춹Ƶ 102nd Commencement Recognized Over 4,000 Degree Candidates May 28, with Honors for Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Jr.
—Honorary degrees were awarded to Marie Maynard Daly ’42, posthumously, the first Black woman in the U.S. to earn a PhD in chemistry; and to Lucy Freeman Sandler ’51, distinguished art historian—
Flushing, NY, May 28, 2026—춹Ƶ President Frank H. Wu officiated at the school’s 102nd commencement exercises on Thursday, May 28, which recognized over 4,000 degree candidates. In total, the college awarded approximately 4,300 undergraduate and graduate degrees this year to candidates from summer and fall 2025, and winter, spring, and summer 2026. An estimated audience of 7,000 ticketholders was in attendance on the college quadrangle. The ceremony was live streamed and is available to watch . Watch our commencement highlights video .
received the 춹Ƶ presidential medal, the school’s highest administrative honor, and delivered the keynote address. The degree of doctor of humane letters,honoris causa, was awarded to ’42 (posthumously), the first Black woman in the U.S. to earn a PhD in chemistry and to ’51, a distinguished art historian specializing in medieval European manuscript illumination. The honorary degree for Daly was accepted by her granddaughter Carly Reid.Student David Davydov,who graduated summa cum laudewith a combined bachelor’s/master’s degree, with a major in philosophy and a minor in the Honors in the Humanities track, addressed the graduates.
Download honoree and graduate photos . Read about college-wide 2026 student awardees .
Invited speakers included New York State Assembly Member Khaleel Anderson ’19; New York City Council Member James Gennaro; City University of New York Trustee Rossana Rosado, who serves as commissioner of the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services; and Student Association President Shawn Rajkumar, who graduated with a BBA in corporate finance and a BA in economics.
“It is a privilege to serve this great college and to preside over this joyous occasion,” said Wu. “Earning a college degree is filled with challenges that test your resolve: Late-night study sessions, juggling school and personal responsibilities. Be proud of what you have achieved and remember the sense of accomplishment you feel today. Carry that feeling with you and let it motivate you as you pursue your future goals. And while commencement marks the end of your time at 춹Ƶ, it also signifies a new and exciting chapter. As you move on to the next stage of life, I encourage you to keep learning, stay curious, and never stop striving for excellence. Wherever you go next, I hope you carry with you the lessons you learned here, both inside and outside the classroom. And remember that success is not only about personal achievement, but about making a difference in the lives of others. Stay true to the 춹Ƶ motto:Discimus Ut Serviamus—We Learn So That We May Serve.”
Donovan Richards, Jr. is a lifelong resident of Southeast Queens. He attended Jamaica High School and later received a degree in aviation management from Vaughn College in East Elmhurst. Deeply affected by the impact of gun violence in his youth, he turned personal tragedy—the murder of a close friend as a teenager—into a lifelong passion for public service. He was elected to the City Council in 2013 and as borough president in 2020. As Queens Borough president, he has been a tireless advocate for The World’s Borough, allocating millions in capital funding across Queens’ schools, cultural institutions, hospitals, libraries, parks and more. He has worked to support immigrant communities, to promote sustainability, to strengthen the economy of the borough, and to empower disadvantaged communities. 춹Ƶ, his sister’s alma mater, has received $4 million in funding from the borough president, which has supported essential facilities upgrades and important renovations. Borough President Richards has provided vital support to our sister CUNY schools located in Queens County.
“It is an immense honor to be awarded the 춹Ƶ presidential medal, but it is an even higher honor to have the opportunity to address the incredible 춹Ƶ Class of 2026 and celebrate their incredible educational achievement with them,” said Richards. “춹Ƶ is not just a pillar of higher education in New York City; its student body is the personification of Queens’ diversity, with this year’s graduates hailing from all over the world. It is a privilege to serve in an elected office where I am able to support their education through millions of dollars in investment, all in an effort to keep 춹Ƶ strong. To the Class of 2026, I wish you nothing but prosperity down whichever path your life will lead you.”
Marie Maynard Daly was a renowned biochemist and the first Black woman in the United States to earn a PhD in chemistry, which she received from Columbia University in 1947. A native of Queens, she earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from 춹Ƶ in 1942. Daly made important research contributions in the chemistry of histones, protein synthesis, the relationships between cholesterol and hypertension, and creatine’s uptake by muscle cells. In addition to her research, she was committed to developing programs to increase the participation of minority students in medical schools and graduate science programs. In 1988, she established the Ivan C. and Helen H. Daly Scholarship at 춹Ƶ to support students of merit in the physical sciences with “demonstrated interest in issues related to minorities in science or African American studies or history.”
