This statement can be interchangeable — with the exception of Fredonia and the number of years — with many other colleges and universities across the nation this weekend. Yet no matter how similar the commencements may be, the college graduates walked out of Steele Hall with a degree sporting the name of the State University of New York at Fredonia.

During the commencement, there were jokes, celebrations and heartfelt speeches given to the more than 1,200 graduates who will soon enter the ‘real world.’

The commencement address was given by Donato J. Tramuto, CEO of Tivity Health Inc. and President and Founder of Health Villages. Tramuto was a resident of the area and told a tale that was close to home for him.

It was of an 8-year-old boy who lost his hearing to an ear infection. For this reason, he found himself at the receiving end of ridicule and embarrassment. After a few experimental surgeries, he received partial hearing in his ears.

Class President Eduvijez Cristina Sanchez told the 2017 graduating class to heed wisdom from former President Barack Obama. She also reminded the former students that “We are Fredonia; you will always bleed Fredonia blue.”

This helped him find out how off his pronunciation of his r’s and his w’s were. With the assistance of a relative, he corrected his speech, but could not assist in recovering his dip in grades – where he had to repeat the fifth grade.No post-secondary schools would accept him. After finally getting an opportunity from one school, he graduated Summa Cum Laude and became a pivotal part in the health care world.

“Graduates, that young boy was me,” Tramuto confessed. “And the college that helped me speak again was this one, State University of New York at Fredonia. How nice to be home.”

Like any graduation, advice for the future and the message to aspire to big dreams was the premise. SUNY Fredonia Senior Class President Eduvijez Cristina Sanchez, and her very long list of accomplishments, took the stage to share her words of wisdom, ending with advice that was matched with a round of applause.

“Fellow seniors, thank you for making these past four years the best years of my life,” Sanchez said. “If I could leave you with any piece of advice, it would be from former President Barack Obama: ‘Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones that we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.’ We are Fredonia; you will always bleed Fredonia blue.”

Soon thereafter, graduates walked in droves to hear their names be called and to shake with their right hand and accept their diploma with their left hand. they were moments which became prominent memories prior to their leaving SUNY Fredonia as a student one last time.

“I don’t want you to forget Fredonia and the good times that you’ve had here,” Pagano said. “May the friendships that you’ve made here last longer than your student loan payments.”