Gratz College Holds 126th Commencement in Jenkintown on June 14th

In full regalia, the students and faculty processed across York Road to the ceremony taking place at the Hiway Theater. Family and friends watched their graduates receive their diplomas either in-person or on a livestream for those across the country and beyond.

"Commencement is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our graduates and honor the hard work and determination that have defined their academic journeys,” remarked Dean Leslie Ginsparg Klein. “We are proud of our students' accomplishments and excited to see the impact they will make as they carry their knowledge, skills, and values into the future."

Student speaker and newly minted doctor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies Leah Dukes described her experiences, “Gratz is more than a program, more than a college. It’s a community. A family. It’s where the phrase “yes, absolutely” is ever present, and students are made to feel as if they can do anything and conquer the world.” She continued, “Being a Gratz student opened a whole series of doors that I believe would have been closed to me otherwise. When I went to job interviews with Gratz on my resume, the interviewers recognized the name and asked me about my coursework. Gratz is respected in every institution in which I have been a part.”

Josh Bergerson Ed.D., recent alumnus and Aviation Academy teacher at Frankford High School offered inspiration to the graduating students. “Class, as you step forward into your next chapters as leaders, directors, policymakers, advocates, and advanced practitioners...I urge you to remember one thing: Our work must be deeply intentional, and the people we serve must always be the priority. Every policy you write, every grant you pursue, and every institutional decision you make must pass a single, uncompromising test: Is this what is absolutely best for the individuals and communities whose lives are impacted by our leadership? We must continually assess what the people we serve truly need and deserve, so that we can equip them to live happy, successful, and meaningful lives.”

Photo credit: Jonathan Gilbert Media