D'Youville to honor Grey Nuns 100th anniversary at winter commencement

Dr. Lorrie Clemo invites Sister Denise Roche to deliver keynote

On Friday, Dec. 10, D’Youville will hold its third annual winter commencement, this time for approximately 170 students. The event will be hosted on D’Youville’s campus to celebrate student achievement and pay homage to the institution’s heritage and future.

“This special ceremony will reflect on our students’ journeys and accomplishments, both as individuals and stewards of our community,” said D’Youville President Lorrie Clemo, Ph.D. “We are extremely proud to honor the future trajectory of our students while at the same time recognize the long-standing support from the Grey Nuns on their historic 100^th anniversary.”

The Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart are a congregation founded in 1921 to carry on the values of love, charity and service advocated by D’Youville’s patroness, Saint Marguerite d’Youville. In honor of this milestone, Sister Denise Roche, president of the Grey Nuns and former president of D’Youville, will serve as commencement speaker.

“We are grateful to Sister Denise for joining us for this momentous occasion, and are excited to assist with connecting the rest of the congregation available to attend either via in-person or through digital transmission,” Clemo said. “Under Sister Denise’s leadership, D’Youville thrived as a compassionate destination of learning, and it is with great pride and enthusiasm that, together with the board of trustees, we recognize the Grey Nuns for their 100 years of selfless contributions to humanity.”

A press release stated, “This dedication to service has strong relevance today. In June 2021, D’Youville celebrated the grand opening of its Health Professions Hub – a state-of-the-art facility designed to address critical health care needs in the community, providing students with clinical experience and collaboration opportunities with area residents. The facility embodies the institution’s mission of supporting under-resourced communities with a progressive vision.”

Clemo said, “As we honor our students and the Grey Nuns, our ceremony will also focus on shaping the future of work. The opening of the hub demonstrates our academic commitment to preparing students for the jobs of the future. As we grow, we are also moving to transform other ways of doing things to become more agile and aligned to the wants and needs of future students and employees in higher education.”

She added, “We learn and grow together. We share experiences, reflect, pivot, and make moves to remain relevant. This is what it means to be a saint, and we are excited to celebrate the extraordinary individuals that are and will continue providing a lasting impact on society.”

For more information on the commencement ceremony, visit dyc.edu/campus-life/graduation.