10 student speakers selected to represent fellow graduates at Binghamton University Commencement ceremonies

Binghamton University will begin its Commencement ceremonies when the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences holds its ceremony at 9 a.m. Thursday, May 14, in the Anderson Center’s Osterhout Concert Theater. The Doctoral Hooding Ceremony and remaining ceremonies for each of the University’s schools, including three separate Harpur College of Arts and Sciences ceremonies, will follow, running through Saturday, May 16. The Doctoral Hooding Ceremony will be held at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14, in the Osterhout Concert Theater. All other ceremonies will be held in the Events Center.

Ten student speakers will represent their peers during the 2026 ceremonies. They appear in the order of the ceremonies where they will speak.

School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

9 a.m. Thursday, May 14, Anderson Center Osterhout Concert Theater

Jason Oppong

Doctor of Pharmacy

Jason Oppong has made the most of his seven years at Binghamton. The Elmsford, New York, native earned his undergraduate degree in biological sciences, participating in the 3 + 4 PharmD program. Oppong originally intended to pursue a pre-med track at Binghamton, but after some introspection he became interested in the relatively new School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SOPPS).

“I didn’t really have a mentor in medicine to guide me and talk to me about the process of medical school,” he said. He found that guidance at SOPPS, though, meeting several times with Rachael Perry, the assistant dean for enrollment management and student affairs at the time. “She connected me with current pharmacy students when I was a sophomore, and I felt like I had that connection to pharmacy. I just had a lot of people around who were willing to help.”

Oppong also found a sense of connection through his co-curricular activities on campus. He was actively involved in Residential Life, playing co-rec football and serving as president of Ononodonga Hall in College-in-the-Woods during his first year on campus, and as a residential assistant in the same building his junior year. During his fourth year, he was an area residential coordinator in Hinman, which provided him with valuable professional experience. He continued in a graduate assistantship in Residential Life, transitioning to an event-planning role and working with collegiate professors.

“In hindsight, the opportunities that I had with Res Life are definitely going to set me up well for my transition into my pharmacy residency program, knowing how to organize my time,” he said.

Other involvement included being a bus driver for Off Campus College Transport, president of the Student Pharmacist Society of the State of New York, vice president of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy club, secretary of the Student National Pharmaceutical Association, and member of the Johnson City – Community in Action organization, where he helped clean up the neighborhood surrounding the Health Sciences Campus. He was also a New York State Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Scholar, a two-year experiential program that taught him about working with rural and medically disadvantaged populations.

In June, Oppong will begin his Post Graduate Year One (PGY1) residency program at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania. He hopes to pursue a career as a clinical pharmacist in oncology.

Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences

4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14, Events Center

Iris Lee

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Demarest, New Jersey, native Iris Lee wasn’t familiar with Binghamton until she found out about Decker College’s direct-admission nursing program. But when she visited the Health Sciences Campus, she was sold.

“Once I visited and saw the atmosphere — it is such a great environment,” Lee said. She was especially impressed by the Innovative Simulation and Practice Center, which provides students with hands-on skills training, patient simulations, and virtual-reality scenarios. “It really made me excited for nursing school.”

Lee always knew she wanted to be in the medical field, and loved that nursing provided so much direct patient care. Her experiences at Binghamton reinforced that commitment to providing quality care. She volunteered at the Campus Pre-School and Early Childhood Center with the Mary E. Mahoney Nursing Support Group, which supports nursing students from underrepresented populations. This experience was valuable, as she plans to pursue a career in pediatric nursing.

She was also active in the Delta Phi Epsilon sorority and as a student ambassador for the Decker College Division of Advising and Academic Excellence. The opportunity to interact with faculty and clinical preceptors at Decker College provided Lee with valuable insight into the field of nursing, as well as experience connecting with people and building confidence, which is something she will carry forward in her career.

