President Arnold Speert will address the graduating class, in what will be his final commencement address, and Leonard Zax, president of the Hamilton Partnership, which is spearheading the creation of the Paterson National Park in the city’s historic district, and the Reverend Louis J. Scurti, director of Catholic Campus Ministry, the Bishop Rodimer Catholic Campus Ministry Center, and the Jesus Christ Prince of Peace Chapel in Haledon, will receive honorary degrees as part of the University’s 187th commencement ceremonies on Tuesday, May 18, 2010.

Separate ceremonies will be held for undergraduate and graduate students. The commencement ceremony for undergraduate students will begin at 10:30 a.m., and will be held on Wightman Field; the rain date is May 19. The graduate ceremony will begin at 5 p.m. in the Recreation Center, and will take place rain or shine.

At the undergraduate ceremony, President Arnold Speert will address the graduating class. Father Louis Scurti will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters degree during the undergraduate ceremony. Zax will be the speaker at the graduate ceremony, where he will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters degree.

Bachelor’s degrees will be conferred upon 1,656 undergraduates, all of whom have completed their degree requirements between August 2009 and May 2010. Master’s degrees will be conferred on 307 students who completed their degree requirements between August 2009 and May 2010.

Alumni from the Class of 1960, who graduated when William Paterson was called Paterson State College, will be present at the morning ceremony and attend a 50th reunion luncheon sponsored by the Alumni Relations Office. The Alumni Association’s Young Alumni Chapter will host a Senior Send-Off reception on Monday, May 17 at 7 p.m. in the University Commons.