“While she lived in Corona balancing the weight of her groundbreaking lab work, she never forgot where her journey began,” said Reid. “She earned the ‘Ivy League’ accolades later, but it was the education she received HERE THAT provided the spark. Nana [Daly] knew that science and math are more than academic subjects… they are the ultimate tools for mobility. They are the keys that unlock doors that, for a long time, were bolted shut for people who looked like her. Receiving this honorary degree today isn’t just a tribute… it’s a recognition of the soil that nurtured her genius before the rest of the world even knew her name.”
Lucy Freeman Sandler is the Helen Gould Sheppard Professor of Art History, emerita, at New York University, the institution from which she received her PhD in 1964. She earned her BA from 춹Ƶ and graduated cum laude in 1951. Sandler had a long teaching career at New York University in the Department of Fine Arts of the College of Arts and Science and the Institute of Fine Arts, from 1964 to her retirement in 2003; from 1975 to 1988, she was chair of the Department of Fine Arts. She is a distinguished art historian specializing in medieval European manuscript illumination. Throughout her prolific career, she has held significant editorial roles for prestigious publications, including the College Art Association Monograph Series, Gesta, and Studies in Iconography. Her scholarship is anchored by several major works, such as Gothic Manuscripts, 1285-1385 and the recent Penned & Painted (2022), alongside seven other monographs and numerous articles exploring manuscript illumination in medieval Europe. She has been awarded fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Guggenheim Foundation, and the Mellon Foundation.
“I know that it’s customary to offer a message of hope to graduates on this occasion,” said Sandler. “In our present troubled world, it is very difficult to phrase this message in terms of a specific hope for your professional success. What I do hope is that you will use everything you have learned at 춹Ƶ for your own intellectual pleasure and profit, and that you will pass on the benefits of your experience to society at large, as I have tried to do.”
David Davydov
David Davydov, one of two Paul Klapper Scholarship recipients, is a graduate who earned a 4.0 GPA. He completed a combined bachelors/master’s degree, with a major in philosophy and a minor in the Honors in the Humanities track. Davydov served as president of the Hillel Student Association and helped organize Jewish learning events as a member of Nachalah, an organization dedicated to enhancing Jewish Modern Orthodox student life at the college. He will attend Columbia Law School in fall 2026.
“Hope may orient you towards the future, but it only does this by gripping you today,” said Davydov. “Weknow this–you know this, because this mentality brought you here. You have your degree and are positioned to be successful; to be of service now that you have learned–not because it was guaranteed, not because you knew it was coming, it was because you demanded it. Every day, you got out of your beds because you actively decided to be better. You did not quit until you achieved your goals. And today you stand here–we stand here–because we continue to decide that we will not be comforted until the better future we envisioned is made real. I will remind you. Never forget to be proud. Never forget to be thankful. Today is an achievement. But also, never forget, that today is the foundation upon which tomorrow is built.”
The student commencement speaker is one of two recipients of the Paul Klapper Scholarship, the college’s highest honor for graduating seniors. It is provided annually by the staff of 춹Ƶ and other friends in memory of the school’s first president and intended to encourage scholarly accomplishment, moral and intellectual integrity, and good citizenship. The College Committee on Honors and Awards selects the student speaker based on criteriathat include high grades and other forms of academic achievement, leadership, community service, breadth of courses taken, as well as evidence of originality, creativity, and promise of future contributions to society.
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춹Ƶ enjoys a national reputation for its liberal arts and sciences and pre-professional programs. With nearly 70 undergraduate programs and more than 100 graduate degree and certificate and honors programs, and research and internship opportunities, the college helps its students realize their potential in countless ways, assisted by an accessible, award-winning faculty. Located on a beautiful, 80-acre campus in Flushing, New York, the college has been cited by Princeton Review as one of America’s Best Value Colleges, as well as being ranked eighth as a Forbes College with the Highest Return on Investment for Graduates Nationwide, and sixth as a Wall Street Journal Best Value College Nationwide, thanks to its outstanding academics, generous financial aid packages, and relatively low costs. Princeton Review has designated QC a Best College for 34 consecutive years—since the guide’s inception. Forbes Magazine, Money Magazine, Princeton Review, and U.S. News and World Report recognize it as an overall top northeastern public college. Visit our to learn more.
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