Calling the Class of 2011! This year’s graduation ceremony is on the move, once again. 

Back in late September, Campus Director of the Rockland Graduate Center Sr. Patricia McGinley was frantically contacting different locations around the New York City finding that most venues were either too small or unavailable for the May 15 proposed graduation day.

“The College was moving forward to prepare for the ceremony to be held on Mazzella Field.  Companies had been contacted and actually visited the campus to see the field and give us estimations of what type of equipment we would need,” McGinley said. “At the same time, if I heard any other possibility, I would make the contact, but with no success.”

After months of trying to find a space that would not only accommodate both graduates and their family members, McGinley remembered that the well-known Jacob K. Javits Convention Center had just finished construction on a new wing this fall.

With Madison Square Garden closing its theatre for renovations, the Javits Center had heard the dilemma that many colleges, including Iona, were faced with.

“With their business sense, the Javits Sales Team put together a graduation package for the new wing that included a 5,000 seating capacity and are offering it to colleges,” McGinley said.

With the advertising being only by word of mouth, McGinley jumped at the chance of securing the May 15 date. Even though many colleges had already signed a contract, the May 15 date had not yet been taken.  McGinley was in luck and so were this year’s graduates.

“What this does is guarantee a New York City graduation, which is what we believe the students wanted.  It also provides us with the surety that we do not have to move to Plan B due to inclement weather,” McGinley said.

Even though nothing compares to Iona College’s campus beauty in the spring, May can be a tricky month when it comes to weather with the possibility of it being too hot, too cold, or raining.  And, the campus is not equipped with a building that would hold the number of guests invited.

“The good result is that for Iona College Graduation 2011, we have a roof over our heads, there is ample seating, we are in New York City and we will have a memorable graduation,” McGinley said.

The announcement was made right before the winter break at the last Student Government meeting.  McGinley along with Vice Provost for Student Development Charlie Carlson, Assistant Vice Provost for Student Development Elizabeth Olivieri and Director of Facilities Management Mark Murphy had visited the Javits Center space just a few days before the meeting.

“The announcement was first made at that meeting and it received a bellowing applause,” McGinley said.

Staff and administrators are both pleased and quite relieved since the Javits Center provides a guaranteed graduation ceremony and no last minute decisions regarding weather related issues.

According to the Iona College website, the undergraduate degree recipients will receive their diplomas on May 15 at 11:00 a.m. at the Javits Center.  The commencement for graduate degree recipients will be held the day before, May 14 at 11:00 a.m. in the Hynes Athletics Center.

The website for ordering caps and gowns will go live on Feb. 1.