By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
ST. BONAVENTURE — Sister Margaret Carney OSF, St. Bonaventure University president emeritus, was keynote speaker Sunday at the university’s 165th commencement.
Carney, who served nearly 20 years at St. Bonaventure, the last 12 as president, retired in July 2016.
Carney and Seneca artist Carson Waterman both received honorary degrees.
Waterman, an accomplished artist from the Seneca’s Allegany Territory, received an honorary degree, a Doctor of Fine Arts, The citation bestowing the degree was read by Seneca Nation Councilor Klint Nephew, a 1992 alumnus of St. Bonaventure.
“Carson’s work honors traditional stories and symbols, ensuring they are passed down to future generations,” Nephew said. “Carson has helped strengthen Seneca cultural pride and visibility, making him a treasured steward of Haudenosaunee traditions and a symbol of enduring Indigenous resilience.”
Earlier, University Chaplain Fr. Steven Kuehn OFM, offered an invocation acknowledging the Seneca Nation as stewards of the land on which the university site.
In her keynote address, Carney spoke of community and happiness and said, “We have been privileged to learn from our Seneca Iroquois neighbors so much about the happiness that comes from commitment to family, clan, tribe and nation, and the ongoing reverence for the biological and mystic ties we have with our Mother, the Earth.”
Carney said she’s concerned about the country falling out of the top 20 (to number 24) in countries in terms of the happiness scale. She cited a 2023 report by the U.S. Surgeon General called “An Epidemic of Isolation and Loneliness,” that highlights the importance of relationships.
Carney gave a nod toward the state of the nation, commenting that students realize “what it means to be an architect of healing, flourishing and happiness. But it is very difficult to keep to the task. You cannot sit back. Our nation is currently embroiled in major controversies over the meaning of our democratic goals. This shouldn’t shock or destroy our willingness to work for that more perfect union.”
Dr. Jeff Gingerich, university president, told the graduates their diplomas are more than just a piece of paper to advance their careers.
“As you step into the next chapter of your lives, you carry more than a degree — you carry a legacy. A Bona degree is a calling, not just a credential. It signifies a commitment to lifting others up and to living with moral clarity in a time that so often lacks it,” he said.
“The world you enter is increasingly fractured — by political division, by social injustice, by economic inequality. But where others see discord, I challenge you to be the bridge-builders,” Gingerich said.
Anas Alami, a Business Management major from Brooklyn, talked about the “door-holding spirit” of St. Bonaventure — and the compassion he found here.
“(Holding) that door, that simple act, started to represent something bigger,” said Alami, who was also named one of two Ideal Bonaventure Students in April. “At Bonaventure, holding a door isn’t just something we do. It’s a part of who we are. It’s a symbol of kindness, community, and connection,” he said.
“As we walk across this stage today, we are stepping through one last door — a big door — and stepping into the world. Into uncertainty. Into opportunity. But wherever we go, we bring this with us —the Bonaventure way,” Alami said.
There were 402 undergraduate degrees awarded and 289 graduate students recognized.
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