LOCH SHELDRAKE — SUNY Sullivan celebrated their 54th Annual Commencement last Saturday, as over 200 new graduates were ready to take on the world.

County officials along with some SUNY Sullivan administrators and board of trustee members, presented the newly graduating class with not only a diploma but more importantly, left the students with messages of encouragement to pursue their dreams.

“You are only as strong as those around you,” said newly inaugurated SUNY Sullivan President Jay Quaintance. “Working to improve the lives of others will reward yours as well. When those opportunities arise, reach out, lift up others and most of all, be human.”

The graduation was held in the Paul Gerry Fieldhouse and the graduates filled the floor of the fieldhouse among their professors and families, listening to the words of NYS Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther who said, “This is a day that will change the course of your life in the most positive ways. We wish you the best that life has to offer.”

Similarly Luis Alvarez, Chairman of the Sullivan County Legislature said, “SUNY Sullivan is the pearl of the SUNY colleges much like Puerto Rico is called the pearl of the Caribbean.”

Alvarez was once the college's school resource officer. “Your dream represents the best of who you are. We have been given a life to pursue those dreams,” he said.

This year's class speaker was SUNY Sullivan senior and President of the Student Government Association, Rosemary Guerra. “Don't stop here, don't become complacent,” said Guerra. “Be better than yesterday.”

Guerra went on to tell her story of when she first started at SUNY Sullivan and she thought it would just be a place to take a couple of classes. What she soon found out was the college offered more than she imagined as she quickly took to student government and was soon representing the college at several conferences.

“I couldn't do it without the great support in my life, thanks to my family, the professors and administrators for making these past few years a great experience,” she said.