Newsday. Long Island, N.Y.: May 17, 2004.
GRADUATION DAY, The sun shines on LI graduates, Hundreds come a degree closer to their hopes and aspirations as several colleges hold commencement:

NEDRA RHONE AND MITCHELL FREEDMAN. STAFF WRITERS.

(Copyright Newsday Inc., 2004)
…Dreams came true for hundreds of other Long Island graduates yesterday as schools including SUNY Old Westbury, Suffolk County Community College and the New York College of Health Professions held commencement ceremonies.

For some, graduation was the starting point for the future. For others, a diploma signaled the attainment of dreams long deferred.
…"He has every right in the world to complain, but he never does," Powers said.

Inner strength was the theme of actress Shirley MacLaine's address to graduates at the New York College of Health Professions. The 220 graduating students at the Melville Marriott earned degrees and certificates in the field of holistic medicine. The 20-year-old school with campuses in Brooklyn and Luo Yang, China, offers training in oriental medicine, acupuncture, message therapy and more.

"Students, when they come to study at our college, they know what they want to go into and what they want to do with the rest of their lives," said President Lisa Pamintuan.

The journey for Richard Cosentino, 46, of Long Beach, began when the former bakery owner arrived at the school and used his business skills to create a walk-in herbal dispensary. But Cosentino, who had an illness diagnosed during his studies, became a patient himself. The experience affirmed his belief in what he was doing.

"I wanted to get involved in medicine, but I didn't want to be an MD. When you go to the doctor they treat you like a number and it is so cold," he said.

As a patient, Cosentino said his mentors also became his friends. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in acupuncture and oriental medicine and said he will continue working in the professional clinic at the school, and is starting his own practice in Long Beach.

While some graduates fretted over crooked caps and forgotten speeches, Michael Hollander calmly did what he does every year - attended Suffolk County Community College's separate commencement ceremonies in Riverhead, Selden and Brentwood.

The chairman of the college's board of trustees has been to every commencement ceremony in the past eight years. "I start by going out east early. You put on a robe, and have a cup of coffee, then they line you all up for the processional," Hollander said. "Everyone gets put in their place. Then you proceed to the stage, and all the graduates walk past."

After the ceremony at Riverhead, when everyone else goes home, Hollander takes off his robe, brings it to his car, and drives to Selden, site of the largest ceremony with nearly 1,500 of the school's 2,500 associate degree graduates, and repeats the ceremony. Then, using the same speech, he does it all over again in Brentwood.

Hollander says he doesn't have a favorite campus. "Each of them has its own spirit. It's a little like going to pep rallies," he said.