Honorable Carl E. Heastie, Speaker of the New York State Assembly, to Deliver Keynote Address at Baruch College’s 2019 Commencement

April 30, 2019

New York, NY  April 30, 2019 – Baruch College announced that Honorable Carl E. Heastie, serving as the 100th Speaker of the New York State Assembly, will deliver the keynote address at its 2019 Commencement Ceremony on June 3 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Speaker Heastie (D, 83rd A.D.) has the historic distinction of being the first African American to serve as leader of the Chamber’s 150 members representing communities across New York State.

A distinguished alumnus of Baruch College, Heastie (’07) received a Master in Business Administration with a concentration in finance from the Zicklin School of Business. A product of New York City’s public schools, Heastie has been an advocate for education throughout his career.

Assemblyman for 18 Years: Uplifting “Social Well-Being of New Yorkers”

Heastie has served in the Assembly for 18 years representing the northeast Bronx. Before becoming Speaker, he served as chair of the Assembly Labor Committee and was the principal negotiator in securing an increase in the minimum wage to $15, as well as paid family leave to ensure New Yorkers at the lowest rungs of the economic ladder have a fair chance to achieve financial independence and success.

Since 2015, Heastie has led the Assembly Majority in efforts to uplift communities and promote an agenda that prioritizes the health, safety, economic and social well-being of New York’s families.

In one of his first actions as Speaker, Heastie strengthened the Assembly’s commitment to supporting high quality, public education for New York students by creating the Higher Education Road to Success Initiative. This initiative has provided a more than 40 percent increase in funding support for opportunity programs that help thousands of low- and middle-income families afford a college education.

In 2017, Heastie achieved one of the most significant victories in social and criminal justice reforms by successfully negotiating a measure to raise the age of adult criminal responsibility. The Speaker also fought to update New York State’s discovery laws to prevent wrongful convictions and improve efficiency in court proceedings.

Prior to joining the Assembly, Heastie served as a budget analyst in the New York City Comptroller’s office.

Honorary Degree Recipient: Alumnus Max Berger

Alumnus Max Berger (’68) will be awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, at the 2019 Commencement ceremony to recognize his decades-long dedication to the mission and vision of the College. The degree is the highest honor Baruch College confers upon an individual for non-academic achievement.

Berger, a founding partner of the law firm Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP (BLB&G), received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accountancy from City College. As an undergraduate in the Bernard M. Baruch School of Business and Public Administration at City College, Berger played a pivotal role in advocating for the “Baruch School” to become an independent college.

This year, Baruch College celebrates its 50th anniversary as a senior college of The City University of New York.

Read more about Mr. Berger’s career accomplishments here.

Baruch College: 2019 Commencement Ceremony

Baruch College will hold its 2019 Commencement Exercises for both undergraduate and graduate students on Monday, June 3 at Barclays Center at 620 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. The ceremony will commence at 9:30 a.m.

Live Stream: The Commencement Ceremony can be viewed live on the Baruch College website.

Media Contact: Suzanne Bronski / Suzanne.bronski@baruch.cuny.edu / 646-660-6093

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