and volunteer for Cazenovia College. A dedicated and active alumna, Banks received the Young Alumni Award from Cazenovia College in 2006; the Volunteer of the Year Award in 2008; was a member of the Alumni Board of Directors from 2004-2013; served as a trustee from 2006-2014; and was president of the Cazenovia College Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2007-2013. Her passion for Cazenovia College was recognized in 2013 when she received the Distinguished Alumni award. Most recently, Banks was the interim President of the Alumni Board of Directors from 2021-2022.
As announced previously, Dr. John Robert Greene will serve as the Commencement keynote speaker. Dr. Greene served as the Paul J. Schupf Professor of History and Humanities at Cazenovia College prior to his retirement this January after 42 years at the College.
“Since this is our last Commencement ceremony, we felt it was particularly important for our students to have speakers that encompass so much of what Cazenovia College has stood for,” stated Dr. David Bergh, president, Cazenovia College. “Bob and Dacia have had a long history with the College and have shown their dedication throughout the years. It is only fitting that they will send our last graduates off into the next phase of their lives.”