Contact: Ilene Lumpkin
Director of Media Relations
201-291-1111, ext. 122
igl@BerkeleyCollege.edu

NEWS ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 5, 2006

Standing: (left to right) Recipient of the first honorary degree awarded by Berkeley College, Chairman Emeritus Larry Luing; President Dr. Mildred García, and Chairman Kevin Luing. Seated: Commencement Speaker Mortimer B. Zuckerman, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of U.S. News & World Report, and publisher of the New York Daily News, also a recipient of an honorary degree from Berkeley College.

Berkeley College held its 2006 Commencement Ceremony on Friday, April 28 at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey.  In honor of its 75th anniversary, students from the three New Jersey campuses joined with students from the two New York City campuses to receive their degrees.

In her remarks to the graduates, Dr. García gave the following advice.  “First, continue to learn.  Learning will continue to open the doors for you and for everyone in your family.  Second, give back!  Give back to your family.  Give back to your community.  Encourage one person to come back and finish that college degree.  Third, do what you love and be the best that you can be.  You have reached this level doing that, and so you should continue.”

For the first time in its 75-year-history, Berkeley College awarded honorary degrees.  Recipients were Larry L. Luing, Chairman Emeritus of Berkeley College, and Commencement speaker Mortimer B. Zuckerman, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of U.S. News & World Report, and publisher of the New York Daily News. 

Concluding his remarks, Mr. Zuckerman said, “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not...genius will not...education alone will not...It is persistence and determination, in combination with talent and education, that will see you through and help solve the problems you are liable to come up against in the world.”  

Mr. Luing began his association with Berkeley College in 1965, became President in 1969, and Chairman of the Board in 1982 until his retirement in 2001. Under his leadership, the school became the first proprietary institution in New Jersey to be licensed as a college, and to be regionally accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.  

In awarding the first honorary degree from Berkeley College to Larry Luing, Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, New York, Dr. Glen Zeitzer said, “Since the mid-60s, Mr. Luing has served Berkeley as vice president and chairman of the Board of Trustees, and is now Chairman Emeritus. His vision and determination transformed Berkeley from a highly-respected secretarial school to a private college. Mr. Luing devoted his career at Berkeley to maintaining the highest academic standards, and to ensuring that a Berkeley education was consistently on the cutting edge. His vision of individualized education - suited to each student’s needs and abilities - has never been compromised, and he created a climate which continues to attract gifted, educated faculty, administrators, and support staff. Larry Luing defined the ethics that promotes the rigorous and rewarding programs that each year sends forth hundreds of graduates into the workplace.”

The 2006 Commencement also brought special honors to Assemblywoman Margaret Markey, New York Alumna of the Year; and Founder and Editor of Garden State Woman magazine Judy Chapman, New Jersey Alumna of the Year.  The Jane Secola Alumni of the Year awards are presented to graduates who have achieved a significant level of accomplishment and personal fulfillment.

Two Berkeley College graduates received the Robert Maher Outstanding Student Award for achieving distinction as an exemplary student while overcoming personal challenge.  This year’s recipients were Sean Conner of Manhattan, who earned a B.B.A in Business Management from the New York Midtown Campus, and Christopher Smith of Trenton, who earned a B.S. in Business Administration from the Garret Mountain Campus.  

This year’s Commencement marked the first one in which Berkeley College awarded Online B.B.A and A.A.S degrees. Berkeley College Bachelor of Science degrees were awarded in Business Administration, and Fashion Marketing & Management.  Bachelor of Business Administration degrees were awarded in Accounting, Marketing, Management, International Business, General Business, and Fashion Marketing & Management.  Associate of Applied Science degrees were awarded in Business Administration, Fashion Marketing & Management, Interior Design, International Business, Network Management, Paralegal Studies, and Web Design. The Associate in Science degree was awarded in International Business.

Berkeley College is celebrating its 75th Anniversary (1931 – 2006) as a leader in business education.  The College currently maintains an enrollment of more than 5,000 students – including more than 400 international students – in its Baccalaureate and Associate degree programs. Berkeley provides students of all generations with a high-quality education encompassing academic preparation, professional training and hands-on experience. Berkeley students also benefit from the College’s high career placement rate in positions related to their fields of study.

The College maintains three New Jersey campuses located in West Paterson, Paramus, and Woodbridge, and two New York campuses in Midtown Manhattan and White Plains.  In addition, the College operates an Extension Center in Lower Manhattan in the Wall Street area, and plans to welcome students in the fall of 2006 to its newest location in downtown, Newark, NJ.  The College’s website address is www.BerkeleyCollege.edu.