Sunny Skies Smile on 81st Commencement

After a week of grey, cloudy weather, sunny skies smiled on the 81st Commencement at Holy Names University on Saturday, May 19. It was the 50th Commencement on the Mountain Blvd. campus for the 139-year-old university.


Michael Morgan

Michael Morgan, Music Director of the Oakland East Bay Symphony, was the keynote speaker, delivering an inspiring message, and also received an honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters. Ron Rosequist, chair of the HNU Board of Trustees, conferred the honorary degree to Morgan.

Click here for Maestro Morgan’s speech.

Sister Rosemarie Nassif, SSND, PhD, opened the festivities with a rousing speech welcoming the 243 graduates and celebrating their accomplishments.


Sister Rosemarie and Ron Rosequist, Chairman of the HNU Board of Trustees

Click here for President Nassif’s speech.

Jim Kelly, vice chair of the HNU Board, introduced Neil McDaniel, Trustee Emeritus, who was conferred an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.

Sister Rosemarie then awarded the President’s Medal to Ann S. Reynolds, HNU Trustee, and longtime teacher, tutor, counselor, educational consultant and community volunteer. Mrs. Reynolds provided the vitality and leadership that helped raise $300,000 in support of the development of the MS in Nursing program here.

Receiving the coveted Founders Medal from Sister Rosemarie was Joseph D. O’Neill, a sociology/philosophy major who intends to become a physician. O’Neill was a student activist, leader and scholar at HNU. The Founders Medal is the top award given each year to the outstanding graduating senior.

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