“I was a much shyer person coming into college, and I was in a very vulnerable state because I didn’t know what I was getting into,” she said. “But now looking back, I’m a completely different person. I’m able to walk into a patient’s room and introduce myself and ask them about their life, and just hear all of their stories.”

Following graduation, Lee will return to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, where she completed an internship, as a pediatric nurse. She hopes to eventually become a nurse practitioner.

Iris Costner

Doctor of Physical Therapy

Iris Costner is excited to start her second career, but her shift from education to physical therapy isn’t exactly the about-face it seems.

Costner, a native of Buffalo, New York, was interested in a career in health and wellness from a young age. She told a high school counselor that she “wanted to help people heal their bodies.” In response, the counselor, not taking her seriously, asked if she had considered a career as a secretary. Costner left, perplexed but not dissuaded.

She attended the University at Buffalo and received a bachelor’s degree in paralegal research and later attended Buffalo State University, where she acquired a bachelor’s degree in health and wellness, followed by a master’s degree in adult education. But she still held onto that dream of pursuing physical therapy. She got a job with the Buffalo Board of Education and also started taking prerequisite courses for physical therapy school. Life intervened, though, and she put her dream on hold as she and her husband raised their children, who began their academic pursuits.

Costner’s dream resurfaced when a coworker told her that Villa Maria College in Buffalo had a Physical Therapy Assistant program. She found a job in the Outpatient Orthopedic Clinic at Buffalo Rehab Group shortly after graduating with an associate degree as a PTA. She said she loved the work, but also recognized that in some respects, it was a bit of a professional step backward, and the financial compensation reflected that.

Costner had spent years advising nontraditional students in the Buffalo Public Schools Adult Education Division to follow their dreams and aim big. She decided to take her own advice, applying to Binghamton’s inaugural Doctor of Physical Therapy class.

“This has been quite the journey,” she said. “Everyone’s path isn’t necessarily straight through high school to graduate school. I’m very excited for this new chapter in my professional career. This is my second career, and it’s the career I’ve always dreamed of.”

The three-year program was a big commitment for Costner, particularly because it required her to be in Binghamton during the semester. She rented an apartment to live in during the week and traveled home to her husband in Buffalo on most weekends.

“I should give my greatest salute to my husband, who’s my biggest sponsor, but also my community,” she said. “There are many people who kept me awake on a phone call, driving back and forth, and even my study buddies. I don’t think any success is ever one individual. There is a community effort. So I am the benefactor of some very good people.”

Costner hopes to continue that legacy as a physical therapist, especially in advocating for the intentional inclusion of underserved populations. She started this work before she came to Binghamton, facilitating the Adopt a School Program with her previous employer. As a graduate student, she served as the multicultural representative for her program’s student government, continuing to bring attention to the need for “change agents” as graduates were embarking on the opportunity to serve diverse populations.

“My goal was primarily to help bring exposure to clinicians of our need to be aware of what it is to make sure people are fully welcome,” she said.

Costner’s family history is one of not always belonging. Her great-grandmother was the daughter of a formerly enslaved individual, and her grandfather died young due in part to segregated healthcare, leaving behind 12 young children.

“Binghamton has offered many people the opportunity to create change — not only individually, but economically and academically — and we are now moving into an arena where people will see individuals who look like them represented in meaningful ways,” she said. “Our cohort was very diverse, representing a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences from across the region. I am proud of our department’s intentional effort to include as many people as possible. As we move forward into our careers, we become a reflection of that commitment, ensuring that future generations not only see themselves in these spaces, but truly feel they belong.”

Costner said she is honored to enter the profession of physical therapy and looks forward to serving her community.

“While the path forward may not always be easy, I remain committed to leading with integrity, compassion, and perseverance — knowing that the impact my classmates and I make will ultimately define our legacy.”

Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science

8:30 a.m. Friday, May 15, Events Center

Isabelle Saint

Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering

Isabelle Saint, from Levittown, New York, was drawn to Binghamton over similar schools in the Northeast due to its growing reputation in the STEM field and the plethora of resources and support offered to engineering students. A biomedical engineering student with dual concentrations in biomedical devices and instrumentation and biomaterials and bio-pharmaceutical technology, Saint originally considered becoming a neurosurgeon or trauma surgeon.

She soon realized that she was more passionate about law, though, and chose a pre-law engineering track, hoping to become a patent attorney after getting some hands-on engineering experience in the biomedical field. She is particularly interested in working with biomedical technologies, where a deep understanding of engineering principles is critical to protecting and advancing innovation.

“I’m most interested in the biomedical devices and instrumentation side of things,” Saint said. “Maybe it’s because my older brother is an electrical engineer and my stepdad is an electrician, but I’ve always loved the hands-on side of things.”

While she explored different engineering paths, Saint found that she was most excited about the human body’s electrical system.

“I like physiological systems — like the heart, the brain, those signals that are sent out,” she said. “I really like building EKGs, EEGs, EMGs, and troubleshooting those things. It’s something that made me excited.”

In addition to a heavy academic workload, Saint found time for involvement within Watson College and other areas of campus. She was involved with the Powerlifting and Olympic Weight Training Club her first year and carried that passion for personal health and wellness throughout her time on campus. Her involvement with Alpha Omega Epsilon, a professional and social sorority for women in engineering, was another source of many close friendships. She served as chairwoman of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee for the Student Association and was president and founder of Cru, a Christian faith-based organization. Within Watson College, she served as an undergraduate course assistant for several engineering courses and as a student assistant for Watson Career and Alumni Connections.

Saint’s experience at Binghamton has resulted in significant personal and professional growth. This has come through her academic and co-curricular experiences, but also through learning how to take care of herself.

“I unfortunately suffer from epilepsy,” she said. “It’s controlled and regulated now, but because of those neurological changes, I have had to push myself to be where I am.” It was difficult for her to leave the safety of home and learn to take care of herself, but she has made great progress.

“I am most proud of the resilience and discipline I’ve had to develop and how I have fought the harsh side effects of epilepsy and overcome personal health challenges. These experiences have strengthened my ability to remain focused, adaptable, and accountable in various settings.”

College of Community and Public Affairs

1 p.m. Friday, May 15, Events Center

Donna Napolitano

Bachelor of Science in Human Development

Bachelor of Arts in Spanish

Binghamton was one of several schools that Donna Napolitano applied to. The Cortlandt, New York, native knew she wanted to be a lawyer, and while Binghamton didn’t have a specific pre-law track, she was impressed with the University’s courses focused on advocacy and justice. When she was also recruited to run track and field, the decision to attend Binghamton was easy.

Napolitano was drawn to the Department of Human Development because of its connection to the field of justice, especially criminal and family law, and fell in love with it immediately. She decided to double-major in Spanish, as she grew up speaking the language fluently with her mom, who is a high school Spanish teacher.

In addition to her pre-law concentration, Napolitano found meaningful opportunities to get involved in the justice and advocacy community through organizations like Justice and Unity for the Southern Tier, where she volunteered weekly at the Broome County jail, speaking with incarcerated individuals. She was also an ambassador for the Department of Human Development and worked at the public defender’s office in Broome County. All of this was in addition to running the 400- and 200-meter races in track and field, and serving as a liaison to the Student Athlete Mental Health Committee.

Napolitano will attend Pace University - Elisabeth Haub School of Law next fall and is interested in pursuing family law, or potentially criminal law.

“I know it’s a very heavy subject, but I think I want to go into domestic violence and child advocacy,” she said. “There has to be someone helping other people out there. I just feel an emotional connection to it.”

Paris DeFreitas

Master of Public Administration

Working with a nonprofit legal aid organization as an intern through the Harpur Law Council introduced Paris DeFreitas to public policy. That led to her interest in the Master of Public Administration program, which she will manage to complete — along with a bachelor of arts in philosophy, politics, and law — in just four years.

