{"id":5394,"date":"2016-09-30T15:42:36","date_gmt":"2016-09-30T19:42:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/news\/?p=5394"},"modified":"2019-10-30T16:48:54","modified_gmt":"2019-10-30T20:48:54","slug":"marc-morial-president-and-ceo-of-the-national-urban-league-serves-as-the-keynote-speaker-at-2016-michaelmas-convocation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/news\/2016\/09\/30\/marc-morial-president-and-ceo-of-the-national-urban-league-serves-as-the-keynote-speaker-at-2016-michaelmas-convocation\/","title":{"rendered":"Marc Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League, Serves as the Keynote Speaker at 2016 Michaelmas Convocation"},"content":{"rendered":"
At the annual Michaelmas Convocation, 10 senior students are inducted into the oldest and most distinguished honors society at Saint Peter\u2019s, the Most Noble Order of the Peacock (MNOP), for attaining the highest scholastic average in all courses throughout their first three years at the University. The students inducted into this year\u2019s MNOP society include Nicholas P. Riepe, Eliran Epshtein, Brenda L. Chavez, Joseph R. Delorenzo, Adam W. Parkinson, Lisa E. Thottumari, Nicholas J. Chciuk, Shaikat Haque, Ashwin Ambi and Kimberley Mena. Many other students were awarded scholarships, and students in honors societies were recognized.<\/p>\n Students and attendees also had the opportunity to hear an inspirational keynote from the convocation speaker, Morial. Morial currently serves as the president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League, the nation\u2019s largest civil rights organization. He is an entrepreneur, lawyer, professor, legislator and former mayor of New Orleans. In a distinguished professional career, Morial has performed all of these roles with excellence, and is one of the most accomplished servant-leaders in the nation.<\/p>\n As president of the National Urban League since 2003, he has been the primary catalyst for an era of change. His energetic and skilled leadership has expanded the League\u2019s work around an empowerment agenda, which is redefining civil rights in the twenty-first century with a renewed emphasis on closing the economic gaps between whites and blacks as well as rich and poor Americans.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Family and friends cheered for their peers\u2019 accomplishments at the Michaelmas Convocation on Wednesday, September 28 at St. Aedan\u2019s: The Saint Peter\u2019s University Church. The annual Michaelmas Convocation is an event that celebrates impressive student accomplishments. These students have been working hard since they started at Saint Peter\u2019s to maintain high GPAs and strive for the Magis.<\/em> The Michaelmas Convocation ceremony follows the medieval tradition of convening the faculty and students to start the term and is celebrated in the honor of the feast of the archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. At this year\u2019s event, Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League provided the keynote address. Students received achievement awards in all academic areas, including the sciences, arts and business.<\/p>\n