More than 2,400 students will receive their degrees on May 10, 2003, as Buffalo State College holds its 131st commencement ceremonies in the Sports Arena on the campus at 1300 Elmwood Ave.

The college will mount two baccalaureate ceremonies - one at 10 a.m., the other at 2 p.m. - to award degrees to the 1,821 graduates who completed their studies in December 2002 or May 2003, or will complete them in August 2003. The college's master's hooding ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. to award degrees and certificates of advanced study to the 676 students who completed their studies in December 2002 or May 2003, or will complete them in August 2003.

Susan Schmidt Bies, a member of the board of governors of the Federal Reserve System, will give the commencement address for both baccalaureate ceremonies and receive a State University of New York Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters at the 10 a.m. ceremony and a Distinguished Alumnus Award at the 2 p.m. Anne Rogovin, an author and retired special education teacher, and Paul Tokasz, the New York State Assembly majority leader, will received Distinguished Alumnus Awards at the 10 a.m. ceremony.

G. Peter Jemison, a Native American artist, will receive a SUNY Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts at the 10 a.m. ceremony.

Robert Lamendola, executive vice president of the St. Paul Companies, will receive a Distinguished Alumnus Award at the 2 p.m. ceremony. Father John "Jack" Weimer, chaplain and campus minister of the Buffalo State College Newman Center, will receive a President's Distinguished Service Award at the 10 a.m. ceremony.

Edward Sontag, assistant secretary for administration and management with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will deliver the keynote address at the master's hooding and certificate of advanced study ceremony. Howard Muscott, professor of education at Rivier College in Nashua, will receive a Distinguished Alumnus Award at that ceremony.

Viktoriya Magid will give the undergraduate student address at both the 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. baccalaureate ceremonies, and receive a President's Medal for Outstanding Undergraduate Student as well as a SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence at the 2 p.m. Julie Dils and Lorraine Gammack will also receive SUNY Chancellor's Awards for Student Excellence at the 10 a.m. ceremony, as will Kwabena Boakye and Sheetal Anand at the 2 p.m.

Donald Blum will give the graduate student address at the 6 p.m. ceremony. Rene Kauder will receive a President's Medal for Outstanding Graduate Student, and Craig Reynolds will receive a SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence at that ceremony.