College of Arts & Sciences Commencement
Saturday, May 17, 2025 ~ 10:00am
Koessler Athletic Center
Tickets are required for this Ceremony.
College of Arts & Sciences Undergraduate & Graduate Ceremony ~ 10:00am (procession begins at 9:45am)*
During this ceremony, President Steve K. Stoute will confer the degrees for our honorary degree recipient(s) and will confer the degrees for the undergraduate and master's candidates in the College of Arts & Sciences. Each student will cross the stage and receive their diploma. The chosen commencement student speaker from the College of Arts & Sciences will address the students and guests.
Students graduating from the College of Arts & Sciences, honorees for this ceremony, and members of the platform party are to report to the Patrick Lee Center (Koessler Athletic Center) by 9:00am to prepare for their ceremony.
Guest seating begins at 9:00am for the College of Arts & Sciences ceremony.
parking
Graduates and guests are welcome to park in any open and available lot on Commencement day. Please follow any and all state and local regulations for street parking, as well as for handicapped accessibility parking. Parking permits are not required to park in lots. The Upper Koessler Lot will be closed but will be available for pick-up and drop-off for those with mobility issues. Shuttle service will be available to and from most lots. See the map below.
Livestream
The College of Arts & Sciences ceremony will be livestreamed. The link to the ceremony will be made available on the day of your event.
*Schedule is subject to change
Speaker and Honorary Degree Recipient: Rev. Zachariah F. Presutti '07, SJ
Father Presutti, a Canisius alumnus and Jesuit priest, is the founder of the Thrive for Life Prison Project, a Catholic ministry dedicated to transforming lives behind and beyond prison walls.
Through spiritual and educational accompaniment, the organization empowers the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated population. Thrive for Life also manages several houses of studies across the country for formerly incarcerated individuals who want to continue their education, operating in partnership with universities including Columbia, New York University, and St. John's University. Father Presutti also serves as Catholic chaplain at Rikers Island.
Commencement Student Speaker 2025: Ava Green '25
Ava Green '25 will address the undergraduate and graduate class of 2024 at the College of Arts & Sciences commencement ceremony on May 17, 2025.
Commencement Questions
For questions about applying for graduation contact Student Records and Financial Services at studentservices@canisius.edu. For questions regarding the Ceremony, please email commencement@canisius.edu.