Date: May 19, 2008

New York State Governor David A. Paterson Addresses Hofstra Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony

May 18, 2008, James M. Shuart Stadium

Honorees Also Included: Martin J. Sullivan, President and Chief Executive Officer, American International Group, Inc. (AIG), at the Graduate Ceremony and Adam Liptak, The New York Times' National Legal Correspondent, at the Law School Ceremony

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY: New York State Governor David A. Paterson was the guest speaker at the commencement ceremony for Hofstra University's undergraduate students at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 18, 2008, at James M. Shuart Stadium, South Campus. There were also ceremonies for Hofstra's graduate and School of Law students that day. In total, approximately 2,000 students celebrated their graduation from Hofstra.

See Photos | Watch Video

In addition to Governor Paterson, guest speakers included:

• Martin J. Sullivan, President and Chief Executive Officer, American International Group, Inc. (AIG), who addressed the graduate commencement at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex.

• Adam Liptak, National Legal Correspondent for The New York Times, who addressed the School of Law graduates at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex.

For questions regarding future commencement ceremonies, including cap and gown distribution and tickets for family and friends, visit www.hofstra.edu/commencement or call the Commencement Office at (516) 463-4346.

About the honorees:

The Honorable David A. Paterson is the 55th governor of the state of New York. Elected lieutenant governor in 2006, he was sworn in as governor on March 17, 2008. A 1983 graduate of Hofstra School of Law, Governor Paterson has served the people of New York as an elected official for 23 years. As lieutenant governor, he led initiatives in areas such as stem cell research, renewable energy, and the prevention of domestic violence. He was also a champion for minority- and women-owned businesses in the state. Governor Paterson, who is legally blind, is also a nationally recognized advocate for the visually and physically impaired.

Martin J. Sullivan is president and chief executive officer of American International Group, Inc. (AIG), a leading global insurance and financial services organization operating in 130 countries and jurisdictions. Since he became CEO, Mr. Sullivan has been implementing a “Deliver the Firm” strategy to satisfy customer needs and grow shareholder value by bringing the full range of AIG’s products and services to customers around the world.  Mr. Sullivan has also taken aggressive steps to strengthen the AIG brand globally and has implemented a number of measures to improve corporate governance, diversity and corporate responsibility.

Adam Liptak is the national legal correspondent for The New York Times. His weekly column on legal affairs, "Sidebar," introduced in 2007, has been cited on the floor of the Senate, in Federal appeals and district court decisions, and in editorials in The Times and The Washington Post. In the fall he will become the paper's Supreme Court reporter. As legal correspondent, Mr. Liptak has covered the Supreme Court nominations of John Roberts and Samuel Alito; the investigation into the disclosure of the identity of Valerie Wilson, an undercover C.I.A. operative; judicial ethics; and various aspects of the criminal justice system. He was a member of the reporting teams that examined the work of two former Times reporters, Jayson Blair and Judith Miller.

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from about 145 undergraduate and 155 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business, communication, education and allied human services, and honors studies, as well as a School of Law.

Slideshow Instructions
• Click on the numbers across the middle to view each image.
• Click on the Play/Pause icon on the lower right to activate or deactivate the automatic slideshow.

Click the [•] button for full-screen video.

###