Class of 2011 Launches & Colgate Honors Irene Brown

RFH 2010, Colgate News

Sun, May 15, 2011

The founder of county-wide Community Action Program received an honorary degree at the 190th Colgate commencement today.

Class of 2011 Launches & Colgate Honors Irene Brown

A light but persistent drizzle turned this morning's commencement at Colgate a bit soggy, but spirits remained high as the Class of 2011 received their diplomas and the university honored a local woman for her many years of hard work on behalf of those in need in the surrounding community. Commencement was hel in the Sanford Field House.

President Jeffrey Herbst presided over his first Colgate commencement -- and the university's 190th -- today, and presented not just the diplomas to the 698 graduates, but also bestowed an honorary degree on Irene Brown. She is the founder of the Community Action Partnership of Madison County and the Lifelong Learning Program, a collaboration between Colgate and the Hamilton community. Her husband is Coleman Brown, Colgate professor of philosophy and religion, emeritus.

Herbst told the graduates, "Go into the world with your eyes wide open, yes, but also with your mind open. There are great days ahead for you."

Howard Fineman, '70, delivered the commencement address, which invoked the names of several former New York politicians, a variety of media heayweights who graduated from Colgate and Broken Lizard, the entertainment group formed at Colgate that went on to produce such movie masterpeices as Super Troopers and Beer Fest. Fineman also delivered what he called Journalism 101 for Civilians.

Formerly the deputy Washington bureau chief at Newsweek, Fineman was one of the first Washington print reporters to write regularly for the web and now serves as editorial director of the Huffington Post Media Group. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The New Republic, and, since 1998, he has been a popular analyst for NBC News and MSNBC.Fineman's book, The Thirteen American Arguments, was published by Random House in 2008 and was a national best seller

Also recognized Sunday afternoon were:

J. Christopher Clifford '67, outgoing chair of Colgate's Board of Trustees, has been a passionate supporter of the university through decades of service and financial support. He has been a force behind the transformative Hamilton Initiative, and integral to the success of Passion for the Climb, the Campaign for Colgate.
Frans de Waal is highly regarded for his books and research on the social intelligence of primates. He is C.H. Candler Professor of primate behavior at Emory University. In 2007, he was named to Time magazine's list of 100 most influential people.
Robert H.N. Ho '56 is best known to Colgate for his support of the science center that bears his name. He also funded an endowed professorship in Asian studies and an endowment that supports a study group to China. He is a trustee emeritus, and founder of the Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation, a Hong Kong-based independent philanthropic organization that promotes Chinese culture, art education, and Buddhist philosophy through cross-cultural programs throughout the world.
Gen. Thomas R. Morgan '52, USMC (Ret), is Colgate's most celebrated and highest-ranking member of the U.S military. Promoted to the rank of general in 1986, he served as assistant commandant of the Marine Corps until he retired in 1988.
and Fineman.