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    April 27, 2021

    David McCallum S.J. Named Commencement Speaker, Eight to Receive Honorary Degrees

    Le Moyne College has announced that David McCallum S.J. ’90, will be the commencement speaker for 2021. Father McCallum will join with seven others who will receive Doctor of Humane Letters honorary degrees from the College. Due to the pandemic, recipients will receive their degrees prior to the ceremonies.

    In January 2021, Father McCallum was named executive director of the Discerning Leadership Program, a collaboration between Le Moyne College, the General Curia of the Society of Jesus, the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, ESADE in Spain and Georgetown University. He is assigned to the General Curia community in Rome. Prior to being named to this role, he had served is alma mater in roles on the faculty, mission and identity, as interim dean of the Madden School of Business, interim vice president for advancement and vice president for mission integration.

    Honorary degrees will be given to:
    Dr. Jack Boorman ‘63 (posthumously) - Boorman began work at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as an economist, eventually rising through the ranks to the organization’s highest staff position, counselor. During his time at the IMF he played a key role in developing its response to the transformation of the former Soviet Union to market economies. He went on to write several books on monetary theory and banking. Boorman was a longtime member the Board of Trustees and his financial expertise contributed to the remarkable success in building our endowment. He passed away in January 2021.
    Sharon Kinsman Salmon ’78 - A longtime member of the College’s Board of Trustees who at various points served as secretary, vice chair and chair, Kinsman Salmon epitomizes what it means to be an effective leader and dedicated alumna. She spent 21 years at Pfizer, serving as its vice president and assistant treasurer, and was responsible for managing a $20 billion in global pension fund and savings plan assets. During her last two years there, she was vice president, global compensation and benefits.
    Dr. Cornelius “Neil” Murphy - During Murphy’s tenure as the president of the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, enrollment increased from 1,700 to 2,300 students, sponsored research expenditures grew from $9.8 million to $14.4 million, and an array of dynamic new academic offerings, including bioprocess engineering and sustainable energy management, were introduced. Retiring as president in 2013, he now serves the institution as a senior fellow for environmental and sustainable systems.
    Daniel McNeil Jr. ’51 - A veteran of World War II, McNeil entered Le Moyne as a member of its first class, commuting to the College from his home in Cortland. He went on to become president of the award-winning McNeil Development Company, which has been widely credited with revitalizing downtown Cortland. He has also given back to his community through his support of a variety of philanthropic and civic organizations, including the YMCA, Rotary Club and American Legion.
    Joyce Stokes Jones -  Joyce Stokes Jones has spent much of her adult life researching and writing about the life and times of her great grand aunt Harriet Ross Tubman. She crafted thoughtful columns about Black life and heritage for the Syracuse Herald Journal and Readers Press, and produced segments dealing with issues important to the Black community for WCNY. In 2013 - 100 years after Tubman's death - she co-wrote "Aunt Harriet, Moses of Her People," with her daughter, Michelle Jones Galvin. 
    Dr. David Dasher ’69 - Prior to joining Amaus Dental Services as director, he was the dental director for both the Syracuse Community Health Center and the Community Health Care Center in Wichita Falls, Texas. He also served in the United States Air Force for 25 years, and was a special consultant in war readiness and enlisted training for the United States Air Force Deputy Surgeon General for Dental Services. He is a fellow of the International College of Dentists and the Academy of General Dentistry.
    Dr. Robert Fangio ’78 - As a volunteer dentist at Amaus Dental Services in Syracuse, Fangio plays a pivotal role in helping Amaus meet its goal of providing quality dental care to those who are uninsured, homeless or without dental insurance. He joined the clinic after retiring from more than 30 years in private practice. In 2014, he was ordained a deacon in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse and was recently named the director of deacon personnel for the Office of the Permanent Diaconate.

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