New England Institute of Technology Holds Commencement Exercises
New England Institute of Technology (NEIT) held its 72nd commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 5, 2013, at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, RI. More than 1,000 students received Associate in Science, Bachelor of Science, or Master of Science degrees. Basketball legend, author, actor, award-winning film producer and community activist Kareem Abdul-Jabbar delivered the commencement address and was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters during the ceremony.
While in college, Abdul-Jabbar led the UCLA Bruins to three consecutive NCAA championships and became the only player in NCAA history to be named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament for three consecutive years. Here, he perfected his famous skyhook, a shot that opposing players found impossible to block.
As one of the National Basketball Association's greatest players, 7-foot-2 Abdul-Jabbar was a 19-time All-Star, a six-time MVP, and the league's All-Time Leading Scorer with 38,387 points. After 20 years, this Hall of Fame center had one of the longest careers in professional sports. He retired from the Los Angeles Lakers where no player had ever scored more points, blocked more shots, won more MVP awards or played in more All-Star games.
Abdul-Jabbar has written seven best-selling books on historical subjects and is also an award-winning filmmaker. He won two 2013 NAACP Image Awards for his documentary, On the Shoulders of Giants, and a children's book he co-authored called What Color is My World. He is a columnist for Esquire Magazine and Huffington Post and has appeared in numerous films and TV series, most recently in a new reality competition called Splash on ABC.
Abdul-Jabbar has been dedicated to promoting social justice and equality and is focused on bringing history and social studies to children around the globe. His Skyhook Foundation, 'Gives Kids a Shot that Can't be Blocked,' focuses on the STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) through literacy in under-served communities. He was named a U.S. Cultural Ambassador by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2012. He is a strong supporter of cancer research and healthy living.
An honorary doctor of humane letters was also awarded to John Hazen White, Jr., serving as the third generation President of Taco, Incorporated of Cranston, RI, a $200 million manufacturing firm employing more than 500 people. His commitment to bettering the lives of his employees and their families, working tirelessly to improve the economic and political climate of Rhode Island as well as supporting the arts and education in the state, were recognized at this year's commencement. White has served on the boards of many of Rhode Island's most active organizations. He has also written newspaper columns, produced television programming and funded advertising campaigns designed to encourage public participation in community issues.
Dr. Thomas F. Wylie, Senior Vice President and Provost at NEIT conferred degrees upon the following students:
Honors: *
Potential June Grad: +
Brockton MA
AS Degree
Nahomie L. Civil, Danielle A. Jackson, Jennifer L. Roscoe*
BS Degree
Angelo C. Alves+, Lauren N. Tankle
Randolph MA
AS Degree
Alfredo B. DePina Jr
Commencement photos and excerpts from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's commencement address are available upon request at ldionne@neit.edu.
Under the leadership of President Richard I. Gouse, New England Institute of Technology is a private,non-profit, technical college with an enrollment of more than 3,000 students. The college awards associate, bachelor and master's degrees and is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.
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