“This past winter term, I took a course about issues in higher education,” said the Copiague, New York, native, “and with the recent political climate, I want to work in education policy, whether that’s higher-ed or K-12. I think all of it is important.”

This summer, DeFreitas will travel to Malawi for a service-learning trip through the Office of International Education and Global Initiatives. She will work with the Malawi Children’s Mission, a non-governmental organization that serves as a feeding center for orphaned children, a school for children from preschool to fourth grade, and an after-school program for children of all ages.

“I’ll be supporting children’s education and learning about the importance of nutrition in schools, and those are global issues that can be applied to any country,” she said.

As a student, DeFreitas served as a youth program counselor for three years with the Black Student Union (BSU). She was also the publications coordinator for Vanguard, BSU’s creative writing group, and served as a teaching assistant in a creative writing course modeled off of Vanguard and in Africana studies, which she minored in. The Binghamton University Projects for New Undergraduate Researchers program offered her the chance to continue exploring her interest in the arts, where she helped compile a catalog of texts by underrepresented artists. She was also in the McNair Scholars Program and started a Binghamton chapter of the National Black Law Students Association.

“I think if you go through experiences optimistically, sometimes things just happen for you,” DeFreitas said. “I don’t think I would have anticipated a lot of the things that came my way, but they did somehow. So that’s something I would like to share with other people.”

School of Management

4:30 p.m. Friday, May 15, Events Center

Leila Joseph

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Finance

Binghamton University was a “dream school” for Leila Joseph, who is from Ronkonkoma, New York, so she was excited when she was admitted but had to start her journey through the former Binghamton Advantage Program. She lived on Binghamton’s campus but took all of her classes at SUNY Broome Community College.

“It was interesting to navigate, but now I appreciate the matriculation into college in that way,” she said. “I can look back and realize that was good for me.”

Joseph wasn’t sure what she wanted to pursue, but liked that Binghamton offered so many opportunities. She spent her sophomore year in Harpur College, exploring different options, and eventually developed an interest in business — particularly leadership and finance. She applied for and successfully completed an intra-university transfer into the School of Management.

“I really wanted to challenge myself,” she said. “I’m not necessarily a big numbers person, and I didn’t feel I was a typical finance person. But when I got in, I felt like my life had changed. The School of Management has been an awesome time.”

Her involvement on campus has followed the same “Binghamton-forward” path as her academic journey, she said. She has been a campus tour guide since her first year, and serves as a brand manager with the Binghamton University Office of Media and Public Relations, where she has worked on content for the University’s TikTok and Instagram accounts. She was also the president of Seneca Hall in College-in-the-Woods as a first-year student and studied in the south of France for a semester with CEA CAPA Education Abroad.

“If the Binghamton Education Abroad office ever asked me to be on a panel, I’ll do it!” she said. “If they ask me to talk about scholarships or support my program, I’m there! I think my campus vibe is just trying to get to know a lot of different types of people.”

Following graduation, Joseph will return to Broadbridge Financial Solutions in New York City, where she was a finance intern last summer, as an Emerging Leaders Program associate. She’ll spend a year learning about different aspects of the business before deciding what she wants to do next.

“What I like most about the future is that it’s really open and broad, like my experience at Binghamton. I think working in media one day would be amazing. Helping people, that is my biggest goal in the end, and just being there for people, being positive. The best thing about the future is that it isn’t written yet!”

Harpur College of Arts and Sciences 1

8:30 a.m. Saturday, May 16, Events Center

Ela Shriqui

Bachelor of Science in Integrative Neuroscience

Ela Shriqui moved to Manhattan with her family four years ago from Paris, France. When she started looking at colleges, Binghamton’s pre-med program stood out to her. She also liked that it wasn’t too far from home and offered a great residential campus atmosphere, along with strong academic programs.

