Fall 2010 - Lehman College

Commencement 2010: A Grand Day for
A few raindrops here and there could not deter the spirit of the Lehman Class of 2010 during Commencement
ceremonies last spring. More than 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students were represented in the
class, which heard Dr. Elena V. Ríos, president and CEO of the National Hispanic Medical Association, give
the main address.
Speaking for the students was Giselle Rodríguez, a native of the Dominican Republic who graduated with
a B.A. in mass communication. She works full-time as an executive assistant and plans to pursue both a
master’s degree and eventually a doctorate, with the goal of becoming an English professor.
Receiving honorary degrees were Dr. Ríos, Mark Pigott, chairman and CEO of PACCAR Inc, and Nina
Sundell, founding director of the Lehman College Art Gallery. Richard Rakowski (B.A., ‘73), a successful
entrepreneur in healthcare and other fields, received the Alumni Achievement Award.
Numerous students earned awards and recognition in the days leading up to Commencement, as well as
during the event itself. Here are five examples of their achievement.
Daniel Aronoff: Undeterred by Disability
Daniel Aronoff has never let his blindness stop him from achieving
his goals. When he wanted to become a small business owner, he
quit school and trained as a manager. After running
his own business for a year, he realized he
wanted something more.
“I decided to go back to school to get a degree
in a field where I could help others,” says the
social work major. “I discovered that my best
option was social work, and I have been pursuing
this new career ever since.”
Despite the obvious challenges—Aronoff had
to learn to navigate his way around campus—
he made the most of his time at Lehman. “I
enjoyed participating in Lehman’s clubs and have been a part of
events that emphasize not only socialization but that also focus on
community service and charity,” he says.
Aronoff began an advanced one-year Master’s of Social Work
program at Lehman over the summer session. He plans to work in
the field and help people with disabilities.
Letricia Brown: Discovering Her
Leadership Talents
Letricia Brown, who describes herself as “timid” when first enrolling
at Lehman, graduated as a confident campus leader and accomplished
scholar who’s now enrolled in New York University’s graduate
program in occupational therapy.
The psychology major found her academic focus during freshman
year on a trip to Tijuana with Lehman LIFE (Leaders Involved for
Everyone). There, she saw “a world greater than my own and the
needs of those who continue to be ignored,” as well as “the fact
that people like me can make a difference in the lives of others if
we choose to.”
Her interest in the helping professions led to
the Urban Male Leadership Program, where
she spoke with high school students about the
importance of higher education, and with Student
Disability Services, where she worked as a
peer educator and as a mentor to students with
autism. As co-vice president of the Lehman
chapter of Psi Chi, the national honor society
for psychology, she led campus workshops and community service
projects. She also traveled with Lehman LIFE to New Orleans
to help in the rebuilding effort after Hurricane Katrina and to
Cincinnati to help that city’s homeless population.
Brown’s burgeoning confidence and leadership abilities were
tested when her mother fell ill and needed to be hospitalized for
several months. “When she was released from the hospital, I had
new demands placed on me,” she says. “I had to figure out how to
juggle helping my mother readjust to life, given her current state of
health, as well as working, church, campus life, and my schoolwork.”
Brown was able not only to manage but also to excel under this
pressure. She was chosen for the competitive Occupational Therapy
Research Internship at Washington University in St. Louis, which
she completed in 2009. As an occupational therapist, she hopes to
help people with disabilities discover how to become more productive
and independent.
Emanuel Hickson’s Advice: ‘All you have
to do is take the first step and the rest
will follow’
Emanuel Hickson is no stranger to adversity. Born with a genetic
condition that rendered him legally blind and required heart surgery,
he thought of higher education as a daunting course. But with
courage and perseverance, he not only earned a bachelor’s
degree but also saved the homes of thousands of people as a
tenant advocate.
4 Lehman Today/Fall 2010 – Winter 2011