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Press Release

Alum Telfar Clemens Addresses Grads at 2023 ŮٱƵ Commencement

Posted
May 16, 2023
Telfar Clemens at ŮٱƵ's 2023 Commencement ceremony.

Senator Elizabeth Warren:
ŮٱƵHave Courage. Trust Yourself. Give it a Try.ŮٱƵ

Pace celebrates more than 3,700 graduates at
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center

Standing before thousands of graduates and their supporters at ŮٱƵŮٱƵs Commencement, alumnus yesterday spoke of his path from a student finding his way in lower Manhattan to a celebrated fashion designer and founder of the global label Telfar.

But he didnŮٱƵt want to focus on the obvious.

ŮٱƵThey worked hard,ŮٱƵ Clemens said of his parents and members of his family who attended Pace. ŮٱƵI worked hard. What has been so hard is not the work, but everything in between ŮٱƵ I didnŮٱƵt make it into the fashion industry. I made it out.ŮٱƵ

Speaking to roughly 15,000 people including 3,700 graduates at in Queens, the Pace grad shared his reasons for attending Pace and memories of pursuing a business degree while following his passion for fashion and the subsequent path to building a global brand that is at the forefront of a revolution and has set a new standard.

Clemens, who received an honorary doctorate, was among many highlights throughout the day that included five ceremonies, student speakers, a food village, music, and lots of Commencement festivities. The day was highlighted by the conferral of over 4,000 degrees including 1,735 mastersŮٱƵ, which is the largest number in over five years, and roughly 300 students receiving dual degrees.

In addition, the Elisabeth Haub School of Law, which recently earned the No. 1 ranking for Environmental Law by U.S. News & World Report, graduated 241 students, its largest class in the past five years.

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and Harvard Law Professor and legal historian Bruce H. Mann both received honorary degrees during that ceremony. Senator Warren shared stories of her early years out of law school and threaded her speech with a simple yet powerful message.

ŮٱƵBe courageous,ŮٱƵ Warren said. ŮٱƵThat means trust yourself. DonŮٱƵt sell yourself short. DonŮٱƵt settle for work that you donŮٱƵt believe in. DonŮٱƵt assume that you canŮٱƵt make a difference ŮٱƵ

ŮٱƵHave courage,ŮٱƵ she continued. ŮٱƵTake a risk because our nationŮٱƵour worldŮٱƵneeds you. Have courage for another reason: BecauseŮٱƵand here is the amazing partŮٱƵfor all that you give, for all your risk, for all the scary stuff you take on and even for all the failures, you will receive far more than you give.ŮٱƵ

Trustee and alumnus Ivan G. Seidenberg ŮٱƵ81, retired chairman and CEO of Verizon Communications, addressed graduates of PaceŮٱƵs Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems to mark the schoolŮٱƵs 40th anniversary. Pace also awarded Aldrin Enis, president of One Hundred Black Men of New York, with its Opportunitas in Action Award.

During the main ceremony, Pace President Marvin Krislov called this yearŮٱƵs class a ŮٱƵremarkableŮٱƵ group and noted some of the challenges they faced during their time in school such as the pandemic, climate challenges, mental health pressures, and other challenges around the world.

ŮٱƵThe problems of tomorrow will not be solved by the thinking of the past,ŮٱƵ President Krislov said. ŮٱƵThey will be solved by new people, with new ideas, and new ways of doing things. They will be solved by a new generation that is creative and resourceful and adaptive. Your generation was knocked down, and then you stood right back up. You know how to think on your feet, how to adjust on the fly, how to make the best of any situation. You know how to get to a goal like graduation, even through a once-in-a-century disruption.ŮٱƵ

Students celebrating this exciting achievement were a mix of undergraduate, graduate, law, and doctoral students, spanning a variety of disciplines and future careers, such as nurses and physician assistants, cybersecurity experts, lawyers, accountants, teachers, performers, and much more.

Number of graduates by school

College of Health Professions

  • Undergraduate: 275
  • Graduate: 360

Dyson College of Arts and Sciences

  • Undergraduate: 747
  • Graduate: 346

Lubin School of Business

  • Undergraduate: 498
  • Graduate: 449

Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems

  • Undergraduate: 108
  • Graduate: 323

School of Education

  • Undergraduate: 11
  • Graduate: 360

Elisabeth Haub School of Law

  • 253 JD degrees
  • 8 Master of Laws in Comparative Legal Studies
  • 12 Master of Laws in Environmental Studies
  • 1 Doctor of Juridical Science

About ŮٱƵ

Since 1906, ŮٱƵ has been transforming the lives of its diverse studentsŮٱƵacademically, professionally, and socioeconomically. With campuses in New York City and Westchester County, New York, Pace offers bachelor, master, and doctoral degree programs to 13,600 students in its College of Health Professions, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Elisabeth Haub School of Law, Lubin School of Business, School of Education, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.

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