Fordham University
New York Mets manager Willie Randolph delivered the keynote address to the
Class of 2007 at Fordham University’s 162nd Commencement on the Rose Hill
campus. Fordham University conferred honorary degrees to a television
executive, an archbishop, the president of the New York Stock Exchange, a
former justice on the South African Constitutional Court and the longtime
general manager of the Metropolitan Opera at its 162nd Commencement on the Rose
Hill campus.
In addition to Randolph, the other honorary degree recipients were: William F.
Baker, chief executive officer of Educational Broadcasting Corporation,
licensee of Thirteen/WNET New York and WLIW21 New York; John L. Damonti, M.S.W.
(GSS ’85), president of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation and vice president
of corporate philanthropy at the Bristol-Myers Squibb Company; Richard
Goldstone, LL.B., former justice of the South African Constitutional Court;
Catherine R. Kinney, president and co-chief operating officer of the New York
Stock Exchange (NYSE); His Excellency Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Apostolic
Nuncio, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations; and Joseph
Volpe, senior vice president of Giuliani Partners LLC and former general
manager of the Metropolitan Opera.
Richard Goldstone served on the South African Constitutional Court from 1994 to
2003 and in the early 1990s chaired South Africa’s Commission of Inquiry
Regarding Public Violence and Intimidation, which helped undermine the system
of apartheid. Archbishop Celestino Migliore was nominated Apostolic Nuncio and
Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations by Pope John Paul II
in 2002. Since his ordination in 1977, he has championed the global fight
against the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and campaigned
against poverty.
William F. Baker has been at the head of the Educational Broadcasting Company
since 1987. Under his leadership, Thirteen created The Charlie Rose Show
discussion program, Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, and the Peabody and Emmy
award-winning local series City Arts and City Life. John L. Damonti, GSS ’85,
has more than 20 years of experience working in the areas of health policy,
community relations and philanthropy. He has been at Bristol-Myers Squibb since
1999, where he leads a major initiative known as Secure the Future, which is
the largest corporate commitment of its kinds to address issues related to
HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Catherine R. Kinney oversees the New York Stock Exchange’s relationship with
member firms and institutions, as well as its listings business and market
operations. Willie Randolph was hired as manager of the Mets in 2004 after an
accomplished playing and coaching career. In 2006, he guided the Mets to a
league-best 97-65 record and the National League East Division title. His
daughter, Ciara, a Fordham College at Rose Hill senior, will be among the
graduates in May.
Joseph Volpe spent 42 years at the Metropolitan Opera, the last 16 as its
general manager. His tenure as general manager is the third longest in the
Met’s 124-year history, and he has the distinction of being the only person to
have risen through the company’s ranks to its highest executive post.#
