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Choné Johnson adjusted her cap, decorated by her mother and aunt and touting her brand new B.S. in Nursing. Her journey took some twists and turns, but it all led her to the graduation procession line at MVP Arena for Russell Sage’s 109th commencement ceremony on May 16.
Johnson started her journey at Russell Sage in 2012. Then a turbulent time in her life kept her away from college for seven years. Guided by a Russell Sage advisor she credits with helping her get back on track, she returned to a version of the college that seemed even better than the one she left.
“I had two kids, so I really needed to come back. It was awesome,” Johnson said. “The community was a lot more vibrant, a lot more inclusive – not that they weren’t before – but it was just more welcoming. With the younger students, I didn’t feel scared to come back as a mom of two, a little bit older. And I plan to come back for my master’s. I love Russell Sage. It’s family at this point.”
More than 1,200 students were awarded bachelor’s, master’s, doctorates, or advanced certificates this year, and many of them were joined by families and friends at commencement, where they reflected on what they accomplished and what awaited them.
This year’s commencement speaker, Steven Hanks, M.D., president and CEO of St. Peter’s Health Partners in Albany and St. Joseph’s Health in Syracuse, painted a realistic picture of the world the graduates were entering while offering a call to action.
“You are graduating into a world that is, by any honest assessment, complicated,” Hanks told the graduates. “You completed your education in the wake of a global pandemic. You have watched institutions strain publicly. You are entering careers shaped by accelerating technology, economic uncertainty, geopolitical tension, climate stress, and growing skepticism about leadership itself. Many of you are stepping into professions where expectations are rising even as patience, trust, and civility seem to be declining.”
“So let me say this plainly, right up front: If you feel uncertain, you are not weak — you are paying attention,” he continued. “If you feel cautious, you are not behind — you are realistic. And if you feel overwhelmed by the speed, noise, and pressure of modern life, you are not alone. These feelings are not reasons to retreat. They are reminders to lead thoughtfully. To make conscious choices. To stay grounded when others lose their footing. Every generation inherits complexity. Yours simply encountered it sooner, faster, and louder than most. That does not disqualify you. It commissions you.”
Hanks was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at the ceremony, where the college also bestowed the same honorary degree upon alumna and college trustee Patricia Timpano Sparrell ’78 in recognition of her career, volunteer service, and philanthropy, which have opened doors for learners at every stage of their academic and professional lives.
Sparrell is a chemical engineer who retired from ExxonMobil after 35 years in technical and managerial positions across the Research & Engineering, Marketing & Refining, Supply & Logistics, and Biomedical Sciences divisions. As a member of the Russell Sage College Board of Trustees from 2013 to 2025, including six years as chair, Sparrell guided the college through a pivotal era that included both institutional transformation and the disruption of the coronavirus pandemic. Her philanthropy has advanced initiatives that position Russell Sage as a service-learning leader and helped launch Sage Engage, an annual conference for high school students with ideas for improving their communities.
“Russell Sage was the starting point for my career and volunteer work, including the privilege of serving for the last 12 years on the college’s Board of Trustees. And I can see how the college’s motto — Be. Know. Do. — has tracked with my experience of building confidence, maintaining curiosity, and bringing people together to accomplish important things.”
Master’s degree graduates Jeffrey Fay and Sara O’Sullivan were brought together as friends at Russell Sage. Both came to the college with undergraduate degrees in another field. Fay graduated with his M.S. in Childhood and Special Education, but has a bachelor’s degree in illustration, and O’Sullivan graduated with an M.S. in Childhood Education/Literacy Specialist, but has a bachelor’s degree in theatre.
“One of my favorite memories from my time at Sage was meeting my good friend Sara O’Sullivan standing right next to me,” said Fay, who discovered his love of teaching by working as a teacher’s aide and is now interviewing to lead his very own classroom next school year.
“He took my answer,” said O’Sullivan, who was asked to stay on as a long-term substitute teacher after she finished up her student teaching and has already realized how much her theatre background helps her in her chosen field.
“Performing as an educator every day, you have to get up, you have to be on, you have to look the part, you have to dress the part, you have to be the part, so it does feel like I get to channel certain characters while I’m teaching. That’s really fun,” she said. “I got into it, and I’m not looking back. This is it. I finally feel like I know what I want to be when I grow up.”