Much of her time outside of class was spent working in Associate Professor Fake “Frank” Lu’s Biophotonics and Translational Optical Imaging Lab, where she conducted research on cancer cells using stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy. She also found time to connect with her home culture as a French event coordinator through the Romance Languages and Literatures Department, planning debates and movie nights.

Shriqui’s plan was always to attend medical school following graduation, which is why she was drawn to Binghamton’s integrative neuroscience program and minored in health and wellness studies. She hopes to eventually specialize in women’s health, possibly obstetrics and gynecology.

Harpur College of Arts and Sciences 2

12:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16, Events Center

Mahzuba Rome Maliha

Bachelor of Science in Economics: Financial Economics

Mahzuba Rome Maliha immigrated to Queens, New York, from Bangladesh with her mom and younger brother when she was in middle school, and her background influenced her decision to study financial economics. Money was a source of discord in her parents’ relationship, and she has experienced firsthand the wealth disparity that exists in the world.

“Coming from a Third World country, I’ve seen so much poverty,” she said. “There are people struggling to make ends meet — they don’t know how they’re going to have their next meal.” Mailha said she hoped that studying financial economics would lead to personal financial stability and also help her understand some of the factors contributing to global wealth inequality.

At Binghamton, Maliha was involved with the Juvenile Urban Multicultural Program, where she served as treasurer and enjoyed working with underserved children. She was also the events coordinator for Pretty Girls Sweat and the projects and programming coordinator for the Student Association Vice President of Multicultural Affairs.

Maliha is now interning at LPL Financial Kramer and Associates in Johnson City, New York, and she hopes to stay there in a full-time role following graduation and complete the Securities Industry Essentials exam. She initially considered going into financial investing, but is now leaning more toward a role in personal relationship management. She also has a real estate license and works with Elegant Estates as their student liaison. She plans to continue working in real estate in the future as well.

Harpur College of Arts and Sciences 3

4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16, Events Center

Jocelyn Ghanney

Bachelor of Science in Biology

Bachelor of Science in Global Public Health (Future Healthcare Providers)

Bachelor of Science in Human Development

Jocelyn Ghanney, originally from the Bronx, is a first-generation college student and the daughter of Ghanaian parents who pursued a triple major at Binghamton University, something she kept private from her peers and even her family throughout her four years.

“I didn’t do it just for the accolades,” she said. “I did it to truly understand people and the systems that affect them in different ways. I’m proud of challenging myself in that way.”

Her choice of majors allowed her to explore people both biologically and socially, and to understand how these systems uniquely intertwine.

“What is the purpose of knowledge,” she said, “if not to pour back into the communities and spaces we enter?”

Ghanney was first introduced to Binghamton by her older brother, who graduated from the University in 2017, through his involvement in the Juvenile Urban Multicultural Program (JUMP). Years later, she returned not just as a student, but as president of that same organization, a full-circle moment for both of them.

Growing up alongside her eldest sister, who is nonverbal and autistic, also shaped her perspective.

“It shaped the way I move through the world, with advocacy, patience, and a strong sense of responsibility to speak in spaces where others may not always have a voice.”

Much of Ghanney’s values are inspired by her family, especially her mother.

“She always taught me to push against the ceiling, to persevere, and to lead with integrity and compassion, even when nobody’s watching,” Ghanney said.

At Binghamton, Ghanney carried these values into her work and leadership. She served as a student researcher through the First-Year Research Immersion program, mentor for the Educational Opportunity Program, a residential assistant, and president of both the Uyai Nnua Dance Ensemble and JUMP. She also worked as a student instructor with Mentoring in Medicine at Montefiore in New York City. She was recognized on the Dean’s List for multiple semesters and is a member of the Chi Upsilon Honor Society.

“I am forever grateful for the relationships and experience cultivated at Binghamton, including my friends, mentors, and faculty. It was a transformative experience.

Ghanney plans to continue her academic journey with the goal of becoming a healthcare provider focusing on community health and underserved populations.